A Choice Considered - (The Heart of Cheyenne) by Tracie Peterson

A Choice Considered by Tracie Peterson is the second book in The Heart of Cheyenne series. It can be read as a standalone for those who have not read A Love Discovered. I thought A Choice Considered was easy to read. I enjoyed getting to know Melody and her father as well as Charlie. The characters, though, needed more depth. The characters are a little too perfect with the bad guy being the sneering, twirling the ends of his mustache type of villain (the type you see in cartoons). We get to visit Cheyenne in 1868 just as the railroad tracks have been finished and the workers are ready to move on to the next site. I do not blame Melody for being ready to settle down in one location after years of travel. I did find some of the details to be inaccurate (two small examples are you do not leave a stove unattended in a tent for long periods of time nor do you leave food out on the table because a dog will snatch it—or a hungry vagrant). The story follows Melody and Charlie as they get to know each other. In between the pair go to work and Melody goes on the dates set up by her father. There is a touch of suspense when a disgruntled bank employee makes off with funds. A Choice Considered is a clean, Christian story (no intimate relations or foul language). A Choice Considered is a nice story, but I thought it was very predictable. I could foresee how the story would play out early on. I felt this book was not on par with Tracie Peterson’s earlier works. While A Choice Considered was a miss for me, it will not keep me from reading Tracie’s books in the future.

As word spreads and the men in town vie for her hand, she wonders if she could ever be happy with a husband chosen in such a way,” the online description states in Tracie Peterson’s novel, A Choice Considered. ~ What ~ The second book in The Heart of Cheyenne series, this three-hundred-page advanced reader copy targets those interested in a historical romance about a young woman in Wyoming whose ailing father is determined to find a suitable mate for his daughter. With no profanity, topics involving theft, illness, and death may not be appropriate for immature readers. Set in 1868, twenty-six-year-old Melody and her father live in a tent since he works for the Union Pacific Railroad and they often have to move. While she wants to settle down in the growing town of Cheyenne, her dad insists that she find a husband that he approves. As Melody goes on arranged dates with her suitors, she befriends Charlie, the new banker in town, who puts friendship first before marriage. Only when tragedy strikes, do the two protagonists come to terms with what the will of God is for them. ~ Why ~ The establishment of the Wild West has always interested me, and this one references how the small town of Cheyenne became more popular and civilized when the railroad ran through it. I greatly appreciate that the story has the eternal plan of salvation and that we cannot disappoint God (yet He can be saddened by our actions). The love between Melody and her da contrasts nicely with the angst of Charlie’s relationship with his father. I like that the female tries to live her faith, even when revealing her faults. ~ Why Not ~ Those who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ may not like this story that focuses on God’s will and not oneself or others. Some may not like a couple of the characters appearing pious or perfect in many ways. ~ Wish ~ Since this is a series, it may be helpful to include a map of Cheyenne and a list of characters. ~ Want ~ If you like a historical romance about building a town in the wilderness while making life decisions dealing with grief and frustrations, this one that includes love arranged by God is heartwarming and interesting. Thanks to Bethany House and Interviews & Reviews for this complimentary book. I am under no obligation to give a positive review.