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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sweet But Not Saccharine, Wonderful Plot Twists, June 2, 2010
***** This lovely prairie romance will satisfy even people who do not normally read prairie romances (like me). It is the story of a young woman--Tressa--who moves to Kansas from the east coast in the late nineteenth century in order to attend a school for prospective ranchers' wives, a school which trains young women in skills they will need on the prairie--riding a horse, driving a wagon, branding and birthing animals, cooking for a ranching crew, and other domestic and farming skills. The school is delightful--a training ground for young women to see if they have what it takes to make it on the prairie. When they finish the school, they are matched with a rancher and marry (with the consent of all involved, of course). Tressa learns to be not just a successful rancher's wife, but so much more. She learns how to stand up for herself, what love is and isn't, and what faith in God is and how to rely on Him. In the process of her learning these lessons, much goes on, including a mystery surrounding cattle rustling, interesting tales of the other character's pasts, friendships, and vivid portrayals of a simpler and in many ways, better time, in my opinion. The plot of this beautifully-written novel at first seems that it is going to be predictable, but it is not! Since this is a Christian novel as well, the characters profess faith in a non-preachy way that fits in beautifully with the plot. Faith in God was a big part of life on the midwest prairie, and seeing how He fit into the fabric of almost everyone's life was moving. I started this novel and found myself unable to put it down; it was an escape for me to an amazing time and place, and I am grateful to have read it. Highly recommended. *****
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Sweet, Touching Historical Romance, September 10, 2010
This review is from: Hopeful Heart, A (Paperback)
Can she turn her second-best chance into a golden opportunity? Dowryless and desperate, Tressa Neill applies to the inaugural class of Wyatt Herdsman School in Barnett, Kansas. The school's one-of-a-kind program teaches young women from the East the skills needed to become a rancher--or the wife of one. But will Tressa have what it takes to survive Hattie Wyatt's hands-on instruction in skills such as milking a cow, branding a calf, and cooking up a mess of grub for hungry ranch hands? Abel Samms wants nothing to do with the passel of potential brides his neighbor brought to town. He was smitten with an eastern girl once--and he got his heart broken. But there's something about quiet Tressa and her bumbling ways that makes him take notice. When trouble strikes, will Abel risk his life--and his heart--to help this eastern girl? A Hopeful Heart, by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a historical fiction book, however, it is also a romance book as well. The story is very sweet and touching. Tressa is sent away by her aunt and uncle to attend a herdsman school and find a beau. Although thought to be feeble, Tressa turns out to be a tough one, even though in her past, she lived the high society life. All the girls attending the herdsman school have secret pasts that they're trying to break free of, but only through God's direction, do they fulfill their purposes. The story is faith based and shows how circumstances may separate us from God, but He is always in control, and uses those situations to bring us back to Him. This book holds a story of love, faith, rejection and renewal. You'll be glad you read this book! I received a copy of this book courtesy of Bethany House's Blog Review program. All opinions are my own.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A story of healing and forgiveness, August 14, 2010
This review is from: Hopeful Heart, A (Paperback)
A Hopeful Heart is a gentle story of healing and forgiveness. The protagonist, Tressa Neill, is sent west to Wyatt Herdsman School as a dowryless girl. Her guardians, an aunt and uncle, believe that second best is good enough for their orphaned niece. The events that shape Tressa's life, as well as the lives of the other girls at the Herdsman School, run full spectrum from cooking for ranch hands to branding cattle. Sawyer's novel captures the essence of Kansas ranch life in the late 19th Century. Since "Aunt" Hattie Wyatt's purpose in starting this school is to train girls to be ranchers' wives, there's plenty of matchmaking going on while the girls learn ranching skills. In A Hopeful Heart, Sawyer has woven a tale of a loving God's plans for each girl's future. The reader gets to participate in Aunt Hattie's faith as she shares her beliefs with those around her. This novel is a sweet romance with a strong Christian element, suitable for tween girls as well as their moms and grandmas. My thanks to Bethany House for providing me with a copy for review.
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