Paper Roses, book #5

Ahhh .... my pioneer books.  After taking a short break from them, reading this one reminded me how very much I do love them.

This book may be one of my new all time favorites.  Not only did I love the story, but I loved the way the author, Amanda Cabot, wrote.  She included many, many "big fancy" words (examples ~ querulous, doffed, asperity, assuage, garrulous, taciturn, ablutions, prevaricated, redolent, swains, and cosseted) that really had me hitting the dictionary button on my paperwhite!  Some I could figure out from context clues, but I wanted to make sure I had the meaning right.  I just LOVE learning new words!  Another thing she did to draw me in was the use of language in the book, and for once I don't mean bad language!  The way she worded several phrases in the book really kept me on my toes.  

* staining the sky a bright red

* the woman whose stagecoach was even now lumbering into San Antonio

* While his heart balked at pronouncing the words

* he counseled her to take deep breaths

* but even more surprising was the juxtaposition of those graceful buildings with shops of rough-hewn wood and mismatched brick, shops whose almost casual architecture bore witness to the exuberance of the Americans who had built them, just as the curved lines of the adobe buildings spoke of the more formal society that had first established the city

* Sheer bravado propelled her declaration

* Night had fallen, bringing with it both a welcome respite from the sun’s glare and a new set of dangers

* The tremor in her voice was more eloquent than a thousand words would have been. Sarah was afraid.

* trying to quell the fear that had been a frequent companion for the past six months

* She took another deep breath in an attempt to eradicate memories of that night from her mind, though she knew they were indelibly etched.

* Though the calico was a deep rose that would flatter her coloring once she put aside mourning, Sarah could muster no enthusiasm for it.

* “When a child is born, we often say that God has blessed the parents, that the infant is God’s gift to them.” A few people murmured their agreement. “We may not realize that the parents are God’s gift to the child. Parents are his surrogates on Earth. They care for us; they nurture us; they teach us; they discipline us. They are the earthly manifestation of our heavenly Father’s love. How often do we thank him for these gifts?”

* We should forgive our parents their imperfections. We should love them for what they are: God’s children, his creation and his gift to us.”

I don't know if that type of writing speaks to you or not, but it put this girl's literature heart over the edge! Needless to say, I highly recommend this book!

The future stretches out in front of Sarah Dobbs like the pure blue Texas sky. Leaving the past behind in Philadelphia, mail-order bride Sarah arrives in San Antonio ready to greet her groom, Austin Canfield, a man she has never met but whose letters have won her heart from afar. But there is one problem--he has died. And Sarah cannot go back East.  As Sarah tries to reconcile herself to a future that is drastically changed, Austin's brother, Clay, struggles with his own muddled plans. Though he dislikes working on the family ranch and longs for a different life, Clay is driven to avenge his brother's death. But something between them is growing and neither Clay nor Sarah is ready to admit it. (picture and description from amazon)

Happy Reading!

O:)

Melissa