" RITA Award–Winning Author: She’s starting a new life on the Wyoming frontier—but is her heart ready for a new love?

Tired and hungry after two days of traveling, Susanna Hopkins is just about at the end of her tether when her train finally arrives in Cheyenne. She’s bound for a new life in a Western garrison town. Then she discovers she doesn’t even have enough money to pay for the stagecoach! Luckily for her, the compassionate Major Joseph Randolph is heading in the same direction.

As a military surgeon, Joe is used to keeping his professional distance and tries not to dwell on Susanna’s understated beauty, But he’s drawn to this woman who carries loss and pain equal to his own and has a heart that is just as hesitant and wary. . . .

“Kelly has the rare ability to create realistic yet sympathetic characters that linger in the mind.” —Library Journal"

Quoted material is from the Amazon page for this book. The bulk of my review is in the "further comments" section

People who like historical fiction, especially military historical fiction with romance, people who like family drama stories, people who like a little mystery and a lot of history.

Susanna's character, the stories within the stories.

It could be slow and tedious at times with all the details.

Write a story based on her son's adventures.

Mostly interested, sometimes bored.

About the author:
"I'm a long-time, award-winning novelist, perhaps best known for my Regency Romances, two of which have earned Rita Awards from Romance Writers of America. I've also been writing Mormon-themed novels, as well as historical fiction for Harlequin and CamelPress in Seattle. I have three Whitney Awards from LDStorymakers, and two Spur Awards from Western Writers of America, plus a Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times (which makes me feel like I have one foot in the grave).

Current works available now are "The Christmas Angle," from A Country Christmas; "A Christmas Dance with the Rancher," from Harlequin's Western Christmas Proposals, and For This We Are Soldiers: Tales of the Frontier Army.

Out in February will be the fourth and final book in the Spanish Brand Series: "The Star in the Meadow." In March will be "Courting Carrie in Wonderland" for Cedar Fort, which I am writing now.

I'll soon be starting a series set at St. Edmunds School in Portsmouth, England in 1803, a direct result of my short story, "The Christmas Angle," which is newly available in A Country Christmas. I discovered I couldn't let go of those interesting characters.

I love to write. The whole process still fascinates me, even after many novels and short stories, and some non-fiction work. I'm still learning with every book." from the book's Amazon sales page.

It was a nice read, mostly.

This book takes Susanna from desperate to start a new life, to being rescued by Major Joe, to drawing on her inner strength and establishing a life for herself on the frontier (and helping many others in the process), to making an extreme sacrifice for the betterment of others, to a shocking change in the situation with her ex and the welfare of her son, to the expected happily ever after, with lots of interesting events and characters in between. Nick Martin and all the Irish folks were particular favorites of mine.

So, this was a nice read, overall, for me. Not the best. Not as good as the last novel I read by this author, but not so bad as to prevent me from finishing it or reading another by her. There were things I loved, like many of the characters.

There were things I just didn't agree with, like forgiving someone for being stupid. I mean, yes we should forgive others when they do stupid things, but it took away from the goodness of the character to me, she was so pure in heart except for this judgmental part. People can't help their IQ. There's not something to forgive there.

We're all human though. It was nice to see the relationship heal as a result of the forgiveness on one part and growth on the others'

I think this was more like several novellas strung together than a novel. At each ending point, I kind of put the book aside for a while and started up after reading another book.

Above, I said this in response to how the book made me feel "Mostly interested, sometimes bored." I don't regret reading it. It was, overall a good story. I really liked Susanna, Joe, and a lot of the side characters.

This book, just before I typed this up, is selling for only $1.99 on Amazon. I borrowed my copy from my local library for free. I think the sale price might have boosted its standings, but here they are as of January 31, 2025 about 4:30pm.

Best Sellers Rank: #31,371 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)

#143 in American Historical Romance (Kindle Store)
#190 in American Historical Romance (Books)
#436 in Westerns (Books)

Considering that it was published back in 2013, I think that's pretty great for sales standings.

I personally checked out the book from my library because I'd enjoyed my last book by this author so much.

This book currently has an average 4.5 star rating on Amazon (with 564 ratings) and 3.8 stars on Goodreads.

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Created Jan 31, 2025 at 5:08pm • Submit your own review...