"An amusing tale"

In 1870, Chicago attorney Jacob Whittaker arrives in Prescott, Territory in Arizona to escort his client's granddaughter back to the Windy City. However, he expects a lady of some sort, but instead sees an arm wrestling female that makes Jacob believe his fee ought to double because he must change "George" into Georgia. Initially refusing to go east, Georgie girl is forced to when Jason informs her the mine she sold to Cougar Barnes was not hers to sell.

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

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted June 24, 2003

Getting hitched is the last thing on Georgie Kennedy's mind. But if she wants to hold onto her Arizona gold mine, she may have to make nice with the strait-laced simpleton her grandfather wants her to wed.

Summary

FROM FRONTIER GIRL... TO CITY WOMAN?

Georgie Kennedy is so mad she could spit. Just weeks after she sold one of her Arizona gold claims to Cougar Barnes, some two-bit lawyer has the gall to tell her the mine wasn't hers to begin with. Georgie knows her rascally grandpa is behind the whole mess-and that she'd better high-tail it to Chicago to set him straight. Should be simple enough. She's wiped the floor with men twice her size. How much trouble can one old coot be?

...Plenty, that's how much. Grandpa could give a mule lessons in stubborn-and he's hell-bent on turning "Miss Georgia" into a petticoat-wearing, curtsying priss. He tells her that if she stays on in Chicago for exactly one year-and makes nice with the strait-laced simpleton he wants her to wed-the claim will be hers, free and clear. Now, getting hitched is just about the last thing on Georgie's mind. But between her unwanted suitor and Cougar Barnes, who comes all the way to Chicago to make sure he gets his property back-and to check on Georgie-she has a lot of thinking to do. And soon she has to decide if her heart belongs in the big city...or at home on the range.