Young Mary Ann has charmed her friend Mr. Lord into giving her father a job on his farm. Her father has sworn off drunkenness and family is better off-- but will his reform stick? Both Mary Ann and her father are subjected to negative machinations by those who wish them ill. Will Mary Ann's faith in the Holy Family and the strength of her family and the adults around her be enough to get them through their trials?

I loved this second book in the Mary Ann series as much as the first, so it's another five stars from me. I will say something, though, about the rest of the series. Mary Ann doesn't remain an eight year old, as the story spans the years, it's one of those family sagas. There are more characters, more drama,, more changes, and it all makes for entertaining reading. But when it comes to Mary Ann, I'll have to say she reminds me of Shirley Temple. While Ms. Temple, as a teenager and then young woman, was a good actress, often making the very best of less than great roles, no one can deny that she could never top her little girl self, singing "On the Good ship Lollypop" or dancing with Bojangles, or giving an acting performance worthy of an Oscar at kindergarten age. She reached her best years before most get started, and that's what happened with the character of Mary Ann. She's at her best as an eight year old, and the adolescent, young adult, wife and mother Mary Ann just can't compete with that.

I'll never forget one scene, where she goes to confession and tries to think of an appropriate swear word to say to Father Owen, because she's so unhappy at the time and she heard if you swear at a priest you'll be struck dead. (The priest helps her find a better way out of her misery.) There were all these scenes with Mary Ann at this young age that, of course, can't be done as the years go on. Who can forget her having to go back to their old neighborhood and bring her father home, after Mike mistakenly thinks Liz is going to leave him for her old boyfriend, )who only came to tell her he's getting married) and is now drunk and singing in the streets, putting on quite a show for their old neighbors.

I won't give away anymore details, but will just say, read this book, and the others, and enjoy Mary Ann at this stage of things while you can because, like in real life, it won't last long.
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