Berkley Sensation Becoming Georgia (Paperback)

Georgia "Georgie" Kennedy traveled all over the western states with her wanderlust-afflicted father, until he decided to finally settle down in a small Arizona mining town. Since her father's death, Georgie still works the gold mines, and acts more like a man than a woman. She wears coveralls and flannel shirts, can shoot, arm-wrestle, and take down Apaches with the best of them. After selling one of her two mining claims to longtime friend, Cooper "Cougar" Barnes, a lawyer appears in town to tell Georgie that the claims weren't hers to sell -- her grandfather owns them. Her grandfather also wants her to come to Chicago so that he can make amends for the hard life she's had to lead. With no choice but to try to straighten out the mess with the claim, Georgie goes to Chicago. What she finds there is a stubborn old man bent on turning her into a lady, and marrying her off to the most eligible bachelor in the city. He proposes a deal -- Georgie will get her claims back if she stays for at least a year, and shows true effort in becoming a lady. And so, Georgie, the wildcat, must now become Georgia, the lady.

Cougar Barnes is one unhappy man. Left behind while Georgie goes off to dally in Chicago, he decides to follow and keep an eye on her -- strictly to protect his claim, he keeps telling himself. What he finds is an astounding and eye-opening change in Georgie, making him reevaluate his reasons for being there. Cougar has always had feelings for Georgie, but now that he's confronted with the lady she's become, not to mention a rival, and an old man who wants him out of Georgie's life, Cougar realizes just how deeply those feelings go. He concocts a plan to take Georgie back to Arizona before she does anything rash, like marrying someone else. What he doesn't bargain on is the fact that Georgia is still "Georgie" deep down inside, and she's not about to let him take control of her life.

BECOMING GEORGIA is an entertaining read, rich in historical detail, and sparkling dialogue. Georgie's reaction, however, to seeing Cougar, and the betrayal she feels, didn't ring true, nor did her constant harping about him just wanting her for her gold. Otherwise, humorous scenes abound while Georgie is being "made" into a lady, and her companion in Chicago, Elizabeth, is a wonderful, endearing character.

Overall, BECOMING GEORGIA, is a fast-paced story with detailed descriptions of setting and how hard life was in the mining towns of 1870. Fans of Emily Carmichael's modern day romantic comedies might be a bit disappointed in her foray into historical romance, but whichever era you prefer, Ms. Carmichael is a talented writer.

***** If you have laughed and enjoyed My Fair Lady and The Princess Diaries, then you will love BECOMING GEORGIA as well. One laugh follows another as we see the results of an irresistible object meeting an inmoveable force. *****

In Chicago, her grandpa offers her a deal. If she stays for one year and accepts the courting of his hand picked dolt, he will give her the mine outright even if she fails to wed his chosen one. As she struggles to change from a brawling mine working George into a facsimile of lady Georgia, Cougar arrives demanding ownership of the mine he bought from her.

BECOMING GEORGIA is an amusing mid nineteenth century Americana romance reminiscent of "Annie Get Your Gun". The story line contains a strong cast to include the lead couple, a secondary duo, her grandfather, and her friend Essie that bring Chicago and to a lesser degree Arizona in 1870 to life. However, it is the humor that makes this tale stand out in the bookshelves as fans will appreciate the antics of George of the desert turning into Georgia of the Windy City.

Harriet Klausner