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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Oh my! This book brought such joy to my heart. It was so heartwarming and endearing. It is so different from the tv series of the same name. Maybe the other books in the series are more similar, but I loved this as much as I do the tv series.
The characters are so well written, and you just can’t help loving the children.
The characters are so well written, and you just can’t help loving the children.
This was a sweet, wholesome story about a woman growing up and moving forward in her life independently.
I thought that it was a short and quick read that was able to show the growth of Elizabeth’s character in the timeline of her first year teaching at a school in the middle of nowhere out West. I had gone into this thinking there would be more of a romance between herself and Wynn but that plot took a decided backseat to Elizabeth learning to rely on herself and to have a life away from the rest of her family.
I will say though, there were far too many pages about the mice that had invaded her home that I think could have been cut for more… interesting plot points.
There was a lovely community that we were introduced to as well but, in the grand scheme of things, got surprisingly little of. This is where I think I had a bit of trouble with this book. There was so much potential but it ending up being a bit lack-lustre. I wanted more from the story and from the characters and their relationships so overall it fell a bit flat.
This also sat a little awkwardly for me as well regarding the content around the current climate in Canada regarding Indigenous peoples and religion. It was very much written of the time but reading from a modern perspective, there were some things that left me feeling uncomfortable. Not that there was anything blatant, just things mentioned that I am now rather hyper-aware about even in passing within this book. If I had read this book just a few years ago, I can sadly admit these thoughts wouldn’t have crossed my mind.
All that being said, it was a generally light and wholesome story that left me a bit giddy. I wish there was more development between Elizabeth and Wynn to make the ending feel more earned, but it still got me lol.
I do eventually want to read more from this series but the synopsis of book 2 seems to be a very different setting and I have read some comments from readers that has me hesitating in terms of how certain aspects are written/handled. It may not be a book that I get to quickly and, if I do read it and find similar issues, I’m ok with not continuing further.
I thought that it was a short and quick read that was able to show the growth of Elizabeth’s character in the timeline of her first year teaching at a school in the middle of nowhere out West. I had gone into this thinking there would be more of a romance between herself and Wynn but that plot took a decided backseat to Elizabeth learning to rely on herself and to have a life away from the rest of her family.
I will say though, there were far too many pages about the mice that had invaded her home that I think could have been cut for more… interesting plot points.
There was a lovely community that we were introduced to as well but, in the grand scheme of things, got surprisingly little of. This is where I think I had a bit of trouble with this book. There was so much potential but it ending up being a bit lack-lustre. I wanted more from the story and from the characters and their relationships so overall it fell a bit flat.
This also sat a little awkwardly for me as well regarding the content around the current climate in Canada regarding Indigenous peoples and religion. It was very much written of the time but reading from a modern perspective, there were some things that left me feeling uncomfortable. Not that there was anything blatant, just things mentioned that I am now rather hyper-aware about even in passing within this book. If I had read this book just a few years ago, I can sadly admit these thoughts wouldn’t have crossed my mind.
All that being said, it was a generally light and wholesome story that left me a bit giddy. I wish there was more development between Elizabeth and Wynn to make the ending feel more earned, but it still got me lol.
I do eventually want to read more from this series but the synopsis of book 2 seems to be a very different setting and I have read some comments from readers that has me hesitating in terms of how certain aspects are written/handled. It may not be a book that I get to quickly and, if I do read it and find similar issues, I’m ok with not continuing further.
A sweet and simple story. Part of it is set in Calgary, Alberta, in the early 1900s. I enjoyed the brief history of that city, as well as the info about the founding of the police "mounties." Oke offers an attractive, albeit idealized, depiction of what life would have been like teaching children in a remote part of Alberta during that time period.
(2)
(2)
reread this for the romance, forgot about the Christian preaching and colonization in this series
Update: I read many years ago and wanted to revisit after watching the Hallmark show....the show completely went off the rails from the book and I wanted to remember the original story.....
A quick chick-lit book. I want to go on a vacation to the northwest woods of Canada!
A quick chick-lit book. I want to go on a vacation to the northwest woods of Canada!
It had me laughing and even tear up at one point. It was a heart warming story.
I really wanted to like this book because I enjoy the Hallmark show so much (yeah...judge me). But I ended the book feeling little emotional connection to any of the characters (except poor little Andy), irritated by the "Christian themes" (and I'm a pastor's wife!), and cheated out of at least a little bit more romance.
I was hoping for more stories about Elizabeth's relationships with her community but instead got chapters and chapters of her mouse situation or trying to start stove fires. I didn't even feel a connection to her students - I think she listed them off once or twice, but there were few serious or meaningful interactions with them described. Wynn's role in the story was never large, which is crazy considering she gets engaged to him in the end - about half way, I was wondering when we would even be introduced to her love interest because there was no mention of a Mountie, yet, and Elizabeth had had no interaction with him (save seeing him once or twice). Also, HIS NAME IS WYNN. WHAT KIND OF NAME IS THAT. I must be ruined by Hallmark because Jack sounds like such a better fit for the character. Wynn?! Ugh...
I also felt that all of the "faith-based" elements were incredibly forced - they didn't feel natural or insightful. I found myself rolling my eyes at the part where Elizabeth's brother was telling his son that when he sins it basically puts Jesus back on the cross. COME ON. (To be honest, I started skimming those parts because they were incredibly cheesy).
The one part that I really did enjoy was Elizabeth's brother, Jonathan's family. It was great to finally see her interact with people on more than one occasion; although it was fairly surface-level. But I found myself thankful for the times that she went to Calgary because it meant we'd actually have her relating to people, and of course, in Calgary, there was more of a chance to interact with Wynn.
I guess I'm glad I read this book, but I'll stick to the Hallmark version...which is about as poorly written as I felt this book was, but is at least captivating...and not mostly about Elizabeth's mouse and fire sagas.
I was hoping for more stories about Elizabeth's relationships with her community but instead got chapters and chapters of her mouse situation or trying to start stove fires. I didn't even feel a connection to her students - I think she listed them off once or twice, but there were few serious or meaningful interactions with them described. Wynn's role in the story was never large, which is crazy considering she gets engaged to him in the end - about half way, I was wondering when we would even be introduced to her love interest because there was no mention of a Mountie, yet, and Elizabeth had had no interaction with him (save seeing him once or twice). Also, HIS NAME IS WYNN. WHAT KIND OF NAME IS THAT. I must be ruined by Hallmark because Jack sounds like such a better fit for the character. Wynn?! Ugh...
I also felt that all of the "faith-based" elements were incredibly forced - they didn't feel natural or insightful. I found myself rolling my eyes at the part where Elizabeth's brother was telling his son that when he sins it basically puts Jesus back on the cross. COME ON. (To be honest, I started skimming those parts because they were incredibly cheesy).
The one part that I really did enjoy was Elizabeth's brother, Jonathan's family. It was great to finally see her interact with people on more than one occasion; although it was fairly surface-level. But I found myself thankful for the times that she went to Calgary because it meant we'd actually have her relating to people, and of course, in Calgary, there was more of a chance to interact with Wynn.
I guess I'm glad I read this book, but I'll stick to the Hallmark version...which is about as poorly written as I felt this book was, but is at least captivating...and not mostly about Elizabeth's mouse and fire sagas.
A sweet east read! Will be reading more of the series