Series: Runaway Brides, #2
Author: Kaki Warner
Published: January 3, 2012
Pages: 368
Genre: Historical Romance
Source: Publisher (Berkley Trade)
Rating: B+
Reviewed by: Dawn
Favorite Quote: “Church again. Ash had withstood calvary charges, cannon bombardments, and three months in an Irish hospital. He could probably withstand another round of Pastor and Biddy Rickman’s evangelical enthusiasm. But he dinna want to.”
summary from Goodreads
After receiving only three letters from her cavalry officer husband during their six years of marriage—which he has spent away on military campaigns—Maddie Wallace decides to build a life without him. Accepting a job to photograph the West, she builds a new life as an independent woman. But when her husband returns from the wars to find her gone, his mission is clear—find his wife. His search takes him to Heartbreak Creek, Colorado, where his biggest challenge awaits: convince the headstrong Maddie to return home.
Dawn's thoughts:
Angus (Ash) Wallace and Maddie Walker have been married for six years but are estranged. During those six years Maddie had only gotten two letters and one visit from her mostly absent husband, Ash. Maddie feels alone and abandoned, and after the death of her parents, left for America to explore her talent and passion: photography. Ash returns to his ancestral home to find out that his wife has left for parts unknown. Ash immediately goes after her, determined to bring her back to his home and start a family with her. When Ash does find his fugitive wife, he discovers that Maddie has built a new life for herself, and has created a family of the heart, that nurtures and sustains her.
Kaki Warner is a new author to me, and I enjoyed her lysical style of writing. She made Heartbreak Creek, Colorado in the 1870’s come alive for me. Ash’s pursuit of his wife derives from the sincere desire to be a husband to her, despite what he sees as her abandonment. As Maddie and Ash reacquaint themselves with each other, Maddie learns Ash’s long hidden secret. This discovery paves the way for Maddie and Ash to reunite.
I loved this book. Ms. Warner created characters that warmed my heart. She slowly and steadily rebuilt Ash and Maddie’s story in a realistic manner. Ash had to work to regain his wife’s love and trust and Maddie needed to truly see her husband as the man that he was, not as Lord Ashby. The supporting characters in this story were fully fleshed out and I found them fascinating and wanted to know more about them.
The book is not spicy or smutty, but nevertheless the love between Maddie and Ash is quite evident.
In conclusion, I look forward to reading more of Ms. Warner’s work. She writes a compelling, involving story with strong men and women, but laced with humor. I often laughed out loud at the antics of the characters, and thoroughly enjoyed the Ms. Warner created. I look forward to reading about these people in subsequent books.
Kudos, Ms. Warner, you have a new fan of your work.
