LaVyrle Spencer was and is a very popular romance author. Her stories are about ordinary people in ordinary circumstances, no alpha males dragging the heroine across his saddle and racing off into the sunset. No heroine has gone into a jungle and brought back evidence of a lost civilization. No, many of her heroes and heroines tough it out in small towns and difficult circumstances. Morning Glory takes place just before, during and after World War II in a small town in Georgia.
Elly Dinsmore was a young pregnant widow with two small boys when she advertised for a husband to help her take care of her run-down farm. Will Parker was a convicted felon--he murdered a prostitute. Both were lonely outcasts, she because of her upbringing by her fanatical grandparents and he was an orphan who drifted all over the States until he went to prison.
The townsfolk, the ones who made fun of Elly and called her crazy and the town's "naughty lady" are not caricatures, but fully rounded sad people. My favorite character in Morning Glory is Miss Beasley the librarian, she helps Will find information about bees and apples and birthin' babies. She starts out as a stereotypical librarian and the reader sees her become a good friend to Will and Elly, just what librarians are supposed to be, thank you Miz Spencer.
Above all, Morning Glory is about friendship, trust and love. Elly and Will both come out of their shells, and overcome some very big obstacles; for Will it is going off to war and for Elly conquering her shyness and fear of the townspeople. This story is my favorite LaVryle Spencer novel. I love how the two bring her farm back to life and in a way Will and Elly come to life too. If you enjoy a down home romance with some funny and sad moments, (some scary ones too), you will like Morning Glory.
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