The Courtship

This bittersweet tale is about discovering ones' own worth under desperate situations. Two souls become one despite prejudice and complex situations. Very well written with deeply felt emotions!

Lynna Banning delivers a stunning romance with well-drawn, likable characters in poor-boy-becomes-banker Rydell Wilder and down-on-her-luck Southern belle Jane Charlotte Davis. This is no ordinary love story; Dell and Jane are real people you'll laugh with, shed a tear for, and then cheer them on to their happy conclusion. Sweet, but loaded with sexual tension.Ms. Banning is a consummate storyteller with a unique and beautiful voice. Once again she delivers. Brava!

Lynna Banning creates a wonderful world of characters and motivation in THE COURTSHIP. This is a compelling story of a heroine, Jane, who finds her strength in her own skills and determination. Met with the choice of either failure in her business venture or marriage to the Northerner, Rydell, Jane digs deep into herself to find what it takes to be an independent woman. Rydell, who has loved her from afar, steps aside torn between his desire for her to fail so she will agree to becoming his bride and his awareness that Jane needs to thrive in her new venture for more reasons than money. He's stuck. If Jane Charlotte fails, he will have his bride but only a shell of who she can be. If she succeeds, she will fulfill her own potential and he will lose the love that he's worked so hard for.Lynna Banning draws poignant characters of real emotion as they battle their most primal needs for nurturance and strength. Her secondary characters are lively and colorful, a delightful supporting cast to Jane and Rydell. Ms. Banning's writing is deft and fluid, filled with humor and subtle unexpected twists of phrases and turns of plot that transport the reader back to the post Civil War era. Her astute ear for dialogue and her knowledge of the conventions of the day are a pleasure to sink into for a full retreat into this fictional world. If you haven't read this or any of her previous books, you are in for a treat. It's an exceptional book from an exceptional writer.

Jane Charlotte Davis was fourteen when her Pappa moved the family to Dixon Falls after they lost their family plantation in Marion County during the Northern Aggression. Now, Pappa is dead, buried three days ago, and the lonely twenty-six year-old woman is left with debts to repay and no money. Ever since her first day at school when she was teased unmercifully because she was different, she's been virtually locked away. She wasn't permitted to socialize or make friends, and was chaperoned by her father when she went into town. Her Mamma is slowly losing her mind, another problem to worry over. But, there's a strong person about to break free, and an idea begins to take shape. She dresses carefully, puts on her hat and gloves and heads for town to the bank. She wants to open a dressmaker's shop, and prays the banker will take her home, which is in sad disrepair, as collateral for a loan.Rydell Wilder has been on his own since his Mamma died when he was little more than a youngster. He lived on what he could scrounge up in a shack by the river, attended school and saved every single penny he earned from odd jobs. Later, he rode as shotgun, then driver for Lefty Springer, the stagecoach owner, and they became steadfast friends. When Lefty was injured Dell bought the business. He continued a frugal lifestyle and saved his earnings until he could open the only bank around for miles. Through years of sacrifice and struggle he's earned the town's respect, but he still doesn't feel he `fits in with them - even though he's the most sought after man around. Rydell has never had eyes for anyone but Jane Charlotte Davis. He's been in love with her since her first day of school when he fought the shy, frightened girl's battles. When Jane asks for a loan to start up a business, Rydell makes his proposal. He knows how much she will need and offers her three hundred dollars--with a condition. If her business fails and she cannot pay back the money, she must marry him. Rydell knows he will win because she isn't equipped for life in Dixon Falls. Her father saw to that. Aha! He will soon learn just how much grit and determination this sheltered woman has stored inside her. Jane has no choice but to agree; she's desperate. She must succeed; just the thought of marrying a Yankee -- even if he is tall, lean, and handsome -- gives her the incentive to persevere. Poor thing. She has no idea what the ladies in the town need. She's been raised as a Southern Belle, and life in Dixon Falls, Oregon is a tad different.Lynna Banning delivers a sweet romance in post-Civil War days. She offers a worthy hero who has a few lessons to learn, and a sweet, protected heroine who exhibits inner strength. She includes colorful secondary characters in Lefty Springer, former slave Odelia who comes to take care of her `family', the blacksmith Mose who has his own romance, Lucas, the rough cowboy with a hidden agenda, and even a little kitten named General Lee. Rydell Wilder is a man of ho