This book had its own charm but it was not in the same league as the first in this series: SUNFLOWER. This story begins in the Rocky Mountains and then travels to St. Louis, Louisiana and then Tobago. It is the 1830s.
The story opens when Big Jake Fisher dies in his sleep, leaving 18 year-old Dani alone. Since finding her, Jake has dressed her as a boy, so he could keep the orphan with him (in the company of trappers). Because Jakes trapper friends expected to see a boy, Dani had no problem with them. However, other men were not deceived and Dani quickly found trouble.
She was saved by Troy Fontaine and Grady Maddox. Troy was acting as guide to his best friend, Grady who was an artist. They have been traveling through the wilderness for 4 months and Troy needs to get back to his shipping business in Louisiana.
Troy has a dark past; his father was murdered and his mother disappeared several years before. Troy has been trying to find the location of the man he thinks killed his father and abducted his mother.
Troy and Grady take Dani to Jake Fishers partner in St. Louis, hoping he can assist Dani find her lost relatives; her family was from New York City. However, the partner is very aged so Troy and Grady decide to take her to Louisiana with them.
For me, the story really sagged in the middle. The first portion of the book was OK; the last part of the book was fascinating. The story is certainly an adventure story; I just thought there were too many slow parts.
Flower Series
1. Sun Flower (1988) Rita Awards Best Novel winner (1989): Sun Flower
2. Wildflower (1989)
3. Rose (1990)
4. Come Spring (1992)
