Sisters
Young widow Verity Varner had raised her sister Ellie after the death of their parents, in post-Civil War Smoke River, Oregon. Now a schoolteacher, Ellie summons Verity to help nurse her fiancé, Deputy Jack Mallory, a former Texas Ranger who was shot in the line of duty. Jack’s wound turns bad, and the doctor must amputate his arm. As he recuperates, Verity remains in Smoke River to play chaperone until the wedding, and keep house while Ellie continues to teach. Jack confesses that he feels useless and will be no fit husband with one arm. And Ellie seems more interested in the design of her wedding dress and being the envy of her friends than in helping Jack overcome his physical limitations. With more worldly experience and a different temperament, Verity encourages Jack to figure out how to do chores one-handed, learn to shoot with the other hand, and consider resuming his post as deputy. In the process, Verity realizes she is falling in love with her sister’s fiancé.
The situation is ideal for creating romantic tension: besides the love triangle, a subplot has Verity trying to overcome extreme shyness when out in public, and her unpleasant memories of her marriage make her reluctant to take the plunge again. There are some nice passages of romance-building banter between Verity and Jack. While spoiled Ellie is an unsympathetic character for most of the story, Banning does give her some redeeming qualities. Rounded characters, good romantic tension and a believable story combine to make Sisters an excellent romance.
