Genre: Western
Why this one: I've been on such a role with this author
Steam Level: very warm, but not boiling
My Thoughts:
It’s
kind of odd rereading a book years after reading it the first time. Back in the 90’s when I originally read these
books, this was my favourite book. But
now, so far anyway, this one has been replaced by Desperate Hearts, the
Homeward Hearts. That’s not to say that
I’m not thoroughly enjoying this one – I am – it’s just not at the top now.
This
book takes place somewhere towards the end of the Yukon Gold Rush. Dylan Harper and Melissa Logan meet when
Melissa’s good for nothing husband tries to trade her to store owner Dylan to
pay off a debt owed to him by her husband.
Dylan is naturally horrified as such a suggestion, but it’s pointed out
to him by his friend, a witness to the whole thing, that this useless excuse
for a human being will only try the same thing again sometime, putting Melissa
and her daughter Jenny, at possible greater risk than him.
So Dylan
agrees to this ludicrous plan and takes on this drab and colourless young
woman. He agrees she can stay and cook
and clean for him. As he lives in a tiny
apartment above his trading store, this doesn’t take up much time for her, and determined
never to be helpless again, Melissa comes up with the idea of taking in washing
to make some money so she can leave this sad and desolate locale.
Melissa
slowly starts coming back to life as she is being treated with respect for the
first time in her young life. And Dylan
does respect her. He’s nursing deep pain
himself. He’s been rejected by his
family all his life and the final cut was when his fiancé marries his
brother. He didn’t know where he was
headed, he just knew he had to get away and ended up somehow in Dawson City,
Yukon. He had realized early that
panning for gold was a no-win situation.
Most of the claims had been panned out already. So instead he’d become a successful trader.
The
author does an excellent job of showing the hopeless and desperateness of the effects
of the gold rush. Broken families,
lonely people, squalor and loneliness are all well described.
Where
it’s not so much the favourite as is was previously is a misunderstanding/big
stupid error by Logan causing hurt to Melissa.
I wanted to smack him and tell him to grow up! He was too hung up on past hurts which seemed
to me anyway, leading to disrespectful treatment to Melissa who I loved to
pieces. He came across as kind of
selfish and self-centered towards the end and wasn’t redeemed quite enough for
me. Melissa gave in a tad to easily.
But,
despite these issues, I’m still loving Ms. Harringtons books and just ordered
two more today.
Grade: 4 out of 5
'til later
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