In Old Border Road young Katherine grows up poor and neglected in rural, drought ridden Arizona. When she falls in love with Son, the only child of a local rancher, marrying him seems the way out of her desolate life. Though his parents accept her as part of the family, it is soon clear that Son himself is beaten down by the drought and other circumstances and has no will or motivation to help her create a better life. As the drought worsens their marriage falls apart.

This book was just too bleak and depressing for me. I liked Katherine and it was frustrating to feel that she never had a chance. The writing style is very abrupt, the book jacket describes it as "almost biblical" and I found it difficult and unsettling to read. She does a marvelous job of evoking the landscape and atmosphere, I would put the book aside feeling like there was a coating of dust in my mouth. I would say Susan Froderberg accomplished what she set out to do admirably - it just wasn't to my taste. ( )

OLD BORDER ROAD by Susan Froderberg is a contemporary romance set in Arizona. This is a story of girl meets boy. Yes, Girl is her name and boy's name is Son. It has teenage marriage, martial conflict,and life changes.Son is the son of a weathy rancher.Girl marries young only seventeen. Son is a gambler, a cheat, a drinker and cheats on his young bride. A drought hits Arizona causing families to have to struggle. After Son's father commits sucide, Girl decides to leave her cheating, drinking husband. But Sun gets into an accident and Girl returns back to care for him. Something in this book just didn't click for me. I don't know if the writing was more complicated than needed or the characters just didn't same to have true faces and identities.It just couldn't same to get into the story line. This book was received for the purpose of review from the publisher and details can be found at Little, Brown,and Company and My Book Addiction and More. ( )

Old Border Road has exceptional descriptions of characters, situations, and Arizona scenery. The characters are unique, and the storyline is appealing.

The main character, Katherine, lives with her in-laws in southern Arizona and must work with them in their everyday routine of keeping up their ranch while her husband is habitually absent at night. Katherine has to work hard, deal with unhappiness, deal with loneliness, and with THE KNOWING. As time goes on, could her second thoughts as she walked down the aisle as a seventeen-year-old bride have been an omen for her life's path?

Katherine....aka as "Girl" learns how to rope cattle, ride horses, make dinners, repair clothing, and cope with a drought plaguing Arizona. All characters mesh well together even though they are distinct in their own ways.

Ms. Froderberg's style is splendid...her beautiful prose reels you into the tale and allows you to become absorbed in the lives of Girl, Son, and Rose's Daddy.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book...it is one you will want to read as well. 5/5 ( )