Twin sisters, Josie and Juliet, moved to Sunny Ridge, Montana, after the death of their parents. In the last book, Juliet meets and marries Rodeo. They have moved some distance from Josie and their aunt and uncle. Ruthie is an orphan who lives with Josie, Aunt Nell, and Uncle Ezra.
The story opens with Mack, a railroad surveyor, carrying his brother Howard to Sunny Ridge for medical attention for Howard, whose leg was severely broken. Mack is on a tight schedule and needs to return to his surveying job, but he needs a lineman. Josie offers to accompany him (with Ruthie) to assist in the work. After being unable to find anyone else to hire, Mack reluctantly takes the two ladies.
From this simple plot, things get more complicated quickly. There are exterior things, such as Mack's surviving an avalanche, being injured in the falling ice, and his injuries affecting the completion of his job. But more important are the interior changes in Mack throughout the story. He starts out as a closed personality, with only Howard as a friend. However, it becomes clear how much Mack has given up to provide the best for his brother.
This book offers much that I admire; the author provides an original plotline, and the growth in the characters really matters. However, this book did not click with me. I can't be more specific about my dissatisfaction with this novel other than to say the characters weren't interesting.
The story opens with Mack, a railroad surveyor, carrying his brother Howard to Sunny Ridge for medical attention for Howard, whose leg was severely broken. Mack is on a tight schedule and needs to return to his surveying job, but he needs a lineman. Josie offers to accompany him (with Ruthie) to assist in the work. After being unable to find anyone else to hire, Mack reluctantly takes the two ladies.
From this simple plot, things get more complicated quickly. There are exterior things, such as Mack's surviving an avalanche, being injured in the falling ice, and his injuries affecting the completion of his job. But more important are the interior changes in Mack throughout the story. He starts out as a closed personality, with only Howard as a friend. However, it becomes clear how much Mack has given up to provide the best for his brother.
This book offers much that I admire; the author provides an original plotline, and the growth in the characters really matters. However, this book did not click with me. I can't be more specific about my dissatisfaction with this novel other than to say the characters weren't interesting.
