Overview

Maria Espinosa should not have survived the 1679 cholera epidemic in Mexico City that killed her parents, already reeling from the loss of their fortune, nor should she have survived an Apache raid on the caravan transporting her to a sister in remote Santa Fe, in the royal colony of New Mexico. Rejected by her sister because she is penniless, Maria struggles to stay alive in a society unaware of impending disaster. A charismatic Tewa Indian named Popé is determined to drive the hated European overlords from the land. Maria's refuge is no refuge at all. When Mary is taken in by a Spanish ranching family living uneasily among the Pueblo Indians, her beauty and spirit inspire a rivalry between two brothers-one a Spaniard, the other half-Indian. Will she find security and purpose in this harsh land only to lose her heart? In the midst of personal turmoil, Maria discovers a rare talent in this colony of believers. She learns how to carve discarded branches and tree stumps into statues of saints. She also learns the larger lesson: that grace can transform an object of little value into a masterpiece. But trouble lies ahead. Maria can reveal the saint buried in a block of wood. What mysteries lie deep within her own heart?

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9781603818919

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Here's something you may not know about Carla Kelly: She has a BA in Latin American History and an MA in Indian Wars history. Which makes her pretty much the perfect person to write this book; it is about an Indian War which takes place in 17th Century New Mexico. But it is more than that, it is about two people falling in love during an incredibly turbulent and dangerous time. You know that saying If I didn't have bad luck I'd have no luck at all ? That saying could pretty much sum up the last several years of the life of Maria Espinoza. Her father lost the family fortune. Then her family died in the cholera epidemic which swept through Mexico City in 1679. She finds herself working as a servant in a wagon train heading to Santa Fe, where she has a sister whom she has not seen in over a decade. Maria is hoping her sister will take her in. The hoped for reunion is delayed when the caravan is attacked by Apaches. Maria is spared only because she had fallen asleep in a small grove of trees where she could not be seen. The rest of their small group is murdered before her eyes. When the Apache finally leave, Maria does not know how she will survive. Is she to cross the remaining desert on foot? Then salvation arrives when a small band of ranchers comes to check on the caravan. Diego Masferrer is the man who rescues Maria. In this frightened yet valiant girl he sees a kindred spirit. When her sister rejects her, claiming to be too poor to take on another mouth to feed, he accepts Maria into his own household. Life at the hacienda is not easy, for there is much work to be done. But Maria is happy to be both servant and friend in this kind place. She grows close to Diego's sisters Erlinda, Luz, and Catarina. She also grows close to Cristobal, their half-brother. The son of a Tewa servant and Diego's father, Cristobal is beloved but also mistrusted. He has a tough time facing his own demons knowing that as an Indian he can not own property and

Here's something you may not know about Carla Kelly: She has a BA in Latin American History and an MA in Indian Wars history. Which makes her pretty much the perfect person to write this book; it is about an Indian War which takes place in 17th Century New Mexico. But it is more than that, it is about two people falling in love during an incredibly turbulent and dangerous time. You know that saying If I didn't have bad luck I'd have no luck at all ? That saying could pretty much sum up the last several years of the life of Maria Espinoza. Her father lost the family fortune. Then her family died in the cholera epidemic which swept through Mexico City in 1679. She finds herself working as a servant in a wagon train heading to Santa Fe, where she has a sister whom she has not seen in over a decade. Maria is hoping her sister will take her in. The hoped for reunion is delayed when the caravan is attacked by Apaches. Maria is spared only because she had fallen asleep in a small grove of trees where she could not be seen. The rest of their small group is murdered before her eyes. When the Apache finally leave, Maria does not know how she will survive. Is she to cross the remaining desert on foot? Then salvation arrives when a small band of ranchers comes to check on the caravan. Diego Masferrer is the man who rescues Maria. In this frightened yet valiant girl he sees a kindred spirit. When her sister rejects her, claiming to be too poor to take on another mouth to feed, he accepts Maria into his own household. Life at the hacienda is not easy, for there is much work to be done. But Maria is happy to be both servant and friend in this kind place. She grows close to Diego's sisters Erlinda, Luz, and Catarina. She also grows close to Cristobal, their half-brother. The son of a Tewa servant and Diego's father, Cristobal is beloved but also mistrusted. He has a tough time facing his own demons knowing that as an Indian he can not own property and Maria's ability to survive - and even thrive - among the most difficult of circumstances is impressive. She not only saves herself, but she bravely and selflessly saves those she cares about. As Diego opens his eyes to love, she is the only woman that he sees, and he learns that there is more to life than property. This isn't a novel for the faint of heart. Kelly describes (in excruciating detail) the cruelties that people inflict on one another, and there are times when it's overwhelmingly brutal. Though Kelly is best known for her Regency romances, this debut, originally published in 1985, is a good addition to fans' collections. --Historical Novel Review

Author Information

A well-known veteran of the romance writing field, Carla Kelly is the author of forty-three novels and three non-fiction works, as well as numerous short stories and articles for various publications. She is the recipient of two RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America for Best Regency of the Year; two Spur Awards from Western Writers of America; three Whitney Awards, 2011, 2012, and 2014; and a Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times. Carla's interest in historical fiction is a byproduct of her lifelong study of history. She's held a variety of jobs, including medical public relations work, feature writer and columnist for a North Dakota daily newspaper, and ranger in the National Park Service (her favorite job) at Fort Laramie National Historic Site and Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site. She has worked for the North Dakota Historical Society as a contract researcher. Interest in the Napoleonic Wars at sea led to numerous novels about the British Channel Fleet during that conflict. Carla has also written novels set in Wyoming during the Indian wars, and in the early twentieth century that focus on her interest in Rocky Mountain ranching. Readers might also enjoy her Spanish Brand Series, set against the background of 18th century New Mexico, where ranchers struggle to thrive in a dangerous place as Spanish power declines.

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