March 2019: Keeper Shelf
~ Caroline Clemmons ~

CTR asked:

Which book is at the top of your keeper shelf, the book you like to re-read over and over? And why?

Caroline Clemmons said:

Prince Charming by Julie Garwood is one of my favorite books. I reread this book about once a year. There are many reasons to love this, primarily because Ms Garwood is an excellent writer. One of the reasons it appeals to me is that it combines two types of books I love into one. The book begins in England with all the drama of a Regency even though the year is later. When it moves to America, I positively love the characters and the way Ms Garwood unfolds them.

Ms Garwood’s descriptions are vivid. Her characters evoke emotion and pull the reader into the story. Even after reading Prince Charming many times, I marvel at the mastery with which it is written. Reading this book encourages me to be the best writer I can be. Analyzing Prince Charming is like a mini-course in writing.

The story opens with Taylor Stapleton sad because her beloved grandmother is gravely ill. She is devoted to her grandmother and her sister who fled to America, but fears her lecherous and evil uncle. Taylor’s grandmother is on her deathbed upstairs while the uncle is downstairs celebrating his mother’s impending death with his many creditors and his few friends is a poignant example of the main characters’ beliefs and behavior. Taylor’s grandmother has arranged for her to marry a handsome stranger, Lucas Ross, in order to escape the uncle and rescue the children of Taylor’s sister in America. That she does so shows her devotion to her grandmother and her sister. The grandmother hopes that being on another continent will protect Taylor from her uncle.

To avoid the uncle, Taylor has been living with her grandmother’s brother in Scotland. He is a bachelor devoted to his sister and to Taylor. Because Taylor is enthralled with dime novels about a Montana mountain man, she learns to do all the things she would need were she in the American mountains. She and her great-uncle build a soddie and also camp out under the stars. He teaches her to cook over a fire and to shoot a revolver and a rifle. Still, when the circumstances warrant, Taylor is a refined and proper lady.

Lucas Ross came to England to ransom his younger half brother from a spiteful guardian in charge of the younger boy. Having seen only her proper side, Lucas marries Taylor to get the money he needs to rescue his young brother. He quickly sends the boy to his home in America in the event the guardian tries to renege. The plan is for Taylor and Lucas to travel together to her ailing sister then get an annulment. Life does not go as planned.

They arrive in Chicago and part ways until Taylor learns her sister has already died and the twins have disappeared. She enlists Lucas to help her find the children. Lucas wires his best friend, an American Indian, to join them. In the meantime, Taylor’s grandmother has died and her uncle has learned that all the money is left to the twins with Taylor as executrix. He vows to come for the twins and gain control of the fortune.

Eventually, she and Lucas and his friend find the twins locked in a closet with a slightly older boy. They take charge of the three children and threaten the child traffickers if they’re pursued. Taylor flees to Montana but the uncle follows. I won’t reveal the conclusion, but it is absolutely perfect.

Throughout the book, Ms Garwood includes little surprises that add insight to the characters. Many times they are humorous, other times dramatic. Obviously, I love Prince Charming. I recommend this book to everyone who loves historical romance–or simply enjoys a well-written story.

– Website – http://www.carolineclemmons.com
– Twitter – @carolinclemmons

Mail-Order Moriah, Pearson Grove Book 1

[Texas Western Historical Romance]

A woman desperate to begin a new life, a mercantile owner besieged by problems, and the disaster that brings them together . . .

Moriah Singleton faced hardship to get from England to America but met more problems once she arrived. The only solution she could find was to become a mail-order bride in far away Texas. How will she ever save enough to bring her sister to America?

After a disastrous brief engagement ended badly, Scott Ferguson sent for a mail-order bride. He needs her help in his mercantile. He hopes his wife will also be his life’s helpmate.

Danger, family entanglements, and disaster await the couple. Can Moriah fit into Pearson Grove? Can she help her sister? Will their problems bring Moriah and Scott closer or drive them apart?

Available in Ebook:

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