In this remarkable retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, The Bridge at Valentine presents a realistic and poignant portrayal of life in 1890's Idaho. July Caldwell, the daughter of a sheepman, and Rory Morrow, the son of a cattleman, find themselves embroiled in their fathers' bitter feud to control the rangeland. The battle over grazing rights pits family against family, resulting in a tragedy from which July and Rory struggle to recover. But with tragedy comes triumph and hope for the future—and ultimately, a young woman's determination to strike out on her own.
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The Bridge at Valentine is very original and very appealing. Renee Thompson has an angle of attack that is all her own. (Larry McMurtry, author of Lonesome Dove )
About the Author
Renee Thompson was born in Washington and raised in Japan, Georgia, Kansas and California. She has worked as a newspaper columnist and reporter, an executive assistant, and as a volunteer at various national wildlife refuges. An avid birdwatcher and conservationist, Renee lives in northern California with her husband Steve. Her short stories have appeared in Narrative Magazine and Chiron Review, and she has placed in writing competitions sponsored by Glimmer Train and Writer's Digest. THE BRIDGE AT VALENTINE is her first novel.
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I purchased this book on a whim after stumbling across it on Amazon one day. I say whim as I had never heard of the author before, But I am a sucker for anything to do with "Romeo and Juliet." This is a retelling of the classic tale set in 1880's Idaho. The story follows July Caldwell (short for Julia), Daughter of a Mormon sheep man, and her romance with Rory Morrow (Romeo, I like the way how when you say Rory Morrow Romeo is in there) son of a gentile Cattleman. Of course the two families are at Odds, cattle and sheep just do not mix, and then there is the religion thing. In telling this story the author never takes the easy way, and there are plenty of surprises, this is not an exact retelling of R & J. It is also obvious the author has done her research and does a realistic job or portraying life in 1880's Idaho. For more historical fiction then western and I highly recommend this book. For more great "Romeo and Juliet" reading I also recommend "Juliet."
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.8 out of 5 stars
16 reviews
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Romeo and Juliet in the Idaho Frontier
Aug 24 2010
By Michelaneous by Michele
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is the very well written tale of a Mormon, Idaho sheep-farming family named Caldwell, which takes place in the late 1800s. Renee Thompson paints a beautiful visual portrait of the land and fills it with well-developed, three dimensional characters. It's a family saga, to be sure, with a Romeo and Juliet love story featuring the sheep farmer's daughter, Julia (or July) and the "gentile" cattleman's son, Rory. Filled with tragedy and triumph, joy and sorrow, heroes and villains, I felt transported by the lyrical prose and romance of the tale.
Brilliant effort by a first-time novelist. I highly recommend this fast read to those who enjoy westerns, historical fiction and, of course, love stories.
--Reviewed by Michele Cozzens, author of Irish Twins.
Brilliant effort by a first-time novelist. I highly recommend this fast read to those who enjoy westerns, historical fiction and, of course, love stories.
--Reviewed by Michele Cozzens, author of Irish Twins.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Engaging from the beginning
Sep 2 2010
By Karen Meredith
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
From the first chapter I was pulled into this story, which in no way proved predictable. The book is steeped in a sense of time and place (Idaho in the late 1800's.) It moved at a pace that constantly kept me engaged. Each of the characters is well described...and it's easy to become attached to them all, especially the protagonist, July. I must say I hated putting the book down once it was over. I think it would appeal to adolescents as well as adults.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderfully Written Debut Novel
Oct 17 2010
By Mindful One
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Westerns are not my first choice of reading material. But a book about the history of the west is not necessarily a western. The Bridge at Valentine is a story about family, values and love with a historical setting that I knew little about--the tensions between cattle ranchers and sheep ranchers. July, the protagonist, makes unpredicatable decisions about her life and while the comparison to Romeo and Juliet is obvious, the resolution to conflicted love that July finds is creative and complicated. The characters are well developed and when I had to put the book down I found myself wondering what was happening next. Congrats to Renee Thompson on an excellent debut novel.
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4.8 out of 5 stars
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