Challenge Corner discussion

In this epic and haunting love story set on the Oregon Trail, a family and their unlikely protector find their way through peril, uncertainty, and loss.

The Overland Trail, 1853: Naomi May never expected to be widowed at twenty. Eager to leave her grief behind, she sets off with her family for a life out West. On the trail, she forms an instant connection with John Lowry, a half-Pawnee man straddling two worlds and a stranger in both.

But life in a wagon train is fraught with hardship, fear, and death. Even as John and Naomi are drawn to each other, the trials of the journey and their disparate pasts work to keep them apart. John’s heritage gains them safe passage through hostile territory only to come between them as they seek to build a life together.

When a horrific tragedy strikes, decimating Naomi’s family and separating her from John, the promises they made are all they have left. Ripped apart, they can’t turn back, they can’t go on, and they can’t let go. Both will have to make terrible sacrifices to find each other, save each other, and eventually…make peace with who they are.

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RESTARTING FEBRUARY 23RD, 2021

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Ch 7 - (view spoiler)[I'm glad she's trying to find happiness with John and not stay a widow the rest of her life. (hide spoiler)]
Ch 12 - (view spoiler)[I'm bored. I want to love it but honestly this book isn't doing much for me. I think it might be the pace that has me feeling this way. (hide spoiler)]
Ch 18 - (view spoiler)[the end is neaaaaar I can feel it. I'm so bored. (hide spoiler)]
Finished - (view spoiler)[I'm sad that Wolf died. At least John and her ended up together in the end. (hide spoiler)]

Yikes, just 2 stars?! Sorry I'm starting late. hopefully tomorrow or Tuesday start for me!

Trisha wrote: "Yikes, just 2 stars?! Sorry I'm starting late. hopefully tomorrow or Tuesday start for me!"

Yeah it just wasn't for me. It was a bit too slow and I got bored easily. I hope you like it though!

I've been a bit late with this one too but would like to start in the next week or so.

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RESTARTING JUNE 16TH, 2022


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Thanks for adding that new start date for Trisha and me fast, Aly! :)

5 chapters

so far (view spoiler)[ they are cute - John and Naomi
but we already know they are attacked and John must be gone because everyone is killed except Naomi and Wolfe.

hopefully he goes and saves her. it's so sad, her whole family killed. I wonder if it's because Will shot first and so the attacked after being attacked (hide spoiler)]

Kelly wrote: "Ch 7 - [spoilers removed]"

I agree (view spoiler)[ I'm glad she's finding comfort but there is no way that is proper for the time
I hope her dad does seek that wedding lol
she'll not be accepted when they get somewhere otherwise
even then, she better hope the gossip doesn't follow her (hide spoiler)]

Trisha wrote: "5 chapters

so far they are cute - John and Naomi
but we already know they are attacked and John must be gone because everyone is killed except Naomi and Wolfe.

hopefully he goes and saves her. ..."

(view spoiler)[At this point in the book, I don't think there's any way to know. But jeez, being so young and Naomi and Wolfe being kidnapped...I can't even imagine! He was still nursing so he had to be really young. I'd never have thought of using a cow's teats and putting a baby under it to feed it. Pretty creative. lol (hide spoiler)]

John and Naomi: I like them too and I have already read this book before so I'll be careful not to give anything away, but it's hard to remember a lot anyway.

John: (view spoiler)[I felt for him when he talked about being bi-racial or bi-ethnicity and not fitting in either world. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 10

I guess it is how it was back in the day, but I was surprised/shocked that John (view spoiler)[didn't make advances on Naomi when she threw herself at him; however, I must say that I have to respect a man like him. Did you get the feeling that due to his lack of being accepted in either his mother's or father's world that he doesn't feel good enough for Namoi? (hide spoiler)]

Vicki wrote: "Chapter 10 [spoilers removed]"

Yes absolutely (view spoiler)[ but I also think he's worried for the extra struggle their life is going to have because he's part Native American. He was even wondering if they would give him land in Oregon even though they are just giving it away - because he's only half. they will have a lot of prejudice and people like Mr. Cadwell that won't trust him or might even be violent (hide spoiler)]

Kelly wrote: "Ch 12 - [spoilers removed]"

I'm 12 chapters too

(view spoiler)[ it's dragging a bit for me too
I get it, the trail sucks
I like Ana/Hanabi and am so glad she's helping with Wolfe.
I hope she and John are able to marry in the next town and to also buy their own wagon but we already know something awful happens (hide spoiler)]

Trisha wrote: "Vicki wrote: "Chapter 10 [spoilers removed]"

Yes absolutely [spoilers removed]

Kelly wrote: "Ch 12 - [spoilers removed]"

I'm 12 chapters too

it's dragging a bit for me too
I get it, the trail ..."

I guess I differ from you (Trisha) and Kelly in that I don't feel the "drag" of the trail. lol I love it because, I think, I love the writing so much that I just don't feel like it's slow. But that's just me.

Kelly wrote: "Ch 18 - [spoilers removed]"

ahahah!!! yess sooo clooose
(view spoiler)[ I agree, this story isn't holding me as much as I'd hoped

I'm sad that she went through being taken and abused
I'm sad they are trying to keep her brother

I don't think I'd try to stay though. she has 3 brothers that need her and her brother attacked first. I know it sucks they killed everyone, but the same thing would have been done if it had been reversed. . . (hide spoiler)]

Finished

OMG the scene (view spoiler)[when Wolfe dies killed me! I'm a crier (if you didn't already know), so his death and how it happened made me cry. And Weda's storyline...so sad! :( (hide spoiler)]

I know based on your above comments that you didn't LOVE this one the way I do, but I hope you liked it and didn't almost hate it.

I'm done
I'm so glad you loved it!!

I wish I was reading it at the same level of excitement as you are. . .but I just did not enjoy this one, unfortunately

and I agree (view spoiler)[ i was really sad that Wolfe didn't make it but he was the one thing keeping her from moving on to help her other brothers so it makes sense. they couldn't remain there either (hide spoiler)]

Dang it!!! I feel so bad you didn't like it! I'm sorry you didn't like it more.

Trisha wrote: "I'm done
I'm so glad you loved it!!

I wish I was reading it at the same level of excitement as you are. . .but I just did not enjoy this one, unfortunately

and I agree [spoilers removed]"

You're right. I guess I hadn't given that much thought. I just love Amy Harmon and historical fiction, so I'd be hard pressed not to really like or love a book of hers, especially historical fiction. You can't count on my 5 star books but I can't count on your 5 star horror books either. lol

Vicki wrote: "Dang it!!! I feel so bad you didn't like it! I'm sorry you didn't like it more."

awe no worries, you are so right
we're vastly polar opposites when it comes to horror and romance
we typically aren't too far off on historical fiction but this one is definitely an outlier. I just think Amy Harmon doesn't work for me for some reason. It's my 3rd book by her and the most I've rated is 3 stars. ..