The Damsel's Intent
by Mary Davis
Series: The Quilting Circle #3
Series Rating:
Published by Mountain Brook Ink
Publication Date June 2, 2020
Genres: Historical Fiction, Western, Clean Romance
Setting: Washington Gilded Age – US – 1875 – 1900
Main Character Ages: 18-24, 25-34
Written for: Adults
Pages: 289
Synopsis:
Can Nicole learn to be enough of a lady to snag the handsome rancher?
Washington State 1893
Nicole Waterby has lived her whole life in the hills away from town due to her grandfather’s mistrust of people. But now he’s passed away, and Nicole is left to care for her two younger cousins. Feeling inadequate to handle the responsibility, she heads down the mountain to fetch herself a husband. She doesn’t realize women don’t wear trousers, buckskins, or carry a gun. She has a lot to learn about being a lady if she’s going to catch a husband. And the quilting circle is just the group of women to help her.
Rancher Shane Keegan has drifted from one location to another to find a place to belong. He longs to have a family of his own but feels doomed to live a life alone. When Nicole crosses his path, he wonders if he can have love, but he soon realizes she’s destined for someone better than a saddle tramp. Even though he knows there’s no future for him with the intriguing mountain girl, he still steps in to help her at every opportunity.
Will love stand a chance while both Nicole and Shane try to be people they are not?
I received a complimentary copy of this book. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.
Also in this series: The Widow's Plight, The Daughter's Predicament, The Débutante’s Secret
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While not a completely new concept – the woman who grew up away from civilization – Mary Davis makes it fresh and new in The Damsel’s Intent. I really appreciated that she didn’t make Nicole out to be completely inept and unable to fit into society because of her isolation. In fact, I was pleased with how bright and adaptable Nicole was even though some of the subtleties of society were hard for her to grasp. And, honestly, they should be hard for us to grasp!
Nicole was delightful! I could relate so well to her falling in love with dresses and finery and yet regretting having to leave her buckskins behind – not that I’ve worn buckskins but I’m sure leggins come close! The deep love for the young boys she knew as her cousins was super sweet. And those cousins were so cute!
I remember Shane from The Daughter’s Predicament. I loved his reaction to first meeting Nicole and the way he just couldn’t get her out of his mind! How he kept finding himself in town yet again, hoping for a glimpse of her. And then the way he provided for her needs in his gentle, unassuming way. Aww!!
One of my favorite scenes was where his attraction to Nicole was so overwhelming to him that he developed a tic under his eye. Oh, and when he was at the sheriff’s house! So funny!
It was a little disappointing the reason he was on his own and what had caused him to be so squeamish about blood wasn’t explained …
Although several of the events played out as I expected, there were several surprises along the way. I have really enjoyed the stories in The Quilting Circle series! And Aunt Henny’s story is coming out in 2021. I can’t wait!
Some details just didn’t add up. Nothing that detracted from the story – it was delightful – yet with the isolation they had and the reading Nicole had done, she had to be aware that she wasn’t a boy – or at least that she was different from her cousins… wouldn’t she?
I do want to note that though this sweet, clean romance is listed on Amazon as Christian fiction, I would consider it to be Inspirational fiction instead.
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About Mary Davis
MARY DAVIS is a bestselling, award-winning novelist of over two dozen titles in both historical and contemporary themes. She has five titles releasing in 2018; “Holly & Ivy” in A Bouquet of Brides Collection in January, Courting Her Amish Heart in March, The Widow’s Plight in July, Courting Her Secret Heart September, & “Zola’s Cross-Country Adventure” in MISSAdventure Brides Collection in December. She’s a member of ACFW and active in critique groups.
Mary lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband of over thirty-three years and two cats. She has three adult children and two incredibly adorable grandchildren.
Be sure to join her Facebook reader’s group to stay up to date with what she is writing.
