What happens when happily ever after meets reality? Susan and James Williams are drifting apart. After a devastating loss, their lives are thrown into further turmoil when a mysterious stone at a museum hurtles them back to the Old West. Their supernatural experience only intensifies the chasm between them, and when James realizes where they are, in a moment of anger, he pronounces that they were never married.

They go their separate ways, unsure of what this new world holds in store. James settles into a job as bartender. Befriended by local rancher Daniel Miller, Susan soon develops feelings for him. She’s torn between starting a new life in a new time and healing her marriage and returning to the twenty-first century.

Will the miraculous journey back in time help Susan and James reconcile, or has destiny set new roads for them to travel that lead them away from each other?

OMG, where do I begin?  I guess I should start out by saying that this is the fifth book in this series I have read and I think they just keep on getting better.  I first discovered Sandy James through a free read--the third novel in this series that spurred me on to getting books 1, 2, & 4.  I have to also admit that I resisted reading this novel because I have never really been a fan of time-travel, but I have always thought that Ms James' writing was above the norm so decided, tardy though it may be, to read Twist of Fate.  I am soooo glad that I did!

Like all the main characters in this series, Susan and James were deeply hurt, damaged in their emotions, damaged in their marriage, damaged in their view of their life as individuals as well as a couple.  They survived each day, often trying to recover from that day's emotional injuries--hurt words, thoughtless actions, sarcasm, seemingly disrespectful of one another.  Their hard and unfeeling exteriors hid hearts that were broken, bruised by the loss of their unborn child--a son they both looked forward to knowing, a child that would have brought new life, love, and laughter into their home.    Both were grieving deeply, yet neither one would share that grief because of harsh words and what seemed to the other to be a dismissal of their hurt.  Add in the factor of James' discontent with his job--a discontent that had gone on for years but a job he pursued out of responsibility for his family.  You have a boiling cauldron of unexpressed anger and hurt--the makings of a very potent rage.  Through a series of unforeseen happenings, a radical change of circumstances, and challenges to the strength of their marriage ties, Susan and James were forced to face themselves, their attitudes and actions toward one another, their willingness to think about the future without one another, and the challenge to face up to what was before them.

This novel is another example of this author's ability to go to the core of a relationship, to peel away the layers of time, of taking one another for granted, of the easy convenience of living together but of having become so used to one another that they had stopped "seeing" each other as partners, as lovers, as friends.    This is one of those novels that will keep you riveted to the page, that will make it possible for you to envision the people, the action, the surroundings, and even to feel keenly the emotions that were driving these two people apart.  It is a story that will hopefully cause every reader to examine their own relationships and consider what really are the qualities that bind two people together.  Perhaps the most compelling quality of this story is the personal reflection Susan and James must endure as they take a new look at themselves, as what makes them who they are, at how they can manage to survive as an individual in an alien environment and how they must choose actions that will impact their future.  

This is a compelling story, well-written with a story line that is moving steadily toward the crisis and resolution.  Ms James is a writer whose expertise shines through all her novels and are a joy to read just from a literary standpoint as well as for the entertaining content.   This book has been around for a while but it is one that shouldn't be missed.  If you have not read any of this series, the third novel is still available as a free read at Siren-Bookstrand and is a wonderful book as well.  Twist of Fate is one of those books a serious lover of romance fiction just shouldn't miss.  I give it a rating of 5 out of 5.

What Do You Do With A Ranch You Won In A Poker Game? Compromised Cowgirl by Reece Butler

Having completed two years at a Virginia ladies’ college, required to gain her inheritance, Jessamine Elliott returns to Tanner’s Ford. Raised on a ranch with six wild brothers, she’s determined to keep her independence by becoming a partner on her brothers’ Bitterroot Ranch. But Ranger insists she prove herself by spending three weeks working for the Double Diamond, owned by a trio of greenhorn English aristocrats, posing as a boy. At Ranger’s urging, Kenrick ‘Ace’ Langford reluctantly takes Jessie on, thinking she’s a bratty boy but needing the skills. His partners see through Jessie’s disguise but go along with the ruse, hoping they will marry. Ace feels strangely drawn to Jessie so stays far away. Three weeks later he thinks he’s finally free of the brat when he finds Jessie floating in his hot spring. When the uppity brat rolls over, showing lush breasts, Ace decides it’s payback time

This is the third in a series of novels based on the historical phenomenon call the Brides Trains of the late 1800's. Begun to bring "mail order" brides to the men of the American West following the Civil War when so many veterans came West in order to start a new life after enduring the hardships and losses of war, these train loads of women were a factor in bringing making new relationships for women who may have had limited opportunities to marry or have families if they remained in the East. However, women were often brought West under false pretenses, a number were contracted into proxy marriage and then sold outright to brothels by unscrupulous men, or were abducted enroute for one reason or the other. The heroine in this tale has a social conscience--she ends up participating in a rescue of two women, one who was sold to a brothel by her husband, and one whose family was murdered by outlaws who sold her to that same brothel. Through the action of Jessie and her brothers, these two women were rescued and given the opportunity of a fresh start.

In this novel the heroine has come West to claim her portion of the family ranch in Montana. However, her brothers are unwilling to sell her a portion of the ranch even though they know she is as savvy about ranching and as adept at running a ranch as any man. So in order to get her to "prove" her ability as a ranch owner, she is snookered into pretending to be a 14 year old kid who is looking for room and board and will assist three English aristocrats who have won a ranch in a poker game and who know absolutely nothing about ranching. Jessie's masquerade succeeds with "Ace" but the other two Englishmen know something is not right about this kid and one of these gentlemen figures out almost immediately that she is a female. Yet she knows her stuff and actually begins to teach them about ranching. Their enterprise is up and running and at least has a reasonable chance of succeeding because of her knowledge which has been a part of her life since she was a little kid.

In reality, Jessie's brother wants to see her married and believes that these three aristocrats--one is the third son of an earl and all are second and third sons with no expectations of any inheritance--have the breeding and education in treating a woman with care and respect. This is especially important in Jessie's case as her early years were filled with disregard and abuse. She came to believe that the only creature who loved her was her horse. Jessie's brother also believes that Ace Langford will be open to marrying his sister as she is a member of the primary family in that region of Montana--an American equivalent of British family of social standing.

In the two previous novels in this series, two other brides end up in polyamorous marriages and those women make an appearance in this novel as well. Their counsel to Jessie--who really doesn't want to marry because there aren't any men she really trusts--makes it possible for her to begin to see marriage from a different perspective. One of my favorite scenes takes place when Jessie visits her sister-in-law and they have a "women's night" together helped along with some homemade brandy. This is certainly an education for Jessie as these two women are very open about the advantages of having more than one husband as well as the ways such wives can have to make sure that they don't get "run over" by some fairly dominant men. (Back in that time it was perfectly legal for a husband to beat his wife senseless for disobeying

I found this novel to be extremely interesting--the antics of the British greenhorns were comic and coming up against a wiley woman like Jessie who, as a hapless boy without family and connections, made their life quite difficult on some occasions was the stuff of real interest for me. It has only been in recent months that I have come to appreciate the historical novels embracing the American West of the 1800's--I pretty much stayed with the British Regency period for the most part--and I found this novel to be entertaining, witty, and quite educational. This is an author that takes the time to really learn the historical context and who takes the time to put in the hours of research, even to the point of visiting the locality with its museums and archives of one sort or another. Such background knowledge shows as she has constructed these fictional families who most probably reflect the kind of family life that was the norm in that time. It is a well-known fact that such polyamorous family configurations were more numerous than many people realized. In fact, the Broadway musical Paint Your Wagon is about a woman with two husbands

Also at the core of this story is the factor of family abuse that ran rampant in 19th century America and which was simply not taken seriously because it was "a family matter." Myriad women and children were injured or killed, or at least their lives were changed for the worst because such abuse was tolerated. The story is also about family loyalty and connection that sustains people who have little else positive in their lives. Jessie endured rape at the hand of her cousin, a man who wanted to marry her simply to get his hands on her inheritance from an aunt. Her body bore the scars from being whipped by her uncle, often for very minor infractions. That the love of her brothers brought her back from a life of hopelessness. Ultimately she found the love of three men who rebuilt her faith in herself, not as a rancher, but as a warm and giving and intelligent woman who was necessry to complete their lives. How that all comes about is the sum and substance of this novel.

This book is unabashedly erotic romance, yet there is a lot going on that is just good storytelling and even in a fictional sense adds to the reader's knowledge of this time in American history. It is about a young woman who has set some goals for herself, who has the faith that she can care for herself and who is not willing to put her future in the hands of a grasping and unprincipled man in order to be seen as socially acceptable. In fact, she really doesn't care what people think of her and that attitude ultimately gets her in trouble with some of the men in her life. Reece Butler had proven the ability to write a novel that hangs together like good fictional romance should with interesting and lively characters, sufficient action to prevents the "yawns" and a story that moves along and doesn't stall out at some point. This novel is just a really entertaining and educational and fun read. It will be one that fans of American historical romance will really like. I give it a rating of 4 out of 5

Love & Adventure in the Old West: The Christmas Brides by Linda Lael Miller

This delightful anthology of two previously released Christmas tales has just been re-released by Harlequin. A McKettrick Christmas was first released in 2008 and A Creed Family Christmas was released in 2009. Now they have been put together in this delightful Christmas book and for those of us who did not previously encounter this offering it is a genuine Christmas "gift." Both tales are extensions of the series involving the McKettricks of Arizona and the Creeds of Montana. Set in the early days of the 20th century, they bring the simple life of those times alive even as they detail two stories of romance under unlikely circumstances.

A McKettrick Christmas is the story of Lillie McKettrick who has recently completed Normal School in San Francisco and is now traveling home by train. Traveling with her is Whitley Carson, a man who has been courting her and who is now journeying to meet her family. He is from a wealthy and socially prominent family and is not taking well to the inconveniences of train travel--no dining car, no sleepers, no private compartment. Their journey is abruptly halted by a massive avalanche which derails some of the cars and nearly pushes the passenger car where Lillie and Whitley are seated over the cliff. Also present is Dr. Morgan Shane, a Mr. Christian, John Brennan--a PFC in the Army, a mother and children traveling to join their dad who is the new foreman on the McKettrick ranch, and an elderly couple with their parrot. What may seem like a temporary circumstance--rescue must surely be on the way--eventually turns out to be a life-threatening situation as the days and nights move forward without the arrival of help.

This novella has, at its core, a truth that could be summed up thus: circumstances don't make character, they reveal it. And so it was in this situation. Each of these people is stretched to the capacity for absorbing shock, difficulty, personal emotional and psychological challenges, physical hardships, and the willingness to extend themselves for the welfare of others and the greater good of all. It is a heart-warming story in so many ways that also brings to bear the reality of what family really can be--strength, loyalty, trust, setting aside individual differences, and the love which forms an indestructable link, one to another. I give this novella a rating of 4.5 out of 5.

A Creed Family Christmas tells the story of Lincoln Creed, a widower, who has been seeking a governess/housekeeper for over a year because of his 7 year old daughter Gracie. He is a Harvard-trained lawyer who has taken up the responsibility of the Creed Ranch in order to save his family's legacy--his brother Wes was not really cut out to be a rancher--and now that his wife has died, must find a way to move one and care for their daughter. As a last resort he is even willing to marry a qualified woman who would be wife to him and mother to Gracie. he was not, however, willing to give his heart. Juliana Mitchell is an aristocratic lady from Denver who has chosen to leave her family behind in order to teach and care for Native American children at the local Indian School. However, that school has been closed and she is destitute, out of a paying job, receiving no funds from her inheritance because her brother thinks she is wasting her life. Lincoln finds Miss Mitchell and four Indian children huddled in the General Store, trying to figure out what to do and where to go, with no money for food or shelter. Being the good person he is, he brings Miss Mitchell and the children home to his ranch just a few days before Christmas. Juliana stands to be in trouble with the Bureau of Indian Affairs for not sending the children on to the Indian School in Missoula, but she knows what they would face, and her heart tells her she must find another solution for them.

This is a lovely story that brings so many lives together. There is Lincoln's best friend who lives at the ranch and serves as his foreman, a Native American who immediately bonds with the oldest boy and who is willing to help them return to their families in the Dakotas. There is Wes Creed, who owns and publishes the local newspaper (when he is sober) and who lives with the owner of the saloon. There is Gracie who is 7, going on 40, and who opens her heart to Julliana and the Indian children in a way that is so touching. (She wants them all to be her brother and sisters.) And, of course, there is Lincoln and Juliana and their attraction to one another. It is a gentle story of the realities of living in those times, life in a simpler time in so many ways, but life that is brutal in its lack of safety nets for women and children. The prejudice against Native peoples was so open and harsh. And there was the reality that Juliana faced: returning to her brother's home and facing a life as a poor relation and probably a spinster sister/aunt. There weren't many options for women in those days.

I loved this story and like the first tale in this book, I hated to see it come to an end. But this story is especially about redemption--redeeming lives that face such hardship, renewing family ties, regaining personhood and a sense of place, returning to one's roots and finding joy in being accepted for who one is rather than social position or wealth. This is definitely a 4.5 out of 5 rating story!

Both these stories bear the stamp of Ms Miller's considerable talent and writing expertise. They bring the essence of what we believe Christmas to be, and tell these historical tales with that goal in mind. For readers who have not encountered these families previously, these novellas introduce these characters so beautifully. Yes, The Christmas Brides is one truly great read!

Released in November 2010 by Harlequin Books.

Review: Second Chance Brides by Vicki McDonough

This is a delightful historical novel set in the tiny town of Lookout, Texas, about 20 years after the Civil War. It was a time when the expansion of the American West was taking its toll on women and children to a far greater extent than on men. It was a the time of the mail-order bride, and the two main characters in this novel were just that, having been wooed into coming to Texas but under false pretenses. But the man they understood was to be their husband (neither woman knew about the other initially) was now going to marry his long-time love. The Corbett brothers had written and entices Leah and Shannon to Lookout, believing that this would push their cousin Luke into finally marrying. Now these women were stranded with no job and no marriage prospects, being supported by the Corbetts until they could find husbands or move on.

Leah was more than willing to leave Missouri after learning that her father had "sold" her to an elderly man. She had been involved in helping her mother raise her 10 siblings, being the oldest, and she just had to get away.

Shannon was a lovely Irish girl who had come to America with her parents because this was her father's dream. Not long after arriving both her parents had dies in one of the 19th century influenza epidemics. She was alone, without any family in a foreign country, and having a home, a husband, and possibly children of her own was something she had long desired. Perhaps this was her opportunity.

This story centers around the efforts of each of these women to move on with their lives. Shannon secures a job with the very brothers who brought her to Texas, tending to their office and doing their bookkeeping. Yet she is so lonely and the man with whom she has fallen in love doesn't appear to return her affection. She must decide whether she will accept someone else's offer of marriage or go elsewhere, perhaps to Dallas.

Leah is at her wits end. Unlike Shannon she has no job and there doesn't appear to be any job prospects for her in Lookout. She is attracted to the local livery owner, but is this the direction her life should take? Even when it appears that this is the one with whom she will spend the rest of her days, true love definitely doesn't run smooth.

This is a beautiful love story for each of these women, but each woman's experience is marked by worry over the future, courage to face the unknown, and finally hope. Each has a personal faith that is the foundation of their lives which sustains them through some very tough times. Were it not for their faith and their belief that God had brought them to Lookout for a reason, each would have been awash in depression and discouragement. It is a story of friendship and caring, community and sharing in the difficult days of the Old West. In the midst of fire, injury, sickness, and tornadoes, the people of that time struggled and carved out a life for themselves. It embraces the values of live that are seen as the bedrock of the American culture. There is also a lovely side story that involves the daughter of the local marshall, her adventures with her friends, and the lessons she learns through those experiences.

This is a gentle story that is taken right out of the pages of the history books. Lovers of romance fiction and especially of the Old West will especially like this novel. All in all, I think it was a very good read and one that quite enjoyable. I am going to be sure and get this book for my granddaughter. I give it a rating of 4 out of 5.

Review: Promises Keep by Sarah McCarty

Cougar McKinnely is a retired U. S. Marshall and now living in the Wyoming Territory. He is feared not only in his home territory but throughout the Western territories, often referred to as Gut'm McKinnely. He is of Native American extraction, adopted by Doc and Dorothy McKinnely after being thrown out of his home and living on the streets at the age of 13. He is a man wracked with guilt after the death of his fiance a year previously, and finds that he can no longer "perform" with the ladies. Thus he now visits Madame Cecile's Pleasure Emporium, hoping that 1) he won't be seen by anyone he knows, and 2) that one of the "ladies of the night" will be able to assist him in this personal "break through."

It is here that he encounters Mara Kincaid, a young innocent woman who has been sold to the brothel by her father to pay his gambling debts and who was to have been "auctioned" off by Madame Cecile. She is given to Cougar instead for a fairly hefty payment, and he has his way with her, only finding out, after the fact, that she is still a virgin and that she has been drugged. She comes out of her stupor sufficiently to plunge a daggar into Madame Cecile's throat, and Cougar takes down the madam's bodyguard, then absconding with Mara out of the window. However, her reputation is forever ruined, and even though she is unwilling to enter into any long-term relationship, being fiercly independent, she ends up married to Cougar. Unbeknownst to Mara, Cougar has fallen hopelessly in love with her.

This story is hard to read in some ways as it is very open about the social abuses and prejudices that seeminly good people heap on the underdog, especially women who have few if any options when abused or misused by men. In the Wyoming Territory of 1869, women had literally no legal standing and were the property of either their fathers, brothers, or husbands. They could be bought or sold as hookers or as wives or daughters. Thus this is a story of such a society and the pain it brought to a good woman like Mara. It is also the second in a series that brings some very delightful characters into being, full of wit and wisdom, of loyalty and generosity, and willingness to accept people who live on the fringes. There are some genuinely funny people here, and it is a novel that embraces all that made the Old West what it was--both good and bad--and I think helps readers understand that the territories of that time were not the romantic localities often extolled in musicals and movies. Life was hard and often short. Cougar, along with his adoped parents, his cousin Clint, his loyal friend Asa, his friend and sometimes adversary Rev. Swanson, together with a cadre of gutsy women and a few stalwart men, form the backdrop of this story that is full of tentative emotion, goodness, hope, hurt, loss, and betrayal. No reader of this story could possibly be bored.

I like Sarah McCarty's writing and the storylines of her books. She doesn't back away from the realities of that historical period while spinning a tale of romance and budding marital encounters that have the stamp of authenticity on them. These are characters and situations that smack of the real thing. And because of that, readers like me have real reactions to their successes and failures, their gains and losses. Hopefully, for those who have not read this book, you will do so at some time in the future. It is a very good book and one that is not only entertaining but educational, feeding the mind, the heart, and the libido. I give this book a rating of 4.50 out of 5.