Catherine Richmond's debut novel is set in the Dakota Territory following the Civil War. Susannah's parents have passed away and with no income and no prospects she begins writing letters to her pastor's brother who is living in the Dakota Territory. She becomes his mail order bride and boards a train to go meet her husband.
What follows is a time of getting to know each other. Learning how to love each other and to live together.
Susannah has never experienced unconditional love so every time something doesn't go the way she thinks it should, she expects Jesse (her husband) to send her packing. Jesse has infinite patience with her and gives his all at loving her right from the beginning.
There are some sexual references like nothing I have ever experienced in a "Christian" novel before. Nothing overt or anything that made me uncomfortable - just different from anything I've read before. That said, I'm not sure this is a book for younger girls.
I liked this book to a point and I've struggled with how to word this without giving too much away. As with most books in this genre there is a time of building up the relationship and then a time where the couple is put through trials. The trial happens too quickly after the relationship finally develops and lasts entirely too long. And when they finally come back together, the end of the book is too close. Jesse returns and five short pages later the book is done. Too many loose ends were left. It might be okay if this was the beginning of a series but there is no mention of another book.
All in all a good debut novel.
Jody
My copy was graciously provided by BookSneeze for my honest review.
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