The Sheepish Scribe

McKenzie by Penny Zeller

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


McKenzie is a sweet story with a wonderful character arc for the female lead. McKenzie learns about life, love, and most importantly about the Lord through her adventure to find her sister in 1880s Montana. Zack Sawyer, the rancher who advertises for a mail order bride, reminded me of the male lead in Francine River's "Redeeming Love". He is a man of character, faith, and steadfast in his relationship with the Lord. This book is very appropriate for young teens and still a page turner for adults.

I'm giving it 4 out of 5 stars mostly on how it's billed. Whitaker House calls it Fiction/Christian/Historic. It delivers on the first two but misses on historic. Details of the Montana Territory in the early 1880s are sparse and non-specific. The story is set just five years after the Battle of Little Bighorn and there is no mention of the continuing unrest with the non-reservation Indians that ended at Wounded Knee. Montana ranchers in this era were on constant alert to the danger and several forts were constructed during this time to ensure their safety and stability in that area. Starving Indians and rustlers were a constant threat during this time. Okay, so I'm a history geek, but if they're going to bill it "historic", they ought to deliver the history!



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