Song of My Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer

From the back cover:

Sadie Wagner has always been devoted to her family. So when her stepfather is injured and can't work, she decides to leave home and accept a position as a clerk at the mercantile in Goldtree, Kansas. Goldtree also offers the opportunity to use her God-given singing talent- though the promised opera house is far different from what she imagined. With her family needing every cent she can provide, Sadie will do anything to keep her job.

Thad McKane comes to Goldtree to investigate reports of a bootlegging operation. Once he earns enough money from the sheriff work, he plans to use it to pay for his training to become a minister.

Thad is immediately drawn to the lovely young singer who performs in Asa Baxter's unusual opera house. But when he hears her practicing bawdy tunes, he wonders if she's far less innocent than she seems. And when Sadie appears to be part of the very crimes Thad has come to investigate, is there any hope the love blossoming between them will survive?

My thoughts:

This was a great, easy read. The characters were well developed and thought out. You really felt for the situation that Sadie is put in with regards to the relationship with her step-cousin and with her career choices and why she must continue to do what she knows may not be the right thing to do. You understand the irony of the situation with Thad and his career path. There are also characters thrown in for comic relief, including the twin sisters Melba and Shelba (who hire Sadie to work in their store) and their brother Asa Baxter, the owner of the town opera house!

I thought that the plot was well thought out and was a page turner for the most part. There was a nice blend between dealing with relationships and with suspense and intrigue (including moonshining and other questionable activities that need to be solved). The only part that I felt was a little cheesy was the ending. (I won't give it away, but in my opinion it is a very cheesy way to resolve the problems in the story.)

This is the second Sawyer book that I have read and enjoyed. And because of this

I will continue to read her books and think you should too!

Disclaimer: This book was provided by Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.