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From Daniel Jolley, top five Amazon Reviewers:
Tascosa is no place for a lady, but that is where young Amanda Clark finds herself after leaving what little family she has left (an aunt and uncle) and taking off for Texas to begin life on her own. She’s the talk of the town from the moment she first steps off the stagecoach, as all the cowboys in this relatively lawless town aren’t using to seeing any woman in town who is not a rancher’s wife or a dancing girl in the local saloon. Luckily for the newly-arrived Amanda, one young cowpuncher steps in to protect her from the advances of all the riffraff and drunks who would be lining up to abuse her innocence; soon thereafter, a local rancher also befriends her and spreads the word that she is under his protection. Naturally, both of these men fall in love with Amanda, setting the stage for inevitable conflict in this wonderfully written historical romance.
It’s pretty rare for me to wade into romantic waters, but I’ll do it for Magnolia Belle. Since the author is such a wonderful storyteller and creates such vivid and interesting characters, I am able to grin and bear it when the dialogue between the two lovers gets a little uncomfortably sappy and lovey-dovey for my tastes. Amanda Clark comes across as real as you or I, so you can’t help but be emotionally attached to this wonderful young lass, reveling in her highs and despairing in her lows – and she has her share of both, let me tell you. Whereas most young ladies would not have lasted a few days in Tascosa, Amanda not only remains there, she becomes an integral part of the community, buying and transforming the local “restaurant” into Miss Amanda’s. Her personal life soon enjoys even more success than her business, as she and Nate Bradford, the young man who took it upon himself to protect her on the night of her arrival, fall in love. Local rancher Brian MacLeod is also in love with Amanda, picturing her as the perfect mother for the children he longs to have, but she only sees him as a warm and generous friend. She doesn’t see the dark side of his nature – not yet, anyway.
With her own successful business, several good friends, and the prospect of a life together with Nate, Amanda could not be happier with her life. Then tragedy strikes, shaking her to the very core and forcing her to make some very tough decisions. The story takes on an added dimension at this point, turning considerably darker and much more intense. Fate can be cruel, even when it is also being kind.
For me, part of the appeal of Tascosa is the historical dimension of the story. While the main characters are entirely fictional, many of the people and places surfacing in these pages actually existed -- the LX, LIT, LS, and XIT ranches; Caleb Berg (Cape) Willingham, the county’s (Oldham’s) first sheriff; saloon owner Mickey McCormick, etc. As such, the novel serves as a window into life and culture on the Texas frontier in the early 1880s (by 1890, this once-thriving Texas town had become a virtual ghost town). More importantly, though, it’s just a darn good story.
Rating:  [5 of 5 Stars!] |
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