Book Blurb:
Upon uncovering her tyrannical father's plot to commit her to an asylum, Beth Rutledge fabricates a plan of her own--she will rescue her mother, who had already been sent to the asylum by her father, and escape together on a wagon train heading west. Posing as sisters, Beth and her mother join forces with other travelers and hope they can make it to Idaho before the others start asking too many questions.
Wagon train scout Jake Holt senses that the mysterious women in his caravan are running from something. When rumors begin to spread of Pinkerton agents searching relentlessly for wanted criminals who match the description of those on his wagon train, including Beth, she begins to open up to him and he learns something much more sinister is at hand. Can they risk trusting each other with their lives--and their hearts--with danger threatening their every step?
From bestselling author Mary Connealy comes a gripping and adventurous historical novel of survival, sacrifice, and romance on the Oregon Trail.
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Runaway women, a wagon train, and a villain tracking them, oh my!
In Chasing the Horizon, Beth and her mother, Ginny, are on the run from her domineering father. He locked her mother up for being criminally insane because she had the sense to stand up to him. Now Beth is breaking her mom out and running because she knows she is next. Jumping on a wagon train headed west, they hope to leave her overbearing, greedy father behind and start a new life where he can't find them. Jake Holt is second in command on the wagon train, and this is his last trek across the US. He is ready to settle in Oregon and prove his land. He is intrigued by Beth, who is beautiful and inquisitive. He can tell she is hiding something from him and the rest of the group, but she wouldn't be the first to come to the West to reinvent herself, and he doesn't hold it against her for wanting to try.
I read anything I can get my hands on written by Mary Connealy. She has a delightful way of combining humor, suspense, romance, and a good old-fashioned Western theme. I was particularly drawn to this book because it involves a wagon train. I enjoy stories about the trials and struggles people went through getting across the United States in search of a better life. I love the fun cast of characters, especially Beth and Jake, as they get to know and trust each other and experience the sparks of attraction.
Request Chasing the Horizon (A Western Light Book #1) at your local library, preorder it at most retailers, or find it for sale on Amazon.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
