Jane Kirkpatrick never disappoints! Her storylines are unique and her characters are engaging. A story of family, love and acceptance.
Mollie and her father have a tenuous relationship. He often left her with others for long periods of time. When he finally comes to claim her, he has a new wife. Fortunately, Mama Ann is a wonderful mother. Mollie falls in love with Peter and her father adamantly refuses to let them get married. They get married despite her father's wishes. Their marriage leads them on many adventures including getting to live on a Native American reservation. They become integrated with the people and raise their large family with their new family. ( )

I thought this book was pretty good. When Mollie got married by the middle of the book, I was going like "now what?" but I actually liked the second part better. ( )

Mollie Sheehan's life is turned upside down when her mother dies, but her father is almost inconsolable. While her father finds solace in work, Mollie must contend with being left with strangers in her father's absence. Just as Mollie gives up hope of seeing her father again, he returns to claim her & start their life anew. Mollie learns very quickly that her dreams of independently caring for her father are crushed - her father has married again. However, the young woman he has married is kind & patient with Mollie and becomes Mother Anne to the lost & rebellious child. As Mollie grows into a beautiful young woman, she begins to learn of life & love and the sacrifices to be made for love, duty, and family. However, will Mollie give up love at the request of her father? Will she content herself with caring for her irrationally, overprotective father at the loss of what could be the love of her life?

This was a really good book and I love that it was based on a real person! Ms. Kirkpatrick is very good at narrating the lives of real people and making you want to know more. Thank you LibraryThing for the Early Reviewers copy! :) ( )

Jane Kirkpatrick writes fiction based on careful and thorough research of the lives of ordinary yet extraordinary women who have been the backbone on which this nation was built. How might someone be ordinary yet extraordinary you may wonder. These women, including Mollie Sheehan Ronan on whom Beneath the Bending Skies focuses, lived lives not seeking to make a name for themselves by seeking to do great things, but by doing small things bravely, by putting the heartfelt desires of others first, and by showing great kindness. These women carry on in difficult circumstances, focusing on the work to which they were called. They are defenders and encouragers of those on the fringes, and they are agile, adapting to what life throws at them. While our lives may be constructed under much different circumstances, their lives remain a strong example of a life well-lived.

I recommend Beneath the Bending Skies and other book by this author to those who are looking for a slow, easy paced book filled with gems of wisdom. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell and to have been accepted to its blogger team. All opinions expressed here are my own. ( )

Beneath the Bending Skies by Jane Kirkpatrick is an eloquent and unique work of historical fiction. Based on real-life events, this story focuses on Mollie Sheehan Ronan and her experiences growing up and forging her own way in the wilds of the West.
This is my second Jane Kirkpatrick book, and I love her writing style. Reading like a memoir, Mollies story is delivered intimately, full of details of her life and the emotions that troubled her for many years. I grew to love Mollie: her passion for life, her quick wit, her love of books, and her desire to please God. I even did a Google search to learn more about her!
The author does a fantastic job of building the landscape of the West with her words. I grew fond of the land alongside Mollie and felt her loss as she left the beauty of Montana behind. In every way, I felt fully immersed in Mollie’s story from beginning to end.
What I love the most about this kind of story is that it keeps history alive. Mollie’s memory lives on. Her life, though maybe not extraordinary by some standards, was still beautiful, emotional, and inspirational. And now, it’s been given new life through Jane Kirkpatrick’s talented words.
Fans of historical fiction will enjoy learning about Mollie and the impact of her life on history.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions are my own. ( )