Robert Ott's Belle is a heartwarming story about a young man who finds his fortune, only it turns out to be nothing like what he expected. At the turn of the century in Texas many came to find a better life. Industry was beginning to boom -- the manufacture of railroads and automobiles was booming and anyone getting in on the ground floor of these miraculous means of transportation had a chance to find their fortune. Jacob Newsome, a young energetic man begins his journey across country to do just that. Determined to get rich and prove himself, Jacob seeks to find financial backing to build one of the first new automobiles. What he finds along his journey is another kind of fortune -- a daughter, Belle and he never knew she existed. Ott's novel is filled with rich, believable characters, intricate and complex plotlines, and expertly captures the time period and a man's struggle and journey to find out what's really important in life.