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  • Melinda and the Wild West: The Award Winning Original Version

  • A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho Series, Book 1
  • By: Linda Weaver Clarke
  • Narrated by: Carolyn Kashner
  • Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (48 ratings)

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Melinda and the Wild West: The Award Winning Original Version

By: Linda Weaver Clarke
Narrated by: Carolyn Kashner
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Publisher's summary

Melinda Gamble wants to make a difference in the world. Without hesitation, she accepts a job as a schoolteacher in the small town of Paris, Idaho. She has many challenges such as trying to help a rebellious student, coming face-to-face with a notorious bank robber, a vicious grizzly bear, and finding herself in a terrible blizzard that leaves her clinging to her life. No matter the trial that comes her way, she is ready to fight for what she believes in. But it’s a rugged rancher who challenges Melinda with the one thing for which she was least prepared - love.

©2006, 2012 Linda Weaver Clarke (P)2018 Linda Weaver Clarke
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What listeners say about Melinda and the Wild West: The Award Winning Original Version

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Melinda and the Wild West review

I actually enjoyed this for the most part, along with the main character, Melinda. it was well narrated, The one thing, or rather character I disliked, Henry. Five stars and look forward to the rest of the series.

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Sweet romance

Melinda and the Wild west is the first book in the Bear Creek Saga. It’s a clean, wholesome, fun read. In this first book, we’re introduced to Melinda, who is making a change from the excitement of the city, to the wilds of the new west. Gilbert is a young rancher who if father to Jenny, a spunky girl who would love a mother. Gilbert is afraid to let anyone enter his life, for fear of losing the woman to the boredom and harshness of the wild west. This fear pushes Gilbert away from Melinda, but will Gilbert realize before it’s late that he loves Melinda? I recommend this book to anyone who likes historical romances with a taste for healthy relationships, courtship, and marriage.

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Melinda and the wild west

This is an excellent start to this series. Melinda moves west to start a new life. This book follows her life as a school teacher. And the friends she meets and falls in love with. This is a feel good book to listen to. I will definitely listen to the next book. Carolyn Kashner does a great job narrating this book. If my review is any help will you please click on the helpful link below. Thank you.

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Wild West teacher

Melinda and the Wild West is Book 1 in the Bear Lake Family Saga by Linda Weaver Clarke. Melinda came to Idaho to teach, but, she was the one to learn. I enjoy historical books and if book 1 is any indication, this series is going to be fantastic. Carolyn Kashner is outstanding in the narration and Linda Weaver Clarke writes such wonderful books. I can't wait to hear book 2.

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Wonderful!

Truly enjoyed this story. Sweet romance with drama and adventure. Excellent listen and wonderful narrator.

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Great beginning of a great series

This is Book 1 of A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho Series. This is a wonderful story for all ages. I can see why this book is an award winner! The main character is refreshingly strong willed. She is a lady who comes to Idaho from Boston in 1896 to teach school. She discovers she loves the west and the people in it. The students thrive in the caring atmosphere. She falls in love with a man who supports her and her choices. You will enjoy this story and the rest of the series! There are also some interesting historical facts in the story which I enjoyed. I was gifted a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review,

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Melinda and Gilbert

I happened to listen to every other book in this series first, so I was already relatively familiar with Melinda and Gilbert as characters in all the other books of this series. Thus, it was a real pleasure to finally hear their story of how they met and how they came to be a couple. I think the most surprising part of this book was the dynamic between Melinda and Gilbert's daughter Jenny. I love how Gilbert was protective of Melinda and how we see him gradually care for her more and more throughout. I also enjoyed the love triangle between Melinda, Gilbert, and Henry. This author always does a great job of incorporating meaningful values and lessons into her stories which is unique and refreshing. Another well written sweet romance.

This narrator does a great job in this performance as well as the rest of the series. She is a perfect fit for these sweet romances and really brings out Melinda's tenacity and Gilbert's stubbornness. She is pleasant to listen to and I have enjoyed each of her performances.

I received a review copy at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review.

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I Was Surprised By How Much I loved It!

I usually don’t read books set in this time period but I’m a fan of this author so when she offered a copy for a reveiw, I decided to listen to it. It’s the first in this series, and I loved it.

The story is about Melinda, who moves to Idaho (to become a teacher) which is nothing like her home in Boston. She encounters all kinds of hardships and is a bit out of her element, but she conquers her fears and begins to feel like this is the life she is meant to live.

There is adventure, scary moments, excitement, and love. Melinda has a student named Jenny whose mother died years ago. She was well taken care of by her father but her previous teacher and her fellow students mistreated her. Melinda changes that.

The narration was great. I really enjoyed this book!

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Narration was Excellent

Melinda got a letter from a favorite aunt, of a teaching post. With the children gone Melinda could stay with them, in Paris, Idaho. At twenty six, with no love interests, and the sound and sights of the west interests her.
1896 women can make choices, by going to college, she was determined to go out west. The narration was good and added to the story by Carolyn Kashner. Given ARC audio for my voluntary review and my honest opinion

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Loved it!

I just finished listening to this very interesting book by Linda Weaver Clarke. It was certainly my favorite of all the books from this author. I guess this could be because it deals with times and places that I could really relate to, especially living in Utah and being familiar with Idaho and Bear Lake. I really enjoyed her narrator, Carolyn Kashner, who did a wonderful job interpreting the various characters. This is the original version and was very well done. She is an excellent narrator. I enjoyed the fact that I had this Audible book on my cell phone and could stick my phone in my pocket with my ear buds and listen while I worked, rested, and "multi-tasked". It was really enjoyable.

As easterner Melinda heads west to Idaho to teach school, she finds a most exciting beginning to her new life, a bank robbery. This book has many events that were of actual history of the places that she writes about. I love how she wove fiction and history together to keep the reader involved with the characters, times and places. This book was written about some of the events and places in the lives of her ancestors. This also has a special appeal to me as a genealogist. And there is always something special about bringing real events out in your reading. Much more believable!

This is a very family friendly romance set in a difficult but fascinating time in history, as the doors to the west were opened to those seeking a better life for themselves.

I really enjoyed the book and have enjoyed all the books of this series. I recommend it!

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