Ellen Found is a delightful cabin romance set during the building of the Old Faithful Inn, circa 1903-4. Rich in historical detail and filled with appealing characters, this short but sweet novella is a perfect afternoon read.

Orphaned Ellen Found works in a bottom-tier café in the rugged town of Butte, Montana. Her situation is difficult, uncomfortable, and, at times, dangerous, as the people she works for and the clients she serves are rough around the edges (and most often, even rougher on the inside). When she sees the ad in the paper looking for kitchen help at the Old Faithful Inn hundreds of miles away, she experiences her first moment of hope in a long time. A new job will help her escape the difficulties presented by her current one.

Packing up her cat, Plato, Ellen heads to the interview. Bringing a feline companion while applying for a new job might be a bit unconventional, but Ellen smoothly presents him as an excellent mouser, and thus, a must-have accessory for a kitchen. Her honesty regarding her existing circumstances, life history, and pet impresses Mr. Child, the project overseer. She’s hired, gets on a train heading to Yellowstone, and makes her first friend en route.

Charles Penrose is the head carpenter on the massive project of Old Faithful Inn and is tasked with completing the finishing touches during the harsh Wyoming winter so it will be ready for guests by summer. His wife died several years earlier, and his daughter, Gwen, is accompanying him. Ellen is sweet and helpful as they make their way to the inn, and Charles finds himself deeply drawn to the lovely young woman. He is delighted with how kind she is to Gwen, who has quickly become enamored of Ellen.

However, there is little time for furthering the acquaintance once they arrive at the facility. Ellen is busy cleaning and cooking in the kitchen, and while the head cook, Mrs. Quincy, is initially a bit brusque, Ellen’s hard work and gentle nature slowly thaw her cold attitude. The building crew is as entranced by Ellen’s sunny disposition as they are by her biscuits, pies, and other culinary treats. After years of suffering neglect and abuse, Ellen has found herself in a place of plenty, surrounded by people who seem to genuinely like her. She’d never before dared to dream of a future that included love and family, but as she settles into this new life, she wonders if perhaps that little bit more could be in reach.

Ellen Found is laser-focused on the inn and its immediate environs. It doesn’t discuss the issues or significant political goings-on of the era, but instead weaves minute, ordinary bits of history through the everyday trials and triumphs of the characters. Everyone working at the inn is middle to lower class and looking to better their circumstances (or at least not have them get any worse). Their genuine delight at having comfortable accommodations, plentiful food, and decent (but challenging) working conditions serves as a nice reminder of how often that wasn’t the case in the past. I especially appreciated Ellen’s willingness to be happy given past circumstances that would have driven many to despair and bitter misery.

Her positivity helps others to come to terms with the difficulties that drove them to the remote location. Mrs. Quincy has suffered various losses but is willing to risk loving once more as she receives kindness from Ellen. The workers find that dining can mean more than just shoveling food in their faces as Ellen engages them in conversation and treats them with courtesy. The page count doesn’t allow for a deep dive into back stories, but Ms. Kelly does a lovely job introducing us to decent, industrious folk trying to make their way in a harsh world.

The romance is very low-key but filled with warmth and sincerity. Charles has a rival for Ellen’s affection in Corporal Dan Reeves, a dashing military officer assigned to protect the building crew from bears and poachers. Both suitors court her with walks around the inn’s perimeters, sitting at her table during the communal meal, or giving her simple gifts. They are honest, caring men, and that is reflected in their amicable rivalry. Neither tries to disparage or undermine the other because they respect their love interest enough to let her do the choosing. I suspected who she would pick, but in this case, both choices had their charms, and I would have been happy with whatever HEA I was given.

The only content warning I would give is one for violence against animals. Naturally, there is hunting, but there are also other events in which animals die that might be triggering for some.

Ellen Found is charming and enjoyable. Although its brevity keeos it from reaching DIK status (I would have liked a deeper dive into several of the characters), I strongly recommend it to anyone looking for a heartfelt American historical.