Lessons from the Rancher
Book One- The Teacher's Project
In the first installment of the miniseries The Teacher’s Project, Willa Marshall is one of five teachers who are recruited to the small town of Pronghorn, Oregon. For the last few years, Pronghorn has been having classes online. Most of the parents are desperate for a real school. Some of the parents put in their resources together to set-up a high school for their children. One of those parents is Colter Wayne who is the president of the school board. He desperately wants this school to work out for the sake of his daughter who he feels is withdrawn and not socializing with children her own age.
The principal recruits five teachers. One of these teachers is Willa Marshall who was Colter Wayne’s high school sweetheart. They were going to marry, but Colter got drunk on the radio circuit and cheated on Willa. The woman he had an affair with became pregnant and now, Colter is a single father. Willa cannot believe Colter is in Proghorn. She is still angry with his betrayal. After he broke her heart, it took her years to get her life back on track. They both struggle being around one another, but as parents start to have demands and concerns about the way the school is organized and run, Colter becomes an ally to Willa in trying to do the best to bring a quality education to Pronghorn’s children. As they work together, is it possible for Colter and Willa to get a second chance at love? Can they move on from the past?
I absolutely loved this novel and I am looking forward to the rest of the miniseries. The town was wonderfully quirky including a commune that is part of the community, which presents for much humorous situations. I loved the way the teachers worked together to deal with the challenges they faced. The novel also did a good job regarding commentary on the challenges of technology in the classroom that created much depth in the story. And of course, I loved the evolution of Colter and Willa’s relationship. It showed how with age, people could grow and change, creating an opportunity for forgiveness and redemption.
Rating: 5/5
Next Novel in Series: Winning the Sheriff’s Heart (The Teacher’s Project-Book Two)
Next Novel to Review: Hidden Danger (Guardians Unleashed-Book One)