Susan Spence

This is the story of young Sky (Skylark) Daly, a young woman living on a ranch in Montana at the height of the cultural revolution we call the Hippie Movement. It was a time of massive change in this country - for young people, for people of color and especially for women. But not in rural areas. (Living in a rural area of Montana I'm not sure it has gotten here yet.) Sky wants nothing more than to work on the ranch her family has owned for generations. She is the first born but she is not the first born male. She idolizes her father, hates her mother and reveres a great grandfather she knows only through family tales. She has a PLAN and it's going to keep her ranching until it doesn't - then what?

The book follows Sky as she goes to California to try and track down and old boyfriend. She meets a group of "long hairs" there but fails to bring her friend back. She storms home and then manages to storm through life rarely stopping to think about anything or anyone but herself. She hates her mother - never gives a thought to anything her mother might be feeling and all that is wrong in Sky's life is everyone's fault but Sky's. Her father is her idol until he proves he is just a man and yet it's still her mother's fault - not his. Her mother's reaction to a tragedy is bizarre to say the least and the book devolves from there.

None of the characters are particularly likable, the plot rambles along and yet for some reason I kept reading to find out what happens. Sky and her boyfriend/lover Will research her family history and don't learn much. The bad guys come, the bad guys go. Sky never really changed or matured. I really can't figure out what compelled me to keep reading; aggravation? Annoyance? Wanting to see Sky grow? I don't know.… (plus d'informations)

The Story of the West by Susan Spence is a historical novel that takes place in the American West in the later 1880's. It is about Matt Daly who is in town one day for supplies and see's the woman he will marry, Lavina. They marry, have children and are very happy on the ranch until a ruthless neighbor who wants the Daly's ranch and water rights. As in the old west things are settled with a gun and Matt becomes a fugitive from the law, everyone thinks he is dead and he was told that his family was dead also. So on the run he is until he comes across an Indian who helps him get back on the road to recovery. Lavina does the only thing she can do. She sells the cattle and moves back home with her parents along with her children. Tragedy strikes and Lavina almost dies from a fever. Needless to say, things do work out for Matt and Lavina, but not without loss.

This is a story that does not have a lot of dialogue but that does not detract from the story. A very descriptive tale of love and loss, a sweet romance. I am not usually a fan of westerns but I really enjoyed this story. It moved right along and I even learned a bit about cattle ranching in the old west at that. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves to read historical fiction and also loves a good old fashioned love story.… (plus d'informations)

Stop by my blog for an author giveaway of this book.

http://silversolara.blogspot.com

Roping cattle, trading horses, living in log cabins, cooking on a wood-cook stove, an all-purpose store in town...... you will experience all of this as you turn the pages.

A STORY OF THE WEST follows Matt Daly, the owner of the D Rockin' D cattle ranch, through cattle drives and through his daily life and gives a wonderful explanation of a cowboy's life at home and his travel from one open field to another rounding up cattle. I enjoyed the account of how the towns sprung up and how folks knew exactly where to put saloons and all-purpose stores to help the West become populated. The description of the stores, the ranches, and the daily life was very vivid and made you feel as though you were experiencing all of it along with the characters.

Life in the 1880's included the difficulties of cooking, bathing, and staying warm in the winter. This life was a lot of hard work and also a difficult life for the citizens as the West was being developed, but all of this was a part of a settler’s daily living. You will also be a part of Lavina and Matt’s love story as well as the life of the rough cowboys and gunfights in the lawless towns. You will vicariously live through all of this and enjoy the story through the great depiction by the author.

Ms. Spence did a wonderful job recreating the development of the West and portraying what family life was like during the 1800's. The story had suspense, colorful characters, and interesting facts that kept you reading. Matt Daly’s story, along with all the people he met, was merged in a very engaging way throughout the entire book.

I thoroughly enjoyed A STORY OF THE WEST. We should all be interested in how our country was developed and be thankful for these pioneers that lead the way and for their taking the brunt of all the work and determination to create towns that were the beginning of what we have today.

American history buffs will be delighted with all these accounts. And.....remember....this is "how the West was won" and how our country grew. 5/5… (plus d'informations)

A Story of the West is a fascinating Western Historical fiction novel that is filled with a richly detailed history of the 1880s Wild West mixed with the tenderhearted romance of a cowboy and his lady. The storyline is well written, the author does a wonderful job of researching and providing the reader with a story that reads like a history lesson of how the West was settled, and balances it nicely with the romance between Matt and Lavina.

The story follows the life of Matt Daly, a cowboy who is a cattle rancher in the Montana Territory. The story mixes flashbacks with the present time in Matt's life. Matt meets the lovely young Lavina Lavold, when her family comes west from Illinois to settle in the territory as the new owners of a mercantile store in Cedar Junction. The author does a great job of weaving a story filled with fascinating details about cattle roundups, riding the range, cattle rustlers, territorial property fights, gunfights and a love affair. A Story of the West engages the reader and transports them back to the Wild West of yesteryear, where hard work and good hard living was the norm for our ancestors.

As a history buff, I absolutely loved the detailed history that the author provided in the novel. Instead of just giving the reader a typical western romance, the author provides an authentic look at what life was like for the cowboys and settlers of the West back in the 1880s. As I read the chapters, I could visualize the prairie landscape, the horses and livestock, the rustic western towns, the period clothing, and the variety of people who settled in the West. Who doesn't love a story that has a good looking, fun loving, hard working cowboy in it? I think the author does a wonderful job of balancing the story with the tenderhearted romance of Matt and Lavina.

Western Historical fiction fans, A Story of the West is a must read! You will get your fill of the history about the 1880s Wild West and a wonderful little cowboy romance to boot, it won't leave you disappointed!

Disclaimer: I received a Kindle edition of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event.

Virtual Book Tour Event: On Monday, May 7, 2012, in association with Pump Up Your Book! Virtual Book Publicity Tours, author Susan Spence participated in a virtual book tour event with an Author Guest Post on Jersey Girl Book Reviews.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/05/author-guest-post-susan-spence...

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/05/story-of-west-by-susan-spence....… (plus d'informations)