WV Stitcher: Willow Springs ~ Carolyn Steele

Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc. (August 12, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1462114571
ISBN-13: 978-1462114573

This book is also available as an ebook.

Publication Date: August 10, 2014

Husbands. Crissa had to suppress a shudder at the thought. If I had wanted a husband, I would have stayed in Boston. Indeed, Crissa considered Willow Springs to be the nearest thing to her idea of purgatory. She certainly did not plan to stay here long.

Swedish immigrant Crissa Engleson fled Boston hoping to start a new life, unknown and unencumbered, on the American frontier. The quiet gold mining town of Willow Springs in the Utah desert seemed the perfect spot—until the intrigue of her past and rivalries of the town’s leading families enveloped her.

Unaware that a relentless bounty hunter is pursuing her, Crissa falls in love with Drake Adams, a handsome Pony Express rider and the son of an influential mine owner. While Drake returns Crissa’s interest, their courtship is thwarted by the pursuit of one of Drake’s rivals, who may be motivated more by malice than by love.

To realize her dreams, Crissa must confront her painful past and fight for her future head-on.

My take on this book:

The cover of Willow Springs certainly captured my eye, it's beautiful, and the historical setting had me anxious to read Willow Springs. Well I will say I was pleasantly surprised by the caliber of this book. The writing was very descriptive, creating strong characters, some good others bad, and some were a bit of both if that makes sense. The plot grabbed me from the beginning with plenty of twists, a bit of suspense and while I knew there would be a romance, I will say the story was far from predictable. I really found myself liking the character of Crissa. Instead of learning about her past in the beginning it is slowly revealed which kept me riveted but also made me want everything to work out for her. The relationship that I hoped would develop with Drake kept me guessing, and of course with another man interested in her added another layer to the story.

Well drawn characters and a fast paced plot with plenty of twists along with a great blending of suspense and tension made this a book that I couldn't put down once I started reading it. I will say the author touches on a few tough subjects such as rape and prostitution but handles them very well, while maintaining a good clean read. Anyone who enjoys historical romance really should give Willow Springs a try.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review.

Read an excerpt here.

About the author:

Born and raised in Utah, Carolyn Steele was introduced to western novels at a very young age by her grandfather, the son of a gold miner. She has been writing technical and marketing communications for most of her adult life. Her nonfiction articles have appeared in numerous national magazines. She earned her undergraduate degree in Communications from the University of Utah. Married and living in Salt Lake City, Utah, Carolyn loves researching obscure history then weaving it into stories. She also enjoys family dinners with her children and grandchildren, photography, travel, golf, reading, and all forms of needlework.

Visit Ms. Steele at her website: http://www.carolyn-steele.com/ Facebook/ Twitter/

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