Writing short stories, I think, is harder to do well than a full novel. Why? The author only has so many pages to get the reader involved and interested in the characters and action; then it is time to resolve the storys problem and close. Each of the four authors did a great job within the number of pages allotted.
EASY ON THE HEART, Jodi Thomas: Thirty year-old Cooper Adams is busy on his ranch in Texas. His 3 old-maid sisters have come from Dallas to help him find a wife.
Cooper isnt opposed to the idea of marriage and a family, but all he knows about women is what hes learned from his 3 domineering sisters (who raised him). Cooper is convinced that he cannot run a ranch and figure out the complex nature of women at the same time.
Cooper really wants to go hide until his sisters give up and return to Dallas. The strange thing is things start to happen!
This is a cute, quick story. Easy on the Heart, first came out in this compilation. In 2006, it was published on its own.
COMING HOME, Patricia Potter: All of the stories were well done; however, this is my favorite. It tells about the difficult time southerners had after the Civil War. As part of Reconstruction, most of the families were uprooted from their property by exorbitant taxes. Potter knows her Civil War/Reconstruction history and weaves a powerful tale.
Sean Sinclair comes home to Texas to find most neighbor families dead or gone. In fact, his familys farm has been sold to carpetbaggers; he plans to remove them with all due haste. However, he soon falls in love with the daughter of the northerner who took his land (for pennies on the dollar). Potter is at her best in this story!
TOMBSTONE TESS, Emily Carmichael. Pa McCabe had two children: Sean (who avoided working the ranch) and Tess (who became her fathers right hand man ah, woman). McCabes will forces Tess to find a husband within 6 months or the ranch will go to the neer-do-well Sean. Tess needs a husband, no romance required!
FINDING HOME, Maureen McKade. This is the most unusual of the 4 novellas. Mustang-breaker Winston Taylor returns to the area where he grew up after a 10 year absence. He receives a telegram from his lost-love, Caitlin Brice, asking him to come help her tame a stallion (that will save her ranch).
Over the course of Winstons stay, the reader is drawn into some powerful 10 year-old secrets.
EASY ON THE HEART, Jodi Thomas: Thirty year-old Cooper Adams is busy on his ranch in Texas. His 3 old-maid sisters have come from Dallas to help him find a wife.
Cooper isnt opposed to the idea of marriage and a family, but all he knows about women is what hes learned from his 3 domineering sisters (who raised him). Cooper is convinced that he cannot run a ranch and figure out the complex nature of women at the same time.
Cooper really wants to go hide until his sisters give up and return to Dallas. The strange thing is things start to happen!
This is a cute, quick story. Easy on the Heart, first came out in this compilation. In 2006, it was published on its own.
COMING HOME, Patricia Potter: All of the stories were well done; however, this is my favorite. It tells about the difficult time southerners had after the Civil War. As part of Reconstruction, most of the families were uprooted from their property by exorbitant taxes. Potter knows her Civil War/Reconstruction history and weaves a powerful tale.
Sean Sinclair comes home to Texas to find most neighbor families dead or gone. In fact, his familys farm has been sold to carpetbaggers; he plans to remove them with all due haste. However, he soon falls in love with the daughter of the northerner who took his land (for pennies on the dollar). Potter is at her best in this story!
TOMBSTONE TESS, Emily Carmichael. Pa McCabe had two children: Sean (who avoided working the ranch) and Tess (who became her fathers right hand man ah, woman). McCabes will forces Tess to find a husband within 6 months or the ranch will go to the neer-do-well Sean. Tess needs a husband, no romance required!
FINDING HOME, Maureen McKade. This is the most unusual of the 4 novellas. Mustang-breaker Winston Taylor returns to the area where he grew up after a 10 year absence. He receives a telegram from his lost-love, Caitlin Brice, asking him to come help her tame a stallion (that will save her ranch).
Over the course of Winstons stay, the reader is drawn into some powerful 10 year-old secrets.
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