ABOUT THE BOOK:

Jolene O’Neil has wind, prairie, and cattle in her blood, but circumstances have removed her far from the ranch life she enjoys. John Harris, a handsome Air Force captain, is determined to win her heart, but then there is the ever-present, enticing, urbanite Dexter DeLange . . .

Dexter was the most complex, handsome, and exciting man she had ever known, and she loved him with abandon. However, there were moments she was suspicious of his motives, and even a little scared of his obsession with her . . .

If Jolene follows her heart, will she find happiness, even if she never rides the range again?

From the stability of the family ranch to the glamour of the modeling world, Jolene struggles to find herself and to discover God’s plan for her life. With the prairies of South Dakota and Nebraska as background for this unusual story, Jolene O’Neil rides over the pages and into your heart with refreshing honesty and humor.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joyce Wheeler grew up on the prairies of South Dakota, learning at an early age to appreciate the greatness of God’s creation. The transition from rancher’s daughter to rancher’s wife when she married Justin came easy, and they have continued to pass their ranching tradition down to their children and grandchildren.

Joyce’s interest in adventure and intrigue persuaded her to conjure up meaningful stories about ordinary people in difficult circumstances. She has walked, ridden, and drove over prairie trails and used those times to not only praise our Creator, but also weave stories that would reflect her appreciation of God’s world.

As an avid reader, Joyce traveled the world in her armchair with a cup of coffee in one hand and a book in the other, until her own unfulfilled desire to write a book began to unfold. At the urging of friends and family, Joyce took delight in developing characters of her own in and among the settings of a ranching lifestyle in which she is knowledgeable. The result was Joyce’s very first book, entitled My Lady.

In addition to being a wife, mother, and grandmother, Joyce has enjoyed being a homemaker, bookkeeper, and gardener. Her hobbies include activities like family gatherings, music, horseback riding, hiking and ranch work. Some of her fondest memories are skiing with her grandchildren and white water rafting on the Snake River. Her greatest joy, however, is the growing knowledge that God is a part of every aspect of our lives and serving Him is the most exciting adventure of all.

MY REVIEW:

I guess you could say that I have mixed feelings about My Lady. The narrative style is not my favorite type book to read. I prefer one with more character interaction and dialogue. I also felt that there was so much going on in this book that it really deserved much more space to develop. Jolene’s first husband John was pretty much a nonentity due to lack of character development. For this reason, it was difficult to sympathize with Jolene’s grief at his death. Dexter, on the other hand, was an annoyance to me and I could not understand Jolene’s attraction to him. Chauncey was a different story. I really liked him but would have liked more character development there also.

Jolene’s life was filled with tragedy and vulnerability. Even her strong faith in God seemed unable to help her overcome her tendency to make poor and hasty choices. As the story progressed, Jolene learned some valuable lessons about herself and God’s faithfulness.

My Lady was provided for review by Wine Press Publishing Group through Glass Road Public Relations.