Penelope Williamson’s HEART OF THE WEST - Magnificent Montana Love Story!

This historical romance that will tear at your heart. It covers twelve years (1879-1891) in the lives of Americans trying to carve out a life in Montana frontier. Williamson weaves a masterful tale with incredibly accurate historic detail and dialog that brings to life the people who made the West: Easterners, cowboys, Indians, Chinese, Irish, miners, railroad workers, merchants, ranchers and those who preyed upon them.

 

There are lots of relationship combinations in this romance: Two men loving the same woman; two women loving the same man; one man loving a woman who should never have married the man she did; a good hearted whore who becomes a lady's true friend and the lover of the man her friend loves, different races coming together and children birthed and loved only to die of accident, disease and more. Through the lives of these people, Williamson so beautifully portrays, you will experience the life of the Americans who won the west and who made this country great. And you will experience love that endures through the years though denied.

Williamson takes her time developing the characters. You will feel as if you know them; you will experience their dreams, their tragedies, their disappointments, their happiness and their loves. And, as with the other great romances by this author, you will feel the emotion, whether deep in the pits of despair or soaring with love's sweet reward.

 

And, it is truly a great love story.

The main story is that of Clementine Kennicutt, the highborn daughter of a rigid, demanding and, at times, abusive minister in Boston. She dreams of freedom and of cowboys. When one stumbles into her life, though she doesn’t really know him, she is willing to elope with him to his ranch in Montana.

 

Gus McQueen was raised in the south and in Boston but then as a young man he went looking for his younger brother, Zach Rafferty, who he had lost when they were separated as children. He finds him and they stake a ranch in Montana, which it seems is always just barely making it. When Gus, a man of dreams, meets Clementine in Boston on a trip home to see his dying mother, he knows he can't live without her. So Gus, 25, and Clementine, 18, wed knowing next to nothing about each other.

 

Gus brings Clementine her home to Montana and to a hard life she is not prepared for. Zach, the darker younger brother with a mysterious past (even at 23), realizes soon after Clementine arrives that he covets his brother's wife. And, though faithful to her husband, Zach becomes the passion of Clementine’s life--a passion denied.

 

You can see the potential for great angst here, can't you? Here a sample of the words Zach speaks to her—one of my all time favorite quotes:

 

"A heartfire, Clementine my darlin', is when you want someone, when you need her so damn bad, not only in your bed but in your life, that you're willin' to burn—"

 

Yeah, well, a whole lot of burnin' goes on in this story. It’s a keeper!

 

 

Penelope Williamson’s KEEPER OF THE DREAM – Enthralling Welsh Medieval Romance!

Set in the mid 12th century when England was at war with what would become Wales, and the "marcher lands" were a battleground, it tells of Raine, bastard son of the Earl of Chester, and Ariana, a Welsh woman who becomes part of the conqueror’s spoils.

 

Raine’s father was a Norman nobleman who treated Raine cruelly (beating him when he asked for a pony on his birthday, confining him to work in the stables, turning him over to their enemies). Raine overcomes his rude beginning and all he has suffered to become The Black Dragon, a favored knight of King Henry. Raine returns to Rhuddlan, a castle in Wales where he was once held captive, now held by Owain, lord of Gwynedd. When Raine takes the castle, only a young son of Gwynedd and his daughter, Arianna, remain. Arianna witnesses Raine kill her brother and hates him for it. (She is a seer and had a vision of a Black Dragon and realizes Raine is the one is she dreaded.)

 

As the story develops, Henry allows Raine to keep Rhuddlan and gives him Arianna to wed. She hates the Norman who has killed her brother and the start of the marriage is a disaster.

 

I cannot begin to tell you how well woven this complex tale is, but suffice it to say it is very well done and you will be glad you read it. The characters are well developed (and there are some wonderful ones, not the least of which is Taliesin, the wizard who is weaving his own story). The history of the period so well presented that you feel you are there, which is one of the author's great talents. She takes time for details that make it real. You become a part of the world she has created and it's wonderful. Needless to say, the love story will tear at your heart.

 

Notwithstanding all the good I can say, there were a few things that bothered me about the story:

--Raine is supposed to be honorable, yet he took Sybil when he knew she was betrothed to his brother Hugh and also knew he would be leaving for years to try and become a knight, thus dishonoring both Sybil, who loved him, and his brother. He also set Sybil up for the heartache she endured her whole life.

 

--Raine effectively raped Arianna on their wedding night and she cries herself to sleep without his comfort. Yet the next day she is happy not to be beaten for using a knife on him. Seemed a bit odd. When Arianna is asked to describe Raine to her father, she lists a lot of flattering adjectives (“hard but fair”, “brave, generous, gentle”) but she forgot “mean and bitter” for he was clearly that. There were many examples of his cruelty to Arianna. She gave her one treasure to buy cloth to make him a banner for his birthday to try and make up for the birthday beating he got from his father as a boy and Raine spurns both her and her gift, ordering it to be burned. When he realizes she’s had visions of him that allowed her to share his pain, instead of loving her for it, he gets angry and mean and then ignores her. He was always willing to believe a lie about her and never trusted her though Arianna was perhaps the only honorable one in the story.

 

--Finally, the wizard Taliesin (a wonderful character) at times seems to have great power (to cause a storm, to heal, to transport himself instantly) yet he needed Hugh to help rescue Raine, which didn't make sense.

 

All these issues aside, it’s a fabulous read and you will enjoy it.

 

Penelope Williamson’s HEART OF THE WEST - Magnificent Montana Love Story!

June is Western month. I’m starting with a classic, a historical romance that will tear at your heart. It covers twelve years (1879-1891) in the lives of Americans trying to carve out a life in Montana frontier. Williamson weaves a masterful tale with incredibly accurate historic detail and dialog that brings to life the people who made the West: Easterners, cowboys, Indians, Chinese, Irish, miners, railroad workers, merchants, ranchers and those who preyed upon them.

 

There are lots of relationship combinations in this romance: Two men loving the same woman; two women loving the same man; one man loving a woman who should never have married the man she did; a good hearted whore who becomes a lady's true friend and the lover of the man her friend loves, different races coming together and children birthed and loved only to die of accident, disease and more. Through the lives of these people, Williamson so beautifully portrays, you will experience the life of the Americans who won the West and who made this country great. And you will experience love that endures through the years though denied.

Williamson takes her time developing the characters. You will feel as if you know them; you will experience their dreams, their tragedies, their disappointments, their happiness and their loves. And, as with the other great romances by this author, you will feel the emotion, whether deep in the pits of despair or soaring with love's sweet reward.

 

And, it is truly a great love story.

The main story is that of Clementine Kennicutt, the highborn daughter of a rigid, demanding and, at times, abusive minister in Boston. She dreams of freedom and of cowboys. When one stumbles into her life, though she doesn’t really know him, she is willing to elope with him to his ranch in Montana.

 

Gus McQueen was raised in the south and in Boston but then as a young man he went looking for his younger brother, Zach Rafferty, who he had lost when they were separated as children. He finds him and they stake a ranch in Montana, which it seems is always just barely making it. When Gus, a man of dreams, meets Clementine in Boston on a trip home to see his dying mother, he knows he can't live without her. So Gus, 25, and Clementine, 18, wed knowing next to nothing about each other.

 

Gus brings Clementine home to Montana and to a hard life she is not prepared for. Zach, the darker younger brother with a mysterious past (even at 23), realizes soon after Clementine arrives that he covets his brother's wife. And, though faithful to her husband, Zach becomes the passion of Clementine’s life--a passion denied.

 

You can see the potential for great angst here, can't you? Here a sample of the words Zach speaks to her—one of my all time favorite quotes:

 

"A heartfire, Clementine my darlin', is when you want someone, when you need her so damn bad, not only in your bed but in your life, that you're willin' to burn—"

 

Yeah, well, a whole lot of burnin' goes on in this story. It’s a keeper!

 

Penelope Williamson’s ONCE IN A BLUE MOON – Heart-rending Story of a Truly Great Love!

If you've read Keeper of the Dream, you're already a fan of Penelope Williamson. Once in a Blue Moon, which was her next book is equally wonderful—and it’s one of my Top 20. It's the story of unrequited love that refuses to die no matter the tests it must endure. And nobody does unrequited love like Williamson.

 

The story was inspired by the love of Williamson’s grandparents who were kept apart for 6 years, but then came together to love for another 65 years. Here’s what she had to say about them (get out the Kleenex):

 

“It was in 1902 that Elizabeth and Peter first met and fell in love. But Elizabeth’s father forbade the match for six long years, until Peter could prove himself good enough for his daughter. Together at last, they had nine children and sixty-five wonderful years as husband and wife. They died in their nineties, within two years of each other, as much in love as they had always been. A love that wouldn’t give up…”

 

The story of ONCE IN A BLUE MOON begins in 1815 when Jessalyn Letty is 16—a wild flame-haired girl raised by her grandmother on the Cornish highlands above the sea, a young woman of character with a brave heart that never varies throughout the story. I loved her for that.

 

While Jessalyn is still a tall gawky teenager, she meets McCady Trelawny, then in his early 20s, and the youngest brother of the infamous Trelawny noblemen, known for living lives of debauchery and dying young and in debt. McCady was wounded while becoming a war hero defeating Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. He returns home to Cornwall with a vision for a steam locomotive that can carry passengers, but he’s too poor to invest much in the idea. His cousin, Clarence, who could be his illegitimate half-brother, joins McCady in the venture, but stands in McCady's shadow, determined to one day gain great wealth that will bring him the status he craves and the woman he wants—Jessalyn.

 

But once Jessalyn meets McCady, her heart is lost forever to the handsome dark-haired rogue. And McCady wants Jessalyn but he is too poor to have her and too honorable to take what he knows she would give. Jessalyn’s love will be tested by years of separation and so much more as the story transitions into the early Victorian era.

This is a compelling, well-told tale with many twists and turns, all woven in with great characters and details set against the vivid beauty of Cornwall. You will feel like you're living it. You will laugh at Jessalyn’s 16-year-old antics, and you will cry as you endure her years of loving and losing McCady.

 

You simply must read this one. Trust me, you won't be disappointed! It’s a keeper and a classic.

Penelope Williamson’s HEART OF THE WEST - Magnificent Montana Love Story!

 This historical romance will tear at your heart, I promise. It covers twelve years (1879-1891) in the lives of Americans trying to carve out a life in Montana frontier. She weaves a masterful tale with incredibly accurate historic detail and dialog that brings to life the people who made the West: Easterners, cowboys, Indians, Chinese, Irish, miners, railroad workers, merchants, ranchers and those who preyed upon them.

 

There are lots of relationship combinations in this romance: Two men loving the same woman; two women loving the same man; one man loving a woman who should never have married the man she did; a good hearted whore who becomes a lady's true friend and the lover of the man her friend loves, different races coming together and children birthed and loved only to die of accident, disease and more. Through the lives of these people, Williamson so beautifully portrays, you will experience the life of the Americans who won the west and who made this country great. And you will experience love that endures through the years though denied.

Williamson takes her time developing the characters. You will feel as if you know them; you will experience their dreams, their tragedies, their disappointments, their happiness and their loves. And, as with the other great romances by this author, you will feel the emotion, whether deep in the pits of despair or soaring with love's sweet reward.

 

And, it is truly a great love story.

The main story is that of Clementine Kennicutt, the highborn daughter of a rigid, demanding and, at times, abusive minister in Boston. She dreams of freedom and of cowboys. When one stumbles into her life, though she doesn’t really know him, she is willing to elope with him to his ranch in Montana.

 

Gus McQueen was raised in the south and in Boston but then as a young man he went looking for his younger brother, Zach Rafferty, who he had lost when they were separated as children. He finds him and they stake a ranch in Montana, which it seems is always just barely making it. When Gus, a man of dreams, meets Clementine in Boston on a trip home to see his dying mother, he knows he can't live without her. So Gus, 25, and Clementine, 18, wed knowing next to nothing about each other.

 

Gus brings Clementine her home to Montana and to a hard life she is not prepared for. Zach, the darker younger brother with a mysterious past (even at 23), realizes soon after Clementine arrives that he covets his brother's wife. And, though faithful to her husband, Zach becomes the passion of Clementine’s life--a passion denied.

 

You can see the potential for great angst here, can't you? Here a sample of the words Zach speaks to her—one of my all time favorite quotes:

 

"A heartfire, Clementine my darlin', is when you want someone, when you need her so damn bad, not only in your bed but in your life, that you're willin' to burn—"

 

Yeah, well, a whole lot of burnin' goes on in this story. It’s a keeper!

Penelope Williamson’s BELOVED ROGUE - A great 16th century Scottish Romance

This was Penelope Williamson's first romance and while it might not rise to the level of her later ones, which are exceptional, I thoroughly enjoyed it and believe it is worthy of your time.

 

Set in Scotland in 1584, Beloved Rogue is the story of the Scottish-English borderlands where feuds and rivalries went on for hundreds of years. When she is only 14, Alexia Carleton, a high-spirited proud English girl, meets Jamie Maxwell, a Scot whose clan has been the enemy of the Carletons for generations. With one kiss, she is captured by his love forever.

 

Years later, when she is 19 and betrothed to an English nobleman, Jamie comes to her home, Thirlwell Castle, to rescue one of his brothers. While in the process, he takes her as a hostage, ostensibly to ransom her for his family's sword and gold. He takes her to one of his family's castles and in the weeks that follow, they become lovers and he confesses he loves her. But he can never wed her because she is English and he a Scot and while they share great passion, there is also great mistrust between them.

Will he give her back?

 

I did love this story and particularly the way Williamson brought it all to a close that had me teary eyed. If you’re a Williamson fan, this one is worth your reading even if not as mazing as some of her other ones.

 

While it's a debut novel, it reflects her attention to detail, a great story with lots of side plots, her wonderful ability to make you feel along with her well-developed characters, and her creation of a lovable hero and heroine as well as endearing secondary characters. The historical setting is accurate as are the place names and geographical features she so well describes.

 

 

Penelope Williamson’s HEART OF THE WEST - Magnificent Montana Love Story!

June is Western month on Historical Romance Review and I’m starting with a classic keeper.

 

This historical romance will tear at your heart, I promise. It covers twelve years (1879-1891) in the lives of Americans trying to carve out a life in Montana frontier. She weaves a masterful tale with incredibly accurate historic detail and dialog that brings to life the people who made the West: Easterners, cowboys, Indians, Chinese, Irish, miners, railroad workers, merchants, ranchers and those who preyed upon them.

 

There are lots of relationship combinations in this romance: Two men loving the same woman; two women loving the same man; one man loving a woman who should never have married the man she did; a good hearted whore who becomes a lady's true friend and the lover of the man her friend loves, different races coming together and children birthed and loved only to die of accident, disease and more. Through the lives of these people, Williamson so beautifully portrays, you will experience the life of the Americans who won the west and who made this country great. And you will experience love that endures through the years though denied.

Williamson takes her time developing the characters. You will feel as if you know them; you will experience their dreams, their tragedies, their disappointments, their happiness and their loves. And, as with the other great romances by this author, you will feel the emotion, whether deep in the pits of despair or soaring with love's sweet reward.

 

And, it is truly a great love story.

The main story is that of Clementine Kennicutt, the highborn daughter of a rigid, demanding and, at times, abusive minister in Boston. She dreams of freedom and of cowboys. When one stumbles into her life, though she doesn’t really know him, she is willing to elope with him to his ranch in Montana.

 

Gus McQueen was raised in the south and in Boston but then as a young man he went looking for his younger brother, Zach Rafferty, who he had lost when they were separated as children. He finds him and they stake a ranch in Montana, which it seems is always just barely making it. When Gus, a man of dreams, meets Clementine in Boston on a trip home to see his dying mother, he knows he can't live without her. So Gus, 25, and Clementine, 18, wed knowing next to nothing about each other.

 

Gus brings Clementine her home to Montana and to a hard life she is not prepared for. Zach, the darker younger brother with a mysterious past (even at 23), realizes soon after Clementine arrives that he covets his brother's wife. And, though faithful to her husband, Zach becomes the passion of Clementine’s life--a passion denied.

 

You can see the potential for great angst here, can't you? Here a sample of the words Zach speaks to her—one of my all time favorite quotes:

 

"A heartfire, Clementine my darlin', is when you want someone, when you need her so damn bad, not only in your bed but in your life, that you're willin' to burn—"

 

Yeah, well, a whole lot of burnin' goes on in this story. It’s a keeper!

 

Penelope Williamson’s HEARTS BEGUILED – Superb Pre French Revolution Romance!

 

September is Georgian and Regency month so that’s late 18^th century and early 19^th century. This story takes place in the 1780s so it’s a Georgian but the setting is Paris, France and its environs, at the dawn of the French Revolution. It’s the story of Gabrielle, who is poor, but endowed with noble blood and beauty all men admire. At the tender age of 16, she loses her young husband and her mother on the same day.

 

Pregnant and alone, she runs from her husband's father the duc de Nevers who would take her child and banish her to a cloister—or should she refuse, he will send her to prison. She escapes from him and his lackey, a creepy lawyer named Louvois, and manages to barely scrape out a living until she is rescued from life in the slums of Paris by a kind pawnshop owner who becomes a father of sorts to her.

 

Through her work for the pawnbroker, she meets the dashing and mysterious Maximilian de Saint-Just, a brilliant scientist and bastard son of the comte de Saint-Just. Max has turned his apartment into a science lab and is blowing things up as he seeks to discover a fuel for his hot air balloon. In addition to all that, Max has devoted his life to casting dirt on his father's name and is involved in spying for the cabal, an underground network of smugglers out for their own profit.

 

Max’s growing love for Gabrielle makes him want to be a different man.

 

They will face many challenges and both hide secrets that will tear at their love—all the while the country is plunging into revolution and Max is uncovering new scientific discoveries.

 

It's a compelling story, and an early Steampunk if you will, that will sweep you away to 18^th century France—an important time in history. Oh, yeah…it’s also a classic keeper!

Penelope Williamson’s HEART OF THE WEST - Magnificent Montana Love Story!

This historical romance will tear at your heart, I promise. It covers twelve years (1879-1891) in the lives of Americans trying to carve out a life in Montana frontier. She weaves a a masterful tale with incredibly accurate historic detail and dialog that brings to life the people who made the West: Easterners, cowboys, Indians, Chinese, Irish, miners, railroad workers, merchants, ranchers and those who preyed upon them.

There are lots of relationship combinations in this romance: Two men loving the same woman; two women loving the same man; one man loving a woman who should never have married the man she did; a good-hearted whore who becomes a lady's true friend and the lover of the man her friend loves, different races coming together and children birthed and loved only to die of accident, disease and more. Through the lives of these people, Williamson so beautifully portrays, you will experience the life of the Americans who won the west and who made this country great. And you will experience love that endures through the years though denied.

Williamson takes her time developing the characters. You will feel as if you know them; you will experience their dreams, their tragedies, their disappointments, their happiness and their loves. And, as with the other great romances by this author, you will feel the emotion, whether deep in the pits of despair or soaring with love's sweet reward.

And, it is truly a great love story.

The main story is that of Clementine Kennicutt, the highborn daughter of a rigid, demanding and, at times, abusive minister in Boston. She dreams of freedom and of cowboys. When one stumbles into her life, though she doesn’t really know him, she is willing to elope with him to his ranch in Montana.

Gus McQueen was raised in the south and in Boston but then as a young man he went looking for his younger brother, Zach Rafferty, who he had lost when they were separated as children. He finds him and they stake a ranch in Montana, which it seems is always just barely making it. When Gus, a man of dreams, meets Clementine in Boston on a trip home to see his dying mother, he knows he can't live without her. So Gus, 25, and Clementine, 18, wed knowing next to nothing about each other.

Gus brings Clementine her home to Montana and to a hard life she is not prepared for. Zach, the darker younger brother with a mysterious past (even at 23), realizes soon after Clementine arrives that he covets his brother's wife. And, though faithful to her husband, Zach becomes the passion of Clementine’s life--a passion denied.

You can see the potential for great angst here, can't you? Here a sample of the words Zach speaks to her—one of my all time favorite quotes:

"A heartfire, Clementine my darlin', is when you want someone, when you need her so damn bad, not only in your bed but in your life, that you're willin' to burn—"

Yeah, well, a whole lot of burnin' goes on in this story. It’s a keeper!

Penelope Williamson’s BELOVED ROGUE - A great 16th century Scottish Romance

This was Penelope Williamson's first romance and while it might not rise to the level of her later ones, I thoroughly enjoyed it and believe it is worthy of your time.

Set in Scotland in 1584, Beloved Rogue is the story of the Scottish-English borderlands where feuds and rivalries went on for hundreds of years. When she is only 14, Alexia Carleton, a high-spirited proud English girl, meets Jamie Maxwell, a Scot whose clan has been the enemy of the Carletons for generations. With one kiss, she is captured by his love forever.

Years later, when she is 19 and betrothed to an English nobleman, Jamie comes to her home, Thirlwell Castle, to rescue one of his brothers. While in the process, he takes her as a hostage, ostensibly to ransom her for his family's sword and gold. He takes her to one of his family's castles and in the weeks that follow, they become lovers and he confesses he loves her. But he can never wed her because she is English and he a Scot and while they share great passion, there is also great mistrust between them. Will he give her back?

I did love this story and particularly the way Williamson brought it all to a close that had me teary eyed. If you’re a Williamson fan, this one is worth your reading even if not as mazing as some of her other ones.

While it's a debut novel, it reflects her attention to detail, a great story with lots of side plots, her wonderful ability to make you feel along with her well-developed characters, and her creation of a lovable hero and heroine as well as endearing secondary characters. The historical setting is accurate as are the place names and geographical features she so well describes.

Welcome to Favorite Heroes & Heroines Month!

Hello all! December on my blog is the month for favorite heroes and heroines (yes, I have a list for that~!) and when I play “catch up” in my reading and also share some seasonal posts.

I’m starting with one of the books that has both a favorite hero and a favorite heroine… 

THE OUTSIDER by Penelope Williamson, a moving Amish romance set in Montana.

Rachel Yoder is one of the Plain People (Amish), living in Montana in 1886. Her simple life of farming and taking care of her husband and young son were forever changed when a cruel cattleman killed her man. A year later, she is tending her sheep alone, and facing another year of hard work, when a gunslinger dripping blood stumbles into her life. Handsome Johnny Cain is a hard living, hard fighting man who has a reputation for killing. He is the antithesis of all Rachel stands for.

It’s a book of ironic contrasts as the Plain People fail to show God’s love to Johnny Cain, and Johnny Cain, the Devil’s own, shows them honor and honesty. Plain People who believe the grace of God doesn’t cover all sins but that one must be one of the Plain People to hope for salvation, and even then it isn’t guaranteed. A heartless gospel. THE OUTSIDER tells of young people who must choose between a life of conforming to a rigid society and a beckoning world of freedom. Rachel, loving and honest, tries to live in the middle and fails.

There are many things that distinguish Williamson’s work from other romance authors. Reading this one, a few come to mind: Her dialog is so genuine and rich she makes you feel like you know the Plain People. (Her writing is, in a word, superb.) Her attention to detail, as she describes the people, their surroundings and their culture... she paints such a vivid picture you actually feel like your living it and not just reading a good story. 

Williamson's ability to convey emotions had my heart in my throat as Johnny Cain saved Rachel’s son from a herd of stampeding cattle. Who wouldn’t begin to love such a man? And who wouldn’t love a mother who cries when a lamb dies at its birth? These are wonderful characters who will win your heart. Prepare for heart-rending action but, thankfully, since this is romance, we know we’ll get a happy ending.

In short, I highly recommend this one. It’s a keeper.

New Review: Penelope Williamson’s HEART OF THE WEST - Magnificent Montana Love Story!

This historical romance will tear at your heart, I promise. It covers twelve years (1879-1891) in the lives of Americans trying to carve out a life in Montana frontier. She weaves a masterful tale with incredibly accurate historic detail and dialog that brings to life the people who made the West: Easterners, cowboys, Indians, Chinese, Irish, miners, railroad workers, merchants, ranchers and those who preyed upon them.

There are lots of relationship combinations in this romance: Two men loving the same woman; two women loving the same man; one man loving a woman who should never have married the man she did; a good hearted whore who becomes a lady's true friend and the lover of the man her friend loves, different races coming together and children birthed and loved only to die of accident, disease and more. Through the lives of these people, Williamson so beautifully portrays, you will experience the life of the Americans who won the west and who made this country great. And you will experience love that endures through the years though denied.

Williamson takes her time developing the characters. You will feel as if you know them; you will experience their dreams, their tragedies, their disappointments, their happiness and their loves. And, as with the other great romances by this author, you will feel the emotion, whether deep in the pits of despair or soaring with love's sweet reward.

And, it is truly a great love story.

The main story is that of Clementine Kennicutt, the highborn daughter of a rigid, demanding and, at times, abusive minister in Boston. She dreams of freedom and of cowboys. When one stumbles into her life, though she doesn’t really know him, she is willing to elope with him to his ranch in Montana.

Gus McQueen was raised in the south and in Boston but then as a young man he went looking for his younger brother, Zach Rafferty, who he had lost when they were separated as children. He finds him and they stake a ranch in Montana, which it seems is always just barely making it. When Gus, a man of dreams, meets Clementine in Boston on a trip home to see his dying mother, he knows he can't live without her. So Gus, 25, and Clementine, 18, wed knowing next to nothing about each other.

Gus brings Clementine her home to Montana and to a hard life she is not prepared for. Zach, the darker younger brother with a mysterious past (even at 23), realizes soon after Clementine arrives that he covets his brother's wife. And, though faithful to her husband, Zach becomes the passion of Clementine’s life--a passion denied.

You can see the potential for great angst here, can't you? Here a sample of the words Zach speaks to her—one of my all time favorite quotes:

"A heartfire, Clementine my darlin', is when you want someone, when you need her so damn bad, not only in your bed but in your life, that you're willin' to burn—"

Yeah, well, a whole lot of burnin' goes on in this story. It’s a keeper!

Buy on Amazon

New Review: Penelope Williamson’s THE OUTSIDER - Moving Amish Historical Romance set in Montana

Rachel Yoder is one of the Plain People (likely Amish), living in Montana in 1886. Her simple life of farming and taking care of her husband and young son were forever changed when a cruel cattleman killed her man. A year later, she is tending her sheep alone, and facing another year of hard work, when a gunslinger dripping blood stumbles into her life. Handsome Johnny Cain is a hard living, hard fighting man who has a reputation for killing. He is the antithesis of all Rachel stands for.

It’s a book of ironic contrasts as the Plain People fail to show God’s love to Johnny Cain, and Johnny Cain, the Devil’s own, shows them honor and honesty. Plain People who believe the grace of God doesn’t cover all sins but that one must be one of the Plain People to hope for salvation, and even then it isn’t guaranteed. A heartless gospel. THE OUTSIDER tells of young people who must choose between a life of conforming to a rigid society and a beckoning world of freedom. Rachel, loving and honest, tries to live in the middle and fails.

There are many things that distinguish Williamson’s work from other romance authors. Reading this one, a few come to mind: Her dialog is so genuine and rich she makes you feel like you know the Plain People. (Her writing is, in a word, superb.) Her attention to detail, as she describes the people, their surroundings and their culture, paints such a vivid picture you actually feel like your living it and not just reading a good story. Her ability to convey emotions had my heart in my throat as Johnny Cain saved Rachel’s son from a herd of stampeding cattle. Who wouldn’t begin to love such a man? And who wouldn’t love a mother who cries when a lamb dies at its birth? These are wonderful characters who will win your heart. There is much heart-rending action in this one, but thankfully, since this is romance, we know we’ll get a happy ending. Yeah!

In short, I highly recommend this one. It’s a keeper. And it's now on Kindle.

New Review: Penelope Williamson’s THE PASSIONS OF EMMA – Passionate, Heartbreaking Irish Immigrant Love Story

Get out the Kleenex for this great romance by Williamson! I knew I was in trouble when I was in tears by page 20. But I could not put it down, and neither will you.

This is one of the most moving historical romances I've read; the Romance Writers of America nominated it for the coveted RITA award. If you've ever loved a man who loved a woman before you, or if you've ever loved a man you know you can never have...this is the romance for you! And even if you are not one of those, you will love this story, I promise.

Set in 1890 in Bristol, Rhode Island, it's the story of Emma, daughter of the wild and wealthy Tremayne family. With her father gone to live his own life, her sister in a wheelchair and her brother dead, Emma is her mother's "last hope" for continuation of their line of respectability. And it seems Emma will do her duty when she agrees to wed the staid but prosperous Geoffrey Alcott who has loved her "forever."

But Emma's life is changed forever when a young Irish child dies in one of Geoffrey's mills. She becomes involved in the lives of an Irish family and befriends an Irish woman, Bria, who while pregnant and dying of consumption, is still full of life and love for her man, Shay McKenna, and her two young girls. What Emma sees in their lives inspires her to defy her powerful family to fight for what is right and to become the woman she was meant to be. What she sees in Shay will cause her much heartache.

It's a wonderful story of the friendship between two women from very different backgrounds who become so important to each other they complete each other's lives. It's the story of a young woman of artistic talent and a wild and passionate nature who is confined to a life of meaningless duty and ritual but is moved by love to make a different life. It's the story of two women who love one man—a man of great dreams and great passions who has had great troubles in his life both in Ireland and America. It's the story of men and women who take what life throws at them and still manage to live significant lives full of love. Finally, it's the story of the Irish immigrants who have made America great and the sacrifices they made to build lives here.

This one is a keeper!! 

Buy on Amazon.