Wishes On Water

Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I have read!!!
Review: I just finished reading this book, I thought it was one of the best books I have read in a long time. I reccomend this book to anyone. It is worth reading it!! I didn't know if I would like it at all, but once I started I couldn't stop reading it.
Take your chance and read this book!!!

Rating:
Summary: Spellbinding Book!
Review: I NEVER read romance. I've just never enjoyed the genre, but I picked this one up (despite the cover) while on vacation. I may have to eat my words about romance but I really loved this story. I was hooked by the third or fourth chapter and was irritated anytime I had to lay it down.

The relationship between the two main characters, Sadie and Mac, was honestly one of the best I've ever read. They didn't just look at each other and fall in love, but they developed a realistic relationship that led to some smoldering encounters. The kids were great, not at all cutesy. Best of all, I was suprised by the twist and turns in the story.

If anyone asks I'll tell them that I loved this book because it's a historical, and honestly, I did enjoy learning more about the Sioux and how the settlers scrambled to live. The Sioux's story about broke my heart, but helped me understand the historical context a little more.

This book is a keeper! I'd recommend it to anyone. My husband just finished reading it and said that he was surprised by how entertained he was.



Rating:
Summary: A real page-turner!!!
Review: I thought this book was excellent! The first half was about Mac & Sadie, and their reluctance to love one another. I can completely relate to her feelings of inadequacy. I wondered what could make up the second half of the book, because, by the middle, they were happily married.

Naturally, her dead husband wasn't so dead, and came back to torment her, but that wasn't what made the book for me.

The Indian massacre was dreadful. Just reading and getting a mental image of what happened was shocking. I was thrilled when I got to the author's note and discovered it was a true story. Afterwards, I did some minor research, and found that almost everything in the book was truth. All the names, except for Mac & Sadie, and their little family, were straight from the pages of Iowa History. I was amazed at how the author integrated her love story into such a horribly REAL event. And, according to what little I read, she did it with eerie accuracy.

Hats off to Dana George. A wonderfully written book! I highly recommend it to any lover of historical romances.

Rating:
Summary: fine western romance
Review: In 1856 after being in Kansas City Samuel "Mac" MacCallister returns home to Lake Okoboji, Iowa after being away for four months. His neighbor and best friend Rowland Gardner informs Mac that he "lent" his cabin to Sadie Pritchard, a widow with a child recovering from smallpox and another small son.

Instead of grieving for her abusive husband, with her child recuperating and the other on healthy, Sadie thinks the world is looking good though she knows she will need a home by winter when this Mac returns. However, when Mac arrives he allows Sadie to stay for now while the lad continues to heal, but once he does he expects her to join the next wagon train west. Mac does not trust women since his former wife hurt him, but admits the pretty Sadie is good with her kids and his baby. As they fall in love, a small band of Sioux begin a quest that will lead to bloodshed.

WISHES ON WATER is a fine western romance starring two delightful protagonists whose previous respective relationships left each of them with negative feelings towards marriage. The story line contains two major subplots with the romance and intermingling of the families being the prime one while the confrontation between the Sioux-white settlers the other. Though the latter is well written especially from the Indian perspective, that seems more like unnecessary angst and suspense that takes away from the fabulous principal plot. Still sub-genre fans will treasure Dana George's strong historical.

Harriet Klausner


Rating:
Summary: The worst romance I have ever read!
Review: Set in the 1850's. When "Mac" returns to his home after an extended trip, he finds that his neighbors have lent his home to a widow with children suffering with small pox. (I believe). He has a infant daughter as well. Of course, he is upset, but he quickly becomes attracted to "Sadie" and loves her children. They decide to marry so that all the children will have a family.

After they marry, Sadie's dead husband shows up and threatens to blackmail her, and she ends up shooting him, while Mac is off getting supplies.

At this point, I thought the story was taking an exciting turn, as it had been a slow read up to that point. Unfortunately, the next events include graphic torture scenes as the Indians raid homes and kill men, women, and children along the river. Sadie's children manage to hide, and Sadie is taken prisoner, along with several other women. Of course, we have to read the graphic killing a several of them. Of course, Mac comes back, rescues his children and then finds Sadie. But by that time, all her neighbors are rotting carcasses.

This review is not very clear, but I guess my point is, if you are looking for a happy sweet romance, I wouldn't recommend this book. It may be historically accurate, but it is sickening. The killing of the children in particular made me want to vomit.

When I finished the book, I tore off the back cover, so I could remember the name of the author and then took the rest of the book out to the garbage can.

Please don't waste your time reading this book!!