The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper


Fiction - Western
344 Pages
Reviewed on 06/28/2009
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

The setting is the mid to late 1800’s. Gennie craved an adventure. She wanted to live a life like the heroine in her favorite novels. Her father had planned a marriage for her. However, life with Chandler did not appeal to her. When an opportunity for an adventure arises, she grabbed it. She headed West pretending to be a servant hired to care for a motherless child. She wanted an adventure and she found one. She soon found herself falling in love with her employer Daniel and Charlotte. She could return to Boston where it is safe or take a chance of experiencing rejection.

The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper is an excellent read. This is Kathleen Y’Barbo at her best. I love westerns and this one is perfect. Y’Barbo adds just the right amount of humor to her plot. A pretend wedding, danger from miners, a child easy to love, an employer with a secret are among the many twists in this delightful tale. Y’Barbo takes the reader on an action packed, fast paced adventure. The romance in this book is exquisite. I could easily relate to Eugenia. There were several moments when I laughed aloud, although I was rather embarrassed when all the other diners turned to look at me. I love this book and highly recommend it.

Wordlily

Eugenia Cooper, a Manhattan society girl in 1880, is addicted to dime novels about Mae Winslow, Woman of the West. She dreams of having her own Wild West adventure. When the opportunity to temporarily take the place of her new maid's sister as a governess in Denver presents itself, she takes it. What she finds, however, is not quite as she expected. Denver's practically a normal city, the 10-year-old she's charged to turn into a lady is most at home in overalls (and doesn't think she needs a governess), the housekeeper doesn't like her, the child's father is largely absent. Oh, and she doesn't know how to do household chores, having always had assistance with such things -- but now she is the help.

Each chapter opens with a short snippet from a Mae Winslow western novel. Like Mae, our protagonist, who goes by Gennie, isn't quite ready to become a wife yet as the book opens.

When I opened the book and began reading the Mae Winslow snippet, I was concerned. I didn't want to read a western. But this book isn't really a western, although it is partially set in the old west. The characters are believable and real, quirky and endearing. Gennie is sassy and strong. Our male lead is wounded. Charlotte, the charge, is precocious.

A charming tale, a sweet historical romance. Very fun.

Kathleen Y'Barbo is the best-selling, award-winning author of more than 30 novels, novellas and young adult books, with more than a half-million in print.

Rebekkah

I really enjoyed this cute, romantic novel. It was clean, sweet, and a had a western flare to it that reminded me of Dr. Quinn (a TV series from the 90's), or a romantic John Wayne movie (minus the extra testosterone). Honestly, I found it to be a charming novel that mixed Old New York style and class, with the bits of the 'Wild West' that many sought out. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this quick escape read.

Lauryn Abbott

I so enjoyed this book! "The Confidential Live of Eugenia Cooper," by Kathleen Y'Barbo was light, fun, romantic and just thoroughly entertaining! It is a fast-paced story filled with adventure, drama, and humor. Gennie seeks adventure and gets more than she bargained for when she leaves her genteel, upper-class New York home to experience the Wild West for a brief stay in Denver. Along the way she learns some valuable lessons about life, love and perceptions. This book simply made me smile!

Stormi Johnson

Miss Eugenia Cooper wants to have a wild west adventure before she decides to settle down with Chandler Dodd, the banker. Miss Cooper loves reading dime novels about Mae Winslow who is living it up in the old west. So she devises a plan to go to Denver when she was suppose to go to Boston.

She gets more than she bargianed for when she takes a postition as Governess for Daniel Beck. The little girl who is still grieving over the death of her mother, is a bit of a wild one. With Daniel gone all the time she has gotten way out of hand. Miss Cooper thinks that Daniel Beck is a horrible father with the way he is gone all the time. She despises a man who won't be there for thier child. That was until she runs into him at Fishers dry goods store.

Daniel promises Miss Cooper a wild west adventure, but it was nothing like Miss Cooper thought it would be. How will she ever be able to go back to the banker after the Silver baron and his daughter make thier way into her heart?

This book was very light-hearted and funny. I was laughing almost through the whole book it was just so much fun to read.

Bruce Judisch

This is a fun read, especially for those who, like myself, are blessed with a touch of the Walter Mitty syndrome.

Eugenia "Gennie" Cooper is a high-bred debutante of New York City with a secret affinity for dime-store novels--particularly those of her favorite heroine, bounty hunter Mae Winslow, Woman of the West. Spurred on by Mae's exploits (pun intended), Gennie dreams of having a "Wild West" adventure. Her chance comes when a servant's sister, destined to become nanny to a precocious child in Denver, needs a temporary substitute to accommodate her wedding plans. Unbeknown to her parents, Gennie schemes to become that substitute in lieu of her summer trip to Boston.

Ms. Cooper suffers a terribly inauspicious introduction with her new employer, but manages to win the hearts and minds of the household staff and her rebellious charge, Charlotte "Charlie" Beck, albeit more slowly with the latter. Her relationship with silver baron Daniel Beck, Charlotte's father, suffers through missteps and misunderstandings throughout the tale, but, as a romance demands, emerges the victor when the trail dust settles.

Ms. Y'Barbo crafts a clever story, weaving excerpts from Mae Winslow's adventures into Gennie's story. Oh, and, if you read closely, you'll notice a interesting relationship between Mae's and Gennie's dilemmas.

If you like stories about the West in the 1880s and would be intrigued by the exploits of a romantically inclined city girl grappling with the lure of her rustic fantasy world within the reality of her proper societal upbringing, you'll enjoy The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper.

Cindy Loven

A pampered daughter of a well to do man, Eugenia Cooper loved dime store novels. Despite the fact, that they were not considered proper reading for young lady of her standing. They made her yearn for a Wild West Adventure, similar to the ones Mae Winslow, her favorite heroine is always involved in.
A planned visit to relatives in Boston, suddenly takes a sharp turn, to the Wild West. Denver Colorado becomes her destination, when seeing a chance for an adventure Eugenia grabs it.
Posing as a governess for a motherless daughter of a wealthy mine owner, Eugenia takes the place of her maid's sister and goes to Denver. Praying the whole way there, that if this adventure was not meant to be, that God would close the door, Eugenia was on her way, to the adventure of a life time.
Adventure abounds, however Eugenia was not prepared for what happened to her heart. Follow this story as Eugenia muddles her way through her adventure, and looses her heart to her employer.
A wonderfully written story, with snatches of the dime store novel scattered though out. Kathleen Y'Barbo has written a book, bound to keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what scrape we will find Eugenia in next.

Janice A. Thompson

What do you get when you merge an east coast socialite, a wild west dime novel and a spunky little girl from Colorado in need of a woman's touch? The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper! This delightful read by Texas author Kathleen Y'Barbo will have you laughing, sighing and looking for a real-life hero like Daniel Beck, Gennie's sometimes-hated-sometimes-loved adversary (er, love interest). Spicy, adventurous and filled with twists and turns, this amazing book is sure to win over readers of both sexes!