Monday, February 16, 2009

My Review - Gingham Mountain

GINGHAM MOUNTAIN is the third book in the Lassoed in Texas series by Mary Connealy. In GINGHAM MOUNTAIN we follow Hannah Cartwright, an orphan herself, who mothers Libby, an orphan she has cared for and protected. Stowing away on an orphan train, she is shocked when she and Libby get to the end of the line in Sour Springs, Texas and finds out a bachelor rancher has adopted Libby. When she finds out Grant is known for adopting orphans, she is sure he is abusing this children and only using them for laborers on his ranch. She decides to stay on in Sour Springs, masquerading as the new school teacher in order to keep an eye on Libby and prove Grant is up to no good.
Grant, a man with no last name, knows firsthand about the life of a discarded child. Growing up most of his life as an orphan, he vows to help give a home to any child that he can. He is unnerved by the constant interference by Hannah Cartwright, the new school teacher. Knowing she thinks of him as a taskmaster to his adopted children, he tries to put her interference out of his mind. But somehow, he can’t quite ignore the lovely woman who is determined to prove him to be a fiend.
GINGHAM MOUNTAIN is a fun read, much like CALICO CANYON and PETTICOAT RANCH, though I did think the portrayal of Grace, Hannah’s older sister did her no justice. If you hadn’t read CALICO RANCH previously, you would’ve thought by her actions in GINGHAM MOUNTAIN that Grace was a crazy woman who cared nothing for her husband and family. The side story of the seamstress after Grant for his land was an interesting twist but somehow unnecessary. Overall an easy read with colorful characters.

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