Ida and Martha
A Montana Story
by Sara Fretz-Goering

---

As young women in the 1970’s, Ida and Martha forged a deep bond of friendship before life led them in different directions. Now at the age of seventy-two, Ida makes a leap of faith by uprooting her life in Boulder, Colorado to move with her dog to the Big Sky area of Montana to help Martha and her daughter run a guest ranch. In her new rural surroundings, Ida finds serenity and happiness until she is thrown off balance by an unexpected romantic attraction. In this lyrical novel, themes of unique friendships, emotional entanglements, spirituality, love and loss are explored with perceptive insight in the old growth of the main characters’ later years. With vividly evoked settings, rich characterization, and a celebratory spirit, Ida and Martha presents appealing characters facing aging with humor, heart, and what our grandmothers would have called “good old-fashioned moral fiber.”

---

"Fretz-Goering (Simple Life Fretz, 2016) is an eloquent writer who captures Montana’s wild beauty with elegance and alacrity... [The novel] accepts and bravely faces the uncertainties of life, particularly in old age..." - Kirkus Reviews “Ever wonder what “women of a certain age” find funny, romantic, sexy, spiritual, crazy, delicious? This story will make you feel like you are hearing secret confessions. Grab your favorite drink and cozy up to the fireplace — but don’t expect to snooze. The action is far from slow, and your reflection after you close the book will linger.” - Shirley Showalter, Author, Blush: A Mennonite Girl Meets a Glittering World, A Memoir "Ida and Martha, A Montana Story does a great job capturing life out West among aging reformed hippies making lives for themselves after the losses life will eventually throw all of us. A hint of a mystery and some romance round out the novel making for a fun engaging read." - Nicole Harkin, Author, Tilting, A Memoir

---

An English teacher in public schools for many years, Sara Fretz-Goering observed from her personal reading a dearth of books with likable, older women characters. She decided to write one, drawing inspiration from memories of friendships with women over the years. The themes explored in Ida and Martha overlap with experiences throughout her life. Sara’s first book, Simple Life Fretz: A Kitchen Table Memoir of the first Mennonite Sociologist, was published in 2016 as a tribute to her father. She resides with her husband in a large house near a wooded trail outside of Washington DC where she walks daily with her golden retriever.

---

Contributors

Author

Sara Fretz-Goering

---

Other eBook Editions

This book is also available in eBook format from these sites.

• Amazon Kindle Store
• Nook Store
• Kobo Store
• Apple Books
• Google Play