The Last Runaway

Quiet, home-loving, and principled Honor Bright agrees to accompany her more adventurous sister across the Atlantic to 1850's Ohio, to where Grace's fiancé has immigrated. The journey is miserable physically and confusing culturally, and when Honor finally arrives at their destination, she is sick at heart as well. Forced to make choices for which she is unprepared and to face challenges to her lifelong belief in the innate equality of all races, Honor matures into a strong woman worthy of respect. Kate Reading narrates the book beautifully, perfectly portraying the timid English girl making mistakes and learning from them. Reading's voice becomes rougher with the American pioneers—louder and harsher for the exacting Judith Haymaker, more relaxed and higher pitched for Belle, the whiskey-drinking milliner.