EDITORIAL REVIEW by Victoria Chatham
On the face of it, the story of Pate Kavanagh and Colleen Sullivan seems deceptively straightforward. In a rural area of late 1800s New Brunswick, this couple had been seeing each other over the course of two years. Although the Kavanaghs have a less-than-stellar reputation, everyone, especially Colleen, expects a wedding will happen. Sadly for her, Pate has his heart set on someone entirely different.
Throughout what follows, we see hopes rise and fall, dreams shatter, and learn much about Pate’s family background. Families come together to help support one another during the hot, dry days of summer. Caring for the animals comes first in the cool of the morning, followed by the dust and sweat of hay making. There is birth and death, loneliness resulting from misunderstandings, and despair in the face of finally emerging truths. There is dignity in the day-to-day lives of the people who inhabit the pages of this story, where love eventually finds its way.
In this book, I found echoes of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s writing, and I wish Eden Monroe every success.