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Sunset #3
Sunset across the Rockies
Charlotte's life comes full circle as she revisits the past and secures her future in this exciting and moving conclusion to the trilogy that began in the strict regimes of British India and ends in the peaceful Valley of the Great Salt Lake.
Hardcover
Published January 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 4, 2026
I don't think I will ever forgive the fact that Seth was killed off and I don't like Karan for her as much as Seth, but I was riveted through the entire novel (just ask my husband how hard it was for me to go to sleep at night). I loved the theme of having to let go of your children and accept their choices, it was so relatable. I also loved the ending--it was a sweet wrap up of many characters, while also leaving it open for their lives to keep going and changing.
May 10, 2017
The third book in a sad trilogy of anguish & broken hopes. Don't read it if you don't want to feel down. I only kept reading to this point because I started the series without knowing what I was getting into, & wanted to finish it in hopes that something good ended the story!
October 12, 2010
I first read this book over a decade ago. Now that I've re-read it I can't resist pointing out all the flaws in Susan Evans McCloud's weak story and narrative.
Picking up where the "New Moon" sequel left off, (because there's an overwhelmingly strong message in every single one of these books that a woman is nothing if she doesn't have a man constantly by her side to validate her existence) Charlotte has been widowed for almost 15 years now and is nearing the ripe old age of 38. She's born three daughters and is step-grandma to Winston's two children and she feels SO OLD! The next scene is straight out of a 90's talk show as Karan suddenly appears in her vegetable garden to announce he's returned to her and he's not alone. It's family reunion time! Looking as fresh as if they'd all just stepped off a 20th century airplane from Calcutta to SLC Karan gives Charlotte the shock of her life by restoring her long lost mother and half brother to her. The immigrants never experience any culture shock, Charlotte has no problem with her mother, Sita Beg, worshiping a Hindu god statue in HER home and Karan is ready to pick up where they left off twenty years ago, except he still isn't a member of the church and is hesitant to be assimilated into white Mormon culture.
The wedding takes place in an undisclosed location, never mind this will be Charlotte's THIRD time down the aisle to a virgin groom who somehow managed to remain single all these years. Karan finally gets his wish to see his old girlfriend undergo an Indian makeover thanks to Sita Beg who just happens to have everything they need (to heck with Isaiah 3:16, warning the women of Zion who would dare to wear such gaudy outfits) and they are married while the saints look on in shock and horror. Remember, the most popular authors at this time were Shakespeare and the standard works so these pioneers were well versed in how to live a Christian life, the social stigma of living otherwise was too great.
Meanwhile, there sits poor Phyllis, Charlotte's unmarried sister in law for whom no one ever appeared to release her from her "lonely prison." As a result she looks at other family members' children with hungry eyes and will "grow more thin and pale...no light in her, spirit dried up, disappointed, and I feared she did not really know how to take part." Wow, thanks for that image, Sister McCloud! What a comforting thought for all single sisters out there who might read this story and come away feeling like second-class citizens.
Gotta love the hypocrisy from the first book when 37 year old Constance was deemed "too old to be having another child" while it's perfectly OK for Charlotte at 39 to bring forth a son while her oldest daughter, at 16, is already entertaining her own marriage prospects. Charlotte reminds her "he's the only man you've ever dated" and I have to point out the character's incorrect use of that word which won't come into existence as implying a romantic social meeting until 1902. The word "courted" would be more appropriate in this time setting. Someone needs to remind the author what century she's set her story in.
Oldest daughter Sita remains in England where, for some reason, she is the sole heir to her late grandfather's estate instead of a legal male next of kin. She's also found herself an Earl, not a member of the church but Charlotte is more upset over this permanent separation. If she marries him, doesn't Sita realize her new hubby will be the legal heir to her entire fortune to do whatever he wants with and she's better off staying single?
The Utah War is used as a plot complication but does anyone really remember it? Charlotte's toddler runs off, gets injured, and nearly dies. "Why didn't anyone send for me?" Karan demands. "Because you don't hold the priesthood," his loving wife reminds him. Emma pulls a Lydia Bennet by running off with a gentile to live in sin for awhile in San Francisco but returns, quickly repents and is rewarded by meeting and marrying a young Mormon convert. Sita Beg and Karan have also joined the church at this point. Karan is made a rather unorthodox bishop (why wait until 1978?) and now that she's run out of ideas, Susan Evans McCloud can do what she should've done back in Chapter 13 because once a woman is married and expecting, her story is pretty much over.
Picking up where the "New Moon" sequel left off, (because there's an overwhelmingly strong message in every single one of these books that a woman is nothing if she doesn't have a man constantly by her side to validate her existence) Charlotte has been widowed for almost 15 years now and is nearing the ripe old age of 38. She's born three daughters and is step-grandma to Winston's two children and she feels SO OLD! The next scene is straight out of a 90's talk show as Karan suddenly appears in her vegetable garden to announce he's returned to her and he's not alone. It's family reunion time! Looking as fresh as if they'd all just stepped off a 20th century airplane from Calcutta to SLC Karan gives Charlotte the shock of her life by restoring her long lost mother and half brother to her. The immigrants never experience any culture shock, Charlotte has no problem with her mother, Sita Beg, worshiping a Hindu god statue in HER home and Karan is ready to pick up where they left off twenty years ago, except he still isn't a member of the church and is hesitant to be assimilated into white Mormon culture.
The wedding takes place in an undisclosed location, never mind this will be Charlotte's THIRD time down the aisle to a virgin groom who somehow managed to remain single all these years. Karan finally gets his wish to see his old girlfriend undergo an Indian makeover thanks to Sita Beg who just happens to have everything they need (to heck with Isaiah 3:16, warning the women of Zion who would dare to wear such gaudy outfits) and they are married while the saints look on in shock and horror. Remember, the most popular authors at this time were Shakespeare and the standard works so these pioneers were well versed in how to live a Christian life, the social stigma of living otherwise was too great.
Meanwhile, there sits poor Phyllis, Charlotte's unmarried sister in law for whom no one ever appeared to release her from her "lonely prison." As a result she looks at other family members' children with hungry eyes and will "grow more thin and pale...no light in her, spirit dried up, disappointed, and I feared she did not really know how to take part." Wow, thanks for that image, Sister McCloud! What a comforting thought for all single sisters out there who might read this story and come away feeling like second-class citizens.
Gotta love the hypocrisy from the first book when 37 year old Constance was deemed "too old to be having another child" while it's perfectly OK for Charlotte at 39 to bring forth a son while her oldest daughter, at 16, is already entertaining her own marriage prospects. Charlotte reminds her "he's the only man you've ever dated" and I have to point out the character's incorrect use of that word which won't come into existence as implying a romantic social meeting until 1902. The word "courted" would be more appropriate in this time setting. Someone needs to remind the author what century she's set her story in.
Oldest daughter Sita remains in England where, for some reason, she is the sole heir to her late grandfather's estate instead of a legal male next of kin. She's also found herself an Earl, not a member of the church but Charlotte is more upset over this permanent separation. If she marries him, doesn't Sita realize her new hubby will be the legal heir to her entire fortune to do whatever he wants with and she's better off staying single?
The Utah War is used as a plot complication but does anyone really remember it? Charlotte's toddler runs off, gets injured, and nearly dies. "Why didn't anyone send for me?" Karan demands. "Because you don't hold the priesthood," his loving wife reminds him. Emma pulls a Lydia Bennet by running off with a gentile to live in sin for awhile in San Francisco but returns, quickly repents and is rewarded by meeting and marrying a young Mormon convert. Sita Beg and Karan have also joined the church at this point. Karan is made a rather unorthodox bishop (why wait until 1978?) and now that she's run out of ideas, Susan Evans McCloud can do what she should've done back in Chapter 13 because once a woman is married and expecting, her story is pretty much over.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2010
This was my least favorite of the Sunset trilogy. I hated where McCloud took Charlotte's character and I hated that the supporting characters in this book were either static and shallow or unlikable. The way the story played out was too predictable and it felt like McCloud wrote the book just to be finished with the series and tie up loose ends from the previous two novels. There was too many little dramatic incidences instead of focusing on one or two situations that needed to be resolved McCloud bombards her reader with too much drama that seems to be resolved too quickly, or really not at all. I was frustrated with Sita and her ability to turn her back so easily on her mother and with Abbey, who survived so much in Missouri, only to have her illness and her mothers death almost destroy her because of her spiritual and mental weakness. I finished the book in order to know how the series ended, but it was mostly irritating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2011
Good trilogy. It was a fun, and sometimes very sad, story of Charlotte's life from age 18 to in her mid-40's. This one takes her to Salt Lake valley with the early saints and her life there. I liked it a lot.
April 12, 2009
Pretty much the same analysis as the 2nd novel!
June 10, 2009
very nice ending. It made me soooooooo happy that she got bakc up with her old love and that he got baptized and they lived good lives... what a nice ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2010
Finally, I'm done with this series!! This was not a happy ending for me. I did not feel resolved. I felt the whole story was a little depressing.
March 15, 2013
All the events in this story bring closure and a "happily ever after" ending for Charlotte--she is reunited with her Indian mother and her beloved Karan.
February 29, 2008
Excellent!
December 1, 2008
The final of the trilogoy. All excellent reading!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews