A Choice Considered
by Tracie Peterson
Pub DateJul 02 2024
Bethany House |Bethany House Publishers
Christian| Historical Fiction| Romance


Bethany House publishers and Netgalley provided me with a copy of A Choice Considered for review:



Even the best laid plans can be derailed by love.


Melody Doyle spent years following her father across the country during the construction of the transcontinental railroad. Her father offers her an unconventional challenge when she announces her desire to settle down in Cheyenne: he'll let her stay if she finds a husband before he departs. As word spreads and the men in town vie for her hand, she wonders if she could ever be happy with a husband chosen in this way.


Decker is heir to a banking dynasty and has been sent west by his father to manage the family's new bank. Although Charlie longs for a simpler life of teaching, banking is the family business, and he feels obligated to follow suit. When his friendship with Melody blossoms, he is drawn to this remarkable woman. Can he confront his true desires before it's too late and come to terms with his growing feelings for her?


I give A Choice Considered five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Melody follows the railroad with her father, but decides to stay in Cheyenne. Her father will only allow her to do that if they find her protection...in the form of a husband.

I loved this second installment in Tracie Peterson's new series. Peterson always seems to write the best antagonists and keeps you wanting to read more. I loved the sweet romance, and adding a touch of matchmaking mischief into the mix.

*Thank you to Bethany House and #netgalley for a copy of this book to read and review, all thoughts are my own.

This is the second book in the series. I do recommend reading the first one first but if you don’t, it does work as a stand alone. Melody is in need of a husband and her father is the one to go through in order to court her. And the men do line up when they hear. Charlie is new in town. Charlie and Melody quickly become friends. I loved how this story had a little bit of matchmaking involved. I also enjoyed both main characters. We even have a little bit of a bad guy thrown in. As always, with this author, there is strong Christian content throughout the entire book. I really appreciate that. Overall this was a cute story and I recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

A Choice Considered by Tracie Peterson takes place in Cheyenne Wyoming in 1868.

The daughter of a railroad man, she longs for a home of her own. Melody Doyle has followed her father as he helps built the railroad that will connect the east to the west. Her father agrees to let her stay in Cheyenne, but only if she marries. Charles Decker, son of the banker, arrives in Cheyenne to replace his ailing brother. Although he desires to respect and honor his fathers wishes, he feels called to be a teacher.

Melody's Pa devices a plan to seek out a husband for Melody by advertising her need of a husband. Which doesn't go exactly as planned. Clancy is a wise and Godly man, and only wants the best for his only daughter.

The story is heart warming bitter sweet and will leave you weeping. A Choice Considered is a clean faith filled story.

I received a complimentary ebook copy from the publisher, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

1868 Cheyenne, Wyoming

Tracie Peterson has a talent for blending the western frontier with a compelling story line.

After traveling for years along the Union Pacific rail line with her father, Melody has found what feels like home in Cheyenne. She has friends and a mother figure in the town. When she discusses her plan to stay in Cheyenne when her father moves on with continued expansion of the railroad, he agrees on one condition...she marry first. Melody's dad announces the search for a husband and begins to interview men that are interested. It's a rather unusual approach to finding a husband, but it's clear Melody's dad loves her and she trusts and values his opinion.

Banking heir Charlie is in Cheyenne to fill in for his ill brother, but his heart's desire is to teach. Charlie is an honorable man and does his very best at the bank and makes friends in Cheyenne.

Their journey to love was a sweet one. I look forward to continuing the series.

Melody, daughter of a railroad man, longs for a home and community. In her mid-20s, she has followed her father through all of his railroad building assignments for the Union Pacific. They are in Cheyenne, Wyoming and Melody wants to stay. Her father isn't going to continue on, but he is sick. His dying wish is for Melody to find a husband for love and stability. Melody agrees to her dad's request though he has a sticking point...he will arrange for suitors. Unconventional, but Melody gets veto power. The two embark on their quest for a husband for Melody.
Charles enters Cheyenne to take over his family's bank branch for his brother. A teacher at heart, Charlie knows that he needs to concentrate on the family business before following his own wishes.

A Choice Considered is book 2 in The Heart of Cheyenne series. It's a sweet, easy read that continues the story of Cheyenne and this time we get Melody and Charlie's romance. He's and honorable guy who is determined to be her friend first even while her dad wants her married somewhat quickly. Very clean romance with themes of grief and God's faithfulness through all that we go through. Looking forward to reading the next in this series.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 2 July 2024

A Choice Considered was such a lovely, endearing story. It’s a friends to more romance with delightful characters, a touch of humor, a dash of suspense, and a sweet father/daughter relationship. I enjoyed the way Tracie Peterson brought 1800’s Cheyenne, Wyoming to life.

Melody Doyle has been uprooted constantly in her life as her father moves with his railroad position. This time, after her father recovers from an injury, she wants to stay in Cheyenne when he needs to move on. She’s built lasting friendships and feels confident she can make it on her own. But, her father has other plans. He wants to see her married & makes it known to everyone that he’s seeking a suitor for his daughter. They have to pass his muster though.

Charles Decker is the son of a banker who’s expected to follow in his father’s footsteps. Though he’d rather be a teacher, he’s agreed to take over the running of his father’s savings & loan in Cheyenne when his banker brother suddenly becomes ill and has to leave. Charlie does his best but has his hands full with an unruly employee who seems to resent his presence. He meets the beautiful Melody when she visits the bank & despite the suitors lined up to date her, he offers his friendship.

I loved Charlie & Melody! Charlie has the right idea of courting Melody by first becoming her friend. I loved their sweet relationship as he’d patiently listen to her sometimes disastrous dates all while being there to support her. Melody’s a kind, thoughtful daughter and I loved her relationship with her darling Irish father.

I enjoyed how faith was gently woven throughout this story. When difficulties come & faith becomes difficult, I enjoyed the way friends were there to offer support and encouragement. There’s also a bit of suspense which adds an exciting layer to the story.

Highly recommend this enjoyable, friends to more romance! Even though it’s part of a series, I had no trouble reading it as a standalone but look forward to reading the first book. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own & voluntarily provided.

I just love Tracie Peterson's books. Even after reading them for over 30 years, I'm not tired of them. Each book delights me and I'm always looking forward to the next one.

This is the second book in the Heart of Cheyenne series, and I've found the historical facts about life in Cheyenne so interesting.

Melody's mother died when she was very young, she has happy memories of her but sadly, like the memory of her face they are slowly fading. Her death has brought her into a closer, loving relationship with her father.

Her father is a wanderer, never happy to live in one place for long. His railroad job is perfect for this as it requires constantly moving along to where the work is. Despite her strong relationship with her father as Melody is now a young woman, she is tired of the constant picking up and moving around and wants to stay in Cheyenne as she considers it home of all the places they've traveled to.

As her father ponders her choice of wanting to settle down, he comes up with a challenge. She must find a man to marry before he departs for his next railroading job. As possible suitors here of this challenge they are hopeful of being the chosen one.

Most of the potential suitors hit a sour note with Melody but one is patient and wants a strong friendship first.

When Charles Decker arrives in town it is with the intention of managing the family's new bank. He was sent west by his father for this intent though it's not his hearts wish. He wants a simple life but feels obligated to fall in line with the banking business.

I thought the continuation of the railroading series taking place in Cheyenne in the late 1800's was fascinating. This is a book about compassion, strength through hard times, keeping a strong faith, friendship before romance. There is grief and recovery. I suggest you read this series in order though not absolutely necessary.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

This book has a sweet, pretty straight forward romance. There's an unconventional twist that was a minor part to the story. I felt it could have been more involved or in depth. It was enjoyable to read.

I liked Melody's relationship with her da. He is an incredible, godly, wise man who longs to care for his daughter. He feels the way to do that is to help her find a husband. Melody is a sweet, kind woman. She's grown up on the road as her dad worked on the railroad. Now she's longing to settle down.

Charlie comes to town to take over the family bank. He is trying to meet his father's expectations but his passions lie elsewhere. He's a good man to have around in a crisis or anytime.

Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

A Choice Considered is the second entry in the Hearts of Cheyenne series. It can be read alone. However, to understand all of the secondary characters, it is best to read the first in the series, A Love Discovered. Ms. Peterson continues the story of the community of and beginnings of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Melody Doyle’s story touches on the the struggle of females, especially in the west who were left without a man in their life.

Ms. Peterson never disappoints in writing well written characters that evoke empathy and caring from her readers. The reader is quickly caught up in the struggle of Ms. Doyle’s desire of wanting to stay in Cheyenne where she has made friends and the peril of being alone in a western town. The crises that comes upon her in an unexpected situation, takes on a urgency that the reader can sense.

A Choice Considered is highly recommended to any fan that likes historical romance fiction. Fans of Tracie Peterson will not be disappointed and will eagerly await the next title in the series.

I received an ARC ebook from NetGalley and the publisher, Bethany House Publishers, in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book of “The Heart of Cheyenne” series, and I think I enjoyed it more than the first book. Although, I can’t come up with a reason. I love the characters of Melody and Charlie. I also loved the relationship Melody had with her father.

I appreciate that I can pick up a Tracie Peterson book and be confident that it’s a sweet, clean romance. The characters are Christians, and their faith and relationship with God is evident in their conversations. Tracie does this well. The spiritual conversations flow naturally, just as it should be with godly people, in order to encourage one another with truth.

You will enjoy this if you like…
-An easy read
-A faith-centered story
-Sweet, clean romance
-Matchmaking
-Friends to lovers
-Father/daughter relationships
-A generous amount of dialog

Content: illness, death, and grief

Although part of a series (The Heart of Cheyenne), A Choice Considered is easily a stand-alone book. Tracie Peterson is an expert at crafting a captivating historical romance. The characters are realistic, likable, well-defined, and well-rounded with attributes and flaws. I loved the relationship portrayed between Melody and her father--the mutual love and respect and the way they took care of each other. The advertising of Melody being in the marriage market by her father was an interesting take on how to find a husband. Yet, throughout the process, there was a strong thread of faith in and reliance on God, acknowledging His leading. Readers who enjoy sweet historical romances will not want to miss this one. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. I was given a complimentary copy of the book through NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are my own.

Melody Doyle is tired of the life of travel that railroad workers live. She has come to enjoy living in Cheyenne as she has made friends and looks forward to living in a house rather than a tent. She is close to her father and shares with him that she would like to settle there. He agrees that it would be good but gives her an ultimatum. She can stay, if she has a husband when it is time for him to move on.
I received an advanced reader's copy of this, the second book in the Heart of Cheyenne series from Barbour Publishing via Netgalley. This is my own personal opinion about the book. I enjoyed reading and thinking about the way of life for those workers and their families that traveled with the train line in the 1860's. It's interesting to me how towns formed, and businesses moved in. I really like Melody's father. He truly is a character. He has a plan, and amusing scenes take place as it unfolds. He also has a secret which lends heart touching drama to the story. A disreputable character causes problems too.
The building friendship of banker Charlie Decker and Melody is sweet. They are two good people who honor their fathers. Faith is important in the community.
This is a story of friendship, community and of course, a sweet, clean romance. It would be a fine read for teens to older adults. It would work as a stand-alone. This is a 5-star read for me.

I’ve been curious to see how Melody’s story would play out in A Choice Considered since I read book one in this series. I really liked Melody’s character from the beginning and the friend she was to Marybeth when the latter needed one most. And honestly, that’s Melody in a nutshell – a friend. She was made for close relationships, despite having led a mostly impermanent lifestyle with her railroad-employee father (whom I adore), and I loved the community she has gathered around her in Cheyenne. From her prayer partners – Marybeth and Granny – to her new employer Mrs. Cooper and others, I can see why she doesn’t want to leave this time when the railroad workers move further west again.

Melody’s relationship with her father is so sweet, and their mutual affection for one another reminded me of my relationship with my own dad. It had me shedding a few tears, too, for the same reason. Her protective Da’s unconventional means of making sure her future is secure before he leaves Cheyenne both mortified me on Melody’s behalf (the church scene – oh sweet mercy! LOL) and delighted me as a reader. (Plus, I loved her dad’s wisdom and discernment and how much he valued his ‘darling daughter’.) And then there’s Charlie who – like Edward in A Love Discovered – is just such a genuinely good guy. He may be a banker out of obligation, longing to be a teacher instead, but he has good instincts nonetheless. Not only did I enjoy watching him tackle his new assignment at the small savings & loan in Cheyenne, I also (and even more so) enjoyed watching his friendship with Melody develop and then evolve into something deeper. His respect for Melody’s dad, his love for God, and his servant’s heart toward Melody cemented my love for Charlie early on in the story.

Bottom Line: A Choice Considered by Tracie Peterson is a sweet historical western romance with likable characters you’ll be rooting for from the beginning. The road to happily ever after for Melody and Charlie starts with an almost-instant friendship and mutual respect, and their story will take you through a range of emotions and some layered plot turns. I appreciated the emphasis on a personal relationship with God that affects their daily lives and their decisions, and I appreciated even more that it wasn’t presented in a preachy manner or one that felt forced. If you enjoy western/frontier romance by Lauraine Snelling, Kimberley Woodhouse, and Janette Oke, then you really need to be reading Tracie Peterson too! While characters from the first book do recur in this one, A Choice Considered can easily be read as a standalone, so there’s no reason to delay!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

Wild West 🤠
Union Pacific Railroad 🛤️
A fathers love 💕
Arranged marriage 💒
Bank robbery 🚨

Melody Doyle has always been at her father’s side as he worked on the Union Pacific Railroad. The railroad has made it to Cheyenne, Wyoming and Melody makes the decision to stay behind when the railroad moves on. This is not an easy decision as Melody and her Da, have a close and beautiful relationship.

Clancy, her Da, took a fall at work and she is helping nurse him back to health. Her decision is not a complete surprise but his demand that she marry before he moves on, is a twist.

As Melody is courted by the prospects that her dad has approved , you feel as if you are there with her - and feel her uncertainty and frustration over her future. Enter Decker - the local banker who has arrived in town to manage his family’s bank after his brother has left town. His interest in Melody increases as he gets to know her and her father but will the bank robbery end his career and time in Cheyenne?

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

It has been a bit since a read a book from this author, a huge thank for the ARC copy vis NetGalley, it was a privilege! The premise is a young woman, Melody, whose father is concerned about her welfare when he moves on with the railway line. He makes the decision to help her choose her husband prior to his leaving. There is a good anchoring of faith, romance, some excitement and sorrow throughout the book, engaging the reader.. The plot was fairly predictable and the ending was tidy. I read this as a standalone and didn't feel lost. Recommend as a light read, a sweet, clean, faith filled romance that is suitable for most ages.
I received as an ARC and the review is my personal opinion and was not obligated to leave a positive review.

An enjoyable story set in early Cheyenne. Melody and her father traveled along as the new railroad was laid and are staying in town after her father was injured. They got to know and become close to friends who live there. Charlie came into town to manage his father's bank and finds more than he expected. Melody and Charlie always followed where their fathers led, are now considering other ideas. Beautiful story of loving families, changes in their lives, and difficulties to face.

I received this book free from the authors, publisher and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#AChoiceConsidered #NetGalley #TraciePeterson #BethanyHousePublishers #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout

A Choice Considered, by Tracie Peterson, is the second book in The Heart of Cheyenne series. This is a well written, easy to read and imagine Christian historical romance story. This story does contain characters from the first book in the series, so it is best to read the series in order. I enjoyed catching up with the characters in the story and seeing what change the town is going through. I enjoyed the main characters and got caught up in the story, especially Melody and her father’s loving relationship. It was enjoyable to see the change in Melody and Charlie’s relationship as the story progressed. I appreciate how thoughtful her father was with how he looked out for her and her future. This is a nice story that shows the different ways families love each other and how strong the main characters’ faith is and how it gets them through their struggles.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.

A Choice Considered by Tracie Peterson is the second book in The Heart of Cheyenne series. It can be read as a standalone for those who have not read A Love Discovered. I thought A Choice Considered was easy to read. I enjoyed getting to know Melody and her father as well as Charlie. The characters, though, needed more depth. The characters are a little too perfect with the bad guy being the sneering, twirling the ends of his mustache type of villain (the type you see in cartoons). We get to visit Cheyenne in 1868 just as the railroad tracks have been finished and the workers are ready to move on to the next site. I do not blame Melody for being ready to settle down in one location after years of travel. I did find some of the details to be inaccurate (two small examples are you do not leave a stove unattended in a tent for long periods of time nor do you leave food out on the table because a dog will snatch it—or a hungry vagrant). The story follows Melody and Charlie as they get to know each other. In between the pair go to work and Melody goes on the dates set up by her father. There is a touch of suspense when a disgruntled bank employee makes off with funds. A Choice Considered is a clean, Christian story (no intimate relations or foul language). A Choice Considered is a nice story, but I thought it was very predictable. I could foresee how the story would play out early on. I felt this book was not on par with Tracie Peterson’s earlier works. While A Choice Considered was a miss for me, it will not keep me from reading Tracie’s books in the future.