Marna cover

Marna

by Norah Hess

A HIDDEN BEAUTY In the backwoods of Kentucky, on the eve of the American Revolution, brothels thrived and men had their way with the local Indian beauties. Marna, untamed and innocent, was forced to disguise her charms to escape their unquenchable lust. But concealing her good looks behind a mask of soot and hiding her voluptuous figure couldn't prevent her lecherous grandfather from wanting to sell her body. A loveless marriage to a rugged hunter seemed to be her only escape from a life of prostitution. Yet Marna was determined to be happy, even if it meant living with a man who grimaced at the sight of her. Matt Barton loved his life of freedom, until a poisonous snake bite changed everything. Suddenly he found himself bound by a sense of duty to marry the wild girl who had saved his life. Despite her ragged looks and feisty spirit, Matt found himself yearning for her and the comfortable home she offered. Though jealous of the many men who wanted to have her body for their own, Matt was the last to see Marna's true beauty. It was a tumultuous time, and in the wild woods where anything could happen, was it too late for Matt to win back the heart of the woman he loved?

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?