The Measure of a Lady

In an attempt to review this book, I am a little bit at a loss for words. For those of you who know the other books that I read, recommend and love, I can tell you that the humor is something similar to that found in novels of my beloved favorite author Mary Connealy. The drama is amazing and the

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characters rip out your heart.

Easily, this novel is powerful, funny, and full of thought-provoking plot. Throughout the entire story, I felt like I was right there along with our protagonist. In so many of the situations, while she worked to finding a solution to a current dilemma, I would have just sat down and cried. Through these three hundred pages, author Deeanne Gist has really woven together a story that makes you think about what you do in your own walk with Christ and realize the bits and pieces that might need a little more tweaking and a bit more Bible Devotion.

There are people who will not appreciate this book because it may make them uncomfortable. But it does it in a way that is really attempting to show what is the purpose behind our God breathed lives and I praise this book fully for what it is capable as accomplishing as a tool for good.

I highly recommend this book to young women and older women alike. Especially those entering the romantic scene. For younger girls however, I would not say to avoid the book, but to read it and be able to discuss it with a mother, sister, or older friend.

The writing is incredible and will leaving you thirsting for more. At one point I had to put down the book while I was highly frustrated with a few particular characters and then I found myself irritated with my husband because of misplaced anger. A book that can lead on into my own life is obviously powerful enough to make me think.*grin*

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First off, I have to admit when I bought this book at the big warehouse store I wasn't aware that it was Christian fiction, as there was nothing on the book jacket noting that fact. I didn't realize until I was well into the book that it was not only about the love between Rachel and Johnny but

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about their faith in god and the conflicts with trying to adhere to that and live in lawless San Francisco in the 1840's.

That being said, it was a very enjoyable tale as Rachel comes to terms with her faith and her love for Johnny. I give the author kudos for having the courage to write some sexual tension into the book, along with the "downfall" of the younger sister Lissa.

A very enjoyable, albeit quick read.

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Rachel Van Buren and her two siblings are stranded in San Fransisco during the time of the Gold Rush. Rachel is appalled by the conditions that she finds there. She and her sister as "Blue-Bonnets" (well bred women) stand out among all the prostitutes, gamblers, and rough shod miners. Rachel finds

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a way to support her family working at a gambling house, but she is determined to clean up the town--in more ways than one. But will her morals be enough to stand up to the attraction she has for Mr. Parker, the owner of the gamblig house?
The historical setting made for quite an interesting set-up, and Gist does a good job of showing how even the most high-minded individual can fall to temptation so we all need to be treated with grace. But the emphasis on the physical was a bit too much, and the characters simplistic with one track minds. Still, for romance lovers who like a lot of physical (yet not too physical) action this would be a good choice.

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This is the third book I've read by Deeanne Gist so far (I also read A Bride Most Begrudging and A Bride In The Bargain), and my least favorite. I didn't quite connect with the characters as much as in the other two, and the plot was strange. It had a great message, and the ending was good, but the

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whole thing was kinda weird. I didn't think it was as sweet and romantic as the other two, either. I still liked it, and if I hadn't read anything else by this author, I would have liked it more... But this wasn't my favorite.

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I actually liked this book more than I thought I would. Like many readers, the ridiculous piousness of the main character was annoying from the very beginning. However, the author was able to address that by the end of the book in a way that was very believable and encouraging. I liked the setting

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of the book and look forward to other books by this author.

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Deeanne Gist, has woven a strong cast of characters that will keep you reading until the book is finished.
Young Rachel and her two siblings end up in San Francisco alone after their father passes away during the voyage. It is now up to Rachel to keep her brother and sister in their full graces and

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together. With a town full of gamblers,and other kinds of men Rachel's close hand will either keep them together or cause her siblings to follow the other path.
Delightful book, humorous, quick witted, strong characters and lessons on family growth and love.

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I was really surprised that I liked this book as I'm not a big fan of the religious right and I thought that Christian lit would equal their closed-minded mentality. I found this to be untrue with Gist. She has written a not-too-preachy REAL love story. A very nice read.

While it is clear to me that The Measure of a Lady by Deeanne Gist is for a select group, it is a read that I enjoyed. Rachel is a proper lady of society who finds herself as head of household to her two younger siblings after the death of her parents. Getting by on her own is no small challenge,

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but in Gold Rush San Francisco, there is no shortage of challenges. There are no other “sunbonnets”, no churches, no suitable hotels and an endless amount of drinking, gambling, loose women and eager men.
I sympathized with Rachel for the longest time as she set the rules and laid the law down in her household to ward off the outside world from infiltrating her families christian standards. There is such a fine line between Rachel standing behind her beliefs and taking it to a level where she becomes judgmental. I felt for her and was never clear what my choices would be in comparison with hers if I were in the same situation. I found Rachel’s sister, Lissa, almost unbearable. She is a lazy, attention seeking brat and the main reason that I had so much compassion for Rachel. I can see why it is hard for Rachel to not be judgmental against those who have so many negative influences on her family. It is a realistic and interesting conflict.
The story is full of romantic tension when Rachel discovers her love interest, Johnnie, who is the owner of a seedy hotel, gambling hall and bar. Johnnie is a hardened man with a soft heart kind of guy and super likable. I was pretty sure who Rachel would end up with, but watching her get there was interesting enough.
The problems that I had with the story are few. Besides Lissa being so easily sucked into a life that Rachel fights so hard to keep her out of, the story does get somewhat repetitive. Hard headed girl does as she pleases, gets in a jam, and man saves the day.
The main story line has a predictable, yet decent ending, but there are additional conflicts that are resolved in the end that are more unexpected and are nice additions.

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Although this book did hold my interest all the way through, I just didn't connect with the two main characters, Rachel and Johnnie. I appreciated reading and gaining insight into the times in SanFrancisco in the 1800's, when it was just beginning to be a town. But the "rules for proper

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19th-centruy lady" was a little annoying; as seen trying to be be played out by Rachel. And the way that her sister went in this story was also hard to wrap my mind around.

Rachel, her sister Lissa, and her brother Michael, get off the boat in San Francisco, having lost their father during the trip over. They are now stranded in a town with very little if any civility. A saloon owner/gambler offers them his shack out back in exchange for them cleaning his establishment. So begins a very volatile relationship between Rachel and Johnnie. Rachel tries so hard to hold her family together, but her strict adherence to doing things "properly" leads them away from her and she will experience heartache after heartache. Meanwhile the feelings between Rachel and Johnnie simmer just above the surface. It will take a major catastrophe in the end to bring everyone together and for love to be finally acknowledged. At times I wanted to just shake some sense into Rachel, but at the same time I also appreciated her desire to remain true to what she believed was right. She just needed some guidance.

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