A Mess of Dreams – The Middlefork Series, book 1
An intriguing German POW and an alluring farmer each offer their hearts to Lorene, but when prejudice threatens the one she loves, his fate—and her future—are placed in her hands alone.
A MESS OF DREAMS is the first of four Christian historical romance novels in The Middlefork Series, and is available now! I can’t wait for you to meet Lorene and experience her physical, emotional, and spiritual home front journey alongside her.
Find this story in paperback or ebook format at WhiteFire Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or wherever books are sold.
A MESS OF DREAMS summary:
In spring of 1943, seventeen-year-old Lorene Stewart isn’t looking for complications. She’s content on her parents’ Illinois farm, longing for the day she might travel beyond the cornfields of Potomac. But when Amos Alexander chooses her angel food cake at the town cakewalk, everything changes. For the first time since tragedy struck her family long ago, Lorene’s heart stirs with hope. Yet as quickly as their romance sparks, a world torn apart by war threatens to extinguish it.
When Lorene befriends Dietrich, a German POW whose kindness and mysterious past captivate her, she begins to question everything. How can someone deemed “the enemy” side with all that’s right and good? And what if Amos has inherited his father’s deep prejudice, which he swore to resist? Amos is a young man who seems to know what he wants, but when his father forbids him to court Lorene, it’s unclear if Amos will honor his parents’ wishes or pursue true love no matter the cost. Lorene must fight to discern who she can trust if she ever aspires for dreams to become reality. Her hope of a future spent changing the world with the right man at her side depends on it.
As another year comes and goes, Lorene seeks freedom from a burden of guilt she’s carried since childhood while navigating the treacherous waters of first love and family loyalty. With a community divided by fear and suspicion, a forbidden friendship that challenges everything she thought she knew, and her own stubborn heart standing in the way, she must determine if love is worth the risk—or if some messes are too hopeless to become dreams.
What people are saying:
“Set on the Illinois home front during World War II, the novel explores a fascinating chapter of history that many readers may not know well: German POWs who worked on American farms during the war. The historical details are thoughtfully researched, but what stood out to me most was the way Jessie handles the complicated realities of prejudice, fear, and faith with both honesty and grace. Rather than reducing people to stereotypes, she invites readers to wrestle with the humanity of those caught on every side of the conflict. The relationships are sweet and nostalgic, and Jessie’s faith is woven naturally into the story because it’s woven naturally into her life. If you enjoy character-driven historical fiction, especially stories rooted in real lives and lesser-known history, I think you’ll appreciate this one.” – Peggy Bodde, author of Sacred Work
“I read A Mess of Dreams when it was in its infancy and knew immediately that one day the story would find its way between the covers of a book. This is a story that will stay with you for a long time. Because it is so rich in detail, time period, and character, many of its scenes come back to me from time to time. I believe you’ll feel the same way after reading Jessie Mattis’s story for the ages.” -Eva Marie Everson, author of Miss Beth Bettencourt
“In A Mess of Dreams, Jessie Mattis draws readers into a sweet yet stirring story of young love, hidden wounds, and the courage to trust God again. Set against a fascinating and often overlooked slice of World War II history, this novel captures both the simplicity of small-town life and the depth of a heart learning to hope. With a tender love story and emotionally rich characters, Mattis’s debut novel explores what it means to trust, forgive, and dare to dream.” -Heather Tabers, author of Their Burden to Bear
“Few things make my heart as happy as to read a book that is the perfect combination of heart, endearing characters, and gorgeous writing. Jessie Mattis’ A Mess of Dreams is just such a novel. I experienced every emotion alongside Lorene; I felt the strain of living through war, the ache of longing, the tension of unlikely friendship, the hurt of loss, and–ultimately–the joy that comes in the morning after the longest of nights. Reading this novel reminded me of the times I’d sit with my grandma or one of my great aunts, listening to them tell stories of their coming of age in the 1940s. This novel is a delight! Readers of Jennifer L. Wright and Michelle Shocklee will adore Jessie Mattis.” -Susie Finkbeiner, author of The All-American
