Kathy Steffen First, There is a River

First, There is a River

Kathy Steffen

Medallion, Sep 2007, $14.95

ISBN: 9781932815931

In 1900 in the Ohio Valley, the neighbors assume that Emma and Jared Perkins share a wonderful life raising two children Toby and Sarah on their farm. However, after twelve years of living in hell, Emma knows that her hardworking spouse hides from their neighbors that he beats her over every little perceived error. However, Emma remains with Jared insuring he does not harm their children from him. That bind ends when he hires away their offspring to a nearby farmer.

With no ties to bind her, Emma flees to the safety of her uncle's riverboat The Spirit of the River. To earn her keep, she cooks. She makes real friends with Lily another cook, Captain Briggs, and especially Gage-the engineer, who hides from society ever since a riverboat accident scarred his face. As an outraged humiliated Jared comes to claim his wife to teach her a lesson in loyalty, Emma begins to emotionally heal and while she does so Gage does as well..

Kathy Steffen provides her audience with a powerful historical fiction that focuses on the lack of rights for women and the lack of protection for children. Emma is a fabulous as the only reason she remains with abuser Jared is their offspring, but once he sells them into child labor, she has no ties. The support cast including the river and the boat is strong as it brings out a bygone era. The romance is unnecessary though well written as FIRST, THERE IS A RIVER is foremost a character-driven deep historical tale.

Harriet Klausner