But, I must confess...I'm not usually a fan of Indians in fiction. I don't know why that is. I don't have anything against them, but I think it's just a matter of relating with them. Being a city girl and accustomed to living indoors, I can't imagine what it must've been like to live in a tepee 24/7, not to mention moving from place to place to live off the land. I'd die in no less than a week!
But in spite of all that, this tale with it's inclusion of an Indian heroine just had me glued to the pages. I empathized with Abby (initially known as Glowing Sun) after she dealt with the heartache of a massacre of her people by the white man. I understood her reluctance to trust any white man, even one who had shown her nothing but kindness from the first day they met. And I marveled at her ability to take care of herself in any situation. (I lost count of how many times someone met her at knifepoint!) Her relationship with Wade blossomed slowly, but surely, and it fit the story perfectly. Normally, Mary's characters have an instant passion and attraction for one another that has a tendency to take over, but thankfully, that was not the case between Abby and Wade. Each one had their own inner struggles to sort through first before they could begin to fathom a relationship, and I appreciated that Mary delayed the romantic attraction between them just enough to make the story that much more enjoyable.
Now that I've got two series by Mary under my belt, I'm anxious to dive into another one. I've been trying to read her full-length novels in the order of their release, so next up will be the Sophie's Daughters Trilogy beginning with Doctor in Petticoats. I have no doubt it will be another rip-roaring adventure in the west that will be enjoyed thoroughly!
4 Stars
Southern? No
Sass? Absolutely! Any gal brave enough to whip a knife out in a flash is bound to have some sass!
Summary of Wildflower Bride:
Glowing Sun, a white woman raised by the Flathead tribe, has never met a man she didn't want to pull a knife on, including the man who's determined to marry her.
Glowing Sun has vague memories of her former life, including a name—Abby Lind. When she’s forced to sever all links with her adopted Indian family, Abby wonders if she’ll ever find a home again.
Tenderhearted Wade Sawyer, responsible for Abby’s survival during the village massacre, convinces the knife-wielding woman to return with him to the Sawyer Ranch, never realizing danger lurks behind every corner. Can they survive long enough to fall in love?
I love Mary Connealy's books! I just finished Doctor in Petticoats and am a few chapters into Wrangle in Petticoats!
ReplyDeletePatty
Thanks for your comment, Patty! I'm on my way to Doctor (sooner rather than later, I hope). :o)
DeleteOf the three I think this one was my least fav (even though I dug it). I loved the male character but had issues connecting with that girl character.
ReplyDeleteJuju, I initially didn't care for Abby, either, but after awhile, she grew on me. Probably when she starting wielding that knife of hers...
DeleteI recently read this series as well. The first book I read of Mary's was "Doctor in Petticoats," then I read the other two in that series before going back to read the previous six books. It's much better that you are reading them in order. It is fun in book 3 of the Sophie's Daughter's series where characters from the previous books appear. It helps tie them all together. When you finish those, be sure to read the Kincaid Brides series for more rollicking fun.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up, Pam! It's not always possible to read ALL the series in order, especially when there are overlapping characters (even when they only have minor roles). I've been thrilled that I've been able to read Mary's books in order. :o)
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