Jane Hoppen (–2018)

That was kinda cool. It's the story of Evelyn and Sarah. Evelyn's husband George died and Sarah's partner Abigail died. Oh, and it's set in 1853 Wisconsin mostly.

They both find themselves at a logging camp for the winter surrounded mostly by what are called 'jacks'. The all male loggers. Evelyn especially has a tough job, since she dresses up and is pretending to be her husband George. Sarah meanwhile is a cook's helper for her sorta brother-in-law (Abigail's brother) Sam.

They become aware of each other as the winter slowly goes on, but then Sarah finds out about who 'George' really is, and they sorta grow closer together, being the two only women (there is a younger girl) in the camp. And then something horrible happens that changes both of their lives, and sends both of them home to Evelyn's farm.

That's when they really start feeling feelings for one another, but, because it's a romance, it does not go in a straight line, there's a bit of back and forth first.

A lot of the stuff that took place at the logging camp was super intense, and I liked that when they got back and were no longer in the logging camp it wasn't all of a sudden totally easier, just hard in a different way. For any of them, Sarah, Evelyn, or Evelyn's kids.

I really liked it. Probably because I've been a sucker for books along the lines of Words Heard in Silence and the like, although this book isn't exactly the same as that one. Still, an awesome read.

I was given this ARC by Netgalley on behalf of Bold Strokes Books.… (més)

i really want more stories like this to be told. but better, so much better.

the writing isn't good, although it also isn't terrible. but more importantly the development of the characters and the story are both poor. throughout the entire book there is hardly anything the characters say or do that is even slightly believable. the whole thing feels false and contrived. disappointing.

it won awards, i'm sure, because it is about something we need to have more books about (intersexuality), but certainly not because it did it well.… (més)