In 1837 a young Quaker girl learns that her bridegroom-to-
be has decided to call off the wedding. Accordingly she
leaves New York State with her father and heads west to
build a new life. This WOMAN OF COURAGE is Amanda Pearson;
her father, now in his fifties, is a minister and a cabinet
maker. They intend to travel to where Reverend Spalding
brings the Good News to the Nez Perce Indians. However,
even Fort Laramie in Wyoming seems a long way from home,
and all they own is carried by two mules.
The rigours of the Oregon Trail prove too much and the Lord
takes Amanda's father. Keeping her promise to continue,
even if it means wearing trousers, the girl experiences
doubts as to her mission. Her guide, Harvey, knows a lot
about the tribes and their ways of life, but Amanda is
alone and desperate by the time she's discovered by
mountain man Buck McFadden. He brings her to the cabin
home of a couple he knows. With white women few in the wild
country, marriages between white men and Native women are
commonplace, and trapper Jim has traded blankets and a
rifle for Mary, who tends Amanda as she recovers from
injuries and exposure. The Quaker's trials are far from
over, though.
I enjoyed getting to know the characters and seeing how the
people lived. When someone is badly injured by a bear, Jim
uses animal tendons to sew up the wounds and a comfrey herb
poultice to clean the injuries and speed healing, with
willow bark tea for pain. Mary has been abused by Jim in
the past, but with Amanda's influence and his own
conscience active, he turns around his attitude. As for
Buck, who keeps red-tailed hawks, he surprises himself by
how strongly he protects Amanda from unwelcome advances.
The Blackfeet and Nez Perce are still forces to be reckoned
with, and a Rendezvous is held for trading. The hugely
admirable Amanda turns out not to be the only WOMAN OF
COURAGE in the rugged mountains. I read with bated breath.
Wanda Brunstetter has written many books, some about the
Amish community. In this adventurous romance she invites us
to consider what inspires us to lead a good life and help
others, as well as asking whether a respectable appearance
is all that matters or if deeds count for more than words.
WOMAN OF COURAGE is a well-written tour de force from this
experienced author.
Take a three-thousand mile journey with Amanda Pearson as
she leaves the disgrace of a broken engagement and enters
the work of a Quaker mission in the western wilds.
The trip
is fraught with danger, and Amanda is near death before
reaching her destination. Among those she meets are an
Indian woman who becomes her first convert and a half-Indian
trapper who seems to be her biggest critic.
But love follows
her into the wilderness and will determine the course of her
future. You are sure to enjoy this historical romance
adventure from New York Times bestselling author Wanda E.
Brunstetter.
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