ROSEMOUNT by Mary E. Trimble

ROSEMOUNT by Mary E. Trimble
Atlantic Bridge Publishing -
ISBN: 1031761213 - eBook
Teen / Young Adult - Relationships

Reviewed by Barbara Buhrer, MyShelf.com

John Cahill insists that his 15-year-old daughter, Leslie, attend the all girls’ boarding school, Rosemount. He wants her to go to a good school, get a good education, and be safe. Leslie doesn't want to leave home and pleads with her father, but cannot change his mind. When she meets Lilith McIntyre and her daughter, Roxanne, Leslie thinks that her father is to marry Lilith and Roxanne to move into her room. She is convinced she is being sent away to make a place for Roxanne.

Leslie makes plans to run away from the school. Her flight is successful, but she finds many difficulties along the way. She is befriended by Cyrus, a school teacher who is hiking, who teaches her how to survive on her own. She is conned by a larcenous couple. Finally down to her last few dollars, she finds work on a ranch in Idaho. Hours after being informed of Leslie's flight by the school., her older brother, Wade, sets out to find her. His search takes him to Washington, Oregon and Idaho, missing Leslie in many places. Her father, disturbed by Leslie's actions, realizes that he was wrong to ignore Leslie's feelings.

This is a well-written, fast-moving story. It shows how emotions can distort and mistake a situation. Leslie is treated sympathetically, as her character develops and matures. The travails of Leslie on her trip across three states and Wade's frustrations are very realistic. We are treated with a view of the West and the workings of the cattle ranches. The story held this reader's interest throughout.