Flame-haired Birdie Mae Dix has no idea what tomorrow will bring. Kidnapped by the Pawnee and traded to the Comanche, she is now in the custody of the US Cavalry. After eighteen years of loss and cruelty, she trusts no one, not even the handsome captain whose piercing blue glare fills her with apprehension…and unwanted desire.Years of war have hardened Captain Ford Thackery. Pledging his life … life to a military career, he has sworn never to consider married life–until he rescues Birdie. He knows he must earn her trust as well as find a way into her heart.When she is abducted by a renegade Pawnee cavalry scout, Ford embarks on a dangerous journey of rescue, but he and Birdie must still bridge the gaping chasm of hatred that separates their worlds.
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Unforgettable Romance Set in the American West
Title: Bitter Autumn
Author: Loretta C. Rogers
Published – May 2020
Genre – Historical Romance
Sub-Genre – Native American; Western Romance
Setting – the American West
Heroine – Birdie Mae Dix, also called Woman with Iron Fist, abducted at age five, held captive by the Pawnee and Commanche, used as a pleasure woman, rescued by the U.S. CavalrHero- Captain Ford Thackery, Cavalry officer
Antagonist- High Eagle
Major Themes- Love vs hatred and what is acceptable to society during a pivotal time of cultural conflict; Renewal of spirit
Descriptors – Action-packed; Thoroughly researched; Gritty; Attention to historical details; Heartrending topic; Well-rounded main characters, each bound by culture and experiences; Intriguing focus on several supporting characters; The suspicion, prejudice, and hatred between cultures is explored in a realistic manner; Native American spirituality is exquisitely blended in; Great sense of place, geography, and physical setting; The evolution of Birdie’s relearning the English language and the ways of her culture is fascinating; In their interactions the characters portray the conflicts occurring on a large scale during the time period.
Favorite Supporting Character- Nora Culpepper, wife of the company commander
Fun Tidbit- Book includes surprise recipe.
Memorable Line- “A train is like a very long black snake separated by joints like the glass-tailed lizard—when one section breaks off another can replace it.”
Miss Birdie Mae Dix has been rescued, by cavalry Captain Ford Thackery, from being held by Chief Joseph’s Comanche band when those that are old or un poor health that has slowed the band down while running for Canada. Birdie was abducted at age five; 18 years ago by the Pawnee sold multiple times, and ultimately traded to the Comanche as a pleasure women for Chief’s braves. She is in the company of two other non-indian women, Ester, who is 45 years old and abducted 36 years ago, and Ja’meena, a Negro woman who is 48 years old, abducted 4 years ago.
As the story of the three women unfold, their tale of experiences being held by the indians as literal slaves unfolds in the backdrop of being benevolently held by the cavalry with the indians captured. Romantic feelings develop between Birdie and Ford, as well as between two cavalry sergeants and the other two women. This is an enjoyable poignant story twists, predacious, kidnapping, romance, and ending with and HEA.
This-is is my first novel by Ms. Rogers and it exhibits great realistic characters and an excellent story line. This will not be my last Loretta C. Rogers book. It is highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Bitter Autumn is Loretta Rogers’ best book yet (IMHO). It starts where many stories would end, with the rescue of white women who had lived years as Indian captives. The suspense ramps up from there. Will Birdie’s child survive? Will she adapt to white culture again? Will she be able to settle down with the love of her life? This was a thrilling, absorbing read that kept me up until the end. Read it, and then discover the story behind the story! Absolutely fabulous!
The New Lives of Rescued Captive Women
I’ve only started reading western romances the last year or so. This one is highly unusual because it looks at women who were held captive in the Old West, by an Indian tribe in this case. The tribes bartered and sold women, usually as “comfort women,” when they became of a certain age if they were taken when they were young, as the heroine in this story was. The book opens with the rescue of several of these women. Our heroine has clearly had it rough, taken at the age of 5 and now 23 with a six-year-old son. Having lived with several tribes, she only remembers smatterings of English. We learn her and the other women’s backstories as the author artfully weaves them into the text. It is heartbreaking to see what these women went through. But the beginning scene finds them rescued by the US cavalry, their fortunes changing for the better in general, though there is still loss and suffering. I enjoyed the main romance as well as the two side ones. These women certainly deserved HEAs after all they had been through. The author seems to have done a great deal of research about the Indian tribes discussed, female captives, and the native languages. I do have one quibble with the book. The heroine is supposed to be flame haired, but the cover shows someone with brown hair or very dark auburn hair at best. This is not an easy read for sure, but it is a good one.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
Hard to put down!
I have read a number of westerns but not one that dealt with the women captives. This look into the life of Birdie was outstanding. This piece is written really well it easy to become totally engaged in the web the author weaves. My heart went out to Birdie I have read a number of non-fiction accounts of women captives and their lives were so hard. Ja’meena, Isaiah, Ansel, and Esther added so much to Ford and Birdie’s story. If you like powerful historical westerns this is a must-read. It is an excellent book. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.