Meggie's Remains...Review

About the book:
Meggie's Remains is a romantic suspense unlike any other. Meggie struggles with far more than meeting the man of her dreams. In fact, she's scared to death when she does. This story could happen to any woman, in any time. It is you. It is me. It is private ... but must be told.

Afraid of men, afraid for her sins, afraid for her sanity, and right now afraid for her life, Meggie McMurphy flees Boston once the fiendish terror--so long stalking in her nightmares--surfaces in the light of day. She escapes west to Denver in the wild Colorado Territory, hoping to lose herself among the multitude of townsfolk. The year is 1874.


Twenty-five years old, alone, and near penniless, Meggie struggles to find honest work and to keep the dark secrets of her past just that: a secret. Not so easily done when the handsome, foreboding westerner Ethan Rourke, stumbles upon her on a snowy Denver street. Why it's as if he'd stepped right out of the pages of her beloved romance,
Jane Eyre! Safe to encounter such a man on the romance page, it is certainly unsafe, even deadly, for her to encounter such a man in the flesh. Men belong ... six feet under, six feet away ... where to stay safe, the devil must stay!

Hired as a teacher, not in Denver, but in an isolated mountain town in rugged Ute country, Meggie is determined to make a home for herself in Hot Sulphur Springs. There she keeps up her masquerade as Rose Rochester, yearning for a normal life--for companionship and even love--all the while knowing it's only a matter of time until the monstrous changeling from her nightmares will find her, killing any possibility of a life at all.


Raised in an orphanage, abused by the matron and one of the orphanage's benefactors, Meggie believes herself to be unworthy of love. She escapes to a convent and there discovers joy in teaching. When the man who assaulted her shows up one day at the convent, Meggie flees to the west and finds a teaching position in rugged Colorado. Haunted by her past experiences, Meggie struggles to create a new life for herself, but finds love and friendship in the rugged Colorado territory. When her past meets her present, she is able to face it once and for all.

This was a slow starter for me. I actually kept setting it down with the intent of not finishing it, but I finally did. It took me awhile to really like Meggie. As you get into the story and learn the back story and Meggie's history, it finally all comes together and makes sense. But, before that history is revealed and you understand that there are true horrors in her life, the woman comes across as completely nuts. However, the effects of any abuse are far reaching, and Ethan finds himself at once drawn to her and confused by her.

The tie in to Jane Eyre works as you get into the story and understand what has happened to Meggie to make her grasp onto the fantasy of Jane and Edward, and why she can draw strength and inspiration from her beloved novel.

Some readers may want to be aware that there is a description of a rape scene which is inherent to the story line. There is also some sensuality and a mild pre-marital sex scene, although nothing overtly graphic.

An interesting, historical read and one that I am sure will resonate with many people, even if I wasn't one of them.

Thanks to Dorothy Thompson of Pump Up Your Book Promotion and the author for the opportunity to review this book. You can learn more about Joanne Sundell here. You can find additional tour stops and reviews here. You can purchase your own copy here.

Read 9/09

* *
2/5 Stars


Comments

  1. This sounds like an emotional book. I think I would have to be in the right mood to read it.

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  2. Sorry this wasn't one that won your heart. It sure sounds interesting.

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  3. It does sound interesting but that's probably because the review is so well written...probably better than the novel!

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