Customer Reviews

Doctor in Petticoats (Sophie's Daughters)

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you enjoyed reading Petticoat Ranch you are going to be thrilled with this new series about the Sophie's daughters... if you enjoyed the Montana Rose series, you will be thrilled, as well...because along the way you run into some old friends.

Beth, a nurse who has been trained by a doctor to be somewhat more, is riding on the stagecoach across from a stinky man, a man she believes is drunk. They come across a brutal scene--an accident which has caused death and injuries. Beth is surprised when the drunk, Alex, turns out to be a doctor-- a doctor who is not drunk but suffering mentally from what he saw as a frontier army doctor.

Beth is drawn to healing him, just as she was drawn into nursing. He is drawn to her faith and her strength. Soon they form a partnership and...well, I will let you read it to find out.

The author writes with her usual spunk and the thoughts that run through her characters minds are always good for a few chuckles. She always writes a very rugged mans man-- it was wonderful to see her write a broken man. He was broken and emotional but managed to remain ruggedly manly. What a feat.

I also enjoyed reading about her sister and her new husband...I was excited to see them head to Montana and meet up with Belle and her brood. I can't wait til the follow-up of her story!!

Doctor in Petticoats by Mary Connealy

This is a light-hearted novel about love, faith, and forgiveness. Dr. Alex Buchannan is a Doctor who deserted the army after seeing too much trauma and too many patients die. Sick at heart, he abandoned his past and is trying to destroy his present.

However, when he runs into Beth McClellan, trained as a nurse, she demands he help her during an accident with an overturned stagecoach. Once they arrive at Mosqueros, Alex finds his secret is out and suddenly he is overwhelmed with the medical needs of the community. But without Beth, Alex freezes ... and can't face the thought of touching a patient.

They become a team ... and over time, Alex has the opportunity to hear about God's love and incredible forgiveness. But when a bounty hunter comes after Alex, he realizes he can't risk Beth or her family, and he heads to the nearest fort to turn himself in.

I enjoyed getting to know Beth, Alex, and her family in this novel and found it to be exceptionally enjoyable. While it is light hearted, it has a serious side when you consider the importance of each person using the gift to which God has called them, making amends with the past, and the current issue of the horrors many of our men and women have had to face during the war.

I am grateful to NetGalley for providing a proof for my review.

I have read nearly all of Mary Connealy's books and they are absolutely terrific. I've never been disappointed in one of them. They are full of faith, adventure, thrills, excitement and hilarity. Her characters are so well fleshed out and so full of spunk, nary a coward in the bunch. They get into some predicaments, too, but always find their way out.
She also includes a good dose of humor in the books, also, that will have you laughing your head off. This one tickled from the first page.
She threads the inspirational theme throughout her books, so you're not just getting entertained. You get a devotion as well.
I always keep a list of books by my computer that I want to buy which are coming out in the next few months and I always have her books on that list.
This series that begins with 'Doctor in Petticoats' has 2 more behind it to come. There is still a daughter left, too, so I'm hoping that down the road a ways, Connealy writes another book to feature this youngest of Sophie's Daughters.
Mary Connealy also brings back briefly some characters from two other series' for us to visit with, which was an absolutle delight. I hated to finish the book but wanted to read fast to get to see what happened.

"Doctor in Petticoats" is my first Mary Connealy book but I guarantee it won't be my last! She has created a special place in my heart for romantic comedy AND cowboys that I fear only she can fill! However, amidst all the laughs and quick wit, there is depth to her writing that moves you and reaches past the funny bone to touch the heart.

Meeting the McCellen family makes you instantly wish you were a part of it. I found them to be a strong, courageous, loving, selfless lot, starting with probably the best fictional parents I've read in a long time. Clay and Sophie McCellen are the kind of parents any girl would love to have, especially living out West back in the day. I was thrilled to learn that Clay and Sophie had their own story back in "Petticoat Ranch", so I plan to go back and read that book, too, and see where this incredible family all began! From reading Clay and Sophie's scenes and POV's in this book I have no doubt that they were an amazing hero and heroine.

We learn from the very first page that the women in this story are strong, level headed, smart as a whip, beauties, who know how to survive anything the West throws at them. Beth McCellen is no exception. She thinks on her feet and isn't afraid of things that would make most girls swoon to their death. She has a servants heart, that is moved with compassion and gentle understanding for those around her. But the "gentle" part is put to the test when lives are at stake and the one person that is able to help is just sitting around, lost in his dark thoughts and insecurities.

Alex Buchanan is a wounded man and also, a wanted one. He's running from his past but its horrors dog his every step - whether in his own mind OR in the form of a bounty hunter who wants this army deserter "dead or alive." Beth, who is initially irritated by him, thinking him crazy, begins to see that there is more to this man than meets the eye. He is a doctor that has the skills and experience to heal but not the courage or the nerve to do so anymore - that is, until this little spitfire, who is determined to find his spine and beat him over the head with it, walks into his life. I normally wouldn't go for a story that introduces the heroine as being stronger than the hero but I think Connealy makes it work here. And while Alex doesn't have the rough, tough, swoon-off-your-horse appeal of a Texas cowboy, he is certainly no weakling. We witness his physical strength in the first few pages alone, but war certainly has a way of breaking a man's spirit and if the wounds of such battles are left to fester they can soon disfigure the soul. Alex does possess strength, courage and honor (his time in the army confirms that) but he now lacks the confidence, thinking himself unworthy, to employ them. But, Beth McCellen has those things in spades and with just a locked-eyes look or a dig-in-the-fingernails grasp of the hand, she helps to infuse him with what he needs to get the job done and done right. Beth is a breath of life for him and helps to point him back to the One who is the true source of strength and peace. A marriage of convenience becomes so much more as these two realize they need each other in more ways than one. But, will finding his faith and facing his past mean losing her and their future together? Or does the crazed bounty hunter have the deciding vote? You'll be holding your breath till the very end, that's for sure!

Even though this book was mainly about Alex and Beth, we get a glimpse of the entire McCellen family and the rest of Sophie's daughters whose own books follow this one. The oldest sister, Mandy, took up a good part of this book and I'm excited to see the rest of her story unfold as the series goes along. Her book is the third one, titled, "Sharpshooter in Petticoats" - which is very fitting for this beautiful, no-nonsense, crack shot! Her husband, Sidney, is a selfish, money hungry, insensitive jerk, but Mary Connealy has opened my eyes to the fact that a woman on the frontier could expect to have many a husband in her lifetime (life was quite harsh out there, after all), so I've got a feeling Sidney's days are numbered and a real hero is on his way. ;)

"Doctor in Petticoats" has taught me two very important things: 1) I have been missing out on a real GEM of an author and now must read all her other books to make up for my terrible oversight! and 2) NEVER mess with a girl in a petticoat! :D


** A special thank you to the author for graciously surprising me with a copy of this fabulous book!**

Mary Connealy is simply one of those authors one needs to put on "auto buy" because frankly, the woman is simply not capable of writing anything but a must-read book.

Her latest effort Doctor in Petticoats, book 1 in her new series "Sophie's Daughters" captures the reader with all the speed of a runaway stagecoach careening toward a cliff ... uh, just like her opening in chapter one, as a matter of fact. Because when it comes to demanding the reader's attention for her fun and quirky "cowboy romance," Ms. Connealy takes no prisoners.

In Doctor in Petticoats, Ms. Connealy pits the feisty and no-nonsense Beth McClellen, a nurse who hopes to employ her doctoring skills back home, against army deserter and doctor Alex Buchanan, a broken man with no stomach for his profession or his past. Sparks fly immediately, causing the heart-fluttering romantic tension for which Ms. Connealy is so famous to explode onto the scene with all the fury and drama of that wild stagecoach free-falling off that granite cliff. With her usual wit, humor and heart, Ms. Connealy delivers yet another coveted book for the keeper shelf, firmly establishing this author as a mainstay in my library ... or anyone else's who loves top-notch romantic comedy with heart.

Yep, it's another fabulous book by Mary Connealy. That woman can write books faster than Scarlet O'Hara can get into trouble...or maybe I ought to say, faster than Belle Tanner can fire a Winchester. Because when it comes to Mary's books, it's about cowboys, tough-as-nails women, romance, and loads of humor.

And I'm NOT talkin' sugar-sweet romance either. I'm talkin' the kind of romance where you're not sure whether the two are going to kill each other or kiss each other. It's that simple - and that funny.

Mary's ramped up the adventure to full-throttle with her newest novel, Doctor in Petticoats. This book takes one of the daughters from her first book, Petticoat Ranch, and allows us to follow, no wait, we're kind of dragged along on a fast-paced journey. From the first scene which ends in a stage-coach accident to the final scene in a fort prison, and all the near-death experiences in between, it's nonstop action with a few kisses smashed in between.

One thing I appreciate most about Mary's books (besides the humor) is how deep into the character point of view she gets. She's brilliant at writing deep point of view, and allowing the reader to 'feel' and 'experience' the book. Fabulous. It's why I keep coming back for more :-)

Now...

About the book:

When an unlikely pair have an electrifying connection, sparks are bound to fly.

All Beth McClellan wants to do is get home for her sister's wedding. After spending four years out East training to be a nurse (with a physician as her mentor), she's ready to put her hard-earned skills to practice. Unfortunately, no one will believe she's the doctor, and the one guy who IS a doctor, doesn't have the spine enough to use his gifts...unless she's right beside him.

Alex Buchanan's past as an army physician, and now deserter, leaves him frozen with the memories of the atrocities he saw on the frontier. Determined to leave his skills and memories as far in the past as possible, he hides within his own depression, but Beth McClellan won't let him stay there. The bossy blond nearly drags him from his stupor and forces him to be the man he really is.

Now if they can just survive a bounty hunter and death sentence, all should be fine. Right?

You'll just have to get the book. Buy it, borrow it, visit a library. It's worth the effort to read the newest Connealy Classic.

And you won't have to wait long for the next one. Wrangler in Petticoats comes out in October. Woohooo! Go Mary - the more the merrier.

I have read all of the Montana Marriages series, as well as, the Lasso in Texas series. I feel that makes me a capable judge of this new series, Sophie's Daughters. We first meet Sophie's girls in "Petticoat Ranch" and again in "Calico Canyon." This book, the first in the series, mainly focuses on Beth with some of Mandy's problems thrown in. See my review of "Wrangler in Petticoats for more about Mandy and Sally's life.) You could read these books out of order and not miss too much but I wouldn't advise it. You need to know what the girls have been through in their lives to understand what makes them tick.

Most CHF and westerns, have strong, manly men and this one is no exception. The difference is he has moments of strength but is a man walking wounded. He has post traumatic stress disorder only they don't call it that in those days. He has overwhelming moments of weakness that render him incapable of functioning and he needs Beth in order to function. He doesn't "want" her. He "needs" her. So right off the bat, you have to wonder how this man is going to go from weak to strong and help Beth relinquish some of her strength to depend on him. It's a very interesting setup and you hope they will both make it out alive and together. You'll have to read the book to find out the rest.

Hotness Factor: 3 stars
I think Husband Tree by this author was hotter but this is good. The physical tension is there from the start and you don't have to wait until the end of the book for the romance to heat up and take off.

Series info: 4 stars
You don't have to read the other books in the series to understand this book but it is highly recommended that you do. In this series, "Doctors" is definitely the better book, so far. I personally liked the "Lassoed in Texas" series better but Husband Tree is still my favorite book by this author.

Overall Rating: 3 stars
Mary Connealy gives a good performance in these books. She is a good storyteller and includes passion and longing but not as much as other CHF authors like DeeAnne Gist and Julie Lessman. Her books just keep getting better and better.

Christianity: 4.5
In this book the main character struggles and pleads with God to help him overcome his trauma and learn to live and work again. God and prayer is a strong theme throughout the book.

Warning: Both of these characters are doctors and post traumatic stress is involved so if you don't like the thought of a lot of blood or reading about it makes you feel sick, you might want to skip this book. It was graphic because of their chosen professions but also because of the trauma he went through and was trying to overcome. Just thought I'd give fair warning!

Summary Plot:
Doctor Alex Buchanan is a wanted man--a deserter from the army stalked by a bounty hunter--but he'd rather be dead than inflict any more pain on his patients. Beth McClellan is idealistic, believing the nursing training she received will be enough to help her serve as doctor to her home town in West Texas. When Alex and Beth meet in a stagecoach accident, they find that they work well together. But are his demons and her dreams too deeply rooted for either of them to pay the price required for a future together?

Beth McClellen, a nurse who has been trained by a doctor; is riding on the stagecoach across from an annoying and very smelly she man believes is drunk. They come across a brutal stage coach accident and Beth forces him to help her while she helps the wounded. Beth is surprised when the drunk, Alex, turns out to be a doctor-- a doctor who is and army deserter and is on the run from the horrors and memories of his time as an army doctor in the war. He can only function with Beth at his side, yelling at him. Beth is drawn to healing him, just as she was drawn into nursing. He is drawn to her faith and her strength. Soon they form a partnership of sorts, more like a co-dependence and...well, I can't tell you more or it would spoil a wonderful story!

Mary Connealy is a wonderful writer, and the thoughts that run through her characters minds are always intriguing and good for a few chuckles. I especially liked that she created a spiritually and mentally wounded man. But don't get me wrong; although he is a broken man struggling for sanity and clarity of mind, he is still a rugged manly man!
You do not have to read the rest of the series to understand this book, but it is highly recommended that you do. I personally have liked all of Mary Connealy's book series, but Husband Tree is still my favorite book by her. Mary Connealy gives a good performance in these books. She is a great storyteller. Her books just keep getting better and better. I look forward to reading each and every book she creates!

This book is the first in a series called Sophie's daughters. Its based off of characters in a previous series known as Lassoed in Texas but its not really necessary to read that series first. I had actually gone backwards in this particular series but I was very relieved to find out that this first book is much better than the other two in the series.

Beth has been East receiving medical training and now is on her way home to become a doctor of sorts to her town. With her on the stagecoach is a man named Alex who appears to be drunk until the stage enters danger and he steps in to help. With the wreckage of another stagecoach Beth learns that Alex is a doctor, and a very good one at that, but he is haunted by his past and unable to do any medical procedures without Beth there to help him. Thinking it practical, they decide to marry and run a doctor's office together. But trouble doesn't leave them for long, with Alex a deserter from the army someone begins to hunt the both of them.

While I believe that all of Connealy's characters fall in love entirely too fast, the characters in this book are pretty good. I like how no-nonsense Beth is and Alex is a surprisingly sensitive character where most of her male characters are strong and gruff. Even her parents play a larger role in this book and are very strong supportive characters. I think about the worst character was the Lieutenant. I couldn't understand his rapid thought changes or the motivations behind them. He was just plain confusing.

The plot goes well enough. It adds a certain element of uniqueness in her writing for it to be the male character being tracked down for once. And the fact that she tried to throw in a woman doctor and show the hardships they faced in that era was interesting as well. The writing was as clear and easy to read as ever and even though they're simple, Connealy has a way with romances that keeps them entertaining. This is a Christian Fiction novel like many of her others but there's barely any mention of religion in this one. Which made it nice and non-distracting.

Definitely the best one out of the series although not the best of her work. I think anyone who liked any of her other books would probably enjoy this one.

Doctor In Petticoats
Copyright 2010
318 pages

Review by M. Reynard 2011

Beth's attitude was so much fun! I loved her. Mandy was adorable. Many times I read Mary's books and feel like I'm being told my father's memories. They seem completely real and familiar but are so much fun you have to wonder if they're really true. Thanks so much for another fun time!