I thought this was an ok story... I read about 2 years ago. 3 stars. ( )

I thought this was an ok story... I read about 2 years ago. 3 stars. ( )

Vonnie Taylor and Adam Baldwin have loved each other for years. In fact they married 7 years before this story begins but had it annulled within hours when Vonnie got cold feet. There was bitter hatred between their fathers, and Vonnie feared news of her marriage to Adam might tip it into a blood feud.

For seven years things have moved placidly along, feelings and hopes neatly buried beneath long hours of hard work. Now, things are changing. Adam's father has arranged a marriage between Adam, his eldest son, and the daughter of an adjoining rancher, Beth Baylor, which will unite the two ranches and allow him to see grandchildren before he dies. Just after this announcement, Vonnie's father dies and her grief-stricken mother loses her grip on reality.

The story slowly and carefully unearths feelings and truths long buried. It is obvious that neither Beth nor Adam are enthusiastic about their impending marriage, and during her engagement Beth grows increasingly unhappy. At the same time the bond between Adam and Vonnie becomes increasingly revealed as strong and vibrant. There are some lighthearted moments that are beautifully drawn as when Vonnie and Adam take their midnight ostrich ride. As time goes on, Vonnie comes to realize that when Adam marries Beth, she will have to sell her ranch and move away. This part of the tale is the strongest, though having survived a love triangle I did not find it particularly entertaining.

The weakest link is the mystery which is threaded through the story. Frightful things happen at Vonnie's ranch. Some of them are attributable to the villain of the piece, but others are never explained (at least not to my satisfaction).

In short, I had mixed feelings about this story. ( )