Emmy's Equal

Marcia Gruver lists herself as an Author of Factual Fiction. She "tends to weigh in occasionally on eternally significant issues, and her true passion is Christian fiction." Emmy's Equal, the third of her "Texas Fortunes" trilogy, set in 1906 Texas, meets these criteria with a subtitle of: "A strong-willed city girl meets her match in a stubborn vaquero." This book has a great story with significant interplay of the different cultures. It takes some getting used to early in the book, but overall is well laid out and satisfying. It was easy to imagine the South Texas setting and people living there. The story about the wild horse and what happened to him was especially fascinating. Each of the characters goes through their individual twists and turns of the plot lines, but everything comes together well in the final chapters and no one is left hanging. If you like historical fiction, I predict you will enjoy this good read! ;-)

In this book compared to Marcia Gruver's other two, it gets a little slower start. But one has to build the story. But before long you are swept up in the story and living the life on the Western Frontier. Emily is headstrong which is a characteristic I see in one of my daughter's. She will hold her own regardless. She struggles with the fact her parents want her to go with them instead of to her married sister's where she prefers to go. There are the struggles of a young woman embarking on adult hood and not understanding her parents reasons. Diego's Mother has a dream that she believes in going to be Diego's future wife. But he has a hard time deciding on which woman he is suppose to love. It takes him time before he realizes who God has for him. The part that kept me rivoted to the book was the going to buy cattle by Bertha. On the drive back to the ranch with cattle the boss bought, adventure becomes danger. You find yourself feeling the story from this point on. You hold your breath and hope and pray right along with those in the story. Faith is built as you go through this story. I know as I am battling struggles with my Mom and Alhemizer's and about sunk under the load of the situation. But many times this story has spoke to my heart.

I'll have to agree that Marcia is a beautiful storyteller. This is the third book I have read of her's and I am looking forward to her next one. I have a love of the Hispanic people so the story touched one of my soft spots. The take home value for me is that Marcia showed Emmy's change from a self willed young woman in previous stories into a still spunky young woman who is now tempered by her love of the Lord. But she doesn't have to give up her natural lively personality to please Him.

I stepped out of my comfort zone to read this book. It is a Western Romance...and I actually really enjoyed it. The main character is a spunky and fiesty young woman who fights with her old non-Christian self. It is really cute how she comes to realize that she just can't go back to being the carnal, self-loving princess that she was before she became a Christian. The love interest is a great blend of Native American and Hispanic cultures. He is adorable. I had a lot of fun reading this book.

"Emmy's Equal" by Marcia Gruver is a completely satisfying read. This book has all of the elements of a great fiction book in my opinion: a deep and wide thread of faith, a strong leading female character, a handsome and exotic leading man, humor, action and intrigue. I was thoroughly hooked from page one! Emily doesn't want to accompany her parents on a trip to Texas. She would rather visit her childhood friend in St. Louis who just became a mother. Besides, Emmy's relationship with her father has been strained for several years and she has no idea why. But Emmy learns, as we all do at times, that sometimes what we dread most becomes the most beautiful blessing in our life! Emmy's tumultuous introduction to Diego is one of those moments that she could look back on with regret, but it opens her to a new and unexpected relationship. Marcia Gruver is a beautiful storyteller. Her words flow like cool, fresh, spring water on a hot summer day. This novel inspires, entertains, refreshes, and leaves the reader with the lesson that God has plans for His children.