Never Done

by Ginger Dehlinger

Clara, ​14, and Geneva, ​16, are close friends until Geneva secretly marries Clara’s widowed father. Feeling betrayed by her pa and a girl she idolizes, Clara wants nothing to do with her new young stepmother. Geneva retaliates, beginning a clash of wills that lasts from 1884 to the flu epidemic of 1918.

Years go by without them speaking to one another. Geneva, bolder of the two, lives a life of ease in elegant homes with piped water and domestic help. She shops for the latest in women’s fashions and plays pinochle with lady friends.

For spite, Clara marries a handsome cowboy Geneva fancies, but ends up living in a freezing cold cabin and a house infested with bugs. She takes in ironing and feeds miners to make ends meet, discovering love and purpose in the process. It takes a tragedy to bring her and her family together again.

Can she and Geneva see this as an opportunity to put aside the past? Can they salvage a relationship that was once the center of their world?

Genres: Historical Fiction

381 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 21, 2017

About the author

Ginger Dehlinger is a native Oregonian who writes about whatever comes to mind. She has self-published two novels, BRUTE HEART set in Oregon and NEVER DONE in Colorado. Her most recent publication (GINGER SNAPS: TASTY MORSELS OF POETRY & PROSE) is a collection of her short stories, poems and creative non-fiction.

"I'll never be famous," she tells people, although her writing has received a few kudos. BRUTE HEART, was a finalist for the 2012 Big Al's Books 'n Pals People's Choice Award. "Last Ride," an essay starring a tumbleweed, won first prize in the 2011 Rising Star contest for Pacific Northwest writers. A short story, "Francine" was First Runner-up in THE SATURDAY EVENING POST's 2022 Great American Fiction Contest.

Her poetry has appeared in over two dozen journals and anthologies, and she received a WRITER'S DIGEST honorable mention for her poem, “A Bar Stool’s Lament." She has also published a middle-grade children's book THE GOOSE GIRL'S NEW RIBBON.

Ginger is an active member of the Central Oregon Writer's Guild where she encourages her fellow writers to keep writing and submitting their work. Sometimes she is the club's featured reader or speaker. When she isn't writing, submitting, keeping house or doing yard work, she enjoys hiking, reading, and travel.

Born and raised in Klamath Falls, Oregon, Ginger attended the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon, where she majored in history, minored in English. She graduated from the U of O with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Phi Beta Kappa key.

A few years after graduation she went bi-coastal, living in New York City, Connecticut, and Los Angeles. She now lives in Bend, Oregon with her husband Dick.

Reviews

[MaryannC Victorian Dreamer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.

This story is based on the author's Great-grandmother which really adds to the historical value of this novel. Clara and Geneva are cousins who have lived a well to do life Philadelphia in the 1880's when Clara's father decides to move the family to Colorado. As Clara 14, adjusts to a new way of life on the Colorado frontier her father decides to marry her cousin Geneva, a decision that turns Clara's life upside down. Angered and confused by her father's actions Clara decides to forge a life of her own by marrying her father's cattle foreman a decision that brings her the joy of independence she yearned for but ultimately causes her heartache because of her husband's penchant for drinking. Throughout the novel Clara faces many hardships of frontier living taking in ironing and cooking for a local hotel to make ends meet make all the while her prosperous father and Geneva live in lavish homes to the ire of Clara who has always stood on her own two feet and lived poorly but happily. This was fascinating to know that Clara actually existed and that the author paid homage to such a strong woman of character. Nicely written.

Thanks to author Ginger Dehlinger and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for my review.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was just amazing! What I really loved about this book is that it's based on the diary of the author's great grandmother. You can't get any more authentic than that! What a real coming of age story. Once again I really feel like I am reading a historical account of an old time family, like maybe old time relatives that had passed on before I was born. Clara and Geneva are bored young teens with Clara at 14 and Geneva at 16. Clara looks up to and idolizes Geneva until Geneva marries her widowed papa. Having a mother in law just two years older than you makes for some very tough going times. Geneva settles into the good life with domestic help for her household and children,freshly piped water,the latest fashions and many conveniences. Clara marries at 16 also to a cowboy who doesn't give her much material wise but she is blessed with many children. Life is a constant struggle in her household and when one of her children passes away her husband can no longer take it and the marriage ends. What I didn't like is how Clara's papa brags about his wealth and how his young wife lives in luxury which was not the norm for this period in time in Colorado in the late 1800's. The animosity between Clara and Geneva make it impossible for their friendship rift to ever be healed. Clara does whatever she must do to support her children including moving from place to place and taking different jobs. At a hotel running job she meets and is courted by Jonas for over a year before they marry. Tragedy has been Clara's companion all her life and it follows her around but it does make her a stronger woman.Jonas and Clara have a child,Pearl who they dote on. In this book things go in cycles it seems things get better then worse and back again. What a mentally strong woman Clara was. She would do whatever it took to keep her family together and running smoothly.
Pub Date 21 Apr 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and The Wild Rose Press, Inc for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a review.

What an amazing book. It just kind of jumped in so if you hadn't read the synopsis, it could be a bit confusing. It was an incredible story of Clara, a girl growing up in the late 1800s and everything she went through. From her father marrying her 16 year old cousin, illness and life as a cowboy's wife... this was an incredible story that left me wanting more. Seriously, the book ended and I was sad it was over, it ends rather abruptly but more than that, I really grew fond of Clara and was not ready to leave her.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Never Done” by Grace Dehlinger, a book about settling in Colorado during westward expansion. Albert Willin brought his wife and daughters to the San Luis Valley to start a cattle ranch and has prospered well. The family lives in a beautiful home on the prairie. After the death of his wife and sons, Albert marries his first cousin, sixteen-year-old Geneva, the best friend of his daughter, Clara. The story centers on his daughter Clara, who at the beginning of the book is a spunky fourteen-year-old, becomes a young woman, married to a cow-puncher, and living in a shack, finds life harder than she ever imagined. Following her husband Vincent from job to job and taking her children with them becomes a way of life for Clara. The animosity between Geneva and Clara makes living in harmony impossible.

After Vincent takes to the bottle to drown his sorrows at not being able to provide for his family causes he and Clara to separate and eventually divorce. Clara works hard and steadily at different jobs to provide for her children. Along the way she meets Jonas and after a year’s courtship, they marry. However, tragedy follows Clara throughout her life and she becomes a stronger woman for it.

I enjoyed this book because I think it gave a perceptible view of what life in the west was like in those early years. The work was back-breaking, the weather harsh, and the rewards few. Very well written, this book kept my interest throughout. I felt so much compassion and sorrow for Clara and her children, and I kept wanting things to get better.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley.com and was under no obligation to post a review. You can read this review on my blog at http://wp.me/p2pjIt-rL. Check out other book reviews at http://imhookedonbooks.wordpress.com.

[MyChienneLit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am voluntarily submitting my honest review after receiving an ARC of this ebook via ReadingAlley.

This book is a compelling account of one woman's struggles to carve out a life for herself and her family after being brought to Colorado in the late 1880s as a young girl. Despite Clara coming through as a well-developed, multi-faceted, realistic character, others in the account are not given as thorough a treatment. For example, Geneva is portrayed as nothing more than a petty, vapid, jealous and mean-spirited spoiled brat--even into her adulthood. Albert seems ruthless, cold and uncaring, with little regard for his children, only standing up for Clara with Geneva when his grandchildren are grown--years and years too late. But since the story is told primarily from Clara's perspective, it only makes sense that we view others through her eyes with her judgments and prejudices. This book is an excellent window into the world women inhabited in Colorado at the turn of the century, including the obstacles and hardships they faced. Clara's life, while extraordinary, is a microcosm of the ills and vices of that time and how they impacted family life, directly and indirectly. Her story will both educate and entertain and shouldn't be missed by fans of historical fiction, particularly those with an interest in the American West.

[C.J. Fosdick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love stories that are based on historic truth and Ms. Dehlinger had a clear window to history, when she acknowledged the extraordinary life of her great grandmother who lived to age 98, leaving behind a hand-written memoir. The result is a well-written fact-based fictional view of one family’s survival in Colorado in the latter part of the 19th century. Survival was always tenuous in changing times, and particularly hard on women with agendas that were “Never Done.” Heroines Clara and Geneva are teenage cousins whose friendship is shattered when one becomes stepmother to the other. Both grow up fast in times that most of us can hardly imagine. Ms. Dehlinger paints a realistic picture—with prose to match—about their troubled relationship and double coin of survival over thirty plus years. I was brought to tears when the drama climaxes in the 1918 flu pandemic that killed more people than WWI. “Never Done” is a vivid testimonial to the indomitable spirit of all ancestors who struggled to survive while holding family together. I look forward to reading more from this talented author who seamlessly blends fact with fiction in a well-told relatable and thoroughly entertaining story.

[Marie Carmean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this wonderful book, based on the life of Ginger Dehlinger's great-grandmother from roughly 1884 to 1918. I don't feel like the title really gives the prospective reader an idea of the scope of this well-researched, wonderfully interesting life of a family in Colorado during a fascinating time. The book begins when Clara's widowed father suddenly marries a cousin just two years older than Clara herself. Adding to the injury, she and Geneva had been close friends. Now the sixteen-year-old is Clara's step-mother, and a struggle between the two girls grows as they grow into womanhood and become mothers and grandmothers. Clara has many struggles as the years progress, and her life reflects many of the difficulties women faced during years in a young American West. Yet, her strength is admirable, and she overcomes much as she builds her family and her life with little help from her well-to-do father. Her story is an inspiration! I really enjoyed the book, and would highly recommend it.

[Sara Rishforth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dehlinger has done it again with another well-written and thoroughly researched novel. The characters are flawed, and the relationships are not perfect. Geneva and Clara never reach the easy friendship you're rooting for, yet there'a feeling of peace in the end. When Clara triumphs over a hardship, you root for her. My emotions ran the gamut as I read this book, and I look forward to sharing it with others. Loved the descriptions Dehlinger uses for the towns, mountains, dangerous roads, and animals. It was an enjoyable novel, and I hope she writes another one!

[Sue Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an unusual book. I didn't know quite what to make of it. The descriptions of a life so different from anything we know or can really comprehend. The relationships so alien to that in most of our experiences. I can't say I really enjoyed the read but it was interesting.

[Peta Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read, but I must admit, I don't think I have read a book in which so much tragedy happens to one person. I was appalled that her Father didn't lift a hand to help Clara in some way but continually boasted about his wealth and the property he was amassing. Clara was such a strong character, only once breaking, but immediately picked herself up and fought back for the sake of her children.

Thank you to Reading Alley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Terese · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a ARC via Netgalley. I had not heard of this author before, and was interested to learn that the genesis of this novel was a comment in the memoirs of her great grandmother.

it took me a while to 'like' Clara, and her rival Geneva's character is a bit underdone, so it's hard to get a sense of the competition between the two women. To my mind it is Clara's father's selfishness and insensitivity that propels the upsets in his daughter's life. However he does eventually set her up in business and this is the turning point for her family, and also when the novel really began to engage me.

I found the historical detail regarding women's life in that era and in the rapidly developing 'west' fascinating. I recently read 'Empty Mansions' and I found parallels between Albert's ambitions and speculation and the career of W A Clark. It really was a very different era.

I recommend Never Done, its worth persisting to see Clara emerge as a real character, the impact of the Spanish influenza epidemic was beautifully written. As another reviewer noted, it's bit of a sudden ending.

[Lori Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful


I so enjoyed reading this book. Clara was such a strong person who handled the hardships in her life so well

[Lauralee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clara and Geneva are best friends. One day, Geneva marries Clara’s father, much to Clara’s dismay. The two friends are now enemies. Throughout the decades, the two experience hardships. Yet, despite their trials, they still remain enemies. Thus, the story tells a story of a clash of wills against these two former best friends.

Clara is the main character in Never Done. At first, I didn't like her. I thought that she was being cruel to Geneva because it was obvious that she married her father against her will. Yet, as Clara matures and experiences hardships, I couldn't help but admire her strong-will. Clara is stubborn and a hard worker. Her strength and determination reminds me of Scarlett O’Hara. She was forced to make hard decisions for herself and her family. Clara was a fascinating character, and I hoped for her to find happiness.

As for her friend, Geneva, the author didn't develop her character much since she was seen through the eyes of her enemies. Because of this, she is not portrayed in a good light. She is portrayed as selfish and vain. This disappointed me because Geneva was an interesting character, yet the author barely explored her potential. She was in an arranged marriage with Clara’s father, and I would love to know how she felt about marrying someone twice her age. Sadly, she was never given the chance to speak for herself.

Overall, this book is about family, betrayal, loss, and choices. Clara was a very complex character, but I would love to have gotten to know Clara. Hopefully, the author will write a book from Geneva’s perspective! While I did find Never Done slow in the beginning, it was very well-written. The story kept me interested until the very end because I liked the characters. Never Done will appeal to fans of Westerns, but the family drama will also appeal to those who do not usually like Westerns. I recommend this novel to fans of A Woman’s Choice, Hannah Fowler, and A Lantern in Her Hand.
(Note: This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.)

[Sharon Vincze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ginger has created a page-turner extraordinaire! Enjoying every moment, I was disappointed when it had to end. Characters come alive ....like you've known them yourself.

Clara, the main character, is genuine; tenacious, intelligent, humble and grateful for life's gifts. What I loved most about Clara was her authenticity. No rose-colored glasses, just big goals and dreams with a work ethic to match.

Ginger skillfully forged many wonderful characters into a combined fact and fiction story... what I hope is a Best Seller!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1509213724/...