A Moment in Time by Tracie Peterson

A Moment in Time by Tracie Peterson is book two in the Lone Star Brides Series, you can check out my review of the first book A Sensible Arrangement HERE.

The good news about this series is each book could be it's own stand alone.  However, if you want to get to know the characters a bit better I suggest starting with the first book.

Being a country girl at heart, I do love myself a fun western every now and then.  A Moment in Time picks up right where A Sensible Arrangement left off.  Although Marty has a bit of a role in this book, especially earlier on in the story.  Mainly this book is about Alice, this is her love story.
Alice was the orphan, who was cut and left for dead when robbers came to attack her and her father. Taking his life, and then leaving her with nothing.  While she recovered in the hospital others took care of her fathers affairs, even selling their home, which really did leave her with nothing.

With no where to go, Marty and Jake took her in, and when hard times hit them financially during Denver's financial crisis in the 1890's.  Marty kept Alice living with them because the two were more friends than homeowner and servant.
Times are tough and when Jake takes off for Texas to find work and a new way of life for them.  Marty and Alice stay behind, living and helping out at a small Denver orphanage.

Alice is still being haunted and stalked by the man who sliced her face long ago.  She can't seem to get rid of him, even though she doesn't have the Gold bonds he thinks her father left her.  With worry and suspicion around every corner it is a welcome relief when Jake sends money for the two women to travel by train to Texas to live with him and Marty's sister Hannah.

Alice had decided she would always be single, seeing as she couldn't see how any man could see past the ugly scar that ran down the side of her face.  But Robert Barnett, Marty's nephew doesn't see a scar at all, instead he's falling in love with the woman she really is.  Alice always having been a city girl, discovers she loves the life of a Texan and a rancher, this is where she feels she is truly meant to be.  She also finds herself quickly falling in love with a handsome rancher named Robert.  The only problem is everyone is telling her Robert is engaged to a beautiful girl that lives a few ranches away.

However, life isn't all it appears, and nothing ever comes easy for Alice.  After a few discoveries Alice's world is thrown into something she can't even of ever fathomed.  Secrets come out, and discoveries about her family and some dark secrets they harbor come to light.  It isn't long before Alice is left to make serious decisions, at the same time hoping that she can keep hidden and avoid the clutches of the man who attacked and scarred her face for life.

If you enjoy a great clean western, with lovable characters and a fast paced storyline.  Then you will love the Lone Star Brides Series.  Tracie Peterson takes you back in time, to a harder life but also a more peaceful time in the old west.  If you're like me, you'll fall in love with the characters and the heart that was put into A Moment in Time.


Disclosure: I was provided a complementary copy of this book for my review by Bethany House.  I was not asked to write a positive review, all thoughts and opinions above are my own.

A Sensible Arrangement by Tracie Peterson - A Book Review

This is actually my second Tracie Peterson novel in just a few months.  I really like this author, she does a great western.  A Sensible Arrangement is just that a great western with an adventurous romance.  I loved this story, and it was another one of those books that captured my attention and I pretty much read it cover to cover.

Marty is living in Texas and has had much pain in her life and she is ready to leave it all behind.  So when she sees an advertisement in the local paper for a man looking for a "Lone Star Bride" who is willing to move to Denver.  Marty decides to throw caution to the wind, and answers the ad and agrees to be his mail order bride.  With one stipulation, that it is an agreeable arrangement with no strings of love attached.

Jake has also had much heartache in his life.  He's been burned by women in his past, and has no desire to fall in love again.  However, with a job as a banker in a high society standing.  He soon realizes he needs to find a woman to wed, who would be willing to stand by his side, with nothing more than a marriage of convenience between the two.  When he receives Marty's reply, he feels it is the perfect arrangement.

Marty's arrival into town becomes quite unexpected as she becomes a heroine in an attempted stage coach robbery.  Jake takes an immediate extra liking to his new bride, proud of the much stronger woman that she is, than he could have ever hoped for.  Even if a gun slinging woman isn't exactly what will help Marty's social standing in the community.

Marty does everything she can to accept this new life.  As a woman who previously worked a ranch, she finds it difficult to be idle and allow servants and others to do everything for her.  But she is bound and determined to make this arrangement work, and be the wife Jake needs.  Even if that means attending social events and boring tea parties with the elite women in the community.  Whatever it takes to keep her here, and from having to go back to the heartaches of Texas.

Jake, is finding it more and more difficult to ignore his feelings for his new wife.  This marriage of convenience isn't very convenient for a man who is falling in love with his wife.  The only problem is, he's been burned before, he's not sure if he is ready to let even his wife into his heart.

Marty's past of secrets begin to catch up to her, and when her own feelings start getting thrown into the mix she isn't sure what to do.  When the economy starts collapsing, and the banking business looks to be a sinking ship Marty and Jake realize they may just need each other more than they ever knew.

If you enjoy a lighthearted American western, filled with adventure and romance.  You'll love A Sensible Arrangement.   I look forward to more books in Tracie Petersons Lone Star Brides series!  Written for adults, this is a clean christian based novel, appropriate for any age.


Disclaimer: I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from Baker Publishing for my review.  I was not asked to write a positive review, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn by Lori Benton - A book review

The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn is a beautifully written and poetic novel based during the frontier times in early America.  This is actually not my first Lori Benton novel, so I knew I was likely going to really enjoy this read before I even started it.

Tamsen Littlejohn has been living under a harsh life with a not so kind stepfather who expects her to do everything she is told and exactly as he wishes.  He's also been an abusive husband to her mother and Tamsen has longed for escape.
When her stepfather pushes the limits by setting up an arranged marriage, Tamsen knows she must get out. Unfortunately attempts on her own do not go as planned.  But when the most horrible thing she could ever imagine happens, she is accepts help from a stranger and frontiersman Jesse Bird and puts her life and fate into his hands.
With nothing more than the clothes on her back, and her own secret treasure together they venture into the wilderness and begin crossing the mountains to escape the stepfather who could be onto them at any time.

Her stepfather and the man he has chosen as her suitor are convinced that Tamsen must have been kidnapped and together they enlist a tracker and head out to bring her back.  But her stepfather has hidden motives for wanting her back, and those motives put her life at complete risk if she is found.

Jesse and his father have been on their own since they left the Shawnee and decided to make their way as frontiersman.  They are highly respected and are known for being able to get a job done, even in dangerous Indian territory.  From the minute Jesse saw Tamsen running out into the street, he was taken by her.  Which is why when he realized the danger she was in, and the help she needed, he didn't hesitate to offer his assistance.  He wasn't sure what would happen next, but one thing has been certain, each day he spends with her, his heart grows fonder and fonder.

Tamsen and Jesse have a rough start, but one thing Tamsen decides early on.  She knows in her heart she can trust Jesse.  Nothing goes exactly as they both hope, but even with all of the bad.  They begin to find friendship in one another.  Jesse knows where his heart is, but is unsure if Tamsen will ever find her way in her heart to that same place.

The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn, is full of adventure.  Lot's of historically accurate points, that intrigue the mind.  With an early American and Indian frontier timeline.  However, there is no overload of facts.  Lori Benton does a beautiful job of weaving the historical information into her storyline. In other words, you'll feel like you are in full on story, not a bunch of information dump pages!  Additionally, this book has several twists and suspense.
I loved it from beginning to end, this is one of those books that I know I will keep and read again in the future, I enjoyed it so much!  This book is appropriate for any audience, but will probably be more enjoyed by adults or anyone over 16.

VISIT THE AUTHORS WEBSITE HERE

YOU CAN READ THE FIRST CHAPTER HERE

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS BOOK HERE

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Disclaimer: I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing for my honest review.  I was not asked to write a positive review, all thoughts and opinions are my own.