Recently separated from her cheating husband and unaware of a budding pregnancy, Georgia Charles is on her way to Yukon to visit a childhood friend. After she’s attacked by unknown men, Georgia’s trip becomes a fight for survival. Escaping to the wild, she seeks shelter in an abandoned cabin. With no survival skills and an impending childbirth, Georgia has to face the harsh elements of British … elements of British Columbia’s Last Frontier – and her inner demons – in order to survive.
As adversity and unrelenting conditions test her character and will to live, can Georgia save herself, and her unborn child?
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I really enjoyed this book. It is a very empowering story and I can’t wait for book #2.
Winter’s Captive is book one of the Georgia Series and the first book I’ve read by Ms. Bourgo. I love stories that throw flawed characters into dire circumstances, test their will for survival, and see them grow line by line, emerging stronger characters. Well, this is what Ms. Bourgo has done in Winter’s Captive.
Pregnant and amid a separation from her cheating husband, Georgia is about to face the biggest challenge of her life, one that will change her forever. Call it fate, or bad luck, but Georgia finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time when kidnapped by criminals fleeing a bank robbery. Moments before, she’d had a pleasant revealing conversation over lunch with a friend. And minutes later, she’s a kidnap victim cowering in the backseat of a getaway car. Georgia knows if she doesn’t escape these men they will surely kill her. Finding the perfect moment, Georgia escapes her assailants into the heart of Yukon Territory. She races through a treacherous forest in the dead of winter surrounded by wildlife more dangers than the men she’s running from. Stumbling upon a cabin, Georgia finds a safe haven. Snowbound for several months, her will to survive is tested. With plenty of time on her hand, Georgia reflects on her past, her flaws, and her mistakes. She discovers a newfound strength she’d never had as she struggles to stay alive for her unborn child. As I read the story, I felt as if I were trapped with Georgia, struggling mentally and physically through day-to-day challenges. The spiritual presence with Georgia on this journey to self-discovery added another enlightening dimension to the story, crafted well by Ms. Bourgo. As a reader, I believe Georgia’s journey is fate, a road to self-enlightenment with cosmic consequences—understanding and reconciling the past, leading her to a new and worthy love.
Winter’s Captive is a well-paced story told in the first person POV. For fear of giving the story away, I’ll just say this is a page-turner that will capture your interest and heart to the final word. The ending is what I was hoping for and other readers will as well. Thank you for the wonderful read, Ms. Bourgo! Now I must check out the series second and third installment.
Survival Against Incredible Odds
Winter’s Captive by June V. Bourgo takes her protagonist, Georgia, through a character arc that is most satisfying. By that, I mean a woman who starts out not knowing herself comes into her own and becomes a powerful force to be reckoned with. I was rooting for her all the way even though I picked up on her weakness in the beginning and wanted to scream at her to get her head together. But things happened quickly in the story and I knew I would stick with her when this plot suddenly took one unexpected twist after another.
This is a story of survival against incredible odds. I couldn’t imagine a story about how a pregnant woman stranded in a cabin deep in snow country would survive. Bourgo begins by showing us her main character’s weaknesses, something not done too often because we want to love the main character. But weaknesses and all, this woman must keep herself alive and later struggles to keep her baby alive. Through it all, Georgia finds strengths she never knew she had. She also comes face to face with recognizing her weaknesses. In writing, that is what a character arc is about. The main character, or others as well, end up drastically changed by the end of the story. Bourgo creates it stunningly.
This is also a story tinged with Native American lore and spirituality. It gave the plot a beautiful added touch. It made this reader wonder if, to save her sanity, Georgia could have conjured the old Indian sage, Nonnock, until the woman left tangible evidence authenticating herself.
And not to be overlooked, this story offers redemption through love. Once recognizing her weaknesses and then taking charge of her life, the character deserved a reward. How loves finds her is truly satisfying.
June Bourgo’s writing and developing her plot is wonderful. Her characters are individuals, not simply peopling the story. In fact, if Georgia continues in future books, I am hoping her former father-in-law, a decent guy, provides a comeuppance for his self-centered and embarrassing wife. She is one character you’d love to hate and Bourgo writes her well. The characters were real as was the dialogue. This is a story of survival not only in the wilderness, but in the mind and heart. I highly recommend this survival story as a heartwarming read.
A story of inner strength, determination and will is found in this book. I cannot imagine going through what happened in this book and the struggle it took to stay alive as well as flourish in these conditions. Definitely a very inspiring and gripping tale. I really enjoyed this book.
A Very Courageous Woman
Georgia is kidnapped by two bank robbers because she saw the face of one of them as they were getting into their getaway car. If this wasn’t terrifying enough, she has to listen to her captors discussing whether they are going to kill her or not. She seizes her first opportunity to escape and is successful. Unfortunately, she escapes into an area of dense bush with no knowledge of where she is or where to head, and winter is rapidly approaching. She eventually stumbles upon a cabin in the wilderness and discovers a hidden key to unlock the door. The cabin is well stocked with supplies so she knows she will not starve to death too soon. Winter hits with a vengeance so she knows she is there for the long haul, then discovers she is pregnant. This proves to be a blessing because her unborn child brings her the courage to fight to live instead of just giving up.