Review: Love on the Range by Jessica Nelson

Love on the Range by Jessica Nelson

Harlequin’s Love Inspired Historical Series

Historical Romance, Published April 2012

Challenges: NetGalley Reading Challenge 2012, Christian Historical Fiction Challenge

Read: March 2012, 288 pp.

4/5 STARS

Book Blurb:

The Wild West Awaits…

Any other socialite would view being packed off to a remote Oregon ranch as a punishment. But Gracelyn Riley knows that this is her opportunity to become a real reporter. If she can make her name through an interview with the elusive hero known as Striker, then she’ll never have to depend on anyone ever again.

Rancher Trevor Cruz can’t believe his secret identity is being endangered by an overly chatty city girl. But if there’s one thing he knows, it’s that Gracie’s pretty little snooping nose is bound to get her in trouble. So he’ll use her determination to find “Striker” to keep an eye on her…and stick close by her side.

Could romance be their greatest adventure?

Thoughts:

Gracelyn packs her bags and heads west on a train from Boston to Oregon to get away from the Spanish Influenza and to visit her Uncle Lou.  While she’s there, Gracelyn has a second agenda – to find the notorious Wild West Hero known as Striker and interview him for the papers back east.  When she gets to her uncle’s ranch, she is soon consumed by chores and cooking for the ranch hands.  They are glad to have her, but she hardly has time to roam the countryside to find the elusive Striker.  Trevor, one of her uncle’s most trusted ranch hands finds trouble in Gracelyn’s many questions about Striker, and his concern is not unwarranted because trouble is not far behind her.

This was an enjoyable read – a great, clean romance with a strong heroine.  The story is written in third person and I think I would have enjoyed seeing the story from both Trevor and Gracelyn’s point-of-views.  A wonderful debut and Jessica has become an author I will be looking forward to in the future!

Quotes:

Obsession was the way in which madness lay.

-Opening line from Love on the Range by Jessica Nelson

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Blog Tour: River’s Call by Melody Carlson

River’s Call by Melody Carlson

Inn at Shining Waters #2

Fiction – Christian, Historical (1959-1970s), Published February 2012

Read March 2012, 288 pp.

Challenges: Christian Historical Fiction, NetGalley Reading Challenge 2012

4/5

• #1 – River’s Song

Book Blurb:

What happens when the ties between generations are severed?

Anna Larson’s daughter, Lauren, is confused, brokenhearted, and misguided. It’s the turbulent 1960s and, feeling alienated from her mother, Lauren chooses to stay with her paternal grandmother. However, repelled by the woman’s manipulative and spiteful ways, Lauren returns to her mother, the river, and the Inn at Shining Waters.

But as time passes, Lauren, now a mother to her own defiant teenager, faces a new crisis, one that puts the entire family at risk.

Thoughts:

Back on the Siuslaw River in Oregon country, Anna has just got her life back on track, newly remarried and about to open her new rustic inn.  Much of her earlier struggles are chronicled in Book 1, so I found it an easy transition to this book.  She has always had a strained relationship with her ex-mother-in-law as well as her daughter.  Now that her daughter is finally in college and out from under her ex-MIL’s wing, Anna feels that maybe she will finally get to have a relationship with Lauren, her daughter.

When Lauren suddenly calls Anna complaining of a bout of sickness, only in the mornings and vomiting, she soon whisks Lauren to the doctor and to her inn, out of sight of all her friends.  I thought this aspect of the story very believable because it was often frowned upon for an unwed woman to be visibly pregnant.  I felt sad for Anna most of the book with her struggled relationships, and often wondered if she could ever regain them.  When Lauren’s daughter, Sarah, comes into the picture, she is an absolute joy for Anna and I was happy that she found a kindred spirit in her granddaughter.  Finally she had someone to love that loved her back.  I hated Lauren’s attitude throughout the book and often wanted Anna to slap her!  It was really frustrating to live it alongside Anna.  Once again, I loved all the people who lived with Anna on the river.  Anna has a wonderful husband and new mother-in-law as wells as many old family friends to help her out.

I was feeling sort of down and sad about the whole entire story when all of a sudden – the ending totally took me by surprise!  And now I MUST know what happens to Sarah in book 3, River’s End.

First Few Sentences:

Anna’s dugout canoe slice a quiet path through the glasslike surface of the river.  Today the Siuslaw was the color of topaz, with reflections of trees along its edges.  Interspersed between spruce and firs, maple trees shone in shades of gold and rust and red.

Thanks to Glass Road Public Relations and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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