Review: Everything She Didn't Say by Jane Kirkpatrick

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About:

In Carrie Strahorn’s life, there are two versions of everything: the one she’ll share with others and the one she actually lives. As she follows her husband through the American West, her journey takes her through heartache, disappointment, and a life of unparalleled adventure.

My Thoughts:

Everything She Didn’t Say was a story about a pioneer woman, who really did not want to be a pioneer woman. This was a different and intriguing story, based on a true life woman, Carrie Adelle Strahorn, a woman who travelled with her husband, Robert Strahorn a man who was an adventurer. Robert was a writer who worked for the railroad and produced pamphlets to bring folks out west. Carrie also wrote her memoirs concerning her travels with her husband. Author Kirkpatrick does a good job of bringing Carrie’s character to life, and we as a reader get a front row seat as she reveals her deepest thoughts and feelings, some of which she does not even share with her husband.

I really liked Carrie and felt she could be any modern day woman- with hopes and dreams of a life she would like to live. But then, we fall in love with a man who has his own dreams and a different idea of the life he would like to live. Carrie wanted a home, which Robert was very willing to provide for her, but she was not willing to live with him gone most of the time for his work. So she trail blazed right along with him, hoping that she could be the helpmate and true partner that he always needed.

Like all of us, Carrie had insecurities. One of them was that she was the second choice of wife for Robert. His first love, also named Carrie (and Carrie or “Dell” (as Robert called her from the beginning of their marriage) - was her best friend) died. So he married Carrie, choosing to call her Dell from her middle name. Carrie was somewhat uncomfortable with this, but decided to make the best of it and called Robert a nickname as well.

There were many sayings in the book that just really stood out and inspired me. If I was a person who wrote in my books, it would be heavily underlined. All in all, this was an interesting read on a true woman pioneer who decided to take what life had offered, her marriage and her work, and make the best of it and make it an adventure it truly was.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.