Reviewing Ride the Rainbow Home

I just finished enjoying RIDE THE RAINBOW HOME and wish I had more book. Susan Aylworth almost made me appreciate the desert. The fault is not hers. I LIVE in the desert and long for the green of home. I've performed in Holbrook, a small town in the book, plus driving through the reservation regularly. Susan makes that area come alive as it hasn't before, for me. She paints a gorgeous picture of the northern Arizona wilds.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book. I've got friends like Little Jimmy, who were there for me in my ugly duckling days. When I go back to Colorado, they're still there, ready to blaze through my life like comets. There are just people like that, who don't care that you have to wear glasses, and dresses below your knees all the time. They look beyond the surface and love you for who you are and who you have the potential to become.

I enjoyed the journey Meggie Taylor takes from wounded duckling to finding herself in the arms of Jim McCallister. I think of it as symbolized by their visit to the Hopi Snake dances. I loved how she emerged from her child-fearing shell more and more as the story played out. It was almost as if there were several journeys going on--Meg's to find a family and learn to live within one; Meg's from California to Arizona; Jim's to get Meg to realize he'd loved her since they were in junior high.

Jim is such a vibrant character. I enjoyed how he dug himself into the Navajo mindset. I'm guessing he'll even have their bed facing north. I wanted to ride along with them further. I enjoyed the fact that he let Meg conquer her fears for herself. He didn't just step in to rescue her. Conversely, he didn't abandon her when she was sick or needing something. I enjoyed how strong he was mentally and morally. I wanted to know his side of things. How did he become so strong?

Basically, I'd love to read more about these two. I'd love to know if they had a traditional wedding or if they had a Navajo wedding or both. I'd have been right there in my velvet dress, drinking their health with some lovely cran-raspberry juice.

I give this book RIDE THE RAINBOW HOME by Susan Aylworth two thumbs way up.