Kindle Edition Category:  Historical Fiction ISBN-10:  1478285710 ISBN-13: 9781478285717 Dianna's years to grow into a beautiful young woman are fraught with the infatuation of one brother, the love of another,and the hatred of an old family enemy. This is the second of the Baker family saga books. Johnathan dies mysteriously, but no one suspects murder. Then Chester Thomas becomes a threat to Dianna, but since he goes to Texas, no one worries. Stephen Baker, dianna's father, returns from the east with Marcus, a herd of cattle and horses - along with a family of three men who have help them drive the cattle to the west coast. Two young men and their father. Their father doesn't pay much attention to Dianna, but the boys fall immediately in love with the beautiful girl, just in the bud of womanhood.  Meanwhile,  Chester collected a couple of comrads to return to the Willamette Valley - full of evil intent. But Dianna is being prepared for the ordeal she will have to go through. she overhears her aunt, who happens to be her pastor's wife, praying; and she begans to mull over the words of the prayer and try to make it her own. The Baker family finds a new friend, and heros in their midst through the latest attempt by the Thomas to get even with them for having material posetions.  Excerpt The evening before he died he looked at Alice with clear blue eyes and said, "I've done a lot of exciting things in my life and met a good part of the world's most exciting people. But I left the most exciting part of my life and the most important person till my life was almost over. To know Christ and have the excitement of living in the presence of the King of kings and Lord of lords has made the last years the richest of my life." Then he went to sleep and never woke up. And some of the members of the family that were there, and heard him, were never the same after that.  Dianna was there and she knew her life would never be the same. She would get to know that King herself and live in his presence.  Jonathan had a smile on his face the next morning when Dianna and Alice went to wake him up with his breakfast. Dianna put the tray down and Alice put her hand on his cold, cold face and, with tears running unbidden down her face, she looked at Dianna and said, "He must have seen the King and went with him." "Yes, I think you are right," said Dianna softly through her tears. She pulled Alice into the circle of her arms and they sobbed quietly together, then they went to get grandmother up. But she was already up and had three cups of tea ready for them to revive themselves before they told the rest of the family. "I was with him all night," she explained, "and I wanted you girls to go in and say good bye before you saw me. I knew it would make it easier than just hearing second hand from me he was gone - and I wanted you to see his smile. You did, didn't you? He went with God, but he left that message behind in his body for us to know that he is happy. We must never forget." "We won't grandmother," promised Alice. She didn't know the tears were still running down her face. "Oh death, where is thy sting? And oh grave, where is thy victory?" said Dianna in a shaky voice. She smiled through her tears and said, "Death doesn't have victory with grandfather, because it is not just that he is with God now, it is his victory because of his messages - the one last night and the one in his smile." They sat by his bed and talked of how much they loved him, the things they would miss most and hold dearest, and the joy he brought to their lives. But in time they realized they would have to share the news with the rest of the family and Alice made it easier by saying, "I shall go and tell Aunt Evelyn now and she and Uncle Daryl will know how to do the rest." Part of the Thomas family came to interment service at the grave site. Chester and his parents were there. Alice remembered out loud to Dianna that Chester was the one who brought the news of Uncle Lawrence's death.  Dianna told herself she was just imagining things, but she thought the spirit of the Thomas family was more malevolent than benevolent. She was sure she saw a smirk on Mrs. Thomas' face and was telling herself not to be foolish when Alice whispered to her, "They shouldn't be here. They hated grandfather, and I don't like them. I think I shall tell them to leave." "No," said Dianna and held tight to Alice through the rest of the service. She noticed Aunt Evelyn moved closer to Daryl and looked uneasy. This is grandfather's good bye and I will not let anything take my mind of Grandfather and his God, she thought. She looked at her grandmother and noticed she was totally unaware of the Thomas family's presence. She leaned down to Alice and Whispered, "Grandmother doesn't know and that is what is important. That family is not important enough to even see. You don't do you?" and Alice smiled and shook her head no.

An Inspiring Story of Family and Faith
Format: Paperback
This second novel in Allison Kohn's Baker family saga plunges fast into the lives of these interesting and inspiring characters who were introduced in the first book. It might be helpful to read the books in order, but this story can stand on its own. This huge family of grandparents, husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends continues with their mid-1800s frontier lives in the Willamette Valley after their trek there from comfortable lives in Maryland.

The Bakers now are well established in Oregon, and the main story follows the life of beautiful young Diana and the growth of her Christian faith as two new settlers fall in love with her. This plot is complicated by the fact that these two young men are brothers. Another local man, a villainous character out to rob the Bakers and kidnap and harm Diana, lurks about trying to carry out his evil plan.

The personalities of many other family members and friends develop in this story, all of them with their challenges and victories. One of the most entertaining is the young girl Alice, who is headstrong, often wrong but willing to learn, brave, emotional and often confused, but funny and inspiring nonetheless. She and the other children bring some good laughs to this tale that shows the trials and feelings that pioneer north westerners must have experienced.

Some of the best scenes in the story are those in which the adults of the family teach the younger ones and the children how to face their problems with Christian faith and Christian actions. These are gentle, admirable people trying to live kind and honest lives under often difficult circumstances.

In this novel, Allison Kohn writes a tale with believable and inspiring characters who draw the reader into their lives. Two of her big talents as a writer are describing her characters and their environment. She easily helps the reader picture these people, their small frontier village, and the majestic Oregon scenery surrounding it.

This is a book well worth reading. I recommend it particularly for readers looking for inspirational fiction, for those who like romance, and for those who enjoy stories of the west.

Very Well written Saga
Allison Kohn does a wonderful job describing life in early America through the eyes of the Backer family in her novel, Day by Day. The characters beliefs and convictions are clear and we watch them as they both struggle and triumph throughout their journey. This book was well written. This book projects very strong religious overtones. If historical Christian stories are a genre you enjoy, I'm sure you will enjoy this book. Nice job Allison.

An inspiring Story of Family and Faith
This second novel in Allison Kohn's Baker family saga plunges fast into the lives of these interesting and inspiring characters who were introduced in the first book. It might be helpful to read the books in order, but this story can stand on its own. This huge family of grandparents, husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends continues with their mid-1800s frontier lives in the Willamette Valley after their trek there from comfortable lives in Maryland.

The Bakers now are well established in Oregon, and the main story follows the life of beautiful young Diana and the growth of her Christian faith as two new settlers fall in love with her. This plot is complicated by the fact that these two young men are brothers. Another local man, a villainous character out to rob the Bakers and kidnap and harm Diana, lurks about trying to carry out his evil plan.

The personalities of many other family members and friends develop in this story, all of them with their challenges and victories. One of the most entertaining is the young girl Alice, who is headstrong, often wrong but willing to learn, brave, emotional and often confused, but funny and inspiring nonetheless. She and the other children bring some good laughs to this tale that shows the trials and feelings that pioneer north westerners must have experienced.

Some of the best scenes in the story are those in which the adults of the family teach the younger ones and the children how to face their problems with Christian faith and Christian actions. These are gentle, admirable people trying to live kind and honest lives under often difficult circumstances.

In this novel, Allison Kohn writes a tale with believable and inspiring characters who draw the reader into their lives. Two of her big talents as a writer are describing her characters and their environment. She easily helps the reader picture these people, their small frontier village, and the majestic Oregon scenery surrounding it.

This is a book well worth reading. I recommend it particularly for readers looking for inspirational fiction, for those who like romance, and for those who enjoy stories of the west.