Another good historical read by Kim Sawyer!

I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet historical romance by Kim Vogel Sawyer! I always like Kim's books but this one contained a little bit of everything to make a perfect, lazy summer read. Romance, a strong female lead (who doesn't love a teacher bound and determined to teach children despite opposition from the town's board??) family drama, sibling issues, etc.

I have to admit one of my favorite characters was the owner of the boarding house where Miss Amsel stayed - such a wise, sweet woman (who made me hungry by all the cooking she did in the book!) I also thought the hero's nephews were great side characters.

Well done Kim!

Here's the blurb:

Edythe Amsel is delighted with her first teaching assignment: a one-room schoolhouse in Walnut Hill, Nebraska. Independent, headstrong, and a strong believer in a well-rounded education, Edythe is ready to open the world to the students in this tiny community. But is Walnut Hill ready for her? Joel Townsend is thrilled to learn the town council hired a female teacher to replace the ruthless man who terrorized his nephews for the past two years. Having raised the boys on his own since their parents' untimely deaths, Joel believes they will benefit from a woman's influence.

But he sure didn't bargain on a woman like Miss Amsel. Within the first week, she has the entire town up in arms over her outlandish teaching methods, which include collecting leaves, catching bugs, making snow angels, and stringing ropes in strange patterns all over the schoolyard. Joel can't help but notice that she's also mighty pretty with her rosy lips, fashionable clothes, and fancy way of speaking. When Edythe decides to take her pupils to hear Miss Susan Anthony speak on the women's suffrage amendment, the town's outcry reaches new heights. Even Joel isn't sure he can support her newfangled ideas any longer. And if he can't trust her to know how to teach the boys, how can he trust her with his heart?


I received a free copy of this book via Bethany House Publishers for review but was under no pressure to make it positive. I just truly liked the book! :)