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To School a Cowboy
is the first
published novel by Oklahoman Susan Shay. She
has penned an excellent work of romantic fiction, set
in the
present day, following
the relationship between a handsome cowboy and a schoolteacher with a
shady past. Ms. Shay's novel also
confronts
the gritty issue of child sexual abuse in a realistic, yet poignant
way—without
being preachy or heavy-handed.
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Synopsis:
The story begins with Julia Seymour, a new teacher in the town
of Carson, Oklahoma, recognizing the need for local children to have a
safe place to stay during the summer holidays. Her landlord,
Boone Dalton, agrees that she might hold a day camp at his property,
and his seven-year-old daughter Annie is an enthusiastic participant,
along with many other children from Carson. Julia is happy
too—the more time she spends with the children, the less she thinks
about her harrowing past, which has left her emotionally scarred and
unable to trust.
Boone is soon attracted to Julia, and Annie adores her. But his
tenant seems curiously skittish. After Boone asks a private
investigator to look into her past, he learns a shocking revelation—one
that directly impacts his daughter and the other children of
Carson. What he does with this information will change Julia’s
life forever.
When Annie is placed in grave danger by Boone’s selfish ex-wife, Julia
has a chance to prove her worth. Does she have any hope of
outrunning her past and landing in the arms of the faithful and
forthright cowboy she has come to love? When the good people of
Carson are asked to make a decision, Julia learns that she may be able
to trust again, after all.
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Impression:
The author of To School a Cowboy, Susan Shay, uses her
knowledge of ranch life to good effect in this book. The
settings, portrayed as slices of small town Oklahoman life, feel
authentic and are never intrusive. When she describes the rugged
landscapes outside of Carson, or the drug store in town or Boone’s
working ranch, the words come alive, creating pictures that draw the
reader into the story—as the following quote illustrates:
“Together they walked across
the dirt road toward a shack, which was exactly the color of the
surrounding trees. Several white beehives stood to one side and,
farther back, a hen house. On the other side was a garden filled with
flowers. Everywhere she looked, profusely blooming roses climbed
ramshackle fences.
As they stopped on the small
front porch, the door opened. Through the torn and mended screen, she
saw a woman so old it was hard to tell where one wrinkle stopped and
another one started. Her hair, thin and white, looked like a bit of
lint from a clothes dryer.”
It is the characters themselves who provide the fine dramatic heart of
this novel. From handsome cowboy Boone Dalton to the lovely
Granny Glee we soon feel as though we know the people who live in
Carson. They become our friends, our neighbors, our ex-wives and
husbands, all described in loving detail by the author. Even
unlikeable characters, like Boone’s ex-wife Stacy, are given the chance
to grow. When Stacy discovers that Annie is in danger, she is
capable of acting decisively to protect her daughter.
Of course, no romance novel would be complete without a promise of a
loving relationship. Though they feel an immediate
attraction to each other, both Julia and Boone, because of past
experiences, have to learn to trust again. As they get closer, we
are cheering them on because we believe they are right for each
other—almost before they know it themselves. The author weaves
the story skillfully, leaving us hoping and doubting right to the very
end whether Boone and Julia will succeed in overcoming the
odds.
Ms. Shay unflinchingly portrays the menace of childhood sexual abuse,
and its terrible aftermath. We feel Julia’s fear—both for her own
safety and the little girl she has grown to love. The author
gives us a compelling portrait of a courageous survivor who is
determined not to let the same thing happen to anyone she cares about.
I give this novel, eight out of ten campfires.
RATING: 8
Campfires
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