About the Book
Sophie Davenport feels like a prisoner in her own house. In her twenty–two years, her overprotective parents have taken every possible measure to keep her from anything that might exacerbate her asthma–in other words, just about everything but reading and needlework. Yet Sophie longs for adventure...and for love. She corresponds clandestinely with a would–be suitor, until they meet and her wheezing scares him off. It seems her fragile health just might sentence her to a lifetime of monotonous inactivity.
A Young Man Dreaming of a Family...
Josh Harper is far more bookish than his brawny brothers. The middle child, he enjoys helping at his family's stagecoach stop in Kansas, where he spends a great deal of time crafting furniture and other items out of wood. But, before long, his book smarts draw him to the nearby city of Windmill, where he begins work as manager of his uncle's bank. He also looks after his niece and nephew, who spend their weeks in town to attend school. The change of scenery is welcome, but Josh yearns for a family of his own. Too bad eligible females are not plenteous on the prairie.
A Reality That Seems to Stand in the Way...
When Sophie's aunt, a resident of Windmill, falls ill and requires help, Sophie volunteers. Despite his hesitation, her father finally relents and lets her go, as there is no other option. Her new role brings her into contact with the children boarding at her aunt's home–and with the handsome uncle of two of them. Is there a larger purpose in her coming to Windmill? Or will Josh Harper reject her, if not for her frail health, then for the rocky nature of their relationship?
"Call of the Prairie" was released in January 2014
The was a well loved library book that was reviewed
My Review of "Call of the Prairie"
“Call of the Prairie” by Vickie
McDonough is the second series of her 'Pioneer Promises'.
This can be a stand alone book but I think that there is a wealth of
information, that helps with a deeper understanding of Josh Harper,
if the first book “Whispers in the Prairie” is read first. That
is just my opinion but if that doesn't happen this is still an
enjoyable book as is.
I am
not sure how many books I have read in the past where the hero was
the banker but it might be in the order of where I could still count on one
hand. I loved how in this historical time of 1873, when most times
the bankers are thought of as the devil themselves because of what
they have to do at times, I enjoyed how this showed a totally
different side of bankers of that time period.
I was
also highly impressed with how the heroine had her own health issues
and how she didn't allow those issues to overcome her personality.
It is so easy to allow a disability of some kind to overpower a
person with bitterness, yet Sophie is so full of life. I can see
with how her life has been up to her travel to Windmill, Kansas,
where maybe she should have become bitter, yet she looked at
everything as an adventure and wouldn't back down even when it seemed
as if everything was overwhelming her. She found strength and
courage when she didn't think she had them, and that to me makes a
wonderful heroine especially since she knows her limits. I might not
agree with a couple of Sophie's decisions that she made but I
understand why she made them.
Josh
Harper is the middle brother of the Harper brothers doing what he can
to help his family including watching his young niece, Corrie, and
nephew, Toby, who come to town in order to go to school. So not only
is he a caretaker but the banker at the bank, he is the bookworm of
his brothers, and yet there is so much more to him. Josh indeed has
a tender heart but he is not a push over and knows what he needs to
do in order to defend those he love and himself if need be. Josh
seems to go through some changes through the story which was a joy to
see.
There
are several secondary characters that play a big part of the story
but frankly only two of those really captured my heart. One is
Mikey, who frankly I pictured as the little boy in the commercial
sometime ago where the famous line was, “Mikey likes it.” after
he was eating the cereal. Yet this Mikey there is something so much
more to him. I really hope we see him again in the future. Then
there is Sophie's father who isn't quite who he wants everyone to
see, but yet I saw through him fairly early on in the story.
The
struggles that Sophie faces when she arrives in Windmill is something
that most people would run from screaming their head off, but not
Sophie who runs in head long into it, with a wing and a prayer. Her dreams
don't feel like they are going to come true after how the beginning
of the book starts off and Josh wonders if there is someone out there
for him. These two may have had a sweet and tender first meeting but
man the sparks, and they were not always good sparks, flew from the
second meeting and lasted for quite some time. When those sparks
turned from anger and distrust to something else, that is when things
start to get interesting for some unexpected things pop up.
This
is truly a wonderful book that is so full of love, lessons, life and
so much more that I hope all who read this book enjoy it as much as I
did.
Other Books in the Pioneer Promises
Whisper on the Prairie (Book 1)
Song of the Prairie (Book 3)
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