My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing
When Mr. Mercer sends out a call for single women to travel to Seattle for teaching positions and the potential of forming marriages, 45 answer his call, becoming Mercer's Belles.
The following collection is based on based on true events during the 1860s:
ONE DANCE by Heather B. Moore
When Harriet Silverman arrives in Seattle for a fresh start and a new teaching position, the last person she expects is to meet is a fisherman who seems to be every place she turns. As she gets to know Caleb Munns, Harriet discovers they are a perfect match--for friendship. They both have solid reasons for not pursuing marriage. But as their paths continue to cross, Harriet begins to see a completely different future than she imagined.
A JOURNEY TO LOVE by Teri Harman
Cora, a nurse and surgeon's assistant who learned her skills during the war, joins Mercer's expedition in hopes of finding a job in the West. She's a widow and does not want to marry again. When she meets Albert, a surgeon who is traveling on board the Continental, she finds herself intrigued. Yet, Albert's determined to open his own practice in Seattle, make it a success, and has no plans to look for a wife. But the more time Cora and Albert spend together on the voyage, the more they are drawn to each other.
A FARAWAY LIFE by Linda Carroll-Bradd
Teacher Sorcha Geraghty yearns for a fresh start after the death of her beau and a factory accident maimed her hand. Asa Mercer’s call for teachers for Washington Territory provides a new opportunity, and she joins his ocean-going expedition. Upon arrival, she learns of the expectation for the women to become wives to the many bachelors. Sorcha needs a new plan and fast. Logging manager Lang Ingemar wants a teacher to provide basic English instruction to his Swedish-speaking crew and keep them out of trouble when they go to Seattle. When he convinces Miss Geraghty to relocate to the logging camp, he has no idea the ways his life will be changed.
My Review
I really enjoyed the way these authors brought history to life with memorable characters and interesting details. In all three stories the female main characters are not interested in marriage which provides some inner conflict when they develop strong feelings for the men who unexpectedly make their way into their hearts. I loved the plots of all three stories, but the first two were my favorites with the way the characters handled their circumstances and relationships. The last story involved some immature choices and overreactions which didn't seem to fit and threw me out of the story a bit. I did like the setting in the logging camp in the forest though. I appreciated that even though the stories were similar in the history of the voyage, there were differences in the occupations of the men- fisherman, doctor, and logger- and also the ladies- teacher of children, nurse surgeon, and English teacher of immigrants- which provided the needed variety.
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
