Valentine is the story of the violent rape of fifteen year old Glory on Valentine’s Day in Odessa, Texas in the late 70’s and five other women who were affected by this brutal attack.  Mary Rose is the woman whose home Glory ran to after the rape.  Corinne is a liberal thinker, a recent widow and a heavy drinker.  Debra Ann  is a young girl whose mother has deserted her, and she is desperately searching for a mother figure and a friend.  Karla is seventeen years old, has a four month old child and dreams of leaving Odessa.

Valentine is an all-around terrific read.  It has wonderfully drawn characters and the writing is so good, I could almost feel the hot Texas sun and the red-brown dust.  Because there are only two somewhat admirable men in the novel, women might enjoy reading Valentine more than men.