Review of Longing for Home

Rating: 4 Stars

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Review:  After reading many favorable reviews about Sarah Eden's novels, I eagerly anticipated reading, "Longing for Home: A Proper Romance."  Set in the small town of Hope Springs, Wyoming Territory,  the novel is anything but small in its scope of weighty issues regarding relationships.   Katie enters town with the hope of securing a position as a housekeeper with Joseph Archer and earning enough money to finally return to her childhood home of Ireland.  As the novel progresses, it becomes evident that the town is scarred by discrimination and prejudices.  Like the political turmoil and famine that Katie left behind in Ireland,  she finds herself in the middle of mounting tension within the town. Her presence has only become fuel for the growing fire of hatred that wishes to consume all hope from the town.  Despite these circumstances,  Katie finds her heart opening to friendships and the interest of two men.   She faces inner struggles as she yearns for the love, friendship, and acceptance that she has experienced as a young child.  Her past been scarred by tragedy,  loss, and rejection, and she struggles to find peace and forgiveness. 

Sarah Eden masterfully weaves historical details and Katie's past in Ireland, within the pages of "Longing for Home."  I was drawn to Katie's plight and hoping for a "happily ever after" ending for this novel.  I even found myself torn between the two men, Tavish and Joseph, who possibly offer Katie an opportunity to find love and happiness.  Like the town and Katie, both men struggle with their own pasts and personal circumstances.  Sarah Eden shows that, like real-life, there are sometimes no simple solutions and neatly packaged "happily ever afters."  While "Longing for Home" has somewhat of a conclusion,  there are many unanswered questions and perhaps deadly consequences for each resident in the tension-filled town of Hope Springs.  Only the sequel to "Longing for Home" will hold some of these answers within its pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Shadow Mountain Publishing through Net Galley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Summary from Shadow Mountain Publishing:    Twenty-six-year-old Katie Macauley needs to convince the influential Joseph Archer to hold true to his word and keep her on his payroll as his housekeeper—despite her Irish roots. When Joseph agrees to keep Katie as his housekeeper, the feud between the Irish immigrants and frontiersmen in the 1870 Wyoming Territory erupts anew, and Katie becomes the reluctant figurehead of hope for the Irish townsfolk. As the violence escalates throughout the town, Katie must choose between the two men who have been vying for her love—though only one might be able to restore hope to her own heart.