When I started it, I thought I was going to have to throw this book at a wall. My English professor would've flayed Coble publicly for how she started this novel.
From the first paragraph: THE ticking of THE grandfather clock in THE hallway echoed in THE shrouded darkness of THE parlor... THE clatter of carriage wheels on THE fine plank streets outside THE open window thumped in time with THE beat of her heart... ***TOO MANY THE'S!!!!!*** It's offensively bad writing to do that!!
And then a page later, she wanted to be left alone to 'probe her mind'. WHAT the what!?
But luckily - luckily! - that was the end of that, and the rest of the story is really, really good. The history of the old forts, the skirmishes with the Indians, and the friendships of the wives living with their military husbands was real and moving.
Emmie was naïve, landed herself in a pickle, but she found favor with God and man as she tried to move out of her pain and grow, learning what true faith in the Creator is, and finding happiness with people who loved her.
Definitely a keeper!