Irish Meadows by Susan Anne Morgan

I received this print ARC through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review.

Irish Meadows by Susan Anne Morgan (Courage to Dream #1)

Expected publication: August 4th 2015 by Bethany House Publisher

384 Pages

Goodreads Summary: Irish immigrant James O’Leary has spent his life building Irish Meadows into a thriving horse farm and is not about to let hard economic times threaten its success. He intends for his daughters to marry prosperous men–ones who will secure the family’s rightful place in society, and at the same time, guarantee the future of Irish Meadows. Both girls, however, have different visions for their futures.

Brianna and Colleen O’Leary know their father expects them to marry well. Yet despite his wishes, Brianna, the quieter sister, dreams of attending college. Vivacious Colleen, meanwhile, is happy to marry–as long as her father’s choice meets her exacting standards. When stable hand Gilbert Whelan returns from college and distant family member Rylan Montgomery stops in on his way to the seminary in Boston, the two men quickly complicate everyone’s plans. It will take every ounce of courage for both sisters to follow their hearts. And even if they do, will they inevitably find their dreams too distant to reach?

Review: I need to remember to look at who is publishing a book when I request an ARC through LibraryThing.  I’m not really into religion and this is the second time I’ve ended up getting a Christian Fiction book.  But that is my own fault so that will not have any affect on this review.  The whole time I was reading this book, I kept thinking that I had already read this book.  I think that is a common thing in all of the Christian Fiction I have ever read.  There’s always a girl and a guy who shouldn’t be together according to either family or society (usually these take place in 1860s-early 1900s in North America).  In this book there are TWO girls and TWO guys.  The two girls are sisters and each have fallen for someone they shouldn’t have.  Add in an overbearing father and a horse farm and this is the story you get.  For what it is I thought it was pretty well written.  The author clearly describes all of the characters emotions and although the POVs were written in the third person I felt I got a good view of who each character was.  I wasn’t blown away by anything in this book but it wasn’t bad either.  If you’re a fan of Christian Fiction I think this would be a good new series for you to try.

3/4 stars