Izzy Lawson has taken her last abuse. When her husband dies, she has a choice to make: go home and face the family who made her stay with the beast, or head to Belle Fourche to the only friend she has left. The reserve she’s worked so hard to build crumbles in the verdant rolling hills, and in the arms of a man so different from her husband. Conrad Oleson can’t read, and it’s shamed him for … can’t read, and it’s shamed him for longer than he can remember.
When another teacher shows up on his front step, he’s sure his brother is meddling again. But when Izzy reveals her painful past, he can’t stay away. And if learning to read brings him closer to her, he’ll do about anything for her. Including, teaching her how to love.
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This is a nice story where Issy helps Conrad learn to read. He then confirms his foreman is the one cheating him & who also wants him dead. There is an HEA for Issy & Conrad.
I absolutely loved this sweet romance!
Izzy takes refuge with her best friend, Lula, on the ranch belonging to Lula’s in-laws. Conrad, the eldest of the Oleson brothers, is instantly captivated by her, and makes it his mission to help her heal from her abusive past. But he’s hiding a secret, one that keeps him from seeing a future with Izzy.
These two slowly develop a trusting, heart-warming romance that demonstrates the power that love has to completely change lives. This story was exquisitely written, the extended Oleson family is filled with charming characters, and the action and suspense kept me turning the pages until their HEA was secured.
It’s a terrific start to the series, and I couldn’t have loved it more. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Teach Me To Love (Brothers of Belle Fourche #1) by Kari Trumbo – After being widowed, Izzy has a choice to head to her only friend or return to the family that treated her as poorly as her dead husband. She takes the chance on a new life, and the chance for love comes in the form of Conrad Oleson. This is a sweet story of two people who bring out the best on one another after years of pain. Happy Reading!
Good beginning to a great series.
“Teach Me to Love” by Kari Trumbo Narrated by: J. Scott Bennett
This is a good sweet clean historical American west romance story. I did enjoy my time with Izzy & Conrad. It is such fun to see the changes in characters as they progress through the story. This is a worthy read. Happy Reading ! !
Note: I received a copy of this audiobook from the author via audible.
Recovery
The total debasement and dependency created by a spouse abuser is difficult to fathom and is probably very similar to PTSD to recover from. Isabelle was cut off from everyone until her hated husband died; she barely had the strength to reach out to her best friend. This story begins a series and the story within is self-contained. However, having read one of the others of the series (equally standalone), I recognized this tale as background for the next.
Teach Me To Love is a captivating historical romance by author Kari Trumbo. Having only read one other book by her and that being a contemporary Christmas story, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but this was a good one. Isabelle is a young widow with a past that has beaten her down pretty good and Conrad is a young rancher with a secret that is beginning to cause problems. Can the two of them let the past go and begin again to build a life together? The author has captured well the era of the setting and the emotions and actions of her characters. They are realistic and relatable and I was drawn quickly into their story and enjoyed watching the romance develop. I listened to a complimentary copy of the audiobook and was not required to write a review and the opinions are my own. The narrator, J. Scott Bennett did a great job telling Isabelle and Conrad’s story which made for an enjoyable listening experience. I look forward to reading more in the Brothers of Belle Fourche series.
I loved this book. It was very hard for me to put down. The writing was fantastic and the characters! The characters were wonderfully written. Izzy felt guilty for being glad that her husband had died. He had treated her so badly that she was happy to see the end of him. After his death, she went to her only friend, Lula, where she was welcomed at their ranch that was owned by her husband’s family. There she met her friend’s brother-in-law, Conrad. He taught her that men actually can be gentle and kind. In this new environment, Izzy finally came to realize she had value.
When an author gets the reader to feel a connection with their characters, that author has succeeded in one of the most difficult tasks they can have. Trumbo has done just that. Her characters are real in a world that is different from the ones most readers are used to.
Izzy Lawson was broken by her husband who belittled and controlled her and took from her the one thing she never knew she wanted when he killed their unborn baby. Conrad Oleson is ashamed that he could never learn how to read and his wrangler Stan took advantage of that until he goes too far. After Conrad fires him, Stan tries to kill him several times and uses Izzy to get to him. I felt for Isabelle feeling that she wasn’t attractive because she had been put down so much. And for Conrad feeling that he wasn’t good enough to help run his family’s ranch because he couldn’t read. They helped heal each other broken parts and find the happiness they deserved.
When Isabella`s husband died she was relieved to be free. She leave to go to her best friend. When she arrives at The Broken Circle O she is so tired that she falls in the arms of Conrad. He is smitten but she needs to heal from the abuse of her marriage, and she needs to learn to trust again.
Will she ever be ready to be happy again and will Conrad find the way to her heart?
I enjoy every story By Kari Trumbo and this isn`t an exception. The characters are well written and you have to fall in love with them. Looking forward to read the rest of the series.
Kari continues her tales with this connection book to Sparks in Spearfish (Seven Brides of South Dakota Book 5). This is Izzy’s story, (Paula’s roommate from the Spearfish School. It’s a beautifully sweet story of self worth and true love! A great Christian focus on healing with His power! Kari’s books are a wonderful way to see America in all it’s Historical glory!
I was drawn into this story from the beginning. These characters are realistic and vulnerable, they will capture your heart and your imagination!
The choices we make don’t always turn out the way we expected, and life certainly didn’t turn out as Izzy Lawson expected. But now she has the opportunity to go a new direction, and while the idea is a little terrifying, she is ready for the challenge.
Secrets have a way of either holding us away from other people, and Conrad’s secret of not being able to read isn’t any different. He always wanted to read, but the letters just got jumbled, and helping out on the farm was more important.
This is the first story I’ve read from Kari Trumbo, and I absolutely loved it! Currently, this story is part of the Timeless Love Collection. You can purchase the entire Collection for only .99c but hurry it’s only available for a limited time and in a few weeks, it will be available as a stand-alone.
(I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own.)
Teach Me To Love by Kari Trumbo is a sweet western romance.
After her abusive husband passes away, Izzy is finally free, though she doesn’t feel it. She travels to her good friend’s ranch in search of haven, and meets her friend’s handsom brother-in-law, Conrad. The next thing she knows, Izzy is enlisted to teach Conrad how to read – without him knowing it was their idea, not his.
Teach Me To Love was definitely a sweet romance. The characters fall adorably in love amid the western setting. But their love wasn’t the only focus of the story.
A huge focus of it was Izzy’s past. Her first husband was verbally, emotionally, and physically abusive. Izzy has to heal from all the memories and overcome her fear of men, and this is the story of how she does so. Conrad does his best to be patient and to help her, and her friend and friend’s family help Izzy heal as well. It was very sweet and was the author’s attempt to bring awareness to this difficult topic.
However, there were things I didn’t like about how the author dealt with it. It is definitely true that people who are abused need time to heal, especially before starting a new romantic relationship. The characters kept saying that they were going to wait for Izzy to heal, and that was good as well, and they did it in the story. My problem is that the time frame was unrealistic. People don’t just heal from abuse in two months or less. It takes a very long time, at least from my observation of friends and family who have been molested or raped. Even if they have healed enough to start a romantic relationship, the memories and the baggage are still there years later. This book just seemed to quick, both with the healing from abuse and with the romance as a whole. I admire what the author was trying to do, but I think it could have been done much better.
I listened to this book as an audiobook, and I enjoyed the narrator. He spoke clearly and with expression and had a voice that fit the historical setting.
I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook from the author. I was not compensated or obligated to review it. All opinions expressed are my own.
A refreshing love story that tells you that no matter what your past is, you can overcome it and find your happy. Really liked listening to this book.
It enfolded me with beautiful emotions.
(I listened to the audiobook version.)
5 stars overall, 5 stars story, 5 stars narration
I had never read or listened to any book by Kari Trumbo before, but now I am huge fan. For me, this is tied with “Wild Oats” by Pamela Morsi as the best historical Western romance I ever read. This beautiful, 3.5-hour audiobook enfolded me with warm emotions and the most exquisite romance. The author deftly wrote a sensitive and touching story without overdramatizing or adding too much negativity. You could classify it as a Christian romance, but the religious elements are not too overpowering for a less religious reader like me. It is a sweet romance with just kissing and some sexual tension. Every element of the audiobook kept me enthralled throughout. I highly recommend this audiobook to historical romance lovers!
Trigger warning: There are recollections of harsh abuse (mostly emotional and verbal) by Lizzie’s despicable, deceased husband.
Conrad Oleson is a book boyfriend to swoon over. He is respectful and very honest without being pushy. He is a bit stubborn, but not too much to be annoying. Isabelle has had a terrible time the last several years. At 17, she had quit school-teacher school in order to marry a man who seemed very nice. Unfortunately, this guy abused her and kept her under his complete control until he died about 4 years later. Isabelle fled to her best friend’s ranch at Belle Fourche, Montana, where she meets her friend’s wonderful 31-year-old bachelor brother, Conrad.
The male narrator, J. Scott Bennett, did a superb job. At first, I wasn’t sure about a man narrating this audiobook, but I soon decided that he was the perfect choice. His distinctly Midwestern accent and slightly gravelly voice really added the right flavor to this romance set in a remote ranch and town in 19th century Montana. I found that I really loved his character voices.
I requested and received a free Audible audiocode from #AudiobookObsession, and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.
#AudiobookObsession reviewer