I’ve been reading so much fantasy, Trouble in Dry Springs by Kristina Hall was a great change of pace–and I loved it! This historical western is full of heart, tension, and hope. This is book 1 in the Dry Springs Chronicles, and here’s the blurb from Goodreads:
Even the peaceful town of Dry Springs is not without trouble.
When Eliza McCoslin’s brother sends for her, she exchanges war-torn Mississippi for Dry Springs, Texas. Settling into a new way of life proves difficult though, despite the arrival of the man she’s long admired.
Jesse Carrigan comes to Dry Springs seeking work and a place to start the ranch he’s dreamed of ever since his parents lost their farm. What he doesn’t expect to find is the woman he’d like to court—or his former colonel on the run from a deadly threat.
Given the circumstances keeping Jesse and Eliza apart and the danger looming on the horizon, he and Eliza find themselves facing the loss of future love—and life. When trouble comes to Dry Springs, who will be left standing?
Ratings for Trouble in Dry Springs
Story: 5/5
Worldview: 5/5
In a world where a lot of female main characters are rebellious and rude, Eliza was a breath of fresh air. She’s strong, but obedient and respectful. She’s an overthinker and hard on herself (something I can relate to), and I loved seeing her contrast to the matter-of-fact Mrs. Reilly. Jesse is a great counterpart, sweet and honorable and honest. I loved seeing his relationship with Eliza develop, and I loved how they didn’t court in secret even though they weren’t given permission. They stood by being honorable, and that’s not how I would have expected their relationship to go at all (compared to normal forbidden romance novels). Anson, Eliza’s shady older brother, was a complex, interesting character. He’s very antagonistic towards Jesse (and others), but Eliza’s attitude towards him really made me almost like him at times. I wished I could see the good in him.
The plot was strong, tight, and gripping. I was surprised about 50% of the way through and I had no idea how things would end! I loved it.
The worldview in this novel was great. The characters consistently pray to God for wisdom, guidance, and patience. They also pray for others, and I loved how Eliza’s go-to response at times was, “I’ll pray for you.” She may have felt it came across a bit trite, but when we’re faced with problems outside of our control, that’s the best thing we can do. That was a big part of Eliza’s journey, in trusting God with things outside of her control and fighting anxiety/overthinking.
Overall Thoughts
This is my favorite book from Kristina so far! This historical western was full of so much more than I expected, and I can’t wait to read book 2!
If you like historical western books with strong faith themes, I highly recommend you start with Trouble in Dry Springs!
Book Information
Title: Trouble in Dry Springs (Dry Springs Chronicles #1)
Author: Kristina Hall
Release date: May 24, 2023
Genres: Historical, Western, Fiction
Age range: 14+
Content warnings/notes: Violence (fistfights, mentions of bruising and cuts), gunshots (not descriptive but characters in pain), alcohol (but the main characters don’t drink, nor do they accept it), gambling (painted in a negative light).
