“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
Interesting read but not very realistic.
This book gave a very realistic depiction of the hardships of frontier life.
OK
Loved it. Bought the other two in the series and loved them too.
A must read, it is the first of a series of 3….all three were awesome….recommend a must read
It’s a glimpse of life in a sod house and how difficult life was on the prairie. The family dynamics were realistic. Not a feel good book but an educational one.
I always love learning things about life in the past and this book delivered. But at times it was too realistic. The prairie was a tough place to raise a family and many children did not survive. This book showed several ways fate might intervene.
I enjoyed the book and I finished it, but not interested in reading the others in the series. A little far fetched
Had a hard time getting into this story, didn’t continue.
Totally enjoyed this intriguing book, not really suspenseful, but surprising as the last letter and its purpose is revealed.
The reader has a real clear view of how hard life on the prairie could be!
I know life on the prairie as homesteaders was really hard, but this book was so full of tradgedy as to be rather unbelievable
An insightful story. It was sad in many places but portrayed the real hardships of settling the West. Loved it!
This book was an interesting read. It showed the struggles families had when they were leaving their urban ways and trying to make a life going west. It was not easy for any, but the families in the area helped one another survive. This time period was a difficult one to survive and many didn’t.
Loved it. Didn’t want it to end. Looking for the sequel.
This book is right down my alley, so of course I enjoyed it very much. Reading about the lives and deaths of the Jews during WW II has always been inspiring to me.
Indicative of early life on the prairie.
Eye opener of the realities of the harsh conditions our pioneers endured.
I loved it
Can’t wait to read Book 2.