At a glance
Christian historical fiction
The Promise of Dawn
Book 1 of the Under Northern Skies series
382 pages · First published 2017
Pregnant with her fourth child, Signe Carlson reluctantly leaves Norway with her husband, Rune, and their three sons, hoping to build a better future in Minnesota. Rune’s uncle has offered passage money and the promise of land, but repaying that debt means submitting to his relentless demands. While Rune clears timber, Signe faces exhausting household work and relatives whose harshness makes their new home feel anything but welcoming. As resentment tests her faith, she must find the strength to care for her family without surrendering their hope for independence. Rich in the daily details of immigrant life, this Christian historical novel follows an already-married couple through hardship, perseverance, and the slow work of building a home.
Campfire Coffee + Hot Toddy
Choose your bookseller
Find the Book
Print retailers offer a search when an exact edition is unavailable. Kindle links open a specific edition. Audiobook links may open an edition or a search.
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Book Bartender earns from qualifying purchases. Bookshop.org links also earn us a commission on qualifying purchases. Your price is not affected. Read the full affiliate disclosure.
No surprises at chapter twelve
Content notes
Emotional mistreatment, intimidation, and exploitation by relatives; exhausting labor, poverty, and financial dependence; pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding details; illness and physical hardship; brief affectionate kisses between a married couple; references to cursing without the words being printed.
Alcohol-Free Pour
Campfire Coffee
Simple coffee with a little brown sugar suits the timber-clearing setting and the everyday labor at the heart of the Carlson family’s new life.
What you'll need
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.How to mix it
- Stir any sweetener, cocoa, or spices into the coffee until dissolved. Add milk or cream if listed and garnish as indicated.
- Garnish: Orange peel if listed; otherwise none.
- Glassware: Mug or highball glass as appropriate.
We earn a commission from qualifying purchases through these Amazon links, at no extra cost to you.
Highball glass ↗Mug ↗Cocktail Pour · 21+
Hot Toddy
For adults of legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly.
Whiskey, honey, and lemon offer a warming companion to a story of exhausting work, northern hardship, and hope sustained one day at a time.
What you'll need
- 1.5 oz whiskey
- 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice ↗
- 2 tsp honey, adjusted to taste ↗
- 4 oz hot water
How to mix it
- Stir honey and hot water in a heatproof mug until the honey dissolves. Add whiskey and lemon juice; stir gently.
- Garnish: Lemon slice and cinnamon stick.
- Glassware: Heatproof mug.
We earn a commission from qualifying purchases through these Amazon links, at no extra cost to you.
Mug ↗Set up the bar cart
Shop the Barware
Find the glasses and tools for your next pour.