She Shall Be Praised

Fans of Aiken and her Women of Hope series will enjoy this tale that tosses a spoiled socialite into the back country of 1880s Oregon. Emma Crowell is taking her first journey without her widowed father and is eager to show off her adult status, but one little trip for her new puppy’s “constitutional” ends in disaster. She’s captured by sheep rustlers, then saved by rancher Peter Lowery, only to be forced to stay on his ranch until he has time to take her into town. Will Emma ever please Peter? Will she ever figure out how to put a meal together? Somehow her visions of being “all grown up” are a little different from reality, as she adapts to her temporary new home and comes to know Peter’s imaginative son Robby. Aiken has created a satisfactory tale that blends historical interest, biblical understanding, and a bit of romance that will captivate readers. Agent: Steve Laube, Steve Laube Agency. (Jan.)