NO JOB FOR A LADY
by Carol McCleary
Reviewed by K.L. Romo.
Imagine Jane Austen meeting Forrest Gump, and the two going on a trip to Mexico. That is the flavor of Carol McCleary’s novel No Job for a Lady.
McCleary spins an epic tale of twenty-two-year-old Nellie Bly, who takes a trip to Mexico in 1886 in hopes of being the first female foreign news correspondent. Although Nellie is quite determined and serious about her reporting, she is whimsical in handling the bizarre situations in which she continually finds herself. The story is larger-than-life – Nellie’s unexpected traveling companions on the train include the Sundance Kid, Lily Langtry, and Gertrude Bell, a nineteenth century explorer. Nellie and her three friends are all historical figures on whom McCleary builds her fantastical tale.
I enjoyed the light and fast-paced story, even though at times I had to remind myself that novels can be as make-believe and absurd as the author wants them to be. As in Forrest Gump, as long as the reader knows the story is too fantastic to ever be true, you can just sit back and enjoy the outlandish situations which continually surround Nellie and her friends.
If you’re looking for a fun read filled with adventure, pieces of history, and lighthearted escapades, No Job for a Lady will do quite nicely.
K.L. Romo is a writer who lives with her family in Duncanville, Texas. She is currently querying agents to represent her newly completed novel – FROM GRACE I FALL – about a middle-aged empty-nester who’s suddenly transported back to 1907 Dallas, seeing the world through the eyes of a reformed prostitute. You can visit her at www.klromo.com
