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Book Review of Sins of Summer

Sins of Summer
Sins of Summer
Author: Dorothy Garlock
Genre: Romance
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
jjares avatar reviewed on + 3414 more book reviews


This book didnt reel me in from page one; it was hard to get into the story because of the hate and malice dripping off the opening pages. This is definitely not the fare one expects from Dorothy Garlock.

The animosity between the sets of half-siblings is realistic; I can certainly see that one set of children could hate the other set. After all, there was a large lumbering company that belonged to all 4 of them.

Dory, youngest of the 4, became pregnant and her intended was killed before they could marry. Her half-brothers Milo and Louis do not let her forget it and they constantly remind everyone they know of her shame.

Dory is closest to her brother James; hes a 24 year-old crack lumberman. Its the only reason Milo and Louis tolerate him; they could not operate the business without him. He gets more work out of 10 of his men than they can get out of 20 of theirs.

Ben Waller sets the story in motion by arriving at the Callahan home; hes been hired by Louis to set up and train others to run a steam donkey. He arrives during a storm with his 16 year-old daughter in tow. Odette, a blond, blue-eyed girl, is deaf and extremely shy.

This is a dark and complicated story line. It isnt one of my favorites, but it is a page-turner. Everyone has secrets and Dorys is the only one out in the open; we learn others as the story continues.

I learned to admire Dorys ability to live in such horrible surroundings; however, she really had no other choice. If you have any doubt as to the meaning of dysfunctional family read this book; you will have no lingering doubts after finishing it.

Wyoming Frontier
1. Midnight Blue (1988)
2. Nightrose (1990) VG
3. Sins of Summer (1994)
4. The Listening Sky (1994)
5. Larkspur (1997)
6. Sweetwater (1990)