Tuesday, June 9, 2015

New Review: Charlene Raddon’s TENDER TOUCH – A great read from the Old West, a Wagon Train on the Oregon Trail

The story begins in 1849 in St. Louis where Brianna Wight, fleeing an abusive husband, joins a wagon train heading west to Oregon Territory. To ensure she gets there, she hires a mountain man, Columbus (“Col”) Nigh. Soon they discover her husband is in pursuit and wants revenge. Meanwhile, Col, whose Indian wife died sometime ago, finds himself attracted to the very proper woman who initially told him she was a widow.

Raddon brings to life the struggles and hardships of the pioneers heading west along the Oregon Trail: cholera, bad water, torrential rains, a tornado, hail, grasshoppers, tainted water and insects. (Amazingly, there were no Indian attacks.) Her meticulous research provides a solid foundation for the budding love between Brianna and Col. 

Alas, while Raddon includes three maps, they are way too small to see in the ebook (and I love maps!). But she graciously sent me her maps so I could display one below. It gives you an idea of where the story is set. Shakespeare is Brianna's wonderful cat she takes along on the wagon train heading west.

Original cover
Col is a worthy hero and a complex man, much like the real fur trappers and mountain men who infiltrated the far west in the early days of America. And Brianna is a woman who cares for the hurts of others having lost so many she loves.

It's a story of second chances and finding the courage to leave an abusing relationship.

Tender Touch on Amazon.


 

4 comments:

  1. Thank you, Regan.

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  2. I'm going to add this to my "to be read" shelf. I'm obsessed with the westward expansion. The hardships, the perseverance...such displays of strength of spirit and character!

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