Buffalo Valley (Dakota Series #4)

It's a season of change for a small prairie town. Buffalo Valley, North Dakota, has discovered a will to survive, to prosper. But the outside world has discovered Buffalo Valley, and a big retail conglomerate plans to move in. Just out of the army, Vaughn Kyle is looking for a place to live, a life to live. And after finding a young woman named Carrie Hendrickson, Vaughn knows that he wants to stay in Buffalo Valley and fight for its way of life.

Carrie Hendrickson is re-introduced to Buffalo Valley working for Hassie as an intern for the pharmacy.

Vaughn Kyle is a man that has his life mapped out perfectly. He has a very successful girlfriend, a great new job that he starts the first of the year. Vaughn decides to go home to see his parents for Christmas, but in the short time he's there his whole life, career, girlfriend - are now a big question mark!

This novel has great characters, plot and town! I love how this town pulls together no matter what! I hope Debbie Macomber takes us back to Buffalo Valley someday.


A pleasant return to Buffalo Valley!!!   October 16, 2001
 34 out of 34 found this review helpful

I just love the Debbie Macomber's books. Her Christmas books are particularly welcome and BUFFALO VALLEY is no exception.

Vaughn Kyle is visiting Buffalo Valley at the request of his girlfriend, an executive with a large discount superstore which has plans to open a store in the little town. It's been many years since Vaughn had visited the town his mother grew up in, but he's happy to check out the town as it is near his parents' home in Grand Forks. He also wants to take the opportunity to meet Hassie Knight, Buffalo Valley's pharmacist. Vaughn's mother had been engaged to marry Hassie's son, Vaughn, but he was killed in Vietnam. Although Hassie always remembered her son's namesake with cards on his birthday, the two have never met. But when Hassie stops at the pharmacy, instead of Hassie he finds young divorcee Carrie Hendrickson instead. When Carrie finds out who the handsome stranger is, she offers to take him on a tour of the charming little town. It isn't long before Vaughn meets many of the town's citizens and they are all taken with him - Carrie even more so. Carrie has closed her heart since her divorce and Vaughn is awakening feelings in her which have been long dormant.

Vaughn has told no one, not even his parents, that he is checking the town out. But the town soon gets wind that the superstore plans on moving in and they are none too happy about it. How will they feel when they find out Vaughn has ties to this company?

BUFFALO VALLEY is a fitting follow-up to Debbie Macomber's Dakota Trilogy and is sure to please her legions of fans, particularly those who have enjoyed prior visits to this fictional North Dakota town. Readers will also enjoy appearances by characters from the previous books. This book is a very pleasant respite from current world events. I got completely lost in Buffalo Valley this afternoon and felt the tension leave my body as I entered another world. Another great read from a master storyteller!


warm regional drama   September 23, 2001
 8 out of 9 found this review helpful

Vaughn Kyle has just left the Army and seems to have every thing ready to start civilian life in an upbeat manner in Seattle. He has been thinking of marriage and will start a job in the New Year, but returns home for the holidays to see his family in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

A bit restless about his future, Kyle visits elderly pharmacist Hassie Knight in Buffalo Valley. He never met Hassie before, but they are connected as his parents named him after her deceased son who died in Nam. At the pharmacy, Kyle meets trainee Carrie Hendrickson. They begin to fall in love. However, Kyle's employer in Washington State plans to build a superstore that will put the small shops out of business and potentially destroy the serenity and optimism of the area.

BUFFALO VALLEY is a warm regional drama that returns readers to a special place highlighted in Debbie Macomber's Dakota trilogy. Fans of the series will enjoy learning what has happened to the townsfolk in Buffalo Valley since the last novel was published. Though the tale is Rockwell in scope, painting a simplistic evil Goliath vs. idealistic David landscape, the story line retains the flavor and charm of the series, especially as the audience looks into the lives of the cast. Ms. Macomber takes her myriad of fans on a wonderful journey to a Shangra-La threatened by "progress".

Harriet Klausner