Sunrise

Sunrise is a story of sacrifice and loss--of dignity and seemingly of grace. But it is also a story of redemption and rewards, of greater good. I read the review that called this story boring and was stunned. This book was anything but boring to me! Different tastes, I suppose. I was fascinated by the depth of character and the resilience of Jane. And inspired by the sadness and misery in her life becoming happiness and joy. It's a wonderful story of hope and belief in change and things getting better. It offers brighter tomorrows and better todays. I loved that.

Delia Parr has given us another winner in Sunrise. The story takes place in the year 1827 in the Lancaster County town of Sunrise. Jane Foster is in a truly unhappy marriage with Hiram Foster. She takes care of his family store while he travels around the country ordering supplies. The love has gone out of their marriage rapidly, as he only wanted someone to oversee the family business while he could continue his philandering ways. When he fails to return home and the business is going downhill, Jane writes to her Aunt in Philadelphia for help. That help arrives in the form of a lawyer named Daniel Colton.Jane considers herself to be plain. When she first meets handsome Daniel, tempers flare and her stubborn ways nearly send him away. Still, he sees a strong, intelligent woman, and becomes enchanted with the beauty of her soul. When Hiram Foster is found dead and Jane is accused of murdering him, Daniel takes on her defense with a vengeance. He has come to love this plain Jane and she him; and he is determined to use all that he can to save her from the gallows.Sunrise is a richly woven tale about a small town in the early 1800's. The mood of the town and its people is deftly captured by Delia Parr. The heroine is strong, a catalyst for the action, and aptly shows why beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Daniel is strong and faithful, a counterpoint to Jane's weak and unfaithful husband. The secondary characters add strength to the story and show Jane's heart to its best advantage. All in all, this is a heartwarming story which will have you on the edge of your seat as its tale enfolds.

In 1831 Sunrise, Pennsylvania, Jane Foster is stunned by her vile spouse's affair with her sister-in-law. Still, marriage is sacred and she works extremely hard keeping the family store solvent in spite of the extravagance of her odious husband. Hiram goes off on one of his frequent business trips, but this time fails to return. Eventually, Hiram's corpse is found. Evidence points towards Jane as the killer. Her Philadelphia aunt sends cynical big shot lawyer Daniel Colton to initially help Jane with her finances, but now he acts as her defense attorney on a murder charge. To his shock, Daniel falls in love with the pure and innocent plain Jane, but to save her life he may have to sacrifice her scruples. Delia Parr, nominee of a Reviewers Choice award, continues to demonstrate her ability to provide readers with an interesting Americana romance. SUNRISE is an exciting historical legal romance that brings to life nineteenth century Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Hiram is a classic rat while Jane first appears to be a doormat, but eventully proves her moral strength. Daniel is an intelligent, cynical hunk who will leave readers' hearts aflutter. Ms. Parr's novel is on a par with some of the sub-genre's best works.Harriet Klausner