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The Manhattan Stories #1
Jessica
Jessica McCarthy’s only Christmas wish is for a home of her own and children. All her friends are already married and have families. Believing that true love will never come her way, she settles for the man she sees as her last chance to realize her dream, handsome, charming, ne'er-do-well, Zachary Belk. Jessica’s father, one of the most successful businessmen in 1860’s Manhattan, warns her that he isn't a good prospect for a husband. Jessica seldom goes against his advice, but Zachary is the only man in New York who has courted her. His own firm is on the edge of bankruptcy, and he desperately needs a financial lifeline. Jessica believes she is only being realistic when she agrees to be Zachary’s wife, but she soon finds out her carousing husband doesn’t share her hopes for domestic life. The stock market crash of 1869 changes all their lives. Born into wealth, Jessica never had to ask the price of anything. Now the cost of simply putting food on the table is the first thing on her mind when she awakes every morning. Jessica must adapt drastically to being penniless. She calls upon her faith in God, her friends, both old and new, and her own determination, not only to survive, but to find peace, happiness, security, and a real love. This is the first of three novels in the 'Manhattan Stories' saga. It takes the reader from the opulent drawing rooms of Manhattan, New York, where fortunes are made and financial empires can collapse without warning, to the frontier cabins of Manhattan, Kansas, where everything, including true love, is possible. The second in the series is Pillsbury Crossing.
347 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 29, 2010
697 people are currently reading
463 people want to read
About the author
Donna Foley Mabry
45 books211 followersA Michigan native who studied writing in school, Donna first came to Vegas to make costumes and soon was weaving the stories she heard in the back of the girls' dressing room into her first novel. Now she is the author of The Alexandra Merritt Mysteries, which include 'The Last Two Aces in Las Vegas', 'The Las Vegas Desert Flower', 'The Las Vegas Special', 'Rough Ride in Vegas', 'M.I.A. Las Vegas' and 'The Las Vegas Sophisticate'. Her latest novel, 'The Vegas Tycoon' is also set in Las Vegas
Donna has written several other stand-alone novels, recent releases 'Kaleigh McKenna' and 'The Russell House', as well as 'Desperate Ambition', 'The Right Society', 'The Other Hand', 'Conversations with Skip', and an anthology, 'Killer Coffee and a Batch of Cookies'.
In addition to those stand-alones and others, Donna has a popular series of historical romances, 'The Manhattan Stories', and a series of female detective stories 'The Case Files of Molly Evers".
Her most popular novel, 'Maude', the story of her Grandmother, is a #1 best-seller on Amazon and spent 16 weeks on the Wall Street Journal's Top-10 list. 'Maude' is available as an audiobook, and is published in Italian, Russian and German. Donna is actively working on the screenplay for 'Maude'.
She has also written three screenplays, a stage play, poetry, short stories, and a children's story.
Donna lives in Henderson, Nevada, sharing her home with two cats and her dog, Abigale, all three shelter rescues. She has two children, a daughter in Las Vegas and a son in New York and a grandson who is the light of her life!
Donna still takes occasional classes at UNLV and at writer's conferences and is an active member of the Anthem Author's in Henderson, NV.
donnafoleymabry.com
facebook.com/donnafoleymabry
twitter.com/donnama12
Donna has written several other stand-alone novels, recent releases 'Kaleigh McKenna' and 'The Russell House', as well as 'Desperate Ambition', 'The Right Society', 'The Other Hand', 'Conversations with Skip', and an anthology, 'Killer Coffee and a Batch of Cookies'.
In addition to those stand-alones and others, Donna has a popular series of historical romances, 'The Manhattan Stories', and a series of female detective stories 'The Case Files of Molly Evers".
Her most popular novel, 'Maude', the story of her Grandmother, is a #1 best-seller on Amazon and spent 16 weeks on the Wall Street Journal's Top-10 list. 'Maude' is available as an audiobook, and is published in Italian, Russian and German. Donna is actively working on the screenplay for 'Maude'.
She has also written three screenplays, a stage play, poetry, short stories, and a children's story.
Donna lives in Henderson, Nevada, sharing her home with two cats and her dog, Abigale, all three shelter rescues. She has two children, a daughter in Las Vegas and a son in New York and a grandson who is the light of her life!
Donna still takes occasional classes at UNLV and at writer's conferences and is an active member of the Anthem Author's in Henderson, NV.
donnafoleymabry.com
facebook.com/donnafoleymabry
twitter.com/donnama12
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
February 2, 2015
This is the second book I've read by Donna Mabry (the first one was "Maude"). Both books are swift, enjoyable reads. "Jessica", however, seemed a bit too simplistic. The pacing of the book seemed uneven- at times the author would get caught up in tedious, somewhat bland dialogue involving unnecessary detail, while other times she would graze over major plot elements (EG: the major life changes going on with Jessica's father in law and the father in law's love interest at the end of the novel were both barely acknowledged). There were some grammatical errors in the book as well. Considering the Kindle version is only .99, I will read the rest of the Manhattan series. It is a light, entertaining read that is definitely worth the dollar, as long as there isn't some unrealistic expectation of a grand piece of literature.
October 28, 2016
After reading the amazing "Maude," I had high hopes for this book. I found it painful to read, flat, predictable and very dull. I would "speed read" thru paragraphs because I just wanted to get thru the book, hoping the next chapter would bring more exciting content. I've recommended Maude to others, but would not do the same for this book, unfortunately.
February 27, 2015
Another awesome book by Donna Mabry! This one was quite a roller coaster ride. I accidentally read book 3 first and now I have read 1 and am anxious to put them together with Pillsbury Crossing, Book 2 of the Manhatten Series. I highly recommended this book.
June 20, 2017
I had to stop at chapter 6. Very poorly written and quite a drag. Maude was such a great read, this is just disappointing.
March 9, 2020
The horrendous, all pervasive denigration of human female that's deeply rooted in abrahmic cultures and attitudes thereof is evident in the only label a book such as this would be receiving generally, or any other that's written by a woman, is about lives of women and has largely female readership. These are far from trivial books, quite often, and such lumping together gets them discarded away from serious consideration.
Yet they aren't the penny pocketbook romances largely read by the schoolgirls of half a century ago, but often enough have serious concerns of women's lives discussed, and often enough those of not just women. Shopaholic series was such an example, as is Devil Wears Prada.
Alcoholic dependence gets serious treatment, if not downright respectable consideration, because it's largely male problem, and isn't often considered one at all, so much so there had to be an organisation of Mother Against Drunken Drivers (or is it Mother Against Drunken Driving?), before judges would let such a driver go scot free after he'd run over a child. Judges were predominantly male, and understood the man was only drunk, and the mother of the child only a female getting hysterical. The very word hysterical merely means someone with a womb, so it was again a way to dump all females as unreasonable and unworthy of consideration.
As to Devil Wears Prada, anyone realise that the unreasonable, inconsiderate and demanding boss is merely no different from any other male boss in any other male profession, but is being caricatured because she's a she, and is in an industry that's more or less imposed on women, hence not respected, despite the huge profits made by the said industry's corporate owners, presumably male? Switch the story to a sergeant in marines riding young males rough, and it's no longer about someone ridiculous. Yet it's hardly likely that an editor of a magazine that guides trends in a several billion dollar industry could be, say, lackadaisical, or someone not taking work seriously?
............
This work portrays a serious concern or rather more than one, in form of a man who not only wouldn't take work or marriage or family seriously and demands being catered to as forthright, but is willing to go to any length - cheating, stealing, selling his baby, killing, and more - to get his next pleasure, and leaves a devastation around. Granted, most men aren't such rotten creatures, but when they are, there isn't much in form of social ostracisation, even, that they get as just desserts, much less the punishment they deserve.
Mainly such a creature is a vampire in all but physical terms, and again, it's only because they are male that they are coddled from birth onwards till they expect everything as their birthright.
Females have beaten out of them, on the other hand, not only possible socially undesirable faults such as laziness per selfishness, but also any serious aspirations such as quest of knowledge, more often than not - and West has the heritage of inquisition where being branded as a witch was the fate of any woman who had knowledge of any kind at all that males would prefer to keep as exclusive domain of theirs for trade considerations.
............
And, of course, the most visible and understood problem of women's lives that is most visible as depicted here is the immediately obvious one - the lottery that is marriage, where being unfortunate enough to get such a rotter for a husband ruins a woman, over and over, despite her being intelligent, beautiful, honest, hard working, and even endowed with a wealthy and protective father.
Society has changed a little since, laws have changed a tad, since the time period of this story. Reality? Not that much. Women are now allowed education, but mostly discouraged in West from science and medicine, at every stage. Women always did, and mostly had to, work hard, but get portrayed viciously if they achieve a corporate high position. If they arent lampooned as in Devil Wears Prada, they might be labelled as 'bad in bed' by male scientists of German ancestry working in Europe's equivalent of NASA who have no personal acquaintance with the said high profile woman corporate executive, but are merely making a joke when meeting a new bride of an old friend who also is a scientist. The joke is meant to put down the new acquaintance by pointing out to her, not too subtly, that she lacks the only possible equipment for universal respectability.
When this fails, the European can do racist stuff too, of course.
............
The book deals, of course, with a lot more, or it can be said it depicts more as background to the story, but really none of it is unimportant. There is the question of social classes, the wealthy and their servants. There is those honest suffering due to fault, mistakes or crimes of others, as honest dealers do when stock market crashes due to machinations of others and many more other than the guilty suffer as a consequence. There is the crucial question of women's finding a partner before their youth is lost, not only a question of losing attractive visage but life force itself and the joys of having a family of ones own with ones own children. There is the travails of relocating that so very many women went through, usually when their men did for one reason or another. There is the problems settlers in New places face, especially when the new places are less civilised than they are used to.
There is the U.S. West and the indigenous people fleetingly touched on - and still, fraudulently and falsely, called Indian, as if Indian is a label to be applied to every culture subjugated and vanquished by invading European hordes, not a distinct ancient culture, one related to an ancient land that crashed against the continent of Asia and rose as Himaalayan ranges higher than most of the earth.
............
First of the Manhattan series, this begins with a marriage where a young intelligent woman marries a cheater, gambler, thief and worse, despite her father's warnings, because she'd rather not wait any longer, and hopes everything will fall into place with the marriage. As most often, it doesn't- Zachary Belk proves worse than they thought, Jessica faces the facts one after another, and manages, throwing him out and divorcing him when she discovers he'd stolen the emeralds that belonged to her mother.
Her father, William McCarthy, had secured his fortune for her with every caution so Belk would never have his hands on anything, even after Jessica's death.
But unfortunately she discovers she got pregnant from the rape after assault she suffered when she confronted him with the theft. She's dealing with it, only he discovers it too, and manages to convince her to keep the marriage and come out West with him to Kansas.
............
They arrive at Manhattan, Kansas, after she's dealt with disposal of her house in Manhattan. But Jessica and her motherly companion, cook and housekeeper Caroline are in for a shock - the house is far from town and quite halfway in need of care including some repairs. Zachary resumes being rude to Caroline, and isn't much better to the new neighbours either.
When Jessica doesn't wake up morning after arrival, Zachary is frantic worrying about the baby, and one begins to get a clue why he was changing colours enough to be nice to her and persuade her to nullify the divorce. Perhaps it's his chance to gain some property from a will?
............
Adele West, the neighbour across the street, visits Jessica when she sees her awake. She's already made friends with Caroline- Caroline is only working as a housekeeper because her own life fell apart when young, and she got attached to Jessica whom she'd birthed, after Jessica'smother died all too young.
"“You know, that first day, when you were sleeping, Adele came over and looked at you before the doctor even got here, and she told us almost exactly the same thing he did.”
"“That’s remarkable. Did you have medical training?”
"“Not formally. Not in a hospital or anything like that. Before we moved out of town to this house, I helped a midwife deliver a lot of babies and then delivered some without any help but the Lord’s, and of course, I had four of my own.”
"“That’s wonderful. It makes me feel so much better to know you’re right across the road if I need you.”
"“I’m so glad to have someone living here again. Helen Andersen was a wonderful neighbor and friend. It broke my heart that she died so young.”
"“Her husband was a distant cousin of my husband’s. That’s how we came to inherit the property when he died.”
"“Died? Jacob Andersen isn’t dead.”
"“I don’t understand. Zachary said--” Jessica leaned toward Adele. “Please tell me what you know about how Jacob Andersen came to leave this property.”
"“Jacob inherited this place from his father. It belonged to his grandfather before that. Helen came to live here after they married, about fifteen years ago. They never were blessed with children. After Helen died, he went a little crazy. If you ask me, he was carrying a load of guilt. He was never a very good husband. Helen did the best she could to keep the place up, but he was always too busy drinking and gambling with the trash in Junction City. He disappeared for almost a year, and when he came back to this area, he didn’t come back to the house. Last I heard, he’s living in a little rented shack in Junction City and working at a livery stable when he’s sober enough. He told some people that he went to New York and got cheated out of the deed to the house in a poker game.”
"Jessica slumped back in her chair, dropped her head, and closed her eyes. “I should have known. I wanted so much for my baby to have a father that I was willing to believe anything he told me.” She looked up at Caroline, tears welling in her eyes. “He’ll never change will he, Caroline?”
"“It doesn’t look like it, Jess. What are you going to do?”"
............
Jessica confronted him when he came home and visited her room as she rested.
"“Oh, Jessica, please try to understand. I don’t want it to be this way. I’ll try to do better. I really will. What do you want from me?”
"“I want what I’ve always wanted. I want you to work and earn a living for us. I want you to stay sober. I want you to stop gambling away what money we do have. I want you to take care of your family. I don’t care if you have to take a job at the livery stable cleaning out stalls.”
"Through clenched teeth, Belk said, “You surely can’t expect me to do menial labor?”
"“I expect you to do whatever you have to do to take care of your child. The money from selling Father’s house isn’t going to last forever. Coming out here wasn’t cheap, and buying everything we need to get settled in this house will cost a small fortune. I can be very frugal, but if the agent in New York can’t get someone to lease my place, in a few years we won’t even have money to buy food.”
"“I was going into town in the morning to look for a saddle horse. I’ve already been to every one of the businesses. There aren’t all that many, and none of them were interested in me, but tomorrow I’ll go again and see if someone else will talk to me. I’ll try, Jessica. I promise.”
"He went to her and leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. She turned her face away. He straightened up and looked at her as if he hated her. “So that’s the way it’s going to be?”
"“I’m afraid so.”
"“Now that you’ve recovered from the trip, I was thinking of moving into your bedroom, but I suppose that’s out of the question.”
"“We could hardly be having relations now.”
"“I was aware of that. I simply wanted to be closer to you.”
"“I can hardly stand to look at you, much less sleep next to you. No, if you really mean to get a job and act like an adult, if you prove yourself to me, then we’ll see if I can ever have feelings for you again.”
"“I’ll do my best, Jessica. I really will.”
"She nodded and looked away from him."
............
Zachary could only get a job selling men'swear, and wenypt to buy a saddle horse. He picked one.
"“He’s a mite temperamental. If’n you took him, I’d say keep a cut-up apple in your pocket ‘til he gets to know you. He’ll do ‘bout anything for a slice a’ apple.”
"“Thank you for your honesty, Mr. Snipes. I’m quite sure I can handle him.”
"“I wouldn’t let Mrs. Belk ride him. He’d be a bit too much for a lady.”
"“I doubt that Mrs. Belk will be up to riding for quite a while.”
"“Now, Mimi, she can handle any horse God put on this earth, so’s if it came to it, she could ride him.”
"“Thank you for the information. We’re quite satisfied with Juniper. I doubt Mimi would ever have occasion to ride my mount. In your opinion, is he sound?” Everett scratched his stubble.
"“Yes, sir, I’d vouch for that. Now, he won’t pull a wagon, like Juniper does. He’s strictly a saddle horse.”"
............
When the baby was imminent, Adele sent Mimi to tell Zachary and he came galloping.
"A shock of curly auburn hair showed. Belk was in rapture. He walked to the bed in a trance, staring at the baby. He leaned over and hesitantly touched the blanket.
"“He’s beautiful, Jessica, simply beautiful. Caroline said you had an easy time.”
"Jessica smiled. “I don’t know if I would describe it that way, but that’s what Adele and Caroline tell me.”
"“I know you had your heart set on naming him after your father but I would really like to call him Zachary, Junior. You can name the next one William.”
"She laughed. “It may not be the right time to talk to me about another one.”
"“Can I hold him? Can I hold little Zachary?”
"Jessica held out the baby. Belk reached for it as Jessica said, “Even though she has your hair, I think she’d like it much better if we called her Amanda, after my mother.”
"Belk froze. He took a step back and dropped his arms. A look of disgust twisted his face. “It’s a girl?”
"“Yes, a beautiful, perfect little girl. She hardly cried at all. The first time they put her in my arms, I would swear she smiled at me.”
"Belk turned and almost stomped out of the room."
"Belk didn’t come home until after midnight. He stayed in his room for a few hours, but in the morning, he saddled up his horse again. He needed two things, a drink and a poker game. He set out at an easy canter. In town, he kept going, steering the horse toward the southwest road that led to Junction City. He didn’t want to spend his evening under the watchful eyes of people who might carry tales."
He went to Junction City to find his game, met a young blond, and skipped town with her after a few months of robbing hus wife of the proceeds of sale of her father's house. After hed left, Jessica found out the dire situation, and began by arranging to play the piano at church, give piano lessons there and also supply the milliners in town with handmade work. The pastor's daughter adored her and was ecstatic at the prospect of learning piano with her.
............
Yet they aren't the penny pocketbook romances largely read by the schoolgirls of half a century ago, but often enough have serious concerns of women's lives discussed, and often enough those of not just women. Shopaholic series was such an example, as is Devil Wears Prada.
Alcoholic dependence gets serious treatment, if not downright respectable consideration, because it's largely male problem, and isn't often considered one at all, so much so there had to be an organisation of Mother Against Drunken Drivers (or is it Mother Against Drunken Driving?), before judges would let such a driver go scot free after he'd run over a child. Judges were predominantly male, and understood the man was only drunk, and the mother of the child only a female getting hysterical. The very word hysterical merely means someone with a womb, so it was again a way to dump all females as unreasonable and unworthy of consideration.
As to Devil Wears Prada, anyone realise that the unreasonable, inconsiderate and demanding boss is merely no different from any other male boss in any other male profession, but is being caricatured because she's a she, and is in an industry that's more or less imposed on women, hence not respected, despite the huge profits made by the said industry's corporate owners, presumably male? Switch the story to a sergeant in marines riding young males rough, and it's no longer about someone ridiculous. Yet it's hardly likely that an editor of a magazine that guides trends in a several billion dollar industry could be, say, lackadaisical, or someone not taking work seriously?
............
This work portrays a serious concern or rather more than one, in form of a man who not only wouldn't take work or marriage or family seriously and demands being catered to as forthright, but is willing to go to any length - cheating, stealing, selling his baby, killing, and more - to get his next pleasure, and leaves a devastation around. Granted, most men aren't such rotten creatures, but when they are, there isn't much in form of social ostracisation, even, that they get as just desserts, much less the punishment they deserve.
Mainly such a creature is a vampire in all but physical terms, and again, it's only because they are male that they are coddled from birth onwards till they expect everything as their birthright.
Females have beaten out of them, on the other hand, not only possible socially undesirable faults such as laziness per selfishness, but also any serious aspirations such as quest of knowledge, more often than not - and West has the heritage of inquisition where being branded as a witch was the fate of any woman who had knowledge of any kind at all that males would prefer to keep as exclusive domain of theirs for trade considerations.
............
And, of course, the most visible and understood problem of women's lives that is most visible as depicted here is the immediately obvious one - the lottery that is marriage, where being unfortunate enough to get such a rotter for a husband ruins a woman, over and over, despite her being intelligent, beautiful, honest, hard working, and even endowed with a wealthy and protective father.
Society has changed a little since, laws have changed a tad, since the time period of this story. Reality? Not that much. Women are now allowed education, but mostly discouraged in West from science and medicine, at every stage. Women always did, and mostly had to, work hard, but get portrayed viciously if they achieve a corporate high position. If they arent lampooned as in Devil Wears Prada, they might be labelled as 'bad in bed' by male scientists of German ancestry working in Europe's equivalent of NASA who have no personal acquaintance with the said high profile woman corporate executive, but are merely making a joke when meeting a new bride of an old friend who also is a scientist. The joke is meant to put down the new acquaintance by pointing out to her, not too subtly, that she lacks the only possible equipment for universal respectability.
When this fails, the European can do racist stuff too, of course.
............
The book deals, of course, with a lot more, or it can be said it depicts more as background to the story, but really none of it is unimportant. There is the question of social classes, the wealthy and their servants. There is those honest suffering due to fault, mistakes or crimes of others, as honest dealers do when stock market crashes due to machinations of others and many more other than the guilty suffer as a consequence. There is the crucial question of women's finding a partner before their youth is lost, not only a question of losing attractive visage but life force itself and the joys of having a family of ones own with ones own children. There is the travails of relocating that so very many women went through, usually when their men did for one reason or another. There is the problems settlers in New places face, especially when the new places are less civilised than they are used to.
There is the U.S. West and the indigenous people fleetingly touched on - and still, fraudulently and falsely, called Indian, as if Indian is a label to be applied to every culture subjugated and vanquished by invading European hordes, not a distinct ancient culture, one related to an ancient land that crashed against the continent of Asia and rose as Himaalayan ranges higher than most of the earth.
............
First of the Manhattan series, this begins with a marriage where a young intelligent woman marries a cheater, gambler, thief and worse, despite her father's warnings, because she'd rather not wait any longer, and hopes everything will fall into place with the marriage. As most often, it doesn't- Zachary Belk proves worse than they thought, Jessica faces the facts one after another, and manages, throwing him out and divorcing him when she discovers he'd stolen the emeralds that belonged to her mother.
Her father, William McCarthy, had secured his fortune for her with every caution so Belk would never have his hands on anything, even after Jessica's death.
But unfortunately she discovers she got pregnant from the rape after assault she suffered when she confronted him with the theft. She's dealing with it, only he discovers it too, and manages to convince her to keep the marriage and come out West with him to Kansas.
............
They arrive at Manhattan, Kansas, after she's dealt with disposal of her house in Manhattan. But Jessica and her motherly companion, cook and housekeeper Caroline are in for a shock - the house is far from town and quite halfway in need of care including some repairs. Zachary resumes being rude to Caroline, and isn't much better to the new neighbours either.
When Jessica doesn't wake up morning after arrival, Zachary is frantic worrying about the baby, and one begins to get a clue why he was changing colours enough to be nice to her and persuade her to nullify the divorce. Perhaps it's his chance to gain some property from a will?
............
Adele West, the neighbour across the street, visits Jessica when she sees her awake. She's already made friends with Caroline- Caroline is only working as a housekeeper because her own life fell apart when young, and she got attached to Jessica whom she'd birthed, after Jessica'smother died all too young.
"“You know, that first day, when you were sleeping, Adele came over and looked at you before the doctor even got here, and she told us almost exactly the same thing he did.”
"“That’s remarkable. Did you have medical training?”
"“Not formally. Not in a hospital or anything like that. Before we moved out of town to this house, I helped a midwife deliver a lot of babies and then delivered some without any help but the Lord’s, and of course, I had four of my own.”
"“That’s wonderful. It makes me feel so much better to know you’re right across the road if I need you.”
"“I’m so glad to have someone living here again. Helen Andersen was a wonderful neighbor and friend. It broke my heart that she died so young.”
"“Her husband was a distant cousin of my husband’s. That’s how we came to inherit the property when he died.”
"“Died? Jacob Andersen isn’t dead.”
"“I don’t understand. Zachary said--” Jessica leaned toward Adele. “Please tell me what you know about how Jacob Andersen came to leave this property.”
"“Jacob inherited this place from his father. It belonged to his grandfather before that. Helen came to live here after they married, about fifteen years ago. They never were blessed with children. After Helen died, he went a little crazy. If you ask me, he was carrying a load of guilt. He was never a very good husband. Helen did the best she could to keep the place up, but he was always too busy drinking and gambling with the trash in Junction City. He disappeared for almost a year, and when he came back to this area, he didn’t come back to the house. Last I heard, he’s living in a little rented shack in Junction City and working at a livery stable when he’s sober enough. He told some people that he went to New York and got cheated out of the deed to the house in a poker game.”
"Jessica slumped back in her chair, dropped her head, and closed her eyes. “I should have known. I wanted so much for my baby to have a father that I was willing to believe anything he told me.” She looked up at Caroline, tears welling in her eyes. “He’ll never change will he, Caroline?”
"“It doesn’t look like it, Jess. What are you going to do?”"
............
Jessica confronted him when he came home and visited her room as she rested.
"“Oh, Jessica, please try to understand. I don’t want it to be this way. I’ll try to do better. I really will. What do you want from me?”
"“I want what I’ve always wanted. I want you to work and earn a living for us. I want you to stay sober. I want you to stop gambling away what money we do have. I want you to take care of your family. I don’t care if you have to take a job at the livery stable cleaning out stalls.”
"Through clenched teeth, Belk said, “You surely can’t expect me to do menial labor?”
"“I expect you to do whatever you have to do to take care of your child. The money from selling Father’s house isn’t going to last forever. Coming out here wasn’t cheap, and buying everything we need to get settled in this house will cost a small fortune. I can be very frugal, but if the agent in New York can’t get someone to lease my place, in a few years we won’t even have money to buy food.”
"“I was going into town in the morning to look for a saddle horse. I’ve already been to every one of the businesses. There aren’t all that many, and none of them were interested in me, but tomorrow I’ll go again and see if someone else will talk to me. I’ll try, Jessica. I promise.”
"He went to her and leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. She turned her face away. He straightened up and looked at her as if he hated her. “So that’s the way it’s going to be?”
"“I’m afraid so.”
"“Now that you’ve recovered from the trip, I was thinking of moving into your bedroom, but I suppose that’s out of the question.”
"“We could hardly be having relations now.”
"“I was aware of that. I simply wanted to be closer to you.”
"“I can hardly stand to look at you, much less sleep next to you. No, if you really mean to get a job and act like an adult, if you prove yourself to me, then we’ll see if I can ever have feelings for you again.”
"“I’ll do my best, Jessica. I really will.”
"She nodded and looked away from him."
............
Zachary could only get a job selling men'swear, and wenypt to buy a saddle horse. He picked one.
"“He’s a mite temperamental. If’n you took him, I’d say keep a cut-up apple in your pocket ‘til he gets to know you. He’ll do ‘bout anything for a slice a’ apple.”
"“Thank you for your honesty, Mr. Snipes. I’m quite sure I can handle him.”
"“I wouldn’t let Mrs. Belk ride him. He’d be a bit too much for a lady.”
"“I doubt that Mrs. Belk will be up to riding for quite a while.”
"“Now, Mimi, she can handle any horse God put on this earth, so’s if it came to it, she could ride him.”
"“Thank you for the information. We’re quite satisfied with Juniper. I doubt Mimi would ever have occasion to ride my mount. In your opinion, is he sound?” Everett scratched his stubble.
"“Yes, sir, I’d vouch for that. Now, he won’t pull a wagon, like Juniper does. He’s strictly a saddle horse.”"
............
When the baby was imminent, Adele sent Mimi to tell Zachary and he came galloping.
"A shock of curly auburn hair showed. Belk was in rapture. He walked to the bed in a trance, staring at the baby. He leaned over and hesitantly touched the blanket.
"“He’s beautiful, Jessica, simply beautiful. Caroline said you had an easy time.”
"Jessica smiled. “I don’t know if I would describe it that way, but that’s what Adele and Caroline tell me.”
"“I know you had your heart set on naming him after your father but I would really like to call him Zachary, Junior. You can name the next one William.”
"She laughed. “It may not be the right time to talk to me about another one.”
"“Can I hold him? Can I hold little Zachary?”
"Jessica held out the baby. Belk reached for it as Jessica said, “Even though she has your hair, I think she’d like it much better if we called her Amanda, after my mother.”
"Belk froze. He took a step back and dropped his arms. A look of disgust twisted his face. “It’s a girl?”
"“Yes, a beautiful, perfect little girl. She hardly cried at all. The first time they put her in my arms, I would swear she smiled at me.”
"Belk turned and almost stomped out of the room."
"Belk didn’t come home until after midnight. He stayed in his room for a few hours, but in the morning, he saddled up his horse again. He needed two things, a drink and a poker game. He set out at an easy canter. In town, he kept going, steering the horse toward the southwest road that led to Junction City. He didn’t want to spend his evening under the watchful eyes of people who might carry tales."
He went to Junction City to find his game, met a young blond, and skipped town with her after a few months of robbing hus wife of the proceeds of sale of her father's house. After hed left, Jessica found out the dire situation, and began by arranging to play the piano at church, give piano lessons there and also supply the milliners in town with handmade work. The pastor's daughter adored her and was ecstatic at the prospect of learning piano with her.
............
March 2, 2014
Jessica
Jessica is a story about romance, with a little adventure and mystery thrown in, and a good deal of history. Of course now I have to read Pillsbury Crossing, the second of three books in the 'Manhattan Stories', followed by 'The Cabin'!
Jessica is a story about romance, with a little adventure and mystery thrown in, and a good deal of history. Of course now I have to read Pillsbury Crossing, the second of three books in the 'Manhattan Stories', followed by 'The Cabin'!
January 27, 2015
Very sweet. And wholesome
A somewhat simplistic story. For those of you who like good wholesome stories, you will not be disappointed. No curse words no sex. Like floating on a cloud.
A somewhat simplistic story. For those of you who like good wholesome stories, you will not be disappointed. No curse words no sex. Like floating on a cloud.
September 11, 2015
Very nice story. Enjoyable read.
I really enjoy Mabry's style. Good stories with pleasant endings. Always hardships to overcome in between. Always a lesson to be learned.
I really enjoy Mabry's style. Good stories with pleasant endings. Always hardships to overcome in between. Always a lesson to be learned.
Read
January 31, 2015horrible!boring!! i had to quit reading it
January 21, 2017
Great Book!
I posted on Facebook.. To recommend it to all my friends and family. Wonderful book...I love Donna's style of writing.
I posted on Facebook.. To recommend it to all my friends and family. Wonderful book...I love Donna's style of writing.
March 9, 2020
The horrendous, all pervasive denigration of human female that's deeply rooted in abrahmic cultures and attitudes thereof is evident in the only label a book such as this would be receiving generally, or any other that's written by a woman, is about lives of women and has largely female readership. These are far from trivial books, quite often, and such lumping together gets them discarded away from serious consideration.
Yet they aren't the penny pocketbook romances largely read by the schoolgirls of half a century ago, but often enough have serious concerns of women's lives discussed, and often enough those of not just women. Shopaholic series was such an example, as is Devil Wears Prada.
Alcoholic dependence gets serious treatment, if not downright respectable consideration, because it's largely male problem, and isn't often considered one at all, so much so there had to be an organisation of Mother Against Drunken Drivers (or is it Mother Against Drunken Driving?), before judges would let such a driver go scot free after he'd run over a child. Judges were predominantly male, and understood the man was only drunk, and the mother of the child only a female getting hysterical. The very word hysterical merely means someone with a womb, so it was again a way to dump all females as unreasonable and unworthy of consideration.
As to Devil Wears Prada, anyone realise that the unreasonable, inconsiderate and demanding boss is merely no different from any other male boss in any other male profession, but is being caricatured because she's a she, and is in an industry that's more or less imposed on women, hence not respected, despite the huge profits made by the said industry's corporate owners, presumably male? Switch the story to a sergeant in marines riding young males rough, and it's no longer about someone ridiculous. Yet it's hardly likely that an editor of a magazine that guides trends in a several billion dollar industry could be, say, lackadaisical, or someone not taking work seriously?
............
This work portrays a serious concern or rather more than one, in form of a man who not only wouldn't take work or marriage or family seriously and demands being catered to as forthright, but is willing to go to any length - cheating, stealing, selling his baby, killing, and more - to get his next pleasure, and leaves a devastation around. Granted, most men aren't such rotten creatures, but when they are, there isn't much in form of social ostracisation, even, that they get as just desserts, much less the punishment they deserve.
Mainly such a creature is a vampire in all but physical terms, and again, it's only because they are male that they are coddled from birth onwards till they expect everything as their birthright.
Females have beaten out of them, on the other hand, not only possible socially undesirable faults such as laziness per selfishness, but also any serious aspirations such as quest of knowledge, more often than not - and West has the heritage of inquisition where being branded as a witch was the fate of any woman who had knowledge of any kind at all that males would prefer to keep as exclusive domain of theirs for trade considerations.
............
And, of course, the most visible and understood problem of women's lives that is most visible as depicted here is the immediately obvious one - the lottery that is marriage, where being unfortunate enough to get such a rotter for a husband ruins a woman, over and over, despite her being intelligent, beautiful, honest, hard working, and even endowed with a wealthy and protective father.
Society has changed a little since, laws have changed a tad, since the time period of this story. Reality? Not that much. Women are now allowed education, but mostly discouraged in West from science and medicine, at every stage. Women always did, and mostly had to, work hard, but get portrayed viciously if they achieve a corporate high position. If they arent lampooned as in Devil Wears Prada, they might be labelled as 'bad in bed' by male scientists of German ancestry working in Europe's equivalent of NASA who have no personal acquaintance with the said high profile woman corporate executive, but are merely making a joke when meeting a new bride of an old friend who also is a scientist. The joke is meant to put down the new acquaintance by pointing out to her, not too subtly, that she lacks the only possible equipment for universal respectability.
When this fails, the European can do racist stuff too, of course.
............
The book deals, of course, with a lot more, or it can be said it depicts more as background to the story, but really none of it is unimportant. There is the question of social classes, the wealthy and their servants. There is those honest suffering due to fault, mistakes or crimes of others, as honest dealers do when stock market crashes due to machinations of others and many more other than the guilty suffer as a consequence. There is the crucial question of women's finding a partner before their youth is lost, not only a question of losing attractive visage but life force itself and the joys of having a family of ones own with ones own children. There is the travails of relocating that so very many women went through, usually when their men did for one reason or another. There is the problems settlers in New places face, especially when the new places are less civilised than they are used to.
There is the U.S. West and the indigenous people fleetingly touched on - and still, fraudulently and falsely, called Indian, as if Indian is a label to be applied to every culture subjugated and vanquished by invading European hordes, not a distinct ancient culture, one related to an ancient land that crashed against the continent of Asia and rose as Himaalayan ranges higher than most of the earth.
............
First of the Manhattan series, this work begins with a marriage where a young intelligent woman marries a cheater, gambler, thief and worse, despite her father's warnings, because she'd rather not wait any longer, and hopes everything will fall into place with the marriage. As most often, it doesn't- Zachary Belk proves worse than they thought, Jessica faces the facts one after another, and manages, throwing him out and divorcing him when she discovers he'd stolen the emeralds that belonged to her mother.
Her father, William McCarthy, had secured his fortune for her with every caution so Belk would never have his hands on anything, even after Jessica's death.
But unfortunately she discovers she got pregnant from the rape after assault she suffered when she confronted him with the theft. She's dealing with it, only he discovers it too, and manages to convince her to keep the marriage and come out West with him to Kansas.
............
They arrive at Manhattan, Kansas, after she's dealt with disposal of her house in Manhattan. But Jessica and her motherly companion, cook and housekeeper Caroline are in for a shock - the house is far from town and quite halfway in need of care including some repairs. Zachary resumes being rude to Caroline, and isn't much better to the new neighbours either.
When Jessica doesn't wake up morning after arrival, Zachary is frantic worrying about the baby, and one begins to get a clue why he was changing colours enough to be nice to her and persuade her to nullify the divorce. Perhaps it's his chance to gain some property from a will?
............
Adele West, the neighbour across the street, visits Jessica when she sees her awake. She's already made friends with Caroline- Caroline is only working as a housekeeper because her own life fell apart when young, and she got attached to Jessica whom she'd birthed, after Jessica'smother died all too young.
"“You know, that first day, when you were sleeping, Adele came over and looked at you before the doctor even got here, and she told us almost exactly the same thing he did.”
"“That’s remarkable. Did you have medical training?”
"“Not formally. Not in a hospital or anything like that. Before we moved out of town to this house, I helped a midwife deliver a lot of babies and then delivered some without any help but the Lord’s, and of course, I had four of my own.”
"“That’s wonderful. It makes me feel so much better to know you’re right across the road if I need you.”
"“I’m so glad to have someone living here again. Helen Andersen was a wonderful neighbor and friend. It broke my heart that she died so young.”
"“Her husband was a distant cousin of my husband’s. That’s how we came to inherit the property when he died.”
"“Died? Jacob Andersen isn’t dead.”
"“I don’t understand. Zachary said--” Jessica leaned toward Adele. “Please tell me what you know about how Jacob Andersen came to leave this property.”
"“Jacob inherited this place from his father. It belonged to his grandfather before that. Helen came to live here after they married, about fifteen years ago. They never were blessed with children. After Helen died, he went a little crazy. If you ask me, he was carrying a load of guilt. He was never a very good husband. Helen did the best she could to keep the place up, but he was always too busy drinking and gambling with the trash in Junction City. He disappeared for almost a year, and when he came back to this area, he didn’t come back to the house. Last I heard, he’s living in a little rented shack in Junction City and working at a livery stable when he’s sober enough. He told some people that he went to New York and got cheated out of the deed to the house in a poker game.”
"Jessica slumped back in her chair, dropped her head, and closed her eyes. “I should have known. I wanted so much for my baby to have a father that I was willing to believe anything he told me.” She looked up at Caroline, tears welling in her eyes. “He’ll never change will he, Caroline?”
"“It doesn’t look like it, Jess. What are you going to do?”"
............
Jessica confronted him when he came home and visited her room as she rested.
"“Oh, Jessica, please try to understand. I don’t want it to be this way. I’ll try to do better. I really will. What do you want from me?”
"“I want what I’ve always wanted. I want you to work and earn a living for us. I want you to stay sober. I want you to stop gambling away what money we do have. I want you to take care of your family. I don’t care if you have to take a job at the livery stable cleaning out stalls.”
"Through clenched teeth, Belk said, “You surely can’t expect me to do menial labor?”
"“I expect you to do whatever you have to do to take care of your child. The money from selling Father’s house isn’t going to last forever. Coming out here wasn’t cheap, and buying everything we need to get settled in this house will cost a small fortune. I can be very frugal, but if the agent in New York can’t get someone to lease my place, in a few years we won’t even have money to buy food.”
"“I was going into town in the morning to look for a saddle horse. I’ve already been to every one of the businesses. There aren’t all that many, and none of them were interested in me, but tomorrow I’ll go again and see if someone else will talk to me. I’ll try, Jessica. I promise.”
"He went to her and leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. She turned her face away. He straightened up and looked at her as if he hated her. “So that’s the way it’s going to be?”
"“I’m afraid so.”
"“Now that you’ve recovered from the trip, I was thinking of moving into your bedroom, but I suppose that’s out of the question.”
"“We could hardly be having relations now.”
"“I was aware of that. I simply wanted to be closer to you.”
"“I can hardly stand to look at you, much less sleep next to you. No, if you really mean to get a job and act like an adult, if you prove yourself to me, then we’ll see if I can ever have feelings for you again.”
"“I’ll do my best, Jessica. I really will.”
"She nodded and looked away from him."
............
Zachary could only get a job selling men'swear, and wenypt to buy a saddle horse. He picked one.
"“He’s a mite temperamental. If’n you took him, I’d say keep a cut-up apple in your pocket ‘til he gets to know you. He’ll do ‘bout anything for a slice a’ apple.”
"“Thank you for your honesty, Mr. Snipes. I’m quite sure I can handle him.”
"“I wouldn’t let Mrs. Belk ride him. He’d be a bit too much for a lady.”
"“I doubt that Mrs. Belk will be up to riding for quite a while.”
"“Now, Mimi, she can handle any horse God put on this earth, so’s if it came to it, she could ride him.”
"“Thank you for the information. We’re quite satisfied with Juniper. I doubt Mimi would ever have occasion to ride my mount. In your opinion, is he sound?” Everett scratched his stubble.
"“Yes, sir, I’d vouch for that. Now, he won’t pull a wagon, like Juniper does. He’s strictly a saddle horse.”"
............
When the baby was imminent, Adele sent Mimi to tell Zachary and he came galloping.
"A shock of curly auburn hair showed. Belk was in rapture. He walked to the bed in a trance, staring at the baby. He leaned over and hesitantly touched the blanket.
"“He’s beautiful, Jessica, simply beautiful. Caroline said you had an easy time.”
"Jessica smiled. “I don’t know if I would describe it that way, but that’s what Adele and Caroline tell me.”
"“I know you had your heart set on naming him after your father but I would really like to call him Zachary, Junior. You can name the next one William.”
"She laughed. “It may not be the right time to talk to me about another one.”
"“Can I hold him? Can I hold little Zachary?”
"Jessica held out the baby. Belk reached for it as Jessica said, “Even though she has your hair, I think she’d like it much better if we called her Amanda, after my mother.”
"Belk froze. He took a step back and dropped his arms. A look of disgust twisted his face. “It’s a girl?”
"“Yes, a beautiful, perfect little girl. She hardly cried at all. The first time they put her in my arms, I would swear she smiled at me.”
"Belk turned and almost stomped out of the room."
"Belk didn’t come home until after midnight. He stayed in his room for a few hours, but in the morning, he saddled up his horse again. He needed two things, a drink and a poker game. He set out at an easy canter. In town, he kept going, steering the horse toward the southwest road that led to Junction City. He didn’t want to spend his evening under the watchful eyes of people who might carry tales."
He went to Junction City to find his game, met a young blond, and skipped town with her after a few months of robbing hus wife of the proceeds of sale of her father's house. After hed left, Jessica found out the dire situation, and began by arranging to play the piano at church, give piano lessons there and also supply the milliners in town with handmade work. The pastor's daughter adored her and was ecstatic at the prospect of learning piano with her.
............
Merged review:
The horrendous, all pervasive denigration of human female that's deeply rooted in abrahmic cultures and attitudes thereof is evident in the only label a book such as this would be receiving generally, or any other that's written by a woman, is about lives of women and has largely female readership. These are far from trivial books, quite often, and such lumping together gets them discarded away from serious consideration.
Yet they aren't the penny pocketbook romances largely read by the schoolgirls of half a century ago, but often enough have serious concerns of women's lives discussed, and often enough those of not just women. Shopaholic series was such an example, as is Devil Wears Prada.
Alcoholic dependence gets serious treatment, if not downright respectable consideration, because it's largely male problem, and isn't often considered one at all, so much so there had to be an organisation of Mother Against Drunken Drivers (or is it Mother Against Drunken Driving?), before judges would let such a driver go scot free after he'd run over a child. Judges were predominantly male, and understood the man was only drunk, and the mother of the child only a female getting hysterical. The very word hysterical merely means someone with a womb, so it was again a way to dump all females as unreasonable and unworthy of consideration.
As to Devil Wears Prada, anyone realise that the unreasonable, inconsiderate and demanding boss is merely no different from any other male boss in any other male profession, but is being caricatured because she's a she, and is in an industry that's more or less imposed on women, hence not respected, despite the huge profits made by the said industry's corporate owners, presumably male? Switch the story to a sergeant in marines riding young males rough, and it's no longer about someone ridiculous. Yet it's hardly likely that an editor of a magazine that guides trends in a several billion dollar industry could be, say, lackadaisical, or someone not taking work seriously?
............
This work portrays a serious concern or rather more than one, in form of a man who not only wouldn't take work or marriage or family seriously and demands being catered to as forthright, but is willing to go to any length - cheating, stealing, selling his baby, killing, and more - to get his next pleasure, and leaves a devastation around. Granted, most men aren't such rotten creatures, but when they are, there isn't much in form of social ostracisation, even, that they get as just desserts, much less the punishment they deserve.
Mainly such a creature is a vampire in all but physical terms, and again, it's only because they are male that they are coddled from birth onwards till they expect everything as their birthright.
Females have beaten out of them, on the other hand, not only possible socially undesirable faults such as laziness per selfishness, but also any serious aspirations such as quest of knowledge, more often than not - and West has the heritage of inquisition where being branded as a witch was the fate of any woman who had knowledge of any kind at all that males would prefer to keep as exclusive domain of theirs for trade considerations.
............
And, of course, the most visible and understood problem of women's lives that is most visible as depicted here is the immediately obvious one - the lottery that is marriage, where being unfortunate enough to get such a rotter for a husband ruins a woman, over and over, despite her being intelligent, beautiful, honest, hard working, and even endowed with a wealthy and protective father.
Society has changed a little since, laws have changed a tad, since the time period of this story. Reality? Not that much. Women are now allowed education, but mostly discouraged in West from science and medicine, at every stage. Women always did, and mostly had to, work hard, but get portrayed viciously if they achieve a corporate high position. If they arent lampooned as in Devil Wears Prada, they might be labelled as 'bad in bed' by male scientists of German ancestry working in Europe's equivalent of NASA who have no personal acquaintance with the said high profile woman corporate executive, but are merely making a joke when meeting a new bride of an old friend who also is a scientist. The joke is meant to put down the new acquaintance by pointing out to her, not too subtly, that she lacks the only possible equipment for universal respectability.
When this fails, the European can do racist stuff too, of course.
............
The book deals, of course, with a lot more, or it can be said it depicts more as background to the story, but really none of it is unimportant. There is the question of social classes, the wealthy and their servants. There is those honest suffering due to fault, mistakes or crimes of others, as honest dea
Yet they aren't the penny pocketbook romances largely read by the schoolgirls of half a century ago, but often enough have serious concerns of women's lives discussed, and often enough those of not just women. Shopaholic series was such an example, as is Devil Wears Prada.
Alcoholic dependence gets serious treatment, if not downright respectable consideration, because it's largely male problem, and isn't often considered one at all, so much so there had to be an organisation of Mother Against Drunken Drivers (or is it Mother Against Drunken Driving?), before judges would let such a driver go scot free after he'd run over a child. Judges were predominantly male, and understood the man was only drunk, and the mother of the child only a female getting hysterical. The very word hysterical merely means someone with a womb, so it was again a way to dump all females as unreasonable and unworthy of consideration.
As to Devil Wears Prada, anyone realise that the unreasonable, inconsiderate and demanding boss is merely no different from any other male boss in any other male profession, but is being caricatured because she's a she, and is in an industry that's more or less imposed on women, hence not respected, despite the huge profits made by the said industry's corporate owners, presumably male? Switch the story to a sergeant in marines riding young males rough, and it's no longer about someone ridiculous. Yet it's hardly likely that an editor of a magazine that guides trends in a several billion dollar industry could be, say, lackadaisical, or someone not taking work seriously?
............
This work portrays a serious concern or rather more than one, in form of a man who not only wouldn't take work or marriage or family seriously and demands being catered to as forthright, but is willing to go to any length - cheating, stealing, selling his baby, killing, and more - to get his next pleasure, and leaves a devastation around. Granted, most men aren't such rotten creatures, but when they are, there isn't much in form of social ostracisation, even, that they get as just desserts, much less the punishment they deserve.
Mainly such a creature is a vampire in all but physical terms, and again, it's only because they are male that they are coddled from birth onwards till they expect everything as their birthright.
Females have beaten out of them, on the other hand, not only possible socially undesirable faults such as laziness per selfishness, but also any serious aspirations such as quest of knowledge, more often than not - and West has the heritage of inquisition where being branded as a witch was the fate of any woman who had knowledge of any kind at all that males would prefer to keep as exclusive domain of theirs for trade considerations.
............
And, of course, the most visible and understood problem of women's lives that is most visible as depicted here is the immediately obvious one - the lottery that is marriage, where being unfortunate enough to get such a rotter for a husband ruins a woman, over and over, despite her being intelligent, beautiful, honest, hard working, and even endowed with a wealthy and protective father.
Society has changed a little since, laws have changed a tad, since the time period of this story. Reality? Not that much. Women are now allowed education, but mostly discouraged in West from science and medicine, at every stage. Women always did, and mostly had to, work hard, but get portrayed viciously if they achieve a corporate high position. If they arent lampooned as in Devil Wears Prada, they might be labelled as 'bad in bed' by male scientists of German ancestry working in Europe's equivalent of NASA who have no personal acquaintance with the said high profile woman corporate executive, but are merely making a joke when meeting a new bride of an old friend who also is a scientist. The joke is meant to put down the new acquaintance by pointing out to her, not too subtly, that she lacks the only possible equipment for universal respectability.
When this fails, the European can do racist stuff too, of course.
............
The book deals, of course, with a lot more, or it can be said it depicts more as background to the story, but really none of it is unimportant. There is the question of social classes, the wealthy and their servants. There is those honest suffering due to fault, mistakes or crimes of others, as honest dealers do when stock market crashes due to machinations of others and many more other than the guilty suffer as a consequence. There is the crucial question of women's finding a partner before their youth is lost, not only a question of losing attractive visage but life force itself and the joys of having a family of ones own with ones own children. There is the travails of relocating that so very many women went through, usually when their men did for one reason or another. There is the problems settlers in New places face, especially when the new places are less civilised than they are used to.
There is the U.S. West and the indigenous people fleetingly touched on - and still, fraudulently and falsely, called Indian, as if Indian is a label to be applied to every culture subjugated and vanquished by invading European hordes, not a distinct ancient culture, one related to an ancient land that crashed against the continent of Asia and rose as Himaalayan ranges higher than most of the earth.
............
First of the Manhattan series, this work begins with a marriage where a young intelligent woman marries a cheater, gambler, thief and worse, despite her father's warnings, because she'd rather not wait any longer, and hopes everything will fall into place with the marriage. As most often, it doesn't- Zachary Belk proves worse than they thought, Jessica faces the facts one after another, and manages, throwing him out and divorcing him when she discovers he'd stolen the emeralds that belonged to her mother.
Her father, William McCarthy, had secured his fortune for her with every caution so Belk would never have his hands on anything, even after Jessica's death.
But unfortunately she discovers she got pregnant from the rape after assault she suffered when she confronted him with the theft. She's dealing with it, only he discovers it too, and manages to convince her to keep the marriage and come out West with him to Kansas.
............
They arrive at Manhattan, Kansas, after she's dealt with disposal of her house in Manhattan. But Jessica and her motherly companion, cook and housekeeper Caroline are in for a shock - the house is far from town and quite halfway in need of care including some repairs. Zachary resumes being rude to Caroline, and isn't much better to the new neighbours either.
When Jessica doesn't wake up morning after arrival, Zachary is frantic worrying about the baby, and one begins to get a clue why he was changing colours enough to be nice to her and persuade her to nullify the divorce. Perhaps it's his chance to gain some property from a will?
............
Adele West, the neighbour across the street, visits Jessica when she sees her awake. She's already made friends with Caroline- Caroline is only working as a housekeeper because her own life fell apart when young, and she got attached to Jessica whom she'd birthed, after Jessica'smother died all too young.
"“You know, that first day, when you were sleeping, Adele came over and looked at you before the doctor even got here, and she told us almost exactly the same thing he did.”
"“That’s remarkable. Did you have medical training?”
"“Not formally. Not in a hospital or anything like that. Before we moved out of town to this house, I helped a midwife deliver a lot of babies and then delivered some without any help but the Lord’s, and of course, I had four of my own.”
"“That’s wonderful. It makes me feel so much better to know you’re right across the road if I need you.”
"“I’m so glad to have someone living here again. Helen Andersen was a wonderful neighbor and friend. It broke my heart that she died so young.”
"“Her husband was a distant cousin of my husband’s. That’s how we came to inherit the property when he died.”
"“Died? Jacob Andersen isn’t dead.”
"“I don’t understand. Zachary said--” Jessica leaned toward Adele. “Please tell me what you know about how Jacob Andersen came to leave this property.”
"“Jacob inherited this place from his father. It belonged to his grandfather before that. Helen came to live here after they married, about fifteen years ago. They never were blessed with children. After Helen died, he went a little crazy. If you ask me, he was carrying a load of guilt. He was never a very good husband. Helen did the best she could to keep the place up, but he was always too busy drinking and gambling with the trash in Junction City. He disappeared for almost a year, and when he came back to this area, he didn’t come back to the house. Last I heard, he’s living in a little rented shack in Junction City and working at a livery stable when he’s sober enough. He told some people that he went to New York and got cheated out of the deed to the house in a poker game.”
"Jessica slumped back in her chair, dropped her head, and closed her eyes. “I should have known. I wanted so much for my baby to have a father that I was willing to believe anything he told me.” She looked up at Caroline, tears welling in her eyes. “He’ll never change will he, Caroline?”
"“It doesn’t look like it, Jess. What are you going to do?”"
............
Jessica confronted him when he came home and visited her room as she rested.
"“Oh, Jessica, please try to understand. I don’t want it to be this way. I’ll try to do better. I really will. What do you want from me?”
"“I want what I’ve always wanted. I want you to work and earn a living for us. I want you to stay sober. I want you to stop gambling away what money we do have. I want you to take care of your family. I don’t care if you have to take a job at the livery stable cleaning out stalls.”
"Through clenched teeth, Belk said, “You surely can’t expect me to do menial labor?”
"“I expect you to do whatever you have to do to take care of your child. The money from selling Father’s house isn’t going to last forever. Coming out here wasn’t cheap, and buying everything we need to get settled in this house will cost a small fortune. I can be very frugal, but if the agent in New York can’t get someone to lease my place, in a few years we won’t even have money to buy food.”
"“I was going into town in the morning to look for a saddle horse. I’ve already been to every one of the businesses. There aren’t all that many, and none of them were interested in me, but tomorrow I’ll go again and see if someone else will talk to me. I’ll try, Jessica. I promise.”
"He went to her and leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. She turned her face away. He straightened up and looked at her as if he hated her. “So that’s the way it’s going to be?”
"“I’m afraid so.”
"“Now that you’ve recovered from the trip, I was thinking of moving into your bedroom, but I suppose that’s out of the question.”
"“We could hardly be having relations now.”
"“I was aware of that. I simply wanted to be closer to you.”
"“I can hardly stand to look at you, much less sleep next to you. No, if you really mean to get a job and act like an adult, if you prove yourself to me, then we’ll see if I can ever have feelings for you again.”
"“I’ll do my best, Jessica. I really will.”
"She nodded and looked away from him."
............
Zachary could only get a job selling men'swear, and wenypt to buy a saddle horse. He picked one.
"“He’s a mite temperamental. If’n you took him, I’d say keep a cut-up apple in your pocket ‘til he gets to know you. He’ll do ‘bout anything for a slice a’ apple.”
"“Thank you for your honesty, Mr. Snipes. I’m quite sure I can handle him.”
"“I wouldn’t let Mrs. Belk ride him. He’d be a bit too much for a lady.”
"“I doubt that Mrs. Belk will be up to riding for quite a while.”
"“Now, Mimi, she can handle any horse God put on this earth, so’s if it came to it, she could ride him.”
"“Thank you for the information. We’re quite satisfied with Juniper. I doubt Mimi would ever have occasion to ride my mount. In your opinion, is he sound?” Everett scratched his stubble.
"“Yes, sir, I’d vouch for that. Now, he won’t pull a wagon, like Juniper does. He’s strictly a saddle horse.”"
............
When the baby was imminent, Adele sent Mimi to tell Zachary and he came galloping.
"A shock of curly auburn hair showed. Belk was in rapture. He walked to the bed in a trance, staring at the baby. He leaned over and hesitantly touched the blanket.
"“He’s beautiful, Jessica, simply beautiful. Caroline said you had an easy time.”
"Jessica smiled. “I don’t know if I would describe it that way, but that’s what Adele and Caroline tell me.”
"“I know you had your heart set on naming him after your father but I would really like to call him Zachary, Junior. You can name the next one William.”
"She laughed. “It may not be the right time to talk to me about another one.”
"“Can I hold him? Can I hold little Zachary?”
"Jessica held out the baby. Belk reached for it as Jessica said, “Even though she has your hair, I think she’d like it much better if we called her Amanda, after my mother.”
"Belk froze. He took a step back and dropped his arms. A look of disgust twisted his face. “It’s a girl?”
"“Yes, a beautiful, perfect little girl. She hardly cried at all. The first time they put her in my arms, I would swear she smiled at me.”
"Belk turned and almost stomped out of the room."
"Belk didn’t come home until after midnight. He stayed in his room for a few hours, but in the morning, he saddled up his horse again. He needed two things, a drink and a poker game. He set out at an easy canter. In town, he kept going, steering the horse toward the southwest road that led to Junction City. He didn’t want to spend his evening under the watchful eyes of people who might carry tales."
He went to Junction City to find his game, met a young blond, and skipped town with her after a few months of robbing hus wife of the proceeds of sale of her father's house. After hed left, Jessica found out the dire situation, and began by arranging to play the piano at church, give piano lessons there and also supply the milliners in town with handmade work. The pastor's daughter adored her and was ecstatic at the prospect of learning piano with her.
............
Merged review:
The horrendous, all pervasive denigration of human female that's deeply rooted in abrahmic cultures and attitudes thereof is evident in the only label a book such as this would be receiving generally, or any other that's written by a woman, is about lives of women and has largely female readership. These are far from trivial books, quite often, and such lumping together gets them discarded away from serious consideration.
Yet they aren't the penny pocketbook romances largely read by the schoolgirls of half a century ago, but often enough have serious concerns of women's lives discussed, and often enough those of not just women. Shopaholic series was such an example, as is Devil Wears Prada.
Alcoholic dependence gets serious treatment, if not downright respectable consideration, because it's largely male problem, and isn't often considered one at all, so much so there had to be an organisation of Mother Against Drunken Drivers (or is it Mother Against Drunken Driving?), before judges would let such a driver go scot free after he'd run over a child. Judges were predominantly male, and understood the man was only drunk, and the mother of the child only a female getting hysterical. The very word hysterical merely means someone with a womb, so it was again a way to dump all females as unreasonable and unworthy of consideration.
As to Devil Wears Prada, anyone realise that the unreasonable, inconsiderate and demanding boss is merely no different from any other male boss in any other male profession, but is being caricatured because she's a she, and is in an industry that's more or less imposed on women, hence not respected, despite the huge profits made by the said industry's corporate owners, presumably male? Switch the story to a sergeant in marines riding young males rough, and it's no longer about someone ridiculous. Yet it's hardly likely that an editor of a magazine that guides trends in a several billion dollar industry could be, say, lackadaisical, or someone not taking work seriously?
............
This work portrays a serious concern or rather more than one, in form of a man who not only wouldn't take work or marriage or family seriously and demands being catered to as forthright, but is willing to go to any length - cheating, stealing, selling his baby, killing, and more - to get his next pleasure, and leaves a devastation around. Granted, most men aren't such rotten creatures, but when they are, there isn't much in form of social ostracisation, even, that they get as just desserts, much less the punishment they deserve.
Mainly such a creature is a vampire in all but physical terms, and again, it's only because they are male that they are coddled from birth onwards till they expect everything as their birthright.
Females have beaten out of them, on the other hand, not only possible socially undesirable faults such as laziness per selfishness, but also any serious aspirations such as quest of knowledge, more often than not - and West has the heritage of inquisition where being branded as a witch was the fate of any woman who had knowledge of any kind at all that males would prefer to keep as exclusive domain of theirs for trade considerations.
............
And, of course, the most visible and understood problem of women's lives that is most visible as depicted here is the immediately obvious one - the lottery that is marriage, where being unfortunate enough to get such a rotter for a husband ruins a woman, over and over, despite her being intelligent, beautiful, honest, hard working, and even endowed with a wealthy and protective father.
Society has changed a little since, laws have changed a tad, since the time period of this story. Reality? Not that much. Women are now allowed education, but mostly discouraged in West from science and medicine, at every stage. Women always did, and mostly had to, work hard, but get portrayed viciously if they achieve a corporate high position. If they arent lampooned as in Devil Wears Prada, they might be labelled as 'bad in bed' by male scientists of German ancestry working in Europe's equivalent of NASA who have no personal acquaintance with the said high profile woman corporate executive, but are merely making a joke when meeting a new bride of an old friend who also is a scientist. The joke is meant to put down the new acquaintance by pointing out to her, not too subtly, that she lacks the only possible equipment for universal respectability.
When this fails, the European can do racist stuff too, of course.
............
The book deals, of course, with a lot more, or it can be said it depicts more as background to the story, but really none of it is unimportant. There is the question of social classes, the wealthy and their servants. There is those honest suffering due to fault, mistakes or crimes of others, as honest dea
January 3, 2015
Strength in family and friends help them survive.
Enjoyed this book. Jennifer comes from a wealthy family. At 21 she feels need to marry Zachary and start a life of her own. Her father wisely warns her of the nature of Zachary need and greed of money. He wisely wills her money and house Zachary can not take away. The Black Friday 1869 gold crash has hurt his family badly. They struggle to keep appearances. Zachary has gambling addiction. This hurts his family and New marriage. Fortunately Jessica's father has a will to protect her best he can. Zachary's parents split up and he is now trying to care for his depressed dad also. He's also critical that at 2years there is no baby yet. However he has no compassion for the blended family. He is a poor provider and this results in Jessica filing for divorce. But it will take a year for it to be final. Zachary agrees for a pay off to get out of her life but leaves his ailing father behind. With the help of a devoted servant of her father's house Jessica gets by. But like a bad penny Zachary returns and learns Jessica is pregnant. He convinces his father and her to a new start in Kansas. He agrees hire farm help, a young Indian girl. He is too good for dirty farm work. He is displeased the baby is a girl. Again his gambling and drinking lead him wrong. Stealing the last of the inheritance he runs off with a saloon girl and soon word comes he is dead. The misfit group pulls together to bring in money and food daily to survive. Life improves and new love grows with the Pastor. But shockingly Zachary is not dead and returns again!
Enjoyed this book. Jennifer comes from a wealthy family. At 21 she feels need to marry Zachary and start a life of her own. Her father wisely warns her of the nature of Zachary need and greed of money. He wisely wills her money and house Zachary can not take away. The Black Friday 1869 gold crash has hurt his family badly. They struggle to keep appearances. Zachary has gambling addiction. This hurts his family and New marriage. Fortunately Jessica's father has a will to protect her best he can. Zachary's parents split up and he is now trying to care for his depressed dad also. He's also critical that at 2years there is no baby yet. However he has no compassion for the blended family. He is a poor provider and this results in Jessica filing for divorce. But it will take a year for it to be final. Zachary agrees for a pay off to get out of her life but leaves his ailing father behind. With the help of a devoted servant of her father's house Jessica gets by. But like a bad penny Zachary returns and learns Jessica is pregnant. He convinces his father and her to a new start in Kansas. He agrees hire farm help, a young Indian girl. He is too good for dirty farm work. He is displeased the baby is a girl. Again his gambling and drinking lead him wrong. Stealing the last of the inheritance he runs off with a saloon girl and soon word comes he is dead. The misfit group pulls together to bring in money and food daily to survive. Life improves and new love grows with the Pastor. But shockingly Zachary is not dead and returns again!
April 11, 2015
Jessica (the heroine) is the daughter of a self-made millionaire; her life is a picturesque idea of how Manhattan (especially the Upper East Side) looked in the mid 1800s. As much as Jessica loves her father, she fears that she'll spend forever as a lonely old maid because he's the only single person left in her group of friends. Her fear of being alone is what convinces her to marry a despicable man named, Zachary Belk. Her father warns her, but Jessica hopes that love may change him.
After her marriage, Jessica's life takes a complete upturn. Her marriage is terrible, her husband is a monster and life is continually bleak for her. Not only that, but she's transported from Manhattan, NYC to Manhattan, Kansas! I loved how human Jessica was painted -- she made mistakes, but they were realistic.
I loved how Jessica went from being a cautious, wallflower to an empowered woman. It focused not only on self-empowerment, but female friendship and the unconditional love of family. Even though there were quite a few characters, I truly felt that all their storylines were wrapped up neatly.
Zachary Belk successfully made his way onto my list of worst fictional males! :P
The writing was sweet, but simplistic; almost as if you were peering into someone's ancient memories.
Something that bothered me were the grammatical errors. They were often very distracting and rudimentary. I understand that there's no editor with self-publishing, but I think the work should have been assessed prior to publishing.
After her marriage, Jessica's life takes a complete upturn. Her marriage is terrible, her husband is a monster and life is continually bleak for her. Not only that, but she's transported from Manhattan, NYC to Manhattan, Kansas! I loved how human Jessica was painted -- she made mistakes, but they were realistic.
I loved how Jessica went from being a cautious, wallflower to an empowered woman. It focused not only on self-empowerment, but female friendship and the unconditional love of family. Even though there were quite a few characters, I truly felt that all their storylines were wrapped up neatly.
Zachary Belk successfully made his way onto my list of worst fictional males! :P
The writing was sweet, but simplistic; almost as if you were peering into someone's ancient memories.
Something that bothered me were the grammatical errors. They were often very distracting and rudimentary. I understand that there's no editor with self-publishing, but I think the work should have been assessed prior to publishing.
February 28, 2015
Jessica tells the story of Jessica McCarthy, a wealthy young woman, who marries a man she doesn't love and doesn't even like, to fit the social standards of her time which required marriage for a woman. Fortunately, her father takes safeguards in her marriage and in his will to safeguard her inheritance. She is a strong, intelligent woman who is not beaten down by her husband's infidelities and gambling problems. I felt great admiration for her in divorcing him in that day and time. However, shortly after the divorce, she finds out she is pregnant, and allows her ex-husband back into her life to try to give the baby a father, and they move to Manhattan, Kansas to live in a house her husband has won through cheating a person at cards. Although, he falls back into old patterns and causes her to become nearly destitute, Jessica finds ways to survive and go forward. The book takes place in the early 1900's and portrays vividly the stock market crash and it's effect on so many people, including the wealthy. My favorite part of this novel was the character of Jessica---a very admirable woman who acted with intelligence and strength in a day when this was not expected of women.
March 9, 2015
I have to admit I stopped reading this book when I realized Jessica was portrayed as a perfect Christian wife who seemed to accept her philandering worthless husband whom she knew was just that before she married him but thought she should marry him anyway because no one else had asked and in her time a woman has to be married. Her father warns her, she insists when she has children that will somehow make up for all her marriage lacks. He is marrying her for money and status, and her father knows it and so does she. I'm sure she gets herself above all this but the way it is written I just lost interest in this woman who seems to have no unkind or selfish thoughts, let alone deeds, and I could not relate to her at all, allowing herself to be used as she is.
I may go back and finish it. I was excited that there are more books in this series. But right now I need to read about a strong woman who makes decisions for her well being above a lousy husband.
I may go back and finish it. I was excited that there are more books in this series. But right now I need to read about a strong woman who makes decisions for her well being above a lousy husband.
March 9, 2015
I love historical fiction and was excited to read this one in particular because my grandmother grew up in rural Kansas. I liked the writing style but I had an odd thing happen: I was more interested in the secondary characters than the protagonist. Spoiler alert: Jessica was a total doormat and while the author tried to tell us that she was a strong woman...no. Her actions were weak. Her husband who basically bankrupted her to get divorced came back and asked her to leave with him and she actually went?! Pregnant or not, that was pathetic. Then she doesn't freak out when her ex shows up after everyone believes he's dead the night before her wedding to a good man. She had no reaction at all. Total doormat/robot. There was no depth to her at all! I also felt like the whole last 1/3 of the book was ridiculous. I found myself not caring what happened to Jessica because she sucked so much. I wish we could have heard more about Caroline or Father Belk or Mimi.
June 13, 2015
As with Maude this book is "ok". It was a little hard to watch Jessica putting up with her worth less husband and coming back for more and more of his nonsense. You would think that most women would never take him back after he left the first time. What I found most confusing was that Jessica showed how strong she was when she had to provide for her and those she lived with. She was the epitome of a strong woman. But, when her husband came along the second and third time she was the weakest woman ever! That definitely was hard to read.
And of course there was the ever predictable "happy ending". I debated for a hot minute as to whether I wanted to read the three remaining brooks in this series and decided there are too many really good books out there to settle for average.
And of course there was the ever predictable "happy ending". I debated for a hot minute as to whether I wanted to read the three remaining brooks in this series and decided there are too many really good books out there to settle for average.
March 8, 2015
Just not developed
The writing was not so bad, but the character development was. The main character, Jessica, acts in a manner inconsistent with her education and life - she marries against her father's will, to a man who she knows is a scoundrel, because she is afraid of being an old maid at age 25. She is incredibly wealthy, and lives independently from the beginning of her marriage, but she keeps taking back her cheating, abusive spouse, whom she has no feelings for - and never had. Multiple times. And her husband just won't go away. The characters felt wooden, and I formed no attachment to them. The end was predictable - everything tied up with a bow.
The writing was not so bad, but the character development was. The main character, Jessica, acts in a manner inconsistent with her education and life - she marries against her father's will, to a man who she knows is a scoundrel, because she is afraid of being an old maid at age 25. She is incredibly wealthy, and lives independently from the beginning of her marriage, but she keeps taking back her cheating, abusive spouse, whom she has no feelings for - and never had. Multiple times. And her husband just won't go away. The characters felt wooden, and I formed no attachment to them. The end was predictable - everything tied up with a bow.
April 9, 2015
Closer to 2.5 stars. I didn't really like it, but I did finish reading it and I didn't despise it either so that is something. It is almost written like a melodrama with our heroine, Jessica, and a dastardly devil, Zachary. The only difference is the heroine pulls herself up by the boot straps every time the dastardly devil takes her down. I wanted to like the story of a strong woman, but she is too naive. The writing wasn't that great either. Too detailed in places and states the obvious too much. This is available from the Kindle Lending Library and is the first of a series. I won't be reading the rest.
April 1, 2016
Jessica (The Manhattan Stories Book 1)
A good storyline which shows a resilient woman and explores her life during the Great Depression. Women did not have the right to vote. They couldn't work outside the home or seek employment without permission from their husbands. What a hard life for Jessica once she met and married that scoundrel Belk. It's a worthy read because she has to use all resources to get around these obstacles during those years of poverty. Although the story starts to slow down a bit in the middle, the characters came to life for me. I gave this book 3*** because of the typos.
A good storyline which shows a resilient woman and explores her life during the Great Depression. Women did not have the right to vote. They couldn't work outside the home or seek employment without permission from their husbands. What a hard life for Jessica once she met and married that scoundrel Belk. It's a worthy read because she has to use all resources to get around these obstacles during those years of poverty. Although the story starts to slow down a bit in the middle, the characters came to life for me. I gave this book 3*** because of the typos.
March 8, 2016
What a bore!
I can't believe I finished this oh, so predictable story! Jessica marries a known cad and - surprise! - he treats her badly. Just as I think I might respect her for creating an independent life, she decides to try again with him and heads to an unknown town in Kansas. Gee, What could possibly go wrong? Despite her stupid choices with this man, Jessica is a saintly, too-perfect character: she is talented, loved by all, and, except when it comes to her husband, never makes mistakes. When tension is introduced into the story and you think, "Finally! Something interesting is happening!", it is too quickly resolved and things go back to boring.
I can't believe I finished this oh, so predictable story! Jessica marries a known cad and - surprise! - he treats her badly. Just as I think I might respect her for creating an independent life, she decides to try again with him and heads to an unknown town in Kansas. Gee, What could possibly go wrong? Despite her stupid choices with this man, Jessica is a saintly, too-perfect character: she is talented, loved by all, and, except when it comes to her husband, never makes mistakes. When tension is introduced into the story and you think, "Finally! Something interesting is happening!", it is too quickly resolved and things go back to boring.
January 18, 2017
Jessica was an outstanding depiction of the true strength of women even before they had civil rights. This would be a good read for women who have had to make it on their own with very few resources.i can relate to some of the events This would be a good read for a book club. I would encourage my daughters and others to read this. The marriage of the two seniors was a surprise. Since I read the cabin first it helped explain some history in this series to me.
Jessica was an outstanding depiction of the inner strength of women at a time when they were considered property and of course had no civil rights. Excellent read for women in these Trumped up times.
Jessica was an outstanding depiction of the inner strength of women at a time when they were considered property and of course had no civil rights. Excellent read for women in these Trumped up times.
February 12, 2015
The proof reader let the author down.
Historical fiction is more effective for me to remember than a textbook with facts and dates. I can relate to the characters' basic needs and emotions because they are so similar to what I have experienced 100 years later.
Maybe I expect the best of everyone because that's the way my own heart is. It's the nature I was given and my parents nurtured.
Read this book to find out what happens when a hateful husband holds his wife to the vows the preacher read on their wedding day,from the bible in the book of Ruth.
Historical fiction is more effective for me to remember than a textbook with facts and dates. I can relate to the characters' basic needs and emotions because they are so similar to what I have experienced 100 years later.
Maybe I expect the best of everyone because that's the way my own heart is. It's the nature I was given and my parents nurtured.
Read this book to find out what happens when a hateful husband holds his wife to the vows the preacher read on their wedding day,from the bible in the book of Ruth.
March 30, 2015
Jessica
It must seem to those who read my reviews that I have given 5 Stars to all the books that I have read! I only give 5 Stars if I believe it is worth the read, this was a wonderful story of a young woman who grew up in a well do family, married a man who never loved her and stole from her! After she was a very independent woman,she learned to take care of herself in more ways than you can imagine. Please read about her life and see for yourself what a great book this is.
It must seem to those who read my reviews that I have given 5 Stars to all the books that I have read! I only give 5 Stars if I believe it is worth the read, this was a wonderful story of a young woman who grew up in a well do family, married a man who never loved her and stole from her! After she was a very independent woman,she learned to take care of herself in more ways than you can imagine. Please read about her life and see for yourself what a great book this is.
February 18, 2015
Another great book! I found myself drawn to the main character (Jessica) in so many ways. Such a bright, talented, courageous woman with a good head on her shoulders. Her husband, however, I can't say the same about. Throughout this book I constantly was pulled between her kicking him out, and then finally her moving to Kansas (later finding out he tricked her into moving there) but was the best decision of her life. It gives you a lesson in that, good things do truly come to those who wait!
March 4, 2015
This book was ok
This not usually the type of book I would normally read but it has a good storyline and interesting characters. The reason I gave it the stars I did was because even though it wasn't a page Turner which is the type of book I love it took me longer to read it. I can usually read a book in a day or two. But what I liked about this book is the author created a strong female main character
This not usually the type of book I would normally read but it has a good storyline and interesting characters. The reason I gave it the stars I did was because even though it wasn't a page Turner which is the type of book I love it took me longer to read it. I can usually read a book in a day or two. But what I liked about this book is the author created a strong female main character
March 11, 2015
A joy to read!
With all the unfortunate turns in Jessica's life, her strength and determination for happiness and success win out and serve as an example that you can make lemonade out of your lemons. It was very refreshing to be able to read and enjoy a story without bad language and sex. Her life story about her grandmother in the book "Maude" was deeply moving and led me to "Jessica".
With all the unfortunate turns in Jessica's life, her strength and determination for happiness and success win out and serve as an example that you can make lemonade out of your lemons. It was very refreshing to be able to read and enjoy a story without bad language and sex. Her life story about her grandmother in the book "Maude" was deeply moving and led me to "Jessica".
July 23, 2016
Wonderful story and characters
This will go down in my list of most favorites. If her stories could only be longer and not feel so chopped off I think
they would be famous for all time. I appreciate the price, but would pay more. I usually won't buy a book this short;
After reading Maude I put this author on my must read list. Of course Maude couldn't have the happy ending I would
liked fleshed out more. I was so happy God gave her romantic love to a good man (Jessica).
This will go down in my list of most favorites. If her stories could only be longer and not feel so chopped off I think
they would be famous for all time. I appreciate the price, but would pay more. I usually won't buy a book this short;
After reading Maude I put this author on my must read list. Of course Maude couldn't have the happy ending I would
liked fleshed out more. I was so happy God gave her romantic love to a good man (Jessica).
September 5, 2013
Zachary pissed me off so bad that I wanted to strangle him through the page of my kindle. But then when he went away, the story got boring.
The story wasn't bad. I liked the setting. The errors were terrible. Some of the errors were so bad, none of the sentences made sense. The time that it took place was in the late 1800's but one of the typos was 1990. Really? Talk about killing my mood...
The story wasn't bad. I liked the setting. The errors were terrible. Some of the errors were so bad, none of the sentences made sense. The time that it took place was in the late 1800's but one of the typos was 1990. Really? Talk about killing my mood...
October 5, 2014
Gripping Storyline
I loved the contrast between the glitzy world of one-stop market crash Manhattan, NY and the almost settled Manhattan, KS. I found myself surprised at how enterprising and strong Jessica was. The plot was well thought out. The book was badly in need of another pass by a proofreader, but all in all it's a great story.
I loved the contrast between the glitzy world of one-stop market crash Manhattan, NY and the almost settled Manhattan, KS. I found myself surprised at how enterprising and strong Jessica was. The plot was well thought out. The book was badly in need of another pass by a proofreader, but all in all it's a great story.
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