Which man will win this pretty schoolmistress’s heart? Read FREE in Kindle Unlimited to find out!When Daisy Jackson applied for the role of Rattlesnake Ridge’s new schoolmistress, she may have omitted a few important details, like her young age and lack of teaching experience. And it certainly doesn’t help that the town council holds her mixed-ethnicity against her, too.Luke Rockford fell head … against her, too.
Luke Rockford fell head over heels the very moment he laid eyes on Daisy, but he wasn’t the only one. His rival, Deputy Grant Watson also set his sights on the pretty teacher. The arrogant lawman is accustomed to getting what he wants, even if he has to bend the rules to claim it, from the job promised to Luke to any woman in town.
With so much to do before the school year begins, Daisy hardly knows which way to turn. Can she put down roots and fall in love before the town council runs her out of Rattlesnake Ridge?
If you like strong female characters, cheeky cowboys, and dastardly deputies then you’re sure to enjoy reading Coming from California. Get your copy to learn which man wins Daisy’s heart!
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Daisy is half-Chinese, half-white. When she arrives in town to be the first teacher of a brand new school, she never dreams she would have two men vying for her attention; one a hard-working cowboy, the other a deputy sheriff. Enjoyed the story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Daisy is a half Chinese, half Caucasian young woman from San Francisco who is taking a job as a school teacher in Nevada. Because of her biracial status, she had had a hard time finding a job in the city. She didn’t disclose her racial status or her young age when she applied for the job, so she was fearful that they might send her packing back to California. While she runs across some with prejudice, she is soon approved to be the teacher by the town council. Just moments after she arrives in town, she looks out the window from her boarding house, and a handsome cowboy shouts up a compliment. Daisy is a little insulted to be spoken to in such a way, but she soon comes to realize how decent and honorable Luke really is.
The book is mostly about this lovely and very sweet romance between Daisy and Luke. To add interest, there is another man who is interested in her as well who is not as much of an upstanding character as Luke. There’s also a mystery around who murdered an assayer in Reno. Luke also has his own story arc about what he may do as a profession and legacies given or left for him.
I read the first book in the series and enjoyed it, in part because I grew up in California and we often went to Nevada for vacations. I’ve been to Reno, Tahoe, and Virginia City, so it is fun to read a story that harkens back to the old days in those towns. I like how the author introduced a small recurring about prejudice. From what I understand, it was certainly a real issue for people who were Chinese or of Chinese descent back in the old west. While it wasn’t a huge overarching theme, it did come up more than once, especially in the beginning and surprisingly at the end. To have this theme woven in in such a way is a gentle reminder for us to look at our own prejudice, the way we treat people whom we perceive as foreign, and the laws that those in power may adopt to codify misunderstanding and hatred. Now, just because I’ve gotten all heavy right here, don’t think that the author played this with a heavy hand because she doesn’t. It is actually well integrated and feels very contextual for the characters, the plot, and the times.
If you are a fan of Mark Twain, you will appreciate the author’s tip of the hat to him in the person of the town’s newspaperman. I won’t spoil it for you, but it did make me chuckle to see how the author added this little Easter egg.
The book did have a few strange little issues with grammar, punctuation, and usage, including one rather bizarrely punctuated and broken-up paragraph of dialogue that jarred me a little bit.
However, I enjoyed what is truly a sweet, gentle, slow-burn romance. The first parts of the book might feel too slow to you if you’re used to fast-paced writing, but I enjoyed the characters so much that I didn’t mind the slow pace or the slow burn. Since I have read the first book, I appreciated seeing some of the characters that I knew from the first book again. That’s one of the beauties of a well-done series. I loved Miz May from the last book, and I learned a lot more about her here. They are definitely some delightful new characters as well, and I enjoyed that there were actually two romances in this book that came to fruition. I have become quite enchanted with the good people of this town, so I am looking forward to the next installment of the series.
The second in the Rattlesnake Ridge series, this book follows Miss Daisy, the new schoolteacher, and Luke, apparently a jobbing cowboy, but really a Civil War hero and a gentleman. The bones of the story are good, and it’s fabulous to see the back of – no wait, that would be a spoiler … Put it this way, anyone that’s read the first book will be pleased to see the departure of a much disliked character. I just found the story hugely slow; a tough editor would have elevated it to a more enjoyable read. It’s definitely not on my read-again pile.
I received an advance copy of this book.
It’s a story that’s well worth reading. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s easy to read with good character development.
My free opinion. Thanks.
Miss Daisy Jackson was assisted into the cramped stagecoach heading for Rattlesnake Ridge where she would be the new school teacher. A rude middle-aged man was the only other passenger. She introduced herself, trying to be friendly, and said she would be the new teacher. But he asked if the mayor was aware she was Chinese, then pointedly ignored her!
When Daisy arrived in town, she was taken to Miz May’s Boarding House. May was also Chinese and the two women got along well. Her room was very accommodating, but she opened the window to let in some air. Cattle were being driven down the street heading to the railroad. Her breath caught when she saw a handsome, black-haired cowboy. He looked up at her and addressed her as ‘beautiful’, so she hastily moved away from the window to unpack her belongings, thinking about his smile.
Luke Rockford laughed at his best friend’s insinuation about chasing the woman. She didn’t seem like the type who would appreciate being chased. When they rode back to the bank to get paid, he saw her again and teased her, loving to watch how outraged she got at him. The teller in the bank would not give the two cowboys their money, saying Mr. Garrett had to authorize the amount and he was out until the next day. Deputy Grant Watson, who had stolen Luke’s deputy job when he went off to fight in the Union Army, came up to bully them, but Luke wouldn’t rise to his baiting. The deputy was Mr. Garrett’s nephew, so the promise to Luke that his job would be waiting was just a lie.
At supper in the boarding house, Daisy was introduced to Luke Rockford and Jack Hollis. She was told Luke was a Captain and a hero who had saved many lives. Jack was his Sergeant. The more she got to know Luke, the more she wanted to know about him.
Luke is fascinated by the beautiful, intelligent school teacher and he wants to get to know her better. If the gold nuggets he and Jack had found amount to anything, he just may be able to provide for a wife. But Deputy Grant Watson has also noticed the pretty teacher and he always gets what he wants. Which man will the lady choose? And how far will the men’s rivalry go?
This was such a wonderful story! The characters were very well presented so that the reader knew what kind of person each was, their values and morals, whether they were worthy of respect. The story line was strong and gave the reader good insight into the difficulties each had faced, again showing the strength of each character. This makes them come alive and seem more real to the reader, which gives us a very exciting story when both men want the same woman. The author expertly navigates the reader through the exciting story. You won’t want to miss this one!
This is a well written sweet historical romance that holds your attention. This book was a joy to read and it keeps you turning the pages to see what happens next. I received an ARC copy of this book and all opinions expressed are my own.
Good story. Glad to see some characters from the previous book.
The new characters were well done and their mystery just enough to add interest.
Well done.
Lovely Story!
A young lady is hired as a teacher and arrives to take up her position but the schoolhouse is not yet built and she has to wait until it is completed before she can begin to teach.
She is beautiful and as a result attracts attention of the male population, but overall, she is popular and made welcome by the majority of people there.
And she make many friends.
The story takes off from there and she finds that one young man who is giving her a lot of attention is someone that she would like to know better, but there is a bit of rivalry for her attentions…….
This is such a nice and well written story that I loved it for its sweetness, honesty and wit and I would happily recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.