Saving Susannah Jones by Carolyn Twede Frank
Book Description:
In the still of a cool Colorado evening, the Circle J Ranch house burns to the ground, leaving Susannah Jones and her two brothers orphaned and homeless. Embittered by the tragedy, Susannah’s older brother grows increasingly cruel, leading Susannah to make the difficult choice to leave the last of her family behind to forge a new life for herself. It is the kindness of Dr. Kate, the woman physician in town, as well as a chance meeting with a rugged homesteader that give Susannah the strength she needs to escape.
When Joseph Iverson encounters the harassed young woman on his land one day, he has no thought but to provide the assistance she so clearly needs. Overcoming his shyness, he takes Susannah under his wing and agrees to a marriage of convenience to liberate her from her brother. As the pair works side by side, their mutual admiration deepens. But their happy existence is threatened all too soon by a series of “accidents” on the farm. With danger looming ever closer, Susannah and Joseph must discover who is bent on their destruction before the life and marriage they’ve built together goes up in flames.
Review:
It wasn't until I was getting my review of Saving Susannah Jones ready that I realized it is a sequel to Heart of the West. It has been a year since I read the first book in this series, and Saving Susannah Jones can definitely be read as a stand alone novel. Looking at it now I can see I may have felt a little more connection to some supporting characters had I read the books closer together, but I didn't feel lost at all while I read.
I was drawn into the story right away, and really felt for Susannah. She was forced as a young woman to raise her baby brother when her mother died, and she didn't get love and support from her father and other brother. She was basically a servant in her own home. Just as the relationship with her father seemed to improve, he was killed in a house fire. Susannah decided to run away in order to be free from Stanley's heartless and selfish ways.
The circumstance in which Susannah and Joseph met (well, the second time) really endeared Joseph to me. He demonstrated his good character many times throughout the novel.
The second half of the book didn't hold my attention as well as the beginning. Maybe it was because the initial issue had been basically resolved and the new issue felt a little soap opera-ish.
The story ended somewhat abruptly. The lack of resolution of both the new issue and the fate of some of the characters was disappointing.
Title: Saving Susannah JonesAuthor: Carolyn Twede Frank
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: January 2019
ISBN: 1524405833
Source: I received an eCopy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Purchase: Amazon
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