A Wild and Heavenly Place by Robin Oliveira

In 1878 Glasgow, Samuel Fiddes lives with his five-year-old sister Alison in poverty. Their parents and siblings died of diphtheria several years ago. Samuel, who can read and write and has a knack for numbers, dreams of a better life for himself and Alison. He has had his eye on wealthy Hailey MacIntyre after seeing her weekly in church, but he knows her parents would never approve. Yet Samuel and Hailey secretly start to spend time together after Samuel saves Hailey's younger brother's life. When the MacIntyre family sets sail for Seattle after losing their fortune, Hailey asks Samuel to follow her there. In A Wild and Heavenly Place, the reader follows Samuel and Hayley over the next four years as they individually make their lives in the Pacific Northwest--a land of enormous promise, yet at times dangerous and lawless. Will Samuel and Hayley's love be strong enough to let them eventually be together? A great read-alike for Sandra Dallas.