A Hope Revealed by Karen Baney - Review of the fourth book in Prescott Pioneers series

Mary Prescott is working her fingers to the bone trying to support herself and her two children, Eddie and Beth, since her husband, Reuben Colter, left them. Every time a dead man is found she is asked to come and identify her husbands body, the problem, so far none of them have been Reuben so she continues to live in fear that he'll return.

One night after the children are sleeping she hears a knock on the door, as fear grips her, thinking it is Reuben returning, she answers to find a strange woman. This woman reveals a secret about one thing Reuben did to her that she never knew about, a new low for Reuben even. A few days later Mary is told that her father secretly left her some money so she makes a decision to move west to Will Colter's, Reuben's brother, ranch hoping if Reuben does return he won't know where to find her and the children.

It isn't long after arriving that she discovers she isn't safe at all. Mary will do anything to protect her children, even if it means not telling Will everything. When Will finds out what she's been hiding he to kick her out of his home but Hannah, his wife, won't let him do that.

I think this is the best book in the series, I found myself with tears running down my cheeks several times. Oh the things Mary had to go through in her marriage and the things she found out about her husband that she never knew, but she kept her strength and moved forward. You really do need to read the whole series, I think anyway, to get the full impact of this book. In the first three you only get a glimpse of how hard it was being married to Reuben Colter but you need that to realize just how mean a human being he really is.

I would definitely recommend this book, this series! I really enjoy Karen's writing and will be looking for more books from her.