Through Rushing Water

About The Book:  "Sophia has her life all planned out—but her plan didn’t include being jilted or ending up in Dakota Territory. Sophia Makinoff is certain that 1876 is the year that she’ll become the wife of a certain US Congressman, and happily plans her debut into the Capitol city. But when he proposes to her roommate instead, Sophia is stunned. Hoping to flee her heartache and humiliation, she signs up with the Board of Foreign Missions on a whim. With dreams of a romantic posting to the Far East, Sophia is dismayed to find she’s being sent to the Ponca Indian Agency in the bleak Dakota Territory. She can’t even run away effectively and begins to wonder how on earth she’ll be able to guide others as a missionary. But teaching the Ponca children provides her with a joy she has never known—and never expected—and ignites in her a passion for the people she’s sent to serve. It’s a passion shared by the Agency carpenter, WillougIhby Dunn, a man whose integrity and selflessness are unmatched. The Poncas are barely surviving. When U.S. policy decrees that they be uprooted from their land and marched hundreds of miles away in the middle of winter, Sophia and Will wade into rushing waters to fight for their friends, their love, and their destiny."  Want to know the real story behind the book?  If you do then check this link out. 

About The Author:  While Catherine Richmond  was busy raising a family, working as an occupational therapist, and trying to remember where she hid the chocolate,  a song sparked a story within her. The journey to publication was long, but full of blessings. She admits that she couldn’t have done it without ACFW, RWA, and FHL, the inspirational chapter of RWA, and Nebraska Novelists critique group.  Richmond was born in Washington, DC, grew up in northern Virginia, attended Western Michigan University, and moved around a lot for her husband’s aviation career. Her favorite place to write is the porch!  I love this woman.  Check out her website at:  http://catherinerichmond.com. 

My Thoughts On The Book:  When I began reading this book I thought, "Oh no...a sappy love story about a political figure and a girl."  I was far from correct on this story.  It had so many layers it was hard to keep up with them sometimes.  It drew you into the characters lives when you least expected it to,  I always dreamed of teaching school on a reservation.  This story was my dream in pen and ink.  Sophia was everything I planned on being as a teacher and then some.  I felt as if I knew her personally and then I felt as if I was looking in a mirror at myself.  My heart bled for the Ponca Indians.  I felt as if I walked each mile through the bad weather conditions with them.  I felt as if I lost the same loved ones they did.  Richmond as a way of stringing her story together where you don't want to put the book down.  I read every chance I could like a man starving for food.  It was a wonderful story about a not so wonderful time in United States History.  This book is a must read and must own.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publisher's  BookSneeze as  part of their blogger book review team in exchange for an honest review.