Not the best collection of stories, but also not the worst. It was mostly hit-or-miss, and I suppose I wish I'd missed about half of them. Not nearly as groundbreaking or engaging as the cover reviews would've led me to believe. ( )

Even though I'd read most of these stories in her other collection, I enjoyed having them in one place. ( )

I loved, loved, loved these stories and their protagonist, the irrepressible Nora Jane. Each story is a sequential episode in the life of a free-spirited New Orleans fille who follows a boyfriend to California and proceeds to break hearts, mend other ones, raise hell and children, survive an earthquake on the Bay Bridge and generally get into all sorts of trouble with all sorts of people.

Gilchrist's deceptively light and simple voice tells stories that create an unforgettable portrait of a lovely, courageous and expressive Southern girl who is more than at home in the wild, wild West. ( )