The first Christian fiction books I remember reading growing up was Janette Oke’s Love Comes Softly series. This debut novel, Under This Same Sky, took me back to the prairie and the sweetness of first love in a similar fashion.

Becky’s bravery and kindness made me like her from the start. Her coming-of-age story really has it all – family, friendship, love. My heart broke to see her doubt God during her pain and loss, but she matures in her faith and grows in character very nicely through the story. Matthew is just as likable and sweet. His heart for the Lord makes him a perfect fit for our heroine. 🙂

I was disappointed the two of them weren’t able to spend more time together in the story, but their time spent apart was important to the plot. The friends Becky makes along the way are equally endearing.

I thought the historical details were very well researched. I felt like I was traveling across the prairie and seeing the 1850’s version of St. Louis with my own eyes. I loved learning about the different cultures and how the school operated too.

Under This Same Sky offers a beautiful message of God’s grace and healing beyond the hurt. The first page may open with tragedy, but the last page ends with hope.

I received a free copy from the author. No review, positive or otherwise, was required—all opinions are my own.

————————————————————————————————————————-

ABOUT THE BOOK:

~ She thought she’d lost everything ~ Instead she found what she needed most. ~

Illinois ~ 1854

Becky Hollister wants nothing more than to live out her days on the prairie, building a life for herself alongside her future husband. But when a tornado rips through her parents’ farm, killing her mother and sister, she must leave the only home she’s ever known and the man she’s begun to love to accompany her injured father to St. Louis.

Catapulted into a world of unknowns, Becky struggles to make sense of the path the Lord has placed her on and finds solace in corresponding with Matthew Brody, the handsome pastor back home. But when word comes that he is all but engaged to someone else, she must call upon her faith to decipher her future.

————————————————————————————————————————-
Purchase Links
Amazon / Barnes and Noble
————————————————————————————————————————-

Cynthia Roemer is an award-winning inspirational writer with a heart for scattering seeds of hope into the lives of readers. Raised in the cornfields of rural Illinois, Cynthia enjoys spinning tales set in the backdrop of the 1800s prairie. She writes from her family farm in central Illinois where she resides with her husband and their two college-aged sons.
Visit her at www.cynthiaroemer.com

————————————————————————————————————————-