|
Cassie Griffin doesn’t know what to do now that her husband is dead. For three of her eighteen years he’s told her what to say, what to do, what to think. And beaten her when she didn’t obey. Now she’s been left a penniless widow in the wilds of Montana.
The crowd of men in her town are all eager to step into Griff’s shoes, women being scarce and her such a pretty one. China doll they call her. One bully of a man and his sinful son have definite ideas about what to do with the china doll.
Into this scene steps Red Dawson, a Christian man who has struggled against coveting another man’s wife—Cassie Griffin. Red’s hard working and lives by the principles in the good book. He’s also big and tough. When Red offers for Cassie’s hand just seconds after burying her husband, Cassie accepts because one of the ladies of the town tells her to.
As Cassie begins this new phase of her life, Red needs to teach her how to be her own person as well as the ways of the Lord and he starts by giving her permission to say what’s on her mind. But it’s been a long time since she’s thought for herself and not been just a pretty, empty-headed china doll. And then, what about that bully and his faithless son who are intent upon having Cassie one way or the other?
Ms. Connealy is an apt story teller but it was hard to identify with this heroine whose total submissiveness doesn’t seem wholly justified by either age or circumstance. For those who can relate, however, this tale will undoubtedly resonate.
|
