Set in
Kansas in 1870, this is the story of Buck O'Connor, who fought in the Civil War on the
Confederate side, and Amy Langford, who is working with the railroad to import
brides to Kansas to help settle the former Indian lands. Unbeknownst to Amy, Buck
is in Kansas at the bidding of his cousin, who is fighting the railroad that is
threatening to take his land. When Amy, who is being stalked by a killer, asks
Buck to be her bodyguard, Buck accepts thinking it will enable him to help his
cousin.
It’s
pretty much instant lust on Buck’s part and Amy is not far behind him,
notwithstanding she is engaged to another man. She is an uppity, “progressive”
woman, a widow who sits on the board of the railroad and wants to be involved
in all the plans. Buck, an unusual man of his time, admires her for it.
This
is an adventure with intrigue, a bit of mystery, treachery and deceit (among
other things). There’s a rich cast of characters that will show you life in the
early years of America’s railroads.
Burke
did much research into the building of the railroad through Kansas and the
history of the two companies vying to be the first to lay the railroad from
Oklahoma to Texas. I always like real history in my historical romances. And
it’s a well-written story, too. For those of you who love stories set in
America in the late 19th century and railroad stories, this will
certainly appeal.
Buy it on Amazon and come back tomorrow when E.E. will be a guest on Historical Romance Review!
More in the Romance and Rails series:
Passion's Prize
Her Bodyguard
A Dangerous Passion
Fugitive Hears
Regan, I'm glad you enjoyed Her Bodyguard, and thank you for the review! The history of the railroad expansion across America has always fascinated me. Railroads transformed this country (mostly good ways, some bad). When I first read a small article about this railroad race across Kansas, I was intrigued. When I began to research, I knew I had to tell this story. The struggles Amy and Buck deal with reflect the troubled times they lived in. Just because a war had ended didn't mean the conflict was over, and finding hope for the future wasn't an easy endeavor. I'm looking forward to sharing more about my research tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteYes, E.E., the story of the railroads is fascinating. Thanks for setting one of your stories in the Kansas tussle to see who would be first. Looking forward to having you on the blog tomorrow!
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