Pearls and Steel

HISTORICAL: Sheridan Baird has his eyes set on a fine damsel, Ada. It is in the 1860s when many families are dealing with the results of the civil war that left permanent scars in everyone’s heart. Ada’s mother believes that Sheridan is not an ideal suitor for her daughter. On the other hand, Sheridan’s mother is going through a hard time, emotionally and psychologically, accepting the loss of her other two sons, Jeremy and Phillip, who died in the war. Sheridan makes a decision that he believes will give him a solid platform to win Ada’s hand in marriage. Unbeknownst to him, life has a couple of surprises coming his way.

“Pearls and Steel” transports the reader to the 1860s way of life. The different social classes, the tension between members of different classes, and their culture come to life through the lives of the different characters. Sheridan’s love life acts as the thread that holds the different aspects together. Readers who love the realistic feel of conversations between characters have an amazing journey to take through the pages of this book. The only challenge could be the interspersing of different threads of the storyline, which becomes enjoyable when one maps out the characters as the plot thickens. Readers who have a soft spot for characters who roar their boats through the highs-and-lows of life to the find their place in the world have a real treat within this delectable piece of literary art.  

JM Lareen