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This multi-generational novel follows the story of Soloman (Sol) Tanner, a nineteenth-century rancher. When a couple is killed in an accident near his ranch, he discovers their infant daughter survives through a night of freezing rain and wind, kept safe when her cradleboard lands in a tree. By any standards, it is a miracle. Angel 734 counteracts both the harsh elements and the "minus angels of doom," keeping the baby safe until Sol finds her. Sol immediately falls in love with the blue-eyed girl with curly red hair. He hires a recently widowed woman with a young son to move to the ranch to help with the infant they name Nettie. They eventually fall in love and marry, establishing a line of descendants that carries the plot through over five decades.
Set in the American prairie, this novel is a good account of what life was like for those early settlers of the western territories. Sol is the exemplary American settler: ethical and hard-working. Fern is the proverbial helpmate who provides for the family through the traditional role of wife and mother. They both accept Nettie as their own, and Sol becomes a father to Fern's son, Blue. This situation was undoubtedly fairly common in the harsh and sometimes hostile environment of America's unsettled territories. The inclusion of angels who interact with and protect the Tanner family is an interesting plot element. Helping these characters when needed in both small and substantial ways, angels are seen as an integral part of their lives. Though their interventions are subtle, their presence is necessary to the characters' survival, rendering the novel one which gives the reader much to consider. With its fast-paced plot and fascinating characters, the book is a quick and entertaining read.