A review by takethyme
Courting Carrie in Wonderland by Carla Kelly
3.0
At the opening of [book:Courting Carrie in Wonderland|32560826], Teddy Roosevelt had just arrived in Wyoming. Life-long bachelor and soldier, Ramsay Stiles, had been awarded a medal and promotion because of his service in the Philippines. He was on duty when he saved the president from a possibly dangerous situation.
'Ram' loved the area surrounding Yellowstone Park. He fought some moments of PTSD but was encouraged by fellow soldiers and friends to settle down. Just shy of Chapter Six, now-Sergeant Major Stiles introduced himself to college student Carrie McKay. Outside a privy.
Orphaned Carrie McKay was working her way through the summer to pay for room and board at a nearby college in the fall. Beset by rumors and one particular female bully, she was trying to bury a sad childhood and better herself. Ramsay Stiles was enamored.
Heavier on the historical side with a light, clean romance, [book:Courting Carrie in Wonderland|32560826] incorporated fictional characters with real-life individuals and an ongoing, political issue.
In the afterward, Mrs. Kelly mentioned that several years prior to an unearthed 1907 edition of The Red Book -a manual issued to all Army scouts and non-commissioned officers- soldiers were expected to kill mountain lions, coyotes and timber wolves. Animals indigenous to that area of the United States that served an important ecological purpose. I have never visited Yellowstone but I am aware of the importance of our National Park System. I understand that predatory animals are essential to the environment even though some people don't care for them and prefer if they were destroyed.
Shame on us.
I enjoyed learning an unknown-to-me chronicle of events. I am also a big fan of Mrs. Kelly. Unfortunately the romantic element was less enjoyable. I was encouraged to keep reading because it linked the facts of what happened and the atmosphere of the era.
'Ram' loved the area surrounding Yellowstone Park. He fought some moments of PTSD but was encouraged by fellow soldiers and friends to settle down. Just shy of Chapter Six, now-Sergeant Major Stiles introduced himself to college student Carrie McKay. Outside a privy.
Orphaned Carrie McKay was working her way through the summer to pay for room and board at a nearby college in the fall. Beset by rumors and one particular female bully, she was trying to bury a sad childhood and better herself. Ramsay Stiles was enamored.
Heavier on the historical side with a light, clean romance, [book:Courting Carrie in Wonderland|32560826] incorporated fictional characters with real-life individuals and an ongoing, political issue.
In the afterward, Mrs. Kelly mentioned that several years prior to an unearthed 1907 edition of The Red Book -a manual issued to all Army scouts and non-commissioned officers- soldiers were expected to kill mountain lions, coyotes and timber wolves. Animals indigenous to that area of the United States that served an important ecological purpose. I have never visited Yellowstone but I am aware of the importance of our National Park System. I understand that predatory animals are essential to the environment even though some people don't care for them and prefer if they were destroyed.
Shame on us.
I enjoyed learning an unknown-to-me chronicle of events. I am also a big fan of Mrs. Kelly. Unfortunately the romantic element was less enjoyable. I was encouraged to keep reading because it linked the facts of what happened and the atmosphere of the era.