Morning Sky
by Judith Miller
Nicodemus and Hill City, Kansas will never be the same after the arrival of Lilly Verdue. The Harban family can’t fathom why the mysterious Aunt Lilly is visiting, but everyone especially, Ezekiel has his suspicions about what has driven her from her home in New Orleans to the unsettled wilderness of Kansas. She has never been his favorite person due to her chosen lifestyle and his inability to trust her when family should be counted on. Now she is in town with what seems like unseemly intentions regarding the futures of her nieces.
Macia Boyle has left Hill City, Kansas to attend the Rutledge Academy of Arts and Languages on the encouragement of her mother. One summer away from home will offer her an adventure before she settles down to marry her intended. However, the Academy isn’t what she expected, and it isn’t long before she comes down with an unexplained illness. Truth Harban, at the request of Macia’s father, travels across country to assist her ailing friend. When she arrives at Rutledge Academy, it doesn’t take her long to figure out that something appalling is going on.
Will the Harban family survive the appearance of Aunt Lilly? Is Truth able to devise a plan to help her dear friend escape the thralls of the Academy?
Author Judith Miller has written a superb story with just enough suspense, love and an added bonus of humility. At first glance, Ezekiel Harban seems to be a bit over bearing and a tad controlling of his three daughters, especially Jarena, but once the story starts to unfold readers will realize he isn’t either of those characteristics. Instead, he is a father doing his best to protect his family from the evils of the world while raising them to be good Christian women with strong family ties. All three Harban sisters are truly heartwarming while each possesses their own personalities. Jarena, the oldest, has taken on the role of holding the family together since the death of their mother, taking over her duties and neglecting her own self. One wanders if Aunt Lilly will easily manipulate her. Grace is still quite juvenile and seems to be the most naïve of the bunch. Truth Harban proves to be very brave in the face of adversity. She will gain the heart of readers while they cheer her own as she tries to rescue Macia from a treacherous situation miles from her home and family. Morning Sky is not an adventure to be missed! Mrs. Miller has given her readers a book to cherish for a lifetime.
chbookshelf October 30, 2006
Title: MORNING SKY
Author: Judith Miller
Publisher: Bethany House
March 2006
ISBN: 0-7642-2999-0
Genre: Inspirational/historical
Lilly Verdue arrives in Nicodemus, Kansas, traveling by train, during the early summer. She’s run from her home of New Orleans, fleeing something she’s unwilling to discuss. Immediately, Lilly tries to take over the town and the home of her brother-in-law, Ezekial Harban. Ezekial is unhappy to see his sister-in-law, feeling bitterness toward her when she refused to come home to help when her sister, his wife, lay dying.
Lilly has decided that Ezekial’s daughter, Truth, shouldn’t marry the man she’s engaged to. Instead, she has someone quite different in mind for Faith’s fiancé. She is determined to foist the relationship she wants on the young man. Then she reveals a secret that will alter her nieces’ assumptions.
Macia Boyle’s mother has insisted that Macia travel east to go to French classes during the summer. Macia goes, even though she wishes not to, and within a short time becomes quite ill and is returned home. Truth travels to New York to escort Macia back home to Kansas, but there discovers a deadly plot against the wealthy young women attending the classes. Can Truth get help before it’s too late?
MORNING SKY is an engaging story, and easily stands alone, even though it is second in the Freedom’s Path series by Ms. Miller. I didn’t have the opportunity to read book one, First Dawn, in the series, but had no trouble understanding what was happening in MORNING SKY. I found the premise interesting, the characters realistically developed and sympathetic.
I enjoyed reading MORNING SKY. The plot was active, keeping the pages turning. I was interested in Macia and wished she had more sections in her point of view. At first I wondered how she tied into the story but it was all woven together nicely. 379 pages. $12.99.
Laura V. Hilton