Sweeter Than Birdsong by Rosslyn Elliott

Book Description

In Westerville, Ohio, 1855, Kate Winter is a painfully shy student at Otterbein College, one of the first colleges to accept female students. Due to a difficult mother and perpetually drunk father Kate wants nothing more than to escape her home.

Ben Hanby, Otterbein's musical genius, is intrigued by Kate and longs to uncover her hidden mysteries, but at the same time hopes no one will uncover his secret, that he is working with the Underground Railroad.

When invited to accompany Ben, his mother, and two mutual acquaintances, to Cincinnati, Kate sees this as the perfect opportunity to escape, but instead finds herself aiding in the escape of a slave family. Kate returns home, but can't seem to get the slaves, or Ben, out of her mind or her heart.

My Thoughts

This was a very good, historically sound story. I loved how both Ben and Kate refused to let others beliefs about slavery sway them from their stand against the injustice, and how they put others needs above theirs.

From the description on the back of the book I was expecting it to be focused almost completely on music, but instead slavery seemed to be the center, with music as a side. Kate and Ben's romance was cute even though it was hindered slightly by Kate's mother's disapproval. I liked how even though they both wanted to marry, they trusted that if God wanted the marriage to take place, He would make a way.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by this author.       

 I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.