{"id":6685,"date":"2011-01-12T18:55:29","date_gmt":"2011-01-12T23:55:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/\/?p=6685"},"modified":"2011-01-12T18:55:29","modified_gmt":"2011-01-12T23:55:29","slug":"carolines-choice-by-martha-rogers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=6685","title":{"rendered":"Caroline’s Choice by Martha Rogers"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>\"\"<\/a>It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour<\/a><\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n


<\/p>\n

Today’s Wild Card author is: <\/strong><\/div>\n

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Martha Rogers<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

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and the book:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Caroline\u2019s Choice<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Realms (January 4, 2011)<\/p>\n

***Special thanks to Anna Coelho Silva | Publicity Coordinator, Book Group | Strang Communications for sending me a review copy.***<\/p>\n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>Martha Rogers is a former schoolteacher and English instructor whose first book in the Winds Across the Prairie series, Becoming Lucy, became an immediate best seller. Morning for Dove (May 2010) is the second book in this series, with Finding Becky (book 3) releasing Fall 2010. Rogers lives with her husband in Houston, Texas.<\/p>\n

Visit the author’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n


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Product Details:<\/p>\n

List Price: $12.99
\n Paperback: 304 pages
\n Publisher: Realms (January 4, 2011)
\n Language: English
\n ISBN-10: 1616381930
\n ISBN-13: 978-1616381936<\/p>\n

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:<\/span> <\/strong>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Oklahoma Territory, September 1907<\/strong><\/p>\n


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<\/p>\n

Caroline Frankston\u2019s hands clinched into fists, her breath coming in short spurts. Through the parlor window, she watched life go on in a normal, orderly fashion, but here in this room her world lay fragmented like shards of broken glass. Each piece cut into her soul, causing pain that she no longer wanted to bear. The bleeding had to stop. \u201cIf I don\u2019t leave this town, I\u2019ll never get married.\u201d Caroline Frankston spun around to face her mother. \u201cBarton Creek has no men who interest me, so I would like to move to Oklahoma City and start a new life there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her mother\u2019s blue eyes flashed with anger. \u201cYou\u2019ll do no such thing. You have responsibilities here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Caroline\u2019s jaw tightened. Mother\u2019s demands only caused more determination. \u201cWhat responsibilities? Going to luncheons and meetings with you and sitting around listening to you decide what people should do?\u201d<\/p>\n

The rigid set of Mother\u2019s mouth warned Caroline to be careful with her next words. Now was the time to stand firm and not back down. \u201cI know you want what\u2019s best for me, and right now a move seems to be it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mother remained silent, a vein in her neck throbbing in response to the tension in her jaw. A mixture of anger and disbelief sparked from her eyes. She stood tall, with her back ramrod straight. Mother wouldn\u2019t back down.<\/p>\n

Envy for her brother\u2019s freedom gnawed at Caroline. Being male, Rob could pick and choose what he wanted to do, and he\u2019d proved it with his law office and his marriage to Becky last year despite Mother\u2019s disapproval.<\/p>\n

Without waiting for a response, Caroline headed for the door, but not without one last comment. \u201cI\u2019m sorry. I\u2019ll be twenty-seven soon, and if I don\u2019t do something now, I never will. I don\u2019t want to be stuck here as spinster with time on her hands and no purpose in life.\u201d<\/p>\n

She darted from the room and up the stairs before her mother could react and spew forth a torrent of words to thwart Caroline\u2019s plan. Recently a college friend had written to her of the job openings at the new Carnegie library in Oklahoma City and invited her to come live with her in her town house with another roommate. Caroline had just told her mother she wanted to apply for the job and move to the city. This evening she would break the news to her father.<\/p>\n

Standing in front of the mirror on her bureau, Caroline picked up a stylish blue hat and pinned it on her upswept hair. Although she did love the hat, it had been chosen by her mother, as had most of the clothes in Caroline\u2019s wardrobe. In Oklahoma City she could set her own standards and not be dictated to by her mother.<\/p>\n

Some of Mother\u2019s ideas and beliefs about fashions and social protocol left Caroline with the feeling that no one could measure up to what the mayor\u2019s wife expected, not even her own daughter. Being the daughter of the mayor had its advantages, but now they hindered her and kept her from pursuing other avenues of interest.<\/p>\n

She gathered up her reticule. Time had come for a visit with her sister-in-law to seek her advice. After all, Becky had once pursued a newspaper career without thought of marriage. She could tell Caroline what it was like to be a single, working-woman on her own.<\/p>\n

But deep in her heart the real reason she wanted to see Becky lay hidden. Maybe Becky would have some insight into why her brother, Matt, had been so distant the past year. Of course Mother was delighted with that turn of events, but Caroline was deeply hurt and at a loss as to how to reach out to her old friend.<\/p>\n

She glanced around the room that had been hers since her family\u2019s arrival in Barton Creek seventeen years ago. She\u2019d miss it, but the idea of being on her own filled her with excitement. She raced down the stairs and headed for the front door to avoid another confrontation with her mother. When her voice called out from the parlor, Caroline pretended not to hear and closed the door behind her.<\/p>\n

She walked toward town, her feet disturbing the fallen leaves and making them swirl about her feet. Late September should bring cooler air to match the changing of the colors in the trees, but not this year. Caroline wished she\u2019d worn a lighter weight shirtwaist and a less heavy skirt, but Mother had insisted on storing all summer clothes away for the fall season. At the next corner she turned onto Main Street, thankful she lived such a short distance from town.<\/p>\n

A few more motorcars dotted the streets, which were now completely bricked. As mayor, her father planned to replace the boardwalks where people now strolled in front of business establishments with real sidewalks. She walked past the post office, the jail, and several other stores and shops before reaching the newspaper offices.<\/p>\n

The odor of printer\u2019s ink greeted her nose as Caroline stepped through the doorway of the Barton Creek newspaper building. The bell over the door jangled and caused everyone but Becky to look up to see who had come in. The staff on the paper had certainly grown since Mr. Lansdowne made the paper available seven days a week. Becky sat at her desk behind the railing separating the office space from the entryway, staring at whatever was in the typewriter before her.<\/p>\n

One of the young men jumped up from his chair. \u201cHow can I help you, Miss Frankston?\u201d Caroline smiled and nodded toward Becky. \u201cI\u2019m here to see Mrs. Frankston.\u201d<\/p>\n

Becky glanced up then. \u201cOh, my, I was so engrossed in my story that I didn\u2019t hear the bell.\u201d She strode over to the gate in the railing. \u201cWhat brings you here today?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to talk with you if you have time, but I can see you\u2019re busy, so I\u2019ll come back later.\u201d<\/p>\n

Becky pushed through the gate. \u201cNo, no, it\u2019s fine. I think I\u2019m in need of a break about now.\u201d She turned to the young woman across the room. \u201cAmy, would you tell Mr. Lansdowne I\u2019m taking a break and will be back shortly? I\u2019ll stop at the bakery and bring back pastries. He\u2019ll like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, Rebecca. Have a nice visit.\u201d The young clerk returned to the business on her desk.<\/p>\n

Caroline admired Becky\u2019s attire. She wore the plainest of skirts and shirtwaists but made them come alive with fashion even though the signs of her coming motherhood were evident. Caroline would have been called a \u201cPlain Jane\u201d if she wore the same. Something about her sister-in-law gave life to whatever she touched or wore, one trait Caroline sorely envied.<\/p>\n

Becky linked arms with Caroline. \u201cNow, let\u2019s head to Peterson\u2019s for tea and cookies.\u201d<\/p>\n

When they stepped out onto the boardwalk, Becky breathed deeply. \u201cIsn\u2019t it a beautiful day? Although it\u2019s too warm for me, I love this time of year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI like it too,\u201d Caroline responded, although at the moment all she could sense was the stench of horse droppings and the fine layer of dust and dirt over everything. She glanced at the woman beside her. \u201cSo, you\u2019re still going by Rebecca at the office?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. That\u2019s my byline on all my articles, so they all call me Rebecca.\u201d Besides reporting on town events, Becky wrote a column for women in the Barton Creek Chronicle each week to inform them of the opportunities and advantages of voting for their government leaders.<\/p>\n

Caroline laughed. \u201cBut you\u2019ll always be Becky to the rest of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Becky returned the laugh, but hers had a musical quality that had earned the friendship of most of the people here in her hometown. \u201cI don\u2019t mind it at all now. Rob convinced me I could be both, and he was right.\u201d She glanced up toward the windows of her husband\u2019s law offices.<\/p>\n

At least Becky and Rob had rediscovered the love they\u2019d had for each other as youths, and now they were as happy as any married couple Caroline had seen. Mother hadn\u2019t been too pleased with her son marrying a Haynes, and even now that Ben Haynes headed one of the wealthiest ranches in the area, her attitude hadn\u2019t changed, especially since Becky chose to continue her job at the newspaper after learning a child was on the way. To Mother, Becky would always be a cowgirl.<\/p>\n

When they had entered the bakery and ordered their tea and pastry, Caroline chose a table away from the window so they would have more privacy.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what is it that you want to talk with me about?\u201d Becky unwrapped her pastry and pinched off a small piece.<\/p>\n

Caroline stirred her tea and grinned. \u201cI\u2019m moving to Oklahoma City. My roommate at college, Madeline Barrows, has invited me to come live with her, and I have a good chance at a job at a library there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Becky dropped her pastry, spreading crumbs in its wake. She grabbed a napkin and wiped the bits off the table. \u201cYou\u2019re doing what? Leaving Barton Creek? But what does your family say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMother is completely against it, and by now she\u2019s probably let Father know, and I don\u2019t know what he\u2019ll say. It really doesn\u2019t matter because my mind is made up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut what about Matt? Have you told him?\u201d<\/p>\n

Caroline dipped her head and concentrated on stirring her tea. \u201cYou know how much I care about Matt, but over the last few years his interest in me has dimmed. He\u2019s barely spoken to me since we ate together at the July Fourth celebration. I don\u2019t know what else to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Becky leaned forward. \u201cI can\u2019t tell you much since I don\u2019t see him very often anymore. He\u2019s been quiet and withdrawn the Sundays we go out to the ranch for the family dinner. When we were younger, we enjoyed doing lots of things together, but that changed when I came home from college. And since I\u2019ve married Rob, he\u2019s been much less open with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

They sat in silence for a moment. Caroline\u2019s heart ached with the image of Matt sitting astride his great stallion and riding across the range. She bit her lip and leaned toward Becky. \u201cI\u2013I can\u2019t bear the thought of being a spinster, and there\u2019s no one here in Barton Creek except Matt I would consider as a husband. More opportunities to meet young men are available in the city. Many of my college friends stayed in the city, and I\u2019ve been writing to several of them, and with Madeline\u2019s invita tion, the time seems right. Although I care for Matt, I can\u2019t wait for him forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Becky blinked and shook her head. \u201cI used to think my brother was working hard to establish himself before he took on the responsibilities of a wife and a family. But now that the ranch is doing so well, I don\u2019t understand is why he hasn\u2019t been more willing to call on you. I remember how you two were always together for every social event that came along before you went off to school. I guess I always thought you\u2019d be his wife when he finally made up his mind it was time to marry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s just it. I did too, but I\u2019ve waited a long time for him to make up his mind.\u201d And they had been the longest years of her life. Now the time had come to look to the future and her life ahead before it passed her by completely. She turned to Becky and sat up straighter. \u201cNow, tell me everything you know about going out on your own as a working woman!\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt removed his hat and wiped sweat from his brow with a bandanna. Fall may have been the season, but the air definitely spoke of summer. Late September usually brought cooler temperatures, but not this year. He stuffed the kerchief in his pocket and jammed the hat back on his head. Time to round up a few more strays.<\/p>\n

He waved to Hank and headed toward the west pasture. The ranch hand rode up to join him. \u201cYou think some of the herd made their way out to Dawson land?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, they\u2019ve done it before. Good thing those fences are around the oil rigs.\u201d Ever since the wells started producing, the noise of the pumps attracted whatever livestock meandered that way. He usually found around half a dozen or so head lined up at the fence staring at the work going on.<\/p>\n

Hank tilted his hat back on his head. \u201cI know that parcel of land wasn\u2019t any good for farming and such, but rigs sure are ugly despite the oil they\u2019re pumping.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what worried Pa the most, but since it\u2019s away from everything and can\u2019t be seen from the house, he decided it was better to go ahead with Geoff\u2019s recommendations. So far that\u2019s been a good decision.\u201d Geoff Kensington had kept his word, and Barstow\u2019s Oil did everything Pa had requested. The first money from the oil deposits had surprised even Pa and Sam Morris. The two had put the money into a trust for the future after sending the original landowner his share.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour pa is a good businessman. I\u2019ve admired him for many years. Remember how he took me in along with Jake and treated us like part of the family?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s the way Pa was and still is.\u201d Matt loved his father even more for his treatment of other folks. If he hadn\u2019t believed in Jake, the young man would never have become a Christian and found out that the killing he\u2019d been involved with in Texas was ruled self-defense. That cowboy might still be running from the law instead marrying Lucy and owning his own ranch.<\/p>\n

Hank slowed his horse. \u201cYou know, I\u2019ve been thinking. I\u2019m not getting any younger, and the idea of settling down with a wife has its appeal. That young woman, Amy, who works with Becky agreed to let me be her escort for the church singing next week. You ought to ask Miss Caroline to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt cast a sideways glance at his partner. \u201cYou\u2019re a lucky man. Amy Garson is a pretty young woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hank laughed and shook his head. \u201cMatt Haynes, you\u2019re stalling me. What about Miss Caroline?\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt didn\u2019t respond, but his mind filled with the image of Caroline Frankston. He did love her at one time, but she had chosen a life far different from his. Just as he was about to ask her to be his wife, she\u2019d announced she was going off to college. He remembered the day like it was yesterday. She\u2019d been so excited when she showed him the brochures with all the information. She planned to major in fine arts and languages. Those were two things he knew nothing about.<\/p>\n

\u201cMatt, you hafta talk to her and let her know how you feel. I seen your eyes when we\u2019re in town and she\u2019s around. You can\u2019t look nowhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s busy with her own life. Attending luncheons and meetings with her ma and doing all those things on committees and such. She has no time for me or for life on a ranch.\u201d Besides, the more he thought about it, the more he realized one Haynes married to a Frankston was almost one too many. Becky could handle the mayor\u2019s wife, but the idea of Charlotte Frankston as a mother-in-law didn\u2019t appeal to him at all. And if Caroline really cared, she wouldn\u2019t have run off to college when she did.<\/p>\n

As though reading his mind, Hank offered his opinion. \u201cIt\u2019s that Mrs. Frankston, isn\u2019t it? She is rather formidable, but if you married Caroline and brought her out here to the ranch, you wouldn\u2019t have to deal with her mother that much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt narrowed his eyes and worked his mouth. It wasn\u2019t anybody\u2019s business what he thought of Mrs. Frankston. He may be considered a coward for not facing up to her, but it was his decision to make.<\/p>\n

\u201cMatt, I think you\u2019re missing out on what life has for you if you let one woman ruin your feelings for another. If you really love Caroline, her mother wouldn\u2019t make any difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s easy for you to say. Have you forgotten how Mrs. Frankston treated Ma and Aunt Clara when everyone thought Jake was a murderer? Then look at how she hurt Emily Morris and Dove. That woman is rude and has no respect for anyone not of her own standing, but she\u2019s not the only reason, and it\u2019s best to keep your opinion to yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand, and I do remember those days, but I also remember Mrs. Anderson and how her heart changed. She was as mean as Mrs. Frankston toward Mrs. Morris and Dove until that prairie fire almost destroyed us all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue, but I don\u2019t see anything like that in the future to change Mrs. Frankston.\u201d Matt flicked his reins and spurred his horse. \u201cLet\u2019s go hunt for strays. That\u2019s why we\u2019re out here.\u201d<\/p>\n

His love life was nobody else\u2019s business but his. And as much as he was attracted to Caroline, he didn\u2019t care to saddle himself for the rest of his life with a cantankerous mother-in-law like Charlotte Frankston.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

MY REVIEW:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Caroline’s Choice<\/a> is a historical western romance that takes place in Barton Creek and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma during the early 1900’s. As the final volume in Martha Rogers’ Winds Across the Prairie<\/strong><\/em> series, Caroline’s Choice<\/a> includes many of the familiar characters from the earlier books and features Caroline Frankston and Matt Haynes. The pair have loved each other for years but pride and lack of honest communication has kept them apart and miserable. Caroline’s choice to move to Oklahoma City does nothing to help the situation.<\/p>\n

Not only does Caroline’s Choice<\/a> include the romance (or lack of) between Caroline and Matt, but it also highlights many historical facts such as Oklahoma’s achieving statehood, the difference in town and ranch life, oil wells, and a dramatic train derailment.<\/p>\n

In many ways, I felt that the sub-plot about Caroline’s mother Charlotte actually stole the show. Her drastic change in attitude toward the other women in Barton Creek was the high point of the book for me. Ms. Rogers did an excellent job of portraying Charlotte’s realization of her flaws and the steps she took to obtain forgiveness.<\/p>\n

All in all, Caroline’s Choice<\/a> was a very satisfying read and I give it my hearty endorsement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8,34,41,44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-books","category-historical","category-romance","category-western"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6685"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6685"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6685\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6695,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6685\/revisions\/6695"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}