A Place Called Harmony Jodi Thomas

A Place Called Harmony
Jodi Thomas
Publisher: Berkley
Date: 2014
Format: Paperback
Pages: 292
Genre: Historical Western Romance
Source: Own book

Desperate to escape his overbearing father, Patrick McAllen disappears with his bride, heading north to build a new town—discovering strength, honor and true love along the way.

After drinking away the grief from his family’s death, Clint Truman avoids jail by taking a job in North Texas and settling down with a woman he vows to protect but never love—until her quiet compassion slowly breaks his hardened heart wide open…

All Gillian Matheson has ever known is Army life, leaving his true love to be a part-time spouse. But when a wounded Gillian returns home to find her desperately fighting to save their marriage, he’s determined to become the husband she deserves.

Amidst storms, outlaws, and unwelcome relatives, the three couples band together to build a town—and form a bond that breathes life into the place that will forever be called Harmony.

A Place Called Harmony is a prequel to the wonderful Harmony series written by Jodi Thomas.  I have been enthralled by this series since I found it back in 2012.  (The first one came out in 2010).  I have come to love all the characters in this town in Texas.  In this book Jodi Thomas takes us back to the very beginning of the town in the 1870's.  At that time it was just a twinkle in the eye of Harmon Ely who ran a trading post in a spot that he wanted to build a town.  And so we are taken back to how the Trumans, McAllens and Mathesons found their way to Harmon Ely's trading post and helped him begin his dream.  As I thought of the present day characters, I loved hearing about their forebears and how it all began.

One of the requirements Harmon had was that they brought a wife along with them.  Well Daisy and her boys arrived first and was determined that her husband, a soldier would meet her there, and that they could build something together.  When Gillian Matheson finally makes it there he is in for a few surprises. 

Patrick McAllen has had a very tough time at home, a preacher father who is really insane and has made his young life a misery.  He teams up with Annie and off they set for the trading post.  He is a skilled builder and it is he who leads the others in all the buildings they have to prepare.  However it is not long before he is followed by one family member and then another.  

Clint Truman is still grieving at the loss of his wife and two daughters to illness and is picked up by a local lawman and told to either face a life in jail or get his act together, get sober and do something positive with his life.  He picks up a very unlikely wife and off they venture off towards the trading post.  Sewn into the lining of her coat Karissa his wife, has apple seeds to plant.  Aha! So that is how the Truman apple orchard started!

This is a story of beginnings, and how unlikely people come together in a spirit of cooperation and courage to build a community.  The life is hard but exciting.  Bonds of love and friendship are forged. Others arrive and the first of the Wright family arrives - they are to become the undertakers of the town, he said he was willing to undertake anything!

The characters were varied and were perfect in their imperfections, the plot moved along at a good pace.  I would just grow to love one set of characters and there would be a switch to the next. For a moment I'd resent the jump, but soon I would be absorbed in their story.  

This book could easily be read first if you haven't read this series, or it fits in anywhere.  Now I really eagerly anticipate the next in this series and I don't have long to wait until I will be wrapped up in another story about the people in Harmony.