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Dec 05, 2011

Book Geek rated it:

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Jul 22, 2011

Holly rated it:

Put your bonnet on, climb up into the buckboard and take a trip to the Wyatt Herdsman School in Barnett, Kansas. Tressa Neill travels west at her Aunt Gretchen’s demands for a second chance at gaining a husband and family. The west is long on men and short on women. The small town of Barnett is all stirred up because Hattie Wyatt had concocted a plan to train women brought from the east everything they need to know about being a rancher’s wife. The fun part will be matching them up with unmarri More...

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Jan 07, 2011

Kathryn rated it:

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Jun 01, 2010

Carly rated it:

I have yet to experience a single moment of disappointment with one of Kim Vogel Sawyer’s books, and I doubt I ever will. But there was something extra special about A Hopeful Heart that makes this book stand out. Perhaps it is in the innocence of Tressa as she appreciates the beauty all around her – a night sky filled with stars or the beauty of the wildflowers growing on the Kansas prairie. Maybe it is the small details of this story – the cat that becomes a treasured friend to Tressa or th More...

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Jun 25, 2010

A J rated it:

In A Hopeful Heart, Kim Vogel Sawyer intertwines a good fiction story with a little know historical fact. Set in Kansas in 1888, six young women arrive at Hattie Wyatt’s ranch to enter her herdsman school to learn how to be the wife of a rancher. Her aunt and uncle force Tressa Neill to leave her home in the east and join the group. Shy, afraid, and easily intimidated, she endeavors to succeed in this foreign environment. Abel Samms, a bachelor rancher, who wants nothing to do with these ‘easter More...

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Jun 09, 2010

Clockstein rated it:

A Hopeful Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a delightful romance full of faith and charm. Tressa Neill is one of the first students at Hattie Wyatt's herdsman school for girls. Rejected by her aunt and uncle, she wants to learn how to be a good wife on a ranch in hopes of finding a husband, just like the rest of the women in the school. Abel Samms doesn't have much faith in the school or the women, he just wants to figure out who has been rustling his cattle in such quantities that he's being forced More...

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Jun 06, 2010

Marta rated it:

A Read Filled with Hope, June 6, 2010
By Marta Perry

This review is from: Hopeful Heart, A (Paperback)
Kim Vogel Sawyer hits all the right notes in her latest historical romance, A HOPEFUL HEART, Bethany House. With her trademark heartwarming style, Sawyer treats readers to the story of Tressa Neill, a dowryless Easterner sent to the Wyatt Herdsman School in Barnett, Kansas, with the hope of finding a husband, a family, and a life of her own. Tressa's mista More...

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May 26, 2010

Amanda rated it:

What a wonderful book! Take six Eastern women, transport them to Kansas and put them in a herdsman’s school. (What’s a herdsman’s school? A place where women learn the skills needed to be true helpmeets to ranchers.) Add in more than six prospective grooms, along with a man who’s convinced that he’s not ready to marry. And then, as if that weren’t enough to guarantee a delightful story, toss in a bit of trouble … or more than a bit of it. It all adds up to one of Kim’s best books yet, one t More...

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May 25, 2010

Casey rated it:

I have always loved a good prairie romance. A HOPEFUL HEART goes beyond good and into great!

A group of eastern girls being taught on the open prairie how to be good prairie wives-- that alone snagged my attention, but once getting into the book you are opened to a world beyond the setting. The characters are real and alive, worming their way into my heart. Tressa, the heroine is a young woman searching for her place in the world and through each circumstance she must learn to stand s More...

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Jul 14, 2010

Donna in Southern Maryland rated it:

All finished now, and it delivered as promised. A sweet romance. Some conflict. Some humor. A good story...........although I figured out 'whoduntit' immediately. But blame that on my years of reading mysteries.

Set in Kansas in 1888, there is a "Bride's School" for Eastern women to come out and learn how to be wives on the prairies and ranches. Aunt Hattie, who ran the school was a kind lady, who cared about her students. She taught them the basics, from gardening to More...

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Jun 07, 2010

Jennifer rated it:

I absolutely loved this book! Kim Vogel Sawyer is a master of making you feel the emotions her characters experience. So I expected to be drawn into the story of Tressa Neil, a city girl who's way out of her element on the Kansas Prairie. What I wasn't expecting was such a completely engrossing, entertaining read. In A Hopeful Heart, Kim takes what could have been your typical historical romance and deftly mixes in elements of comedy , mystery, and a journey of faith. The result is a book that w More...

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Oct 27, 2011

Rachel rated it:

This was a bit slow to start with but otherwise I loved this twist on the typical mail-order bride storyline. Tressa and five other Eastern girls travel to Kansas to attend a Herdsman School run by "Aunt" Hattie in order to learn how to be wives to ranchers. Tressa carries a lot of baggage and hurt, but so does Abel, who finds himself continually running into Tressa no matter how much he tries to convince himself that he doesn't want a wife. There's also a mystery surrounding cattle go More...

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Oct 07, 2010

Keli rated it:

Kim Vogel Sawyer created a delightful cast of characters with whom I enjoyed spending time. Six young Eastern women head to Kansas to attend a special school, one designed to teach them how to become successful rancher’s wives. While the focus is on reserved Tressa and rugged rancher Abel Samms, the reader gets to experience added fun as multiple matches are made under the watchful eye of the school’s founder, Aunt Hattie, a warmhearted woman who adds much to the story. Sawyer is a gifted storyt More...

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Jul 30, 2010

Amber rated it:

This book is wonderful all the way around! The story caused me to think deeply about spiritual truths, and I was encouraged by the hope that Tressa, Abel, and other characters found in the Lord. The secondary characters were real (even the cat, Izzy-B)--either very misguided, very intriguing, or very sweet. And Aunt Hattie's story, including the help and inspiration she offers to Tressa and the other girls throughout the book, is great!

The romance in this book was beautiful. I was draw More...

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Dec 21, 2011

Camille rated it:

A Hopeful Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer

This was one of our group reads over at Fans of Amish Fiction on GoodReads from October.

Alas, life kept me from finishing it in a timely manner. :(

But, I finally have and now, time for the review!

A Hopeful Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a historical fiction novel set in Kansas. A few young women attend a class in Kansas run by Miss Hattie Wyatt which promises to teach them how to be a husband to a rancher, a More...

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Sep 08, 2010

Valerie rated it:

A Hopeful Heart, by Kim Vogel Sawyer, is a historical fiction about a group of young ladies who leave the eastern states to go to Kansas to attend Herdsmen School. I had never heard of this bit of history and was intrigued to learn while the west was being settled, indeed there were some "Herdsmen Schools" where young ladies went to learn how to be ranch wives. Once they learned the skills, they became available to be courted by the ranchers.

This story is about five such y More...

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Aug 14, 2010

Ann rated it:

A Hopeful Heart is a gentle story of healing and forgiveness. The protagonist, Tressa Neill, is sent west to Wyatt Herdsman School as a dowryless girl. Her guardians, an aunt and uncle, believe that second best is good enough for their orphaned niece. The events that shape Tressa’s life, as well as the lives of the other girls at the Herdsman School, run full spectrum from cooking for ranch hands to branding cattle. Sawyer’s novel captures the essence of Kansas ranch life in the late 19th More...

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Sep 17, 2010

Lisa rated it:

It was nice to have a protagonist that wasn't so strong and sure of herself. But, her character development was quite believable. I like how she was able to remain the sweet, quiet or reserved person that was true to her character, but still grow in confidence as she came to know God. The idea of the herdsman school was different from the mail-order bride idea, as well. It was an enjoyable story.

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Mar 01, 2011

Diana rated it:

Unexpected treat!
A Hopeful Heart is a fresh twist on the prairie brides theme. This time brides have to go to school and learn how to be a rancher's wife before they can even court. This fun read has a bit of suspense and comedy mixed throughout. The characters spring off the page with life.

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Jan 13, 2011

Judy rated it:

This is a very heart-warming Christian fiction story about Tressa Neill who is sent to Kansas in 1888 by her aunt and uncle who no longer want to be responsible for her. She attends a herdsman school to learn to be the wife of a rancher. Elements of mystery and romance are woven into the plot. Very enjoyable read!

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Apr 07, 2011

Susan rated it:

A widow rancher sets up a school for young women from the East to learn what they need to know to become the wife of a rancher. Tressa's grandparents inform her she is not pretty and doweryless so has no other hope but to attend the school. Interesting and predictable romance.

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Sep 25, 2010

Cheryal rated it:

She was great the first half of the book then she decided to go preachy on us readers. The story line is fabulous. It was based on an original story. I found it interesting and I liked the romance. But she needs to ease up on the conversion parts.

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Mar 12, 2011

Pattiwan rated it:

My first book by this author. I wasn't overly impressed, but I loved the ending, and the beginning intrigued me. It lost me a little in the middle, but not enough to stop reading.

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Aug 18, 2011

Ralynn rated it:

if you like tracie peterson you'll like this author. I really liked this book it's christan based so you get scripture references and prayers but other then that it is a really good book.

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Apr 15, 2011

Elizabeth (etandksmom on TM's) rated it:

Sawyers books are not my favorites but they are cute little stories. This is the second of her books that I've read this month. It was better than the first I read, A Promise for Spring.

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Jun 16, 2010

Lyn rated it:

Kim Vogel Sawyer's classic mail order bride story takes wing and flies on its own! A delightful heroine and a mystery thrown in. A good summer afternoon by the pool read.

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Sep 01, 2010

Itsjuliaeliza rated it:

Wow...I like this a lot more than I thought I would. I found myself very drawn to Tressa and the other characters...definitely recommended :)

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Feb 07, 2012

Janet rated it:

I was really cute but it ended a little too abruptly for me. At least give me a wedding scene or something :)

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Oct 28, 2011

Sandra rated it:

Setting in Kansas in 1888, tells of the trials and hopes of a young woman in that era. I really enjoyed reading.

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Apr 28, 2011

Jennifer rated it:

Loved this book by Kim Vogel Sawyer. The plot/storyline is unique and interesting.

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