Prairie River Books

Nessa can't remember a home other than the orphanage, and now she has no choice but to leave. Her plan is to escape on the next stagecoach west -- one headed toward Prairie River, Kansas, a town in the middle of nowhere. When Nessa arrives at the small settlement, she has no money and nowhere to go. Worst of all, she is alone. The townspeople are suspicious of her. They see her as a newcomer with no family and no past. Nessa is about to learn that life on the prairie is hard --it's a trial of her strength and her faith as a Christian.

It hasn't been easy for Nessa to find her place in Prairie River. She is having difficulty making friends, and her position as the local teacher is on shaky ground. Many townspeople still question whether she, a runaway orphan, can be trusted. Nessa struggles to keep a positive outlook despite the scrutiny. But when an unexpected threat endangers her and her students, she must find a way to keep the children safe. With so much at risk she must dispel all the doubts that have been plaguing her -- most of all her own.

Nessa's winter was fraught with bitter trials. But now the promise of spring has come to Prairie River -- and so has Albert. Albert is Nessa's oldest friend from the orphanage. She had prayed that he would join her in Kansas ever since she journeyed to the small, remote town a year ago. But a year is a long time, and Nessa is discouraged when Albert's arrival is not what she had imagined. Things are different between them, and Nessa must reconcile the changes if she has any hope that their old friendship will bloom into something new.