Marriage of convenience stories can hold some of the
best conflict in this reader’s opinion and this latest historical in “A Home in
Drayton Valley” certainly has much conflict and reader likeability going for
it.
I
honestly wasn’t sure about Joss for the first half of the novel. It’s obvious from
the start he’s going to be our hero, but a hero that drinks and carouses and is
a general no-good? Hmm. But in faith, I kept reading. Believe it or not, the
character that is his own worst villain becomes a down-right likable character.
Several
times in this novel are not easy journeys for characters or reader alike.
Emotions run deep. Tarsie is so determined to win this man back to Christ, a
final request from her dying best friend. She never expected to fall in love
with him after she married him.
There
is a great moment in the book where Joss has deceived Tarsie and comes to feel
great remorse for this action. The dialogue and moments of character growth
made the entire book. I loved it.
Great
secondary characters and setting, the only thing I waited to have resolved was
Joss’s gambling debts he left behind in Chicago, I expected those to haunt him,
but was also a bit glad they didn’t. (wink).
This
review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers for my copy to review.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
More about the novel....
A Compelling Pioneer Story From Bestselling Author Kim Vogel Sawyer — Fed up with the poor quality of life in 1880 New York, Tarsie Raines encourages her friends Joss and Mary Brubacher to move with their two children to Drayton Valley, Kansas, a booming town hailed in the guidebook as the land of opportunity. She offers to help with expenses and to care for Mary and the children as they travel west by wagon train. But when tragedy strikes on the trip across the prairie, Tarsie is thrown into an arrangement with Joss that leaves both of them questioning God and their dreams for the future. As their funds dwindle and nothing goes as planned, will Tarsie and Joss give up and go their separate ways, or will God use their time in Drayton Valley to turn their hearts toward him?
Yay! I have this book but have not read it yet. Prob. will do it in Jan. I am reading all Christmas books in Dec.
ReplyDeleteAbout Joss, Kim does that in her books - she makes us doubt and wonder about the characters. I think that's why I like her. The characters are real. I mean not everyone is all good, or all bad.
A lot of good Christian people have a shaded past that they had to get over.
Good review Casey.
I know how that goes, I've got January books coming too. December is usually my month to catch up, but I'm a slow reader these days. :)
DeleteYes, she does right great true characters!
Thank you for the review!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! :)
DeleteThanks for the great review, Casey. This story certainly sounds like a winner for three reasons. 1) I'm a Kim Vogel Sawyer fan and know I can trust her to tell great stories. 2) I love marriage of convenience stories. 3) I love heroes who have a lot to learn. I'm adding this one to my Amazon cart right now.:-)
ReplyDeleteOh yep. As soon as I saw your name in my feed, I knew this was a book for you!
DeleteGreat review, Casey. Must read this! I read a book earlier this year in which the hero was pretty unlikable from the start and even stayed sort of unlikable until probably halfway to two-thirds of the way through. But it was amazing how much more sympathetic I became toward him than some heroes who start out a little more, well, heroic! So, I have a feeling I'd love this one, too!
ReplyDeleteYes! Joanne Bischof's book, right? That one did a great job of taking a COMPLETELY unlikable character and making him likable. Was very impressed.
DeleteCasey, thank you so much for the kind review. You are muchly appreciate, dear lady. :o)
ReplyDeleteBut of course. Keep writing great stories and I'll keep reviewing. :)
Delete