Maggie's Fall


Fiction - Womens
247 Pages
Reviewed on 03/21/2013
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Ricki Wilson is an independent author and professional educator from Oklahoma. Growing up among genuine cowboys, Ricki learned at an early age to appreciate the true value of a good horse and a faithful dog. Maggie's Fall, Wilson's first novel, is a tribute to both.

Ricki is also the creator of INDIE SPOTLIGHT, and invites her fellow authors to promote their writing on the site: http://www.rickiwilson.com/indie-spotlight.html

    Book Review

Reviewed by Maria Beltran for Readers' Favorite

"Maggie's Fall" is a story that revolves around the life of Maggie McClellan. Orphaned and about to become a single mother, she inherited her parents' ranch and finds out that running the place is a big challenge. She settles down with Martha and Jonas, who have been working in the ranch for as long as she can remember, and her son T.J. She sells part of her property to pay off some debts and transforms the ranch into the M-Bar Ranch that offers weekend trail rides. Life in the ranch is disturbed when a developer starts buying out her leases. In danger of losing the place, her beloved horses and the place that her parents built, Maggie rides off alone. Will she be able to hold on to her ranch and to the life that she has created for herself and her son?

Ricki Wilson's writing style is straightforward and simple. He does not use a lot of adjectives to describe the setting and the characters in his novel, and he refrains from expounding on the subplots in his story. As a result, "Maggie's Fall" is a bit short on imagination. However, the story has its charm and appeal. Here is a single mother who is faced with the biggest challenge in her life and this tension is palpable in the narrative. The author is successful in making Maggie's character sympathetic so that the reader identifies with her predicament. There is also something charming about his description of life in the ranch surrounded by horses and a loyal dog. Above all, Maggie is surrounded by real friends and this is probably the central theme of the story. It is one of those books that make you feel good about life after you turn its last few pages.

Ricki Wilson

Maria,

Thank you so much for taking the time to review Maggie’s Fall. Thanks also for the heads-up about those missing adjectives. I’ll certainly look into that.

Best of luck with your restaurant (Kukuk's Nest Restaurant and Pension House at Gorordo Avenue, Lahug, Cebu City). Nice website!

Review by Alain Darmon

I enjoyed reading "Maggie's Fall". What can I say about Maggie? She is a hard working woman with a heart of gold. I imagine Maggie as a beautiful woman; beautiful but not sexy, she is a ranch lady who can work with her hands and seems more comfortable in jeans than wearing a gown. She has the natural beauty which never ages because it reflects the beauty of her personality. She lives a tough life, but she is strong and never gives up. Alas, when it comes to men, she does not know how to test them to see if their feelings are true or not.
Maggie's story moved me; I became attached to her and at times wished I was there to help. That is to say that this book is so well written that the characters are alive, you feel their presence and their emotions as you turn the pages. It is a book which I will go back to. I wish to read more about Maggie, is she happy? What happens to her now?
If like me, you like romance; but not the cheap/easy feelings/fairy tale romance, then you will love this book. If like me you like strong characters living real lives, then you will identify with them and love this book. If like me you love nature and the country, you certainly will love this book.
I definitely will buy Ricki Wilson next book without a moment of hesitation.

Review by LSN

A beautiful story about love for family, children and animals. The author gently takes us into Maggie's world and once you're there, you can't put the book down. You're suddenly in Maggie's kitchen, loving her horses, wanting to pet her dog and overall, living in a Texas ranch. It's a very uplifting book written by an author with an unique voice.

Review by Alana Siegel

Maggie's Fall is an emotional and touching tale of a strong female protagonist who wrestles with life's highs and lows head on. The action takes place on a ranch in Texas, which might initially trigger the reader to picture Maggie as a damsel in distress in an old cowboy town, but the characters are anything but dated. Independent and intelligent, Maggie reflects the modern day woman. She takes risks, supports her family, attracts the interest of the most eligible men in town, and all with just a cup of coffee and a heavy dose of humility.

For me, reading is my escape from my own personal drama. I enjoy vicariously live through the characters. I picked up Maggie's Fall during a particularly hard week for me at work. While turning the "pages" of the book, I laughed; I cried; and I found myself continuing to read on my three minute walks between train transfers during my commute. I was unable to put the book down. R. Lynn Wilson weaves heartfelt dialogue with descriptive settings, reminiscent of one of my favorite authors, Nora Roberts. I have already recommended Maggie's Fall to my book club, and I urge others to pick it up as well.

Review by Jeannette Ralei

Maggie's Fall is something of a coming of age romance. Throughout the book Maggie is beset with troubles, from the potential loss of her land to a troublesome relationship she finds hard to leave.

Everything changes when Maggie is thrown from her horse during a storm. Will she survive? And will she discover what true love is?

Although the book was well-written from a technical perspective and R. Lynn Wilson has a great voice, I had some difficulty getting into the story. Once Maggie fell from her horse, the story gained momentum and impact and ended with a great finish.

I think the story itself is flawless and perhaps I'm too accustomed to the fantastical element in stories. (This was a tale told closer to real life, and it's definitely worth having a look at.)

Review by AK Mystery Mom

I loved the book as soon as Jett the dog met ten-year-old T.J. at the school bus stop. T.J.'s mom, Maggie, is like a great glass of iced tea - strong and sweet. She seems to be making some progress toward making her inherited ranch a paying proposition when life throws her another curve, and her romantic inclinations aren't making things easier. The wide-open spaces of West Texas are a fitting backdrop to the strong and independent personalities in the book. The vivid characters and compelling plot make this a story you won't want to put down.

Review by Dream Beast

Maggie's Fall has everything I like in a novel. The plot is well-paced and never contrived. The narrative voice is engaging and subtly reinforces the story's sense of place, which is so grounded in authentic detail that I imagine the M Bar ranch must be out there somewhere in Texas. Most of all, the characters are complex and altogether believable. I feel as though I know them and can't help rooting for them, hoping for the happy ending they deserve. But Maggie's Fall is no fairy-tale romance. It's a romance that unfolds in daily life -- a world of responsibilities, disappointments, and work as well as loyalty, friendship, and love.

And finally, the story is inspiring. This isn't essential for me, but it's a nice bonus. If you want to read a novel that reaffirms your faith in the goodness of people, despite their shortcomings, Maggie's Fall is for you. Wilson has not just created a world that you want to believe. It's a world you can believe.