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The Lightning #1
Chase the Lightning
ON THE RUN ...
The stallion emerged from the swirling mist, sunlight dancing on its white coat, glinting like liquid silver in its flowing mane and tail. It was a spirit horse, Trey had been told, one that would always carry him away from danger. And if ever he'd needed such an animal, now was the time. With a bullet in his back and posse in his trail, he wouldn't last long unless the words of his Apache grandfather came true.
FROM THE LAW
Amanda couldn't believe her eyes when the beautiful white stallion appeared in her yard with a wounded man on its back. Dark and ruggedly handsome, the stranger fascinated her. He had about him an aura of danger and desire that excited her as her law-abiding fiance never could. But something didn't add up. Trey seemed bewildered by the amenities of modern life; he wanted nothing to do with the police; and he had a stack of 1863 bank notes in his saddlebags. Then one soul-stirring kiss made it all clear --- Trey might have held up a bank and stolen through time, but when he took her love it would be no robbery, but a gift of the heart.
The stallion emerged from the swirling mist, sunlight dancing on its white coat, glinting like liquid silver in its flowing mane and tail. It was a spirit horse, Trey had been told, one that would always carry him away from danger. And if ever he'd needed such an animal, now was the time. With a bullet in his back and posse in his trail, he wouldn't last long unless the words of his Apache grandfather came true.
FROM THE LAW
Amanda couldn't believe her eyes when the beautiful white stallion appeared in her yard with a wounded man on its back. Dark and ruggedly handsome, the stranger fascinated her. He had about him an aura of danger and desire that excited her as her law-abiding fiance never could. But something didn't add up. Trey seemed bewildered by the amenities of modern life; he wanted nothing to do with the police; and he had a stack of 1863 bank notes in his saddlebags. Then one soul-stirring kiss made it all clear --- Trey might have held up a bank and stolen through time, but when he took her love it would be no robbery, but a gift of the heart.
394 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2001
37 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
About the author
Madeline Baker
88 books288 followersMadeline Ruth was born on 1963 in California, where she raised. She married her high school sweetheart and they have three sons, all handsome enough to be cover models. Growing up, her favorite pastimes were going to the movies and going horseback riding on Saturday mornings at Griffith Park. Madeline has always been "horse happy." A horse was the one thing she asked for on every birthday and every Christmas. Many years later, that dream came true when she bought an Appaloosa mare named Candy—because she was so sweet. Madeline loves animals. Over the years, she's had numerous dogs, cats, fish, mice, hamsters, turtles and birds, and her horse, of course. The most exotic pet was a crocodile that belonged to one of her sons. Currently, she has a terribly spoiled Pomeranian named Teddi, six goldfish, a catfish, and a betta. When she's not writing, Madeline enjoys going to movies and the theater. Her favorite plays are The Phantom of the Opera, The Scarlet Pimpernel and her all-time fave, Beauty and the Beast. She also loves reading, going to lunch with her best friend, collecting Star Wars, The Phantom of the Opera and Beauty and the Beast memorabilia, and playing with the most beautiful, adorable, brilliant grandkids in the world.
Madeline started writing when her children were still at home, and she wrote for several years, finding time to write after her children were in bed and her husband was at work. In true cliché fashion, she wrote the books and put them under the bed, never telling anyone what she was doing, until one day she let a friend read one. Encouraged by her friend's comments, and armed with a copy of Writer's Market supplied by said friend, Madeline began sending out query letters. After six years and 31 rejections, Leisure Books bought Reckless Heart, and she's been writing ever since. After writing several Westerns, Madeline decided to try her hand at something else and wrote her first vampire romance. It was a short story titled "Masquerade" for an anthology. She loved writing that so much that she wrote her first full-length vampire romance, Embrace the Night, and thus Amanda Ashley was born. One of her dreams had been to write for Harlequin, and she accomplished that in 2003 with the publication of her Silhouette Romance novel, Dude Ranch Bride. Madeline loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her online at DarkWritr@aol.com or by mail at PO Box 1703, Whittier, CA 90609-1703.
Madeline started writing when her children were still at home, and she wrote for several years, finding time to write after her children were in bed and her husband was at work. In true cliché fashion, she wrote the books and put them under the bed, never telling anyone what she was doing, until one day she let a friend read one. Encouraged by her friend's comments, and armed with a copy of Writer's Market supplied by said friend, Madeline began sending out query letters. After six years and 31 rejections, Leisure Books bought Reckless Heart, and she's been writing ever since. After writing several Westerns, Madeline decided to try her hand at something else and wrote her first vampire romance. It was a short story titled "Masquerade" for an anthology. She loved writing that so much that she wrote her first full-length vampire romance, Embrace the Night, and thus Amanda Ashley was born. One of her dreams had been to write for Harlequin, and she accomplished that in 2003 with the publication of her Silhouette Romance novel, Dude Ranch Bride. Madeline loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her online at DarkWritr@aol.com or by mail at PO Box 1703, Whittier, CA 90609-1703.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 28, 2018
I like the story but would have enjoyed it more if the characters had more personality that being said I still enjoyed the book.
January 13, 2024
Rating: 3.4 / 5
As far as this romance goes, I'd say that while at the beginning I was engaged and amused, ultimately after a while I just...kind of lost interest.
The premise is that Trey Long Walker, a genuine 19th century half-breed outlaw, is magically transported to 2001 (then the present) via spirit horse, and meets modern woman Amanda. She nurses him back to health and ignores her attraction to wards him, as it turns out that she's already engaged--and with a modern-day bounty hunter, at that! Trey, meanwhile, also lusts after Amanda and of course eventually falls for her, all whilst discovering the modern conveniences of the world and how it's changed.
...Except that that would be too short a plot, and so the couple also have to be in danger from enemies of Amanda's fiance, who attack them and results in Amanda and Trey being magically transported back to the past again by that same horse, Pago (Lightning).
That's kind of where the story lost me, to be honest. Not so much that I don't think there's more excitement and danger to be had and to keep a plot going in 1869 as opposed to 2001, but just the thought of a modern day woman back in those times ruins the vibes for me. I mean, okay, at least a woman who was born and lived in those times would be used to everything, but for a woman who grew up with electricity and pluming and TV dinners, I just don't see her ever being able to decide to stay back in the past to stay with the said man. (I mean, it worked in Transcendence, but since those were for prehistoric times, it just felt TOO different to make compromises, whereas 1869...eh, DOESN'T feel that way!) Even though I figured that maybe that wouldn't be the ending option, it still bothered me that it was on the table to begin with, and that really dampened my experience of the novel from the midpoint onwards. When the heroine said that she wanted to go back home, I was RIGHT THERE with her in agreeing that yes, take them back to working toilets and electric hairdryers, for the love of goodness!
So...yeah, all in all, while the plot's fine for what it is, I didn't particularly like the direction it was going in, and therefore I'll it halfway, but not entirely sure about going higher. Might give a re-read someday, who knows?
As far as this romance goes, I'd say that while at the beginning I was engaged and amused, ultimately after a while I just...kind of lost interest.
The premise is that Trey Long Walker, a genuine 19th century half-breed outlaw, is magically transported to 2001 (then the present) via spirit horse, and meets modern woman Amanda. She nurses him back to health and ignores her attraction to wards him, as it turns out that she's already engaged--and with a modern-day bounty hunter, at that! Trey, meanwhile, also lusts after Amanda and of course eventually falls for her, all whilst discovering the modern conveniences of the world and how it's changed.
...Except that that would be too short a plot, and so the couple also have to be in danger from enemies of Amanda's fiance, who attack them and results in Amanda and Trey being magically transported back to the past again by that same horse, Pago (Lightning).
That's kind of where the story lost me, to be honest. Not so much that I don't think there's more excitement and danger to be had and to keep a plot going in 1869 as opposed to 2001, but just the thought of a modern day woman back in those times ruins the vibes for me. I mean, okay, at least a woman who was born and lived in those times would be used to everything, but for a woman who grew up with electricity and pluming and TV dinners, I just don't see her ever being able to decide to stay back in the past to stay with the said man. (I mean, it worked in Transcendence, but since those were for prehistoric times, it just felt TOO different to make compromises, whereas 1869...eh, DOESN'T feel that way!) Even though I figured that maybe that wouldn't be the ending option, it still bothered me that it was on the table to begin with, and that really dampened my experience of the novel from the midpoint onwards. When the heroine said that she wanted to go back home, I was RIGHT THERE with her in agreeing that yes, take them back to working toilets and electric hairdryers, for the love of goodness!
So...yeah, all in all, while the plot's fine for what it is, I didn't particularly like the direction it was going in, and therefore I'll it halfway, but not entirely sure about going higher. Might give a re-read someday, who knows?
August 14, 2010
I was so completely bored while reading this. It was way too long at nearly 400 pages.
The scenes set in the past were well done and didn’t feel made of wallpaper.
Amanda goes from being a modern woman to the little woman behind the man quite easily and it bothered me.
There was no sizzle or tenderness between the leads. It was all very plain.
I skimmed the majority of it.
The scenes set in the past were well done and didn’t feel made of wallpaper.
Amanda goes from being a modern woman to the little woman behind the man quite easily and it bothered me.
There was no sizzle or tenderness between the leads. It was all very plain.
I skimmed the majority of it.
May 18, 2012
This was a good enjoyable read with some interesting twists involving time travel. Good action, good romance, and sweet characters.
September 3, 2020
This wasn’t a book... it was like the shortest prologue ever. It set up this magical, mysterious horse with time travelling powers, who gets two couples from different times together and they got together so fast that nothing else happened. The potential was there but it was over before it was explored. So I’m a little disappointed because I enjoy Madeline’s books and this one could have been great. Macie had so much tragedy in her life and Ace... we really didn’t find out anything about him. I would have liked too. I would have liked to see their relationship explored more. How she would have handled life in the Old West!
I’m also starting to get a little confused with Madeline’s female heroines. The ones from the future to be exact. They just don’t seem like modern women to me. Macie was supposed to be from 2010 but she read like an 1800’s woman. They have all this knowledge from the future but don’t really do anything with it. She was watching Mash reruns? That didn’t really scream 2010 to me, as a show a young woman would be watching in her time. Don’t get me wrong I think Mash is a brilliant show but it wasn’t a show I watched growing up unless my parents wanted too. It wasn’t of my generation. So little things like that dated Macie’s character to me.
I’m also starting to get a little confused with Madeline’s female heroines. The ones from the future to be exact. They just don’t seem like modern women to me. Macie was supposed to be from 2010 but she read like an 1800’s woman. They have all this knowledge from the future but don’t really do anything with it. She was watching Mash reruns? That didn’t really scream 2010 to me, as a show a young woman would be watching in her time. Don’t get me wrong I think Mash is a brilliant show but it wasn’t a show I watched growing up unless my parents wanted too. It wasn’t of my generation. So little things like that dated Macie’s character to me.
January 27, 2018
Spirit horse brings two people together across time
May 2, 2019
Enjoyable read. Love the horse. I think the horse was the best hero.
Read
February 8, 2010Historical, western type romance with time travel. A white horse travels between old time west with Trey who has just robbed a bank and Amanda in the future. Trey travels to Amanda's time and learns about the future. Then Amanda travels back with Trey to the old west where she has to learn to adjust.
September 6, 2023
A time travel romance that features a spirit horse. A time period of old west 1870's and new west 2001. I always enjoy the difference between things and the way of living in both time periods and people's reactions to those differences.
August 10, 2011
It's romantic
May 16, 2012
Enjoyable read...it was a light and fun book!
August 27, 2012
Historical western romance mixed with a smidge of time-travel. Good read -- enjoyed it!
August 1, 2012
kissy wissy
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews