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BOOK REVIEW: Opal 

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Title: Opal, (Book Three in the Dakotah Treasures series)

Author: Lauraine Snelling

Publisher: Bethany House

ISBN: 0-7642-2220-1

Genre: Inspirational/Historical/Fiction

Opal Torvald loves living on a ranch. Though only fourteen, she can ride, rope, and shoot as well as any man. When an innocent act on Opal’s part causes devastating repercussions, she struggles with guilt and confusion. Her best friend leaves town after a run-in with bad men, leaving Opal alone and feeling responsible.

She focuses on loving her young nephew and other family members and helping out on the ranch. Her passion is training horses, but her sister Ruby wants her to continue school and become a lady. That is the last thing Opal desires.

When a neighbor’s husband is suddenly killed, Opal feels partially responsible. She pushes aside her grief and trains the man’s daughters how to rope and herd cattle, so they can tend their ranch. Can she redeem herself by helping those injured by her foolish choice?

Pastor Jacob Chandler only made one big mistake in his life—and that was a whopper. Fearing that his faithful parishioners will learn he is a fraud when they learn the truth, he tucks tail and flees west. He finds open arms and willing acceptance in the Dakotah Territory, but has he run far enough to escape the ghosts of his past?

Opal, the third book in Lauraine Snelling’s Dakotah Treasures series is the story of a young girl who has to grow up quickly. Stubborn and willful, Opal learns that one innocent—though unwise—act can have far reaching repercussions. She struggles with guilt and feeling responsible, while at the same time, she’s unhappy in school. She wrestles with issues of self-worth and acceptance, like all teenagers do.

If you pick up Opal hoping for a historical romance, you may be disappointed. Instead, you’ll find a solid historical rich with interesting information about late 19th century life and the everyday struggles of living on a ranch in the rough Dakota Territory. OPAL is about a time when people had to work together to survive. It’s a story about family, friends, and faith.

Though Opal is a stand-alone book, readers will probably enjoy it more if they’ve read the previous two books in the series and are familiar with the cast of characters. ($12.99, 350 pages)