A Dream Unfolding (Prescott Pioneers #1) [Kindle Edition]

Karen Baney (Author)

Book Description

Prescott Pioneers Series #1

Christian Historical Romance set in the Arizona Territory in 1863.

 

The promise of a new life and a chance to start over...

Hannah Anderson had the life she always wanted, married to the man of her dreams. When her husband's brother gets in trouble with the law, the town turns against them, shattering her perfect life. Now they are left with only one choice--to head west to the Arizona Territory in the hopes of creating a new life. Will the journey be worth the cost?

Will Colter, after burying his father, is forced to leave the ranch he has called home for nearly thirty years. The journey is dangerous, challenging him and his men. Will he find the new life he was hoping for?

Or, is there a new dream quietly unfolding before their eyes?

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

This Christian Historical Romance Fiction novel follows the journey of a couple, Drew and Hannah Anderson, as they travel from Cincinnati, Ohio to the newly created Arizona Territory in 1863. In their search for a new life, they encounter many dangers and joys along the way. They meet the governor of the territory and travel with his party, witnessing several historical events.

The story also follows Will Colter's journey from Texas to the Arizona Territory when he is forced to leave his home. As this rancher drives his cattle across the wilderness, he and his men run into life-threatening situations. Throughout the move his dreams for his new ranch solidify. 

Once the main characters arrive in the Arizona Territory, their paths cross and they must learn to adapt to wilderness living. Things are not exactly what they thought. Each character is challenged to rely on God to face dangers in a new, wild territory.

Product Details

• File Size: 559 KB
• Print Length: 354 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1456512315
• Publisher: Author Services International, LLC; 2 edition (December 18, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004GNFT5I
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #28,258 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Historical April 5, 2011

By Courtney

Format:Kindle Edition

What a thought out story! This a story about a couple heading out west to start a new life away from the problems they were dealing with in Ohio. Dr. Drew Anderson and his wife Hannah had nice home and lots of friends until the day that Drew's brother caused trouble and got put in jail. The town then reacted poorly to Drew and his wife, so they decided to pack up and head out to Arizona to start a new clinic.

Then there was the story of Will. His parents both passed away and that left him, his older brother Rueben, and his younger sister Julia alone. When the will was presented Will found that he was no longer welcome on his father's property but was still given half the cattle and horses and some money to start a new life. He decided it was time to pursue his dream of having his own ranch so he headed out to the Arizona territory also.

When I first started reading the story I got really involved in the characters and the love between Drew and Hannah was very surreal and passionate. Once they started heading out west things took a different angle and the story was very descriptive of what it would have been like to travel during that time. Somewhere in the middle of the story, I have to admit I did lose interest, but that was mostly because there was a lot of facts in there and a lot of history involved and I was more interested in the relationship aspect of what was going on. Things changed greatly when everyone was settled in Arizona and the story got back to the relationships! That's when I really was drawn in.

Although I felt like the history was a bit too much for me, I respected that the author held true to making sure she was accurately portraying the history. Karen Baney did a lot of research, as noted in the author's note of the book, and her passion for that era and Arizona was visibly displayed throughout the entire book.

I felt very connected to the characters in this story, especially Hannah. You always know it's a great story when you feel your heart breaking along with the character. There were a lot of inspirational messages throughout the story within all the characters and their relationships with God and learning how to move forward after tragedy and hurt. A Dream Unfolding reminded me that when you feel like God has forsaken you or left you, you realize he never had or never will. God is always there to pick up the pieces and help you to continue your dream even if it changes along the way.

If you are a fan of Christian historical fictions or just enjoy reading about the westward journey you will really enjoy this inspirational story. I can't wait to hear about Julia, Will's sister, in the sequel to a Dream Unfolding.

I received a copy of this book to read and review from the author. My review is not biased by the fact that I was given this book. I HONESTLY read and review any book whether bought or given to me. If I did not like the book I would definitely not give a rave review or recommend it.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars emotional journey through history April 24, 2011

By Lydia

Format:Kindle Edition

A Dream Unfolding is a historically rich and emotionally poignant story about loss, healing, and second chances that will resonate with readers. There are two separate plots lines recounted simultaneously, yet the flow of the story never feels fragmented or disjointed because they are thematically linked. The narration navigates seamlessly between the two plots building suspense until the two stories ultimately culminate into one cohesive and emotionally charged story.

Karen is diligent in capturing the essence of the pioneer life and the struggle to endure such a physically arduous and emotionally testing journey. As was the case with many pioneers, her characters have been stripped of the security of home and stability of knowing their future and must depend on God to direct their footsteps even when their faith is lacking.

This is Karen Baney's debut novel and the first installment in her Prescott Pioneers series. I cannot wait to see wait her next book has to offer.

Rating: 8/10
**Review copy provided by the author**

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful historical! April 1, 2011

By M. Vasquez

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

A Dream Unfolding by Karen Baney is book one in her Prescott Pioneers series, and it's a beautiful historical novel that will take you back in time and through the wild west to a young Arizona Territory.

The story begins in 1863 and we meet Hannah Anderson and her husband Drew who live in Cincinnati, Ohio but events begin to pull them westward toward Arizona. We also meet Will Colter and his family in North Texas who also is feeling called to move west. The story follows both of these journeys through rough, dangerous travels and tragedies.

I love the characters in this story. I felt drawn to Hannah from the very start and I was hooked right away. There is always a lot of suspense and danger to keep you turning the pages. The author also includes some great historical detail about Arizona during this time period.

I very highly recommend this book. It's beautifully written with captivating charaters and a great story. She weaves the whole thing together with wonderful messages of God's love and healing. It's a very touching story and at times it's very emotional. I look forward to more books in this series!

More About the Author

Karen Baney, in addition to writing Christian historical fiction and contemporary romance novels, works as a Software Engineer. Spending over twenty years as an avid fan of both genres, Karen loves writing stories set in Arizona.

Her faith plays an important role both in her life and in her writing. Karen and her husband make their home in Gilbert, Arizona, with their two dogs. She also holds a Masters of Business Administration from Arizona State University.