Treasured Grace (Heart of the Frontier #1) - Tracie Peterson

Grace's husband is dead.  She's on her way west with her two sisters and decides it would be best to stay at the Whitman Mission through the winter.  She has healing capabilities, but Dr. Whitman doesn't want her using them.  The nearby tribes aren't dealing well with the sickness, and while she initially resists, Grace ends up doing what she can for them.

Alex is a friend to the Native Americans and helps Grace out multiple times.  He's drawn to her but guards his heart because of a painful past.  When there's a tragedy at the mission, he's more than willing to help Grace and her sisters.

The book read like a really depressing episode of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.  You have Grace the healer and her buckskin-wearing hero by her side.  The problem was all the tragedies.  From beginning to end, there's death, disease, murder, rape and depression. And it's basically nonstop.

I read to be entertained.  I'm also a happily-ever-after reader, where I have to have a happy ending.  Technically, there was a happy ending, but it was only in the last few pages.  Even after the sisters are "saved" from the mission, the bad times aren't over with. The book was well written, but there was just so much depression and death that I just didn't like it.  I'll give it 3 stars for a well-written tale, but it wasn't for me.

Next up is Beloved Hope, the tale of Grace's younger sister.  It's due out in July.  I'll probably give it a pass.

*I received a copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.