Temple Bailey (1869–1953)

[[Temple Bailey]] reminds me a lot of [[Grace Richmond]] with this book. It is about brokenness and recovery, perhaps even redemption. It is about what marriage should look like. It is about holding on to oneself in spite of the pressures the world brings to bear. There is a slender thread of liberal patriotism too that runs through the story. Of course, you know how the story ends, but it is particularly well done. It made me cry.

Okay, that would be first published in 1933. This is the equivalent of the Harlequins of the 50's and 60's (yes, I realize there are still Harlequins being published). What is fascinating about reading early chick lit is seeing how the characters are managed, what the gender stereotypes are, what the sexual encounters are like (here...well, the sheltered heroine trembles when the hero touches her cheek) (and I mean the cheek on her face, mind). We have post Depression adjustment, loyal black show more servants, noble country doctor and parson, troubled Lucifer-beautiful hero/antihero, spunky parson's wife, etc. Incredibly disturbing overtones of abuse between heroine and her father, eep. Orange groves and a hurricane and a devoted, dying mother. What more could you desire? show less