When Calls the Heart

Summary (from the publisher): Nothing in her cultured East Coast upbringing prepared Elizabeth for a teaching position on the Canadian frontier. Yet, despite the constant hardships, she loves the children in her care. Determined to do the best job she can and fighting to survive the harsh land, Elizabeth is surprised to find her heart softening towards a certain member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Book 1 of the bestselling Canadian West series.

Review: Janette Oke and I go way back. In the waning days of my total obsession with Oregon Trail books as a child, I came across her books in middle school and became obsessed with them for their innocent love stories (my mother was thankful for this too) and their historical fiction settings.  I'm a pretty voracious reader, but Janette Oke is a very prolific writer, so I think her Canadian West series are the only ones I never read. (And this is terrible, but the copies my library had had hideous ugly, plastic peeling covers and brown/tan cover pictures - total violation of the don't judge a book by it's cover!!).  When I saw this book as a free kindle ebook, I was instantly nostalgic for my pre-teen Janette Oke days and started reading it. 

As far as Christian fiction goes, Oke is among the least pushy and preachy of the bunch. Her interweaving of faith in her characters is very tastefully done and I never feel like I'm reading a religious book, but just a novel about people who happen to hold their faith as important. I really loved Elizabeth and her story as a one-room schoolteacher on the Canadian frontier. Her struggles living on her own and coping with mice and making do reminded me a lot of Little House on the Prairie.  Wynn is obviously Elizabeth's crush from the beginning and I admired his character and his dedication to his profession.

My only complaint with this book is it was too short! I didn't feel like it gave enough time to fully develop the characters or the love story. Otherwise a very sweet, simple read.  

Stars: 3.5