And none more so than Jesse Best.Īlthough not every reader will rejoice in this novel, claim it to be a classic, or put it on their keeper shelf, for me this novel sums up the beauty I see in a simple romance story. Pamela Morsi's characters are usually wholesome, decent people. And I think it is worth reading Marrying Stone first where Jess is introduced. Set in 1906 in the town of Marrying Stone in the Ozarks, this is the sequel to Marrying Stone which was Jess's sister, Meggie's story. Althea comes to value Jess and love him, just as he is. And under normal circumstances Jess would be considered quite the catch. He works hard, he's honest, he's knows and loves animals, he's a good provider, he has integrity, he's kind. This story *is* Jess, without him it simply wouldn't be. But it's the story of a man though physically whole, due to a problematic birth, is mentally slow. Not because the hero is an über-alpha, or because he's overtly sexy or because it's bursting the seams with sex scenes. I have read this story any number of times over the years and it never diminishes. But Althea instead offers Jess all the dogs if he'll do the physical work she's unable to do. When Jess hears that Althea wants to sell her late husband's hunting dogs, he approaches her to buy a dog. Jesse Best has three goals in life, a gun, a dog and a woman. But it's difficult to run her farm, look after her son and cope with the heavier physical demands of getting firewood and meat for the winter. Widow Althea Winsloe has no desire to remarry. There are books that you read yesterday and you can forget today.

Mai neng moua the bride price