Helpful Score: 2
It isnt hard to understand why this book was an award winner.* The hero and heroine are intelligent and are willing to fight over anything. Their banter is often laugh-out-loud funny. Oh, and the plot grabs the reader from the first page.
Miss Abigail MacKenzie is a 33 year-old spinster and her money is almost gone. She goes to the local restaurant, hoping to get a job; no one is around. She hears arguing and loud talking and walks over to see if the restaurant owner is amongst the crowd. Instead, she hears the town doctor asking for a paid volunteer to help tend 2 men taken from the train.
It seems that one man was trying to rob the train and another shot him, thus saving the train. However, the second man lost his large toe during an exchange of fire. The hero with the lost toe is expected to recover soon; but the train robbers prognosis is dicey. Hes lost so much blood and has lost more during surgery to remove the bullet from his groin area.
No one volunteers; then Abigail steps forward. She had cared for her incontinent father for 12 years, until his death the previous year. In spite of her experience, the doctor tries to dissuade her from taking the job because she is unmarried (the assumption being she would be unable to touch or attend his wound without swooning).
Abigail candidly explains that she needs the job and that her financial situation is dire. Shes hired and the fun begins. The stranger who lost a toe is a travelling shoe salesman; he is a gentleman in speech and actions. Hes immediately smitten with Abigail.
A few days later, the robber awakens from the medicine the doctor has been giving. Hes brash, angry and looking to take his pain out on someone and Abigail fits the bill nicely.
My only criticism is that the book was at least 50 pages longer than it needed to be. However, I read the book in only a few hours; I couldnt put it down.
* Rita Award: Hummingbird won Best Novel for 1984
Actually this author won an incredible 5 Best Novel Rita Awards in 7 years!
Miss Abigail MacKenzie is a 33 year-old spinster and her money is almost gone. She goes to the local restaurant, hoping to get a job; no one is around. She hears arguing and loud talking and walks over to see if the restaurant owner is amongst the crowd. Instead, she hears the town doctor asking for a paid volunteer to help tend 2 men taken from the train.
It seems that one man was trying to rob the train and another shot him, thus saving the train. However, the second man lost his large toe during an exchange of fire. The hero with the lost toe is expected to recover soon; but the train robbers prognosis is dicey. Hes lost so much blood and has lost more during surgery to remove the bullet from his groin area.
No one volunteers; then Abigail steps forward. She had cared for her incontinent father for 12 years, until his death the previous year. In spite of her experience, the doctor tries to dissuade her from taking the job because she is unmarried (the assumption being she would be unable to touch or attend his wound without swooning).
Abigail candidly explains that she needs the job and that her financial situation is dire. Shes hired and the fun begins. The stranger who lost a toe is a travelling shoe salesman; he is a gentleman in speech and actions. Hes immediately smitten with Abigail.
A few days later, the robber awakens from the medicine the doctor has been giving. Hes brash, angry and looking to take his pain out on someone and Abigail fits the bill nicely.
My only criticism is that the book was at least 50 pages longer than it needed to be. However, I read the book in only a few hours; I couldnt put it down.
* Rita Award: Hummingbird won Best Novel for 1984
Actually this author won an incredible 5 Best Novel Rita Awards in 7 years!
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