Tim Latham had only been riding for the Pony Express for a week before he has to show the new guy the trail. Being raised on a farm in the Sacramento area, the Pony Express gave him an opportunity to see more of the country beyond his family’s little plot of land. He loves everything about the job: the adventure, the scenery, and the speed. Racing the wind on the back of a horse was as close to … to perfect as he could imagine.
Jeremiah Rollins grew up in San Francisco under the shadow of his father’s successful shipping business. But Jeremiah craves the adventure he reads about in the dime novels he can’t get enough of. On a whim, and despite his father’s disapproval, he signs up for the Pony Express and leaves his old life behind for the steep, rocky trails that cross the Sierra Nevada.
Both men are excited to begin their journey on their first ride together to Nevada Territory. They set out, making their way from station to station, racing as fast as their horses can carry them, and their friendship grows every mile. They both wanted adventure, but they may end up getting more than they dreamed of. Every ten or fifteen miles brings new experiences, and new feelings that grow with each mile they pass.
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Now, this is what I’m talking about! A wonderful story that’s low on angst and high on tenderness and devotion. Tim Latham had only been riding for the Pony Express for a week before he has to show new guy Jeremiah Rollins the trail. Against his father’s wishes, Jeremiah leaves San Francisco to joins the Pony Express, craving adventure he’s read about in dime novels. The young men become friends as they share the journey to the Nevada Territory encountering challenges with less-than-honorable station owners and mother nature’s creatures. Then Tim suffers an injury when his horse is spooked by a rattler and he is taken to a Native American tribe for healing. The medicine man seems aware that Tim’s feelings towards Jeremiah are so much more than mere friendship, referring to him as Tim’s mate and encouraging him to let Jeremiah know how he feels. Jeremiah returns his affections and both are united in a ceremony when visiting the tribe later on in the story. Ah, I’m tearing up again! I needed the soul-cleansing this story provided. So many historic love stories depict some level of shaming, if not total hostility with violence. This book was pure in its avoidance of that toxicity. BL Maxwell used words that allowed me to see that sky, the mustangs running free, feel the heat, smell the horses! Such sensations! Sheesh! I loved this more than I can convey.
When I first started listening to this I thought, this isn’t for me, but I carried on and then I was hooked.
As I’m from England I couldn’t relate to this until I suddenly had old John Wayne Westerns in my mind and it all kinda clicked. A Taboo relationship excepted by the ones that mattered. Great book.
What reached me most from the pages of this book was Tim and Jeremiah’s enthusiasm for exploring territories and for living new experiences. And, after Tripper chose them as its new friends, all three seemed like cute puppies, twitching with excitement to ride the wind through the vast expanses of Nevada and beyond.
Through their eyes, the author has offered an interesting description of towns, people and land, which I really liked. For being such a short read, the book packed enough to give me a glimpse of life during those times and to be charmed by Jeremiah, Tim and their four legged sidekick, Tripper.
If you want a story to put a smile on your faces, give Ten or Fifteen Miles a try.
Race the wind
This book was a breath of fresh air and I enjoyed it immensely. Tipper, the traveler, stole the show. He’s incredible and I’d like to shake his paw. Also, Lak’a is right: love is worth fighting for. “To love, and to find someone who loves you, is a gift you should not squander.” Tim and Jeremiah went looking for adventure and found so much more. They found beauty, strength, hope and love in all of its myriad forms. I could feel their happiness and it made me wish I could ride the Pony Express. A delightful read that put a huge smile on my face.