Genre: Contemporary
Fiction
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.
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.
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.
FYI:
Added for
Reprise Review: Brute
Heart by Ginger Dehlinger was a nominee in the Contemporary Fiction
category for B&P 2013 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran March 27,
2012
Format/Typo
Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating:
***** Five Stars
Reviewed
by: BigAl
Approximate
word count: 85-90,000 words
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