Series:
Men of the White Sandy (Book 1)
The White Sandy Reservation needs a doctor, and Madeline
Mitchell needs to do a little good in the world. It seems like a perfect fit,
until she meets the medicine man, Rebel Runs Fast. As far as Madeline can tell,
Rebel’s sole mission is to convince her patients that modern medicine can’t
help them. And the fact that he makes her heart race every time he looks at her
only irritates her more.
Rebel swore off the white man’s world–and women–years
ago. But he’s never met a woman like Dr. Mitchell. She doesn’t speak the
language, understand the customs, or believe he’s anything more than a
charlatan–but she stays, determined to help his people. He tries to convince
himself that his tribe doesn’t need her, but when patients start getting sick
with strange symptoms, he realizes that he needs her more than ever.
Terrific book. Madeline is a doctor on a mission - she
has brought her skills to the Lakota White Sandy Reservation, committing
herself to at least two years as their doctor. She gets a rude awakening when
she discovers that the conditions are more primitive than she knew - a lack of
supplies, irregular record keeping, and a rundown building, to name a few. She
is determined to succeed, despite the interference from Rebel, the tribe's
medicine man.
Rebel takes his responsibilities to his people seriously.
After years spent running away from his heritage, he returned to the home of
his heart. Raised in the traditions of the tribe by his grandfather, Rebel's
connection to the land runs deep. Madeline's arrival throws him for a loop, and
as much as he wants to believe the tribe doesn't need her, a rash of
unexplained illnesses convinces him otherwise.
The first encounters between Madeline and Rebel were
tense and intense. Madeline is very much a traditional doctor, relying on
science and medicine to help her patients. Madeline is also the latest in a
series of doctors who have come to work on the rez, most of whom don't last
more than a few months, so it is an uphill battle earning their trust. Rebel is
a Lakota medicine man whose methods lean more on the spiritual side and get on Madeline's
wrong side when he recommends his methods over hers. Matters come to a head
when her patients flat-out refuse vaccinations, and she blames Rebel. It isn't
until he explains the history of Native distrust of "government assistance"
that she begins to understand.
Underneath the antagonism between Rebel and Madeline is
an intense attraction neither wants. Rebel has been burned in the past by a
relationship with a white woman, and Madeline prefers to concentrate on her
work. But there is no denying the pull between them, as exhibited by the river
scene when Madeline chases him down at his campsite. This begins a connection between
them as they grow closer in understanding each other's lives. Their chemistry builds,
leaving each in a quandary about their future. Madeline is a woman whose life
requires a house, while Rebel is happiest living under the stars. Each must consider
the compromises they are willing to make for their desired future.
The subject of the mysterious illnesses plaguing the
people runs throughout the book. Rebel's visions have told him this is an impending
crisis, but he cannot know what it is. Madeline's attempts to progress the traditional
way run into delays caused by institutional prejudice. I could feel her
frustration and loved her method of getting results. When the crisis hits, it
is all hands on deck as Madeline and a few others have to deal with it. The
intensity was overwhelming, and I was wholly invested in the outcome. The
resolution was almost anticlimactic but still very satisfying.
One of the things I loved most about this book was the
natural inclusion of Lakota history and traditions. They were a logical part of
the story, from Rebel's explanation about the vaccines to his visions to Grandfather
Albert's decisions about his health. I loved getting to know various community
members, such as Albert, Clarence, Tara, and Tammy, and learning about their
lives and challenges. It was also a realistic look at life and conditions on a reservation,
such as poverty, drugs, and alcoholism. I ached for the prejudice that someone
like Rebel faced despite his success.
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