Helpful Score: 1
This is an exquisite story; rich in detail and interesting characters. This is a story of survival in the harshest of conditions.
After the death of her mother, the peace and love Lily Carteret experienced with her family evaporated. Lily came to live with her uncle in England while Clarence Carteret was sent on various tasks around the world. Unfortunately, he made a mess of each and became an alcoholic. Eventually, he wound up in Wyoming Territory, working for a cold, penny-pinching man, Mr. Buxton.
Now, Lily was sent from England to join her father; he supposedly has a 2000 acre ranch. When she arrives, Lily is not met by her father, but by the foreman (Jack Sinclair) of the ranch where Clarence works. This 8000 acre ranch is owned by a consortium of British investors.
Lily realizes that her father has been beaten down by life once again and that she needs to have a plan to support herself. She convinces the Buxtons to let her teach the four children on the ranch for $25/month.
Jack tries to prepare the ranch for the coming winter which he can see will be a bad one. Buxton isnt interested in Jacks hunches and tells him so.
Kellys descriptions were so compelling that I thought I was there suffering with the characters. The blizzards grew worse; Jack and Lily were the backbone of survival of the characters. They were bowed but not broken by one tragedy after another. I thought the author did a wonderful job of explaining the toll of that horrific winter had on man and beast.
There are some undertones of intolerance toward Lily (she is ½ white and ½ black) that occurred in her early life and now at the ranch. There are other instances of intolerance toward some of the other characters. Kelly handles it beautifully.
The romance between Jack and Lily is not the main focus of the story; however, they grow to depend on each other -- and eventually love one another. I cannot recommend this enough; a wonderful book.
After the death of her mother, the peace and love Lily Carteret experienced with her family evaporated. Lily came to live with her uncle in England while Clarence Carteret was sent on various tasks around the world. Unfortunately, he made a mess of each and became an alcoholic. Eventually, he wound up in Wyoming Territory, working for a cold, penny-pinching man, Mr. Buxton.
Now, Lily was sent from England to join her father; he supposedly has a 2000 acre ranch. When she arrives, Lily is not met by her father, but by the foreman (Jack Sinclair) of the ranch where Clarence works. This 8000 acre ranch is owned by a consortium of British investors.
Lily realizes that her father has been beaten down by life once again and that she needs to have a plan to support herself. She convinces the Buxtons to let her teach the four children on the ranch for $25/month.
Jack tries to prepare the ranch for the coming winter which he can see will be a bad one. Buxton isnt interested in Jacks hunches and tells him so.
Kellys descriptions were so compelling that I thought I was there suffering with the characters. The blizzards grew worse; Jack and Lily were the backbone of survival of the characters. They were bowed but not broken by one tragedy after another. I thought the author did a wonderful job of explaining the toll of that horrific winter had on man and beast.
There are some undertones of intolerance toward Lily (she is ½ white and ½ black) that occurred in her early life and now at the ranch. There are other instances of intolerance toward some of the other characters. Kelly handles it beautifully.
The romance between Jack and Lily is not the main focus of the story; however, they grow to depend on each other -- and eventually love one another. I cannot recommend this enough; a wonderful book.
