. . . the picture [Hadley
Hoover] paints of Prairie Rose . . . is faithful to the spirit of any number of
small towns . . . The people who
populate Hoover’s Prairie Rose and the choices they face are as real as your
neighbors.
Reading the book, it’s almost inconceivable that an outsider could peg
small town . . . residents so well . . . Rev. Victoria Dahlmann is a
copper-haired young woman newly posted in her first parish when she crosses
paths with a high school flame she hasn’t seen in 10 years. Dr. Alexander Johanson, the man who knew the
Reverend as “Tori,” is eager to rekindle their romance. Of course, there are a number of obstacles
in the way of happily-ever-after. It is
in designing these challenges that Hoover shows she knows small towns.
In the book, the minister and the doctor have both chosen to start
their careers in Prairie Rose. The
minister does so with the intention of moving on to a bigger church in a few
years, while the doctor is determined to make a life-long practice after
re-opening the clinic his grandfather founded.
In between finding their way back into each other’s arms, the pair help
Prairie Rose undertake a community development project to try to rekindle the
town’s spirit . . . [Uncharted Territory] stops short of anything
explicit . . . but Hoover’s novel packs some white-hot passion.
Back to Top
<
Uncharted Territory
