Comment: I had this book to read since 2014. It does seem incredible how some books just get behind on schedule but with big TBRs... well, it was finally time to get to it.
In this book we have the story of Anne Wells and Cord Bennett, two people who live in the same small town but have not mixed because of how everyone ever saw Cord, just the mixed breed son of a respectable man who married an Indian woman.
However, Anne's life hasn't always been easy and recently even worse because her father wants her to marry a much older man, someone she can't abide. When she runs away, she rests in the barn of Cord's house but they are found and attacked.
After enduring terrible accusations and physical attacks, can Cord and Anne accept they can have a relationship? Or will it be better for her to leave at some point anyway?
This reminded me of those older western romances that were more focused on the romance than any external issues the couples had to face. Everything was more about the way the couple connected despite the things that made them apart and they still faced adversity and accepted common ground.
The story is quite easy to follow. The author uses a tactic I am quite fond of, which basically means she develops the circumstances of the two protagonists very slowly, through very domestic and simple situations and scenes, so that we can get the feel things go slowly between them but as if each detail brings them closer, makes them more aware of one another and, to be honest, this is something I like because it gives credibility to the fact they are falling in love and not just being pals.
I liked knowing Cord and Anne. It's interesting that their relationship starts off the premise they are not good enough to be "decent" or "good" to be in others company but through the novel we get to see how, by small gestures and actions, they are more worthy than everyone else.
Cord is a fascinating character. He is considered a bad bet, even by his own family, despite them defending him on occasion. It was good to see how he "won" his brothers as the story moved along but it was also a little annoying how long it took them to just talk to him and accept what reality seemed to be.
His relationship with Anne also has ups and downs because sometimes they don't say what they really think. Of course, this is pretty common in real life and it was both sweet and romantic to see them change their minds about one another as the little details became more obvious.
The plot follows a simple pattern. We get to see the simple, domestic situations in which they see themselves while trying to make a relationship work and while they feel their dreams slowly come closer to reality. There is conflict and an enemy and close to the end of the story, something almost too bad happens but thankfully the author put the characters in the path to their HEA.
I actually had a good time reading this and feeling hopeful things would end well. It's just a pity some parts dragged a lot, some things repeated a lot too. Perhaps a bit more of editing in some sequences could have stressed the important details without removing any impact from them.
There are some flaws in the book, yes. More observant readers probably have discovered things not always in sync nor as well done. However, to me this was more interesting for the small things, like how both Cord and Anne take each other's existence into consideration when they decide to be married, to be together after the things they suffered at first. Even despite their pasts and the experiences they share and don't share. This is a romance and just for the fun of having seen a couple find happiness despite adversity was well worth it.
Grade: 8/10
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