Fulfillment

LaVyrle Spencer

Jonathan and Mary Gray have been married seven years and live on a farm in Minnesota. His younger brother Aaron also lives with them, working the farm with them. It takes two men to run this land and business in the early 1900's. Unfortunately, Jonathan and Mary have not had any children, so there is plenty of room for the three adults.

Jonathan is a quiet, self contained, religious man. He knows how much Mary wants to have a baby. He prays for a solution. He is now certain that the mumps he had as a boy made him sterile. Although he doesn't speak his thoughts and feelings much, Mary understands Jonathan blames and berates himself for their lack of children. A solution comes to Jonathan that should work. Now he has to broach his idea with his wife...and his brother.

Mary and Aaron have been good friends all of their adult lives. They have been like brother and sister since she married Jonathan. Recently Aaron has been dating one of the farmer's daughters near by. But their relationship is faltering as he realizes he doesn't want to get married to her. He is able to admit to Mary the problems they have had.

Aaron and Mary are shocked when Jonathan talks about his idea and makes his suggestion. Aaron could father his and Mary's baby.

LaVyrle Spencer has developed a time and place and events that feel displaced but believable. The tone stays gentle throughout the novel despite the events, the scenes, the tragedies and the triumphs. The characters are all likeable and the reader is able to identify with all three of them. That makes it difficult for the reader. A typical romance novel ends with two people living "happily ever after". For that to happen in Fulfillment a third sympathetic character has to be hurt.

The novel ends the way it has to for this type of story. Even so, the reader is still disquieted by the resolution because of the inability to keep all the characters to stay "happy ever after".

Notice:  Non-graphic violence; strong sexual content

Years by LaVyrle Spencer

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