‘Taming Lady Temperance’ Book Review
Taming Lady Temperance is a truly dramatic historical drama from Karen Witemeyer set in the mid-1890s, when women across America were protesting the sale and consumption of liquor. Main character Noreen O’Sullivan has endless passion, rooted in personal experience, about the evils of alcohol, but she lacks charm. And tact. When her hatred for liquor begins to outweigh her love towards people, the town isn’t quite ready for the firestorm that follows.
Main Themes
Noreen has first-hand experience about the harm drunkenness can do to a family, and as an ardent member of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, she sees shutting down the saloon as her ultimate goal in life. Never mind that she has alienated half the town (especially the saloon owner) and her own step-father. Nothing can stop her from completing her mission.
Deputy James Paxton wants to do what’s best for the town, but when he finds himself falling hard for the feisty Noreen, he finds himself in a difficult situation. He wants to protect her at all costs, but when her campaigning tactics become out of control, he finds himself torn between upholding the law and supporting the woman of his dreams.
I haven’t read many novels set during the temperance era, and I was certainly not disappointed with Taming Lady Temperance! The novel has prominent themes of learning to love people despite disagreeing with their actions or occupations and learning to forgive yourself and others. As Noreen wrestling with demons from her past, she realized that she’s not just angry at the saloon owner. She hasn’t forgiven herself. That darkness is eating away at her, but will she have the courage to admit her mistakes and accept forgiveness?
Faith Elements
Church is an important rhythm of life in rural Texas, and the characters attend faithfully while wrestling with what the Bible says about the rightness/wrongness of human actions. Characters learn to forgive themself and extend grace to others. Seeing people as God sees them is an important theme, as well as prayer. It is a thoroughly Christian novel!
Family Friendly Considerations
Noreen has a traumatic past that could be a little intense for more sensitive readers. There are several scenes where characters discuss the negative affects of drunkenness in the context of domestic violence, and a teenage girl is brutally beaten by a drunk father. While the characters’ focus in that alcohol itself is bad, Witemeyer does a very good job of portraying how all people have the freedom to do what they want with their lives, although that freedom is never an excuse to hurt others.
Witemeyer presents the personal pain and hurt many of the temperance supporters experienced to lead them to believe that banning alcohol would make homes safer. Unfortunately, we know from history that banning alcohol didn’t accomplish this goal, and I’m glad that society has more support systems in place today to help individuals and families who are affected by these difficult circumstances.
The romance is clean, with nothing more intense than a few kisses and hugs. I would recommend Taming Lady Temperance for adults and older teens who are old enough to think more critically about issues of alcohol misuse and domestic violence.
Interested in Similar Reads?
If you enjoy novels set in Texas, you might want to check out these other books, as well as stayed tuned for future installments in The Secret Society of Spinster series!
- Her Texas Cowboy by Jill Lynn
- Taken in Texas by Susan Sleeman
- Under the Texas Mistletoe by Karen Witemeyer
Buy Taming Lady Temperance from the FamilyFiction Amazon Affiliate HERE!
