Sweet Charity

To be very truthful this is one of the hardest reviews I've had to write. The reason is that it's a novel that is so full of wonderful scenes that include both humour and conflict, I'm afraid I'll give away part of the plot and I'd hate to do that.Alice Duncan writing as Rachel Wilson is the author of SWEET CHARITY an Historical Western Romance set in the New Mexico Territory, 1880.SWEET CHARITY is a book about determination, adventure and self-sacrifice. It's also a book about love, life in a frontier town and making choices. Part of the story also includes growing up -- not in size but in mind and actions.There are some really great characters in SWEET CHARITY. Grace Molloy (the heroine) is hiding the truth from her criminal-turned-preacher, adopted brother Jake Molloy when she rides into the frontier town of Diabolito Lindo with the wild tale of having travelled all the way from St. Louis, just so he could bury her husband. Jake Molloy is nobody's angel but he knows that there is definitely something wrong with Grace's story, but is willing to wait for Grace to tell him the truth. (Grace and Jake are both such true-to-life characters that I found myself nodding and smiling at times as I read this book.)Through Ms. Wilson's secondary characters she has been able to capture the embodiment of the old west and make these characters come to life and add depth to the story. You'll find within the covers of SWEET CHARITY a bunch of rowdy, hard drinking, hard living men (and woman) who Ms. Wilson has created to depict life in a frontier town in 1880. Part of the charm of this book is the ability of thesecondary characters (no matter how rough and tough) to teach both Grace and Jake about acceptance, friendship and love.If you have often wondered what life was like in the New Mexico Territory just before civilization started to creep in, then you'll enjoy SWEET CHARITY. It is written with clarity and the author doesn't tell you about the scenery and events but shows you through actions and words the life of struggle that faced the people in these frontier towns.On a more personal basis, I truly found SWEET CHARITY to be a captivating read and finished it in one sitting. Ms. Wilson has a gift for creating a story that will make you sit up and take notice and I'm looking forward to reading more of her novels.