A Bride's Portrait by Erica Vetsch

When I started reading A Bride’s Portrait by Erica Vetsch I first noticed her excellent crafting skills. From page one I was drawn by her choice of words and the pictures they created. If the authority were mine I would crown Erica “Queen of show don’t tell”

A Bride’s Portrait takes place in Dodge City, back when the west was young. Description from the back of the book: Adeline Reid, once the sweetheart of a notorious train robber, is determined to keep her shady past a secret and her heart protected. Her newfound focus on her work has gained her two things - a successful portrait studio in Dodge City, Kansas, and a life free of romance. Unfortunately, Addie's inquisitiveness brings trouble back into her life when she unwittingly holds a clue that can expose a killer's identity. Will she find herself looking down the end of a gun barrel, or will a handsome deputy nab the murderer before the shooting starts?

This book calls to mind one of my favorite quotes by Paul Sweeny: “You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.”

Still today there’s a scene I’m not ready to let go because of the emotions it created. I can’t say any more than that without giving too much of the story away. I defiantly do not want to ruin it for you, but trust me it will touch your heart.

I read a lot of books. Some I’ve been gifted, others I’ve won on blogs but most I’ve been asked to review. The majority have been well written books that I enjoyed. One or two I’ve plowed my way through, anxious to get to the end. I know it takes a lot of work to write a book and the author deserves to have it read to the end. Then there are a handful of books that carried my imagination away to a place I did not want to leave. A Bride’s Portrait is one of the handful that’s more than just a good story.