The Proud Breed

The Proud Breed begins in the 1840's as Tessa McCloud prepares for her sixteenth birthday. Great granddaughter of Don Esteban, one of the original Californio ranchero families, she has been "sold" by her father to the very evil Don Luis to pay off his gambling debts. Looking for a final respite before meeting her fate at the hand of Luis, Tessa goes to her favorite spot on the ranch and while swimming in the buff she is spotted by Yankee Gavin Ramsey who mistakes her for a servant girl and assumes she's fair game for the taking. Tessa attacks Gavin with her knife, but then nurses him back to health when she realizes he's been sent with a message and birthday gift from her great-grandfather. Love blooms, but the couple must find a way to show more escape her engagement to Luis and repay her father's gambling debts.

Once wed, Tessa and Gavin begin their lives and build their fortune in Monterey, the capitol of Old California, along with Gavin's partner, Indian. The old ways of the original California rancheros are threatened by an indifferent Mexican government and an influx of American settlers anxious to take control. As their business enterprises continue to grow and California reaches statehood Tessa and Gavin's marriage is threatened by jealousy, treachery, bigotry, adultery and the horrific acts committed by the revenge minded Don Luis -- yet they survive it all to build a family dynasty in the new State of California.

De Blasis does an incredible job of taking the reader on a grand ride through California's history -- from the now dying ways of the Californio Rancheros, old Monterey, the gold camps, lawless San Francisco with it's fires and the vigilantes, through the Civil War to the turn of the century and more as Tessa and Gavin's marriage withstands the tests of time and their dynasty is eventually passed on to their children. Peopled with memorable characters and abundant historical facts this was a highly enjoyable tale about a very strong willed woman and the man she loved until death did they part that will have you reading well into the wee hours of the morning. I did find the way the author worked Gavin and Indian into the Civil War to be a bit of a stretch, but other than that a near perfect read for me, and a highly enjoyable way to learn more about a fascinating period in U.S. history. Readers might find the last 100 or so pages are a tad bit slow at times, but well worth it for a very very bittersweet epilogue as the Ramsay family rings in the new century at the end of 1899 - have the tissue handy. show less

I LOVED this book. I reccomend it all the time for patrons who want someone/something new. I had a paperback copy years ago and would not let ANYone borrow it because it was falling apart and I was afraid they would lose the pages that were falling out. HAHA I had a rubberband to hold it all together. Very interesting learning about California. I think this book set me up to love the "Outlander" series so much as it follows generations of the same family also. On a side note: I always thought Susan Lucci should play the main character of Tessa. No offense to Ms. Lucci, but I think is too late for that now.

Before reading it, I had noticed the book on the shelf. I wasn't allowed to read it for a long time, not fit for a child, my mother said.
When I finally was allowed to (around 14 years of age),I simply loved this book. For me it was my first book about real life, though it is a novel and therefor probably fiction.

What I liked, apart from the saga about Tessa, her heritage and her family, was also the history part of this book. I have no clue if the background described is close to how it was in those days, but it was done in such a manner, that it was very plausible for me. And I learned from it, since I had not yet had many history lessons about the west.

The book is very realistic: about the love for another person, about troubles in show more life, elianation, betrayal, friendship, having children, see them grow up, having difficulties letting them go, saying goodbye to the partner you love so much and need to be living without for many years...
It gave me a look at what could be ahead. Not the setting of course, my hometown is not to be compared with California half way the 19th century. No, about family life and all that is attached to it. I admired Tessa and Gavin for living the way they did, never give up, not even in the hardest times. show less

An epic sweeping story that covers many years but also makes the story feel close and intimate without feeling small. I highly recommend pretty much everything this author writes because she has a wonderful style.

DNF - I enjoyed the focus on California history but the social sentiments are dated and I couldn't overlook that so I decided to stop reading.

A highly readable book, infused with historical facts and an engaging storyline. Highly recommended!

Dit boek beschrijft het leven van Tess, een kindvrouwtje dat haar wellustige neef maar met moeite van het lijf kan houden en Gavin, een man die veel van het leven heeft gezien, maar nooit van de liefde.
Ze worden samengebracht door de grootvader van Tess.
Hun leven en hun liefde wordt beschreven en getest tegen de kleurrijke achtergrond van California's vroege jaren, van de tijd van de Goudkoorts tot aan de Burgeroorlog en verder.

Het is een verhaal met een brede variëteit aan karakters: familie (directe en geadopteerd), vrienden, bekenden, schurken en historische figuren met in het centrum Tess en Gavin.