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As long as she could remember, someone had owned Brighid Garvey. First, it had been Bent Harry. Harry had bought her from her father who needed money for the passage to America. Then, it was Morgan. Morgan had deceived her into thinking he cared about her, but all he had ever cared about was her divining gift and how much money it could make him. Now, she was free. She had escaped and taken refuge in Five-Points, a slum tenement in the city. In addition to her own two week-old baby, Fiona, Brighid had rescued Gillian, a small red-headed toddler, from the city streets. Brighid was trying to bide her time and hide in the slums until the train she had bought tickets for departed for California. However, her Grandmother’s ghost had other ideas. Which was why Brighid was out before dawn risking exposure on another rescue mission to save a man who Gran said was vital to her future.
For the past few months, Everett Grey had taken solace in drinking. Now it had finally caught up with him. Running from a troubled past and social stigma, Everett was on his way to California to begin a new life away from the social hierarchy of his youth. The unexpected responsibility of his brother’s bastard, a newborn girl from a deceitful woman, that woman now dead in childbirth, had sent him straight to the pub. That was how he ended up dead drunk in a dark alley with a newborn baby in his duffel bag.
Brighid’s first encounter with Everett was not promising, despite what Gran said about him. Putting herself and her children in danger for a man too drunk to even stand was a sure way to be noticed and found by Morgan. Whether from ghostly intervention or her own strong Irish will, Brighid manages to save Everett as well as the baby girl, which starts a chain of events that could bring her the freedom she so desires. Everett is in search of freedom as well, but from a different enemy. In joining forces, will Brighid and Everett find peace and love together or will the evil men and circumstances they are running from tear them apart and enslave them forever?
Linda Andrews tells an enjoyable story of overcoming the odds, finding a family and true love in GHOST OF A CHANCE. GHOST OF A CHANCE takes us back to a time where poverty was abundant, social status was everything, and the West was freedom. Brighid and Everett show that even those of different social backgrounds can come together on equal ground and triumph over anything. The character of Gran provides much needed humor to the dark, depressing backdrop of America after the Civil War. Once I got through the first chapter and got the hang of Brighid’s Irish brogue, I couldn’t put GHOST OF A CHANCE down. Looking for a heart-warming story to read? Then give GHOST OF A CHANCE…well…a chance.
Reviewed by Tina Burns
for The Road to Romance
April 23, 2004
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