Beneath a Prairie Moon

by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Readers rabid for the sweet historical romances of Tracie Peterson and Tamara Alexander will flock to Kim Vogel Sawyer's prairie-set heartwarmer of a pair of opposites destined for love.

Estelle Brantley grew up in affluence and knows exactly how to behave in high society. But when she is cast from the social registers due to her father's illegal dealings, she finds herself forced into a role she never imagined: tutoring rough Kansas ranchers in the subjects of manners and morals so they can "marry up" with their mail-order brides. Mack Cleveland, whose father was swindled by a mail-order bride, wants no part of the scheme to bring Eastern women to Spiveyville, Kansas, and he's put off by the snooty airs and fastidious behavior of the "little city gal" in their midst. But as time goes by, his heart goes out to the teacher who tries so diligently to smooth the rough edges from the down-to-earth men. How can he teach her that perfection won't bring happiness?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Historical, Christian, Fiction, Westerns

349 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2018

About the author

Award-winning, bestselling author Kim Vogel Sawyer told her kindergarten teacher that someday people would check out her book in the library. The little-girl dream came true in 2006 with the release of Waiting for Summer's Return. Kim's titles now exceed 1.5 million copies and are available in six different languages. A former elementary school teacher, she now enjoys a full-time writing and speaking ministry. Kim's passion lies in writing stories that point the reader to a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. When Kim isn't writing, you'll find her traveling with her retired military hubby, spoiling her granddarlings, petting the cats, quilting, or--as time allows--participating in community theater. You can learn more about Kim's writing and speaking ministries at her website, KimVogelSawyer.com.

Reviews

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 4 out of 5]

About this book:

“Out on the Kansas plains, a group of menfolk eagerly await their mail-order brides, but how long will they endure the highfalutin former society gal tasked with making these ruffians more marriage friendly?
Mark Cleveland is the only man in Spiveryville not interested in ordering himself a wife. His neighbors think he’s a fool, but Mack believes the Good Lord will be the author of his love story, should He choose to pen it.
When the train from Massachusetts arrives in Kansas with the owner of Bingham’s Bevy of Brides and her uptight assistant instead of the Spiveryville brides, Mack knows the men of the town won’t be very happy about their new guests. So he determines to assist Mrs. Bingham and Miss Grant with acclimating to prairie life.
Abigail Grant is a young woman out of options. Although she was raised in wealth and educated at the finest schools, her father’s illegal dealings left her penniless. Cast out from elite society, she takes a place with Mrs. Helena Bingham as a potential bride but finds herself rejected again and again. Now, as she accompanies Mrs. Bingham to the wild and woolly West, Abigail doesn’t know what to expect next. Can she look beyond the tough exteriors to help the unruly ranchers prepare for their brides? Or examine her own heart to discover the plan God has for her?”


Series: As of now, no.


Spiritual Content- Galatians 5:14 at the beginning; Scriptures are mentioned, quoted, read, remembered, & talked about; Bible reading; Prayers & Blessings over food; Church going; Witnessing; Talks about God; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Mack and Helena have faiths; While Abigail feels like God abandoned her family, *Spoiler* but does start praying and believing again near the end *End of Spoiler*; Many mentions of God; Many mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of talks about God; Mentions of Bibles & Scriptures; Mentions of those & events in the Bible; Mentions of churches, church going, services, sermons, & a preacher; Mentions of Heaven; A few mentions of Christians; A few mentions of sins; A mention of hymns; A mention of blessings;
*Note: A few mentions of evilness; A couple mentions of the devil.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blamed’, a ‘shut up’, and two forms of ‘consarn’; A few mentions of cursing & curses (said, not written); Some sarcasm & eye rolling; Being kidnapped, tied up, & pain (up to semi-detailed); A fire & some pain (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of an accidental death (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of illegal dealings, thievery, arrests, criminals, & jails; Mentions of fighting, hitting, & injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of fathers beating & mistreating their sons (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a divorce & a man (possibly) hitting his wife; Mentions of aiming guns & threatening; Mentions of fires & burns; Mentions of stealing, robberies, chasing bad guys, being shot, & gunfire; Mentions of possible scams; Mentions of a former saloon, alcohol, kegs, drinking, & gambling/card games; Mentions of dead chickens (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of gossip & rumors; A few mentions of mobs & lynches; A few mentions of knives & feeling threatened (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of blackmail; A few mentions of tobacco; A few mentions of human waste smells; A couple mentions of thinking you’re going to find a dead body (doesn’t happen); A couple mentions of an uprising & fighting; A couple mentions of running from the law; A couple mentions of lies & lying; A couple mentions of animal waste; A mention of a murderer; A mention of a drunkard; A mention of jealousy; A mention of slaughtering animals for food.


Sexual Content- a hair kiss and a barely-above-not-detailed kiss; Wanting to kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); A few unwanted touches (on Abigail’s waist, barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Shivers, & Embraces (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Blushes; Noticing; Mentions of saloon working girls; Mentions of winks, blushes, flirting, & being stared at; A handful of mentions of the physical side of a marriage (nothing is said else wise); A few mentions of being accosted; A couple mentions of indecent comments (about cuddling/spooning); A couple mentions of kisses & kissing; A couple mentions of (not) being molested; A couple mentions of the possibility of a man violating a woman and taking husbandly liberties (he doesn’t); A mention of women of ill repute; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: A couple mentions of unmentionables; A mention of butting into someone’s privacy.

-Abigail Grant, age 25
-Mack Cleveland, age 31
P.O.V. switches between them, Helena, & Bill
Set in 1888
342 pages

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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
Oooh, (very clean) mail-order bride stories and match-making stories are some of my favorites. As y’all might know. ;)
I adored all the faith content, liked our entire cast of characters (well, except that one) and honestly wouldn’t mind a sequel. Or at least a follow-up novella. It did end very well, though, and I was quite happy with that ending. Miss Kim Vogel Sawyer has such a fun writing style!
Being set in a Western town filled with men, there were a few comments I felt slightly uncomfortable with, but overall it was very clean. A bit of off-topic, but I feel like Mack is one of the few heroes I’ve read about who has a mustache. I don’t know why that got me tickled when I realized it near the end. He and Abigail were very cute together, though. :)


Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Waterbrook) for this honest review.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, happy sigh! This is one of the books that I have to digest before I can manage to review it. The cover is gorgeous, but the story inside just as much so. I knew I would love it, since it's Kim Vogel Sawyer, and each phase of the story was like unfolding a new leaf of enjoyment.

It's impossible to be tempted to peek ahead because the plot twists around on itself so many times, which is right up my alley. I love having books surprise me with unexpected occurrences! No great predictability in this story, excepting only that the hero and heroine are going to end up being interested in each other.

I loved the original twist on the matchmaker story! A bride who's been returned to the agency more than once and gets reassigned to assistant and etiquette coach. But do we see a prissy etiquette story? Ah, no! That's not all there is to it, because...Twists. Indeed. All the way from sunburn to kidnapping.

One of my favorite things was the deep spiritual lessons. I've heard the topic as naseum in other CF books, but this approach is fresh and engaging and feels authentic.

Content/language: Nothing objectionable. Could be given safely to ages 14/15

Thanks to Blogging for Books for a free review copy. A positive review was not required.

[Andrea Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review, which was NOT required to be positive.

After reading Ms. Sawyer’s previous novel, Bringing Maggie Home, I wasn’t sure if I should expect another gut-wrenching story. Just a few pages into Beneath a Prairie Moon revealed that I was in for a delightful treat. While not a typical mail-order bride tale, it is filled with laughter, adventure, and unique characters that claim space in the reader’s heart.

It was really neat to see a sunburn featured through the story. That’s a different sort of aspect that I quite enjoyed. It brought back many memories of sunburns I’ve had, some more painful than others. This was a really creative thing to add into this wonderful book.

Ms. Sawyer didn’t ignore the fact that saloons and brothels were prominent parts of prairie towns in the late 1800s. Instead, she took a fresh tack on it by turning a former place of sin into a diner and bed-and-breakfast combination. This worked really well for the story line, and it played beautifully against Miss Grant’s uppity background. The way Ms. Sawyer turned a bad thing into a good one reminded me of the way God takes the bad in our lives and turns it into good, as we are willing to leave behind our past and step into His ordained future for our lives. One story from the Bible that comes to mind is how God took Rahab and her history of harlotry and turned her life into a piece of Jesus’s lineage as well as allowing her son Boaz to become a well-respected member of the community. (Joshua 2; 6:16-25; Ruth; Matthew 1:5)

If it weren’t for two old-time expletives, this would have been a five-star read for me. Those two words added nothing to the plot, and they tried to stick in my mind for a couple of days—forcing me to work extra hard to take every thought captive and renew my mind (2 Corinthians 10:5 and Romans 12:2). That type of wording is unusual for a Sawyer book, and I’m hoping it won’t be a repeated offense.

This book is a lighthearted adventure abounding with surprises and quirky characters that I couldn’t help but love. As always with Ms. Sawyer’s books, it was filled with hope and faith and life lessons, all presented with charm, sweetness, and a quick wit. I can hardly wait to see whether her next book will be a heart-wrencher or a laugh-fest.

[Kate Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dawww! Okay, I really liked this one despite getting off on the wrong foot with it start with. :P It was really sweet, meaningful, and I ended up loving the characters.

(It's been too long since I read it to write a proper review, but if you have content questions, feel free to message me.)

[Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gentle story set in the Midwest, and despite its slower pace, I was intrigued by the premise of a mail-order bride matchmaker attempting to improve the manners of the rough and tumble bachelors of a small ranching town. The story is told from the third-person perspective of four main characters, which I think contributed to the slow pace. I actually enjoyed most of all the perspective of Mrs. Helena Bingham, the owner of the mail-order bride service. She had wisdom and humor that Abigail was lacking for most of the book, and I appreciated her patience in training Abigail while Abigail trained the men ;) Abigail's attitude definitely improved over time and it was nice to see her grow and stretch and meet the challenges before her, including learning to look beyond the surface and judging a person by their character. Mack was just such a gentleman, and even though he has a tender heart, he also has a backbone. It was fun to see how his interactions with Abigail change as time went by. They become loyal friends that support each other, and I would have liked to see their romance heat up a bit... but it remained as tepid as their manners are proper. The sheriff made up the fourth perspective, but I really didn't feel like it added much to the story to tell his point of view. Battling the elements and solving a mystery added conflict and tension to the plot, and overall it was an entertaining read.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

[Shantelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beneath a Prairie Moon was a cute story. And it had a little twist, making it different from the average mail-ordered bride tale - our main female character is not a bride, but a tutor of the men ordering brides. She must teach uncivilized frontier men proper manners, etiquette, and other social rules.

I enjoyed this book for the most part. The romance. The danger. The unexpected happenings. I especially liked the little parts where the mistress of this particular mail-ordered brides organization spoke to men about how women wanted to be treated. How they need to be treated. How their hearts are things to be gently cherished. Ultimately, though, I didn't feel Beneath a Prairie Moon was quite what I was expecting/looking forward to. It had more of a humorous slant than an authentic western/frontier feel. The storyline and some of the characters weren't very believable, though entertaining. I don't mean to bash the book, it just seemed quite different than Kim Vogel Sawyer's previous two books I've read - which I really loved.

If one is looking for a fun, (with some drama and danger,) Christian romance set in the as-yet perfectly civilized prairie, they might give Beneath a Prairie Moon a try.

I received a copy of Beneath a Prairie Moon from bloggingforbooks review program in exchange for my honest review.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beneath a Prairie Moon was such a fun and unique read. I loved the characters so much and the romance was done very well -- I liked how it progressed slowly.

The town of Spiveyville had 16 bachelors who each sent away to a matchmaker for a bride. Since it was such a big request, she felt she had to check out the men and make sure they were decent men and a good fit for her brides. I found this fun because the men had to take/pass a class in order for the matchmaker to feel comfortable setting up the matches…it was interesting to see how some of the men responded to this turn of events. ;)

The story also had quite a bit of danger -- more than I expected for a historical romance. This bumped up my enjoyment even more, because I love some good suspense.

All in all, Beneath a Prairie Moon had an excellent story and was written very well. I recommend this book and if ever there is another book set in this locale I definitely want to read it.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

[Amanda Tero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be prepared for gushing.
Because I love, love, loooooved this book! So a cohesive review may not be possible.

This is probably my favorite of Sawyer's so far. I did NOT want it to end and when I passed it along to my sister, she said the same thing. I just wanted to stay with Abigail and Mack and Helena and Bill and Spiveyville. They were all so real and believable. They each had their struggles, their strong points, and their weak points.

And the men of Spiveyville. Oh wow. I mean, two women of prestigious, Eastern training coming into a town to train sixteen westerners who want mail-order brides? That is such an amazing idea and Sawyer executed it very well! I loved seeing the growth of the various characters, the vastness of their personalities. Yeah... I just loved the characters here!

As always, Sawyer portrayed strong, Christian characters (when applicable) or young Christians who needed room to grow. There wasn't a ton of preaching in this book because the characters lived out their Christian lives. That was so very refreshing to see!

The setting was completely amazing! I loved the many etiquette tips woven throughout the book and in Abigail's personality. It made it feel true to its era.

I forgot at times that the basis of this book was "mail order bride." There really wasn't much romance until the end. It was more of solid friendships being formed and developing into a relationship. There were a few hints of things, but nothing portrayed at all.

This really was just one of the sweetest, most exciting, and un-put-down-able books I've read this year!

*I received this book from Blogging for Books and happily provided my honest review*

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet and humorous historical Christian romance novel full of multiple matches. The plot is a mail order bride scenario with a few twists. It is well written for its genre, and the characters were well drawn. In addition, I loved how much Abigail matured throughout the book becoming a quite lovable character fully deserving of the true match she found with Mack. I really had a blast reading this book, and I truly needed the humor in it after having read Before We Were Yours earlier in the month.

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel started off a little slow for me and I was bored and nearly stopped reading. The story picked up and I enjoyed the latter part.

Abigail’s character growth was wonderful. She had a bevy of fabulous people surrounding her in a small Kansas town.

[Janell R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had heard of this book from a good friend, so when I got the opportunity to review it, I was overjoyed! 

I have come to enjoy Kim Vogel Sawyer for her homey stories, with great character lessons and this one was no exception, such a sweet and lovely story.  Honestly, the best thing about this book (and it was all great!) is the characters! Mrs. Sawyer did a great job of portraying each of them in a well rounded way, and made me feel like I actually knew them personally. I don't just mean the main characters either. Other than the 4 or so main characters, there were about 10 or so secondary characters and each one was special and endearing.

This is the funny part though, for about half the story, the main female character is almost my least favorite. She had such a hoity-toity attitude about things, but ultimately that was what made her change of heart so much more meaningful.

I really enjoyed the matchmaker element, and getting to know all the bachelors (as I mentioned above, secondary characters). Honestly though, the most admirable of all, was Mack and his determination not to just put an advertisement in the mail, but the wait for the Lord to send a young lady across his path in His timing. Loved that!

Reading about the 'courtship lessons' put me very much in mind of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. So cute!

Spiritual content was really good! Seeing the spiritual growth and character development of each one was so wonderful. 

All in all, this was such a fun, warm, and cozy story, and I highly recommend it!                   5 out of 5 stars!

*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Molly Jaber (Audiobooks And Sweet Tea) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been quite some time since I've read Ms. Sawyer's work. So, I was pleased to jump back into her work. I didn't know what to expect with this new western novel, but once I sat down and opened the pages, I was quickly drawn to Abigail and Mack's story. Ms. Sawyer did not disappoint!

I loved Abigail! She was forced to do something she didn't want to do, but in the end, it was definitely worth it for her! I loved watching her trying to play her role of teacher. And Mack.....oh Lordy! Swoon! I loved him. I felt for him on so many occasions! I loved watching him interact with Abigail and fight his true feelings.

Ms. Sawyer definitely hit it out of the ballpark with this novel. It was a hit with this reader, 4 stars, and two thumbs for sure. Each page turn brings something new to the story, and as you read, you can feel the warmth of the Lord surrounding you. That feeling was a wonderful one! Ms. Sawyer, I can't wait to read another book by you! I won't be waiting so long this time in between reads.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*

[Reese Songbird · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice, chill, relaxing read.
I definitely enjoyed it, even though this genre is not my go-to. It was a fun story, and I enjoyed the writing style and the characters.
It wasn’t a favorite, but I definitely still liked it


Content:
Kissing

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

BENEATH A PRAIRIE MOON is one of the few books by Ms. Sawyer that I've read. It is written in four points of view, Mack, Abigail, the matchmaker and the sheriff, and each part is clearly marked so readers won't get confused. From the beginning, Mack and Abigail clashed, but this is a romance so you know they will get their happy-ever-after. But how it will come to pass will keep the reader guessing, especially as Abigail is a society lady and Mack is a working class man. Plus all the delays keeping these East coast city ladies in a small western town overcome by dust storms and tumbling weeds, windstorms and tornadoes.



The grooms are desperate for their brides but the matchmaker takes Abigail's complaints about deplorable conditions seriously and goes to check things out for herself, with Abigail along to teach the men proper behavior. The brides are left behind, so add upset bachelors to the bad weather and you have a lot of tension and unexpected twists.



I wondered if the sheriff and the matchmaker would make a match too, but she was almost twenty years older than the sheriff so I doubted it. Another reason to keep reading!



I enjoyed BENEATH A PRAIRIE MOON and if you like historical romances with a twist you will love it. Pick up this winner by Kim Vogel Sawyer today. You won't want to put it down.



I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a different take on the historical mail order bride books. Helena Bingham runs a mail order bride business. She is very conscientious in matching brides to husbands, but this time she has a tall order. Sixteen men in Newton Kansas have all requested mail order brides, so she wants to check them out before she does any matching. Abigail Grant has been sent back to Mrs. Bingham six times because of her hoity toity, uppity ways. Helena decides Abigail will accompany her to Kansas as an instructor in social graces to these 16 men.

Full of humor and character-driven, this book was a delightful read. There were so many characters, both major and minor, in this book to love: Mack and Sheriff Bill with their care and concern for both women, Athol with his love for feeding the single fellows and looking out for Helena and Abigail, and the hilarious, rough around the edges, future grooms attempting to learn social niceties. Each of the characters got more complex as the story developed.

Abigail was a character that drove me crazy at the beginning of the book as she stuck her nose in the air and looked down at all of the townspeople who didn't have her uppity manners and ways, but as the story progressed and Abigail saw the actions of the townsmen in particular, Abigail realized that caring hearts definitely out trumped perfect manners. Helena was a great support for Abigail which also helped in her development as a better person.

The ending was super with a couple of surprise couples that were perfect fits for one another. Would love to see a sequel to this book to find out what happened to all the couples that Helena matched up.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Waterrook through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

[Lisa M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars because once I started I didn’t want to put it down! I fell in love with all the characters and enjoyed how it was written from four different viewpoints! I love mail order brides stories anyways...❤️

[Joleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an atypical mail-order bride story; more about the men than the women.

The owner of Bingham's Bevy of Brides received payment for sixteen women from men in a small prairie town. She's willing to supply them, but she wants to make sure the men are honest, kind and God-fearing men for her women. Judging by the letters she received from them all, she's a bit concerned.

Helena Bingham decided to take an assistant (Abigail) with her to Kansas. Abigail (one of her girls) has been a bit of a problem. She has rejected all the matches set up for her the last three years. She was raised with a certain standard and might be a bit finicky, even labeled hoity-toity by prospective husbands.

The reason they are traveling to Kansas from Massachusetts is to meet the men, and for Abigail to give them lessons on manners, cleanliness and morals (even dancing) before the prospective wives are allowed to meet them. Abigail's part in this is not as a prospective bride, but as a teacher only.

In Spiveyville, Kansas, Helena and Abigail are met with some serious challenges. Many are funny, some cause them to wonder if this will even work. What started out to be a week or two of lessons turned out to be considerably longer.

The one man who refused to ask for a wife stuck to his conviction that if God wanted a wife for him, He'd provide one the old fashioned way. Through God's will. But owning the business next door to where Helena and Abigail were lodging, he was as helpful as he could be to the women, which turned out to be more than he could have imagined.

Good book with a beautiful faith message. The men may have been rough, ill-mannered and uneducated, but most of them loved the Lord and pulled together in times of need.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book that I've read by Kim Vogel Sawyer and I can confidently say that she is becoming one of my favorite authors. I am not particularly a fan of historical fiction because I often find that it's a bit predictable and cliched but Sawyer's historical books do not fit into that mold.

I expected one thing when starting the book based on the synopsis and got something much different (in a good way).

The author is very gifted at character development...each character had their own voice and was very easy to picture. I found myself chuckling several times at the scenes of these "rascally" men who were very unrefined and just wanted to get some wives (the sooner the better). The contrast of these men to the uppity and snooty Abigail was very fun to read about.

This story took several very unexpected turns that surprised me. There was depth to this story that I've found in all of Sawyer's books, which really adds to the enjoyment and makes them more memorable.

I also appreciated that although there was romance, it began as a friendship and was very slow burning and sweet.

My only wish was that there was an epilogue to see where these characters were in the future. A sequel would be even better!

All in all, this was a very enjoyable story that I could see myself rereading in the future. I definitely recommend Kim Vogel Sawyer's books...I plan to purchase many more to read.

Learn more and purchase here: https://waterbrookmultnomah.com/books...

I received this book from the author to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Pam Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite things about a Kim Vogel Sawyer story: getting to the end of the story and seeing how all the pieces fit together. One of my least favorite things about a Kim Vogel Sawyer story: getting to the end of the story and having no more pages to read.

If you have followed my reviews at all, you should have picked up that Kim Vogel Sawyer is one of my favorite authors. She tells stories (frequently historicals set in her home state of Kansas) of hardship, struggles, love, and faith in a way that tug at the heart strings. Before the story is over, I have usually laughed, cried, and felt like taking some of the characters and "shaking some sense into them."

Beneath a Prairie Moon is everything I have just described. The setting involves a kind of rough and tumble town that is short on females of marriageable age, which prompts many of the unrefined men of the town to send letters and money back East for the purpose of securing mail-order brides. When the manager of the bride service and her assistant make the long trek to Kansas, Eastern high society meets the unpolished prairie and all kinds of consequences develop. There is a lot of uncertainty and hard-headedness, and even some pretty dangerous situations. Before all is said and done, love shows itself in many forms -- expected and unexpected.

As always, I highly recommend Kim Vogel Sawyer's latest book to all fans of great inspirational fiction. Thanks to Kim and her publisher for providing a copy of the book. I am happy to share my own thoughts in this review.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beneath a Prairie Moon: A NovelI have become fascinated by the writings of Kim Vogel Sawyer, as of late. This book is a good example why.

In Beneath a Prairie Moon, Abigail Brantley has suffered the affects of her father's illegal actions. She has been thrown from the world of social registers to one where she is now a tutor for ranchers in Kansas. These men need to be educated in manners so they can be deemed worthy to their mail-order brides.

There is one man, Mack Cleveland, who does not want these mail-order brides coming because of how his father was taken in by a scheme like this. Mack has also decided that Abigail does not belong here. Soon however he sees the work she is doing for the ranchers, but he knows that life needs more than smooth edges and he wants to show this to Abigail.

This author has a talent for developing the characters in her story. Each one stands alone and does not need to rely on others to create their story. I was envisioning the characters and the scenes as I read along. She also is great at showing the differences between the characters she writes about.

This was more than a historical novel. It contained twists and turns that surprised me throughout. I highly recommend this book.

I was given this book by Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has offered us a different type of mail order brides, with many requests all going to the same town. Then she put a boulder in the way when the expected brides don’t show up in the prairie Kansas town, but only the owner and her helper arrive.
Now you can just picture a young woman, and she is not spoken for, arriving to teach a bunch of small town men and farmers some manners. Oh, to be a fly on wall with some of the classes she offers and these poor men are required to attend, that is if they want a bride.
There are some sad happening here where the sins of the father seem to come home when others put the blame on the child, so very unfair. Then there is child abuse, and putting such unfair blame on a child, the father of these boys is a bit unbalanced.
You will enjoy being in this town and most of the people here, of course, every town has those other folks! There is a bit of romance here, and one I thought would happen sure surprised me.
You will be in for a very enjoyable read!

I received this book through Net Galley and WaterBrook & Multnomah and was not required to give a positive review.

[Trixi · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Life is often unfair, and we cannot change it. We can only do our utmost to make the best of what we've been dealt and perhaps try to bring a little happiness into others' lives. Isn't that what the Bible advises—to love one's neighbor as oneself?”

Beneath a Prairie Moon brings us a story of Abigail Grant fallen from society due to her father's illegal dealings, leaving her penniless. Her last hope was to sign up to be a mail-order bride, but even that fails! Mrs. Bingham—owner of Bingham's Bevy of Brides mail-order service—decides to give her one more chance, but this time as an etiquette instructor to the rough & tumble potential grooms of Spiveyville Kansas. What ensues could be disaster or God's answer to her prayers.

What a fun read! My heart went out to Miss Grant, who through no fault of her own, must seek out a different lifestyle than what she was brought up in. I can understand trying to make your own way into a world you don't have the first clue about. Part of me felt sorry for her & all the things she went through in her young life. Facing the unknown is certainly scary! But I love the way that Mrs Bingham (Helena) took her under her wings and guided her along the way. Just like a mother hen, she sometimes had to ruffle her feathers a bit & other times had to gather her close to lovingly encourage her. You can tell that Helena cared very much for her and only wanted the best for her. As for the potential grooms, each one had their own ideas and often times caused quite a stir with their uncouth & uncivilized ways! I had to laugh at some of the things they said or did, although I couldn't help but fall in love with their own unique personalities. I often found myself grinning from ear to ear! Now Mack Cleveland certainly stood out among the rest of them. While he was about the only one who hadn't sent out a letter to ask for a bride, he was willing to extend friendship to Abigail. He knew what it was like to have nobody to extend kindness to you, but he loved the town & how it's occupants extended that to him in a time of his own need. I loved watching romance slowly blossom like a prairie flower between these two. Sometimes love comes on gentle wings & your heart doesn't feel it until it grows so big that you can't imagine being without that person in your life. And that's exactly what happens here! Over all, faith is liberally sprinkled within the pages. Abigail had left her faith behind, Mack has always had his faith to cling to, and Mrs. Bingham let's it shine forth in all she does or says! A wonderful story to warm you heart & soul, bring laughter bubbling up, and a whole passel of potential grooms to get to know & love! Another fantastic historical story written by one of my favorite authors.

* I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher on behalf of the author. I was under no obligation to leave a favorable review. *

[. · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know, I just realized I really haven’t been finishing books lately. Ugh, it really makes me feel bad to dnf this one, but I just couldn’t keep going. I’m not trying to be picky about books. It’s just that I’ve seen many other reviews gushing over how this book is wonderful and I really hoped it was going to be the same for me, but it just wasn’t.

My main issue is that I just felt a little bored. I only finished 120(+) pages and I realized this book was just not for me. Now, the author didn’t do anything wrong. I just wasn’t compelled to read it. It had this Christy (by Catherine Marshall) vibe but it just didn’t work for me.

Also, there were many discussions of marriage, since it’s centered around mail-order brides, romance, etc… I realized I was not ready to read this, at least not right now. I mean, I can handle romance, but this book was just not my preference nor necessary for my age. I recently read a nonfiction for girls and it made me realize once again I don’t want to focus on romance in general. At the time when I first saw it, it sounded fine and intriguing to me. I guess your tastes can change over time, eh?

Since I did not finish this book, I’m going to rate it three stars. The reason for this? First of all, I don’t think it’s fair to rate it less than that since I don’t think I have a valid reason to do so. Plus, I might see if I can read it again after a month or two, when I think I’m ready to. I’ll re-review it when I attempt this book again in the future. The one good thing that came out of this for me is that I’m going to be more careful in what I choose to read, thus hoping avoiding a scenario similar to this one in the future. The cover is very lovely! ❤

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to provide a positive one.

This review was written in my own words and opinions.

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great mix of humor and drama. The whole premise of this story is awesome! Trying to refine a town of bachelors in preparation for their brides. And poor Abigail -- a chronically unsuccessful mail-order bride who challenges the matchmaker into thinking outside the box when it comes to her most taxing 'bride.' So Helena and Abigail set out to a town with 16 uncouth grooms who need...well...grooming!

Laugh-out-loud funny and achingly tender and royally exasperating. Beneath a Prairie Moon is such a fun read but it tugs at your heartstrings too. Especially when it comes to Abigail. She's a bit standoffish at first. She wears her proper manners like a shield -- a way to protect herself from her painful past. Unfortunately, it keeps her at a distance until the folks in Spiveyville work their magic.

Cue our hero, Mack. How can you not fall instantly in love with a man who won't leave something as sacred as marriage to chance? A man who is willing to let God be the author of his love story? Swoonworthy or what? And he's so kind and patient with Abigail -- even when she's snippy. His diligence pays off as Abigail slowly begins to blossom into the woman she was meant to be. Blissful sigh.

Lots of heart and faith and some hair raising plot twists!

[Emilee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another sweet, story from Mrs. Kim Vogel Sawyer. It took me much longer to read than usual but I think it was mostly my emotional state and only partly due to the the story line.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beneath a Prairie Moon by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a historical romance novel that takes readers back to 1888. Mrs. Helena Bingham owns Bingham’s Bevy of Brides in Newton, Massachusetts. She is not surprised to find that Abigail Grant has returned once again. Abigail was raised to be a lady with a genteel education and refined manners. After the downfall of her father from his illegal dealings, Abigail found herself without a home and a fiancé. Helena knew Abigail would be a challenge, but she took her on anyway. The last gentleman (I use the term loosely) found her too “hoity toity”. Mrs. Bingham agrees to give Abigail one more opportunity. She has had a request from sixteen men in Spiveyville, Kansas who are looking for brides. Mrs. Bingham wants Abigail to give the men lessons in manners, table etiquette, how to court a woman, teach them to dance and proper decorum. They are met at the station by Mack Cleveland, the hardware store owner. Mack did not request a bride because he believes that only God can make a heart match. The enthusiastic grooms are not happy with the delay of their brides nor with the required lessons, but they will do what it takes to get wives. Events keep throwing Abigail and Mack together, but Abigail’s attitude makes it hard for him to get close. As time passes, Mack begins to see a different side of Abigail. Is there a chance for these two different individuals? Will Abigail realize that perfection will not bring her love and happiness?

Beneath a Prairie Moon is a delightfully entertaining novel. The book is well-written and has a steady pace. I enjoyed the mail order bride angle that the author used in this story. It was unique (hooray). There are a wide variety of characters from the oh so proper Abigail to Athol Patterson who ran the restaurant (and did not appreciate anyone else cooking in his kitchen) to the evil Elmer Nance. It was nice to see the townspeople work together to help each other in times of turmoil (a bad storm and a kidnapping). I like how humor was interlaced throughout the story. Abigail and her sunburn (ouch) provided me with some laugh out loud moments (you would have to read it to understand). Beneath a Prairie Moon is a Christian novel and the author handles it beautifully. There are good lessons woven into the story about forgiveness, pride, the power of prayer, having faith, and following the path God has laid out for you. The story has a villain in Elmer Nance and a hero with Sheriff Bill Thorn. I kept hoping Sheriff Thorn would end up with a certain lady, but it did not happen. The ending will leave you with a smile on your face and a good feeling in your heart. My rating for Beneath a Prairie Moon is 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it).

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abigail was used to a rich and luxurious life. She has excellent manners, but is no longer part of high society. Her father's actions have given the family a reputation and Abigail lost everything she held dear in a short time. She ended up at Helena's mail-order bride business, but so far Helena hasn't been able to match her. To earn her keep Helena asks Abigail to assist her. They're traveling to Spiveyville in Kansas together, to take a look at sixteen men who have requested a bride all at once. To make sure the men are ready for their women, Abigail is supposed to give them etiquette and common courtesy lessons. How will the men respond when not sixteen, but just two women enter their town?

Mack isn't interested in a mail-order bride. He wants to fall in love with a woman the natural way. He's one of the few men in Spiveyville who hasn't requested Helena's services. However, he doesn't mind helping out when the women are there. In a town that consists mostly of rowdy men Abigail and Helena need protection. There's only one sheriff and he could use some assistance looking after the women, so he can also do his regular job. Mack is someone with good manners, so the task suits him perfectly. Will Mack regret his decision not to ask for a wife when he gets to know the two women?

Beneath a Prairie Moon is a wonderful heartwarming story. Abigail is smart and honest, but she doesn't easily fit in. She has excellent manners, but she uses her propriety as a mask. She doesn't want others to come close, because of all the hurt loving people has brought her. She has some trouble adjusting to life in Spiveyville. Most of the men are kind, but they aren't gentlemen. Making friends proves to be difficult, but Mack doesn't give up easily. I liked his strong and calm presence and his willingness to be there for others without asking for anything in return. This makes him a fascinating main character. I enjoyed reading about the adventures of both Abigail and Helena and the men living in Spiveyville from the moment the match-making women enter the town. It's such a fabulous idea for a story and I was captivated from beginning to end.

Kim Vogel Sawyer has written a fantastic descriptive story. I could easily picture Spiveyville and its intriguing inhabitants. She combines surprising twists and turns with interesting dialogue and a terrific gripping ending. Beneath a Prairie Moon is a gorgeous story that completely enchanted me. It's charming, entertaining and enthralling. I loved every single page of this amazing book and highly recommend it.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sigh. I wanted so much to love this book. I've really been exploring the historical fiction genre--specifically Christian historical fiction. My issues with Beneath a Prairie Moon are pretty simple. The pacing was really slow. The story wasn't romance driven. There's dialect used prominently throughout the book. And at times (more so in the beginning of the book), I felt like the characters were preaching at me.

The issues of pacing and the romance taking a backseat go hand and hand for me. While all stories don't need to be romance driven, this just happens to be my personal preference. I debated DNFing Beneath a Prairie Moon multiple times--not because it was bad, but just because the pacing dragged so much. Each time I decided to keep reading because the story was interesting enough.

Dialect is a pet peeve of mine. I can't stand it. It takes me out of the story, and I can't imagine how difficult it must be to actually write this way. I hate trying to make out the words being used by the characters. In this case, there was a purpose behind it--so Abigail could correct them as part of her lessons.

The preaching thing didn't really last beyond the beginning of the book. Although certainly the characters who narrated each had relationships with God which were prominent throughout the story. Lessons were learned by each. I always try to place myself in the shoes of a believer and non-believer when it comes to Christian fiction. Would a non-believer enjoy the story just as much as a believer? I'm not sure in this case. I don't remember there being any topics that anyone would find offensive (although these days it doesn't take much to offend some people).

Beneath a Prairie Moon wasn't bad by any means, but is that really how you want a book described that you're thinking about reading? I mean I feel harsh even saying that, but that's how I felt. Reiterating what I said in the first paragraph: Beneath a Prairie Moon was slow. The romance took a back seat to the rest of the story. And one of my biggest pet peeves, dialect, was used throughout the book. Beneath a Prairie Moon gets 3 Stars. Have you read Beneath the Prairie Moon? What did you think? Let me know!

*Side note: I don't remember the name Estelle Brantley being used at all in this book. Abigail Grant is what she goes by in the book, and perhaps she changed her name after her father's crimes, but I don't remember this being addressed at all.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beneath A Prairie Moon, written by Kim Vogel Sawyer, is the best book I have read this year. It is so good, I feel it should be made into a movie. The story is so well written I felt like I was there watching everything take place.
Abigail Brantley was raised in wealth, educated at the finest school and was taught the manners of society by her mother. When her father was accused of illegal dealings, her engagement was called off. Shortly after her mother past away. With no where else to turn, she went to Helena Bingham to become a mail order bride. But the men she was sent to would not accept her.
Helena received orders from 16 men from Spiveyville, Kansas. Helena believes the men are lacking in social skills. She takes Abigail to Spiveyville to educate the men as well as the community on manners and morals as well as eating and dancing skills.
Mack Cleveland is about the only man in Spiveyville not ordering a bride. He feels that since God is the one who meant for man and woman to be together that God is the best one to bring Mack his wife. Abigail invites the whole community to her classes. When she teaches the classes, the sheriff, the pastor and Mack take turns watching over Abigail. As time moves on, the few men who did not order a bride, start to wonder if they should have.
This is a really good Christian Historical Fiction novel. There is humor, suspense and romance. I feel anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially romance will really enjoy this story.
I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books. This is my honest review.

[Becky Van Daniker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kim Vogel Sawyer has quickly become one of my favorite authors so I knew I had to read “Beneath a Prairie Moon.” This is a mail-order bride story taking place in a small country town known as Spiveyville, Kansas. There is so much to love. Spiveyville, Mack, Abigail, Helena and all of the other characters.

What I found even more interesting was how two prestigious women from the Eastern coast travel all the way to Spiveyville to teach the potential groom in manners and etiquette. This gave an extra touch to the story and I loved watching the men and married couples try so hard to use the new skills they learned.

I loved the characters, especially Mack. He was a gentlemanly man who loves the Lord and chose to wait on the Lord to bring Him a bride rather than go through the mail-order bride thing. That was refreshing to see, especially the day and age we live in because so many get tired of being lonely and end up with the wrong person. Abigail was one of those characters is hard to love in the beginning but tends to grow on you as the story progresses. She has so much character development that she is not who we see her as in the beginning by the end of the book.

There is romance, but it is not the sole focus of this story which I quite enjoyed. There are Scripture references scattered throughout the book, but it isn’t preachy in any way. This was refreshing because the characters lived their Christian lives through their actions. There are many things we can learn from the folks in Spiveyville. They may not be the most cultured, but they have the biggest hearts and compassion for one another. If someone was in need of something, the entire town came together to help.

Overall, this was a beautiful story that I can imagine being a Hallmark movie. Highly recommended for all ages

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review, which I have given. I was not required to write a positive review and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.