Story Description:
Baker Publishing Group | January 1, 2009 | Trade Paperback |ISBN 978-8007-3330-8
It is the summer of 1838 in St. Lawrenceville, Missouri, and Molly McGarvie's life is about to change forever. When her beloved Samuel succumbs to cholera, Molly is heartbroken but determined to take care of herself and her children. But when Samuel's unscrupulous brother takes over the family business and leaves Molly to fend for herself, she knows she must head out on her own. It is a dangerous journey and Molly has to leave her old life behind. Somehow she must find a way to make a living, keep her family together, and fend off some over-eager suitors.
Book one in the At Home in Beldon Grove series, The Edge of Light will captivate readers with the true-to-life emotions of one woman's struggle to survive.
My Review:
Molly McGarvie and her children: James, Franklin, and Luellen have to stand-by and watch their husband and father, Samuel die of cholera. Molly is pregnant with their fourth child and this is an extremely stressful time for her.
After Samuel dies, his own brother kicks Molly and the children out of their own home claiming that he had made arrangements with her husband prior to his death. Along with losing her home, Molly must also leave behind her black slave, Betsy. Molly has never thought of Betsy as a slave since they grew up together and were more friends than anything. Betsy could talk and do whatever she pleased and Molly had taught her to read and write.
Matthew, Molly’s brother and his friend Dr. Karl Spengler come to take Molly and the children to his home in Beldon Grove. Molly has the baby and names her Lily. During their wagon ride to Beldon Grove they must cross the Mississippi River and young Franklin gets lost. They spend days and days searching for him but he’s never found. Forced to move on without her son and everyone telling her that he is dead, Molly believes deep down that Franklin is alive somewhere.
Once in Beldon Grove Molly is forced to make some difficult choices often to the detriment of herself but she’ll do anything to move out of her brother’s home and live on her own, make her own living and raise her children herself.
Molly also has a few suitors who are all vying for her attention, some I found to be rather unsavoury and personally wouldn’t consider them marriage material. What will Molly do and how will she ever survive in the year 1838 on her own with four children?
The Edge of Light was Ann Shorey’s debut novel and I found it to be quite good and will be reading her second novel titled: The Promise of Morning.
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