Brandon comes home from a trail drive to find his wife on her way to Mexico to help the mission folk that took her in. Putting herself in danger. Crossing perilous terrain, where not only the weather kills, but Comancheros and bandoleros as well. He climbs back into the saddle and heads out after her. Both of them now embarked on separate journeys that involves killers, flooded arroyos and narrow divides where one misstep means a plunge to certain death. And, if that’s not enough to challenge them, at journey’s end they’ll face the most dangerous situation of all.“This book contains plenty of grit and gunfire, but no graphic violence or explicit scenes.”
Excerpt
July, 1874
The sun hit a blood-red horizon and shot upward in a crown of tangerine brilliance, hurting the eyes, lighting the trail from the top of the canyon to the ranch house like a beacon thrown across the sea.
The early July morning a warm one.
Dust rose as a horse trotted up. Jonas, a young cowhand, reined in his sorrel gelding beside the woman who stood on the veranda. “Rider coming.”
“Is it Brandon?” Hand over her eyes, Alexandria O’Malley Wade strained to make out the narrow trail at the top of the foothill that her husband and their men would come galloping over when they returned from the trail drive. Her tan split-skirt rustled as she leaned against the smooth white-painted railing, trying to get a better view.
Jonas pushed up in his stirrups. Worn leather boots peeping from canvas chaps. “Can’t tell.”
The speck at the top of the canyon grew as it came tumbling down the trail. Her heart thumped and her breath lodged in her throat. Her fingers tingled, her excitement rose.
The speck shifted into a rider.
Anticipation heightened.
Then shriveled. It wasn’t her husband.
The horse was a pinto not the big roan Brandon rode. And even from this distance, she’d know her husband with every fiber of her being.
She heaved a deep breath and waited.
As the rider trotted closer, she slid her hand to the worn wooden handle of her 4.75-inch barrel, single-action, six-cylinder Peacemaker.
Jonas did the same.
She frowned. The pinto looked familiar, but it wasn’t one of theirs. And instead of a cowboy hat and chaps, the rider wore a sombrero along with a brightly-colored poncho.
Spying her, he yanked the sombrero off his head and waved it.
She recognized the rider and the horse at the same time. Her breath caught then whished out on a mile-wide smile.
“It’s okay, Jonas. I know him.”
Now sure there was no trouble brewing, he nodded, raised his hand to the approaching rider, and putting heels to his horse’s ribs, galloped off.
“Manuel.” She jumped off the porch and ran toward the boy who’d went in search of Brandon when she’d holed up at the mission awaiting the birth of the twins.
He leaped off his horse and grabbed her in a bearhug.
The term boy no longer applied. He was muscled and lean. A man. A young man, but still a man.
“What are you doing here? Is your family well? Sisters Sarah and Marie? Father Jon?” The questions tumbled over each other.
The smile on his face fell away.
Something was wrong. Dreadfully wrong. Stomach knotting, she took a step back and waited, dread seeping through her pores.
Thanks for your review, Denise. Sandra, fun excerpt, and what a place to end it. I mean, what is the dreadfully wrong something?! (I’ll have to read the book to find out!)
Hi Priscella, Glad you liked the excerpt and I love your idea of reading the book to find out. Heh.
Sandra
Happy to share it, Priscilla 🙂 I am sure you will enjoy this one.
Such a winner. Again.
Thank you, Jacqui. You and Denise are SO supportive. It’s much appreciated. As are you both:)
I agree Jacqui!
Congratulations to Sandra for that great review.
Thanks:) I loved Denise’s review.
Thanks, Craig, it’s a good one!
Denise, Thanks so much for your unwavering support. I so appreciate it and you. xo
Of course, Sandra. You always have it 🙂 xo
An excellent review, Denise. Congratulations to Sandra.
Thank you for the support, John:) I appreciate.
it;)
Thank you, John 🙂 I always enjoy Sandra’s books!
It’s so nice to read your great review of Sandra’s book, Denise.
Thank you, Timothy 🙂 Great stories make it so easy to write the review
😍
Thanks for sharing your lovely review, Denise. I’ve posted my review of this wonderful book today only. Sandra wins 5 stars once again.
So glad you got to read it, Balroop 🙂 It’s a good one!
Sequels are always interesting, especially when Sandra writes them. 😊
Thank you so much, Balroop, for that wondrous review. I saw it over at Goodreads and very much appreciate. So glad you liked the book.
appreciate it. I keep leaving off that pesky it:)
The pleasure was mine.
Sandra’s book is on my to-buy list, especially after reading the reviews.
Hey Liz, Thanks in advance. I appreciate ya and thanks for dropping by:) Hugs
You won’t be disappointed, Elizabeth 🙂
Congrats to Sandra on the new release and review! Now I want to know what was dreadfully wrong.
It’s a good one, Teri 🙂
Thanks for the good wishes, Teri. Much appreciated.
AND thanks for the kind words, Denise.
Hi Denise, thanks for sharing about Sandra’s new book. Your review is excellent.
Thanks for stopping by, Roberta.
Denise is wonderful, isn’t she?
Thank you, Robbie. Easy to write good reviews when the books are so good! xo
Yes, agreed
Another great review, Denise. Congrats Sandra!!
Thank you, Pamela 🙂 It’s easy to write reviews of really great reads!
True. But you’re good at making sure to write a review after reading a good book. I often finish a book and think back over the characters and plot and smile. But then I don’t write a review. I need to get better at that!
I try not to start a new book until I get that done. I am taking review breaks by reading some mainstream books. There I just rate them.
Ah, that’s a smart move. I usually don’t think a ‘mainstream’ book needs a review as well. Unless I really really like it and just have to say why. I just finished Dan Brown’s latest – The Secret of Secrets – about consciousness – and it’s a 5 star review, Denise. I think you’d like it as well.
Wonderfully enticing excerpt. Congrats again to Sandra on her latest release. 🧡
What drew Brandon’s wife to help the mission folk in Mexico? 🤔