High Plains Bride

Valerie Hansen pulled me into the story by her poignant portrayal of a young woman who feels the need to stay and protect her family rather than go find one of her own. And she's written a hero whose generosity overwhelms everyone, including himself but that's because he puts the needs of others ahead of his own. Emmeline Carter is in a wagon west of the town when the tornado strikes. They were supposed to be part of a wagon train but when the rest of the wagons stopped to circle due to the approaching storm, Emmeline's mean-spirited father pushed his family onward, alone. Caught on the open prairie without adequate shelter, the family suffers devastation and loss of life. With an ailing mother and sister, missing children and a deceased father, Emmeline needs to take charge and figure out what to do. Fast. When the storm passes, town founder Will Logan walks among the destruction offering comfort to the shocked citizens. Knowing the tornado headed west, his thoughts are on the pretty woman he met earlier in the mercantile before the wagons left. When he's certain everything's being done that needs it, he decides to put his mind at rest. The wagon train wreckage only heightens his worry, especially when he hears she's not among them. Another problem crops up once he finds her trying to flip the wagon right-side-up... now that he's found her, what's he going to do with her? Valerie brings these two strong characters together and challenges them emotionally and spiritually as they try to figure out why God would allow this to happen. A very satisfying read.