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Ruby (Dakotah Treasures #1)
by Lauraine Snelling - Ruby Torvald has been governess to a family in New York City, and her young sister Opal lives with them. Their mother died many years ago, and they've had no contact with their father since he left them with a grandmother and moved west. Then Ruby receives a letter from her father - he is very ill and near death, but wants her and Opal to come to him in the Dakota territory so he can see them and they can claim their inheritance. The two travel out into unfamiliar territory, and do get to see their father briefly before he passes away, but he charges Ruby with "taking care of the girls" and leaves his hotel, Dove House, to her. To Ruby's shock and dismay, Dove House is not a simple hotel - it is a saloon and a brothel. As the new owner, though, she puts an end to all whiskey sales and "hospitality services" and is determined to turn Dove House into a reputable dining room and hotel. The employees all stay and the girls are grateful for a second chance and the hope of becoming respectable, and they all discover that they have skills such as cooking and sewing that can be put to use in making Dove House a success... if only they can overcome the reputation and scorn it's earned in the past, and the opposition that Belle - and perhaps others - have to operating Dove House without the more lucrative but disreputable aspects of the business.
I chose this book for my September #collaboreads selection. September's theme was "back to school" and as Ruby was teaching a family of children and her own sister when the book opened, I thought it would suit. A few chapters in, and Ruby is trying to run a hotel rather than acting as a teacher! She does later teach the young maid, Milly, how to read and write, but it turned out not to be a big factor in the story. Oh well - it's my #collaboreads contribution anyway!
by Lauraine Snelling - Ruby Torvald has been governess to a family in New York City, and her young sister Opal lives with them. Their mother died many years ago, and they've had no contact with their father since he left them with a grandmother and moved west. Then Ruby receives a letter from her father - he is very ill and near death, but wants her and Opal to come to him in the Dakota territory so he can see them and they can claim their inheritance. The two travel out into unfamiliar territory, and do get to see their father briefly before he passes away, but he charges Ruby with "taking care of the girls" and leaves his hotel, Dove House, to her. To Ruby's shock and dismay, Dove House is not a simple hotel - it is a saloon and a brothel. As the new owner, though, she puts an end to all whiskey sales and "hospitality services" and is determined to turn Dove House into a reputable dining room and hotel. The employees all stay and the girls are grateful for a second chance and the hope of becoming respectable, and they all discover that they have skills such as cooking and sewing that can be put to use in making Dove House a success... if only they can overcome the reputation and scorn it's earned in the past, and the opposition that Belle - and perhaps others - have to operating Dove House without the more lucrative but disreputable aspects of the business.I chose this book for my September #collaboreads selection. September's theme was "back to school" and as Ruby was teaching a family of children and her own sister when the book opened, I thought it would suit. A few chapters in, and Ruby is trying to run a hotel rather than acting as a teacher! She does later teach the young maid, Milly, how to read and write, but it turned out not to be a big factor in the story. Oh well - it's my #collaboreads contribution anyway!
Riveting. {What part of the book could you NOT get enough of?} Honestly? I can't think of anything. While there wasn't anything I actually disliked about the story, it never reached out and grabbed hold of me either.
Elements. {How did you relate to/care for the characters?} I liked Charlie and the girls at Dove House, and I felt that each of them had a complex and mostly untold story about how they had wound up where they were. Stories that must have included some tragedies and deep hurts. I would have liked to know Rand Harrison better, as he also seemed to have the potential to be a truly interesting character with lots of background to explore. I disliked Belle from the start, which is, I think, what the author was going for. Unfortunately, I didn't have any warm fuzzies for Ruby or Opal. With Ruby being the main character, I wish I could have developed more empathy for her, but I never related well to her and thought her humorless and unimaginative, even as I admired her determination, loyalty, and commitment to doing the right thing.
Associate. {What other books are like this one? Does it remind you of a TV show or movie with its themes and characters? Did it serendipitously line up with things going on in your life or in the news right now?} I kept thinking about the movie The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, although of course the storylines are not very similar!
Design. {You know you judged this book by the cover. What did you think of it? How did it relate to the contents of the novel?} The cover art didn't particularly impress me, and that may be why this book sat unread on my Kindle for so long. The building in the background is a good portrayal of Dove House, and once I had reached that point in the novel I could see the potential that Ruby saw in the place, thanks to the cover. The title character herself is very much like her picture on the cover - pretty and proper, but very serious and not many smiles.
Stars. {How many out of five do you give this book? Would you recommend this book to a friend?} Since this one was only an "okay" read in my opinion, and didn't turn out to be quite my cup of tea, I'm giving it two-and-a-half stars. There really is nothing "wrong" with the book, and I don't have any sharp criticisms - it just wasn't exactly what I was expecting and not exactly my style. What disappointed me most was the sense that the story wasn't finished. Of course it is the first of a series, and naturally the author would want readers to be drawn to read the next one, but I would have much preferred a satisfying ending that gave some sense of completion to Ruby's story, while offering a teaser that urged me to find out more.
This review will be linked at Rachel A. Dawson for #collaboreads (September's theme was "Back to School")
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