"A very moving historical"

When Cecile Palmer met the man of her dreams she didn't hesitate to accept his marriage proposal. It didn't matter that they had different backgrounds. All Cecile wanted was to be with the man she loved. So, when Walt Williams left the civilization of Silver City to carve out his future on his own land, Cecile was by his side.

Having vowed to be the best wife she could Cecile tried to overcome her initial shock of their living conditions but being the only child of a prosperous banker did little to prepare her for the harsh life on the prairie. When Walt left to make the long journey to town for winter supplies Cecile stayed behind to tend to their animals. It was supposed to be a five day journey but when the five days were up there was no sign of Walt. Not only did she fear for Walt's safety she begin to fear for her own. Especially when she opened her front door and an injured Indian fell unconscious at her feet. Disregarding the fact that she was terrified, Cecile felt she should help another human being. As she nursed the man known as Lone Eagle back to health she came to realize that he was an honorable man.

She also came to realize that something terrible had happend to Walt. As the days progressed there was no sign of Walt and Lone Eagle told Cecile that he was injured while trying to help a man fight off three attackers. In her heart Cecile knew that man was Walt.

When Lone Eagle was well enough to travel he convinced Cecile to go with him to his people. He wasn't about to leave her alone especially when he realized she was pregnant. Cecile reluctantly agreed as she knew that she would not survive the winter alone.

As they settle into life with Lone Eagle's Indian tribe their feelings turned to love. They got married and settled into a peaceful life. A trader threatened their newfound happiness when he came into their camp wearing Walt's belt buckle. He told Cecile that he was given it as a gift for saving the man's life. Cecile's life is turned upside down when she must choose between Walt and Lone Eagle.

PRAIRE PEACE provides a realistic portrayal of life in the historic west. It shows the struggles endured and heartwretching decisions made in the name of survival. Love, forgiveness and prejudice come full cirle to make this an emotional top notch read. Debut author Ginger Simpson shows great promise.

Reviewed by Tami Sutton
Posted April 10, 2003