From the moment James met Corrine as they traveled the Oregon Trail, in Smith's best-selling debut novel Leaving Independence, he couldn’t resist trying to win the sharp-mouthed beauty’s affections.
Now, as the core group of pioneers in Colonel Dotson’s wagon train begins to settle in Baker City, Oregon and build homesteads, James is restless to make his fortune so he can stake his own claim and win Corrine’s hand with honor.
But when James takes Corrine on an outing designed to impress her, things go tragically wrong. James foils a bank robbery and unwittingly sets a series of events into motion that shatter Corrine’s heart and now threaten her life, along with his and her older brother Charlie’s.
Soon there are several folks heading back down the trail—James, Charlie, Corrine, Harry and Tam Sims, the Baker City Sheriff, a newspaper man, a notorious criminal family, and Hoke Mathews—all set to collide in a final showdown in a Colorado mining town as outlaw Duke Walden seeks to make James pay for his heroic actions.
My Thoughts:
Traveling the Oregon trail is a great way to get to know someone, and James Parker sets his heart toward Corrine Baldwyn. Once he helps his partner put the finishing touches on his new homestead in Baker City, Oregon, James has already made up his mind on the order of events that have to take place in order to present his heart and life to Corrine. He never figures a bank robbery gone wrong into his plans.
When James and Corrine go into town with another couple to enjoy a sleigh ride in the snow, the trajectory of their lives are forever changed. Some lives end altogether that day, but while some grieved their losses in a healthy way, others spent time plotting revenge. The next curve in their lifetime journey becomes shaped by outlaws who use the local Baker City newspaper as a window of opportunity. While James and Corrine anticipate time apart, neither imagines what that time apart will entail.
The reader gets to enjoy every nuance of the journey, and, quite honestly, there are moments when you are left to wonder who will survive. So, if you like history with a frontier flare, pick up a copy of Leanne Smith's latest novel! It will keep you entertained and introduce you to characters that you will come to care about a great deal. This is a great Summer read!
About the Author:
Leanne W. Smith is a writer and professor. Her books include Leaving Independence, On a Dark & Snowy Night (short story), and A Contradiction to His Pride. She also teaches business courses at a university in Nashville. Smith and her husband have two creative daughters and a son-in-law who make the world a more beautiful place through their art, design, photography, singing, songwriting and mandolin-playing.
WEBSITE: leannewsmith.com
BLOG: leannewsmith.com/blog
WEBSITE: leannewsmith.com
BLOG: leannewsmith.com/blog
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