Dear Lady

Rating:
Summary: Dear Lady
Review: Dear Lady is the story of Lady Elizabeth Wellington, an English woman in her twenties. She comes to America in 1897 to escape an arranged marriage to Perceval Griffith, Lord Altberry. Lady Elizabeth, having no family of her own, turns to the only good friend she has left, ten year old Janie, whom she had written to but never met. Janie lives in Montana with her father on his ranch.
Elizabeth becomes the schoolteacher for New Prospects, the nearby town, and begins a new life in the small town which is surrounded by mountains. As life goes on, the mayor shows a respectful interest in Beth, or Miss Wellington, as all but one of her students endearingly call her. Yet Beth finds herself falling in love with the mayor's friend; Janie's father. Their hidden pasts, which are brought to the present, and the often unthinkable actions of Beth's friends and enemies surprisingly expose who her heart really belongs to.
I really enjoyed this book because of all the emotions it activated in me. Dear Lady made me feel angry at some characters, shocked at many actions and situations, helpless to change a situation that I knew was wrong, although later on it turned out for good, and made me ache at both sad and joyful parts. Also, there is always some action going on; there are no boring sections anywhere in this book. This is probably the best book I've ever read, and I have read a fair share for one my age. Anyone who appreciates a good emotional romance about faith with action involved will relish this amazing story of unexpected love.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful read!
Review: Determined not to marry a man she didn't love, Lady Elizabeth Wellington jumps a ship to America to run away from a marriage which her recently deceased father had arranged. Her lone friend in America is her young pen pal, Janie Garrett, in New Prospects, Montana. Remembering that Janie had recently said the town needed a new school teacher, Lady Elizabeth travels to New Prospects and applies for the job. The town's wealthy banker, Owen Simpson, immediately falls in love with Lady Elizabeth. She, however, has her eye on the widowed father of young Janie. Fast and enjoyable read. Get all your chores done, sit out on the swing, and lose yourself in New Prospects, Montana and love.

Rating:
Summary: Fast and Enjoyable Read
Review: Set in 1897, Lady Elizabeth Wellington leaves her native England for New Prospects, Montana, home of her ten-year old pen pal, Janie Steele. In one of her letters, Janie mentioned the town needed a schoolteacher. To avoid an arranged marriage, Beth arrives on the doorstep of Janie and her widowed father, Garret Steele. Garret loves his daughter, but is determined not to become emotionally involved with Beth because of unresolved feelings for his deceased wife. Parts of the book are letters to her friends, Mary Malone and Inga Linberg, with whom she traveled to America (Hatcher tells Mary's story in In His Arms and Inga's story in Patterns of Love.) The letters provide insight to Beth's feelings for handsome, but emotionally aloof, Garret Steele, and the persistent mayor, Owen Simpson.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. It was a fast, and enjoyable read. I especially found Beth's letters to her friends a creative substitute for "girl talk." Because Beth is new in town, and English to boot, she is lacking female companionship throughout the story. Some events in the story were not given proper attention; for example, a marriage in the story felt underdeveloped and rushed. Despite this, I enjoyed reading Dear Lady enough to investigate the other books in the series. 4.25/5

Rating:
Summary: Fast and Enjoyable Read
Review: Set in 1897, Lady Elizabeth Wellington leaves her native England for New Prospects, Montana, home of her ten-year old pen pal, Janie Steele. In one of her letters, Janie mentioned the town needed a schoolteacher. To avoid an arranged marriage, Beth arrives on the doorstep of Janie and her widowed father, Garret Steele. Garret loves his daughter, but is determined not to become emotionally involved with Beth because of unresolved feelings for his deceased wife. Parts of the book are letters to her friends, Mary Malone and Inga Linberg, with whom she traveled to America (Hatcher tells Mary's story in In His Arms and Inga's story in Patterns of Love.) The letters provide insight to Beth's feelings for handsome, but emotionally aloof, Garret Steele, and the persistent mayor, Owen Simpson.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. It was a fast, and enjoyable read. I especially found Beth's letters to her friends a creative substitute for "girl talk." Because Beth is new in town, and English to boot, she is lacking female companionship throughout the story. Some events in the story were not given proper attention; for example, a marriage in the story felt underdeveloped and rushed. Despite this, I enjoyed reading Dear Lady enough to investigate the other books in the series. 4.25/5

Rating:
Summary: Dear Lady
Review: With Dear Lady, Robin Hatcher debuts her new "Coming to America" series of entertaining novels showcasing three different women who came to America to start new lives for themselves. Dear Lady is set in the big-sky country of Montana in the 1800s. Beth Wellington finds that the past she sought to flee, isn't easy to escape, even in a brand new country. Circumstances force secrets into the open, sometimes brining hearts together in unlikely ways, and sometimes tearing them apart. A very highly recommended historical romance, Dear Lady is wonderfully entertaining from first page to last and will leave the reader eagerly looking forward to the next book in this thrilling new series.