A Lighthearted,
Atypical Mail-Order Bride Story
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this book
from the publisher in exchange for my honest review, which was NOT required to
be positive.
After reading Ms. Sawyer’s previous novel, Bringing Maggie Home, I wasn’t sure if I
should expect another gut-wrenching story. Just a few pages into Beneath a Prairie Moon revealed that I
was in for a delightful treat. While not a typical mail-order bride tale, it is
filled with laughter, adventure, and unique characters that claim space in the
reader’s heart.
It was really neat to see a sunburn featured through the
story. That’s a different sort of aspect that I quite enjoyed. It brought back
many memories of sunburns I’ve had, some more painful than others. This was a
really creative thing to add into this wonderful book.
Ms. Sawyer didn’t ignore the fact that saloons and brothels
were prominent parts of prairie towns in the late 1800s. Instead, she took a
fresh tack on it by turning a former place of sin into a diner and
bed-and-breakfast combination. This worked really well for the story line, and
it played beautifully against Miss Grant’s uppity background. The way Ms.
Sawyer turned a bad thing into a good one reminded me of the way God takes the
bad in our lives and turns it into good, as we are willing to leave behind our
past and step into His ordained future for our lives. One story from the Bible
that comes to mind is how God took Rahab and her history of harlotry and turned
her life into a piece of Jesus’s lineage as well as allowing her son Boaz to
become a well-respected member of the community. (Joshua 2; 6:16-25; Ruth;
Matthew 1:5)
If it weren’t for two old-time expletives, this would have
been a five-star read for me. Those two words added nothing to the plot, and
they tried to stick in my mind for a couple of days—forcing me to work extra hard
to take every thought captive and renew my mind (2 Corinthians 10:5 and Romans
12:2). That type of wording is unusual for a Sawyer book, and I’m hoping it won’t
be a repeated offense.
This book is a lighthearted adventure abounding with
surprises and quirky characters that I couldn’t help but love. As always with
Ms. Sawyer’s books, it was filled with hope and faith and life lessons, all
presented with charm, sweetness, and a quick wit. I can hardly wait to see
whether her next book will be a heart-wrencher or a laugh-fest.
About Kim Vogel Sawyer:
 |
| Kim Vogel Sawyer |
Award-winning, bestselling author Kim Vogel Sawyer told her kindergarten teacher that someday people would check out her book in the library. The little-girl dream came true in 2006 with the release of Waiting for Summer's Return. Kim's titles now exceed 1.5 million copies and are available in six different language. A former elementary school teacher, she now enjoys a full-time writing and speaking ministry. Kim's passion lies in writing stories that point the reader to a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. When Kim isn't writing, you'll find her traveling with her retired military hubby, spoiling her granddarlings, petting the cats, quilting, or--as time allows--participating in community theater. You can learn more about Kim's writing and speaking ministries at her website, KimVogelSawyer.com.
*There are differing names for the female lead in the book summaries on various websites. Since I have an early copy, I'm not sure what the final character name is. Therefore, the back-cover copy has been omitted from this article.
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