The land is wild and women must be strong
Untrue things are said of May Rose Long, but it is true she’s too pretty for her own good. It’s 1899, and she’s on her own in a remote sawmill town where Company is king, men are rough, and a woman alone has few options. Her only resources are her pet sow’s litter of pigs and the attachment of an unruly 13-year-old girl.
The company doctor wants to help, but he’s married, and his interest is personal. The company manager offers work, but his concern for May Rose may not be proper. Then there’s Suzie, operator of the brothel, who’d gladly welcome both her and the girl. As May Rose struggles to earn her keep, her troubles seem directed by others.
Soon an accident leaves the town in desperate straits. Through it all, May Rose must earn respect, protect herself, and save the girl who sleeps with a doll clutched tight and a knife under her pillow.
The story of May Rose and Wanda is the first book in the Mountain Women Series, bringing to life the struggles and triumphs, friendships and families of women in a small West Virginia town in the early 1900s.