Priscilla White harbors a devastating secret. Marriage and family are out of the question for her. She decides to devote her life to missions in India. Her plans suffer a major setback when the Mission Board announces they won't accept the applications of single women.
Dr. Eli Ernest has a passion for the Nez Perce indians in the Oregon Territory. He's already been there and wants to return. He runs into the same problem as Priscilla.
Neither of them want marriage, but it's the only way to fulfill the call on their lives. She's honest about her condition, but he's more worried about her surviving the dangerous trip. No woman had ever attempted the journey.
Three cheers for author Jody Hedlund! She hooked me right away, and I finished this book within a few days. Anyone disturbing my reading time discovered I was still on a covered wagon headed west.
This book is based on the true story of Narcissa Whitman, the first white woman to cross into Oregon. Jody used her diaries as the primary source of information. It gave me a new perspective about keeping a journal, although I doubt mine would rate biography status.
Writers: If you're a historical writer, would you consider writing a fictional account of a real person? Why or why not?
Readers: Do you like books based on someone's life or do you prefer straight fiction?
Everyone: Would you want someone to tell the story of your life in a fictionalized account? Why or why not?
Disclaimer: I won this book in a giveaway on Carol Garvin's blog. Neither the publisher nor the author paid for this review. All opinion, as always, are mine.
