A Keeper - A+ all the way.
A tale of settling Missouri in 1805, when it was wilderness. The main characters include the daughter and mistress to an abusive man and two river traders. Lowlife rivermen, murders, thieves, a French-Indian scout, renegade Indians, and slaves make up some of other characters.
We get a tour of the Missouri wilderness of 1805 around and north of St. Louis, then just a small town.
This is an exciting, well-written tale.
We get a tour of the Missouri wilderness of 1805 around and north of St. Louis, then just a small town.
This is an exciting, well-written tale.
Berry Warfield, her father and her pregnant stepmother are traveling to Missouri. Not long after the story opens, Berrys father is killed. I breathed a sigh of relief he was evil and had awful plans for his daughter and wife.
However, this leaves two women stranded in the middle of a wilderness, with only themselves for protection. The very pregnant stepmother, Rachel, is shy and retiring, but she has a strong backbone.
Berry is the problem! The only thing I can say about her is that shes dumber than dirt. Shes hostile, argumentative and an unlikely heroine. I simply couldnt see what Simon Witcher (the male lead character) saw in her!
She also seems to hate men; I cant fault her on this her dad and the men he associated with were despicable characters and poor husband material.
Garlock did an excellent job of using Fain to show how lonely the farmers that proved the land were. In 1805, there were few women in the wilderness and unattached ones were soon married.
After killing 3 men and injuring a 4th attacker, Rachel and Berry set out to find the land her father had chosen to homestead. It didnt take long for the women to see that they were in a precarious position. Rachel (the stepmother) is about to have her baby in a wagon - in the wilderness! Simon and Fain rescue them again.
The last portion of the book was a surprise! In many ways, it redeemed the whole story.
However, this leaves two women stranded in the middle of a wilderness, with only themselves for protection. The very pregnant stepmother, Rachel, is shy and retiring, but she has a strong backbone.
Berry is the problem! The only thing I can say about her is that shes dumber than dirt. Shes hostile, argumentative and an unlikely heroine. I simply couldnt see what Simon Witcher (the male lead character) saw in her!
She also seems to hate men; I cant fault her on this her dad and the men he associated with were despicable characters and poor husband material.
Garlock did an excellent job of using Fain to show how lonely the farmers that proved the land were. In 1805, there were few women in the wilderness and unattached ones were soon married.
After killing 3 men and injuring a 4th attacker, Rachel and Berry set out to find the land her father had chosen to homestead. It didnt take long for the women to see that they were in a precarious position. Rachel (the stepmother) is about to have her baby in a wagon - in the wilderness! Simon and Fain rescue them again.
The last portion of the book was a surprise! In many ways, it redeemed the whole story.
There is a fine line between a heroine who is 'spunky' and a heroine who is TSTL (too stupid to live). Dorothy Garlock's heroine in WILD, SWEET WILDERNESS is definitely TS.
Reluctantly, Berry Warfield and her pregnant stepmother are traveling to Missouri. Missouri is a long way from an Ohio homestead, but the cruel actions of a vicious man forced the journey. Suddenly, fate intrudes and they are finally free. Berry Warfield's wretched father is dead and now the two women must face the savage wilderness alone.
Simon Witcher is a rough, tough, frontier man. He is a man who loves the challenge of unbroken land. He is a trader and an adventurer and although Berry Warfield's beauty and carefree spirit fascinate him, there simply is no room in his vigorous life for her.
Dorothy Garlock is an author who CAN write a historical setting. This author never ceases to amaze with her unique specified gift. However, a pleasant feeling of excitement and wonder should always fill a romance story. The romance should be idealistic, sentimental, and mystifying. In WILD, SWEET WILDERNESS the heroine's actions are not pleasingly romantic. Regrettably, Berry Warfield's vicious tongue and foolish ideas are not enjoyable to read. Even so, Garlock's strong writing style, setting control, and secondary characters do manage to pull WILD, SWEET WILDERNESS into 'page turner' territory.
Grade: B-
MaryGrace Meloche.
Reluctantly, Berry Warfield and her pregnant stepmother are traveling to Missouri. Missouri is a long way from an Ohio homestead, but the cruel actions of a vicious man forced the journey. Suddenly, fate intrudes and they are finally free. Berry Warfield's wretched father is dead and now the two women must face the savage wilderness alone.
Simon Witcher is a rough, tough, frontier man. He is a man who loves the challenge of unbroken land. He is a trader and an adventurer and although Berry Warfield's beauty and carefree spirit fascinate him, there simply is no room in his vigorous life for her.
Dorothy Garlock is an author who CAN write a historical setting. This author never ceases to amaze with her unique specified gift. However, a pleasant feeling of excitement and wonder should always fill a romance story. The romance should be idealistic, sentimental, and mystifying. In WILD, SWEET WILDERNESS the heroine's actions are not pleasingly romantic. Regrettably, Berry Warfield's vicious tongue and foolish ideas are not enjoyable to read. Even so, Garlock's strong writing style, setting control, and secondary characters do manage to pull WILD, SWEET WILDERNESS into 'page turner' territory.
Grade: B-
MaryGrace Meloche.
Berry Warfield, her father and her pregnant stepmother are traveling to Missouri. Not long after the story opens, Berrys father is killed. I breathed a sigh of relief he was evil and had awful plans for his daughter and wife.
However, this leaves two women stranded in the middle of a wilderness, with only themselves for protection. The very pregnant stepmother, Rachel, is shy and retiring, but she has a strong backbone.
Berry is the problem! The only thing I can say about her is that shes dumber than dirt. Shes hostile, argumentative and an unlikely heroine. I simply couldnt see what Simon Witcher (the male lead character) saw in her!
She also seems to hate men; I cant fault her on this her dad and the men he associated with were despicable characters and poor husband material.
Garlock did an excellent job of using Fain to show how lonely the farmers that proved the land were. In 1805, there were few women in the wilderness and unattached ones were soon married.
After killing 3 men and injuring a 4th attacker, Rachel and Berry set out to find the land her father had chosen to homestead. It didnt take long for the women to see that they were in a precarious position. Rachel (the stepmother) is about to have her baby in a wagon - in the wilderness! Simon and Fain rescue them again.
The last portion of the book was a surprise! In many ways, it redeemed the whole story.
However, this leaves two women stranded in the middle of a wilderness, with only themselves for protection. The very pregnant stepmother, Rachel, is shy and retiring, but she has a strong backbone.
Berry is the problem! The only thing I can say about her is that shes dumber than dirt. Shes hostile, argumentative and an unlikely heroine. I simply couldnt see what Simon Witcher (the male lead character) saw in her!
She also seems to hate men; I cant fault her on this her dad and the men he associated with were despicable characters and poor husband material.
Garlock did an excellent job of using Fain to show how lonely the farmers that proved the land were. In 1805, there were few women in the wilderness and unattached ones were soon married.
After killing 3 men and injuring a 4th attacker, Rachel and Berry set out to find the land her father had chosen to homestead. It didnt take long for the women to see that they were in a precarious position. Rachel (the stepmother) is about to have her baby in a wagon - in the wilderness! Simon and Fain rescue them again.
The last portion of the book was a surprise! In many ways, it redeemed the whole story.
Download Description
Berry was only eighteen--and a fresh-mouthed kid--when she left the wagon train to find her father's claim in Missouri. She was happy to be free from her father's tyranny. But now with only her gentle young stepmother beside her, she faced an unforgiving frontier--and the trappers and rivermen, riffraff and savages who stood between her and her land. Quick with a musket but slow to believe in a man, Berry was determined to prove that she was a match for them all--even the brave, hard-working trader who fell in love with her, temper and all, in the wild sweet wilderness.
Berry was only eighteen--and a fresh-mouthed kid--when she left the wagon train to find her father's claim in Missouri. She was happy to be free from her father's tyranny. But now with only her gentle young stepmother beside her, she faced an unforgiving frontier--and the trappers and rivermen, riffraff and savages who stood between her and her land. Quick with a musket but slow to believe in a man, Berry was determined to prove that she was a match for them all--even the brave, hard-working trader who fell in love with her, temper and all, in the wild sweet wilderness.
Enjoyed every word!
