About the Book

Book: Light To My Path

Author: Erica Vetsch

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: February 10, 2026

A determined orphan caretaker and a wealthy mine owner—brought together by circumstance, tested by tragedy, and transformed by love.

Sam Mackenzie learned the hard way not to trust a beautiful face. After breaking his engagement to a fortune-hunting socialite, he’s focused solely on his family’s mining business. But when his aunt asks him to help escort three orphans and their caretaker across the country, he finds himself drawn to the selfless young woman tasked with the children’s care.

Eldora Carter has spent her life depending on no one but herself. As a former orphan now caring for three unwanted children, she knows better than to dream of a different future. When a journey by rail turns perilous, she must rely on Sam’s help to keep the children safe. Yet accepting his assistance means risking her heart to a man who could never want someone like her. As danger forces them to work together, Eldora discovers that sometimes the greatest risk is refusing to love at all.

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My Review:

What a heartfelt story that I enjoyed reading. I’m not usually a western romance genre. I’m a huge fan of Erica Vetsch books and I knew it be a great story. This is the second book in the “Brides of the West” series. I have not read the first book in the series. Light to My Path was just as delightful without the first book which focuses on David.

Sam Mackenzie is an all around good guy. He is just days away from getting married. While he is waiting in the foyer for his future wife Sam over hears a conversation with his fiancé and mother-in-law. He was left stunned and upset by the conversation and confronts them. He leaves the home with no engagement and a different future set before him that he imagined.

Sam’s aunt works at an orphanage and has asked Sam if he would escort and assist a young woman Elle and three children as they are transported to a new orphanage in another state.

Eldora (Elle) spent many years in the orphanage and now just trying to survive. When she gets fired from her job she goes back to the orphanage to see if they can assist her. Instead she is given charge to three children Phin, Tick, and Celeste and takes them to Denver. She already knows the children and they are fond of Elle. Sam is not what she expects and he is unlike any wealthy person she has met. Elle is very guarded and doesn’t see herself as anything special.

Sam can’t help to not come to care for the children and even Elle. Elle doesn’t aspect anything from him and is grateful for everything.

The journey is nothing but simple as the plight ends up one adventure after another. There are many unexpected events along the way. The children will melt your heart. The characters are well developed in a short novel. My only disappointment was it ended so fast. I wanted more after they arrived at their destination.

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through Celebrate Lit Bloggers in exchange for my honest thoughts.

About the Author

Best-selling, award-winning author of The Debutante’s Code, first in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery Series, Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum.

More from Erica

Trains. I love trains. I got this love from my father, who is fascinated by all types of trains. When writing Light to My Path, I asked my dad lots of questions, and I relied heavily upon the things I learned at the train museums he took me to see.

One of our favorite train museums is in Duluth, MN. The Lake Superior Railroad Museum, in what was the former depot of the Gilded Age boomtown, is home to one of the most beautiful trains I have ever seen.

It’s name is the William B. Crooks, and it is a steam locomotive.

The William Crooks, the first train engine of any kind in Minnesota belonging to the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad by railroad tycoon James J. Hill of St. Paul. The William Crooks pulled its first train cars full of passengers on June 28, 1862. The William Crooks retired from passenger service in 1897.

Isn’t it beautiful? When the train retired from passenger service, it became the personal train of James J. Hill, The Empire Builder and owner of The Great Northern Railroad.

James J. Hill dreamed of pushing a railroad from Minnesota to the West Coast, through the Rocky and Cascade Mountains. It was along the Great Northern Railroad in March of 1910 that one of the worst train disasters in US history occurred. An avalanche took out two trains, killing 96 people.

This historic event inspired part of the story in Light to My Path. A train, trapped by snow, unable to go forward or back, and with an avalanche imminent. It’s the kind of book that calls for a warm blanket and a hot cup of tea!

You can read more about both the William Crooks and the Cascade Avalanche Disaster at these websites:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Crooks_(locomotive)

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/march-1/trains-buried-by-avalanche