Set in Nevada in the late 19th
century (beginning in 1870) during the silver boom on the Comstock Lode, Henke
delivers a superb tale of young love, prejudice (against the Irish among
others), deception, treachery and love’s second chances. I highly recommend it.
Rebekah Sinclair, a small town
preacher’s daughter, and Rory Madigan, an impoverished Irish immigrant who
worked his way West as a prizefighter, meet and quickly fall in love. In a
night of passion, they vow to love each other forever and Rory asks Rebekah to
marry him assuring her he will find a way to make enough money to win her
parents’ respect. However, an evil rich man who wants Rebekah on his arm as he
rises in politics conspires to keep Rory from her; his efforts are aided by the
bigotry of Rebekah’s family. As a result Rory and Rebekah are separated, each
believing they were betrayed by the other. Rory and Rebekah meet again years
later when Rory is rich and influential and bent on revenge. But true love will
have its day….
I could not put it down and my emotions were truly engaged. I ended up reading it through much of the night, it was that good. Her wonderful characters are richly drawn and her plot weaves an intriguing story.
Henke gives us a taste of the West when it was still wild enough that murder and corruption went without retribution, when powerful men used others for their own greed and lust. Then, too, living in America now, we forget the Irish were not just persecuted by the English in Ireland; they were persecuted here as well. Though Rebekah was poor, her family would never consider an Irish Catholic an acceptable husband, no matter how much she loved him. Thank God it’s a romance and all comes right in the end.
You won’t regret getting this one!
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