Category Archives: Kim Vogel Sawyer

March 14, 2018 · 11:58 pm

Review: Beneath a Prairie Moon by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Title: Beneath a Prairie Moon by Kim Vogel Sawyer
Publisher: Waterbrook
Genre: Historical, Christian, Romance
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Blogging for Books

Summary:

Readers rabid for the sweet historical romances of Tracie Peterson and Tamara Alexander will flock to best-selling author Kim Vogel Sawyer’s prairie-set heartwarmer of high society cast-off and the western town that welcomes her.

Abigail Brantley grew up in affluence and knows exactly how to behave in high society. But when she is cast from the social registers due to her father’s illegal dealings, she finds herself forced into a role she never imagined: tutoring rough Kansas ranchers in the subjects of manners and morals so they can “marry up” with their mail-order brides. Mack Cleveland, whose father was swindled by a mail-order bride, wants no part of the scheme to bring Eastern women to Spiveyville, Kansas, and he’s put off by the snooty airs and fastidious behavior of the “little city gal” in their midst. But as time goes by, his heart goes out to the teacher who tries so diligently to smooth the rough edges from the down-to-earth men. How can he teach her that perfection won’t bring happiness?

Review:

Beneath a Prairie Moon by Kim Vogel Sawyer is an absolutely heartwarming historical romance with a gentle undercurrent of faith.

After her father is arrested and convicted of stealing from his business partners, Abigail Brantley loses not only her social standing, but her friends and fiancé.  With no one to turn to for help, she becomes a mail order bride for Mrs. Helena Bingham. Unfortunately , none of her matches have worked out so when Helena receives sixteen requests for brides from a small town in Kansas, she decides she needs to meet the men in person. Both women journey to Spiveyville where Abigail is tasked with tutoring the men who have hearts of gold but need a little polish and tips for courting their brides.  Mack Cleveland, one of the few men who did not request a bride, is sent to pick up the women. Mack has reason to be suspicious Helena’s business is on the up and up so he is surprised when he looks forward to spending time with Abigail during her stay in town. Given the differences between them, is there any chance for a future together?

Abigail clings tightly to the teachings of her darling mother and she is unyielding when it comes to manners and social decorum. However, she does not seem to realize that what is proper behavior for her former life is not exactly a perfect fit for her new circumstances.  Abigail holds tight to these last vestiges of her previous social standing and in doing so, she pushes everyone away. She has also lost her faith since she feels so abandoned by everyone else after her father’s activities come to light. Now with one more failed match behind her, Abigail is scared that Helena will desert her as well.

Helena is a wonderfully wise, caring and compassionate woman.  She wants nothing but the best for the women who are willing to become mail order brides. However, she is having a difficult time convincing Abigail that she needs to lower her expectations and be more willing to relax her strict adherence to social etiquette. Unwilling to cast her out, Helena instead comes up with a plan to put Abigail’s social skills to good use.

Mack is a good hearted man who knows better than anyone how Abigail’s fall from grace feels. He too experienced being judged by his peers for someone else’s actions.  His friends in Spiveyville helped him heal from these emotional wounds but he is not quite as trusting as his  neighbors when it comes to mail order brides. So with a healthy skepticism,  Mack is determined to make sure Helena and Abigail are not running a scam. Initially highly suspicious of the two women, Mack is very surprised by how much he enjoys spending time with Abigail. When the truth about her past comes to light, will Mack continue to give Abigail the benefit of the doubt?

Beneath a Prairie Moon is an absolutely charming novel with a superb cast of lovable characters. Mack and Helena are quite endearing right from the start but Abigail is initially quite frustrating and not overly appealing.  The plot is engaging and Abigail’s transformation occurs at a realistic pace. Spiveyville is a typical rough around the edges western town and Kim Vogel Sawyer does an outstanding job bringing the little town and its residents vibrantly to life.  The spiritual element is perfectly woven into the storyline in a way that feels like a natural extension of the characters’ lives.  With just a hint of adventure, this wonderful historical novel comes to an uplifting and heartfelt conclusion.

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Filed under Beneath a Prairie Moon, Christian, Historical, Kim Vogel Sawyer, Rated B+, Review, Romance, WaterBrook Press

September 3, 2017 · 11:57 pm

Review: Bringing Maggie Home by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Title: Bringing Maggie Home by Kim Vogel Sawyer
Publisher: WaterBrook
Genre: Contemporary, Christian, Women’s Fiction
Length: 353 pages
Book Rating: C+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Blogging for Books

Summary:

Decades of Loss, an Unsolved Mystery,
and a Rift Spanning Three Generations

Hazel DeFord is a woman haunted by her past. While berry picking in a blackberry thicket in 1943, ten-year old Hazel momentarily turns her back on her three-year old sister Maggie and the young girl disappears.

Almost seventy years later, the mystery remains unsolved and the secret guilt Hazel carries has alienated her from her daughter Diane, who can’t understand her mother’s overprotectiveness and near paranoia. While Diane resents her mother’s inexplicable eccentricities, her daughter Meghan—a cold case agent—cherishes her grandmother’s lavish attention and affection.

When a traffic accident forces Meghan to take a six-week leave-of-absence to recover, all three generations of DeFord women find themselves unexpectedly under the same roof. Meghan knows she will have to act as a mediator between the two headstrong and contentious women. But when they uncover Hazel’s painful secret, will Meghan also be able to use her investigative prowess to solve the family mystery and help both women recover all that’s been lost?

Review:

Bringing Maggie Home by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a bittersweet novel of healing for three generations of mothers and daughters.

In rural Arkansas in 1943, Hazel DeFord’s younger sister Maggie vanishes while the two girls are picking blackberries. This one event defines Hazel’s life to the extent that her only daughter, Diane, seethes with resentment over her mother’s over protectiveness.  In turn, Diane’s relationship with her daughter, Meghan, is also affected as Diane’s attempts not to be anything like Hazel take her to the other end of the parenting spectrum. When these three women end up under the same roof while Meghan recovers from a car accident, can the fractures in these relationships be repaired?

Despite Diane’s somewhat aloof mothering, Meghan is a warm, caring and quite well adjusted young woman. She absolutely adores her grandmother and her fondest childhood memories revolve around her summer visits with Hazel. In recent years, she has not spent as much time with Hazel as she would like, so Meghan is eagerly looking forward to convalescing from her accident with her grandmother. Needless to say, the last person she expects to see upon her arrival at Hazel’s house is Diane. Which begs the question: why is Diane here?

Well, the answer to that question definitely paints Diane in a very unflattering light. Her anger and bitterness toward Hazel  have not abated despite the passage of time and she snipes and snaps at her mother at every turn. Diane is a downright unpleasant character whose attitude is absolutely ridiculous since she is now an adult and should seriously have let go of her resentment YEARS ago. Her jealousy over Hazel and Meghan’s close relationship quickly grows tiresome as does her inability to feel any type of empathy for her mother’s loss.

Should Hazel have attempted to explain to Diane why she was so worried about her daughter’s safety? Of course. But in all honesty, she has a valid, albeit slightly skewed, reason for not revealing this traumatic secret. Hazel’s actions stem from love and fear and although it is perfectly understandable that Diane would chafe at her mother’s long ago restrictions, her present day reaction is over the top and completely out of proportion now she is a middle aged adult.

The mystery about what happened to young Maggie is quite interesting.  Although it is fairly easy to guess what happened to her, Meghan and her partner Sean’s investigation into the long ago disappearance is fascinating.  While their chances at uncovering the truth are slim due to the passage of time, no matter how tenuous, they pursue every lead they uncover.

With a strong undercurrent of faith, Bringing Maggie Home is heartwarming novel of redemption and forgiveness.  Although it is difficult to like Diane, Meghan and Hazel are enjoyable characters who share warm and loving relationship.  Maggie’s story arc is quite fascinating and the investigation into her disappearance is quite engrossing.  The various storylines are completely wrapped up by the novel’s conclusion and readers will love Kim Vogel Sawyer’s sweet epilogue.

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Filed under Bringing Maggie Home, Christian, Contemporary, Kim Vogel Sawyer, Rated C+, Review, WaterBrook Press, Women's Fiction

March 27, 2016 · 11:57 pm

Review: Room for Hope by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Title: Room for Hope by Kim Vogel Sawyer
Publisher: WaterBrook
Genre: Historical (’30s), Christian, Fiction
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Blogging for Books

Summary:

In a desperate time, can Neva find forgiveness for a grievous wrong—and make room for hope?

Neva Shilling has a heavy load of responsibility while her husband travels to neighboring communities and sells items from his wagon. In his absence, she faithfully runs the Shilling Mercantile, working to keep their business strong as the Depression takes its toll, and caring for their twins.

When a wagon pulls up after supper, Neva and her children rush out—and into the presence of the deputy driving a wagon carrying three young children. The deputy shocks her with the news that Warren and his wife have died, insisting it was their last request that the three children go live with “Aunt Neva.”

Neva’s heart is shattered as she realizes that Warren’s month-long travels were excuses for visits with his secret family. She wants nothing more than to forget Warren, but can she abandon these innocent children to an orphanage? Yet if she takes them in, will she ever be able to see them as more than evidence of her husband’s betrayal and love them the way God does?

Review:

Set during the depression in Buffalo Creek, Kansas, Room for Hope by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a beautiful novel of faith, reconciliation, forgiveness and compassion.

Neva Shilling is anxiously awaiting the return of her husband Warren from his latest trip to neighboring towns to buy and sell goods for their general store.  The arrival of a wagon sends her and their two children Bud and Belle rushing to greet him, but to their surprise, a stranger is waiting with a wagon full of furniture.  Jesse Caudel, a deputy from Beloit, is the bearer of bad news when he announces Warren and his wife Violet have recently passed away. Even more stunning, Warren’s last request was for Jesse to take his three young children to their “Aunt Neva”. Shocked, ashamed and heartbroken, she takes in Charley, Cassie and Adeline but angry and resentful over Warren’s deception, Neva maintains  an emotional and physical distance from the orphans.

Used to taking care of things in Warren’s absence, Neva is a strong and resourceful woman with an unwavering faith.  She blames herself for her husband decision to “marry” another woman and her shame leads her to keeping the youngsters’ true identity a secret from Bud, Belle and her neighbors.  Somewhat out of her depth and relying heavily on fourteen year old Bud’s assistance, Neva quickly figures out what she needs to do to keep the family store open.  Unwilling to tell anyone the truth about the children’s parentage and ignoring concerned friends’ advice to put them in an orphanage, Neva allows the bulk of their care to fall on fourteen year old Belle’s shoulders.

Neva receives encouragement from an unlikely source when furniture store owner and neighbor Arthur Randall offers to help her.  The families have never been close and Neva cannot help but be a little suspicious of his overtures since, in the past, Arthur has made numerous offers to buy their store.  Gradually, she lets down her guard and accepts his assistance at face value. Unbeknownst to Neva, Arthur does have an ulterior motive for coming to her aid, but as his family’s life becomes more entwined with hers, he genuinely begins to care for Neva and the children.  However, when the truth about Warren’s illegitimate offspring emerges, will Arthur continue to support her?

Jesse is also on hand to lend Neva a helping hand after he becomes the sheriff of Buffalo Creek.  The observant lawman quickly figures out the truth about the three orphans and he does not mince words with Neva when he becomes aware of her antipathy towards them.   He also becomes suspicious about the true nature of Warren’s out of town activities and although sympathetic to her plight, he is completely honest with her about his misgivings about her deceased husband.

Despite her hardships and heartache, Neva remains a caring and compassionate woman who does not hesitate to help others in need.  Using scripture and her strong faith to guide her along her journey, she tries to leave behind her hurt and bitterness but finding forgiveness is not always easy. Although Belle easily accepts the three orphans into her heart, Neva’s lingering resentment blinds her to Bud’s somewhat callous treatment of young Charley.  True healing for the family begins in the aftermath of near tragedy but the townspeople’s less than compassionate response to the truth leaves Neva shaken and uncertain of what the future holds for them.

Room for Hope is a captivating journey of  healing, redemption and acceptance.  Kim Vogel Sawyer uses true to life situations to gently demonstrate the true meaning of several key scriptures and parables. While Neva’s faith never weakens, both Jesse and Arthur undergo tremendous spiritual growth as they help her during her trials and tribulations.  Uplifting and gratifying, I absolutely loved and highly recommend this incredibly heartwarming novel to readers of historical faith-based fiction.

1 Comment

Filed under Christian, Fiction, Historical, Historical (30s), Kim Vogel Sawyer, Rated B+, Review, Room for Hope, WaterBrook Press

November 26, 2012 · 3:24 am

Review: A Home in Drayton Valley by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Title: A Home in Drayton Valley by Kim Vogel Sawyer
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Genre: Historical, Inspirational, Romance
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B

Review Copy Obtained from Publisher

Summary:
A Compelling Pioneer Story From Bestselling Author Kim Vogel Sawyer

Fed up with the poor quality of life in 1880 New York, Tarsie Raines encourages her friends Joss and Mary Brubacher to move with their two children to Drayton Valley, Kansas, a booming town hailed in the guidebook as the land of opportunity. She offers to help with expenses and to care for Mary and the children as they travel west by wagon train. But when tragedy strikes on the trip across the prairie, Tarsie is thrown into an arrangement with Joss that leaves both of them questioning God and their dreams for the future. As their funds dwindle and nothing goes as planned, will Tarsie and Joss give up and go their separate ways, or will God use their time in Drayton Valley to turn their hearts toward him?

The Review:

A Home in Drayton Valley is an engrossing historical Christian romance that beautifully demonstrates unconditional love and unwavering faith. Kim Vogel Sawyer does not hesitate to tackle such difficult topics as alcoholism, gambling and racial prejudice in a forthright and thought-provoking manner. Along with a heartwarming romance, it is also a beautiful story of redemption as Joss Brubacher discovers the healing power of God’s love.

With no family of her own, Tarsie Raines has a close friendship with Mary and Joss Brubacher and their two young children Emmy and Nathaniel. Her concerns for Mary’s frail health and Joss’s drinking and gambling problems prompt Tarsie to convince the family that a move from New York to Kansas could be the way to a better life. Joining them on their trip west, Tarsie’s faith is tested as she and Joss try to keep the family together in the wake of an unexpected loss.

A Home in Drayton Valley is not a typical inspirational romance. While Tarsie’s character has an absolute faith in God and lives a Christian life, lead protagonist Joss Brubacher does not. Joss struggles with addictions to alcohol and gambling, low self worth and deep-seated prejudice. He grew up without a mother, and his father was harsh and uncaring. Joss loves his family very much, but he does not know how to express his emotions.

Joss’s transformation is not easy but it is realistic. It takes him most of the novel to overcome his learned behavior and the temptation to dull his feelings with alcohol. It is incredibly gratifying when he learns to judge a person based on their actions not their skin color. But the best part of A Home in Drayton Valley is when Joss finally opens his heart and lets God into his life. Once he finds his faith in God, the pieces of his life fall into place.

If you are looking for a Christian romance that has a great deal of depth and substance, then you should pick up a copy of A Home in Drayton Valley. Kim Vogel Sawyer’s characters are well-developed with all too human strengths and weaknesses. The novel is fast-paced and the plot is believable. It is a sweet love story, but it is the multi-faceted characters and their growth that makes it such an incredible read.

2 Comments

Filed under A Home in Drayton Valley, Bethany House Publishers, Historical, Inspirational, Kim Vogel Sawyer, Rated B, Review, Romance