Two for the Price of One

I've enjoyed Tracie Peterson's books for a long time, and I was thrilled when this one came up on my reading list. I was ready for a change of pace and I got it with a slice of a second book. Not a bad deal, if I do say so myself.

Jessica was born in Windridge, but her birth caused the death of her mother. Her father, unable to cope with a baby and losing his beloved wife, sent Jessica to his wife's Aunt Harriet in New York. After Aunt Harriet, Jessica's husband, and Jessica's father all passed away, Jessica came home to Windridge with her infant son, Ryan. Buck and Kate were still there, but an addition to the staff had been made--Devon Carter. He had been running the ranch for several years and wanted to continue--to the point of bringing it back to the profitable ranch it had been.

Jessica had truly never been the recipient of honest love by any of her relatives, and kept her defenses on the offense. She resented Devon's interference into Ryan's life and his headstrong way of wanting to run the ranch.

This is a quick read that is quite satisfying. One thing that I truly appreciate about this book is how Tracie wove God's influence on Jessica into the story. Jessica comes across as a woman who truly wants to live as God directs her through the Bible. She is at times a shrew and at times the most humble character, but each time her shrewishness came out, she responded with the desire for forgiveness only God gives.

Five Stars

The other novel in this book is Lucy's Quilt by Joyce Livingston, and the story is similar in some respects to The House on Windridge, but where Jessica humbled herself, Juliette took a while to make that transition.

Similarities:
Jessica has a son, Ryan
Juliette has a son, Andrew

Jessica and Juliette both can have a sharp tongue and use their sharp tongues on the men in their lives.

Where the stories differ is in how the women get married--Jessica is well and truly in love, while Juliette marries Stone Piper out of convenience for both of them.

Windridge is definitely the better story in this book, I would only give Lucy's quilt three stars. This averages out to Four stars for the whole book.

My thanks to Barbour Books for allowing me to read and review this book.