Chasing Clovers

The Branded Trilogy #2

by Kat Flannery

Mail order bride, Livy Green, is desperate to escape the memories of her past. John Taylor will never love another woman again, but his children need a mother. Will they learn to trust each other, or will their pasts interfere?

Longing to escape the awful memories and the saloon she once sang in, Livy Green lies about her past so she can be a wife to John Taylor and mother to his two young children. Overwhelmed by the task, she struggles to put her resentment aside and love them as her own.

John loved his first wife and is still heartbroken over the loss, but he needs a mother for his children. When his distant and unfriendly mail order bride arrives, he begins to doubt his decision, though one glance into Livy's terrified green eyes tells him he can’t turn his back on her.

As Livy's past catches up with her and suspicious accidents begin to happen on the ranch, she is tempted to come clean and tell John the truth. But will he send her back if she does? Or will they forever be CHASING CLOVERS?

Genres: Romance, Westerns, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Chick Lit, Mail Order Brides

176 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 9, 2011

About the author

Kat Flannery’s love of history shows in her novels. She is an avid reader of historical, suspense, paranormal, and romance. When she’s not busy writing, or marketing Kat volunteers her time to other aspiring authors.

A bestselling author, Kat has been published in numerous periodicals throughout her career, and continues to write for blogs and online magazines. Her books have been on Canadian, USA and International bestseller lists.

The BRANDED TRILOGY is Kat’s award-winning series. With seven books published, Kat continues to write and market her books.

Reviews

[Inga · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review:

Chasing Clovers by Kat Flannery is a good historical western romance novel and I enjoyed reading it a lot. The story was good, characters well-written and it was easy to read. When I started reading it, I was fascinated, because I had not much knowledge about mail order brides in the past. I did not have to be disappointed; I thoroughly got a very good reading experience.

Regarding the plot:

John has lost his wife and needs a mother for his to children and decides to order a bride through mail order. When Livy arrives, she is terrified, for her it is new start in unknown place and with unknown obligations as a wife to be. Livy has no idea how to cook or how to manage a household or how to take care of the children, but this is expected from her. Luckily John gets the understanding quite quickly and organizes her a little help, so she can learn how to do all these things.

Besides the above, John feels attracted to Livy, but cannot understand why Livy is so hostile and cold. What he doesn’t know are the secrets what Livy has and what she tries to hide from John. The relationship is getting more complicated due to the fact that John has difficulties with letting go the past and Livy is desperately trying to not open herself. To add even extra spice to the story, strange and dangerous things start to happen around Livy and John – somebody tries to hurt Livy.

I liked how the author combined the romance and suspense together; it gave a lot extra to the romance between Livy and John.

Regarding the characters:

Before I go to the main characters I would love with supporting characters. I absolutely ADORED John’s children, especially Ben! He was so cute, he made me feel wanting to hug him constantly. The little boy had also a big importance in the book. Emily was also a sweet girl, needing a new mother badly.

Both Livy and John had several internal issues and conflicts they needed to solve and face. Livy needed to learn to open up and trust John and most of all get rid of the demons inside her. John was little arrogant and hurt in the beginning, but I loved his cockiness and the spark inside him.

I would say that Kat Flannery did an excellent job with the characters in the Chasing Clovers; even the less important characters had a meaning and role in the novel. I loved that!

Generally:

Chasing Clover by Kat Flannery was a wonderful book! The settings seemed authentic, the story itself was captivating and the characters very lovable!

5 stars!

[Elise Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chasing Clovers is a strongly penned read, very emotional. It gets at the heart of the reader and had me gripped from the start. I love books about people running from their pasts because, as we all know, you can run but your past will always catch you. I enjoy seeing characters come to this realization as the things they try to run from catch up to them.

I don't read a lot of Westerns, but I don't know why. I like reading about the simplicity of Ranch life, especially during simpler times such as portrayed in this book. And of course a work-roughened cowboy doesn't hurt either!

Before I go any further, I want to address some other reviews of this book I read criticizing the fact that the character, the hero, profess faith in God but use foul language and make bad decisions. Firstly, this is by no means an Inspirational or Christian romance. Yes, the hero John has a strong faith in God. He has leaned on God to help him move past the death of his first wife. I found this to be the most attractive aspect of his personality. Instead of shaking his fist at the sky and cursing his bad luck, John thanks God for what he still has....his health, his ranch, friends, beautiful children. Shouldn't we all be so optimistic? So what if John says a few curse words or lets his temper get the best of him? People who believe in God are not perfect people...in fact, it is their imperfection that causes them to rely on God. This is one of the reasons why, despite being a Christian woman myself, I do not read a lot of Christian romances, because I get sick of lily white characters with their piousness. It's unrealistic. People are flawed. It is because these characters are flawed that I identified with them and wanted to see them end up together.

Now, on to the rest of the review. My favorite characters in the book were John, Ezekiel the cook, and John's children. What a sweet little family our heroine, Olivia, has a chance of becoming a part of. My heart ached for John and his kids after the death of their wife and mother and I wanted them to find happiness.

I will say that Olivia took some time to grow on me. On the one hand, the issue of her sexual abuse and the death of her daughter made her a sympathetic character. Losing a child is every mother's worse nightmare, and Olivia is barely hanging on after she loses her baby girl. However, I found her treatment of John's daughter to be a bit over the top. Upon coming into John's home, she treats the girl bad (but not the son) just because she's a girl. I wasn't fond of how Olivia used her pain to lash out at a little girl who was mourning the loss of her mother. I found it to be a bit immature on her part to not be able to see past her own pain and understand this little girl was hurting just as badly as she was. However, she redeemed herself toward the end with actions I won't give away for fear of spoiling the story. Let's say that by the end she'd more than made up for it and I was able to like her more as a character.

Aside from that, I also had a hard time understanding some of the characters' actions in relation to their circumstances and/or portrayed personalities. For one thing, Olivia continues to go on and on about how she doesn't need anybody, yet she has answered this ad to become a mail order bride because she has nothing else. In her thoughts we are reminded of her past rape and the fact that she's terrified of men and the thought of having to have sex with John. Then why get married? At some point it had to occur to her that a husband was going to want intimacy from her. Then there's John, who brings this woman into his home and then proceeds to question whether or not he can 'betray' his dead first wife by marrying her. Then why even send for her? It just annoyed me, mainly because I felt there was too much internal dialog. The characters were in their own heads too much, and the same emotions were being rehashed over and over, which lessened their impact. I couldn't feel as bad for them when I was annoyed for having to read the same thought patterns over and over again. I also felt John's reaction to Olivia coming out with the truth about her past to be horrible. He was diminished as a hero in my eyes when he starts with the name calling and accusations. It just seemed so out of character, as if the author forced it in order to make his actions fit the turn of the story. I get why he had to react...so that things would pan out the way they were, but it didn't feel right and made me sick to my stomach to see John act in such a way.

Aside from those things, I very much enjoyed this story and I liked the ending. I liked that it didn't wrap up too prettily and the characters had time for reflection before getting back together in the end. At the end of the day, Chasing Clovers was a truly romantic and enjoyable story, one that does not contain consummated sexual scenes for those who prefer not to read those. I did appreciate the subtle sensuality of kisses shared by John and Olivia. Their chemistry was real and endearing. Kat Flannery's debut novel is a success as far as I'm concerned and I'm looking forward to seeing what else she's got up her sleeve in the future. I think she's off to a smashing start!

[Nicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Im still trying to figure out if I liked this book or not.. It took me a real long time to warm up to this heroine. It was 50+ percent in this story and she still hadnt warmed up to the H's little girl.. Eventually when she did I still felt like she loved the little boy more.. This book also was just too short.. I wanted to read more.. I felt like John had a whole lot more talking to do before she should have accepted it. I wanted to know what they built, how much longer did they wait to marry? Did they have more children?Also I was really disappointed because the only sexual talk was in the villain's POV.. After all that messed up stuff I wanted to read a tender scene between the H/h but instead we get the villain's vulgarity.. Im not saying I needed there to be sex scenes because a "clean" read would have been fine too but this wasnt a clean read and it wasnt sexual, it was just in the middle..

Im hoping this author writes Clive's story, maybe we can catch up with Livy/Angel and John..

Also I felt like this was kinda one of those hidden inspirational books, there was A LOT of religion talk and not saying it was bad or anything but I just wasnt expecting it..

I would read more by this author because I thought the story was good and it kept me reading.. There were a couple gut wrenching scenes that were very good... one time after Livy confronts John about maybe loving her, and he says he cant love her and leaves, and she then kinda berates (sp?) herself because she is unloveable.. ah! that was such a gut wrenching scene and the convo when she finally tells the truth was so heartbreaking! The author did a really good job making me feel the characters emotions (even though Liv and John seemed to be bi-polar several times in the story, you still felt it.. And poor Ben- that was sad..

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't. For one thing I hated the main character for most of the book. Yes, okay, some bad stuff had happened to her, but sheesh, she is a total witch for the first 60% of the book and cries every other paragraph. Also, John, her husband-to-be is not well fleshed out and I didn't really like him either. The only people I liked in the book were the kids! If it wasn't for them this book would've gotten one star. Also, I found the back story of Livy unbelievable at best. Also, the rape parts were a little too graphic for my taste. Bleh.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chasing Clovers is such a good story that I keep scratching my head with wonder as to why the author was subjected to many rejection letters from different publishing firms before Imajin Books had seen its potential and had it published.

Chasing Clovers started off with Livy Green and John Taylor meeting for the first time after corresponding to each other several times. They both have ulterior motives for entering a loveless marriage. For Livy, she was in desperate need to escape her dreadful and sad past. For John, who think he could not love another woman again after his wife died, he was in desperate need to have a mother (and a housekeeper) for his two children. But when Livy’s past catches up with her and suspicious events are happening on John’s ranch, she is tempted to come clean and tell John the truth, of what she used to be.

I won’t delve too much on the synopsis, because I might be tempted to reveal many spoilers. I wouldn’t want to do that; this is a book a fan of western historical fiction and romance should not miss. Oh, there are a lot of reasons!

First of all, the cover...it is beautiful. It shows a charming landscape with two beautiful individuals who looked like how I would imagine Livy and John to be; the whole picture faithfully reflects the story without giving away too much.

Then there are the characters themselves--John and Livy--who displayed so much awkwardness when in the company of each other at the beginning of the story. We couldn’t blame them; after all, they are strangers at the start, each coping with grief and pain on their own. And this, my dear fellow readers, is what makes the story stand out.

Do not expect that just because they are both gorgeous, they would immediately fall on each other’s feet, deep in love. No, what Chasing Clovers has is a relationship between husband and wife, which starts out as marriage of convenience and which progresses page by page into something more.

Do not expect John’s children to immediately warm up to Livy. No, expect Chasing Clovers to give you a reality check--that children may resent the presence of a stranger whom they think is trying very hard to replace their dear deceased mother; however, they could easily warm and open up if understood, loved, and being attended to.

While John is a strong character with sometimes unreasonable temper, my heart goes out to Livy, who had no parenting experience, who is on the run, who is living in nightmares both during the day and at night. Yet somehow, she is able to live through day to day, understandably with less smiles but with more courage to tell herself to move forward.

Clearly, Chasing Clovers is a realistic depiction of goodness and vileness of human nature and hope amid seemingly very helpless situations.

Chasing Clovers got my 4.5 stars! I look forward to the next book by Kat Flannery

*I got a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Nancy @ Simple Clockwork
http://www.nancycudis.com

[Ruth Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was one that sat on my e-reader for a while, and I forgot about it. I got so busy and was only recently reminded about it. And all I can say is that I had no idea what I was missing! This is a short book, but within a very short time of beginning it, I knew this was my kind of book! It is a historical romance with a twist, and I honestly am hooked on this author! In fact, I was shocked to discover that Kat Flannery is a debut author, and this is her first book! Wow!

This is a short book, but don't let that fool you. There is a lot of story packed into the pages. I was delighted with Livy and John. And Boyd was truly evil to the core. These characters seemed so real. I felt like I wanted to shake some sense into both Livy and John.

I want to commend the author for not writing sappy romance. I often got chills up and down my spine when the things heated up, and I found some of the interactions quite humorous. And the kids were darling. I am glad that there were no bedroom scenes. Yes, there are some adult situations that are necessary to the story, but nothing descriptive.

I only have one complaint. There is some profanity, but I am happy to report the following. There are no instances of the Lord's name being abused, and all the other instances of "hard" profanity only occurred amongst the men. Livy lets a few minor words fly, but nothing too horrible. On the flip side of this, John professes to know the Lord. In fact, it would seem that he has a personal relationship with God, and although the story is not evangelical in nature, it is always nice to see a Christian message. I am so glad that the characters had morals. This is almost a sweet, clean romance with a few minor exceptions. I certainly recommend it highly!

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really thought I was going to enjoy this book, but unfortunately I was very disappointed in it. Livy was bearable, but John came across as a self-centered jerk. There was also a LOT of cursing in the book, so much in fact, that I lost count!

The book also goes into very detailed descriptions about how the characters feel towards one another. Boyd's carnal urges, what he wants to do to Livy and how she affects him. Will stating that he doesn't think he can ever love another woman, and then he kisses and fondles Livy. I personally like the books I read to have clean romances in them and this book certainly didn't have it. I know that some people are okay with having this much detail in books, and that some actually prefer it, but it just isn't something that I like.

Having said that, this isn't the reason for the low rating, the reason for it is that I just couldn't connect with any of the characters in the book - they just seemed too fake. John is very self-centered and is quick to assume the worst of people.

Livy is scared to be alone around men, but after one encounter with John, where they kiss passionately, she is all of a sudden okay with being around them...I just don't believe that.

Overall, I didn't enjoy reading Chasing Clovers and wouldn't recommend it.

***I received a complimentary copy of this book to review. I was asked to give my honest opinion of the book - which I have done.***

[Cherna · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story had potential, but the writing was lacking.

In the first half of the book I was distracted by the writing. It had bad internal dialog, was repetitive and filled with inconsistencies (for lack of a better word). For example, the hero is angry and walks away, then a few minutes later is looking at the landscape and smiling because of its beauty.

The heroine was totally unlikable at first. And I got the feeling it was intended for her to be that way and then evolve into a 'better person', but again the writing didn't succeed in showing this in a consistent and believable way.
The way the author tried to describe her issues with taking care of the little girl could have been much better. Instead we got pages of repetitive telling how she could not handle it and how it reminded her of her own child. She was selfish and cold. And if I had been the hero I'd have kicked her out the second day.

Anyway, I like to finish what I started so I read it all and fortunately it got a *bit* better in the second part. At least the writing got to the background and the story started to come alive a bit more. Still the internal dialog was weird at times and I must have missed the part where they actually fell in love. Two stars because it could have been worse.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book on Amazon and downloaded a free e-book version.

It was a great little historical romance. I enjoyed the premise and the characters.

Kat Flannery is a very talented writer. You can tell she really did her research when writing Chasing Clovers. It's full of historical knowledge. This is the first "mail-order bride" that I've read.

I felt really bad for Livy. It seemed that she was constantly getting hurt. I kept cringing each time she got hurt. I liked that John was always there to take care of her, though. I totally fell in love with the kids. I especially liked Emily--maybe because it's such a great name (since my name is Emily--haha).

This was certainly a page turner. I finished it rather quickly. I looked forward what the next chapter would bring.

I really liked Clive, too. Could there be a sequel in store for him? I certainly would love for him to have is happily-ever-after, too.

I highly recommend this book to read.

I look forward to reading more from this author.

Happy Reading!

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hate to give top rating to a book with crude sexual remarks and scenes in addition with some profanity, but this was truly a well-written book with a great story. Of course I cannot share it with my family and friends because of embarrassment. It was so good I could barely put it down. It is a shame good writers cannot see their talents and literary abilities is great enough they do not have to muddy the story up with sexual explicitness or outward profanity.
This is a tender story of a woman becoming a 'mail order bride'after losing her only child. She wasn't totally honest in her letters and had 'friends' write her references to become the man's bride and mother to his children. She couldn't tell him she had been raised in a saloon and her mother was one of the 'working' girls. She had not chosen that life for herself and only wanted out of there. Things seemed OK at first but her past seemed to keep getting in her way. She didn't think she could ever love again nor bear another man to touch her.
This tale is full of emotions and is full of adventure and intrigue. I just wish it hadn't had been spoiled.

[Carly Fall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not one for western romances, but I do have to say I enjoyed this book. It is a well written fast read. What starts out as two people needing the other for different reasons, turns into a sweet romance. The characters were strong, and yet deeply hurt by past circumstances in each of their lives. The author also kept everything very real. Livy and John don't immediately fall head over heals for each other, but it takes time for them to really notice each other. The kids don't accept her right away either.

However, I did find it hard to read about Livy's pain and how she treats John's daughter at first. I tried to put myself in her shoes with her circumstances to understand it, but I couldn't because Livy's past is one of my worst nightmares.

The villain was also well done, making my skin crawl a time or two. Definitely put it in your TBR pile!

[Angela Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this story. I liked the element of faith and that both the characters were healing from grief. It was a sweet story that I very much enjoyed.

*Update* I didn't have much time when I first was writing this review so now I'd like to go into a little more detail. I really, for some reason, felt like I could relate to Livy/Angel. I'm not a mother and I haven't lost a child but I think that losing someone when there is nothing you can do to change their illness is something a lot of us go through. I liked that she was able to finally deal with her grief and truly care and love Ben and Emily, who were such adorable characters that even I as the reader fell in love with them, picturing their adorable faces in my minds eye. Really an endearing read; I'll be looking for more books from Kat Flannery!

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love almost anything set in the 1800"s and I love a good romance and this happens to be both things that I love wrapped up in a good story.

This is the first book by Flannery that I have read and I really enjoyed it.

The characters were great, Olivia was feisty and broken and flawed and I just really enjoyed watching her character grow and her broken heart mend. I love how strong and courageous she was.

And John was a great character too, also broken but determined to do what was best for his family and I really loved watching him overcome his demons as well.

This really truly was a sweet story that was very well written and had just enough romance and action to keep you turning the pages and wanting more.

[SheLove2Read · Rating 1 out of 5]

Borderline wallbanger for me. The heroine was an absolute nutjob. I cannot fathom why she acted the way she did - just didn't make sense to me. The hero wasn't much better. This almost reads like a Diana Palmer, only not as good. *rolls eyes*

1.25 stars because, believe it or not, I liked the kids. And that's saying something if you know me.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kat pens "Chasing Clovers" in a well written plot with strong, loveable and believable characters. A captivating fast paced read fill with suspense that you will have a hard time putting down. An easy read for all suspenseful western romance fans.

This review is based on a complimentary copy which was provided for an honest review.

[Lynelle Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspirational story about faith and courage. Finding hope and love in the hardest times of their lives.
My review will be available on the 12/10 my blog and a giveaway of this good historical read.

[Jamie Segreto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting plot

Overall I enjoyed this story and was drawn in to the characters lives. The twists and turns, a couple quite unexpected kept me turning pages. The protagonist is well developed and had me cringing and intrigued. John (make lead) is a likable man and you want him to be happy again. While I liked the Livy, main character, I sometimes found her annoying. The author wants us to see her as strong but I found her quite weak at times and waiting for her to find that strength had me impatient. I also felt that the ending was rather abrupt. Rather than just, okay, everything is fine now I would have liked to have had the conversation (the scene) played out more thoroughly.

There are a couple errors in the book but I never know if this is the author's fault, the editor, or something that occurs in becoming an e-book.

[Kathleen Downey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. A book that I could not put down. What a wonderful read. I really would of loved to have lived back in that time. Living on a ranch. The author did a fantastic job with the description of what life was like. The scenery described was beautiful. Really did her research for the way of life back then. Wonderful book.

[Trina Talma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I might have given this 3 stars, because I liked the story. But it’s such a mess that it reads like a first draft that accidentally got published. Sentence fragments, orphaned clauses, unclear pronouns, bad punctuation; you name it. The author is badly in need of a good editor.

[Chandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

AUTHOR: CHASING CLOVERS is Kat’s first published novel. This is a historical romance.

SETTING: 19th century Western which takes place on a large ranch.

CENTRAL FEMALE CHARACTER: She spent days and nights mourning for her baby that she would never see again. Needing a place to go, she answered an ad to be a wife and mother and to keep house for a widower even though she had no life skills.
CENTRAL MALE CHARACTER: He ran a large ranch. His wife died and left him with a son and daughter. He needed someone to be a mother to his children, to cook and to be a wife to him.

(4 out of 5) Stars. Elements of a Romance Book TEST =
2 central characters, 1 male, 1 female.......................YES;
One or both of the main characters are in peril.......YES
They work together to resolve the situation......NO; she is busy trying to keep up with the lies that she tells to hide the truth about her previous life.
Some amount of conflict and resistance in working together.....YES
Villain?.............……......YES

PASSION SCALE: This book gets (1) ASTERISK because the book concentrated mostly on her being cold and him trying to get to know her better as a person
* NOT very descriptive and requires imagination
** WILL make you wiggle a little)
*** WISH it was me;
**** OH BODY, whew;
***** EROTICA and well over the top

FAVORITE PART: Ezekiel shows up to teach her how to cook AND the bad guy at the mud hole.

LEAST FAVORITE PART:
Over written with regards to her breathing attacks and lies and her circular thoughts about her loss. Over, and over and over and over again.

YOU WILL LIKE THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE: Historical romance, 19th century, Western, Ranching

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Taylor's wife Becky died three years ago while giving birth to his daughter Emily. He knows that he needs to find a mother for not only Emily but his son Ben as well, so he puts an ad in the paper for a mail order bride. Livy (Angel) Green hasn't had an easy life,and fear of someone as well as the fact that she wants a fresh start propels her to answer John's ad. Thing is she had to tell a few lies in order to fill the bill for what he was looking for. What will happen if John finds out about her past, and can Livy be the mother his children so desperately need?

Strong characters and a fast paced plot moved this story right along for me, I actually read it in one sitting. Livy was dealing with some major issues from her past, once I got that insight into who she was I felt total empathy for her. I could understand why it was hard for her to connect with Emily. John was such a likable character. He was still grieving for his wife Becky, but also knew he needed to move on, for the sake of the children if nothing else. While we see his faith in God we also see a real man who was a product of the old west, who sometimes cursed, rode a bull for sport, and took a while to understand Livy's past. I enjoyed the glimpses of ranch life, and the hits and misses as Livy tried to learn to cook,garden etc. As a fan of historical romantic fiction that involves mail order brides this book fits the bill and was a satisfying read for me. There is an added element of light suspense that was an added bonus for me.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

With nowhere to go, Livy Green takes a chance on being a mail order bride. She has some serious secrets to hide. John Taylor needs a mother for his children, not a wife.Can they ever trust one another or will the past tear them apart? I love historical romances, and this is a good one but, I gave it four stars for swearing and for a disgusting, violent and murderous villain. The characters were believable, especially Livy. John was too, and their chemistry was on point. For those who are squeamish, there is no sex in the book between the two characters, but there is some heat in the book, still. Just so you know. The very ending irritated me a little bit. John was being stubborn, but of course, at the last there is the happy ending we all expect. Still, this makes me want to read other Mail order bride stories.

[Miss Pippi the Librarian]

Olivia "Livy" Green answered an ad to be a mail order bride. She wanted a new start from her career as singer, Angel Green. John Taylor wanted a wife to care for his two children. He didn't care if his second marriage was not a love match. Both are struggling to find their way through their new relationship. John tries to manage his ranch with suspicious happenings, while Olivia tries to overcome her panic attacks from the past.

Flannery sprinkles faith and choice words throughout her novel. The past always manages to catch up with people when they hold back the truth. Feelings are hurt and battles erupt, but it's truth, faith, and love that heals the hurts.

Time Period: Western, 1884
Location: Calgary, Canada

[Germaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters are well drawn and their actions are believable. The story setting is the hero's ranch in Alberta, and his foreman and ranch hands are interesting supporting characters. I was a little disappointed that we didn't get more of a feeling that this was Canada, not the United States. Both the hero and the heroine come with tragic pasts which they overcome for the requisite happy ending. Be aware, though, that part of the heroine's past is a rape, and although there is nothing prurient in the author's description of the event, it's not easy reading.

This is a good read, and I recommend it. I look forward to the author's next book.

[liirogue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. I like the risk the author took with the main character - Livy isn't very likeable for the first half of the book. She has a short temper, lies, and treats the daughter of the John, the man she is supposed to marry, badly. I also liked how you saw her and John change and struggle as the story progresses. The ending just didn't quite work though. The author spent all of this time slowly building things up and then just rushes to a conclusion in a few short pages and I don't feel like things were really resolved.

[Faye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of a mail order bride with a past she is trying to forget and/or get away from. She arrives at John's ranch, but has not given him the true fact of her past. She eventually came to love his two small children. Her relationship with John has ups and downs, but eventually has a happy ending.
The characters in this book are believable with their good and bad traits.
Somehow this story of the old west was a very good read. Some of the situations tugged at my heart strings.

[Sandra Gambill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy reading historical fiction, and liked the plot of this book, but found that it was too repetitious in many parts for it to really hold my interest. I found myself feeling frustrated that the author did not get on with the story. I did finish the book and like the way the author brought it all together in the end.

[Micky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked that this wasn't a "roses and blue birds" book. It painted a real picture of a mail order bride. At times it was gritty, at times romantic and other times very touching. I felt Livy's pain and I understood her grief process. Luckily she had someone willing to take a chance on her and at the same time mend his own heart.

[K. Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today I should have been working, but instead I read this fabulous book. My intentions were to read for a few minutes while I drank my morning coffee, but that's not what happened. I read the novel in one sitting. Chasing Clovers takes you on an emotional journey, a heart thumping ride that includes love, betrayal, danger and heartbreak.

[gwendolyn Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second Chances

This is a good old fashion love story. Not quite love at first sight. You have to go thru the getting to know and be excepted by the kids. A change of pace from living in town to living on a ranch. The ups and downs that life throws your way and being able to stand tall at the end of the day with your family by your side.