I give Courting Sarah big fat points for being the first Jove Friends Romance I’ve come in contact with that was actually about friends. It’s certainly a romance, but there is a major subplot involving the evolving relationship of two women who have been friends since childhood. That’s not to say that it’s the best book in the world; while the characters are interesting and likable, the plotting and pacing really need some work.

When her husband dies, Sarah Hampton journeys to Gridley, Oregon to live near her best friend Phoebe Abbott. Phoebe’s husband runs the town newspaper, and Sarah has some writing talent, so she goes to work for him. Sarah is outspoken and forward-thinking, and her articles on such subjects as female suffrage and free love definitely get her noticed in town. Gil Perry, who works in the saloon, is one man who takes notice and tries to get Sarah’s attention.

Meanwhile, Sarah also starts writing an etiquette column under the pseudonym “Miss Lucy.” Gil recognizes her writing style and begins to send Miss Lucy eloquent, romantic letters under his own assumed name. Sarah is intrigued by her secret admirer, but she still won’t give the real Gil the time of day. Then Gil is injured in a robbery – partly because of Sarah’s actions. Sarah spends a lot of time nursing Gil and her feelings for him begin to change. However, she still has feelings for the man who has been sending her letters (she doesn’t yet know that it’s Gil), and her friend Phoebe isn’t sure she approves of Gil and Sarah’s relationship. Can Sarah and Phoebe resolve their differences and save their friendship so Sarah can look forward to a future with Gil?

This book has a lot going for it. As I mentioned earlier, the friendship between Sarah and Phoebe is no afterthought; it’s an integral and interesting part of the novel. If you enjoy reading about heroines with strong friendships, you will likely enjoy this aspect of the book. Also, Sarah herself is a very intriguing heroine. Her former husband was an alcoholic, and while she doesn’t let her past ruin her whole life, many of her views are colored by her experiences. Her stances on suffrage and free love are bold ones, especially for her day. One of the most compelling scenes of the book takes place when Sarah and some other women of the town try to vote in a local election. While I won’t reveal the outcome here, it’s a refreshingly different scene. Gil is perhaps not as interesting as Sarah, but he has some secrets of which many of the townspeople are unaware, and he definitely manages to hold his own.

Courting Sarah is a book full of great ideas, but it falls somewhat short in the execution of them. The writing is at times confusing, and transitions between scenes are often awkward. The pacing also really needs work. At times the book would move along just fine, then it would slow down and become mired in boring details. The biggest problem with this occurs when Gil is wounded. He is actually bed-ridden for over a third of the book, which is really just too long. Much of this time he is unconscious, and the scenes of Sarah nursing him are repetitive. This portion of the book could have easily been cut in half. Still, it’s nice to read a book with some original thinking behind it, even if the writing itself isn’t quite up to par. Author Lawrence may improve her technique with practice and experience – and perhaps better editing. I would certainly be willing to give her another chance.