Sweet Laurel

by Millie Criswell

Overview

Laurel Martin leaves her hometown in search of a husband, hoping to make her father's deathbed wish come true. She arrives in Denver, determined to sing at its fabulous opera house, but she is the only one who thinks she is qualified to do this.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780446601726
Publisher:	Grand Central Publishing
Publication date:	03/01/1996
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.79(d)

Editorial Reviews

In Criswell's second volume in the Flowers of the West (Wild Heather) trilogy about three sisters who leave Kansas in search of good husbands, Laurel Martin travels to frontier Denver to become an opera singer. Not only can't she sing a note worth hearing, she doesn't even have a decent 'pair of hooters,' the hero observes. Nevertheless, womanizing gambler Chance Rafferty hires her to sing at his Aurora Borealis saloon, among a few other goodies he has planned. It's the old story of the virgin and the rogue. Laurel puts Chance in touch with his heart, and he acquaints her with the 'forbidden area nice women never talked about.' Criswell gets lots of coarse mileage out of innocent Laurel's demimonde pals, including a parrot who squawks, 'How about a poke, sweetie?' And even in historical context, some readers may be offended by her Aunt Jemima depiction of black characters and the use of the word 'nigger.'

Publishers Weekly - Cahners\\Publishers_Weekly

In Criswell's second volume in the Flowers of the West (Wild Heather) trilogy about three sisters who leave Kansas in search of good husbands, Laurel Martin travels to frontier Denver to become an opera singer. Not only can't she sing a note worth hearing, she doesn't even have a decent "pair of hooters," the hero observes. Nevertheless, womanizing gambler Chance Rafferty hires her to sing at his Aurora Borealis saloon, among a few other goodies he has planned. It's the old story of the virgin and the rogue. Laurel puts Chance in touch with his heart, and he acquaints her with the "forbidden area nice women never talked about." Criswell gets lots of coarse mileage out of innocent Laurel's demimonde pals, including a parrot who squawks, "How about a poke, sweetie?" And even in historical context, some readers may be offended by her Aunt Jemima depiction of black characters and the use of the word "nigger." (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly