Song of the Prairie

In the third and final installment of her Pioneer Promises series, McDonough (Long Trail Home) continues the saga of the Harper family and introduces a new female protagonist, Janie Dunn. After the death of her cousin Carolyn, Janie escapes Boston and heads to Kansas with her cousin’s child. Janie lives in constant fear of Carolyn’s abusive husband, so her brother hatches a plan for her to pose as his wife. The masquerade proves extremely trying for Janie, especially with handsome widower Aaron Harper living just one farm over. Aaron has his own struggles raising two children by himself. Through some heartbreaking events, McDonough portrays the brutal hardships of 1870s prairie life. At its core, this is a love story, deeper than a simple romance and reflective of the strength produced by true compassion. McDonough accurately grounds her characters in the mores of the era, but many contemporary readers will be able to relate to the timeless struggles of faith amid distress. [em]Agency: MacGregor Literary Agency. (Aug.) [/em]