Missouri, 1846: In the frontier town of Independence, the sound of a gunshot shatters the night. As the pistol drops from her hand and clatters to the ground, Grace knows she has no choice but to leave. Now.

In this inspiring and deeply moving story of love, courage, and endurance, a young woman on the run from the law sets off on a desperate journey of survival on the treacherous Oregon Trail.

Terrified she’s wanted for the murder of her landlord, Grace is certain that, even though she acted in self-defense, no one will believe her. Quickly packing the few belongings she and her little brother Tom possess, they race to join the line of dusty wagons preparing to leave for Oregon.

As they set off, over the perilous Great Plains, knowing the wild rivers and the Rocky Mountains they must cross, Grace vows to do whatever it takes to protect Tom and get them both to safety. She will prove herself capable of surviving the hardest journey of her life.

I loved the author’s debut novel, Under a Gilded Sky, so I was excited to pick up her second book, which did not disappoint. I’ll admit that I liked the first book better, but this one was still highly enjoyable. 

I’ve been exploring more Western novels, so this was my first time being part of a wagon train on a pioneer trail heading west to Oregon in the mid-nineteenth century. I loved the setting and all the locations that were included in this story. You could tell the author did her research because there were so many detailed descriptions that immersed you in this world. I loved reading about the culture back then, how things were done, and how people lived. I felt completely transported back in time and felt like I was part of this caravan of settlers. 

There were some parts that slowed down a bit for me, but I was never bored. For the most part, I thought the pacing was great. I was very interested to know what was going to happen next. There were even a few suspenseful action sequences that helped keep me entertained. I wished there were a few more of these types of action scenes, though.  

I really liked both main characters. Grace is a strong-willed, resourceful, clever, and independent woman. But she has a kind, compassionate heart that wants to help people when they are in distress. She’s easy to love and root for because she cares so much about others. Then, Captain Randolph is a gruff, brooding, stern, and disciplined man who takes his job very seriously and relies on order and structure. But then, his world is turned upside down when he meets Grace. She softens him and melts his cold heart that he’s tucked away for so long. It took a few chapters to like his character, but the further I got into the story, the more he grew on me, and then I became very fond of him. 

I enjoyed watching their romance develop; however, the pacing was a little off for me. It started out as a slow burn, but then suddenly, they were madly in love with each other. It felt like we went from 0 to 100, and it felt jarring. I understand that this trip took many months and things happened off-page, but from what we read and the scenes we get of them together, it felt a bit rushed and out of place. I also didn’t care for the steamier parts. I prefer clean, closed-door romances, like her first book, so I was surprised to see a little bit of spice in this book. It’s not a lot, but it’s more than I felt comfortable reading. But overall, I enjoyed Grace and Randolph as a couple and rooted for them until the end.  

I also didn’t care for the parts of the story that centered around the rape of one of the pioneer women on the train. It happens off-page, so there aren’t any explicit details about it, but it was uncomfortable to read about. Then, there is an on-page attempted rape scene that could be a trigger for some readers. Also know that due to this time period, there is a good amount of sexism and misogyny from the men toward the women. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this story, getting to know the characters, and going on this adventure out West with them. I loved the romance and watching the couple come together. The details of this historical story felt realistic, believable, and vivid, so it was easy to visualize. I liked watching women break stereotypes of this time period. Definitely recommend! 

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.