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It's Bliss : A Modern, Old-Fahioned Love Story
Book by Alene Roberts
- GenresRomanceLds Fiction
252 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2000
4 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Alene Roberts
12 books10 followersI can swing higher than the chicken coop. The fun of picking and chewing pine gum. Or every kid ought to have a cow like Blossom. I wish I could tell you all about these and dozens of other stories about my life, but I’ll try to pick out the highlights.
I was born in a small community in the Four Corners country of the American southwest. My father was a sheepman, cattleman, rancher, and owner of a real western mercantile store that supplied goods to the inhabitants of a wide area including members of the Pauite and Navaho Indian tribes. Whatever anyone needed they could find it at the mercantile, or Dad would get it for them. Groceries, clothing, and western gear and supplies were staples, but they could also obtain cloth, toys, coffins, stove pipe, draw off their own vinegar from the large wooden vinegar barrel, or even order a new automobile. Before I was born men could even get a free haircut.
As a child, I explored the wonders of that marvelous store almost everyday. The candy counter was my favorite. But when I began reading I liked it better than eating candy.
I had an idyllic childhood. The outdoors was as familiar to me as the inside of the dwelling that was home to me, my parents, three brothers, and a sister. In the summer I rode my horse, Toby, with my friend Patsy, up the Blue Mountain that towered next to our community. Sometimes we hiked to the lower levels and waded in the streams, or hiked to the “big hill” north of town that was covered with scrub oak and sagebrush. The smell of sagebrush was delicious to me.
Our orchard was my haven. I climbed the fruit trees daily, watching and waiting for the fruit to ripen. It seemed to take an eternity. My favorite place was sitting behind the gooseberry patch eating the green sour gooseberries. My brother, Mason and I had contests to see which one of us could chew a mouthful of these without pulling a face..
When I was ten my life took a drastic turn. I contracted polio and spent a year on my back in a hospital three hundred miles away from my home and family. It was in the isolation and homesickness of the hospital ward that I discovered the need and joy of writing, putting my thoughts in letters to my family, friends, relatives, and even my beloved dentist.
The medical prognosis was that I would never walk without braces or crutches. With the faith that often comes to children and through my prayers and the prayers of my family I was able to leave the hospital, walking unaided, a living miracle. Though I could never run or jump because of atrophied limbs, I was determined to outdo my contemporaries in hiking, arm wrestling, handling a gun, and riding a horse. I began helping my father herd cattle from the winter range to the summer range in Colorado, reversing the process as winter approached.
For quite some time I was forced to wear high-topped shoes to strengthen my weakened ankles. I went to a school dance in junior high wearing these awful shoes.. Guess who was the “wallflower” of the evening. I walked home that night crying.
Later on, in order to gain more strength. I had to undergo muscle transplants on my right foot, and on my left hand.
I adored my father. He was like the morning sun to me. Even as a small child I would sneak into the living room, hide behind a chair, and listen to him talk to or give advice to people from every station of life. I’m sure those conversations helped spark an interest in the way that people speak to each other, and the differences between men and women.
My mother was quiet, gentle, and loving.. She was totally selfless in her service to her husband, family, and others of the community. She taught us spiritual values and lived what she taught.
It was when I went to college that I felt a new sense of of my own ability. I always wanted to write. Though I began with a truncated love story at age twelve, I never really thought I could until my advanced creative writing professor called me i
I was born in a small community in the Four Corners country of the American southwest. My father was a sheepman, cattleman, rancher, and owner of a real western mercantile store that supplied goods to the inhabitants of a wide area including members of the Pauite and Navaho Indian tribes. Whatever anyone needed they could find it at the mercantile, or Dad would get it for them. Groceries, clothing, and western gear and supplies were staples, but they could also obtain cloth, toys, coffins, stove pipe, draw off their own vinegar from the large wooden vinegar barrel, or even order a new automobile. Before I was born men could even get a free haircut.
As a child, I explored the wonders of that marvelous store almost everyday. The candy counter was my favorite. But when I began reading I liked it better than eating candy.
I had an idyllic childhood. The outdoors was as familiar to me as the inside of the dwelling that was home to me, my parents, three brothers, and a sister. In the summer I rode my horse, Toby, with my friend Patsy, up the Blue Mountain that towered next to our community. Sometimes we hiked to the lower levels and waded in the streams, or hiked to the “big hill” north of town that was covered with scrub oak and sagebrush. The smell of sagebrush was delicious to me.
Our orchard was my haven. I climbed the fruit trees daily, watching and waiting for the fruit to ripen. It seemed to take an eternity. My favorite place was sitting behind the gooseberry patch eating the green sour gooseberries. My brother, Mason and I had contests to see which one of us could chew a mouthful of these without pulling a face..
When I was ten my life took a drastic turn. I contracted polio and spent a year on my back in a hospital three hundred miles away from my home and family. It was in the isolation and homesickness of the hospital ward that I discovered the need and joy of writing, putting my thoughts in letters to my family, friends, relatives, and even my beloved dentist.
The medical prognosis was that I would never walk without braces or crutches. With the faith that often comes to children and through my prayers and the prayers of my family I was able to leave the hospital, walking unaided, a living miracle. Though I could never run or jump because of atrophied limbs, I was determined to outdo my contemporaries in hiking, arm wrestling, handling a gun, and riding a horse. I began helping my father herd cattle from the winter range to the summer range in Colorado, reversing the process as winter approached.
For quite some time I was forced to wear high-topped shoes to strengthen my weakened ankles. I went to a school dance in junior high wearing these awful shoes.. Guess who was the “wallflower” of the evening. I walked home that night crying.
Later on, in order to gain more strength. I had to undergo muscle transplants on my right foot, and on my left hand.
I adored my father. He was like the morning sun to me. Even as a small child I would sneak into the living room, hide behind a chair, and listen to him talk to or give advice to people from every station of life. I’m sure those conversations helped spark an interest in the way that people speak to each other, and the differences between men and women.
My mother was quiet, gentle, and loving.. She was totally selfless in her service to her husband, family, and others of the community. She taught us spiritual values and lived what she taught.
It was when I went to college that I felt a new sense of of my own ability. I always wanted to write. Though I began with a truncated love story at age twelve, I never really thought I could until my advanced creative writing professor called me i
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 5, 2011
If a friend hadn't told me how wonderful this book was, I would have stopped after a few pages, but, since she highly recommended it, I kept reading and was sure glad I did. The tag on the book says it is
"A Modern, Old-fashioned Love Story," and that's just what it is. It's corny and sweet and funny. I really enjoyed it.
I just read that Granite Publishing has gone out of business. I wonder if part of the reason is because they didn't have any proofreaders. There were many typos in this book.
"A Modern, Old-fashioned Love Story," and that's just what it is. It's corny and sweet and funny. I really enjoyed it.
I just read that Granite Publishing has gone out of business. I wonder if part of the reason is because they didn't have any proofreaders. There were many typos in this book.
September 27, 2018
Got 20 pages in and decided this isn't for me. The main character is changing her life around to try to lose weight, without actually doing anything about the things that are actually causing her weight gain, for example, working on her self control. The other main character is a sexist professor teaching business at the local college. These two people are supposed to fall in love I assume, but I can't handle the incredibly sexist way the start of the book was written and making it seem like things everyone has to deal with are super serious problems. Not wasting my time when I dislike the book this much so quickly.
May 24, 2022
Having never read anything by Alene Roberts, I was not sure what to expect. It seemed to start out ok but moved a little slow. I was just debating on whether or not to let it go unfinished when I started to get the feel for where the book was going. Then, I decided I needed to see it through to the end! I'm glad I did! While it does move slow, the story is fun, unique and full of quirky turns. While it doesn't hit my all time favorites list, this is a sweet read.
September 19, 2017
This book was different. Cute, but kinda slow for me.
October 11, 2020
I first picked up this book because of the cover.
January 7, 2017
It’s Bliss can only be described as dumb. The characters were one-dimensional. The dialogue sounded like it was straight out of a 50s romantic comedy even though it was clearly set much more recently. There was a weird obsession with weight and weight loss and, apparently, women can only succeed in business and attract men if they lose the extra pounds since being overweight means they just don’t take care of themselves. The storyline was so incredibly predictable. The main character was utterly perfect (once she lost the extra weight, of course) and at the same time utterly insufferable. I’m giving it two stars only because it did end how I wanted it to (as predictable as it was) and while I read it mostly in a state of horror, it was at least somewhat entertaining.
July 24, 2008
Ugh- This book was pretty bad. It was very predictable, and not very well-written. About a third of the way through I wanted to stop, but I have a hard time leaving a book unfinished, so I finished it quick. There were so many typos and grammatical errors - it could have been a test manuscript for a publisher trying out a new proof reader. I read another book by this author, which was OK, but I've removed her other book from my to-read list.
January 10, 2011
A story about overweight college coeds and the pairing up of a stodgy university professor and a hopeless romantic. There are no fireworks, only confusion! Lora Lemmon sitting on the ant beds--TWICE--and then falling for the police officer who pulls her over while speeding to get home was pretty hilarious.
July 21, 2008
This is a Mormon Romance--lighthearted and endearing. I love all of her books, but this one is my favorite.
April 20, 2009
absolutely loved this book it made me laugh so hard very good book
March 9, 2011
a play on pygmalion....wish there were more kisses!
August 26, 2012
A very different type of story. A modern old-fashioned love story. It was kind of corny, but still made me giggle and I had fun reading it.
July 16, 2013
Super cheesy and predictable, but in a lovable way! I found is to be a real heart warmer.
August 25, 2013
What a cute, clean, funny, book. I really enjoyed it.
September 19, 2015
This is the best book ever I highly recommend it!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews