A
few words from Jodi Thomas . . .
Once
in a while in my career of forty books, there comes a story I know I have to
write. It waits like an impatient child in the back of my mind for its
time to shine. A PLACE CALLED HARMONY was one of those stories. As
I moved through the Harmony series, getting to know the people of Harmony, Texas,
better with each book I knew that someday I’d tell the beginning of their
town. From the day I started writing the characters came through
clear. I had to find men strong enough to influence the generations of
Mathesons, Trumans and McAllens.
Many
times during the writing of this story I felt all three men standing behind me
telling me their lives. Patrick McAllen, young and full of dreams,
thought of it as an adventure and believed love came easy. Clint Truman
felt old at thirty and didn’t believe in love. When he heard he had to
have a wife to get the job, he went to the prison gate and picked the first
woman walking out. And then there was Captain Gillian Matheson who loved
his wife but also loved adventure.
When
Truman, Matheson and McAllen’s stories began to dance in my mind, I found
myself staying up later every night to write more. I love the way the
three men interacted and the way all three loves stories grew. I have a
feeling that readers will be staying up a little later to read one more
chapter.
I
felt close to all of them, because my great-grandparents settled this same
country over a hundred years ago. My grandmother was even born in a
covered wagon. So follow me through A PLACE CALLED HARMONY you’ll love the
story.
Enjoy
the adventure,
Jodi
Thomas
Jodi Thomas is the NY Times and USA Today bestselling author
of 40 novels and 12 short story collections. A four-time RITA winner, Jodi currently serves as the Writer
in Residence at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas.
A PLACE CALLED HARMONY by Jodi Thomas
Review by Caroline Clemmons
Yes, I’m another dedicated fan of Jodi Thomas books. I can
honestly say I’ve read every book she’s published and enjoyed each one. I admit
I’ve wished she’d write more western historical romances even though I love her
Harmony series and the two suspense novels she authored.
With A PLACE CALLED HARMONY, Ms Thomas has fed both my
addictions by writing a historical western romance about the founding of the
town of Harmony. As I expected, this book kept me enchanted from the first word
to the end. Those who’ve read the Harmony books will recognize that series’
leading families of Truman, Matheson, and McAllen.
Harmon Ely wants to found a town at the juncture of two Texas
Panhandle waterways where he’s built a trading post. With his dog Davy as a companion, Harmon is
used to his own company. He’s a man of vision who believes he owns the perfect
site for a town. Though his trading post has been burned to the ground, he’s
been shot and left for dead, and he’s been robbed several times, Harmon is not
going to give up.
He has a scheme to attract married people to settle in his
new town—all he needs are strong, determined, and resourceful couples. He’ll
offer work building the town and a house. In exchange for two year’s work,
Harmon will sign over their house and forty acres of land. With ads in
newspapers, he carefully reviews responses because he only wants good people
who will contribute to his town. He’s building for the future.
Harmon also enlists and old friend to help, Sheriff Lightstone
of Huntsville, Texas. Lightstone knows a man who appears determined to kill
himself with liquor and fights since the death of his family. The sheriff pulls
Clint Truman from a brawl and offers him an opportunity to stay out ofjail.
Lightstone even has an idea for Clint’s wife.
The two men take a wagon to Huntsville prison for women and
wait as that day’s releases file out. Of the several women inmates regaining
freedom that day, only one is not met and has nowhere to go—and she carries a
tiny baby. Karissa has been betrayed by everyone she trusted and is consumed by
fear. After assurances by Clint, she agrees to wed him if her conditions are
met: he will never ask about her past, he will never strike her, and he will
never force himself on her. He gives her a few days to recover while he sells
his farm, then they set out by train for Dallas to buy a wagon and supplies for
their trip to the Panhandle.
Meanwhile near Galveston, Patrick McAllen is escaping an
overbearing and abusive father with the aid of his mute brother, Shelby. Going
with Patrick is Annie Spencer, who is almost as eager to escape her stepmother.
Patrick and Annie are friends but not in love. Their motive in marrying is to
flee beyond their parents’ reach and they seek Harmon Ely’s town as a
sanctuary. Annie requests only that Patrick never lie to her. He agrees and
asks for the same. He hopes one day Shelby will join them.
Captain Gillian Matheson is a career soldier. Although he
loves his wife Daisy to distraction, he cannot settle on her family’s farm and tolerate
her brothers ordering him about constantly. He hadn’t realized when they wed
that she wouldn’t leave her family to follow him from post to post. What he
doesn’t know is that Daisy has grown weary of never seeing her beloved husband
for longer than enough time to conceive another child. Writing as her husband, Daisy
contracted with Harmon Ely to settle in his new town. Then she convinced her
brothers to load all her furnishings into wagons and escort her to Harmon’s
trading post and leave. All she has to do now is await Gillian’s arrival. The
letter she sent her husband should bring him hurrying to meet her. At least,
she prays that’s true.
A PLACE CALLED HARMONY is one of my favorites of Ms Thomas’
books. Each of the three couples plus the secondary characters face different
problems that present a slice of 1880’s western life. Settling on the frontier
was hard work and dangerous, but joy also awaited those with survival skills.
By deftly weaving the good with the bad, Ms Thomas creates a portrait of those
who founded not just Harmony, but a myriad of towns across the West.
If you haven’t
already guessed, I give A PLACE CALLED HARMONY five out of five stars. You can
buy this book from www.jodithomas.com
Caroline, this sounds like a must-read. I've been a Jodi Thomas fan for a long, long time, and I also was distressed when she quit writing western historicals to write the Harmony series and mysteries. I'm delighted to know she's gone back to western historical romance, at least for one book.
ReplyDeleteI still consider Ms. Thomas's debut novel, Beneath the Texas
Sky, one of the best WHRs I've ever read. Though some readers panned the book because it doesn't follow the "standard romance formula," I found that one of the story's most enchanting traits. (Call me a rebel.) From your review of A Place Called Harmony, it sounds like Ms. Thomas has returned to her roots in that regard.
If you'll pardon me, I need to go download something to my Kindle. ;-)
Thanks for taking the time to review the book. Reviewing is a thankless pursuit, but you do it so well. :-)
Caroline--here's another Jodi Thomas fan. Probably I have not read all her books, but I've read plenty. She was among the first western romance writers I read. But I suppose I lost track of her, because I did not know she'd turned to contemporary and mystery.
ReplyDeleteI suppose anything she writes is well received.
I love the premise of A Place Called Harmony...
One more to add to a TBB and read list. It's never-ending.
Thanks for the review. You're a natural for writing reviews.
This book is a winner and I hope Jodi Thomas writes more about the early settlers in Harmony.
ReplyDeleteGreat cover. The books sound like fun reads and by your review I'd say I would love reading them. :)
ReplyDeleteCaroline: This sounds like another super Jodi Thomas read! I love that A PLACE CALLED HARMONY follows the building of town.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the wonderful review...and yet another book on the TBR pile.