Fair Play

Fair Play by Deeanne Gist
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dr. Billy Jack Tate hung up a shingle in Chicago in 1893 and waited on patients to flock to the door. Unfortunately, 30 year old Billy Jack was a lady doctor in a man's world. So, when one of the chief executives of the Chicago World's Fair came to the city and ask her to fill in at the Woman's Building infirmary, Billy was ecstatic! Her first patient of the day is none other than Texas Ranger Hunter Scott, appointed as a Columbian Guard at the fair, who is dismayed at being treated by the likes of a female. But after Scott heals from his discomfort, the two find themselves thrown together in an attempt to rescue an abandoned baby, save a poor, young boy from prison, and build a safe, new playground in a bad section of town near Hull House.

Humor mixed in with history strikes the right note in this charming, inspirational novel.

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A Shining Light

A Shining Light by Judith Miller
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Andrea Wilson only feels relief when the news arrives that her sailing husband has died at sea. Even though she is left a widow without any financial means, Andrea know that she and her son are better off without the severe cruelty he inflicted upon them. She heads home to the family farm in Iowa, only to find that her father has perished in a terrible fire that consumed their home but left the barn. The good people from the nearby Amana Colony take her and little Lukas in and provide for their needs until arrangements can be made for their future. Just when things are looking up more shocking news enters Andrea's life.

Although a work of fiction, this gentle read of faith is woven throughout with historical tidbits.

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A Sensible Arrangement

A Sensible Arrangement by Tracie Peterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When an ex-Texas rancher, now wealthy Denver, Colorado banker, Jake Wythe advertises for a Lone Star bride, widower and sharpshooter Marty Dandridge takes up the challenge to put behind her a million memories of her rancher husband being gored to death by a bull. Marty knows the arrangement is a marriage of convenience and is fine with that as she can't imagine loving another man. Marty can no longer make sense of a loving God and turns from her faith. The banking industry will soon be dealt a blow as the economy collapses and silver prices fall. The Wythe's may soon lose their fancy home, "fancy" friends, and servants. Even worse, the many city's orphanages could possibly turn the children out into the streets if things became worse.

A nice easy, inspirational read with historical details thrown in...

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What Once Was Lost: A Novel

What Once Was Lost: A Novel by Kim Vogel Sawyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Christina was raised in a loving home, with parents that stressed being responsible for those in need. In fact, her parents ran the poor farm, as people called it, with Christina's help. Before they passed, Christina didn't have the day to day stress of running it alone as she does now and with the recent fire in the kitchen - all the residents are displaced and awaiting the repair of the home. When the board fails to approve money for the much needed repairs and even closes the poor farm down, Christina feels that not only her faith is failing, but she's failing her residents, especially eleven year old Tommy, blinded from an accident.

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The Icecutter's Daughter

The Icecutter's Daughter by Tracie Peterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Merrill Krause is used to working from before dawn to late in the evening. Her dear mother had died ten years earlier and with her father and four older brothers still at home on the farm, Merrill has plenty of chores to do and make meals to boot. She doesn't have time to dress up, curl her hair, and catch a husband, unlike her petite cousin Corabeth. When Rurik Jorgenson rides into Waseca to help his Uncle Carl with his furniture making business, he is drawn to the lovely Merrill and her hardworking ways. Unfortunately Rurik's ex-fiancee and her brother also follow him to Waseca, declaring that the two are still to be wed. Can Rurik untangle the deceit and when will Merrill come to understand that it's time to start her family?

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Dawn Comes Early

Dawn Comes Early by Margaret Brownley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Certainly if you can write a potboiler about ranching there should be no problem living the real deal - right? College-educated Bostonian Kate Tenney is about to find out that ranching in Arizona territory is not all romance and roses. Determined to be the heiress that toughened Eleanor Walker needs to inherit her ranch, Kate will outlast the other applicants - even if means signing the dotted line to never marry. No big deal, her past life experiences have taught her never to trust men - any men. Unfortunately for her and Mrs. Walker, blacksmith Luke Adams and local hombre, Cactus Joe might have a say in the matter.

I love Brownley's characters, especially faith filled ranch hand Ruckus and Luke's aunts - Bessie and Lula-Belle. These two ladies are a hoot and when Bessie decides it's time to make her husband's toes curl with passion - don't be surprised to find yourself laughing out loud!

Next book in the series The Brides of Last Chance Ranch: Waiting for Morning

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Deep in the Heart of Trouble

Deep in the Heart of Trouble by Deeanne Gist

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Seems to be a lot of books out about feisty, independent women from the 1890s. (I would so love to visit that time!) Gist's comes back with her second in the Trouble series with her main character, sassy Essie Spreckelmeyer, an oil baron's daughter who also runs the company and a bicycle club to boot. Essie is a lot of fun and is quite happy being a single lady in her 30s (spinsterhood in those days, ye-gads)when Tony Morgan starts climbing the rungs in Spreckelmeyer oil business. Determined not to get hurt again, Essie steers clear until the whole town starts claiming him as one of their own.



A fun, enjoyable read - I learned a bit of the oil business in its early days and when "by jingo" was considered a swear word!



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