A Trail to Love

Historical Romance

Jack Billabard, mourning the loss of his wife and baby in childbirth, vows to never to love again. After their funeral at Fort Laramie, he rides into the Wyoming hills beyond the ranch he built for his wife. Through his grieving tears, an ancient tree appears, giving him the hope he doesn't believe is possible. For the next four years, he acts as a guide on the Oregon Trail, taking families to a new life while his looms lonely and stagnant.

The night before her abusive husband’s death, an ancient tree appears in Sarah Nickelson's yard as she agonizes over how to survive her marriage. The tree gives her hope she can’t help but reject. After all, a tree doesn't just appear out of nowhere. After her husband 's death, and with no options as a widow in Independence, Missouri, Sarah decides to travel to Oregon City as a Mail Order Bride.

During their trek west on the Oregon Trail, Jack and Sarah encounter one another, each afraid of being hurt again. Can they survive dogs and puppies, wind and rainstorms, Indians and unfavorable fellow passengers, while their love blossoms? Will the tree fulfill its promise?

MY REVIEW

Mail-order brides. A thing of stories and never really true? Mail-order brides existed and still do in many countries today. This happens to be a story about one of the 1800’s type. It’s genre is listed as Historical Romance. It seemed to have a touch of western flavor to me. I thought that just added color. This story also contains the genre “Romance”. I must say it was a very enjoyable read to me. Romance is not a genre I always enjoy but there is no explicit sex in this story; just a story about strong women, their lives, their families and their loves.

While fiction, this is also a very well-portrayed story of the position women could be put in back in that time. We lost our first names and definitely our birth surnames when we married. We became Mrs. So and So and in many circumstances our property was thought of as the husband’s property. When you hear people say “things are much worse than they used to be”, this is a cruel reminder of how untrue that statement could be.

This was a good storyline with interesting and well-developed characters. Some of them you could just picture because of the great description by this author. You could picture the good as well as the bad. You know…you have to have a few bad guys in any good story don’t you? There isn’t much description of the actual wagon train trip out west to Oregon but that is not the center of this book. This is a book about hardships, loves, family, kids, and relationships. This was just a sweet story that keeps you turning the pages. 

Tina Susedik also has several other books, all of which appear to have great reviews. Looks like they are all worth checking out to me.

**This book was provided to me free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

EXCERPT

Since Peter had heard Tommy singing one afternoon, his pure, clear voice filling their house, he had the lamebrained idea of having him literally singing for their supper. The last thing she wanted was for Tommy to spend another night learning the ways of men and women in Independence's taverns. And with their booming town of three thousand people, there were plenty dens of iniquity to choose from.

In a few months, the city would swell as people wishing to start a new life in the west swarmed in with wagons, oxen, horses, and families. Taverns would explode with men's last opportunities to get drunk, which meant more crime, fights, and guns going off. Things a young boy didn't need to see.

Despite her disappointing marriage to Peter, she was content to stay in the two-bedroom log home she'd inherited from her parents when they'd died of the fever. Every once in a while, her husband talked of heading west to Oregon City. Lately, more often than not, she dreamed of him leaving her and Tommy alone and free from his outbursts.

"Darn it, woman, give me the boy. You're coddling him."

Behind her, Tommy whimpered against her back. "Shh, Tommy. It'll be all right." Her hand brushed against the fireplace poker. Could she hold Peter off with it? He was older, stronger, and angrier. Maybe she could reason with him. She huffed out a breath. As if that had ever worked before.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:  Tina Susedik will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. (see below)

Tina Susedik is an award-winning, multi-published author with books in both fiction and non-fiction, including history, children’s, military books and romances. Her favorite is writing romance stories where her characters live happily ever after. She lives in Northwestern Wisconsin and is a member of Romance Writers of America, Wisconsin Romance Writer's of America, Wisconsin Writer’s Association, and Sisters In crime. Her twentieth book will be released in November with her Chandler County book, Missing My Heart.  Tina also write spicier romances as Anita Kidesu.

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