By Tammy Barley
www.tammybarley.com
Reviewed by Ann Knowles
To order: Any major bookstore. Also available at Barnes & Noble.
Set in the Nevada Territory in 1863, Tammy Barley’s debut novel is a historical romance that you can’t put down. With the outbreak of the Civil War, Jessica Hale’s family left their beloved Kentucky home and moved to the Nevada Territory to escape the conflict, only to find there was no way out. Jessica’s brother, Ambrose, determined to defend their Southern homeland, joined the Kentucky Militia, putting the family in grave danger from the Unionists. When Ambrose was reported missing, the conflict began for Jessica, and the events that followed changed her life forever. A close encounter with Unionists caused Jessica to lose everything that mattered. While the Hale family home burned, Jessica, the only survivor, was whisked away to safety and taken to the Sierra Nevada wilderness by Jake Bennett’s ranchers. Tragedy stalked her until Jessica’s faith dimmed and fear ruled her life. She was afraid of life and love. Fortunately, Jake understood her because he knew what it was like to lose what was dearest to your heart.
This novel is rich in historical detail and portrays life in the Old West with clarity and depth. Jess and Jake are strong, lovable characters who are easy to identify with. The vivid details of the setting show us the awesome beauty of the Sierra Nevada Mountains while allowing us to smell the ranch and see the characters as real as life. Add to that love and loss, spiritual wisdom, a struggle to survive, and a heroine who lands in one scrape after the other due to her own stubbornness, only to be rescued by Jake.
Love’s Rescue provides everything a reader expects from this era—cowboys and Indians, a damsel in distress and a handsome young man to rescue her, good guys and bad hombres, gunfights, and moonlit nights. The last page leaves the reader in eager anticipation for the second book in the Sierra series, Hope’s Promise.
