"In her heart, Kathryn knew this was the place she was meant to be. And she couldn’t wait to prove it to her father, herself, and anyone else who might doubt it."
All her life, Kathryn has known she didn't belong in the city where she was raised. So when she is offered a teaching position in the small, frontier town of Promise, in the Dakota Territory, she doesn't hesitate to accept. When she arrives, she knows she's found the place she belongs.
However, she is faced with many obstacles as she proves to her family, and herself, that she is cut out for life out here. The biggest problem she comes up against is in the form of a man who is determined to prove she won't make it until snowfall.
"Miss Kathryn Reeves wouldn’t be here come the winter. He guaranteed it."
Colt Hammond has no desire to deal with another spoiled city girl who thinks living on the frontier will be a fun little adventure. He did that once, and he won't make that mistake ever again.
Just because she's living on his property, and teaching at the little schoolhouse where his children will be going, doesn't mean he has time to look after her until she's ready to admit defeat and head back home.
What neither of them counts on though, is how strong the promise of love can be between two people who are destined to be together.
USA Today Bestselling Author, Kay P. Dawson writes sweet western romance - the kind that leaves out all of the juicy details and immerses you in a true, heartfelt love story. Growing up pretending she was Laura Ingalls, she's always had a love for the old west and pioneer times. She believes in true love, and finding your happy ever after.
Happily married mom of two girls, Kay has always taught her children to follow their dreams. And, after a breast cancer diagnosis at the age of 39, she realized it was time to take her own advice. She had always wanted to write a book, and she decided that the someday she was waiting for was now.
She writes western historical, contemporary and time travel romance that all transport the reader to a time or place where true love always finds a way.
You can connect with Kay through her website at KayPDawson.com
What a great beginning to this new series. I liked the characters, the angst, and the interactions of the people in the town of Promise, Dakota Territory. Kathryn Reeves doesn’t like the city, and when she learns of a teaching position in Promise, she accepts the challenge. But not everyone is welcoming of her. Colt Hammond is raising his twins with the help of his mother after his city wife abandoned them. So, when Kathryn Reeves moves to town to teach, he doesn’t believe she will last.
The story includes some mystery, secrets, and angst. I love that Kathryn is adventurous to move to Promise and take on the task of the school teacher. With the Pembrook school, which charges for students to attend, having a free public school will help other families. Colt is a bitter man and has no faith in Kathryn sticking around. As soon as the weather changes, he believes she will be leaving—yet she has more backbone than he anticipated.
“One thing Mr. Colt Hammond was about to learn about her was that she would never back down from a challenge. This had been her dream all her life, and she was more determined than ever to follow it through.”
The story has a great cast of characters—including the good and bad. I liked how Kathryn works with the children and how she is compassionate to Colt’s son and daughter. While she may not know how to cook and must learn a more primitive way of life, she doesn’t complain but instead embraces the new challenges. Even when a situation would sully her reputation, even if nothing happened, she refuses to allow trouble to affect the Hammond family.
While this story does not end on a cliffhanger—it does set up the next story in the series: Love is Kind.
This takes place in a fictionalized version of De Smet, SD. The story is about a new teacher from Boston, MA coming to a new town and finding love with a man that she can't have. There isn't anything inappropriate that happens involving the romance. This has some funny moments. There is also a rival school in town, which causes minor problems throughout the story.
This is a sweet and loving love story. There is also adventure and excitement too. Colt is a handsome, hardworking farmer in a small western town with two young twins. He was married but his wife had abandoned the family for a bigger city. Kathryn is from a wealthy family and dreamed of teaching in this small town. She learns how to live alone, cook, wash her own clothes in the creek and loves each and everyone of her students. She has found her home. Colt, his mother and children love her and never want her to leave. You will enjoy discovering how they find their happily ever after.
2.75 stars. It’s a sweet story. It did start to get a little tedious and repetitive half way through. Not a whole lot happens. And the theme of colt not trusting Kathryn to stay started to wear thin after awhile because it was the only thing that was focused on the entire book. It’s fine for it to be the theme, but I’d like other details, layers, and feelings to also be woven through. It was the driving force the entire book and that contributed to the repetitiveness. I had to skim a bit throughout the story.
I liked Kathryn and colt though. They were both good characters that had personalities. The romance was what was lacking. I love a slow burn romance and this was a good true slow burn, however I do need at least some romance once it starts. The romance was almost non existent. They share a single, unexpected kiss that comes out of nowhere and is interrupted so it’s not really satisfying at all. And then suddenly they’re going to be married and the book ends. That’s the extent of the romance. So yeah it was going along pretty well and then the best part, the romance, was nothing. All that great build up for nothing. Why would the author run out of steam just when it was getting good? So strange to me. But because I liked the characters it wasn’t horrible but would have been so much better had it been an actual romance.
Kathryn's family lives in Boston. Kathryn upon graduating from techie school decides to move to Promise - a call country community to teach at the one room school.
Once in Promise she meets the Hammond family. Colt and his children Owen and Delia, as well as Colt's mother. Kathryn is staying in the cabin on their property.
Colt's wife left him and the children, as she couldn't stand the simple country life, which left Colt bitter. Colt is convinced that Kathryn won't last stay in Promise either.
There is a mother school in the area run by Mrs. Prembrook.
Can 2 schools survive? Will Kathryn stay in Promise?
Set in the western prairie, this clean romance was enjoyable to read. There weren't any surprises except one, but there was some great humor with a couple of mishaps as Kathryn tried to adapt to pioneer living. Building a relationship with Colt's children took up much of the story. I was disappointed to not have the author say anything about Katherine's new friend Mercy at the end of the book. Her situation, created by the author, seemed to have no solution. The author just abandoned the subject. Other than that, I enjoyed this novel very much.
This is a sweet and heart warming story with wonderful character development. This is Kathryn and Colt's story, as well as Delia and Owen, Colt's children. Kathryn leaves her life of privilege and goes west to teach school, something she had always wanted to do. Colt is sure that she will not endure the winter and the hardships of the prairie and the sparks fly between the couple. As time goes on, will the couple find a HEA. Be sure to read the story to find out. I really enjoyed this story and highly recommend it. I look forward to the next one in the series.
I am a huge Fan of Kay P. Dawson and have been for quite a while. She writes from her heart. Her stories stem from her love of childhood reading and continue to flow with optimism and love. I especially loved Colt and Katherine's story. It was not without a bit of drama, and the fact that is shows how love grows on you and evolves when there are children in the mix is enchanting to me. They sometimes steal the story, but Kay Dawson has a way of mingling in just the right amount of children and love to bring the story full circle. I highly recommend this and her other books!
Kathryn Reeves craves the open country of Promise instead of the city streets of Boston. When the opportunity arrives for her to move to promise near her Aunt in the wide open country to become the local school teacher she jumps at the chance. When she arrives and meets the family that overlooks the school house she finds herself frustrated at the behavior of Cold Hammond. Colt is a single father of twins Delia and Owen whom Kathryn will be teaching. I absoultely LOVED Kathryn and Colt's sweet story.
I loved this story. The author did a great job building their happily ever after. This is a story about a city girl who has set her mind to be a country teacher and she is willing g to learn. It is also about a country boy who refuses to believe the city girl is the right fit for the job. They both learn that preconceived notions aren't what they seem.
Give this story a chance and you won't regret the happy feeling that it leaves in your heart.
The only person you won't like is Mrs. Pembroke and even her husband doesn't like her. Little Delia will charm you from the start. And our lead, the school teacher, appeals on several levels. Colt--well, he's stubborn and a bit hard headed but a good man. He's not really described as good lookin', but ya know he is.
This is a sweet, clean (if you don't count the times dirt is mentioned) love story. Enjoy.
A woman arrives in the country leaving her city life behind. She loves the countryside and has wanted to live there for a long time. A farmer on whose land she will be living doubts that she will stay since his wife left him and their children. She arrives to teach the children in the small town. The relationship between the two of them is the focus of most of the book. It has a HEA and is a fun book to read.
I just love this cover! Even before I realized who the amazing author was, I was drawn in by the cover! There always has to be a Mrs. Pembroke in these small town stories , ha ha! This woman is a bit crazy, but being the aunt of her nephew, it seemed like it's a family trait! A three legged race at a wedding? That seems pretty out there, even for down to earth Kathyrn. Owen's moments in his secret place just broke my heart!
Kathryn and Colt were adversarial when they first met. She has no idea why. But, she's determined to show him she can do well in this rustic environment. The story is fairly predictable, but engaging all the same. The characters were well enough defined (shorter stories don't allow much), the kids were adorable. There was some drama and most of the town rallied around our main character.
Based on past experience, Colt is positive that city girl Kathryn will not last even two weeks as the new teacher out in the country. And Kathryn is determined to prove that aggravating man wrong! A really sweet romance, with enjoyable characters. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.
I loved Kathryn and Colt's story! Kay Dawson writes such heartfelt books. I was so excited to find she has started a new book series and rushed to Amazon and bought the first book. I hope you will get the book and love it as much as I did. I highly recommend this book and look forward to the next one.
I fell for all the wonderful characters! This was such a fun story, I was often laughing at Kathryn’s frustrated antics. The sweet children and their need to be loved, a little country town and romance will wrap around your heart. The author grabs your attention from page one and keeps the reader fully engulfed in the pages!
What a beautiful story of love and patience and forgiveness and second chances! I loved me some sweet and sad moments, some humorous and heartfelt moments. It’s written well, feelings described clearly, and it’s very easy to follow as the romance grows.
This book is a good start to a new series. Kathryn has always wanted to be a teacher growing up. Colt never thought he could love again. This author does a good job of writing bringing these two people together.
A young women decides to move to the country and teach where she feels at home. It is primitive but full of promise with town's folk who care and families who work hard on their patches of earth to be happy.
I absolutely loved reading this really wonderful book! I really loved the characters and the plot! I had a hard time putting this really wonderful book down! I am really looking forward to reading the next book in this wonderful series!
I loved visiting Promise again! Colt and Kathryn were so good. I had not planned to read all night, but Kay P. Dawson wove the story so expertly that I couldn't put it down.
Loved the storyline. It broached divorce, but ended with recovery of a family and a happily ever after. My favorite part was the brief encounter the characters had with a real historical figure. (I'm a huge Little House fan too!)
Good book in storyline and holding my interest. I so enjoyed the characters and the flow of the book. Well done! Now for the second and last in this series. Author writes books of around 140 - 175 pages
A sweet very clean read. Coming to the town of Promise against her families wishes, Kathryn learns what she needs to to survive in the old west. She also finds love and happiness.
This is a beautiful, simple love story. I enjoyed reading about the situation Katheryn got herself into. She was a city girl that transitioned to country girl with grit and determination.
This was a very enjoyable book to read. I found it to be a beautiful story of a young woman's dream to become reality. The writer made one feel the compassion and kindness the teacher had for her students,and her ability to achieve her dream.
This was a quick and joyful read. The historical aspects were interesting and Kathryn went there on her own and not as a mail order bride! It was much lighter than the recent books I have read, an much appreciated for that reason.