The Patchwork Bride
Ellen is making a wedding quilt for her granddaughter, June, when June shows up for a visit and announces that she is calling off her wedding. The two women sit on the porch, and as Ellen continues to stitch scraps of old dresses into the quilt, she tells the story of Nell, a young woman who left three engagements before settling down with the love of her life.
Nell sets out from her family farm in Kansas in 1898 in search of love. She first heads to the New Mexico Territory, where she works as a hired hand in the kitchen and soon falls madly in love with a cowboy named Buddy. The two are proud and stubborn, however, and the passionate affair ends with Nell running away after a fight. Nell then heads to Denver, where she works as a waitress, and eventually to Kansas City, where she works as a schoolteacher. In each location, she finds herself in ill-fated engagements once again.
Dallas writes beautifully about life at the turn of the 20th century on the ranch, the farm, and in the city. Readers will celebrate with Nell as she gallops across the plains on a horse or finds herself whizzing by houses going twenty miles per hour for the first time in a motorcar. We also get an intimate look at women’s issues in this time period, including the challenges single women encountered in supporting themselves and the pressure they faced to marry.
This runaway bride story is both heartwarming and emotional. As we see Nell search for happiness and grow into a mature woman, we are reminded of the importance of love, family, and the memories that we hold dear as we age. A touching and romantic tale by a talented storyteller.
