Desperate times call for desperate measures, so when Hannah Granger’s little sister takes off for Oregon with a group of mail-order brides to meet her new husband, Hannah has no choice but to follow. She expects her sister to find trouble, and she does. But what Hannah doesn’t expect is to fall for the hired gun traveling with the wagon train as they make their way along the treacherous Oregon … Trail.
The bounty hunter is tall, dark and dangerous, everything she’s avoided her entire life. But when she begins to suspect criminals are riding just four wagons back, she’ll do just about anything to convince him to listen…and to protect her fragile younger sister from the truth about what this trip is costing them both.
The only thing bounty hunter Joe Stanton wants is to avoid trouble. He’s tagging along on this trip to the Oregon Territory to put a little extra cash in his pocket and take a break from the hunt. The only woman he ever loved broke his heart and his last bounty cost an innocent man his life. Joe’s had enough blood, death and betrayal to last a lifetime. So why, then, does he make Hannah’s secrets his own? Why does he lie to protect her? And why does the stubborn woman’s dogged attempts to help him track down criminals drive him insane with worry?
Maybe because he’s falling for the red-headed beauty. Maybe because if he doesn’t keep her close, they’ll both end up dead.
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I love a good Oregon Trail, and I love Cynthia Woolf, so this book was perfect for me. It’s a classic and yet original take on the mail-order bride story that I enjoyed from beginning to end.
I enjoyed the story , it included action, suspense, romance and was hard to put down. The characters were entertaining and the story was interesting. I loved the ending and enjoy the history of the story, you really get a feeling of what it was like to cross the Country on the Oregon Trail.
If you love Oregon Trail books, then this one is a must read. The research makes you feel like you’re there and the characters are strong women. Joe is a wonderful hero and Hannah a strong willed determined woman. A great read that will keep you turning the page.
The characters were well portrayed but the ending was too abrupt with no inkling of what happened to her sister. I like all loose ends tied up.
What an Awesome trip to the old West! From Independence to Oregon City one-hundred three women travel by wagon train as mail-order brides, will face dangers none of them could imagine. Hannah is an heartwarming, sweet romance that comes to life with all the violence, hardship and unpredictable outlaws with the possibility of finding love. Hannah and Joe’s story brims with tension-building twist, a story filled with characters that come off the pages and pull you into their tale, that is well-written, with a intriguing plott, and great dialogue that will keep you reading until the end.
A little too predictable and everything just happens to alswys turn out okay.
Good clean romance.
Loved this story. Strong characters and wonderful descriptions and world building. Great addition to the series. As the granddaughter of homesteaders, many of the events and environments reminded me of the stories my grandparents told! I heartily recommend this book!
AJ R
The rigors of a trip by wagon train don’t overshadow the adventure and the romance of this book. The sisters, Hannah and Lydia, are great characters and the hero is rugged and capable. He attends to Hannah’s problems and helps her along the way. Great Oregon Trail romance!
Cynthia Woolf brings another interesting tale with a good story line and characters. I’ve always said I would not have been a good pioneer and this story confirms that. Months living out of a wagon, crossing plains, rivers, deserts (not detailed in book) and mountains just does not appeal to me so I can appreciate those that do. Hannah and Joe clearly love each other regardless of what they want to call it. I totally enjoyed this story.
This book ticks off all the boxes for a great historical gun-slinging romance. Oregon trail, outlaws, a handsome bounty hunter, it’s all there!
I received a free complimentary book and voluntarily reviewed it.
Cynthia Woolf specializes in the mail order bride western genre. Hannah is the first book in her new series, “The Brides of the Oregon Trail.
This book begins on May 1, 1852. Hannah Granger and her younger sister, Lydia, live in Independence, Missouri, but they are preparing to go west on a wagon train.
Hannah and Lydia are both alone since their parents died two years ago. They are in their 20s and are basically considered “old maids.” Hannah is a seamstress and Lydia works for a newspaper. However, even though they both work, they barely make enough money to pay rent and buy food. Lydia decides to answer a newspaper ad to marry an older man who lives in Oregon City. He sends her money so she and her sister can travel across country to marry him.
The wagon train they travel on is filled with one-hundred and three mail order brides. All are promised to men who live in Oregon City. Because the wagon train population is made up of all women, their wagon master has hired several men to accompany them so they can do the heavy work necessary for a long trip.
Joe Stanton is a bounty hunter who signs on as one of these men. He is searching for several “wanted” men and hopes to make enough money to buy his own ranch. He meets Hannah, and both of them are very attracted to each other.
I always enjoy Ms. Woolf’s books, but I found this book even more interesting and enjoyable than usual. There are very few romantic westerns that take place along the Oregon Trail, and I found it exciting to observe how difficult this journey was. While reading it, I learned a lot of new details about life on a wagon trail.
I especially love the personalities of the three main characters. Hannah and Lydia are willing to make this long, uncomfortable and dangerous trip into the unknown without complaining and/or whining. They are both optimistic and flexible enough to accept whatever comes their way.
Joe is a charismatic man who is friendly to everyone. He helps out Hannah and Lydia even while he respects them and their ability to take care of themselves.
I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series.
Excellent but different type of book for this author who I am a fan of. Hannah takes on the role of protector for her younger sister. Her sister agreed to marry a man at the end of the 2,000 mile journey. Most of the women on this trip are spoken for. Hannah’s hope is to follow her sister then open a shop. Joe is a bounty hunter by trade but took on this job because he needed a break. He never expected to run into someone like Hannah. These wagon trains were a normal part of life back in a time when women had few choices. I enjoyed this story with its ups, downs and unexpected surprises. I received a complementary copy of this book but chose to leave a review.
I loved it. I am new into the mail order bride genre but am glad I started reading them. They are fun, exciting, intriguing, suspenseful, new situations, emotional and so much more. He is the hired gun for the wagon train of mail order brides and she is just riding along with her younger sister to make sure she is ok. She falls for the hired gun but something else is going on within the wagon train that is dangerous. I was given a review copy and voluntarily review it.
I’m not used to western historical romances, I have read very few, and most from the Native Series by Glynnis Campbell, which I adored.
Plus as an European inhabitant, my only reference is from the TV serial The Little House In Prairie and some old western movies I saw with my father.
But I felt like I followed Hannah, Lydia and Joe’s journey, I was part of the wagon train, in for a very long trip.
The author described perfectly how women in these times struggled to live when they have no one to protect them.
How courageous they were to leave everything to go to the unknown, to marry a stranger.
This story was a good mix of actions and more intimate moments, at first it was rather slow, to introduce the main characters and how they will fare their journey, then when things get more serious between Joe and Hannah, they come to deal with some dangers.
Hannah was smitten from her first meeting with Joe, and each passing moment reinforced her feelings for him but even if they are attracted to each other, a heartbroken Joe sweared to never love again. Joe was taken too when he first saw Hannah but he does not want to care anymore for a woman. Just she has a way to go under his skin and to become more than a friend even if he refuses to acknowledge his sentiments.
It was in all a very entertaining and sweet story of two people who took a trip never expecting to find love on the road.
Now I’m curious what awaits Lydia, Hannah’s sister in Oregon.
A 4,5 stars rate.
As always Cynthia Woolf has managed to vividly portray the tribulations that mail order brides faced, wether they were running from a horrible life and hoped that a marriage to a strange man in a strange country was somewhat better than what they were leaving behind. The trek by wagon had its own dangers and for our heroine Hannah although she was traveling with her sister who was the mail order bride managed to find love and marriage. This was a fantastic read that had plenty of action and mystery, villains and a kidnapping made this a very satisfying read.
Can’t wait to read all about Lydia and her cotery of animals.
I was gifted a complimentary copy from the author. This is my honest unbiased opinion.
This is the start of new series for the Brides of the Oregon Trail. The trials and hard ships of the trail are vividly described as this train of brides heads west. Good tale of how Hannah and her unexpected sweetheart survive the trip with her sister to find a new life out west.
I am always inspired when reading books that portray the lives of early settlers and the enormous lengths they went to in order to reach their goals. This romance brings the adventure, danger and drama to life, transporting one into the story along with the characters. Hannah and Lydia weren’t vapid, helpless little women. Rather, they planned their trip on the wagon trail well and prepared themselves in a way that few women would consider. I enjoyed their practical approach as well as their generosity. Joe is a delightful hero with his light-hearted but protective stance towards Hannah. Hannah is a strong and determined woman, despite battling with the self-image problems so many of us experience when we don’t fit the perfect profile. This novel is well written and kept my interest the whole way through and I look forward to reading more stories in this series. I received a copy of this book as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.