I received a complimentary copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity Group and was under no obligation to post a review. No compensation was received for sharing this review and all opinions are my own.
Series: American Tapestries
Published by Summerside Press on September 1st, 2013
Source: Litfuse Publicity Group
Genres: Fiction, Historical
Pages: 336
An East-coast socialite embarks on a journey to the Wild West, and her life will never be the same.
A setting populated by hundreds of common laborers, outlaws, and Indians is hardly the place for a wealthy general’s daughter from the nation’s capital. But Josephine Cain is determined to accompany her father as he oversees the day-to-day work involved in the greatest undertaking of post-Civil War America: the building of the Transcontinental Railroad.
Life with the railroad is far from the proper life Josephine is used to, and she faces deadly gunfights, harsh weather, and vigilante uprisings. She is torn between West and the East; between her privileged upbringing and the dangers of a new frontier; between the pull of the suitable beau her parents chose for her and an attraction to a rough but charming Irish railroad worker. But if Josephine is willing, she just might find a new life, a unique purpose…and the love of her life.
I’ve very much enjoyed all of the American Tapestries books that I have read so far.
I think this era appealed to me less than the other eras however that is my own personal preferences.
However, the era is not why I gave this book a four star rating.
To be honest, I felt that it wrapped up entirely too fast. It felt rushed and I felt a bit cheated. Otherwise the book was pretty good and I would definitely read more by this author!
Josephine Cain is disheartened by her mother and aunt’s depression. Though she herself grieves the loss of her brother and cousin; she longs to put sadness behind her and start to live anew.
She longs to go out west where her father is in charge of laying the railroad. She wants to have adventures—see the world.
Honestly though, I felt there were a lot of times when she acted very spoiled and entitled. That character flaw kind of annoyed me a bit. She always seemed to get what she wanted even if she had to pout and throw a tantrum for it.
I started to notice a bit of a change in her towards the end of the story. She seemed to mature and become a little less whiny and a bit more self-sufficient rather than demanding and entitled.
It was with the changes that I noticed in her that I began to appreciate the story a bit more but just as I became interested the story wrapped up. That was disappointing to me. I felt like there was a huge leading up to this major event and it just blew over.
I wish less time had been spent with Josephine’s dillydallying about with random things and more character building with her love interest(s) and I wish the conclusion had been played out a bit more satisfactorily.
Overall this was a pretty good book. I just think it needed a more satisfying ending
About Nancy Moser
NANCY MOSER is the best-selling author of more than twenty novels. She is a winner and two-time nominee of the Christy Award, and her latest novel was named to Booklist’s “Top 10 Romance Novels of 2011.” Nancy and her husband have three grown children and three grandchildren, and they live in the Midwest.
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