2.5 stars, rounded up
By far the neatest part of this book was the story about the incredible effort to move an entire township uphill to get it above the waterline for the new dam. Every facet of this move caught my attention and enjoyment.
Biggest flaw: the unrealistic feature of having not one but two women in the story give their favors before marriage, plus another one be referred to as having a child outside wedlock. Not only did no one notice, but a woman who held a position of trust in the community was admittedly with a man at night and there was literally zero blowback and she didn't lose that position. Totally unheard of for 1908 considering the position...and the circumstance of her suddenly desiring to have an affair with this guy was totally left field and didn't move the story along at all.
It's marketed as Christian fiction but there isn't really any sort of faith, and the heroine even prays to Mary for help during a stressful situation.
Thanks to the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.
