“I am going to kill him!” Grace said as she raised the ax high over her head and down with all her strength.
”I loved this book. Barbara has a wonderful way of developing characters and weaving real historical events through their lives. I couldn't put it down. I can't wait for the next book!”
”I just finished the book...WOW, I couldn’t put it down. I am recommending it to our Book Club. I was very excited to see that the story will continue on into a second book. Looking forward to its release. Hope it’s soon. If you enjoy Historical Fiction, I think you will love this book.”
In the year 1797 Grace, an educated woman meets Alexander Monet, a Canadian. They marry in St. Louis and settle in St Charles, the last town west of the Mississippi. Too late she realizes she is married to a man imprisoned in bouts of drinking that turn mean. She decides to leave him, but before that happens, he promises to quit and does. She meets Agatha, who becomes her best friend and is a native of St. Charles. Her parents were befriended by their neighbors, the Osage Indians before they were pushed out. Agatha introduces Grace to Hannah, an almost “lady of the night” who left Scotland and finds her way here as co-owner of the Canard Inn. Rosa is the last to join this unique group of strong-willed and free-thinking women. She is a half breed Comanche/African captured by pirates off the coast of Mexico and sold into slavery out of New Orleans.
These unique women are far ahead of their time. They are not afraid to ask big questions about life. They create an exclusive group under the guise of a gathering to sew, affectionately calling it the Sowing Circle. Sewing does happen along with many questions that are sown like seeds. They risk being accused of blasphemy. That doesn’t frighten them, but they are more afraid of being called witches in a time when people are still murdered for such.
After several years of happiness, Alex disappears without a trace. She waits for him for four years before deciding to join her parents living on the Mississippi in New Madrid. While waiting in Cape Girardeau for repairs of the boat she is traveling on, she is standing with her friend on the sidewalk talking. A bearded man dressed in animal skins rides by them. Her mind screams “Alex” as she watches him pass by on a huge black horse. When she begins to run after him shouting his name and begging him to stop, he never looks back. He merely continues to ride out of sight and out of her world the second time. He had to have heard her. It appeared everyone else had. When her friend, Florence caught up with her, she told her she looked like she had seen a ghost. Grace said she must have, and if so, it would not be the first time. She began to cry.
This is the story of Alex and Grace, their friends, families, Native American tribes in the area, people struggling to take the land and people struggling to keep it. It is filled with how these people came to St. Charles and why some left. It is a story about life two hundred plus years ago on the edge of the wilderness at the time Lewis and Clark went exploring.
”A very, very good read. Historical fiction is my favorite genre and it is evident that the author has done her due diligence in research. The characters are very well developed and you are immediately drawn into their lives, Can hardly wait for next book to see what happens to our heroine. Highly recommend this read.”
”I really enjoyed this book. I found it difficult to put down and ended up reading into the wee hours of the morning just to finish it. I have purchased several copies of the book to give to friends. I am looking forward to the next book!”
”I read this book and enjoyed it so much that I read it, again. Can't wait for next one from Ms. Kelly!!”
