Brute Heart / Ginger Dehlinger

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Approximate word count: 85-90,000 words

Availability
Kindle US: YES UK: YES Nook: NO Smashwords: NO Paper: NO
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Author:

A native of Oregon, Ginger Dehlinger currently lives in Bend, in the central part of the state. She has had several articles, primarily about the American West, in various periodicals. This is her first novel. For more, visit Dehlinger’s blog.


Description:

A small-town veterinarian faces a tough decision when her estranged father asks her to speed up the process already started by his terminal cancer. But no matter how you feel about him, putting down your father isn’t the same as euthanizing a horse or dog.

Appraisal:

A coming of age story that grapples with issues of spousal and child abuse, duty to family, and alcoholism, Brute Heart is at turns serious and lighthearted, heartbreaking and uplifting, and a tale well worth reading. Set in the part of Oregon east of the Cascades that is unlike what most people imagine when they think of that state, Brute Heart gives a glimpse of life on the dry side of the mountains. Small towns where cowboys outnumber stockbrokers, a person is more likely to make their living working the land than at a desk, and entertainment options normally involve a boat and fishing pole.

Jordan, the protagonist of Brute Heart is the kind of character I love. She is tough, because she has to be, and determined to make a better life for herself. I cheered for her when things went well and sympathized when they didn’t, all the while pulling for her to reach her goals and hoping she would make the right choice when faced with the ultimate decision.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five stars