The Chili Queen by Sandra Dallas

I am a fan of Sandra Dallas. I have been ever since my book club read "The Persian Pickle Club." - years ago!!

"The Chili Queen" did not disappoint!

"Life may have been hard on Addie French, but when she meets friendless Emma Roby on a train, all her protective instincts emerge. Emma's brother is seeing her off to Nalgitas to marry a man she has never met. And Emma seems like a lost soul to Addie-someone who needs Addie's savvy and wary eye. It isn't often that Addie is drawn to anyone as a friend, but Emma seems different somehow. When Emma's prospective fails to show up at the train depot, Addie breaks all her principles to shelter the girl at her brothel, The Chili Queen. But once Emma enters Addie's life, the secrets that unfold and schemes that are hatched cause both women to question everything they thought they knew. With Sandra Dallas's trademark humor, charm, and pathos, The Chili Queen will satisfy anyone who has ever longed for happiness.

The Chili Queen is the winner of the 2003 Spur Award for Best Western Novel."

I must admit, I picked this book because of the author, had I read the description first I'm sure I would never have read it. A western? That's not Louis L'amour? But I'm really glad I did.

I've said many times - I LOVE a book with a twist and this book could have been written by Chubby Checker it had so many twists!

I loved the language of the characters. Who can resist a statement like this from Welcome (yes, that's actually his name) "I'm short of gladness to see you here." Dallas fills the book with language this fluid.

Dallas builds her characters in such a way that gives the reader an understanding of how these people wound up the way they did.

"New York Times best-selling author SANDRA DALLAS, the author of ten novels as well as ten nonfiction books, was dubbed “a quintessential American voice” by Jane Smiley, in Vogue Magazine. Sandra’s novels with their themes of loyalty, friendship, and human dignity have been translated into a dozen foreign languages and have been optioned for films."

You can check out her web site H.E.R.E.

 

 I've read "Buster Midnight's Cafe," "Mattie Spencer," "Alice's Tulips," "The Chili Queen," and my personal favorite "The Persian Pickle Club." - all by Sandra Dallas. I do plan on reading her other books also.

I highly recommend this author - and all the books she's written.