Judith Redline Coopey

I thought this was going to be a a bit of a cheesy romance with the Underground Railroad as a bit of background, but it was better than that! There were some coincidences that seemed a bit too neat, but not a lot of them. I wasn't too convinced by one of the main plot points, which seemed out of character, but in general I enjoyed the story. I see that Judith Redline Coopey has written several other novels on completely different topics, but all with what sound like strong female characters. I wouldn't mind reading them.… (altro)

Excellent read for those of us who love history. 1820s-1850s, Pennysylvania, young woman becomes pregnant by rich cad, her father insists she be married & is approached by a young man wanting to borrow money to buy into a steel plant. Total stranger, but the dad agrees if he marries the daughter. She is beautiful & he really wants to be an ironmaster so he does. Long story short, he is wonderful, kind, hard working, honest & patient, she is miserable & bound to make him so also but he wins out. She falls in love with him, albeit after 2 pretty nasty infidelities, & they have a good marriage & prosperous life, although in the end they do come to haunt her. And in the end, he dies. This is the reason I hate trilogies, though I will say she does rather wind this story up, and the next will be just to carry on the story. That is one fault with the book. The other is that the oldest son - the one fathered by the cad - turns out to also be a cad, from little on. I don't believe that happens. But all in all, definitely recommended.… (altro)

Nell was dropped at a convent in rural Pennsylvania when she was a baby. With a cleft palate and no knowledge of where she came from, except that her mother's name is Jane, Nell grows up ridiculed was believed to be developmentally disabled. When the Mother Superior tries to sell Nell to a mean farmer and his wife, Nell takes the opportunity to run away. With no real plans and no where to go, Nell procures a boat and proceeds to travel up and down rivers trying to find her way. She soon picks up handsome Britishman, Jeremy as well as a lovable river dog, Soot . Jeremy makes his way through life as a thief, but has grown attached to Nell and doesn't seem to mind her different looks and strange voice. As they travel, Nell reads the story of Calamity Jane. Once she hears that Jane is real, Nell is convinced that Calamity Jane is her mother and is given a reason for her quest as well as a destination, Deadwood South Dakota.

Set throughout the US in the 1800's, Nell's adventures showcase American history at the time. Nell is a lovable character, she is assumed to be disabled because of her cleft palate, but is very bright. She has taught herself how to read and has a good sense of what people to trust. When she finds Jeremy, they form a heartwarming and protective bond; though Nell sometimes wishes that there was more. Very reminiscent of Huckleberry Finn, Nell's adventures up and down the Mississippi introduce Nell to a variety of spectacles and people. From tent revivals and snake oil salesmen to Quakers and an understanding Doctor who helps Nell with her palate and teeth, Nell sees the best and worst of what the world has to offer. While Nell's quest to find Calamity Jane and her belief that she is indeed her mother seems fanciful, Nell's intuition always seems to be spot on that I begun to believe it myself. Overall, this was a fun adventure with some great characters and a different kind of happy ending.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.… (altro)