Scan barcode
A review by valerigail
Sing My Name by Ellen O'Connell
5.0
I loved O'Connell's first book "Eyes of silver, Eyes of gold." It was one of my favorite reads for 2010. So when I saw that she had a new book out, I grabbed it immediately.
With EOS, EOG, I devoured the book within 2 days, only putting it down to sleep. With Sing my name, I found a huge desire to read it slow and long. To sit with it for days, having it wrap me it its story. I thought about it while doing my normal daily stuff. The story entering my thoughts, hanging there and making me think. When I was finished, I found it impossible to start another story. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Sarah and Matt.
It is a different story from that of her first book. In EOS,EOG the characters are slow to fall in love, and are shocked by the realization. In Sing my name, the characters fall madly in love swiftly and strongly. They embrace it and hold it close, absolutely sure that they will love forever. Even though forever might mean a forever apart.
The heroine, Sarah Hammond, is a woman that learns the hard lesson of taking care of oneself after everyone she's ever loved has abandoned her. She starts out life as a pampered Daughter of a prominent family, but underneath all the pretty skirts and fancy hair, lays a Woman stronger than she herself believes. How does one who's been protected and sheltered her whole life live completely on her own? She learns very quickly that when things get tough, you have to get tougher. I love the female characters Mrs. O'Connell creates. They are strong, deep, and real. They are not the usual romance novel heroines. They are far better, far deeper and complex. There are people in my life right now that I can say "oh wow, she's Sarah".
Our Hero, Matt Slade, is stubborn and simple and amazing. The unjustness of his life seems overwhelming at times. Born to a farming family in Texas, he loses his entire family to the "fever" before he even hits puberty. He has seen death and destruction through the war, and is only in his early 20's when we meet him. Having lived through such harshness usually creates a vengeful angry man, but Matt is neither of those. He is the most sincere character I have ever read. When I say that he is simple, I mean that what you get with him is simply him. There is no hidden anything. He lays it out there for all to see. He is Matt, and he is amazing. He loves hard and fierce. Too hard and fierce. His sense of protection for those he cherishes is extreme. He will do anything to protect those in his life. From Sarah to his "Family" of gunslingers. My absolute favorite line in the book is "What did you do with a man who loved you too much to love you." I think it absolutely describes Matt. He loved too much to actually let him self love completely.
This is another stunning novel by O'Connell. I highly recommend it to anyone that loves western and/or historical romance. The first section of the book had me spell bound. As they tried to stay safe and hidden, I was right there hunkering in the bushes with them. The second part of the book, with them separate going through their own struggles and desperately missing each other, I longed for them to meet again. In the third part, I sat in anticipation for the face to face confrontation and read with hope that it would all finally turn out well. I was not disappointed, and am hoping that O'Connell offers us more books like this and EOS,EOG to read in the future.
With EOS, EOG, I devoured the book within 2 days, only putting it down to sleep. With Sing my name, I found a huge desire to read it slow and long. To sit with it for days, having it wrap me it its story. I thought about it while doing my normal daily stuff. The story entering my thoughts, hanging there and making me think. When I was finished, I found it impossible to start another story. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Sarah and Matt.
It is a different story from that of her first book. In EOS,EOG the characters are slow to fall in love, and are shocked by the realization. In Sing my name, the characters fall madly in love swiftly and strongly. They embrace it and hold it close, absolutely sure that they will love forever. Even though forever might mean a forever apart.
The heroine, Sarah Hammond, is a woman that learns the hard lesson of taking care of oneself after everyone she's ever loved has abandoned her. She starts out life as a pampered Daughter of a prominent family, but underneath all the pretty skirts and fancy hair, lays a Woman stronger than she herself believes. How does one who's been protected and sheltered her whole life live completely on her own? She learns very quickly that when things get tough, you have to get tougher. I love the female characters Mrs. O'Connell creates. They are strong, deep, and real. They are not the usual romance novel heroines. They are far better, far deeper and complex. There are people in my life right now that I can say "oh wow, she's Sarah".
Our Hero, Matt Slade, is stubborn and simple and amazing. The unjustness of his life seems overwhelming at times. Born to a farming family in Texas, he loses his entire family to the "fever" before he even hits puberty. He has seen death and destruction through the war, and is only in his early 20's when we meet him. Having lived through such harshness usually creates a vengeful angry man, but Matt is neither of those. He is the most sincere character I have ever read. When I say that he is simple, I mean that what you get with him is simply him. There is no hidden anything. He lays it out there for all to see. He is Matt, and he is amazing. He loves hard and fierce. Too hard and fierce. His sense of protection for those he cherishes is extreme. He will do anything to protect those in his life. From Sarah to his "Family" of gunslingers. My absolute favorite line in the book is "What did you do with a man who loved you too much to love you." I think it absolutely describes Matt. He loved too much to actually let him self love completely.
This is another stunning novel by O'Connell. I highly recommend it to anyone that loves western and/or historical romance. The first section of the book had me spell bound. As they tried to stay safe and hidden, I was right there hunkering in the bushes with them. The second part of the book, with them separate going through their own struggles and desperately missing each other, I longed for them to meet again. In the third part, I sat in anticipation for the face to face confrontation and read with hope that it would all finally turn out well. I was not disappointed, and am hoping that O'Connell offers us more books like this and EOS,EOG to read in the future.