The Oregon Trail Romance Collection is a collection of nine stories that are set at any point on the Oregon Trail. Some start in Independence, Missouri, and follows the characters on the trail. Some take place at forts and outposts along the way. Each features characters in search of something: a new life, fulfillment, or even family.
This is a first for me. I have never reviewed a novella collection on the blog before, but there’s always a first time!
As I’ve come to expect from novella collections, some stories are better than others, but they were still nice, light reads. I enjoyed reading The Oregon Trail Romance Collection, and I do recommend that anyone who loves stories set in the western frontier give it a try. And it’s definitely worth it if you recognize any of the authors. Pam Hillman and Amanda Cabot are what drove me to read this collection, but I’ve discovered some other authors I now want to check out. That’s the good thing about novellas, they’re a good way to discover new authors without a large commitment.
I’ve included mini reviews of each story below to give you a sense of what each story is about and my thoughts on each.
The Sagebrush Bride by Amanda Cabot
The Sagebrush Bride is a nice take on the marriage of convenience trope. Avice Longcope is an orphan trying to get out of a marriage scheme. Raleigh Bayne is a single father struggling to raise his son and run the mercantile. The ending was a bit cheesy, and the characters seem a bit too perfect. But it’s a sweet story.
Beckoned Hearts by Melanie Dobson
In Beckoned Hearts, Widow Molly Goodwin lost her husband on the trail, and she’s waiting for a train heading back east so she can go home. But then Payton Keller appears with his sick sister, and she begins to rethink her plans. This is a sweet story. I liked that the romance stretches over a period of time and isn’t rushed.
Shanghaied By the Bride by Pam Hillman
Shanghaied By the Bride is quintessential Pam Hillman. Blake Samuelson wakes up in a wagon headed for Oregon, and Cassidy Taylor has to convince him to help her family travel west. I found the characters interesting, especially the minor characters, and the story hooked me from the first page. Definitely one of the best stories in the collection.
Settled Hearts by Myra Johnson
Emma Clarke comes on the Oregon Trail with John Patrick to find her father, not knowing that John is hiding a secret about the two children with him. This was a sweet story and well written. Romance is a bit rushed, but the plot line is interesting. It would’ve made a good novel.
As Good as Gold by Amy Lillard
A sweet story about a woman trying to get her sister safely to Oregon. I was a bit uncomfortable with the conflict of Ellis thinking she was married but being in love with her, even if he knew it was wrong. Also, I didn’t think there were adequate consequences for her lying. It was just kind of brushed over.
Daughters of the Wind by DiAnn Mills
Great story about a young man and a young woman trying to survive with 7 girls after a tornado kills everyone else in the wagon train. I loved watching them work together to overcome obstacles. I was a bit confused, though, why there was 1st person and 3rd person narrators. It threw me off a bit.
His Frontier Family by Anna Schmidt
Widow Emma Carson’s son Ben runs away from the wagon train, and Captain Jason Campbell finds him. Jason and Emma clash over what to do with Ben while matchmaker Ginny tries to get them together. This was my second favorite story in the collection. I loved Jason’s growing relationship with Ben and Ben’s friendship with Flying Hawk. I liked that the story didn’t have an instant love between Jason and Emma but instead gave it time to realistically develop.
State of Matrimony by Ann Shorey
Diantha Bowers’s boss gives her the opportunity of a lifetime: a trip west on the Oregon Trail as a cook. Along the way, she meets two men who intrigue her, but she finds she must fight for her future. The love triangle was a bit tedious, in my opinion. The ending was cheesy. But it was well written even if I wasn’t fond of the plot.
Sioux Summer by Jennifer Uhlarik
This was my favorite story of the whole collection. The best was definitely saved for last. Widow Ellie Jefford runs a trading post. Her friend Teagan Donovan guides wagon trains west, and he checks in on her each time he comes by her post. But she doesn’t know that he’s in love with her. This story is so well-written. I think it helped that Ellie and Teagan already knew each other, so the timeline wasn’t unrealistic. The characters are also well-developed given the limited space in a novella.
Where to Find the Book
The Oregon Trail Romance Collection releases on November 1, but you can pre-order it from Christianbook.com by clicking on the book cover.
For more Amanda Cabot, check out my review of Christmas Roses in my post Just Read: Hope By the Book Reading Challenge Pt. 2. I also reviewed one of Pam Hillman’s books, The Crossing of Cypress Creek. You can check out that review in my post Just Read: The Crossing of Cypress Creek by Pam Hillman.
If you love westerns, check out my review of Hope’s Highest Mountain by Misty M. Beller or Aiming for Love by Mary Connealy.
Note: I received a complimentary copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
