VOYA - Pam Carlson
How's a girl to choose a husband when she has to decide between her childhood friend Blake, the dashing southerner Monte, or ranch hand Cole? Abbie Martin is almost as untamed as the Colorado Rockies where she lives. Plain spoken and without pretense, Abbie is a volunteer teacher at the local mission. When Monte Farrell leaves his native South Carolina to begin a new life after the War Between the States, he meets Abbie and falls hard for her. The feeling is mutual, but when Monte returns home to take care of some business, honor comes before love and he is forced to marry a family friend to fulfill a pledge made long ago. Following some tragic but convenient deaths, Monte and Abbie are finally able to be together. In between comes a terrible storm, a kidnapping, and Abbie's awe-filled encounters with local Comanches. The characters are written with appeal, especially Abbie and her reluctant move toward adulthood. Monte is a heroic figure but his formal way of speaking makes him seem older than twenty-three. Blake comes off as a bit of a bumpkin but is loyal to the end. Fast-paced, with beautiful scenery, this is a moving story about several different kinds of love. Heitzmann's first novel is also the first of the Rocky Mountain Legacy series. VOYA Codes: 4Q 3P S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses, Will appeal with pushing, Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12).
Library Journal
Life in post-Civil War Colorado is often confining for headstrong Abbie Martin. As she nears marriageable age, her good looks and reputation for being a daredevil begin to attract admirers, among them her devoted childhood friend, Blake McConnel. Yet Blake is soon pushed aside when dashing Southerner Montgomery Farrel arrives in town. Montgomery is older than Abbie and is reluctant to admit he loves her. By the time he realizes the depth of his feelings, he has become reacquainted with his childhood sweetheart and has married her. A charmingly written lead character is the highlight of an otherwise pedestrian romance from new author Heitzmann. An overabundance of supporting characters and highly convenient plot twists further undermine the story, which does not in any case focus strongly on Christian life. Recommended only for larger collections.
