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Westward Winds #1
Summer of Promise
Though she had planned to spend the summer in Vermont with her sweetheart, Abigail Harding cannot dismiss her concerns over her older sister. Charlotte's letters have been uncharacteristically melancholy, and her claims that nothing is wrong ring false, so Abigail heads West to Wyoming. The endless prairie seems monotonous, but when her stagecoach is attacked, Wyoming promises to be anything but boring. Luckily, the heroics of another passenger, Lieutenant Ethan Bowles, save the day.
When circumstances--and perhaps a bit of matchmaking--put Abigail and Ethan together, there's certainly attraction. But Abigail is planning to marry another man and return to life in Vermont as soon as she is finished attending to her sister. And Ethan loves his life in the Army and the wilds of Wyoming. When summer ends, will Abigail go back East? Or will she fall in love with this rugged land herself?
Book 1 of the new Westward Winds series, Summer of Promise is a tale of following your heart to unexpected places. Readers will enjoy Amanda Cabot's passionate characters and vibrant setting in the beautiful high prairie.
When circumstances--and perhaps a bit of matchmaking--put Abigail and Ethan together, there's certainly attraction. But Abigail is planning to marry another man and return to life in Vermont as soon as she is finished attending to her sister. And Ethan loves his life in the Army and the wilds of Wyoming. When summer ends, will Abigail go back East? Or will she fall in love with this rugged land herself?
Book 1 of the new Westward Winds series, Summer of Promise is a tale of following your heart to unexpected places. Readers will enjoy Amanda Cabot's passionate characters and vibrant setting in the beautiful high prairie.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
381 people are currently reading
2689 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Cabot
39 books989 followersWith both parents avid readers, it's no surprise that Amanda Cabot learned to read at an early age. From there it was only a small step to deciding to become a writer. Of course, deciding and becoming are two different things, as she soon discovered. Fortunately for the world, her first attempts at fiction were not published, but she did meet her goal of selling a novel by her thirtieth birthday. Since then she’s sold more than forty novels. When she’s not writing, Amanda enjoys sewing, cooking and – of course – reading.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews
March 1, 2018
3.5 stars
The story held my attention easily and was an enjoyable story of two sisters, with some mystery and romance thrown in for good measure. I liked that the romance was so chaste and felt realistic. Though I guessed parts of the mystery early on, I didn't guess it all. And the parts with the puppy were so cute and accurate!
I'll definitely be reading the next book soon. I have to find out what happens to Charlotte now. There are definitely strings left hanging to be answered later in the series.
The story held my attention easily and was an enjoyable story of two sisters, with some mystery and romance thrown in for good measure. I liked that the romance was so chaste and felt realistic. Though I guessed parts of the mystery early on, I didn't guess it all. And the parts with the puppy were so cute and accurate!
I'll definitely be reading the next book soon. I have to find out what happens to Charlotte now. There are definitely strings left hanging to be answered later in the series.
July 12, 2015
Once again a story with so much potential...
It started off really good, then it even got better, but...what kind of ending was that?
Stupid and dissapointing, that's what it was.
I knew Jeffrey was behind those robberies, but killing him was unnecessary and unrealistic.
Charlotte 's reaction did not fit the description of her character throughout the book...and just...what kind of ending was that???
Though...I loved the dog, Puddles. The best character in this book.
It started off really good, then it even got better, but...what kind of ending was that?
Stupid and dissapointing, that's what it was.
I knew Jeffrey was behind those robberies, but killing him was unnecessary and unrealistic.
Charlotte 's reaction did not fit the description of her character throughout the book...and just...what kind of ending was that???
Though...I loved the dog, Puddles. The best character in this book.
August 12, 2020
This book had so much potential,but it kind of disappointed me. I was a huge fan of the sister’s relationship together. The romance and mystery was okay. I would’ve liked to see more of both. I wish there was more Ethan and Abigail moments. I did love all the cute moments with Puddles,and I’m going to try Charlotte’s book.
May 25, 2019
The first in this series tells a complete story. It could stand alone. There is one character ripe for a book of her own.
This story was mostly slow. There were some minor mysteries, but I thought their explanations were a little obvious. As it neared the end, the contrivances in the plot got a little outrageous. There were some truly stupid decisions and actions near the end.
This is a Christian book. Although I wouldn't call it preachy, some characters frequently prayed for guidance and intervention and the potential spiritual birth of one character was a plot point.
I sometimes don't like Christian books because they lean a little too far into making God a genie who solves life's problems. That might be OK, but in this case, God in this book solved those problems mostly in the way those characters wanted them solved often with no pain. "Help God, save me from this stagecoach robbery... Thank you, that was just what I wanted - nobody got seriously hurt including the robber." This first episode of the story is just an example of what would happen again more than once. Real life is messy even when God directs a person's path. More often than not, God's solutions are not exactly what we want and they include pain even if it's temporary.
Abigail is impulsive and she's a meddler. Her heart is always in the right place, but she also endangers herself. She is more than a little naive and what's worse, she gets away with it far too often.
Ethan is a good guy. He's honest and dedicated. At first he's shy about his feelings. But I also felt like he wasn't as cautious as he should be on more than one occasion. And he got away with it too often.
I like that this author writes clean romance with some mystery puzzles thrown in.
Mature themes: not really. There was no sex. There were murders. There were some hints of sadism near the end, but never explicitly named.
General note about reviews: Please hide spoilers. Some people read reviews before the book to see if they want to read it. There are at least two reviews on this book that were blatant spoilers. I think I would have figured it out, but never got the chance.
This story was mostly slow. There were some minor mysteries, but I thought their explanations were a little obvious. As it neared the end, the contrivances in the plot got a little outrageous. There were some truly stupid decisions and actions near the end.
This is a Christian book. Although I wouldn't call it preachy, some characters frequently prayed for guidance and intervention and the potential spiritual birth of one character was a plot point.
I sometimes don't like Christian books because they lean a little too far into making God a genie who solves life's problems. That might be OK, but in this case, God in this book solved those problems mostly in the way those characters wanted them solved often with no pain. "Help God, save me from this stagecoach robbery... Thank you, that was just what I wanted - nobody got seriously hurt including the robber." This first episode of the story is just an example of what would happen again more than once. Real life is messy even when God directs a person's path. More often than not, God's solutions are not exactly what we want and they include pain even if it's temporary.
Abigail is impulsive and she's a meddler. Her heart is always in the right place, but she also endangers herself. She is more than a little naive and what's worse, she gets away with it far too often.
Ethan is a good guy. He's honest and dedicated. At first he's shy about his feelings. But I also felt like he wasn't as cautious as he should be on more than one occasion. And he got away with it too often.
I like that this author writes clean romance with some mystery puzzles thrown in.
Mature themes: not really. There was no sex. There were murders. There were some hints of sadism near the end, but never explicitly named.
General note about reviews: Please hide spoilers. Some people read reviews before the book to see if they want to read it. There are at least two reviews on this book that were blatant spoilers. I think I would have figured it out, but never got the chance.
September 8, 2015
I really really loved this book. I've hardly read anything like it. It was so wonderful. If I read it in two days, that has got to mean something good, right?!
Summer of Promise is the story of Abigail Harding. Though wanting to spend her summer in Vermont with her soon to be fiancé. She feels called to go visit her sister who lives in Fort Laramie, Wyoming. Her sister says everything is fine in her letters, but Abigail feels like something is wrong. On her way, her stagecoach is attacked which promises that her stay in Wyoming will be anything but boring, as she thought. After a time, she feels called to stay in this wild land and to one young soldier who is falling for her. But can she find where her heart truly lies, in Vermont or Wyoming?
I decided to read this book because someone recommended it on a blog I can't seem to remember at the moment. Anyways, I haven't read much romance novels or a ton of historical fiction. So, I was very surprised to find out how much I liked this book! It was fabulous!!!
The setting in the late nineteenth century after the Civil War was perfect and made the romance so much sweeter. The land was described beautifully and now I wish I could go to that time period... The romance between Abigail and Eathan was sweet and touching. The book switches between Abigail and Eathan's point of view (there is also one other person's point of view shown just a few times). There were even a few exciting and dangerous moments which I was surprised to find.
Now, there was a thing or two that was mentioned and was inappropriate but was realistically there in that society. I didn't feel uncomfortable with it though, because it was displayed in a bad light as the wrong thing to do (and wasn't described with a lot of details). That said, I wouldn't suggest this book for kids or young teens.
I would recommend this to those who like clean, Christian romance novel with a little bit of adventure. This was a really good book.
You can check out this review on my blog too, at: https://aheartredeemed.wordpress.com/... Thanks!
Summer of Promise is the story of Abigail Harding. Though wanting to spend her summer in Vermont with her soon to be fiancé. She feels called to go visit her sister who lives in Fort Laramie, Wyoming. Her sister says everything is fine in her letters, but Abigail feels like something is wrong. On her way, her stagecoach is attacked which promises that her stay in Wyoming will be anything but boring, as she thought. After a time, she feels called to stay in this wild land and to one young soldier who is falling for her. But can she find where her heart truly lies, in Vermont or Wyoming?
I decided to read this book because someone recommended it on a blog I can't seem to remember at the moment. Anyways, I haven't read much romance novels or a ton of historical fiction. So, I was very surprised to find out how much I liked this book! It was fabulous!!!
The setting in the late nineteenth century after the Civil War was perfect and made the romance so much sweeter. The land was described beautifully and now I wish I could go to that time period... The romance between Abigail and Eathan was sweet and touching. The book switches between Abigail and Eathan's point of view (there is also one other person's point of view shown just a few times). There were even a few exciting and dangerous moments which I was surprised to find.
Now, there was a thing or two that was mentioned and was inappropriate but was realistically there in that society. I didn't feel uncomfortable with it though, because it was displayed in a bad light as the wrong thing to do (and wasn't described with a lot of details). That said, I wouldn't suggest this book for kids or young teens.
I would recommend this to those who like clean, Christian romance novel with a little bit of adventure. This was a really good book.
You can check out this review on my blog too, at: https://aheartredeemed.wordpress.com/... Thanks!
January 1, 2016
SUMMARY: Though she had planned to spend the summer in Vermont, Abigail Harding cannot dismiss her concerns over her older sister. Charlotte's letters have been uncharacteristically melancholy, and her claims that nothing is wrong ring false, so Abigail heads west to Fort Laramie, Wyoming. When her stagecoach is attacked, Wyoming promises to be anything but boring. Luckily, the heroics of another passenger, Lieutenant Ethan Bowles, save the day.
Abigail plans to marry when she returns to Vermont, just as soon as she attends to her sister. As the summer passes, she finds herself drawn to this rugged land and to a certain soldier determined to persuade her to stay. When summer ends, will she go back East, or will she find her heart's true home?
REVIEW: I really like Amanda Cabot's writing, but found this book somewhat slow paced. It started off with a bang with the stagecoach holdup and picked up in places but was rather slow in other places. The characters were very good. I loved the interaction between Charlotte and Abigail and found Abigail a strong, faith-filled woman who was also growing both emotionally and spiritually. She also was willing to learn new things and help others. The romance between Abigail and Ethan was well paced. Cabot's descriptions of life and the scenery were spot on, and it was obvious she had visited and observed Wyoming's prairie life. The mystery that was tied into the romance and history was a unique subplot. My only problem with the mystery is that about 2/3 of the way through I pretty much knew who the responsible party was. Overall a good book and I plan to finish this series.
FAVORITE QUOTES:
"No matter how well you think you know someone, you never really know what's inside another person's heart."
"Don't marry anyone unless you love him so much you can't imagine living without him."
"Had she really asked, or had she merely told God what she wanted and then waited for His approval of her plans? She feared she had done the latter. Perhaps that was why she hadn't received an answer."
Abigail plans to marry when she returns to Vermont, just as soon as she attends to her sister. As the summer passes, she finds herself drawn to this rugged land and to a certain soldier determined to persuade her to stay. When summer ends, will she go back East, or will she find her heart's true home?
REVIEW: I really like Amanda Cabot's writing, but found this book somewhat slow paced. It started off with a bang with the stagecoach holdup and picked up in places but was rather slow in other places. The characters were very good. I loved the interaction between Charlotte and Abigail and found Abigail a strong, faith-filled woman who was also growing both emotionally and spiritually. She also was willing to learn new things and help others. The romance between Abigail and Ethan was well paced. Cabot's descriptions of life and the scenery were spot on, and it was obvious she had visited and observed Wyoming's prairie life. The mystery that was tied into the romance and history was a unique subplot. My only problem with the mystery is that about 2/3 of the way through I pretty much knew who the responsible party was. Overall a good book and I plan to finish this series.
FAVORITE QUOTES:
"No matter how well you think you know someone, you never really know what's inside another person's heart."
"Don't marry anyone unless you love him so much you can't imagine living without him."
"Had she really asked, or had she merely told God what she wanted and then waited for His approval of her plans? She feared she had done the latter. Perhaps that was why she hadn't received an answer."
August 8, 2019
I liked this book, but I didn't love it. I enjoyed the setting and felt that the research was well done. I liked the characters and the strong faith thread.
June 10, 2015
Summer of Promise is a Christian historical romance set in 1885 in Wyoming. It's the first in a series but can be read as a stand alone novel. The author vividly described the area and what fort life was like at this time without slowing the pacing. There's a mystery throughout about who is involved in the stage coach robberies. We're told enough to guess at the unknowns, but it's realistic that Ethan doesn't immediately suspect certain characters. We have more information than he does.
The characters were complex, likable, and acted realistically. Ethan and Abigail fell in love slowly as they spent time together and got to know each other. They want to help each other, and their friendship develops into something deeper. Charlotte's part of the story deals with a husband and wife who love each other yet still have hurt feelings as certain choices create tensions.
The Christian aspect is mostly in how the main characters treat those around them but also in where they look to understand what love truly is and to find forgiveness. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this enjoyable novel.
The characters were complex, likable, and acted realistically. Ethan and Abigail fell in love slowly as they spent time together and got to know each other. They want to help each other, and their friendship develops into something deeper. Charlotte's part of the story deals with a husband and wife who love each other yet still have hurt feelings as certain choices create tensions.
The Christian aspect is mostly in how the main characters treat those around them but also in where they look to understand what love truly is and to find forgiveness. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this enjoyable novel.
December 31, 2015
*New to me author*
This was an enjoyable story with a mystery to be solved. Would have given the book 4 stars if I didn't guess who the insider was from the beginning. The author did a good job of trying to confuse the reader with hints here and there, but I had my suspicions from the start and was not surprised when the person was revealed.
I enjoyed Abigail's character a lot. How she interacted with Ethan and her sister Charlotte and what she did to improve there moods. Also how she acknowledge God in major decisions and how she was eager to do what is right even if it was inconvenient or frown upon.
The book had a slow start but closer to the 70% mark the book picked up speed until the big revelation. It also ended with a mystery which seems will follow in book 2.
I will finish the series, I found I enjoyed the characters and would love to read more about them.
Recommended for historical fiction readers who also enjoys a mystery.
This was an enjoyable story with a mystery to be solved. Would have given the book 4 stars if I didn't guess who the insider was from the beginning. The author did a good job of trying to confuse the reader with hints here and there, but I had my suspicions from the start and was not surprised when the person was revealed.
I enjoyed Abigail's character a lot. How she interacted with Ethan and her sister Charlotte and what she did to improve there moods. Also how she acknowledge God in major decisions and how she was eager to do what is right even if it was inconvenient or frown upon.
The book had a slow start but closer to the 70% mark the book picked up speed until the big revelation. It also ended with a mystery which seems will follow in book 2.
I will finish the series, I found I enjoyed the characters and would love to read more about them.
Recommended for historical fiction readers who also enjoys a mystery.
May 10, 2012
Not sure what to say about this one but I kept thinking I'd like it more. I finally got to page 200 and chapter 12 and I just didn't care to finish the book, so I decided to move on. I tried because I hate to give up on a book half way through, but honestly, it moved too slowly and I was bored, so I started skimming. That's not a good thing. So while the writing was fine, this plot and characters just didn't grab me, so I gave up on it. I didn't hate it. I simply didn't care enough to keep reading.
February 27, 2013
I felt this book was kind of a slow read. It was pretty predictable and the resolution was a bit abrupt. I liked the main characters and thought there was good chemistry there, but I was disappointed that there was no magical kiss. I waited and waited for it...and then the book ended. I can't help but feel kind of gyped.
August 24, 2019
Abigail
I very much enjoyed this book. Sometimes we think we have our future all planned out, only to realize that God’s plans are totally different! We have only to accept His plans instead of our own. Very well done!
I very much enjoyed this book. Sometimes we think we have our future all planned out, only to realize that God’s plans are totally different! We have only to accept His plans instead of our own. Very well done!
April 4, 2024
Historical inspirational mystery set in 1885 Fort Laramie, WY. Interesting story. First in a trilogy.
May 14, 2016
I didn't love this book but I didn't hate it either. It's weird because, it had some content that I didn't particularly care for and yet, the subjects and writing was done in such a way that it wasn't uncomfortable to read about like most books of this nature.
Abigail's character was intriguing. I was hooked at the beginning of the book during the stage robbery. At first I expected it to be cliché and ordinary and I was rolling my eyes at yet another assumed tale of the delicate flower feinting in the arms of the soldier as they were being robbed. But it didn't go that way at all. It was actually somewhat comical reading how Abigail tried to help the soldier by keeping the rest of the stage travelers calm and out of his way. Even to the point of shoving smelling salts in a old woman's face. It was hilarious and gripping at the same time. After that, I was starting to get more interested in Abigail's character, wondering why she was traveling, who she was visiting, etc.
Ethan, the soldier from the stage coach robbery, was the most interesting. His history and background, why he joined the army, and his character/personality were all things that I enjoyed reading about. In my opinion, he was my favorite character.
This might very well be the first romance book I've ever read where two characters were in love and didn't act on those feelings. It was extremely refreshing to read about Abigail's engagement to Woodrow and how Ethan respected that relationship and was gentleman enough to not act on his love for Abigail until after that engagement had ended. I really liked that and respected Ethan all the more for not kissing a girl who was already promised to someone else. In fact, I suddenly realized as I read the last page of the book, that Ethan and Abigail never kissed. Ethan proposed to her with love shining in his eyes but the book didn't end with them kissing, it ended with them being happy and engaged. It was a nice change from the normal route christian romance writer's take.
As much as I liked Ethan, I disliked Jeffrey. I knew right away that he was bad news and when I read about his implied flings with other women even though he was married and had a child on the way, I knew right away that I didn't like him. Equally, I had suspicions that he was involved in the stage robberies and also that he was working on the inside, giving the robbers tips about which stage coaches they should rob. I will say that I was thankful that none of the details were written about concerning Jeffrey. Cabot kept everything clean. Well, as clean as you can with the subject of a cheating spouse. But other than explaining to the reader that he was cheating on his wife, she never went into any detail about it, something that I, as a single young woman, greatly appreciated.
There was one other thing that some might not be interested in reading about. In this book, there was a saloon where the men went to carouse and gamble. It served as the destination for Jeffrey's cheating and also for the bandits who were robbing the stage coaches. It came into the book only a handful of times, mainly to show conversations between the bandits and to highlight conversations with Abigail and a young woman working there whom she was trying to minister to and befriend. When Abigail visited, it was always with Ethan to accompany her and keep her safe. We never were shown an in-depth peek into the carousing that went on there, thankfully, but the existence of the saloon was a part of the story.
Knowing all that Jeffrey was involved in and doing, I was sympathetic to poor Charlotte, Abigail's sister and Jeffrey's wife. Charlotte was sickly and easily changed based on her husband's sudden mood swings. I felt so sorry for her and for Abigail who was working so hard to improve her sister's life; trying to make sure that the baby and mother could both get through the pregnancy healthy and strong.
This definitely wasn't a favorite Amanda Cabot book. I enjoyed “Paper Roses” more. But I was happy to see that Cabot chose to not fall into the same pitfalls with the storyline that so many other authors fall into. Every uncomfortable subject was handled with God and good choices as a countermeasure and every pitfall of writing no-no's was avoided with masterful ease.
Overall, the book was good, I just wasn't a major fan of the story itself in comparison to Cabot's other works. However, I do look forward to reading the sequel and finding out what happens next in the series.
Abigail's character was intriguing. I was hooked at the beginning of the book during the stage robbery. At first I expected it to be cliché and ordinary and I was rolling my eyes at yet another assumed tale of the delicate flower feinting in the arms of the soldier as they were being robbed. But it didn't go that way at all. It was actually somewhat comical reading how Abigail tried to help the soldier by keeping the rest of the stage travelers calm and out of his way. Even to the point of shoving smelling salts in a old woman's face. It was hilarious and gripping at the same time. After that, I was starting to get more interested in Abigail's character, wondering why she was traveling, who she was visiting, etc.
Ethan, the soldier from the stage coach robbery, was the most interesting. His history and background, why he joined the army, and his character/personality were all things that I enjoyed reading about. In my opinion, he was my favorite character.
This might very well be the first romance book I've ever read where two characters were in love and didn't act on those feelings. It was extremely refreshing to read about Abigail's engagement to Woodrow and how Ethan respected that relationship and was gentleman enough to not act on his love for Abigail until after that engagement had ended. I really liked that and respected Ethan all the more for not kissing a girl who was already promised to someone else. In fact, I suddenly realized as I read the last page of the book, that Ethan and Abigail never kissed. Ethan proposed to her with love shining in his eyes but the book didn't end with them kissing, it ended with them being happy and engaged. It was a nice change from the normal route christian romance writer's take.
As much as I liked Ethan, I disliked Jeffrey. I knew right away that he was bad news and when I read about his implied flings with other women even though he was married and had a child on the way, I knew right away that I didn't like him. Equally, I had suspicions that he was involved in the stage robberies and also that he was working on the inside, giving the robbers tips about which stage coaches they should rob. I will say that I was thankful that none of the details were written about concerning Jeffrey. Cabot kept everything clean. Well, as clean as you can with the subject of a cheating spouse. But other than explaining to the reader that he was cheating on his wife, she never went into any detail about it, something that I, as a single young woman, greatly appreciated.
There was one other thing that some might not be interested in reading about. In this book, there was a saloon where the men went to carouse and gamble. It served as the destination for Jeffrey's cheating and also for the bandits who were robbing the stage coaches. It came into the book only a handful of times, mainly to show conversations between the bandits and to highlight conversations with Abigail and a young woman working there whom she was trying to minister to and befriend. When Abigail visited, it was always with Ethan to accompany her and keep her safe. We never were shown an in-depth peek into the carousing that went on there, thankfully, but the existence of the saloon was a part of the story.
Knowing all that Jeffrey was involved in and doing, I was sympathetic to poor Charlotte, Abigail's sister and Jeffrey's wife. Charlotte was sickly and easily changed based on her husband's sudden mood swings. I felt so sorry for her and for Abigail who was working so hard to improve her sister's life; trying to make sure that the baby and mother could both get through the pregnancy healthy and strong.
This definitely wasn't a favorite Amanda Cabot book. I enjoyed “Paper Roses” more. But I was happy to see that Cabot chose to not fall into the same pitfalls with the storyline that so many other authors fall into. Every uncomfortable subject was handled with God and good choices as a countermeasure and every pitfall of writing no-no's was avoided with masterful ease.
Overall, the book was good, I just wasn't a major fan of the story itself in comparison to Cabot's other works. However, I do look forward to reading the sequel and finding out what happens next in the series.
February 26, 2017
3.5 out of 5 stars
January 9, 2012
A love of historical romances originally drew me to SUMMER OF PROMISE by AMANDA CABOT. Discovering it took place in Wyoming was the sealed the deal. As I began to read and realized it was set at Fort Laramie, I quickly flipped back to the front cover. Sure enough the building was the exact one I had taken pictures of on a trip to Fort Laramie, Wyoming a few years back.
In reading the authors notes, she too visited Fort Laramie and was quickly inspired to write a story. Having been there I couldn’t agree more. While I was there I recorded information for a book that I was writing based out of Hartville, Wyoming, not far from there. I hope to visit Fort Laramie one day with my family, and I’m sure when I do, SUMMER OF PROMISE will once again come alive.
When Abigail Harding set out to confirm her suspicions about her sister, she never imagined what God had planned for her. An attempted stagecoach robbery. A man who killed for a living. And...
Ethan Bowles has lived a life protecting his heart, so love was not in the picture. That is until he meets the beautiful and impulsive Abigail Harding. Only problem is, she’s promised to a man back home in Vermont. Even if that were not the case, she’d made it perfectly clear that Wyoming was boring and not for her.
AMANDA CABOT writes a wonderful historical romance with an equal portion of suspense, intrigue, and romance. The majority of books I read are Christian fiction, but I don’t welcome being preached too. I believe that stories need to be realistic, and sin, trials and tribulations are a part of life. SUMMOR OF PROMISE met my desire on both accounts.
The faith aspect was mildly woven in with just the right amount. I liked that the secondary characters in the story were allowed to drink and visit “Peg’s”. There are some faith based publishers that doesn’t allow such things, even though it’s the “bad guys” that do so or a character that goes through a faith growth. I loved the ending as well. Readers will be kept guessing, and are in for a not so common ending.
Though there are several characters, each were unique and well thought-out. I really loved the idea of touching on one of the secondary characters throughout the book, to later discover her story will be continued in the next book.
MS CABOT has done an amazing job of creating intrigue and anticipation for her next book in this WESTWARD WINDS series.
In reading the authors notes, she too visited Fort Laramie and was quickly inspired to write a story. Having been there I couldn’t agree more. While I was there I recorded information for a book that I was writing based out of Hartville, Wyoming, not far from there. I hope to visit Fort Laramie one day with my family, and I’m sure when I do, SUMMER OF PROMISE will once again come alive.
When Abigail Harding set out to confirm her suspicions about her sister, she never imagined what God had planned for her. An attempted stagecoach robbery. A man who killed for a living. And...
Ethan Bowles has lived a life protecting his heart, so love was not in the picture. That is until he meets the beautiful and impulsive Abigail Harding. Only problem is, she’s promised to a man back home in Vermont. Even if that were not the case, she’d made it perfectly clear that Wyoming was boring and not for her.
AMANDA CABOT writes a wonderful historical romance with an equal portion of suspense, intrigue, and romance. The majority of books I read are Christian fiction, but I don’t welcome being preached too. I believe that stories need to be realistic, and sin, trials and tribulations are a part of life. SUMMOR OF PROMISE met my desire on both accounts.
The faith aspect was mildly woven in with just the right amount. I liked that the secondary characters in the story were allowed to drink and visit “Peg’s”. There are some faith based publishers that doesn’t allow such things, even though it’s the “bad guys” that do so or a character that goes through a faith growth. I loved the ending as well. Readers will be kept guessing, and are in for a not so common ending.
Though there are several characters, each were unique and well thought-out. I really loved the idea of touching on one of the secondary characters throughout the book, to later discover her story will be continued in the next book.
MS CABOT has done an amazing job of creating intrigue and anticipation for her next book in this WESTWARD WINDS series.
October 15, 2013
I don't go into a description of the book too much for two reasons: the "blurb" should tell you that and other reviews cover the subject more often than not. Anyone familiar with my reviews knows the way I do them....if not familiar, it's quite easy to figure out.
Actual rating: 4 3/4+ stars
Storyline/plot: 5 stars...... The author has started this series with a bit of a twist in the storyline. I was interested from the beginning. We read many stories where families go west, few where a single lady goes west by herself. This made it unique in itself, but then you add to it the reason for her trip, the fact she was visiting her married sister, the mystery of the stagecoach robberies. All of it kept me reading to discover what was happening next. I also loved Puddles, the puppy. I'm a dog lover (as many are) and enjoyed his "exploits".
Characters: 5 stars...... I found each one interesting, in their own way. I'm hoping that at least some of them will find their way into other books of this series - or indeed have a book of their own.
Editing: 4 3/4 stars..... I'm hardest on this category. Nothing puts a damper on a story more quickly than a lot of editing mistakes. I'm glad to say that I found only a few in this book.
Enjoyment: 5 stars..... Actually I could give more stars here as I really liked the book, however 5 stars is my limit, thus it shall be. However, I was interested, enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the next of the series. That speaks a lot in this area.
Actual rating: 4 3/4+ stars
Storyline/plot: 5 stars...... The author has started this series with a bit of a twist in the storyline. I was interested from the beginning. We read many stories where families go west, few where a single lady goes west by herself. This made it unique in itself, but then you add to it the reason for her trip, the fact she was visiting her married sister, the mystery of the stagecoach robberies. All of it kept me reading to discover what was happening next. I also loved Puddles, the puppy. I'm a dog lover (as many are) and enjoyed his "exploits".
Characters: 5 stars...... I found each one interesting, in their own way. I'm hoping that at least some of them will find their way into other books of this series - or indeed have a book of their own.
Editing: 4 3/4 stars..... I'm hardest on this category. Nothing puts a damper on a story more quickly than a lot of editing mistakes. I'm glad to say that I found only a few in this book.
Enjoyment: 5 stars..... Actually I could give more stars here as I really liked the book, however 5 stars is my limit, thus it shall be. However, I was interested, enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the next of the series. That speaks a lot in this area.
February 5, 2012
If your a fan of historical fiction where there is always plenty going on then your in for a real treat with "Summer Of Promise" by Amanda Cabot!
This book draws the reader back in time to the summer of 1885. Abigail Harding's life was pretty well planned out, she lives in Vermont teaches school and plans to marry her beau.Letters from her sister Charlotte has her worried though so she decides to take a trip to Wyoming and spend the summer with her sister. Before she ever arrives a fellow passenger Lt. Ethan Bowles, saves her stagecoach from being robbed. Will she only spend the summer or does fate have something else in store for Abigail?
This is the first book in the exciting new historical fiction series "Westward Winds." Abigail was such a wonderful character, she was a very brave ,level headed person, and from the beginning my heart wanted her and Ethan together.
While many historical romances are pretty predictable, not so with this book, the author provides a few twists and turns that really held my attention. While the ending was satisfying there were a few loose ends which leaves me anxious for the next book in the series!
Amanda Cabot is an author who really knows how to bring historical fiction to life, with easy to relate to characters and a story line that grabbed my attention from the first page and kept me intrigued until the final sentence!
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
This book draws the reader back in time to the summer of 1885. Abigail Harding's life was pretty well planned out, she lives in Vermont teaches school and plans to marry her beau.Letters from her sister Charlotte has her worried though so she decides to take a trip to Wyoming and spend the summer with her sister. Before she ever arrives a fellow passenger Lt. Ethan Bowles, saves her stagecoach from being robbed. Will she only spend the summer or does fate have something else in store for Abigail?
This is the first book in the exciting new historical fiction series "Westward Winds." Abigail was such a wonderful character, she was a very brave ,level headed person, and from the beginning my heart wanted her and Ethan together.
While many historical romances are pretty predictable, not so with this book, the author provides a few twists and turns that really held my attention. While the ending was satisfying there were a few loose ends which leaves me anxious for the next book in the series!
Amanda Cabot is an author who really knows how to bring historical fiction to life, with easy to relate to characters and a story line that grabbed my attention from the first page and kept me intrigued until the final sentence!
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
February 7, 2012
My Review: Take a trip to wonderful, windy, Wyoming!
Abigail Harding makes the long journey to Fort Laramie to visit her sister, Charlotte, the wife of an officer. But things are not always how they seem, the fort is plagued with deserters and thefts, and Abigail finds herself gazing into the eyes of a certain Lieutenant
Ethan Bowles.
Well written and well researched, I found Summer of Promise to show a wonderful representative of Wyoming, Prairie Dog holes and all! I loved how Ms. Cabot perfectly captured the Wyoming I know and love, it's not often I find a book set in Wyoming that actually gets it right! But this one did.
The story moved along quickly, and had a certain charmingness to it. The characters were well done, and the puppy was pretty cute. My favorite character was Ethan, a man with a stubborn determination about him--he also said that he would never marry...you know how that goes...
Overall, a enjoyable read. The ends didn't tie up exactly the way I thought they would, but that's just how life goes I guess! Recommended to readers of sweet prairie romances.
Final Rating : 4.5 out of 5
Thanks to the publisher and Donna Hausler who provided me with this copy to review honestly :)
November 24, 2015
Abigail Harding leaves her home in Vermont to visit her sister in Wyoming. She doesn't know what to expect, but reading between the lines of her sister's letters, she's sure something is amiss. What she doesn't expect is to survive a stagecoach holdup or to meet a man who makes her forget about the one she left behind. Lieutenant Ethan Bowles is charged with finding the thief at Fort Laramie and stopping the army deserters who are holding up stagecoaches. Both jobs would be easier to do without the distraction of the lady from Vermont. Can the two work together to improve the situation at Fort Laramie for everyone, including themselves?
Engaging characters with a bit of a mystery that will keep the reader guessing the "whodunit" until the end. Set in beautiful Wyoming in 1885, author Amanda Cabot brings Fort Laramie to life. Well worth the read!
Engaging characters with a bit of a mystery that will keep the reader guessing the "whodunit" until the end. Set in beautiful Wyoming in 1885, author Amanda Cabot brings Fort Laramie to life. Well worth the read!
July 16, 2017
Um wow, that was super enjoyable. I generally find inspirational HR a little bit deeper and more reflective due to its religious influence. It's a refreshing change from same-old tropes in regular HR.
The only reason I didn't give it a full five star rating was because I felt it gragged a bit during the middle which resulted in a rushed ending. The characters for the most part were interesting and fun to read, but I had hoped a little bit more from Charlotte, especially at the end. The dreams and 'revelations' were a bit of an eye-roll, but hey, it's an inspirational HR, so it comes as part of the package.
The only reason I didn't give it a full five star rating was because I felt it gragged a bit during the middle which resulted in a rushed ending. The characters for the most part were interesting and fun to read, but I had hoped a little bit more from Charlotte, especially at the end. The dreams and 'revelations' were a bit of an eye-roll, but hey, it's an inspirational HR, so it comes as part of the package.
March 10, 2015
This is my first book by Amanda Cabot. It was really good and has me looking forward to more books by this author.
The reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 is that I had figured out who the "bad guy" was less than half way through. Even though the author seems to try to get the reader to suspect 2 or 3 others, my suspicions never wavered. In the end, I wasn't surprised at all.
The reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 is that I had figured out who the "bad guy" was less than half way through. Even though the author seems to try to get the reader to suspect 2 or 3 others, my suspicions never wavered. In the end, I wasn't surprised at all.
February 10, 2016
I enjoyed getting to know Abigail and Ethan. There is much to like about this book. From the impulsive and generous Abigail, who manages to tug at the heartstrings of dedicated and strong Ethan, to Puddles the dog that seems to steal the show whenever he is in a scene. There is romance and mystery. Who is at the heart of all of the robberies? Who can be trusted? It made for an interesting read.
June 27, 2015
I did like this book. Engaging and fun. Good characters. I like historical novels to have a little more history than what was in this book. Setting the book in a historic time period is not the same as being a historical novel. One big issue with this book was all the errors. Someone needs to fix the comma errors and repeated words.
July 24, 2012
Wonderful Historic Romance with a bit of mystery and intrigue mixed in. Looking forward to reading the remainder of the series. Review: http://bookaholicconfessions.blogspot...
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May 29, 2012Downloaded as a fee Kindle book.
Got bored and could not finish.
Got bored and could not finish.
March 6, 2018
After reading two emotionally exhausting, but wonderful books simultaneously, one audio and one hard back, I knew I needed something lighter.
This novel was not a random choice. We are vacationing this summer in what was once the Wild West, and Fort Laramie is one of our planned stops. I generally love this genre, and it's a great way to cleanse the palate, so to speak.
Abigail juggles her feelings regarding a beau back home, an unwanted "suitor" in Wyoming, and a lieutenant at Fort Laramie, whom she is clearly attracted to, and vice versa. This all well and good, and a hallmark of this genre. But, the subplots. Oh, the subplots.
There's a group of bandits/deserts/road agents attacking stage coaches with wealthy passengers. There are solders at the fort responsible for getting to the bottom of who the ringleader is and who's involved, but only as an afterthought.
A rambunctious puppy whose typical puppy antics take center stage at times, and for what purpose, I do not know.
Sister Charlotte is experiencing marital discord, something is "off" with her husband, and of course her pregnancy is a difficult one.
We meet a prostitute who works at a "hog ranch" near the fort, and whom Abigail befriends despite social mores, and despite suspecting her brother-in-law is a paying customer.
There are more, but you get the point.
Forget cleansing the palate, this was like being served meat when you've been a vegan for years, or finding out the wine bar only serves beer.
This novel was not a random choice. We are vacationing this summer in what was once the Wild West, and Fort Laramie is one of our planned stops. I generally love this genre, and it's a great way to cleanse the palate, so to speak.
Abigail juggles her feelings regarding a beau back home, an unwanted "suitor" in Wyoming, and a lieutenant at Fort Laramie, whom she is clearly attracted to, and vice versa. This all well and good, and a hallmark of this genre. But, the subplots. Oh, the subplots.
There's a group of bandits/deserts/road agents attacking stage coaches with wealthy passengers. There are solders at the fort responsible for getting to the bottom of who the ringleader is and who's involved, but only as an afterthought.
A rambunctious puppy whose typical puppy antics take center stage at times, and for what purpose, I do not know.
Sister Charlotte is experiencing marital discord, something is "off" with her husband, and of course her pregnancy is a difficult one.
We meet a prostitute who works at a "hog ranch" near the fort, and whom Abigail befriends despite social mores, and despite suspecting her brother-in-law is a paying customer.
There are more, but you get the point.
Forget cleansing the palate, this was like being served meat when you've been a vegan for years, or finding out the wine bar only serves beer.
June 27, 2020
This story was good and I enjoyed it. If you don't like Christian fiction this may not be the book for you. Abigail follows her heart out west to Wyoming were her newly married sister is living at the military base where her husband is stationed. She ends up spending the summer with her sister and she also becomes closer to one of the officers, Ethan. Abigail brings her faith and trust in God with her, spreading love and care wherever she goes. Ethan helps Abigail to appreciate Wyoming and the adventure and beauty it has.
There are some surprises along the way as Abigail and Ethan become friends and maybe something more.
I will definitely be reading the second book in the series to see what goes on with her sister. This book was slightly different from what a normal Christian story because it felt like there was a slight conversion it didn't feel so heavy handed? But maybe it was me? I had this book on my shelf so I took some time to read it.
Quote:
“'Not very often. Papa wanted us to strive for the reward Jesus promised. He said that if we accepted Jesus as our savior and spent our lives following his example, we wouldn’t have to worry about fire and brimstone.’
‘Promises instead of threats. It’s an intriguing approach.’
‘Not just toward faith. That’s what you offered your men when you organized the baseball games. You gave them the promise of entertainment and a new challenge. You didn’t threaten anything’”(p. 118-119).
There are some surprises along the way as Abigail and Ethan become friends and maybe something more.
I will definitely be reading the second book in the series to see what goes on with her sister. This book was slightly different from what a normal Christian story because it felt like there was a slight conversion it didn't feel so heavy handed? But maybe it was me? I had this book on my shelf so I took some time to read it.
Quote:
“'Not very often. Papa wanted us to strive for the reward Jesus promised. He said that if we accepted Jesus as our savior and spent our lives following his example, we wouldn’t have to worry about fire and brimstone.’
‘Promises instead of threats. It’s an intriguing approach.’
‘Not just toward faith. That’s what you offered your men when you organized the baseball games. You gave them the promise of entertainment and a new challenge. You didn’t threaten anything’”(p. 118-119).
April 20, 2020
Vermont "almost-engaged" schoolteacher Abigail Harding meets cavalry soldier Ethan Bowles aboard a stagecoach from Cheyenne to Fort Laramie, Wyoming. She's not initially impressed by the West and hates guns; Ethan has had little experience with love in his life, having been raised by a strict grandfather. But despite their differences, Abigail and Ethan find themselves drawn to one another ...
There were some editing oversights within the text of the Kindle version:
Page 37, A couple inches shorter / A couple OF inches shorter ; 43, at least a couple men / at least a couple OF men ; 49, by a couple inches / by a couple OF inches ; 86, a couple inches taller / a couple OF inches taller ; 142, A couple chickens scratched / A couple OF chickens scratched ; 180, a couple search parties / a couple OF search parties ; 208, He must have snuck back / He must have SNEAKED back ;
Page 221, I met him a couple times / I met him a couple OF times ; 281, the enormity of it frightened him / the INTENSITY of it frightened him ; 328, It appeared the Puddles could not tolerate / It appeared THAT Puddles could not tolerate ; 393, trying to staunch the flow / trying to STANCH the flow (STAUNCH, adjective, faithful or loyal; STANCH, verb, to stop the flow of [a liquid]) .
There were some editing oversights within the text of the Kindle version:
Page 37, A couple inches shorter / A couple OF inches shorter ; 43, at least a couple men / at least a couple OF men ; 49, by a couple inches / by a couple OF inches ; 86, a couple inches taller / a couple OF inches taller ; 142, A couple chickens scratched / A couple OF chickens scratched ; 180, a couple search parties / a couple OF search parties ; 208, He must have snuck back / He must have SNEAKED back ;
Page 221, I met him a couple times / I met him a couple OF times ; 281, the enormity of it frightened him / the INTENSITY of it frightened him ; 328, It appeared the Puddles could not tolerate / It appeared THAT Puddles could not tolerate ; 393, trying to staunch the flow / trying to STANCH the flow (STAUNCH, adjective, faithful or loyal; STANCH, verb, to stop the flow of [a liquid]) .
March 16, 2018
I thought I’d be giving this 5 stars, but realized there were two main problems I couldn’t easily ignore.
The first was the army rounding up the dogs. It isn’t a gruesome scene in any way, shape, or form, but being a major animal lover it felt cruel and unnecessary to the plot. The main character could have seen a puppy in the street and brought it home, they didn’t need the other part of that scene to take place.
The second problem was towards the end. I wasn’t happy with the way I was taken out of the intensity of the final confrontation while changing POVs. It was intense one moment, then changed to a more mellow atmosphere, then back to intense. It annoyed me because it changed too quickly in the middle of the most suspenseful scene of the book.
While I intend to finish the series, I really hope the next two books don’t have these problems.
The first was the army rounding up the dogs. It isn’t a gruesome scene in any way, shape, or form, but being a major animal lover it felt cruel and unnecessary to the plot. The main character could have seen a puppy in the street and brought it home, they didn’t need the other part of that scene to take place.
The second problem was towards the end. I wasn’t happy with the way I was taken out of the intensity of the final confrontation while changing POVs. It was intense one moment, then changed to a more mellow atmosphere, then back to intense. It annoyed me because it changed too quickly in the middle of the most suspenseful scene of the book.
While I intend to finish the series, I really hope the next two books don’t have these problems.
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