In Every Heartbeat by Kim Vogel Sawyer

As three friends who grew up in the same orphanage head off to college together, they each harbor a cherished dream. Libby wishes to become a famous journalist, Pete plans to study to become a minister, and Bennett wants to join a fraternity and have as much fun as possible. But as tensions rise around the world on the brink of World War I, the friends’ differing aspirations and opinions begin to divide them, as well. And when Libby makes a shocking discovery about Pete’s family, will it drive a final wedge between the friends or bond them in ways they never anticipated?

I’ve read several books by this author and this is the first title that I’ve read by K. Sawyer that didn’t have Mennonite main characters.

The country is on the brink of war, and in this historical novel, three friends who have been raised in the same orphanage manage to go to college via scholarship. All three of them have differing aspirations. Petey, the most holy of the group, aspires to be a pastor. However, he does have self-doubts about his life. Pete has a peg leg, and he hates the way it impacts how others treat him. He doesn’t like being different from other people. He has a secret crush on his good friend Libby, but, Libby can’t see herself in a relationship with Petey, who’s almost like a brother to her.

Bennett wants to join a fraternity and initially it appears that God and religion don’t seem to be important in Bennett’s life. He does a few shenanigans, prompted by fraternity brothers, in order to get their approval.

Libby needs a job and when she unexpectedly purchases a magazine one day, she finds short romance stories on the printed pages. Can she make a living writing these short pieces? She needs spending money since her scholarship doesn’t include funds to purchase personal items.

This book uses a fresh setting that you normally don’t see in historical novels. I thought it was interesting that this book was set on a college campus and as I read it I thought about the old saying, “Times change but people don’t.” The children on this college campus remind me of the way young people acted when I was in college back in the eighties. I thought their dreams, aspirations and actions were pretty accurate for a younger crowd.

Getting on my soapbox about my personal feelings about school settings:
I think I found the school setting appealing, too, because I’ve had a re-occurring dream, over the past seven or eight years about school. The dream usually takes place on a college campus, but, occasionally, my dream includes a high school setting. I’m not sure why I keep dreaming about school. The dream pops up a few times a year…a little weird, and I suppose I’m trying to work through something in my life.

You should consider this novel if you want a vivid picture of college life back in 1914.

~Cecelia Dowdy~