Three Books on Pack Horse Librarians?

I have written previously that my inspiration for writing a novel on Pack Horse Librarians in Eastern Kentucky during the Depression came from a story I heard on NPR.  The story to overcome the harshness of the Depression and isolation in Eastern Kentucky is compelling and tugs at the heart.

A writer and dear friend dear friend let me know months ago that Joyo Moyes would publish a book on the pack horse librarian project to be released this October.  Her book- The Giver of Stars - is out and it has brought instant scandal and a potential fight for copyright.  Kim Michele Richardson published The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek in May 2019.

A review of the plot for each book finds that they are distinct.  The problem is that there a several passages in the Moyes book that are similar in words, scene and sentence structure from Richardson’s book.

My concern isn’t one of copyright.  My concern is – does the world want or need a third book (mine) about a pack horse librarian in Eastern Kentucky in 1934?  I consulted with several author friends and my two long time mentors.  I sketched my plot for them and they found mine distinct from both Moyes and Richardson.

When I had my eureka moment following the NPR story I was certain that the topic and setting would be unique.  That bubble is shattered.
So – should I trudge on with my manuscript on the story of Rowan Daly or abandon it because I’ve been beaten to the punch?

Everyone I have asked for advice and direction have encouraged me to carry-on.  My story is one of human struggle during the  Depression and being a single woman in a male dominated world.  It is a story of how, through education, a person can overcome any obstacle society can throw in front of them.  It is a story of leaving a legacy from a life of dedication and purpose to a single vision.  
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I need to get back to my manuscript . . .