Janette Oke 
Too Long a Stranger (Women of the West Book #9) 

She made the difficult decision with only her daughter’s best interest in mind . . . but did she sacrifice too much? When her husband dies, Sarah Perry is left with no way to support herself and her daughter, Rebecca. Reluctantly, she takes over operation of her husband’s freight-hauling business, managing to save enough money to send Rebecca east to a boarding school— to an easier life and a future Sarah could not provide.With the boarding-school fees consuming Sarah’s savings, there is no money left for trips home. Over the years, the chasm between mother and daughter becomes much more than geographical distance, and when Rebecca finally returns home, it seems that she and her mother are from different worlds. What hope is there of breaking down the enormous barriers between them?