Book Review: “Rocky Mountain Oasis” by Lynnette Bonner

She’s been living in a desert all her life. Suddenly she’s come upon an oasis. But is it just a mirage?

Thus begins the premise for Lynnette Bonner’s new Christian Historical Romance, Rocky Mountain Oasis (published by OakTara).

I’ve had the pleasure of being Lynnette’s critique partner for more than a year now, and I’m pleased and proud to see her new book make its debut. Lynnette has been a blessing and an inspiration to me and I believe this,  Book One of The Shepherd’s Heart series, will have a similar impact on readers.

Brooke Marie Baker, eighteen, has been sent west as a mail-order bride. As the stage nears Greer’s Ferry, where she is to meet the man she’s pledged to marry, she tries to swallow the lump of nervousness in her throat. Can it be any worse than living with Uncle Jackson…or Hank? she wonders. All men are the same, aren’t they? But with her parents and sister dead, she has no choice.

 Sky Jordan, a rancher, holds a single, yellow daisy in his hand as he watches the ferry cross the river. Ever since he’d found out his surly cousin, Jason, had sent for a mail-order bride, his mind and heart had been ill at ease. No woman deserves to be left with the likes of Jason. But now he questions his own plans to claim the bride for himself. Why am I drawn to this woman I don’t even know?

 A wounded heart. Desperate choices. Unfathomable love. Set in the adventure and danger of the Wild West.

Lynnette does a wonderful job of capturing life in the Idaho Territory in 1885. I was drawn in from the start to the dangers that were a part of life for settlers a century ago. Still, her characters’ struggles are easy to relate to in a modern context. While the concept of a young woman being sold as a mail order bride is far from our contempory consciousness, we can relate to Brooke’s feelings about her experience. Does she dare let down her guard with her new husband, or should she steel herself against yet another abusive man?

As the relationship between Brooke and Sky deepens, the plot takes enough turns to keep us wondering if the two will even survive. A menacing villain sets his sights on Brooke just as she begins to trust Sky. Will Sky win her over to the Lord, or will she succomb to her own fear and the dangers that lurk in the darkness?

“An intriguing tale with the perfect blend of suspense, drama, and romance. Best keep your eyes on Lynnette Bonner. She’s a gifted storyteller.” -SHARLENE MACLAREN, Author, Through Every Storm, Long Journey Home, Little Hickman Creek Series, The Daughters of Jacob Kane Series

To get a taste of Lynnette’s crisp storytelling, link to the first few chapters of the book: http://www.lynnettebonner.com/rmoexcerpt.pdf

Watch for the second book in Lynnette’s Shepherd’s Heart series, “High Desert Haven”, coming soon!

Visit Lynnette’s website: http://lynnettebonner.com

Click Here to find Rocky Mountain Oasis in paperback.

Click Here to find Rocky Mountain Oasis for Kindle.

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