Wright and Wrong: In the Valley

The Green Valley Series #1

by Jane Shoup

Are some people born to lose? Tommy Medlin, a grown man who is still called Pretty Boy, a nickname he loathes, is as handsome as he is shy. All his life, he’s been told he is slow, and he’s long since accepted that it’s true. His lot in life is to keep his head down, work hard, collect his pay and save some of it. It’s not much of a life, but it’s the only one afforded him.

Emeline Wright fears she’s cursed, with good reason. Orphaned as a girl, some of the family she’s sent to live with made her life a living hell. She eagerly left to attend college but, there, she falls prey to the powerful Sonny Peterson. Em, risks life and limb to escape him and return home to Green Valley, Virginia -- the place she wanted so badly to get away from. Her only choice now is to make a go of her uncle’s failing farm. But can a woman alone survive in rough country?

When Tommy, with his quiet strength and unflagging honor, steps in to help her, a powerful bond is created. Through his constancy, Em begins to trust again. But the country is still wild and dangerous and more than one predator stalks ever closer…

'…a touching, emotional read. Readers will not be immune to Shoup’s storytelling talent or her gift of creating three-dimensional characters.’ – RT Book Reviews

‘Shoup moves assuredly through trauma, family discord, and romantic misunderstandings to capture lovely bits of Americana and a bygone way of life.’ – Publishers Weekly

‘. . . wonderfully written. Well-paced and easy to read…but be careful, it’ll suck you in and you won’t want to leave it until you’re finished.’ -eCataRomance Reviews

Genres: Historical

345 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 31, 2024

About the author

Jane Shoup is an award-winning author of several genres and more than twenty novels, Historical adventure with romance is her mainstay. Her novel Pedestals, (revised and republished as The Key) won Epic's best action thriller 2006. Another novel, Jayna Incarnate was a finalist in the Mainstream Fiction category that same year.

She lives in Greensboro, NC with her husband, Scott, rescue dog, Gabby, and near her adult daughters and their families including five (soon the be 6) fabulous grands. Please visit her website at https://www.janeshoup.com

Reviews

[Jean · Rating 1 out of 5]

I liked the premise, but the book just didn’t deliver. The writing feels rough, and I really wish the author had spent more time on the backstory of the two main characters and the development of their relationship. Instead, the story wanders off into side characters and subplots that don’t add much or anything at all. In fact, a whole new family shows up in the last third of the book, which came out of nowhere and was quite jarring.

The shifting points of view were also confusing—at first it flips back and forth, then it just bounces all over the place.

On top of that, the reliance on Old Testament–style "justice" (including the rapes of two men, extrajudicial killings and a morally gray “hero”) was pretty off-putting for me.

Toward the end, the book breaks into short, choppy paragraphs from different characters. I’m not sure what that was supposed to accomplish, but it definitely didn’t help the flow of the story.

[2Winters · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh my gracious! So much violent sex and other violence!! Left me very disturbed. After the first third of the book I started skimming. Both the H & h were likeable but several men became obsessed with her to the point of stalking her/attacking her/to rape her. I had to pick up a book I've read & enjoyed before to try to get rid of the icky feeling this book caused. I'm quite shocked because I had tried reading her book An American Baroness. Although I didn't finish it because I thought it rather boring I thought it was a clean book. This book was NOT! I will not read anymore of her books.

[Cynthia L. Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply Wonderful

Tommy and Emeline are two lonely and loveable people who not only need each other but manage to find each other. This is a wonderful novel set in the late 1880s about two individuals that not only need each other but have an entire town wanting them to reach their Happily Ever After but cheering for them.. Read this remarkable novel and be prepared to be so involved with Tommy and Emeline. ENJOY!

[Edie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written and refreshing

We so easily take for granted that women are excellent doctors and practice medicine equally with men! Seems like ancient history, but actually it was not so long ago that women were not allowed to be doctors! Grateful that has changed!
Well developed characters and interesting story

. Enjoyed this book.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't think this was going to be a book I liked, but it definitely is. I will be buying the rest of the series and hoping the author maintains her quality of writing. Well written, easily read, and very few grammatical errors. The errors were mostly toward the end of the book, and they were mostly typos that would not have been caught with MS Word correction

[B. Erickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the two main characters and all of their friends and families. However, I had some personal problems with the more violent scenes and gave it 4 stars. I did finish the book and am going on to the second book in the series.

[Kathy Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down

This is such a well written story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Tommy and Em's love story. The ending was exceptional!

[Margaret Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good one!

I really enjoyed this one. Well rounded characters amend story line.
I don’t usually don’t usually do reviews, but I really enjoyed this one.

[Corinne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not an easy read, as it contains violence, including sexual violence (mostly off-page and recollections) and threats thereof. But I did not want to put it down, wanting to learn how Emeline would continue.
Tom and Emeline make a sort of family with their misfit farmhands, a community of purpose. Mr Howerton is cold and calculating, yet turns out to be a good neighbor; he seemed a bit of a contradiction.