[YA Historical Fiction] Help me find a book I've been searching for nearly 30 years — blonde girl, Native Americans, sun-related name
I am trying to identify a book, and unfortunately, I cannot remember the author or the exact title. I have searched Google, Goodreads, Reddit, Facebook, and various book-identification sites for years without finding it.
NOT BASED ON A TRUE STORY
Here is what I remember:
• It was a YA/teen historical romance novel. She falls in love with a native. she is older than 15.
• I believe it was approximately 200 pages and was a paperback.
• I read it several times between 1995 and 1997 because I really enjoyed it.
• The story was set in the United States and involved a young teenage girl living with Native Americans.
• The protagonist was a girl with very light, wheat-blonde hair.
• The Native Americans were fascinated by her hair and gave her a Native name that, as I remember it, had something to do with the sun.
• I have a vague memory that the girl's first name may have been something like Savannah, Sarah, Susanna, or possibly something similar.
• I remember the cover as having an oval-shaped photograph or portrait of a blonde girl.
I have already considered and ruled out several books that initially seemed to match, so I am fairly certain this is not simply a case of confusing it with a more well-known YA novel.