Melinda and the Wild West

A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho, Book 1

De: Linda Weaver Clarke

Narrado por: Joanna Riley

This revised edition of Melinda and the Wild West is especially for young adults, ages 11 to 16.

In 1896, Melinda Gamble, a very elegant, very naive young woman from Boston, decides to give up her life of monotonous comfort for the turbulent uncertainty of the still untamed Wild West. Driven by her intense desire to make a difference in the world, Melinda takes a job as a schoolteacher in the small town of Paris, Idaho, where she comes face-to-face with a frightening bank robber, a vicious grizzly bear, and an intense blizzard that leaves her clinging to her life. But it is a ruggedly handsome and very mysterious stranger who challenges Melinda with the one thing for which she was least prepared: love.

©2012 Linda Weaver Clarke (P)2016 Linda Weaver Clarke

Melinda and The Wild West

I reviewed the book version of this back in 2012! Wow doesn't seem that long ago.
I gave the book 5 stars. I actually liked the book better than the audio.
It was the same real sweet story with a clean heartfelt message.

I loved the historical content, the attention to detail Linda puts in any of her stories as well as the great character development!

What I didn't care for was... once again - the reader! UGH I hate doing this, but I am so darn picky about audios. The reader will really make it or break it for me. And this one just broke it for me.
It was only the fact that I felt like I was overhearing a kindergarten teacher reading to her class. She over emphasized EVERYTHING! I am sorry but it really got annoying if I listened to it for a while.

So all that being said - This is a GREAT book - but I would recommend you read it, not listen to it!

I voluntarily posted this review after receiving a Audible copy of this book from the author - Linda Weaver Clarke - Thank You!

Boston girl meets Idaho

Good clean story. I enjoyed the setting (Paris, Idaho in the last 1800's) since I am an Idaho girl. I would recommend this as a YA read with a strong female role model. Melinda gets an education in a time when that was not common for young women and then she becomes a devoted school teacher with the courage to leave the familiar east and travel into the wild west. There she witnesses an armed robbery by Butch Cassidy, is the victim of a grizzly bear attack, survives an Idaho blizzard, and falls in love with a rugged rancher. Since I am not usually a romance reader, I did have to overlook a lot of descriptions of rippling muscles, longing eyes, and tender kisses but the book has some substance too - this school teacher changes lives through her dedication and love.

A fun, light read for the whole family.

What did you love best about Melinda and the Wild West?

I love history and the wild west appeals greatly to me. The author was able to weave in some interesting historical facts about the area and the people which I found very interesting. I particularly enjoyed learning how the people of the time dealt with medical emergencies e.g. Melinda's hypothermia.

What did you like best about this story?

I enjoyed the first half of the book immensely as it related the events of Melinda's move to the Wild West and her adaption to the place and people. She had many exciting and dangerous encounters and I also loved reading about her teaching experiences and her relationship with her pupils.
The second half of the book was a little bit slower as the romance moved at a sedate pace.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Joanna Riley?

Joanna Riley made the story sound very dramatic and exciting. There was some slight pausing here and there in her reading and some over emphasis in her expression which I would have preferred toned down a bit but overall the narration was good.

Any additional comments?

This is exactly the kind of book my 13 year old self would have loved to have on her shelf.
The romance and adventure certainly appeals and it is a safe, clean read to gift or for the whole family to enjoy.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Enjoyable Historical Western Romance

Any additional comments?

Melinda and The Wild West is a very good old fashioned western romance set in Bear Lake, Idaho in 1896. It begins when Melinda Gamble accepts a job as a schoolteacher in the small town of Paris, Idaho after declining a marriage proposal from the comforts of her parents’ home in Boston. She has an intense desire to make a difference in the world and she doesn’t let anything stand in her way – not even a bank robbery by Butch Cassidy, or an attack by a vicious grizzly bear.

My favorite part of the story is the positive impact that Melinda has on her students. In particular, she takes an unruly young motherless student under her wing who blossoms under her tutelage. But it is in meeting this students’ father that we discover how smart Melinda really is. For example, she talks the busy rancher into accompanying her on a field trip with her students and she learns a thing or two about prejudging people unfairly. The slow developing romance between the pair is truly enjoyable.

I listened to the Audible version of this audiobook written by Linda Weaver Clarke and narrated by Joanna Riley. Joanna’s narration was average with varying voices and tempo. I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest unbiased review.

In summary, I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook and look forward to other audiobooks in the Bear Lake, Idaho Family saga.

Great story

I really enjoyed this story. Melinda was a great story of love, growth and development. I really loved seeing her develop her relationship with her beau and fall in love! I feel like it was well written and had depth to it that you don’t always get.

The narrator was not my favorite- but I pressed through and wanted to finish. I made the speed 1.25x and that helped.

Overall I’d recommend this story and recommend the rest of the series, too!