He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

I've read something by Miralee Ferrell, but I read so much, I've forgotten what it was. However, last night I finished reading Dreaming on Daisies and was sad when it came to an end. I had come to love the hard-working Leah and appreciate banker Steven. Charlie Pape started out kind of rough, but Frances Cooper rubbed his rough edges off by the end of the book. Tom's immaturity grew up through the book and became a likable young man. Every major character in the book had issues to work through, and part of that comes from one character who is absent by death but plays a large part in the book--Tom and Leah's mother.

Leah doesn't know that her mother has been alive for the last nine years and died shortly before Tom came back to the ranch. Tom has come back thinking the ranch belongs to his and Leah's father and that he will inherit part of it. He has come back to get what's coming to him, or so he thinks. In finding out that Leah's father has lied to her for nine years, Leah has an extra hard time with his drinking and throwing away good money after bad in running the ranch. She wanted to get a loan to hire an extra hand and to increase the stock. Steven's home burns up in a mine explosion and comes to live at the ranch in the bunkhouse and work evenings and weekends for Leah in exchange for room and board. This gives Leah the proximity to Steven and vice versa for them to fall in love, but it's a rough and rocky road.

Miralee has written a book with real-life problems in a fictional world. There is drama, angst, and turmoil throughout the book. There is someone who comes in and sets things right, whether it is Frances Cooper with Charlie, Millie or Buddy (the hired help) for any one of them; but, ultimately all signs point to God for being able to heal the hurts and deal with the drama.

Overall the book is a great read, there is just enough humor to offset some of the angst, and a few daisy chain crowns woven into the plot. Steven is a very empathetic character realizing how Tom and Leah both feel and being able to put himself in their respective shoes. He can see both sides of their coin and inserts a bit of sensibility into the rather heated situations they find themselves in. A solid four stars!

My thanks to David C Cook publishers for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my review.