RE-RELEASED ON KINDLE AS THE JOURNEY: A LEGACY OF LOVE NOVEL
A young woman traveling the Oregon Trail in 1842 must rely on a stranger to bring her to safety. But whom can she trust with her heart?
For two thousand miles along the trail to Oregon Country, Samantha Waldron and her family must overcome tremendous challenges to reach the Willamette Valley before winter. Together they weather autumn storms, hunger and thirst, and the dangers of a wild and unfamiliar country. But when their canoe capsizes on the Columbia River, they must rely on handsome British exporter Alexander Clarke to rescue them from the icy water.
Alex escorts Samantha and her young brother, Micah, to Fort Vancouver. There Samantha is overwhelmed with men vying for her affections, but the only one who intrigues her-Alex-is the one she cannot have. When his betrothed arrives unexpectedly from England to escort him home, Samantha becomes determined to create a home for herself and Micah in the fertile valley far away from the fort. But how will an unmarried woman support herself and her brother in the wilderness alone? Then Micah disappears into the wilderness one rainy night, and Samantha must rely on the man she loves-the man she’s trying desperately to forget-to rescue her brother before it’s too late.
I liked Samantha–nice, strong Pioneer woman. And her brother, Daniel, was the typical boy who often got himself into scrapes. Then you had Alex, the English gentleman who prefers the “Wild West.” The characters were the typical stereotypical characters for this kind of romance, but at least they were well-developed. The author even threw a few surprises into the plot that made things interesting.
I appreciated the fact that there was no sex nor profanity. I could have done with a little more about God and Christianity. Yes, Christian principles were there, but sometimes I didn’t see the characters’ faith as well as I would have liked to. I also didn’t see the romance budding between the characters in the same way I would like to, but that didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the book.
The Pacific Northwest landscape in the book was truly a joy for me to read about. To read about Fort Vancouver, the Willamette Valley, Mt. Hood, and the Columbia River was truly a nice treat. When you live in the Pacific Northwest, it’s nice to read about such familiar areas. There are enough books written about New York, California, and England, but very few about my neck of the woods!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melanie Dobson has written ten contemporary and historical novels including five releases in Summerside’s Love Finds You series. In 2011, two of her releases won Carol Awards: Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa (for historical romance) and The Silent Order (for romantic suspense). Prior to her writing career, Melanie was the corporate publicity manager at Focus on the Family and a publicist for The Family Channel. She later launched her own public relations company and worked in the fields of publicity and journalism for more than fifteen years. Melanie and her family enjoy their home in the Pacific Northwest. The entire Dobson family loves to travel and hike in both the mountains and along the cliffs above the Pacific. When Melanie isn’t writing or playing with her family, she enjoys exploring ghost towns and dusty back roads, line dancing, and reading inspirational fiction.
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