Chasing the Horizon
Ratings2
Average rating4
15
Ratings2
Average rating4
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.
Featured Series
2 primary booksA Western Light is a 2-book series with 2 primary works first released in 2024 with contributions by Mary Connealy.
Reviews with the most likes.
4.5 stars
Delightful fast-paced story that kept me flipping pages easily. But now I have to wait for the rest of the story? Ugh! I want to know the rest now!
I've always had a bit of a morbid fascination for how easy it once was to shove an inconvenient relative into an insane asylum and basically give them a prison without any trial. This is an epic escape story as Eugenia and her daughter flee along the Oregon trail to the homestead a former servant has located for them.
The romance is understated, which I quite liked, with the thrill of the run being the main driver of the story. It's a well balanced narrative of some of the things encountered along the trail in its later days after the rail route went in, some of which are sad, but most of which are interesting/informative.
Quite the twist at the end with Yvette
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
Other than some chunks of telling in the baddie’s POV (NetGalley copy, so hopefully that got fixed before publication), this was a spectacular book.
Ever since Little House on the Prairie (book series and TV series) and the Oregon Trail computer game, I’ve had a soft spot for wagon train stories. This one was wonderful. I loved that it also featured asylum escapees.
The loyalty and protectiveness Beth felt toward her mother was excellent. Jake was a fantastic character—just the sort of cowboy I like to root for. He handled a lot as a wagon train scout, but romancing Miss Beth became tricky with her secrets.
It was really fun to see a diverse mix of transportation in this book: on foot, horses, carts, covered wagons, carriages, and trains. That combination provided lots of interesting atmosphere.
Once again, Connealy proved herself a master at writing settings. They always come alive under her hand. Hidden Canyon and the river fiasco were both especially vivid standouts.
Originally posted at www.goodreads.com.
