“Set in a Colorado mining town, this moving historical novel spins the yarn of three generations of women. Nealie Bent is only seventeen during the heyday of gold mining. She is courted by staid, solid Charlie Dumas, but rejects him in favor of dashing Will Spaulding. When Nealie becomes pregnant, Will skips town, and she accepts Charlie’s offer of marriage. Tragedy leaves Charlie a single father, and he raises Pearl with utmost devotion but very protectively. Pearl’s life in the beautiful Bride’s House Charlie bought for her mother is utterly smothering until she takes matters into her own hands, binding together a deep secret and a trip to Europe. The third part of the book focuses on Pearl’s daughter, Susan, growing up in wartime and caught between two men trying to claim her attention. Each woman in this book has her own distinct character and her own battles to fight. I was probably fondest of Pearl and her story, but Susan’s story also won my heart. I love the setting in the rugged mountains of Colorado. Dallas evokes each era for us so that we can picture mud streets, rustic mining cabins and the increasingly aging Bride’s House. Each romance is sweet and heartbreaking in its own way. A good read if you enjoy historical fiction and easy reads that aren’t just fluff.”—Amanda, Paulina Springs Books, with locations in Sisters and Redmond, OR
Face Out
The Bride's House by Sandra Dallas
June 18, 2011