I love the ocean, watching the waves and my kids playing, looking for sand dollars, finding little crabs scurrying over the rocks after the waves roll out. I never seem to tire of it. Sometimes I don't read, but this time, I did.
I don't usually read western-ish books and was unfamiliar with Calico Balls, but this was a fun way to find out about them and life in the old West. I have been through Wyoming many times, so it was fun to read about a place not often featured (at least in the books I usually read). I liked all of the stories. A Keeper of the Western Door dealt with prejudice against the Native Americans and what a difference we can make in treating people like people. A Convenient Arrangement was cute, but didn't feel as impactful for me. Isabella's Calico Groom was probably my favorite. This one dealt with professional prejudism against women in "men's work". But it was fascinating and fun and I really liked how the heroine and the hero learn to get along.
I loved this collection. Loved. The stories had different approaches which was nice because I didn't feel like I was reading the same formulaic story. And the characters. Yeah, I liked them all. My favorite? Ellen in Little London by Heather Moore. But a very close second is Mrs. Northrop in A Match for Princess Pompous. Sometimes I think the prejudices of the ton are lost on us, but after reading these, and a conversation with friends, I pondered on my own prejudices and wanted to be less judgmental.
