Fiction Addict

Genre: Romance, Historical, Religious

Publisher: Realms

Publication Date: January 5, 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Lucinda Bishop’s life has just been turned upside down. With the loss of both of her parents, everything that she has ever known is gone. Now she’s moving from the East coast and bustling city life to the territories of the west and a ranch in the Oklahoma territories.

It’s a difficult transition for a young girl who, at the age of 17, hasn’t spent time outside the city or any time away from her parents. She learns very quickly that life at the ranch doesn’t allow for sleeping in or for relaxing in the afternoons. Thankfully she has a loving considerate family to help her learn the ins and outs of this new life.

Of course, as usually happens with young women around this age, into the turmoil and upheaval is introduced yet another factor, a young man. Jake Starnes is a handsome young man who works for Lucinda’s Aunt and Uncle on their ranch. A fine worker with a mysterious past, Jake does everything possible to help Lucinda’s family keep the ranch together and that includes helping Lucinda with the transition to ranch life. The more time that the two of them spend together, the more he realizes that his feelings for the young girl run far beyond that of merely attraction. What Jake doesn’t know is how to proceed in courting this beautiful young woman when he’s got a past that isn’t going to leave him in peace.

Lucinda’s struggle with her feelings is one that transcends time and reaches out to all young women who are picking their way through the dating process. How do you control your feelings for someone when you know that your belief system is completely different from his? And what do you do with those feelings when you don’t know if you could have a future with him. As Lucinda and Jake navigate the potential minefields of attraction and figuring out the future, the story crosses the boundaries of history to become relevant to young women today.

Strang Book Group has chosen a solid and enjoyable read for their first venture into the historical romance genre. Martha Rogers has created delightful characters and a beautiful storyline that keep you engaged and interested throughout the course of the book. Though the outcome is predictable, the way in which they reach the conclusion is very much not and as with all of life, the journey is as important as the conclusion. The growth of Lucinda and Jake through their difficult circumstances is a wonderful example of how God can transform a life no matter how insurmountable the odds. Becoming Lucy was a wonderful escape from the everyday stresses of life. If this is any indication of what Strang has in the works, I’ll very happily allow them to supply my ‘escapes’ in the future.