Can true love survive the changing seasons?
ELLEN FOUND by Carla Kelly
Set
in location of Old Faithful Inn, 1903-4. Working in a discouraging
cafe, Ellen escapes an awful situation in rough and tumble Butte,
Montana, and goes to work as second in command to a wary cook in the
shell that will become Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone Park. She meets
Charles Penrose, head carpenter on the massive project of Old Faithful
Inn, which is being finished in a harsh Wyoming winter. Will it really
open June 1, 1904? Can Ellen start to trust the other workers? What will
she learn about the other employees? And Charles. He's a widower with a
young daughter there, too. Like Ellen, he wants more.
THE WIDOW OF DAYBREAK by Christine Sterling
Doris
Whistler is learning how to survive in a town taken over by outlaws.
When the leader of an infamous gang murders her husband, her choices are
to tuck tail and run, or stand her ground and make Daybreak as
promising as its name. It proves to be a difficult task with the good
citizens in fear of the corrupt mayor and godlessness that abounds. What
she doesn't expect is the support of a traveling lawman who believes in
her and the tiny town she loves so much.
MAY I KISS THE BRIDE? by Heather B. Moore
Viola
Delany is not happy about being sent to the middle-of-nowhere, small
town Wyoming. Yes, it will be good to let the gossips find something
else to talk about other than her failed engagement. And yes, it will be
nice to spend the summer with her Aunt Beth. But as Viola sits on the
train heading for Wyoming, wondering how she'll ever occupy her time in
such a small town, none other than a real life cowboy sits across the
way. She can't help but take peeks at him, noting that the condition of
his unpolished black boots and scuffed rawhide jacket seem to be
authentic . . . All right, so he might be tall, dark-haired, and
handsome if a woman doesn't mind green eyes and a dangerous-looking
scar, but this man certainly has nothing to do with her. Besides she'll
never see him again. What are the chances he's traveling to the same
middle-of-nowhere small town?
My Review: 5 Stars
Fun fact: I lived on a ranch in Wyoming for a few months when I was really little. I don't remember it at all, but I've always felt a sweet connection to summers in this vast, rugged state, and it was a joy to read these stories.
I believe they all take place in the very early 1900s and the times then were much simpler, yet MUCH more dangerous in a variety of ways. In ELLEN FOUND, the danger is with wildlife, while the other two have gangs of villainous devils.
ELLEN FOUND was such a lyrically charming story of a girl finding a place to start over and a place where she fits in. It was so satisfying to read of her ideas and ways to make life more efficient and easier for those she worked with. I loved the little journal snippets at the beginning of each chapter and was thrilled with the friendship Ellen formed with a young friend, which eventually lead to love.
THE WIDOW OF DAYBREAK started out with heartbreak. In the slightly fast-paced way of the Wild West, Doris was forced to move on and find help to bring much needed peace and safety to her residence. I loved the connections that were woven together in complicated knots, which brought a lot of enjoyment and discovery to this story.
MAY I KISS THE BRIDE? was the perfect conclusion to this set. Viola is a no-nonsense and brave women being sent to help her aunt and a chance meeting with Rey on the train sparked an immediate interest--in both her and in the reader. I loved the small town, the bakery, and the sweet romance.
This is a set not to be missed and is the perfect summer read.
Content: mild moments of danger/peril/shootings; mild romance
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
