I’m a fan of Mary Connealy and have read several of her books. Today, I listened to the audiobook of Woman of Sunlight again because I wanted a good laugh, to relax, and to enjoy the afternoon.
Connealy has an excellent sense of humor—something few authors can pull off successfully—and she remains a master of it.
Another reason I enjoyed this audiobook is the narrator, Barbara McCulloh. An outstanding voice actor, McCulloh’s sense of inflection, pacing, and pitch gives the male characters authenticity and depth. Her delivery makes each scene vivid and charming.
I fell in love with the heroine in the first book in this series, and in book two, I appreciated her sister, Ilsa Nordegren, even more. Ilsa is wonderfully naïve; she loves swinging from trees, knows nothing about small-town life, and cannot read people’s body language. She is far more comfortable around animals than humans, so when she meets Mitch Warden and his strong, independent mother, the result is both conflict and humor in nearly every chapter.
One of my favorite scenes is when Ilsa tries to ride a trotting horse for the first time. Her sister, Josephine, already mastered the trot after a few weeks, and Ilsa was determined to do the same. In the meantime, Mitch helps her onto his horse, where they face each other and become better acquainted. Her easygoing nature and willingness to try new experiences—such as visiting towns, traveling unfamiliar trails, and embracing adventure—made me determined to read about her other sister, Ursula, in the third book in the series as well.
If you like historical Westerns and enjoy laughing, Woman of Sunlight by Mary Connealy may be a book for you. Historical western fiction lovers may also appreciate The Lady’s Mine by Francine Rivers, A Woman Called Sage by DiAnn Mills, and When Love Blooms by Robin Lee Hatcher.
