Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Custodian of the Spirits” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Custodian of the Spirits

Bronwyn Long Borne,

Rohret Buchner (Goodreads Author)

3.83 · Rating details · 18 ratings · 12 reviews

Left penniless after her husband's death, Fiona Lenihan and her two children set out for California in search of a fresh start. Ten years ago Fiona fled the Irish Potato Famine. She has crossed an ocean, so why not a continent? Kier Moran is a loner with a reputation for being the best tracker, best shot, and best guide. As a favor to his aging parents, he is leading their ...more

Get A Copy

Paperback, 400 pages

Published February 5th 2020 by Wild Rose Press

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Custodian of the Spirits, please sign up.

Be the first to ask a question about Custodian of the Spirits

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

Showing 1-33

Average rating 3.83 ·

Rating details

· 18 ratings · 12 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of Custodian of the Spirits

May 06, 2020 Karren Sandercock rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

Fiona Lenihan is newly widowed she has two children Maggie and Caleb to support. Her abusive husband has just passed away, his family is not happy with his choice of wife, a poor Irish immigrant and they make it very clear she’s no longer welcome and will receive no help from them.

Fiona left Ireland due to the potato famine, she didn’t travel all this way to give up easily and she has no family to help her. She’s keen to make a new start, she wants to get away from her in-laws, and she decides ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Dec 30, 2020 Ilaria reads too much :) rated it it was ok

Meh I love cowboys and frontier romance like chocolate
I am obsessed by Ellen o Colleen and jo goodman
Therefore this book left with a bad taste in my mouth the hero was a dipshit coward
Kier cara the t was one dimensional
Fiona is a lioness she fights the ugliness of the situation teeth and nails
Too much details of the trail and
OMG the cliffhanger
I am so upset
Where is book 2??
Custodian of the Spirits by Bronwyn Long

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Mar 09, 2020 Twilla Wickedly Sweet and Synful Book Blog rated it really liked it

3.5 stars. This book was too heavy on the details of the travel. It was a LONG Journey. I feel like the romance was secondary to the journey and that was too bad. It could have been really great. The ending just pissed me off because it was a cliff hanger and no further books were mentioned. I wouldn’t have picked it if I’d know that. The heroine was such a wonderful human being and the trials she went through with her children were huge. Kier was an enigma and I feel like he was a coward. Not m ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Feb 16, 2020 Anne Whiting rated it it was amazing

Although some of the descriptions of the journey were a bit long, I really didn't want this book to end. Fiona and her travelling companions were such a strong hardy group who had to endure the hardest of conditions and experience heartbreak along the way. They came to rely and admire Kier who was leading them across the country to California, all in search of a better life. Despite herself, Fiona was attracted to Kier and him to her although after her previous relationship with her abusive ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Mar 17, 2020 Teresa rated it really liked it

Shelves: abc

This was my first book by Brownyn Long Borne. I loved every page of this book, but the ending. I literally wanted to throw my kindle across the room. The ending left the book wide open for a part 2 and I just hope there is one. This story was no where near finished. There are way too many unanswered questions, at least for me. There could of least been an epilogue. I probably would not have read this book if I knew how it was going to end. I am basing my star rating on the book not the ending.

O This was my first book by Brownyn Long Borne. I loved every page of this book, but the ending. I literally wanted to throw my kindle across the room. The ending left the book wide open for a part 2 and I just hope there is one. This story was no where near finished. There are way too many unanswered questions, at least for me. There could of least been an epilogue. I probably would not have read this book if I knew how it was going to end. I am basing my star rating on the book not the ending.

Other then the ending I really enjoyed the book. I enjoyed the descriptions of the country the travelers were crossing. I could picture the places they traveled through. The romance was very sparse for most of the book but the many trials the characters went through more than made up for that.

The book is about Fiona Lenihan and her two young children. Her husband passed away and his family basically threw her out. She had a choice either to leave or her and her children be banished to work in her husbands families fields. She had already lost a brother to those fields.

She was an immigrant from Ireland. Her brothers and her set out for America during the Great Hunger in Ireland. Fiona has survived so many things in her life, her abusive father, loosing her whole family, coming to America, loosing one brother aboard the ship, the other in the fields, an abusive husband, and finally her In Laws betrayal. When she heard about the families crossing the country to go to California she felt it was her only option for her children to have a life. Along the way she meets many families and makes many friends. They go through Indian attacks, storms, deserts, and more. Many of the trials ending in death.

Her first friends along the way are a Doctor and his wife, she becomes a nurse for him. She is also the companies cook. She also falls for the leader of their company Keir, and he for her. Keir is a loner though and warns Fiona when they reach California he will leave again.

I received this book from the Author or Publisher to read and review. The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. ...more

flag Like · see review

Sep 10, 2020 Lori rated it it was amazing

I will be honest and say that I picked this book for the cover because it looked interesting and I love reading about the Westward movement. How exciting and terrifying those days must’ve been compared to now!
I also will be honest and say that I was doubtful about the title. But, as I read on the title began to make sense to me. I liked how Kier explained to Fiona and me what that meant. Thank you Kier.
The author chose this title well.
I loved every minute of this book except the steamy parts o ...more

flag Like · see review

Mar 04, 2020 Heather rated it really liked it

Shelves: arcs

Custodian of the Spirits by Bronwyn Long Borne AKA Rohret Buchner
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️
"She has crossed an ocean, so why not a continent?"
〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️
Fiona Lenihan becomes a widow after her abusive husband dies. She is left with no money and barely any belongings. Her and her children are threatened to work the fields by her husband's family, so she comes up with an idea to get them far away and travels to California. This is set in the late 1800s and the hardships her and her newly ...more

flag Like · see review

Sep 17, 2020 Cindy rated it it was amazing

Thank you to NetGalley and Wild Rose Press Inc for approving me to read this hidden gem of a book! The author did an amazing job bringing life to her characters. Loved every one of the characters in the book. Fiona started out escaping an uncertain future in her homeland. When Fiona was faced once again with an uncertain future in Pennsylvania she decided to embark on a journey to the west with her two children and very few belongings.. She endures many hardships while on the trail but through i ...more

flag Like · see review

Mar 21, 2020 Christine Woinich rated it really liked it

Shelves: enticing-journeys

This was an interesting read. Fiona had a rough start in life, found a bit of luxury, to lose it all. She risked everything to head west. So much happened on this journey, good, lots of bad, and even some devastation. My heart hurt every time pain, danger, and death occurred and sang for the love, friendship, and new life that grew. Fiona found love with Kier but he would not stay. I cried at the end as he left her alone. I had hoped for a more happier ending but did enjoy the story regardless.

I ...more

flag Like · see review

Mar 27, 2020 Elizabeth West rated it liked it · review of another edition

The Valley of Heart's Delight Series

Custodian of the Spirits by Bronwyn Long Borne. I loved the storyline of this book but I didn't like Fiona in the beginning . I began to respect her later in the book.. The story is a good one for those of us who love western romance but if your looking for a hea this is not it. I give it 3 stars because I feel it leaves you hanging. ...more

flag Like · see review

Mar 16, 2020 Spunky N Sassy rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-star, lindsey-reviewed

Spunky N Sassy Rating: 4.0

~~~~~~~~~~Lindsey's ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review~~~~~~~~~~

Great Book

I was hooked on this book from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down! This book was definitely worth the read! ...more

flag Like · see review