This is my first book by Ms. O'Connell and I have to say that I can now call myself a fan of her work. She writes Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold in such a brutally honest beautiful way."You know, Annie, a long time ago an old man told me beauty doesn't mean much in a woman. It disappears with age. But he said some women have something better. They have a special glow that lasts all their life and just gets richer. You're like that. You really shine." In Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold we meet Anne Wells a 28 year old spinster who's run away from a home life that has never been kind or encouraging. She finds herself in Cord Bennett's barn, hungry, cold and alone, Anne accepts his offer of a warm cup of coffee. That is where this store takes off and Annie and Cord find themselves throw into this relationship that will change them in many ways, open their hearts to love and forage a connection that cannot be broken.Anne had lived her whole life following the dictates of others. Now all the decisions were hers. What to do, when to do it, how to do it, so much depended on her, but instead of feeling weighed down, minute by minute, hour by hour, this new life wove a spell around her, leaving her feeling lighter and freer than she had ever dreamed possible. I have to admit that I cried happy emotional filled tears several times while reading Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold. This story touched my heart in many ways. First was the brutal way that both Anne and Cord were treated by Anne's father and the people of the town and Cords family. Those judgments because Cord was half Native American were so hard to read. The idea that he was less that them because he mother was Indian made me so angry. Like Annie who never really focused on that part of Cord. She always saw the goodness inside of him and not what the people of the town would say about him. Also, the way that Cord treated Anne. Her whole life her family talked down to her, didn't listen to hear or even dismissed her wants and needs. Cord made and effort to not do that with her, he wanted her to learn to ride, help with the farm and be her own women. I have to say it was beautiful to read his unrelenting trust in her ability to handle these situations. As he finally stopped fighting sleep, he wondered if maybe just occasionally the gods designed a woman fit for a king or a prince and then gave her to an ordinary man. Maybe they did such a thing once in a while, knowing an ordinary man would treasure her more, love her better. Maybe they even let him keep her - for a while. Ms. O'Connell was able to write the relationship between Cord and Annie is such an intimate, detailed and emotional way. Annie and Cord have been so broken by the world and their relationship heals so much of them. They work this out together, it's beautifully written and executed by Ms. O'Connell. This was my favorite part of the story, how Anne learns to always tell her husband the truth. She holds her head high, asks him questions and in turn Cord stands with her at the kitchen sink doing dishes. He does not expect Annie to do something he himself wouldn't do. Cord is an honerable man, but because of so many prejudiced ideas from the Town he is so misunderstood by them and his family.He tried to kiss away the tears, but they came too fast. He licked around her eyes then, washing away the hot wet drops. When he kissed her, the taste of her tears turned from salty to bittersweet. He cupped her face in his palms and began to tell her, to tell her just how much he loved her, how life without her would be just a prison sentence to serve, one joyless day after another to be gotten through somehow. He told her how she filled his life with color, light, and warmth, with the music of her voice and laughter, the grace of her movement. The only complaint I have has nothing to do with the writing but more with the utter misstrust Cords family had for him. They spend most of the book not understanding how Annie could stay with him, how he treats her so badly and not affectionate with her. Not to mention they're always willing to believe the mostly wrong town gossip about him. First to rush into his house armed and ready to do him hard because of this gossip. It wore on me after awhile and I began to hate his brothers, thank goodness they see the light. In conclusion, if you're looking for a romance novel set in Colorado during the 1880's then you've found an amazing book to read. I know that I cannot wait to read another book by Ms. O'Connell in the near future. I just hope you're heart swells like mine did while reading the beautiful story fo Cord and Anne Bennett, it's truly on of a kind.
