Vintage's Reviews > Silver Lining

Re-read
I'ver read too many stinkers lately and wanted a palate cleanser.

Bumping this to four stars for such an awesome heroine. Down to earth, sensible without being boring, and really a joy to read.

Why can't authors write more female characters like Low Down instead of the desperate, spineless doormats we see too often?

FIRST REVIEW

Low Down’s threat to a man sick with smallpox in order to make him live...

This one's eyes were closed and she wasn't sure he was breathing until she shook him and saw his chest heave. Leaning to his ear, ignoring the weeping sores and the stench, she whispered, "Can you hear me, you worthless no-good worm? This is Martha, your first wife. I'm waiting for you, you spineless lazy chunk of pig offal. Go on and die so we can be together for all eternity." His breath hitched and a shudder of recoil ran through his body. She decided that he might just make it.

On her wedding night...

”I told you already that I did this before a long time ago. I didn't like it much, and I wasn't good at it, so don't get your expectations up. Just do what you have to do and don't dawdle around.”

To the evil OW..

"To tell you the truth, I don't know why I'm trying to help you. You're about as worthless a person as I ever met. But I'm here for the duration. I guess tending sick folks or folks in pain is a flaw in my character. Now do you want to know what's happening to you, or not?"

Not a perfect book, romance or whatever, but the heroine shows flashes of brilliance and the hero is smart enough to open his eyes to what his ex is really like.


PLOT
The h saves what is left of the men in gold rush town from small pox. The men are horrified when all she asks for in payment is a baby as the h looks a little rough. The priest strong-arms the h and H into a MOC despite the fact he is engaged.

Uneven story as their romance progresses from there. The H eventually falls for the heroine and the evil OW ups the ante on awfulness. The H is furious initially about being deprived of his fiancee, but as events unfold he realizes it was a gift. The evil OW's dialogue and inner thoughts are out there and enteratiningly OTT.

(view spoiler)[ So bad even her doting father wants nothing to do with her. (hide spoiler)]