Hearth Song

February 1, 2016

Bravura Lambert, introduced in last year's Hearth Stone, takes center stage in this follow-up book. Even though their daily existence is challenging, Vura and daughter Lilly are enjoying their lives in South Dakota. Lilly especially is a big fan of the Redhawk brothers, Hunter and Tonkiaishawien. Tonk is a master horseman and Lilly is obsessed with horses. Even though Vura is attracted to Tonk, she stays loyal to her husband, Dane, who is currently working the North Dakotan oil fields. Dane finally reemerges in their lives, full of promises to stay with his family. At first, Vura is overjoyed to have him back, but she quickly grows suspicious of his actions and must make tough choices in order to be happy. While Vura is a strong and fully realized character, Tonk veers toward Native American stereotypes in his speech patterns and actions, and Dane is an oily character right from the start. The book would have been richer if the author had made both men equally appealing. VERDICT Despite a few shortcomings, this heartwarming story will be welcomed by readers who enjoyed the first book in the series.--Lynnanne Pearson, Skokie P.L., IL

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