Prairie Wife (Harlequin Historical) [Mass Market Paperback]

Cheryl St.John (Author)

Book Description

Series: Harlequin Historical | Publication Date: February 1, 2005

No mother should have to bury her child

Amy Shelby had learned this sorrow well. Her heart had gone into the ground a year ago along with her boy's tiny casket. And not even her husband, Jesse, wrestling the same pain, could resurrect any hope in her.

Jesse Shelby mourned two losses—his baby son and his openhearted bride, for when their child died, Amy retreated behind a wall of grief as wide as the Nebraska prairie. But could a chance for a new family heal their wounded marriage—and guide them back to the comfort of each other's arms?

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin (February 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373293399
• ISBN-13: 978-0373293391
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,637,305 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Cheryl St.John is the author of thirty-eight Harlequin and Silhouette books. Her first book, RAIN SHADOW was nominated for RWA's RITA for Best First Book, by Romantic Times for Best Western Historical, and by Affaire de Coeur readers as Best American Historical Romance. Her 2005 HH, HIS SECONDHAND WIFE, earned another RITA nod. HH LAND OF DREAMS, SSE THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, and HH PRAIRIE WIFE each won RT's Reviewers Choice Awards.

Many of her Special Editions made Waldenbooks Top Ten and HH BIG SKY BRIDES anthology climbed to #35 on the NYT list.

In describing her stories of second chances and redemption, readers and reviewers use words like, "emotional punch, hometown feel, core values, believable characters and real life situations."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW!, January 28, 2005

By 

Love 2 Read Novels "Sherry" (a small town in Kansas USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Prairie Wife (Harlequin Historical) (Mass Market Paperback)

This was such a tenderly written story about heartbreak and healing. The story is about Amy and Jesse who have one of the only "stage stops" around where folks can get a meal and spend the night. The book opens where they are burying their 2 year old son, Tim. Amy blames herself and totally shuts down emotionally from everyone and becomes very status quo. She doesn't want to talk about "it" or anything else that reminds her of losing Tim. Jesse is very loving to Amy and wants nothing more than to grieve together but he can't seem to reach her. It finally hurts too much to remain sleeping with her in their room so he moves to the boarding house and begins to turn to whiskey. Though Amy is hurt by that she says nothing. She feels she deserves it because it was her fault and she just couldn't seem to feel.

I don't want to say much more because I don't want to give it away...but you journey with them on trying to become whole again as persons as well as a couple. Cheryl, in my opinion, did a fabulous job in creating real characters with real hurts.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book. It is a keeper on my shelf!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars St. John never disappoints!, February 23, 2005

By 

Holly Fuhrmann (PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Prairie Wife (Harlequin Historical) (Mass Market Paperback)

Amy Shelby has been lost in her grief since her baby boy died a year ago. Her husband, Jesse, doesn't know what to do for the cold, quiet woman Amy has become. Each passing day brings more distance between them--distance neither seems able to bridge. Can Amy find her way back to the family that loves her...the family she loves?

Cheryl St. John writes stories so full of real human emotion. Amy's grief is palpable, just as the love between Jesse and Amy is. Your heart will twist as you watch them try to find their way back to love.

4.0 out of 5 stars Rewarding story of recovery, March 29, 2011

By 

LaylaReader - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Prairie Wife (Kindle Edition)

Amy is devastated by the accidental death of her young child and locks herself into a cold internal prison of self-loathing. Unable to cope with her emotions, she decides not to feel at all.

Jesse is equally distraught by the death of his son, but wants to deal with his loss. Every attempt to approach Amy is met with ice, driving him over the edge to take comfort in alcohol.

The story is not maudlin or sentimental. The death of the little son is at the root of the issues, but the focus is on the actual emotional turmoil in Amy and Jesse.

Events and new people in their lives encourage and even force change, breaking down the walls and allowing a new beginning.

The book is a slow melting of the ice in their lives, but the writing kept me turning the pages without ever skipping a line.

This book does not quite reach the emotional intensity of His Secondhand Wife and The Tenderfoot Bride, but it has depth and is a rewarding story.