Skip to main content

Review: Home on the Range

Home on the Range book cover on blue background

It's always a pleasure to discover new Christian fiction to me, especially historical fiction that helps me learn more about how people persevered during difficult times and were able to overcome their circumstances through God's help. Home on the Range by Taryn Oakley is a story that falls into this setting in late 19th century Kansas amid the bustling growth and travels along the railway.

Many thanks to the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Book Synopsis

In the land of promise, can two lives fulfill one legacy with love?

1891. Lenna Adler—destitute but not desperate—becomes the prize bride in a drunken poker game to one of Chicago’s lecherous men, a man who will stop at nothing to collect what he’s owed. In a hastened escape, Lenna boards the Atchison, Topeka, and Sante Fe Railway to Verona, Kansas determined to carry out her parents’ dream, with or without God’s help. The reputation at the Elton Hotel and the small town provide safety and peace for Lenna at last, not to mention a budding fancy with an honest cowboy.

Lee Ellis has ranched the Flint Hills since he was a boy. The rolling landscape dotted with cattle is his paradise. All that’s left is finding someone to share it with, and he’s sure God’s brought her on the noon train. But when forced to confront a past he’d rather forget, his character and trust with his newfound love, Lenna, are at stake. Will she be able to lean on her recently awakened faith and forgive his family’s history, believing the man he is...or will she soon be on the next train out of town?

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

Joining Lenna Addler in her escape to a better life, I appreciate that I had a front-row seat to her bravery and determination to follow her parents’ legacy. The sprinkles of German were a reminder that her family sacrificed so much in order for her to experience the American dream. As a result, it was easy to admire her persistence in mastering her work at the Elton Hotel while navigating challenging relationships. Having her encounter Lee Ellis—an earnest man shrouded in mystery yet desiring to do what is right—was a delight as it was evident that they both helped each other walk in integrity before God.

In reading the author's notes, I enjoyed learning more about the meticulous standards of hotel waitstaff and how hard Leena worked to serve others. Although she encountered hardships, loss, and threats, her attitude was refreshing as she and Lee worked through issues of trust and forgiveness. Coupled with powerful sermons at church, this book was a reminder that God does not have us walk through the darkness alone. If you enjoy reading about the hospitality industry, especially in late 19th century America, this sweet romance balances the toil of pioneer life with the joy of God's ultimate provision.

Book Summary

  • Format of book: 📱
  • Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Recommendation: 👍
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Life Up North

I'm going to go against my previous posts about keeping my opinions to myself on things outside of faith and reading by sharing some of my recent experiences instead. I figure that if we read fiction to broaden our understanding of other perspectives that it might be worthwhile for me to share how things have been for me as a non-representative Canadian (I'm not speaking for anyone else here!) 😄 I'll be honest in that it's been tough in the last few weeks and months. I've done my best to keep up my optimism and more importantly, my hope in Christ, Who is unchanging and steadfast. Rulers come and go, nations evolve and change, and politics can swing back and forth, but God is immutable and sovereign over all things. That being said, recent geopolitical factors have resulted in an emotional toll on me and a lot of the people I interact with in my life. While I am grateful that I can place my burdens at the foot of the cross, I recognize that others in my life have va...
6 comments
Read more

Christian Book Review Programs

Over time, I've been on the hunt for Christian book review programs that readers can join. As a result, I've been able to compile the following list which may be of interest if you are seeking review copies of Christian books. This list mostly applies to print and ebooks, although some publishers offer audiobooks as well. If further information is available for any of the publishers below (or any missing publishers), please let me know as I am happy to update this list—thank you! Please note that you can also search for these publishers on NetGalley and other review sites in case there are no review programs available or you don't qualify for one 😊 List last updated: June 4, 2026 Christian Publishers 10ofThose Availability: US, Canada, and UK residents Format: Only books published by 10ofThose qualify for review requests so as to avoid impeding with other Christian book review programs Genre: Christian non-fiction, children's books Email for availability and eligibilit...
10 comments
Read more

More Than Books

I have to give credit to Joomi Kim, a secular BookTuber, for first alerting me to one of her challenges with contemporary novels (see timestamp starting at 22:25 ) where she notes that many of the books she has read are about authors or those in academia. While I found her entire video to be thought-provoking regarding contemporary literature, I seldom read enough secular books to be able to comment on them as a whole, so this isn't a commentary on what she has presented. The secular books I read are ones that usually serve a cultural purpose or are interesting enough for me to pick up, which is more rare when my TBR of Christian books keeps expanding. I've also chosen not to focus on those books on my blog or social media; although I try to keep up-to-date with broad trends on my own time, I'm not well-versed enough to add my perspective to that discussion on here. Rather, this is a springboard into the one point that she raised about authors writing what they know. It see...
Post a Comment
Read more