Read this Book: Within My Heart

I received a package from Bethany House today with three new books and realized I'd better get on the ball in telling about the previous books I have received.

Within My Heart by Tamara Alexander is the story of widowed ranch wife, Rachel Boyd living in Colorado Springs in 1877.  Her husband had been killed a few years before and she has been doing the best she can to make her ranch a success and raise her two sons.  Rachel is struggling.  In spite of a steady market for the beef she raises, the harsh winters have taken their toll on her cattle herds.  Even working dawn to dusk and beyond, Rachel can barely keep up with the neverending toil of both the house and the ranch.  She is constantly exhausted but the loyal support of her faithful friends, Ben and Lyda Mullins,  helps immensely.  When Ben Mullins, proprietor of Colorado Springs general store,  has a heart attack, Rachel is there to help he and Lyda as he recovers.  Unfortunately this puts Rachel in the path of a man she dislikes, the town doctor, Rand Brookston.

Now you know this is probably a romance so I won't bother to tell you that Rachel discovers that Rand is not as bad as she first thought.  And I don't want to tell you that Ben has congestive heart failure and no chance of eventual recovery cause that part might make you cry.

So I think I'll just stop here and let you read the book yourself.  It is part of a series, but it won't take you long to fill in the missing bits because I know if you're reading this blog--you're a smart and discerning reader!