Petticoat Ranch
by Mary Connealy
Published by Barbour
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Reviewed by Jamie Driggers
Sophie and her girls know how to manage without a man around, thank you very much. And when Sophie's deceased husband's brother shows up to care for them, his ideas about what the girls should be doing run contrary to her way of thinking. As the new little family struggles to find balance in expectations and duties, they must also work together to save the family ranch. The question is, can each of them put away their pride long enough to see the value in what the other is doing?
In this historical novel set in 1860's Texas, Sophie is one feisty chick ahead of her time. She stands up to the men and doesn't take any flack. Unfortunately for her new husband, Clay, he's a traditional kind of guy and has not a clue about women. The struggle between these two is almost painful to read as they have so much to overcome in order to succeed. The marriage of convenience seems more than a little inconvenient for all involved parties and the characters have so much baggage, you may feel little hope that things could possibly improve.
The thing that gives this novel life is the addition of characters that seem to have little to do with the main plot. One cannot really tell if they are good or bad or otherwise as they have their own issues, but as all is revealed, the theme of "all things work together for good" holds true.
Armchair Interviews says: If you are looking for strong women in tough circumstances, this book is for you.