Book description:
Can love overcome all obstacles?
Mae Shepherdson’s dream of a school for the deaf has finally come to fruition. All is going well until she receives devastating news: the railroad wants to build a spur through the property where the Horizon School for the Deaf is located. What will become of the children who attend the school and the employees who so tirelessly commit their time and resources? Mae questions why God would allow the closing of a school that has been the lifeline for so many young pupils. And what of her dream that no child should endure being ostracized as she once was?
Landon Bennick is accustomed to obeying his father’s orders. He’s observed and even assisted with the building of many railroad spurs, and the newest in Horizon should be no exception. However, things grow complicated when he begins to fall in love with Mae, a soft-spoken teacher at the Horizon School for the Deaf—the same school blocking the railroad’s progress. Will Landon heed his father’s strict demands or is there another way to build the spur and save the school
When a nefarious character with vengeful intent threatens Mae, will Landon intervene before it’s too late and save the woman who has claimed his heart?
My review:
Zeller has written a couple of contemporary novels, but she does her best writing when she writes historical novels. (Not that the contemporary ones aren't good. They are).
And this one may be one of her best yet. She came up with some great characters. Mae, her family, Landon, the kids who attended the school for the deaf.....especially little Hosea. The scene where Landon helped him bat the ball in the game of softball....man. And I love what happened to Polly and Hosea at the end of the book.
Landon was a Christian at the beginning of the book, but a new one. His father was distant, not approving, and not demonstrative or one to compliment. As a result, Landon struggled with the idea of God as a father. I appreciated and enjoyed the truths the author brought out on that through a fiction novel.
The book also had some bad guys, and a little bit of suspense because of them. But I won't say what happened. :)
I have always found sign language intriguing, so I really enjoyed reading about that and the kids at the school.
At the heart of the story, is Landon's dad's determination to run the train tracks right beside the school, making it impossible for them to stay there. I loved how that got resolved, but that is something you need to read the book to find out.
My one complaint about the book - very minor complaint- I didn't realize til I was pretty far into the book that Mae's parents were the main characters in the first book in this series. I should have realized it, but it wasn't very obvious at first. :)
I thoroughly enjoyed the book - the plot, the characters, the setting, all of it. I am glad I gave this author a try a couple of years ago. She never disappoints.
Special thanks to the author for an advance copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.
About the author:
Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith and her passion to impact lives for Christ through fiction. While she has had a love for writing since childhood, she began her adult writing career penning articles for national and regional publications on a wide variety of topics.
Today, Penny is the author of nearly two dozen books for the adult market. She is also a homeschool mom and a group fitness instructor.
When Penny is not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters and camping, hiking, canoeing, reading, running, gardening, and playing volleyball.
Penny is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.
For all the details about Penny's books, please visit her website at www.pennyzeller.com
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