“Gripping historical fiction—A tale of two women finding meaning behind all that went wrong in their lives. A timeless tale of redemption with the best plot-twist at the end I’ve seen in a long, long time. Can’t wait for book two!” New YorkTimes and USA Today bestselling author, Melissa FosterKatherine wouldn’t have believed it if she hadn’t found the letter…In the summer of 1905 Katherine … of 1905 Katherine Arthur’s mother arrives on her doorstep, dying, forcing her to relive a past she wanted to forget. When Katherine was young, the Arthur family had been affluent city dwellers until shame sent them running for the prairie, into the unknown. Taking her family, including young Katherine, to live off the land was the last thing Jeanie Arthur had wanted, but she would do her best to make a go of it. For Jeanie’s husband Frank it had been a world of opportunity. Dreaming, lazy Frank. But, it was a society of uncertainty–a domain of natural disasters, temptation, hatred, even death.
Ten-year-old Katherine had loved her mother fiercely, put her trust in her completely, but when there was no other choice, and Jeanie resorted to extreme measures on the prairie to save her family, she tore Katherine’s world apart. Now, seventeen years later, and far from the homestead, Katherine has found the truth – she has discovered the last letter. After years of anger, can Katherine find it in her heart to understand why her mother made the decisions that changed them all? Can she forgive and finally begin to heal before it’s too late?
Independent Publisher Awards
2011 Gold Medal, Best Regional Fiction-Midwest
National Indie Excellence Book Awards
2011 Finalist Award-Historical Fiction
2011 Finalist Award-Regional Fiction
USA Best Books 2011 Awards
Winner, Fiction–Western
Finalist, Fiction–Historical
Finalist, Best New Fiction
International Book Awards
2011 Finalist Award-Historical Fiction
2011 Finalist Award-Best New Fiction
more
Overall I enjoyed reading this Historical Novel. This is the first book in a series and is told in two time frames. The book begins with Katherine’s dying mother returning to her house. Katherine and her mother do not get along and there a lot of family secrets. When Katherine finds a letter she realizes there is more to her mother than she …
It was a bit hard to get into at first jumping between time periods. Once I got all the characters figured out it was great. There is a lot of depth and body to all the characters. You cellulose you know them. This book is part of a series but can be read on it’s own.
Loved this so much I bought the next 2 in the series and read them just as quickly. Great series! I think there’s another coming soon and I will definitely buy it!
Wonderful weave of history and fiction in a compelling and believable story of life, love, loss and perseverance.
I enjoyed this…life from different perspectives.
great read. Depiction of real life and hardship .
I really did enjoy this book, and am looking forward to reading the 2nd book.
I absolutely loved this book! Brutally realistic life of a group of pioneering families. I cried openly several times and continued to the end. It leaves you wanting to know more about the characters and magically it was turned into a three book trilogy . I’m just finishing the third book now and books 2 and 3 are really good too! The author …
Loved this book! The author, Schoop, has created the best storyline using letters from the past to tell the 100 year old saga of the Arthur Family. Her descriptions of prairie life and the hardships they endured are so well written I felt their fear and pain. The story keeps you turning the page to see what could possibly happen next. It’s a very …
A bit wordy, but a good story
I enjoyed this story. Loving history in this time period, it seemed to explain things well. There were the grasshoppers, the schoolhouse blizzard, living in dugouts, etc.
Jeanie was married to Frank. Basically a lazy man. Jeanie and the children did most of the work while Frank spent time with other women on the prairie. The story tells of the …
Excellent writing and wonderful story
In this book series, there are just too many catastrophes in one families life, it’s unending! Nothing goes right for so many people in this book it’s a wonder their wasn’t a lot of suicides included.
This book was sometimes difficult to follow. The change in temperament of the characters didn’t make sense until the last chapter.
A lot of sad stuff happens in this book. The main character has a lot of strength. She chooses to be strong in her situation. Every now and then the author would throw in something weird that didn’t seem to fit. Like “what the heck?” kind of stuff. Definitely worth reading though.
I was a little disappointed in this book. It was not as enjoyable story line as I had hoped.
I really liked this and the 2nd installment. You’ll get hooked on the characters and emotionally invested in their struggles…but then the 3rd book gets a little new-age weird for my tastes and seems to jump the rails a little. Hoping she brings it back around and fills in the gaps before the series ends.
Very good book – it was hard to put down.
The story is original and sad. Periods when you think the strength of the mother will get them through anything to times you wonder how she was so brave.
It was tragic without a reprieve even at the end.
I did not like this book. It was like five o’clock news, one tragedy after another.
I have absolutely no intention of changing my review, I did’t particularly like it.So if you don’t wantan honest review don’t ask for one.