56508

56508

I have to say, this story took me down several paths I was totally not expecting to go. The author even finished the story in a way I wasn't expecting. (But it did make me want to pick up the sequel, 'Deep in the Heart of Trouble', and begin reading.)

I found myself in the late 1800's, in Corsicana, Texas, being introduced to Essie Spreckelmeyer; a bike riding, snake catching lady, who would rather ride down the banister, than take the steps. She is definitely not the lady her mother was hoping she would turn out to be, but her oil man father and judge of the town dotes on her. But Essie is turning 30 and knows she needs a husband, so decides to catch one herself. She starts with an eligible bachelor in town and ends up . . . well, I won't give away how she ends up. I will just say that she never ceased to surprise me with her decisions. I didn't think I would grow to like her all that much, but I did come to appreciate her, even though she made some bad choices at times. And I must say the closing pages brought tears to my eyes. ( )

The message in this story is beautiful. The Lord truly is enough. He will meet every need.

Essie is such a fun character. I love the Texas setting. The plot was daring and different, stretching the bounds of the genre, which I liked.

Reason for only 4 stars is because the sensuality came on a little strong for my taste, but I did like this book. I would feel more comfortable recommending this work to single ladies if more was left to the imagination regarding the characters' indiscretions.

That said, I thought Gist did an excellent job of relaying the themes she targeted, keeping the reader guessing until the very end. ( )

This series is one of my all time favorites!! The main character, Essie, is a handful! She is a bloomer-wearing, bicycle riding, rail sliding girl who is in search of a husband. Her exploits will have you cracking up. If you're looking for a light hearted book with a great story and a character that you won't soon forget, this is my recommendation. ( )