Review: Compelling mail-order love story set in the Depression
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 27, 2013
The book has the feel of a 19th century mail-order romance, but with cars and some modern conveniences thrown in. Trey brings his first wife Catherine home and she hates everything about country life and never settles down, cheating on Trey and crushing his core beliefs. He gets a divorce, but he allows the poison to invade every aspect of his life. His beloved mother dies and Trey seems to forget that other women might be like her and not like the faithless, manipulative Catherine. He decides that he needs a wife and this one will be kept at a distance as he never intends to be open to that pain again. Trey is a giant of a man and can be hard to like at times. Situations trigger his memory and he barks without thinking things through, later even forgetting what he said in a moment of anger.Genevieve has survived great hardship. Her mother died after the bakery that had been owned by her family for generations was lost to cover her father's gambling debts. He was a violent drunk with no regard for anyone but himself. Genevieve grew up with her weak mother telling her that it was always the wife's role to accept and try to make do. Genevieve wholeheartedly believes that she is plain and undesirable, after all who wants a tall girl with carrot coloured hair.She takes a leap of faith when the priest tells her of a man who needs a wife to help on his farm. She heads west on the train with a shabby suitcase and a few shabby belongings, ready to embrace the new opportunity.And so this compelling story starts. These are not soft characters in a routine romance. Trey is a hard man and difficult to understand. Gen is fascinated and terrified by him in equal measure. She is strong in so many ways, but bows to the wishes of her husband. There is a spark between them from the start. Trey gives Gen a sense of security and she slowly makes little holes in his armour and allows him to release the loving man hidden deep within. At times you are cross with her for being so subservient and with him for seeming so unkind, but that is what makes this love story worthwhile. They are real people with real flaws and have to work hard to reach that perfect partnership in marriage.The secondary characters all add interest to the story and there are no redundant cardboard cut-outs.There are a few grammar issues in the book, but they are a minor irritant in a truly original mail-order romance. Well worth reading more than once.