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Night Fires in the Distance #1
Night Fires in the Distance
Laura and her husband William Deene have come a long way, from England to Ohio to Indian Territory. With their farm failing and Laura expecting her fourth child, their relationship begins to disintegrate and with another cruel winter coming on, Will’s mistrustful and violent nature becomes more apparent.
Laura finds relief in the arms of their new neighbour, a young man of wealthy providence setting up as a lone homesteader; James Clappe. Attracted to Clappe’s youth, kindness and naiveté, Laura struggles to maintain her stoic tolerance of the hard prairie life she has endured for so long.
Clappe is not all he seems however. Beneath worn clothes and layers of dirt, is a young socialite fleeing her husband, brought to the prairie by fear and grief. The last thing on earth she expects, is to fall for a lonely prairie wife almost double her age – but it could be the thing that saves her.
Laura finds relief in the arms of their new neighbour, a young man of wealthy providence setting up as a lone homesteader; James Clappe. Attracted to Clappe’s youth, kindness and naiveté, Laura struggles to maintain her stoic tolerance of the hard prairie life she has endured for so long.
Clappe is not all he seems however. Beneath worn clothes and layers of dirt, is a young socialite fleeing her husband, brought to the prairie by fear and grief. The last thing on earth she expects, is to fall for a lonely prairie wife almost double her age – but it could be the thing that saves her.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 12, 2016
93 people are currently reading
277 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Goodwin
22 books741 followersAlso writing as Amy Cunningham (The Serial Killer's Party) and Amelia Wildwood (rom-com coming in summer 2026)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
March 7, 2018
I was a bit torn about how to rate this book. It’s well written and I was fully invested in the story. Here’s the problem though; it’s a dark read. I mean it’s seriously depressing. The reader is left with a tiny sliver of hope at the end, but damn it’s rough getting there. That being said, I immediately downloaded the next book and read it as soon as I could. Bottom line: this is a fine piece of literature, but if you’re looking for a fluffy read with a HEA...this ain’t it.
September 2, 2018
4.5 stars
I had no idea what to expect from this and I was pleasantly surprised. Two pioneer women, one running from her husband and the other trapped in an abusive marriage, are trying to make it work on the prairie. This is set at some point in the 1800s, pre-Civil War as there's still slavery, and the characters have the attitudes of white settlers that you'd expect to encounter in those times, which is not always favorable to native peoples or other people of color. This is not revisionist, PC-friendly history, so be aware of that if that'll make you uncomfortable reading this.
Life on the prairie was dire in those days and this doesn't soft glove the details. Laura's husband is a massive douchebag and treats his wife and children like the property they were considered to be. Cecilia tries her best under unfavorable circumstances and she while doesn't back down from the challenges in front of her, she's not always brave at the crucial moments and makes mistakes that are believable for someone new to prairie life and farming in the Wild West.
Given the times and that female sexuality was completely ignored in those days (unless you were prostitute), I had no problems believing that these two women wouldn't have had the opportunities or means to question their sexuality. I don't see this as gay-for-you at all, and the way they come together over their shared struggles and loneliness made it believable. (There's no sex, for those who care; their relationship is quite chaste here.)
The details and research that went into this are amazing, and the characters are all starkly drawn and vivid. The dual POVs are a nice way to see what each one is experiencing, and for the first half of the book, you get two or three chapters in a row with Laura, then switch to Cecelia for the same number of chapters. When the second half of the book comes and their POVs switch off every chapter it becomes clear that there isn't enough of a distinction in their voices to remember who has the POV in each chapter.
There are some typos in the first half, but they get much more numerous in the second half. Punctuation is the biggest culprit, but there are also missing words and misused words ("thought" instead of "though" for instance). This book could really use the benefit of a good editor. Still, the writing and prose is strong enough that I was mostly able to overlook this, but I'm knocking off half a star for the poor editing.
I had no idea what to expect from this and I was pleasantly surprised. Two pioneer women, one running from her husband and the other trapped in an abusive marriage, are trying to make it work on the prairie. This is set at some point in the 1800s, pre-Civil War as there's still slavery, and the characters have the attitudes of white settlers that you'd expect to encounter in those times, which is not always favorable to native peoples or other people of color. This is not revisionist, PC-friendly history, so be aware of that if that'll make you uncomfortable reading this.
Life on the prairie was dire in those days and this doesn't soft glove the details. Laura's husband is a massive douchebag and treats his wife and children like the property they were considered to be. Cecilia tries her best under unfavorable circumstances and she while doesn't back down from the challenges in front of her, she's not always brave at the crucial moments and makes mistakes that are believable for someone new to prairie life and farming in the Wild West.
Given the times and that female sexuality was completely ignored in those days (unless you were prostitute), I had no problems believing that these two women wouldn't have had the opportunities or means to question their sexuality. I don't see this as gay-for-you at all, and the way they come together over their shared struggles and loneliness made it believable. (There's no sex, for those who care; their relationship is quite chaste here.)
The details and research that went into this are amazing, and the characters are all starkly drawn and vivid. The dual POVs are a nice way to see what each one is experiencing, and for the first half of the book, you get two or three chapters in a row with Laura, then switch to Cecelia for the same number of chapters. When the second half of the book comes and their POVs switch off every chapter it becomes clear that there isn't enough of a distinction in their voices to remember who has the POV in each chapter.
There are some typos in the first half, but they get much more numerous in the second half. Punctuation is the biggest culprit, but there are also missing words and misused words ("thought" instead of "though" for instance). This book could really use the benefit of a good editor. Still, the writing and prose is strong enough that I was mostly able to overlook this, but I'm knocking off half a star for the poor editing.
January 6, 2023
Very realistic and entertaining
I enjoyed the story. I felt I was on pins and needles waiting to see what would happen. I can’t wait for the next one.
I enjoyed the story. I felt I was on pins and needles waiting to see what would happen. I can’t wait for the next one.
August 29, 2017
I love historical lesbian fictions. This book certainly met this expectation and the author did a good job of doing research. The plot was interesting and well planned. The characters were well developed and interesting. During the numerous perils that occurred, you just wanted to cheer on them to success.
The one thing that caused me to give this book a lower score was the numerous editing errors. The last third of the book there seemed to be more spelling, word usage, and grammatical mistakes. These mistakes caused a break in the flow of the story.
Because of the interesting, detail-oriented story, I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars.
The one thing that caused me to give this book a lower score was the numerous editing errors. The last third of the book there seemed to be more spelling, word usage, and grammatical mistakes. These mistakes caused a break in the flow of the story.
Because of the interesting, detail-oriented story, I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars.
December 11, 2016
Laura and William have traveled from England to the prairie, making a home and trying to build a life in the as yet unclaimed Indian Territory. With no neighbors closer than the ramshackle town half a day away, no transport but the ox-puled cart, and nothing but backbreaking work, their lives are harsh by any standard. The relentless stresses and strains of surviving begin to show in the cracks that form between them, and Will’s increasing anger at a life with no respite.
When a new settler, James, arrives it is clear that the young man knows nothing about the life he has chosen. He hopes for help and advice from William, but it is Laura who reaches out in kindness to help the young man build his sod house and get set up. James had no idea that life would be this harsh, and even less idea what it would take to survive his first winter. But he has reasons of his own for hiding from the world, and soon his growing friendship with Laura keeps him tied to the spot.
As James and Laura’s attraction grows William’s jealousy flares and his bullying and brutish nature comes to the fore. As secrets are revealed and emotions deepen Laura and James have to find a way to endure their situation.
This is a page turning historical romance that grabs your emotional attention and doesn’t let go. Laura is a woman who is literally working her fingers to the bone to try and keep her family together. Clearly from a slightly more refined background in England she is nevertheless doing everything she can to make life as good as she can for her husband and surviving children. James has come from a wealthy background, running from cruelty and heartbreak into a world that he will be lucky to survive. Both are struggling to make life bearable both physically and emotionally, and their bond is both instant and the basis of a tragedy waiting to happen.
The setting, the harshness and the natural disaster that brings the climax to the story are of biblical proportions, revealing a harrowing life not shown in the movies and TV shows. The energy sapping slog just to endure is almost overwhelming and becomes the only thing left as literally everything is stripped away.
Totally engrossing. Well written, deeply touching, well-drawn characters, and an evocative landscape that dominates the whole. This is my first Sarah Goodwin and will definitely not be my last. My only complaint is the feeling that there must be more… I want to know what happens next and am hoping she will give us a sequel to tie up all those loose ends.
When a new settler, James, arrives it is clear that the young man knows nothing about the life he has chosen. He hopes for help and advice from William, but it is Laura who reaches out in kindness to help the young man build his sod house and get set up. James had no idea that life would be this harsh, and even less idea what it would take to survive his first winter. But he has reasons of his own for hiding from the world, and soon his growing friendship with Laura keeps him tied to the spot.
As James and Laura’s attraction grows William’s jealousy flares and his bullying and brutish nature comes to the fore. As secrets are revealed and emotions deepen Laura and James have to find a way to endure their situation.
This is a page turning historical romance that grabs your emotional attention and doesn’t let go. Laura is a woman who is literally working her fingers to the bone to try and keep her family together. Clearly from a slightly more refined background in England she is nevertheless doing everything she can to make life as good as she can for her husband and surviving children. James has come from a wealthy background, running from cruelty and heartbreak into a world that he will be lucky to survive. Both are struggling to make life bearable both physically and emotionally, and their bond is both instant and the basis of a tragedy waiting to happen.
The setting, the harshness and the natural disaster that brings the climax to the story are of biblical proportions, revealing a harrowing life not shown in the movies and TV shows. The energy sapping slog just to endure is almost overwhelming and becomes the only thing left as literally everything is stripped away.
Totally engrossing. Well written, deeply touching, well-drawn characters, and an evocative landscape that dominates the whole. This is my first Sarah Goodwin and will definitely not be my last. My only complaint is the feeling that there must be more… I want to know what happens next and am hoping she will give us a sequel to tie up all those loose ends.
December 3, 2021
Overall a good read
I'm into hidden gender historic reads right now so this caught my eye. I think it takes place in the early 1800s since slavery was starting to be abolished in the North. This takes place in the Great Plans and describes the hardship very well, to the point of heartbreaking.
While that's all great and dandy and made for a good read I was a bit disappointed in the lack of interaction between the two main characters and how quick the ruse was up and how in sense easily it was accepted.
I was actually hoping the ruse would stay but it seems it doesn't and because of that I'm intrigued to see how the next part will go.
I'm into hidden gender historic reads right now so this caught my eye. I think it takes place in the early 1800s since slavery was starting to be abolished in the North. This takes place in the Great Plans and describes the hardship very well, to the point of heartbreaking.
While that's all great and dandy and made for a good read I was a bit disappointed in the lack of interaction between the two main characters and how quick the ruse was up and how in sense easily it was accepted.
I was actually hoping the ruse would stay but it seems it doesn't and because of that I'm intrigued to see how the next part will go.
November 3, 2016
One of the better lesfic books that I have come across lately. Backdrop and characters are so realistically crafted that I felt for them. I searched for more lesfic works by the author and realized this is the only one.
May 21, 2017
Quite the surprise how good this book is. I ended up picking it up by chance because it was a new release added to Amazon KU Program, and I'm really glad I did.
This book reminded me a lot of Firefly by Whitney Hamilton. And just like that book, this book is also very, very bleak. And by 'bleak' it go with the dictionary meaning of the word. The story is staged in a barren landscape and the general feeling of just about everything is depressing as hell.
And if you want to know if this has a happy ending just click on the spoiler tag ahead, it's not a huge spoiler though, just a yes or no to that question if that's important to you before you start reading a book.
Yet there is a reason behind all the bleakness, and mainly that reason is to tell a good story. And a good story it is, in my opinion.
It's a tough read however, so make sure you have the right mindset when you sit to go through this one. But with that said, I also truly enjoyed the pacing of the book and the dialogues. With such a lonely and remote setting for this story, meaningful dialogues become almost as vital (and scarce) as water in a desert. So every time one happened, it meant and weighted a lot more than they usually do. Which I found it very fitting.
As for some of the criticism I have for this book, I thought that unfortunately the main characters were not as well developed as the circumstances that they are trying to survive were... yet maybe that was intentional? As the circumstances these two ladies are facing actually seems so hopeless that their own survival almost becomes pointless. There is very little room for deep thoughts when you're just about to die of thirst or hungry, I suppose. Quite frankly, the judge is still out for me to make sense of that part of the novel. Yet, the fact that I am still thinking about it after I finished the book is always a good sign.
There is also the fact that the bad guys in this book are depicted as almost Disney-style villains, the only thing missing at times is a nefarious long laugh to punctuate their vileness. And for my taste, in all the books I read, I always prefer my good guys a little bit bad and my bad guys a little bit good. Just so it makes liking them or hating them a bit more challenging. But maybe that's just me.
Overall, I enjoyed the reading. I kept me invested until the end just hoping these ladies would catch a truly well-deserved break before I finally had to say goodbye to them.
This book reminded me a lot of Firefly by Whitney Hamilton. And just like that book, this book is also very, very bleak. And by 'bleak' it go with the dictionary meaning of the word. The story is staged in a barren landscape and the general feeling of just about everything is depressing as hell.
And if you want to know if this has a happy ending just click on the spoiler tag ahead, it's not a huge spoiler though, just a yes or no to that question if that's important to you before you start reading a book.
Yet there is a reason behind all the bleakness, and mainly that reason is to tell a good story. And a good story it is, in my opinion.
It's a tough read however, so make sure you have the right mindset when you sit to go through this one. But with that said, I also truly enjoyed the pacing of the book and the dialogues. With such a lonely and remote setting for this story, meaningful dialogues become almost as vital (and scarce) as water in a desert. So every time one happened, it meant and weighted a lot more than they usually do. Which I found it very fitting.
As for some of the criticism I have for this book, I thought that unfortunately the main characters were not as well developed as the circumstances that they are trying to survive were... yet maybe that was intentional? As the circumstances these two ladies are facing actually seems so hopeless that their own survival almost becomes pointless. There is very little room for deep thoughts when you're just about to die of thirst or hungry, I suppose. Quite frankly, the judge is still out for me to make sense of that part of the novel. Yet, the fact that I am still thinking about it after I finished the book is always a good sign.
There is also the fact that the bad guys in this book are depicted as almost Disney-style villains, the only thing missing at times is a nefarious long laugh to punctuate their vileness. And for my taste, in all the books I read, I always prefer my good guys a little bit bad and my bad guys a little bit good. Just so it makes liking them or hating them a bit more challenging. But maybe that's just me.
Overall, I enjoyed the reading. I kept me invested until the end just hoping these ladies would catch a truly well-deserved break before I finally had to say goodbye to them.
June 16, 2021
4🦗🦗🦗🦗 (those are grasshoppers) Thank god was I was never a prairie homesteader!
The life of homesteaders trying to make it work out on the prairie was crazy hard. You will feel the sweat, the heat, the blisters, the bitter cold, the hunger, the thirst, the plague of locusts. This book will make you appreciate your local pharmacy, your air conditioning, your shower and your InstaCart account.
Again with the shitty men in this book - wlw historical fiction seems to always have to have a few. Be warned they are here too.
I guess i thrive on drama cuz even though parts were hard to read I was turning the pages like crazy. I am looking forward to book 2.
p.s. This book has me watching educational videos on prairie sod houses and the grasshopper plague of 1874. the grasshoppers in the book stick around for WEEKS and from what I know and read just now that didn't really seem right to me. they come in, eat freaking EVERYTHING and move on. 2 days to a week tops. but whatev - the book is still really good.
The life of homesteaders trying to make it work out on the prairie was crazy hard. You will feel the sweat, the heat, the blisters, the bitter cold, the hunger, the thirst, the plague of locusts. This book will make you appreciate your local pharmacy, your air conditioning, your shower and your InstaCart account.
Again with the shitty men in this book - wlw historical fiction seems to always have to have a few. Be warned they are here too.
I guess i thrive on drama cuz even though parts were hard to read I was turning the pages like crazy. I am looking forward to book 2.
p.s. This book has me watching educational videos on prairie sod houses and the grasshopper plague of 1874. the grasshoppers in the book stick around for WEEKS and from what I know and read just now that didn't really seem right to me. they come in, eat freaking EVERYTHING and move on. 2 days to a week tops. but whatev - the book is still really good.
February 20, 2024
Oops
Kind of read these in the wrong order.
But in no way did it spoil anything. Was kind of like a prequel.
How Laura and Cecilia met. How they struggled. How they won.
Great story and one you won't put down.
If you're finicky about language and grammar either suck it up or not read it. But you'll be missing out.
Easy to read.
Again I was disappointed it finished.
Enjoy!
Kind of read these in the wrong order.
But in no way did it spoil anything. Was kind of like a prequel.
How Laura and Cecilia met. How they struggled. How they won.
Great story and one you won't put down.
If you're finicky about language and grammar either suck it up or not read it. But you'll be missing out.
Easy to read.
Again I was disappointed it finished.
Enjoy!
October 2, 2021
What a horrific story!
No, not the writing, the story was fantastically written. The vivid imagery, the descriptions of the crude land and the backbreaking way the character's worked that land, the desolate, hollow, hopeless feeling Goodwin made you feel, mirroring the feelings from each character, all was magnificent. But the story itself, the way of life in that time, was horrid. Absolutely horrid. It makes you wonder, what was the point? To wake every day with heavy dread, work the land, care for your family with what little you had with a constant worry of starvation, dehydration, exposure, predators; human or animal, only to fall asleep dead exhausted only to repeat the cycle with very little to show for it and almost no reward. These people weren't living, they were simply surviving, and that is not a way anyone wants to live. Unfortunately, in those times and areas, it was all they had was hope.
I am not calling this an historical romance. There was very little romance, if any, between any of the characters. Laura was married to a beast of a man, Will, and I don't mean in a sexy way. I mean he was a brute with more brawn than brain, and he could be one mean S.O.B. toward not only his wife, but their children. Escaping in Laura's mind with her and seeing how desperately she wanted a change was heartbreaking. Times like these was harsh on women, because they were only to be seen and not heard. Bear the children of the men who paid for whores and drank what little money they had, away, only to turn around and beat their family then berate them for not performing their duties well enough.
James/Cecilia was a slip of a woman scared out of her mind that her husband would find her and drag her back home. After running away from a life she didn't want, she disguised herself as a man and attempted a new life with little to no knowledge on anything when it came to building, making, hunting, or just surviving. She struck up an odd relationship with her neighbours; Laura and her family before sh*t hit the fan. I wouldn't call Laura and James'/Cecilia's relationship anything romantic, I wouldn't even say there was any physical/sexual attraction between them. The author focused mostly on the survival part of the story. We got more insight on the relationship between Laura and her husband, which is why I struggle to call this a lesbian fiction. As the story progressed, we did learn of James'/Cecilia's slow growing attraction toward Laura, as well as Laura's attraction for James, when she thought James was a man. Sadly, the story never really focused on that aspect because of the dominating storyline of pure survival overshadowing it.
As much as I was disappointed of the lack of growth between the two women, I am still giving this five stars because the writing was superb and kept me engaged all throughout. If you're hoping for a hidden-gender, historical romance where the "man" sweeps the little lady off her feet and they fall in love followed by the "big reveal" then followed by mixed emotions before every one comes to their senses and chooses to be together, then I wouldn't recommend this story. If you like stories with strong characters put through harsh and crude situations with a sliver of hope for a better life and a little bit of love, then this is for you.
No, not the writing, the story was fantastically written. The vivid imagery, the descriptions of the crude land and the backbreaking way the character's worked that land, the desolate, hollow, hopeless feeling Goodwin made you feel, mirroring the feelings from each character, all was magnificent. But the story itself, the way of life in that time, was horrid. Absolutely horrid. It makes you wonder, what was the point? To wake every day with heavy dread, work the land, care for your family with what little you had with a constant worry of starvation, dehydration, exposure, predators; human or animal, only to fall asleep dead exhausted only to repeat the cycle with very little to show for it and almost no reward. These people weren't living, they were simply surviving, and that is not a way anyone wants to live. Unfortunately, in those times and areas, it was all they had was hope.
I am not calling this an historical romance. There was very little romance, if any, between any of the characters. Laura was married to a beast of a man, Will, and I don't mean in a sexy way. I mean he was a brute with more brawn than brain, and he could be one mean S.O.B. toward not only his wife, but their children. Escaping in Laura's mind with her and seeing how desperately she wanted a change was heartbreaking. Times like these was harsh on women, because they were only to be seen and not heard. Bear the children of the men who paid for whores and drank what little money they had, away, only to turn around and beat their family then berate them for not performing their duties well enough.
James/Cecilia was a slip of a woman scared out of her mind that her husband would find her and drag her back home. After running away from a life she didn't want, she disguised herself as a man and attempted a new life with little to no knowledge on anything when it came to building, making, hunting, or just surviving. She struck up an odd relationship with her neighbours; Laura and her family before sh*t hit the fan. I wouldn't call Laura and James'/Cecilia's relationship anything romantic, I wouldn't even say there was any physical/sexual attraction between them. The author focused mostly on the survival part of the story. We got more insight on the relationship between Laura and her husband, which is why I struggle to call this a lesbian fiction. As the story progressed, we did learn of James'/Cecilia's slow growing attraction toward Laura, as well as Laura's attraction for James, when she thought James was a man. Sadly, the story never really focused on that aspect because of the dominating storyline of pure survival overshadowing it.
As much as I was disappointed of the lack of growth between the two women, I am still giving this five stars because the writing was superb and kept me engaged all throughout. If you're hoping for a hidden-gender, historical romance where the "man" sweeps the little lady off her feet and they fall in love followed by the "big reveal" then followed by mixed emotions before every one comes to their senses and chooses to be together, then I wouldn't recommend this story. If you like stories with strong characters put through harsh and crude situations with a sliver of hope for a better life and a little bit of love, then this is for you.
no-thank-you
May 16, 2018I got pretty far into this because the characters and setting were well developed, and I was hopeful their difficult situations would turn around. However, I found myself getting worn out with the negative terminology and attitudes of the main characters towards Native Americans (and the seemingly needless mention of an Asian woman being thrown naked into the street and berated by a white man).
While I have no doubt that the attitudes being portrayed were historically accurate, a skillful and thoughtful white writer of fiction can absolutely make different storytelling choices without being "PC" or "revisionist." I pictured trying to recommend this book in the future and putting a big asterisk on it saying "If you're Native, or Indigenous, or First Nations, skip this one" and decided it wasn't worth finishing. How could I truly be comfortable enjoying a book that would be so disheartening for a group being repeatedly mentioned in it?
While I have no doubt that the attitudes being portrayed were historically accurate, a skillful and thoughtful white writer of fiction can absolutely make different storytelling choices without being "PC" or "revisionist." I pictured trying to recommend this book in the future and putting a big asterisk on it saying "If you're Native, or Indigenous, or First Nations, skip this one" and decided it wasn't worth finishing. How could I truly be comfortable enjoying a book that would be so disheartening for a group being repeatedly mentioned in it?
March 8, 2017
Lovely read from KU... book hooked me in quickly and kept me reading late into the night.
September 20, 2018
Finding love very unexpectedly
I would I like to have a love seen between Laura and Cecelia and to know what happened after they finally left together.
I would I like to have a love seen between Laura and Cecelia and to know what happened after they finally left together.
January 31, 2019
A good book! But there are LOTS of typos in the Kindle version that become more frequent in the last 10 chapters or so. It needs a serious proofread!
December 4, 2023
grueling…
This story was so full of hardship and toiling in life and love. For this book to be free of any eroticism or “coupling” of any kind is totally beside the point of it catching your attention and holding it to the very end.
The love that was born between two women organically that had no clue what loving another woman was like or even possible is what we have here. Laura’s life was endless hardship, but also loveless as she worked a hard prairie life taking care of her family. Her husband was a mean and cruel man in manner and deed. He broke promises he easily made to wife and children. He was a drunkard, brute, and cruel for cruelties sake.
James/Cecilia was different from the start. She fooled everyone into thinking she was a man to escape another mean and cruel man that she married. There was no life in a world where she had no say in any of it such as the state of the world in this time.
As a woman of color reading about this era in American history was hard and bit troubling at times. It was a time with slavery and genocide of the Native Americans and the stealing of their native lands to conquer the new world and more territory. Reading this you also could hear some of the mentality of the two women with their interaction with the one native woman they came into contact with. It shouldn’t have been as disturbing as it was, perhaps it was because it was coming from two people that I had a vested interest in their survival and possibly being together. I was then and that part did not sit well with me.
This story just goes from bad to worse. The things that happened and things they had to endure was just stifling in all the ways one could imagine. There was loss, grief, abuse, torment, angst, uncertainty, danger, lies, murders, infidelity and so on. I kept hoping that there would be some love at the end or through it all. I hoped for a HEA. I wish the story would at least show part of it. The reader was left wondering what became of them in this time of toil and trouble.
I will never forget these two women. They feel like they’re part of me. Part of my story, part of my life.
This story was so full of hardship and toiling in life and love. For this book to be free of any eroticism or “coupling” of any kind is totally beside the point of it catching your attention and holding it to the very end.
The love that was born between two women organically that had no clue what loving another woman was like or even possible is what we have here. Laura’s life was endless hardship, but also loveless as she worked a hard prairie life taking care of her family. Her husband was a mean and cruel man in manner and deed. He broke promises he easily made to wife and children. He was a drunkard, brute, and cruel for cruelties sake.
James/Cecilia was different from the start. She fooled everyone into thinking she was a man to escape another mean and cruel man that she married. There was no life in a world where she had no say in any of it such as the state of the world in this time.
As a woman of color reading about this era in American history was hard and bit troubling at times. It was a time with slavery and genocide of the Native Americans and the stealing of their native lands to conquer the new world and more territory. Reading this you also could hear some of the mentality of the two women with their interaction with the one native woman they came into contact with. It shouldn’t have been as disturbing as it was, perhaps it was because it was coming from two people that I had a vested interest in their survival and possibly being together. I was then and that part did not sit well with me.
This story just goes from bad to worse. The things that happened and things they had to endure was just stifling in all the ways one could imagine. There was loss, grief, abuse, torment, angst, uncertainty, danger, lies, murders, infidelity and so on. I kept hoping that there would be some love at the end or through it all. I hoped for a HEA. I wish the story would at least show part of it. The reader was left wondering what became of them in this time of toil and trouble.
I will never forget these two women. They feel like they’re part of me. Part of my story, part of my life.
May 21, 2017
It's been quite a while since I have read such an emotionally engaging story, and I don't mean of the hearts-and-flowers variety. The word has been used by other reviewers but it just fits. It's bleak. There are so many moments where you wonder why any of the MCs even bother to get up in the morning, and on one level it just killed me but on another level I couldn't help but admire their courage. I said it in one of my status updates - this is not "A Little House on the Prairie" (at least not the TV version). This is an account of how shitty the lives of the people on the "frontier" was.
So. Is there a little black-and-white painting going on? Yes.
Do I believe in one true love after the MCs exchanged probably 500 words. No. Dunno. Don't care.
I'd say it's a lovely book if it was but it isn't. It's still fucking good.
And to all my m/m friends viewing this with a side-eye. Seriously? But, yes, no girl-parts.
I think the next one might have to be put under a spoiler wrap but at one point you just want to know because you really don't want to read another woman's story who dies tragically in the end (at least I'm sick of it. Sick! I'm telling you!) But okay - here is the spoiler .
Highly recommended but don't read it on public transportation if you are a crier like me. Still - read it. I mean that!
So. Is there a little black-and-white painting going on? Yes.
Do I believe in one true love after the MCs exchanged probably 500 words. No. Dunno. Don't care.
I'd say it's a lovely book if it was but it isn't. It's still fucking good.
And to all my m/m friends viewing this with a side-eye. Seriously? But, yes, no girl-parts.
I think the next one might have to be put under a spoiler wrap but at one point you just want to know because you really don't want to read another woman's story who dies tragically in the end (at least I'm sick of it. Sick! I'm telling you!) But okay - here is the spoiler .
Highly recommended but don't read it on public transportation if you are a crier like me. Still - read it. I mean that!
June 12, 2023
Ok, this book was too much for me. It was depressing and heavy and there was no hope at all until the last 10 pages. At that point, I was exhausted. There is so much graphic description of violent rape that when it comes to the w/w love story you can’t even concentrate on it because you are wondering why this woman doesn’t just shoot the bastard. There was too much unnecessary filler I didn’t really care about or thought moved the story forward at all. Also, as a person of colour, the use of language and attitude of the main characters made them unlikable to me. They had no redeeming qualities. Anyway, I ended up skimming through the last of it hoping to find something happy in this book, unfortunately, even the “happy ending” is depressing.
I would not recommend this book in all honesty especially if you get triggered easily.
I would not recommend this book in all honesty especially if you get triggered easily.
April 6, 2024
A very raw and realistic depiction of life for woman settlers in the great plains during the 1830s. The author has not shied away from the harsh brutality of the existence, the treatment at the hands of abusive husbands, and the heartbreak of defeat against the elements. So many historical novels gloss over the grittiness of real everyday life of the era, however this one exposes it for its truth. And is refreshingly and unapologetically realistic because of it.
If you are a lover of history and appreciate a story of a new tentative romance, then you will not be disappointed. This book is solidly written. The story is well developed in that it is relevant to the era and flows logically and freely. The characters are comprehensive and true to themselves. And the romance is a slow burn and delightfully innocent.
If you are a lover of history and appreciate a story of a new tentative romance, then you will not be disappointed. This book is solidly written. The story is well developed in that it is relevant to the era and flows logically and freely. The characters are comprehensive and true to themselves. And the romance is a slow burn and delightfully innocent.
August 29, 2021
This book deserves 5 stars for telling a great story of survival by strong women facing the awful hardships of life on the prairie and choosing to come together to build a better life as a family. Definitely rates 5 stars for realistic depiction of frontier life and the impossible conditions women struggled with to raise their children and dared to face in choosing to live together.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read about the believable frontier life of strong women who struggle to survive that life and who choose to live together and love each other to make a better life for themselves and their children.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read about the believable frontier life of strong women who struggle to survive that life and who choose to live together and love each other to make a better life for themselves and their children.
May 30, 2022
This is an excellent novel, especially if you enjoy historical fiction. The novelist is a masterful storyteller who writes with compassion and insight. I was captivated from start to finish. It was clear that Ms. Goodwin has done her research and she captures the time period in a manner that is immersive and compelling. The romance between the main characters is a well-paced slow burn that felt authentic down to the heart and bone. It is a book I want to read again once I finish the sequel. With Ms. Goodwin's grasp of women's history and sheer talent for writing an engaging narrative, I would happily trace the past, beginning with this book, to the present to see how the character's descendants fare as the world changes around them.
January 6, 2023
Compelling story & characters
From beginning to end, I found this book hard to put down, and that's rare for me. Great tale of two brave, determined women surviving, finding themselves, finding each ohter, and growing amid brutal hardships including nasty, abusive men and deadly weather and wildlife hazards on the prairie in the early 1800's. Best story I've read in a while.
That being said, the book does need some serious copy editing. Punctuation and word use errors abound, and sentence structure and paragraph formatting errors are common too. But the story was so strong and I was so invested in the characters that I was almost able to ignore most of the mistakes. Almost.
From beginning to end, I found this book hard to put down, and that's rare for me. Great tale of two brave, determined women surviving, finding themselves, finding each ohter, and growing amid brutal hardships including nasty, abusive men and deadly weather and wildlife hazards on the prairie in the early 1800's. Best story I've read in a while.
That being said, the book does need some serious copy editing. Punctuation and word use errors abound, and sentence structure and paragraph formatting errors are common too. But the story was so strong and I was so invested in the characters that I was almost able to ignore most of the mistakes. Almost.
September 13, 2024
Oh my gosh, I love a good Historical Fiction and it’s sapphic as well 😮. I think Westerns are my new Jam. I loved this book. I read it on Kindle and I immediately checked to see if there was a physical book I could buy. I felt for Laura especially. Also for Clappe, her new neighbor. The plot and writing were amazing. There were typos but I didn’t even care because I was so engrossed in the Story. I had to continue reading the next one, Smoke Through The Pines. I was so glad to see that the story continues for two more books. I wish these can be edited to rid of the typos and published as one complete volume. 4.5 stars because of the typos.
July 26, 2021
I picked this book for the character dresses as a man category for Jae's 2021 Sapphic Reading Challenge...and I probably wouldn't have read it otherwise. This is why it is good to go beyond my groove once in a while. Less romance and more historical fiction, this story shows the harsh reality of settling the West. The story is hard, not an easy escape read, and the little bit of romance made it easier to go back to the story and even get invested in the outcome.
There is violence that would normally be a trigger for me, but for whatever reason, in this story, was less so.
There is violence that would normally be a trigger for me, but for whatever reason, in this story, was less so.
November 7, 2025
The author’s talent shines through with this book! They did a great job explaining day-to-day hardships for those living on the frontier. There weren’t very many positive things that happened to the main characters. It was just one traumatic event after the other, so I wouldn’t say that this is a happy uplifting novel, but it was still an amazing read.
Note: this book was recommended to me as a F/F book; however, I feel torn about classifying this book as sapphic. Sure two neighbors start having feelings for each other, but it doesn’t happen until about 70% of the way through the book and even then it’s a very mild attraction. There are multiple heter intimate scenes that made me question if this book was labeled correctly.
Note: this book was recommended to me as a F/F book; however, I feel torn about classifying this book as sapphic. Sure two neighbors start having feelings for each other, but it doesn’t happen until about 70% of the way through the book and even then it’s a very mild attraction. There are multiple heter intimate scenes that made me question if this book was labeled correctly.
July 6, 2017
I wanted so much to sink into this prairie landscape. The slow burn of the romantic plot is interrupted by the harsh reality of homesteading. And while that in and of itself is smart pacing, some of the interactions between characters seemed rushed or hard to swallow.
June 19, 2022
awe how sweet this turned out to be
Absolutely loved this one. I’m a sucker for historical romance and this is unlike most of the others I’ve read. I throughly enjoyed this novel and the MCs pull you in.
Absolutely loved this one. I’m a sucker for historical romance and this is unlike most of the others I’ve read. I throughly enjoyed this novel and the MCs pull you in.
December 20, 2024
My favorite book of 2024
I’ve read multiple books by Sarah Goodwin but this is by far my favorite - it was raw and vivid, and parts had me sobbing and my heart swelling at others. It was like The Little House on the Prairie, but grown up. I’ll remember the story forever!
I’ve read multiple books by Sarah Goodwin but this is by far my favorite - it was raw and vivid, and parts had me sobbing and my heart swelling at others. It was like The Little House on the Prairie, but grown up. I’ll remember the story forever!
December 7, 2016
Great story
I enjoyed reading this story. It makes me glad I was born when I was born and not a century earlier.
I enjoyed reading this story. It makes me glad I was born when I was born and not a century earlier.
August 16, 2019
This is everything
I've been looking for a good story set in this time period, and I love it. I only wish the end hadn't come so quickly.
I've been looking for a good story set in this time period, and I love it. I only wish the end hadn't come so quickly.
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