(Image from Amazon)

When Chipeta Uncarow, an infant from the Ute tribe, is abandoned by her mother, the Twitchells gladly take her in.  A treasured member of the big Mormon family, Chipeta (known as Dori) fits in so seamlessly that the Twitchells long to adopt her.  Eleven-year-old Britta Twitchell is especially fond of her foster sister, now four years old, and can't imagine life without little Dori.  When Dori's mother reappears, now ready to parent her daughter, Britta's incredulous.  How can a woman who cared so little about her baby just waltz in and reclaim her?  Dori already has a family, a family who adores her and takes care of her.  The Twitchells can't really be expected to just hand over their beloved sister and daughter.  Can they?

Britta can't believe that soon Dori will be living on the Uintah-Ouray Indian Reservation with her birth mother.  It's so not fair!  The rest of her family might be going along with it, but Britta will stop at nothing to make sure Dori stays at home where she belongs.  However good her intentions are, however, Britta soon finds herself in real trouble.  Now, in order to save Dori's life, she'll have to think beyond—beyond the lush green of her small farming community, beyond what she wants, and beyond her limited view of what it means to be a family.

Beyond the Green by Sharlee Glenn is a touching, semi-autobiographical novel that asks some important questions about family, cultural identity, and the rights of people involved in foster care.  The tender, heartbreaking story is handled with both authenticity and sensitivity, telling an all-too-common tale with care.  Full of flawed but sympathetic characters; enough action and conflict to keep young readers engaged; and some strong, meaningful lessons; Beyond the Green is a solid read that I highly recommend to anyone who
enjoys realistic middle grade fiction.

(Readalikes:  Hm, nothing is coming to mind.  You?)

Grade:

At 27, Julia Hollingsworth is an old maid, but at least she's a free one.  Although she's currently without a position, she's determined not to go back to living with her overbearing mother.  Julia may not have her own household, but she certainly has her own ideas about how she wants to live her life.  So, when a handsome widower hires her to watch his two young daughters, she jumps at the chance.  As the two bond over Peter's children as well as his canine husbandry business, they become much closer than any master and servant should be ...

Worried about her daughter being taken advantage of by a man who's way above her station, Amelia Hollingsworth will do anything to get her daughter away from Peter Mayfield.  Thirty years ago, the man's uncle broke Amelia's heart and she will not allow Julia to be hurt in the same way.  In an effort to save her daughter, Amelia confronts Elliott Mayfield, only to find that a lot has changed in the years they've been apart.  Is it possible that the family, including its patriarch, is not quite as untrustworthy it seems?

As the Hollingsworth women become entwined in the affairs of the Mayfield men, tempers flare, secrets are exposed, and romance blossoms.  Can Julia, Peter, Amelia, and Elliott untangle all the knots that complicate their lives in order to find unexpected happiness?  Or will they let their complicated pasts stand in the way of their promising futures? 

While Promises and Primroses, the newest proper romance from Josi S. Kilpack, doesn't offer a lot in the way of originality, it does tell a sweet, clean, uplifting story.  The characters are likable (even if the mother/daughter dual love story is a little odd), the story is interesting enough (though totally predictable), and the plot moves along swiftly (albeit a bit anticlimactically).  Kilpack's prose is solid and overall, Promises and Primroses makes for an enjoyable read.  Romance isn't my genre—occasionally, though, a light story with a guaranteed HEA like this one is just the ticket.  

(Readalikes:  Other Regency/proper romances by Josi S. Kilpack as well as those by Jennifer Moore and Sarah M. Eden)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for mild innuendo and subject matter most suitable for readers 12 and older

To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of Promises and Primroses from the generous folks at Shadow Mountain in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!