Set in a frontier world of bonnets and one-room schoolhouses, Love's Enduring Promise follows a headstrong young teacher named Missie (January Jones, Bandits), the daughter of Clark and Marty Davis (Dale Midkiff and Katherine Heigl) from previous prairie romance Love Comes Softly. After Clark injures himself in a woodcutting accident, the family farm is in danger of failing--until a handsome young stranger (Logan Bartholomew) helps out. Missie finds herself drawn to this man, but the intelligence and graciousness of young railroad magnate (Mackenzie Austin, How to Deal) appeals to a side of her that yearns to go beyond the hills and valleys of her childhood. What could be romantic froth becomes a quiet, well-paced, and thoughtful love story, thanks to a solid script, capable performances, and clean direction. Jones is particularly engaging; Missie could have been blandly virtuous, but Jones draws a rich and subtle range of emotions out of her scenes. Religious viewers will appreciate the movie's commitment to wholesome storytelling and clear moral perspective. Love's Enduring Promise, like Love Comes Softly, is based on a novel by Christian writer Janet Oke, though Love's Enduring Promise departs more from its source. --Bret Fetzer

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