A Hopeful Heart

Romance writer and author of 14 novels, Sawyer has written another tenderhearted tale, this one set in Barnett, Kans., in 1888. When widowed Hattie Wyatt opens a school for young women to learn the skills needed to be a rancher—or rancher’s wife—22-year-old orphan Tressa Neill becomes one of Hattie’s first students. Initially an unwilling participant forced to enroll in Hattie’s school by her aunt and uncle, the shy Tressa eventually warms to her environment. She applies herself to her studies and is soon intrigued by Abel Samms, a bachelor whose heart was broken by a girl who, like Tessa, came from the east. Encountering various dangers, Tressa and Abel are soon thrust into one another’s company by no design of their own, and a mutual attraction blossoms that neither can ignore. Sawyer’s fan base will appreciate this latest work for its heart, yet they may well be disappointed by its lack of depth or freshness. (June)