The War Between the States may have ended, but prejudice is still strong among the families journeying together on a wagon train headed down the Santa Fe Trail.Julia Scott is traveling to New Mexico with her father and younger brother. Her pa fought for the North in the war where her two older brothers lost their lives. Pa is looking for a fresh start in a new place, but Julia just wants him to … wants him to be happy again.
Taylor Marshall, a Southerner who fought for the Confederates, is on his way to Colorado to raise horses. He’s attracted to Julia, but her father adamantly forbids them to talk to one another.
Circumstances continually throw Julia and Taylor together, and their attraction grows. Will a forbidden romance bloom? Or will they go their separate ways when the trail splits?
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I’ve been a fan of Vickie McDonough’s books for years, and her latest, Julia, didn’t disappoint me. It combines what I’ve come to think of as McDonough’s signature elements -a feisty heroine, an honorable hero, and intriguing secondary characters – and blends them with carefully researched details to bring the Old West to life. Add to that the undeniable drama of life as part of a wagon train and the heartbreaking aftermath of the Civil War, and you have a story that will linger in your memory long after the last page is turned.
The book is about the rash, rough and sometimes heartbreaking experiences our early pioneers experienced when seeking a new life. Traveling west was not for the weak of mind or body. It as written after the Civil war was over but prejudices were still rampant even among those who traveled together in the small wagon trains. Can love overcome prejudice? Can daily living together in extraordinary circumstances help people let go of their prejudices?
Vicki McDonnough does a masterful job of telling the story and weaving in Christian values so simply that one “hears” it in a perfectly natural way natural way.
This is what makes her one of my favorite authors.
I enjoyed this short story. Julia and Taylor are on the same wagon train. Julia is headed for New Mexico and Taylor for Colorado. Taylor is just glad that the war is over and that he and his brother are heading to Colorado to be with their family. He is glad to leave the past behind. He was forced to fight for the South and didn’t believe in slavery. Julia’s father fought for the North and is still bitter against anyone from the South. He will never let Taylor court Julia. Taylor keeps praying that he will change his mind. There are many hardships along the trail and they have to weather them all.
Julia was a very sweet, clean romance AND a good story. I appreciated the theme of faith without being “religious.” The main characters – Julia and Taylor – were very real and honored God and her father. A definite pioneer story with lots of adventure!
I love wagon train stories and this did Book did not disappoint. I enjoyed the character and how there was diversity. The German immigrants with men who fought for the south and those who fought for the north. There is so much to like about this book! Vickie McDonough spins a romance out of a wagon train headed for New Mexico and Colorado. There is action, sorrow and tension due to the ended war. The author shows that only God is in control and can lead us in the path we are to travel. A beautifully written story!
Julia was a very good trail ride journey romance. i loved the message of hope that was intertwined within the book. They learned that if you wait on God, things will work out in His time, not ours. Julia’s father found out that if you ask God to help you get rid of hatred, and other bad things ….God will help you out. I recommend this book for anyone who loves American 1800 romances.
I found this book an enjoyable read. Taylor is a man with a forgiving heart and Julia is torn between family and love. This is a Christian romance following a wagon train on a westward trek to a new beginning. I would recommend this book if you enjoy a clean read with a happy ever after.
This is a beautifully crafted story about Julia, a young woman who suffered the death of her two older brothers in the Civil War and the loss of her mother while her father was off fighting. After the death of her mother, she cared for her younger brother and tended the family farm. When her father returns the family embarks on a wagon train trip supposedly to New Mexico but along the way decide on Colorado instead. During the trip the travelers experience illness, injury, death, prejudice, hatred, and love. I really enjoyed this story with a HEA and highly recommend it.