Melinda and the Wild West: A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho (Paperback)

by Linda Weaver Clarke (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"A writing style that opens the mind in a way that lets us…feel the thoughts and emotions of the characters. It is impossible to avoid becoming part of the story... She writes historical fiction as if she were taking the reader back in time." --- Lloyd E. Reid

"Linda Clarke is a fresh new face in the fiction market. Her vivid descriptions, engaging characters, and clever word usage make reading her work a pleasure. I look forward to enjoying her books for many years to come." ---Betsy Brannon Green, best-selling suspense author

"Melinda and the Wild West" is rich with historical settings and provides as much of a 'historical' education as entertainment. Linda Weaver Clarke displays an easy and excellent style of writing blending adventure/romance/history/humor and courage. "Melinda and the Wild West: A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho" is an instant classic and should put this author on the literary map all over the world. A MUST read! -- John Weaver - Page One Literary Book Review

"Such memorable characters! What an incredible blessing in the lives of her future readers ---Kerry Blair, best-selling mystery author

For anyone who likes to read classic-styled romance novels that also have a drop of history, this is the book for you. From one of her students coming to class with skunk oil that explodes, to her encounter with a black bear, there's always something for the imagination in the book. It is very easy to picture the scene you are reading. Clarke was able to write about love in a soft fashion, not full of the same type of sexual writing of most romance novels. I was impressed with the eloquence in which Clarke spun her story. It was dramatic in some spots and yet contained simply placed bits of humor. I would recommend this to anyone. -- Melynda Gascoyne - The Amherst Bee Newspaper: Buffalo, New York, October 4, 2006

Linda Clarke has a writing style which opens the mind in a way that lets us see what her character sees, and allows the reader to feel the thoughts and emotions of the characters. It is impossible to avoid becoming part of the story she so skillfully develops. She writes historical fiction as if she were taking the reader back in time. -- Lloyd E. Reid - Library Director of Washington County Libraries

Melinda and the Wild West by Linda Weaver Clarke is a tender love story. Clarke's characters are well developed and her setting is compelling. But what separates this book from others is Clarke's historical accuracy and meticulous attention to detail. The reader feels transported to another time and place - experiencing bank robberies and skunk oil and even exposure to stinging nettles right along with Melinda. Readers of all ages will enjoy this book from the exciting beginning to the satisfying end. -- Betsy Brannon Green - Best-Selling Mystery Author

Melinda and the Wild West... despite the wild, untamed nature of the Bear Lake Valley... Ms. Clarke has succeeded in presenting to her readers the beauty of the area. The scenery is portrayed so vividly that you can see each and every color. You can feel the crispness of the air in winter or smell the flowers in the field in spring. You can feel the peace Melinda feels while walking through the woods or feel her fear when she comes face to face with a bear. And amidst such a beautiful portrayal of life, you see a love story unfolding like no other. Melinda's spirit is fiery, but her tenderness touches those she meets. Ms. Clarke is a talented author! -- Diana Broadhead for The Senior Sampler Newspaper: St. George, UT, November 2006

Product Description
In 1896 Melinda Gamble a very elegant, very naïve young woman from Boston decides to give up her life of monotonous comfort for the turbulent uncertainty of the still untamed Wild West. Driven by her intense desire to make a difference in the world, Melinda takes a job as a schoolteacher in the small town of Paris, Idaho, where she comes face-to-face with a frightening bank robber, a vicious grizzly bear, and an intense blizzard that leaves her clinging to her life. But it is a ruggedly handsome and very mysterious stranger who challenges Melinda with the one thing for which she was least prepared love.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 276 pages
• Publisher: American Book Publishing (December 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1589823672
• ISBN-13: 978-1589823679
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 4.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,282,781 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life In The Wild, May 19, 2007

By	Tory Lynn (Cedar City, UT USA) - See all my reviews

I have to say from the moment I opened the book to the very last page I was taken in with the story of Melinda Gamble. The main character is refreshing and courageous as she travels to the wild west from the comforts of Boston to find the life she is meant to lead. The story line was easy to follow and the characters were well thought out and very likable. This historical romance was created with flair and insight with true history that revolved around the setting of the story. The plot was well thought out and kept me wondering what was going to happen next. This book is a great read for those who love romance in its sweetest form. Good Job Ms. Weaver your talent for writing is telling in this novel. I'm looking forward to more of your writing.

Reviewed by Vickie Treadway (Tory Lynn)
Author of "My Charming Protector"

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended by Allbooks Review, May 26, 2007

By	Allbooks Review (Canada) - See all my reviews

Genre: Historical fiction
Title: Melinda and the Wild West
AUTHOR: Linda Weaver Clarke
Twenty-six year old Melinda Gamble is an educated, independent woman in 1896 who yearns for marriage to a man whose passion and independence matches her own, and who will not try to mold her into a woman she can not be.

Melinda is a modern woman who pursued an education and wants a career and heart-fluttering love more than she wants a marriage to a man who would expect her to act according to his rules. Her parents hope her one year teaching obligation in the Wild West will convince Melinda that living a typical life in the hustle and bustle of Boston is much more pleasant than the unpredictable life in the harshness and barrenness of sparsely settled Paris, Idaho.

Linda Weaver Clarke seamlessly weaves true ancestral stories of a school teacher who lived in the place and time of an untamed Wild West with a fictional storyline to create a tale which pulls the reader more than one hundred years into the past. The reader is able to see the colors and gape at the awe-inspiring beauty of the Idaho landscape, taste fresh, cold spring water from within the mountains, inhale the clean mountain air, and gasp with fear at the unfamiliar and varied hostilities encountered in the journey.

This novel is the first for Linda Weaver Clarke and is also the first of four in the series A Family Saga in the Bear Lake Valley that mixes factual accounts with fiction.

The novel feels more like a conversation with a close friend, than a book full of words. A recommended read for those who love historical stories that transport you back in time with ease. Reviewer: Lisa Haselton, Allbooks Reviews.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating book, May 24, 2007

By	Reader Views "www.readerviews.com" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (10/06)

"Melinda and the Wild West" is a historical romance, loosely based on true events of the author's great-great grandparents Gilbert and Sarah Weaver, the first pioneers who settled Paris, Idaho. Linda Weaver Clarke has done a marvelous job of blending history, with fiction, romance and family remembrances.

Melinda found the invitation from her Aunt Martha enticing. She's never been out west. A teaching position opened up in Paris, Idaho. Against her mother's objections she leaves her long time suitor, James, to head into an adventure. When asked what she wants in life, Melinda says she wants "to do some good in the world, and perhaps make a difference in someone's life." She hopes she can do that in the "West by teaching school."

Bear Lake was lovely and Melinda knew she was going to enjoy her new home despite some of the "adventures" that lay ahead. An outlaw chooses to rob the bank on the very day that Melinda decides to open an account. The outlaws are none other than Butch Cassidy and Elza Lay.

When Melinda takes a stroll to enjoy the fresh mountain air she finds a cool stream that entices her to do some wading. She finds a stranger staring at her; his features take her breath away. His name is Gilbert and he's a widower raising his 8-year-old daughter, Jenny. Jenny was one of Melinda's students. The other students were quick to tell their teacher all about Jenny, she's been known to fight with other students and not try to learn, she's been labeled a troublemaker. By reaching out to Jenny, Melinda is drawn to Gilbert.

From the first page I was captivated by this book. I had to continue reading, rushing to turn the page, I had to see what next adventure would catch up with Melinda. The plot is interesting mixing history with fiction, adventure with romance. Melinda is an endearing character and you can't help but see things through her eyes. Gilbert is strong and courageous. I like this book! This is good Christian fiction. It is a great honor to highly recommend this book to readers of historical fictions and romance. Ms Clarke, this is a piece to be proud of, well done!