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Civil War Brides #6

The Bride Star

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Rayne Green, is a major recording star and on tour to promote her latest album. A hard-hitting, no nonsense woman, Rayne does not make friends easily and trusts no one, except her best friend, Shaye.

After a concert in Chicago, an old friend from high school lures her to an abandoned building under false pretenses. She is not prepared for what he does next, and in her attempt to escape, her world goes black.

Samuel Powell is the head of an exclusive prison, housing the worst of the worst in the country’s treasonous realm. He is called back to the prison one night to find a woman dressed as a prostitute and causing a general ruckus.

Despite her attempts to explain who she is to Sam, he doesn't believe her and Rayne is resigned to finding a way back to the future, but Sam will not give her up.

Once the truth is revealed, will he be able to convince her to stay? Will she be willing to give up the old life she knows for the new love she has found?

266 pages, Paperback

First published October 21, 2011

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Tracey Jane Jackson

31 books297 followers

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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
Profile Image for Janine.
311 reviews1 follower
May 29, 2018
Continuation of the Civil War Brides. While this is technically a standalone, it is best read in order to get the full context.
Well edited.

Rayne is a huge pop-star in 2018. After a concert in Chicago, she finds herself out with a friend, visiting the building where Hannah and Victoria disappeared. Her friend turns out to be not so friendly, and as she tries to escape, she finds herself in unfamiliar territory. Found and brought to jail, Rayne is disoriented and scared. The jailers call in the head of the jail - Samuel Powell. Samuel arrives to find Rayne, and doesn't know what to make of her. Fortunately, Victoria and Quinn are hot on his heels, and Victoria immediately recognizes Rayne. They whisk Rayne off to their house, and then away to stay with Jamie and Sophia. Rayne is none too happy when she finally accepts that she is no longer in 2018 Chicago. She desperately wants to return home. Sam follows her, and desperately wants to keep her in 1864. Who will win the battle of wills? Why is Rayne even back in 1864? Will she let go of the future to embrace the present? Will Sam be able to help and protect her?

Rayne and Sam's story is a great addition and continuation of the time-traveling saga. The reason for Rayne's appearance in 1864 is a bit on the odd side. She hasn't had a lot of people telling her no, or standing up to her sometimes childish demands, so she has a hard time dealing with Sam's responses to her. The mystery surrounding the motives of the Cary family is not really moved forward. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to Crow and Shaye's story. Enjoy.
Profile Image for Sophia.
Author 5 books399 followers
September 18, 2013
What would happen if a famous female rock star time traveled to Civil War era DC decked out in all her rocker fashion to the Civil War era? She'll be mistaken for a drunken loose woman and tossed into a cell, that's what. Oh yes! This story started out with quite a bang and I loved watching it all go down.

This was the sixth book in the Civil War Brides time-travel series and brought together Rayne Green from the future as the romance interest for Sam Powell who has been a minor character in the last few books. The series of books are so inter-connected that I would discourage reading them out of order. They build on each other even if the romance focus shifts to spotlight new couples each time. There is a nice handy-dandy chart in the front of The Rebel Bride that helps keeping the main players sorted because there are so many of them by now.

But onward with my thoughts on The Bride Star...
Rayne Green finishes a concert and much to the dismay of her friend and manager, Shaye, she goes off with a questionable guy from their highschool days just to let off some steam. He dopes her up and plans on a bit more with her in an old abandoned building, but she somehow gets away from him and ends up- in the middle of a street mistaken for a drunken whore? Rayne is so confused and argues with the police officer who puts her behind bars.

Sam gets called away from a visit with his friends to take care of a situation developing with a strange woman at the city jail. He is shocked by her appearance as she adamantly insists that she is not drunk and most definitely not a whore. Quincy's wife, Victoria, is there to insist that he bring the woman to her home. He doesn't understand what is going on with this strange woman, but the moment he sets eyes on her he feels protective and possessive.

Rayne reacts badly to the knowledge that she has gone back in time and just wants to go home. She is taken by surprise when the man who brought her away from the prison wants to see her and seems so attracted to her. Not that she's indifferent, but nobody has ever wanted her just for herself. Sam is assertive and insistent that they will be together and won't accept that she wants to leave and go home. A small part of her will admit that she is conflicted about leaving the past and leaving Sam behind.

Sam's position as warden of the prison where high profile prisoners are kept keeps him on his toes as a plot amongst the prisoners seems to be emerging. He and his friend Laughing Crow along with Chris and Clayton try to work out what is going on. But even this doesn't keep him from pursuing Rayne and persuading her that he loves her and wants to marry her even in the face of his mother's disapproval. He must even fight Rayne's own personal issues, her secretiveness and her constant threats to run home whenever he upsets her to get the happiness he knows he has with Rayne. Rayne, with the help of the wise women who surround her, must learn to really look hard at her past and see herself clearly and maybe think hard about what she really wants before she tosses a true chance at happiness aside.

The plot on this one follows true to form with the others in that a woman from the future finds herself in the past and a chance at an alternative future if she's willing to take it. I love this formula and it never gets old for me. It was thrilling to return to the plotting and scheming of those who would alter history for their own nefarious purposes too with Rayne and Sam right in the middle of it. There were some pretty exciting scenes and Sam is such a hero and tough in a crisis.

As to the characters, I love how everyone is still so very much a part of the story even after they got their own romance. It's like a big family and so cute.
Like I said, Sam is a big hero type. He tends to be autocratic and over-protective when it comes to Rayne and she puts him in his place for it. She challenges him to treat her as a partner. She wants to prove her worth and feel a part of something. She is vulnerable when it comes to him wanting her for the long haul. I liked watching him convince her that she is the best thing in his life and that will never change.
Trust me, the girl needed a lot of convincing plus she had a few other issues to work past. Her rock star status back in the future went to her head and created a primadonna attitude that gave me the urge to pop her in the back of the head when she got so caught up in herself. She would threaten Sam with 'I'm going home to the future because you don't just roll over and give me my way' card. He loved her and he was strong enough to not let her manipulate him. Go Sam! In fact, one of my favorite scenes in the book comes about when Rayne and Sam have a disagreement. She refuses to discuss it and runs off to make her way back to the future ignoring that a really worthy man has declared his love for her and committed to her and she him. She runs to Sophie to get her back through the portal and runs right into a verbal smack down that was long in coming and well deserved. In the end after several bumps in the road, I think they began coming together as a couple in all ways and not just the hot passionate side that they always had going for them.

The end of the book set up the next couple and I confess that I am salivating to read it knowing that it will be Shaye and Laughing Crow's book. This series has me totally sucked in and I look forward to each new segment. Those who enjoy Time Travel Romance with a little spice and sass to their romantic characters should give this series a try.

My thanks to the author who sent me the book in exchange for an honest review.
2,829 reviews8 followers
July 4, 2018
Another enjoyable installment of this series. Rayne is a huge pop star in the present day, and I thought that was a fun twist. I also appreciated Sam's reaction to the truth--it definitely seemed realistic and was a welcome change to how easily some of the others accepted it. I liked the romance and thought Rayne and Sam were well matched. I will admit that there were times when Rayne annoyed me, but it is what it is. I am also really excited for the next installment--can't wait to see what happens with Shaye and Crow!
543 reviews2 followers
May 15, 2018
Rayne is a rising music star but it all comes crashing down when someone from her past tries to set her up. During a dire situation, her world goes black and she wakes up in the past. Sam is captivated by her from the second he saw her, but she is keeping secrets. Will they be able to move past what she is hiding? This is another great book in the civil war brides series! I can’t wait to find out what is in store next!
Profile Image for Kat Cup of Tea Bookblog.
452 reviews6 followers
May 16, 2018
This series just keeps getting better! The Bride Star is just that a 5 star book! Sam and Rayne have chemistry from the first page. I am not normally a time travel person but I love this series. If you like historical romance, time travel romance or just a great story this book is for you. Rayne is feisty and hilarious and Sam is all alpha. Both work though issues with themselves and their relationship though out the book. So sit back and get ready for your next 5 star read!
Profile Image for Kati .
198 reviews66 followers
December 21, 2011
***original review posted at Romancing Rakes***

An interesting concept of a room in an abandoned building as some sort of time portal taking the person into the midst of the Civil War. It's what I would call a "clean romance": lots of hot and heavy kisses, a brush of the hand, a half lidded stare or two or three, some wicked grins but when it comes to The Sex, fade-to-black.

Rayne Green is a total rock star. Literally. She plays for millions of fans every night and is on tour with sold out concerts. An old friend from high school shows up one night after a show and wants to hang. Rayne's friend Shaye doesn't think it's a good idea but hey, Rayne can do whatever she wants. Bad idea.

The friend takes Rayne to an abandoned warehouse where it's said that it's haunted and people disappear from it. Rayne is a bit leery but it's with an old friend. How bad could it be even if two girls have mysteriously disappeared from there? Said friend spikes her water with something and tries to take advantage of her. Mustering enough strength to knee him where the sun don't shine, she stumbles around trying to find a way out. Entering the door that she shouldn't go in, she notices it's been untouched for ages and blacks out.

Rayne wakes up in the street and gets mistaken for a whore. Two icky men try to have their way with her but she gets away. She's thrown into jail for causing a ruckus and selling her wares in the street. Being a twenty-first century woman, Rayne takes offense. Where in the heck is she?! All these people wearing period clothing eyeing her like she's totally inappropriate. Well, dressed in skintight clothing might do that.

Enter the handsome Samuel Powell. He doesn't know what to make of this woman. His friend's wife comes to the rescue. She's also from the future and is one of the girls who disappeared. She seems well adjusted and okay with living in a time where there are no proper bathrooms and women were supposed to defer to their husbands. Rayne meets a few more people from the future but she still seems skeptical. If she is trapped in the middle of the Civil War, she wants to go home. Whatever it takes. But her attraction to Sam soon makes her question whether she wants to go back to her time or not.

Sam is smitten with Rayne from the first moment he sees her. Fiery and outspoken, she challenges him at every turn. Sam wants to show Rayne around and he won't take 'no' for an answer. Rayne thinks- 'what could it hurt?' She might as well see the sights and sounds of the city while she's here and everyone is trying to figure out how to get her home. As the days drag on waiting for an answer, Rayne falls into a comfortable routine with Sam.

Sam knows that there's something that Rayne isn't telling him. Something is off and why does she keep insisting that she 'go home'? Her manner of speaking and slip of the tongue makes him a bit suspicious. He tries to get her to let him in. He tells her that they're getting married. Yup, no 'will you marry me?' Just all out-- 'we're getting married'. At first, Rayne is a offended. Who did this guy think he was telling her they're getting married? They haven't known each other long enough and she's not willing to tell him everything.

All the other time travelers accept Rayne as part of their ever growing family. When each one of them first meets Rayne, they freak out. There's a rock star among them! During gatherings, they get her to sing some of her songs. Sam knows something is off because how could these people he's known for a while know things about Rayne that he doesn't know and they've only known her for a short time.

Rayne must tell Sam who she is, where she's from and why she needs to go back home before she falls more in love with him. Sam must convince Rayne to stay with him after finding out everything.

FAVORITE QUOTE:
Victoria closed the door and leaned against it. "You've been transported back in time."
"Like as in, time travel?" Rayne let out a nervous laugh.
Hannah nodded. "Yes, time travel. You've been sent back in time."
"Funny...I don't see a Delorian parked outside."
Hannah giggled. "Thing Kate and Leopold, rather than Back to the Future."


OVERALL: It's been a while since I've read anything past the Regency era and jumping in to the middle of the Civil War and a book series was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed reading this book and made me want to go back and read the previous ones but I found it a bit lacking. At least in the intimacy department. Jackson takes the same route as Stephenie Meyer when it comes to The Sex. (no broken headboards or floating feathers) Full of hot and heavy kisses, some intense staring, quite a few shouting matches and fade-to-black sexing with many laugh out loud moments. It's a sweet story that will literally sweep you off your feet and into a different time. Rayne and Sam must work out their huge differences and allow themselves that happily ever after they both deserve. The Bride Price (first book in the series) is floating around the Kindle so I will be reading it to see how it all began.

***review copy provided by author***
165 reviews1 follower
May 15, 2018
The Civil War Brides series is bringing together such wonderful couples in a twist of storylines. Everything is not what it appears to be on the surface.

***given an ARC in exchange for honest review***
Profile Image for Latifa Morrisette.
2,580 reviews63 followers
May 16, 2018
With every book I read this series just gets better and better. I am in love with Samuels and Rayne. This is much like the first couple books in which the one of the characters travels back in time. This series has made me develop a love of time-travel romance. I'm so excited for more!!
Profile Image for Michelle Lambert.
86 reviews3 followers
June 11, 2018
Awesome read!!

I continue to enjoy this series! Drop a pop star into a civil war battle field and what do you get? Utter confusion for the soldier whose arms she falls into! And a great story!
Profile Image for Mandee.
441 reviews
July 20, 2018
Fabulous Book

I love this series! Each book brings something new and adventurous. I fell in love with this book. The characters are fantastic. I look forward to the next adventure in The Bride Pursued.
Profile Image for Michele Del Rey.
3,002 reviews30 followers
May 15, 2018
I really liked this book. It was a unique story. These charactors had such chemistry, their love came off of each page. Really enjoyed.
Profile Image for Samantha Rae.
Author 31 books20 followers
June 28, 2018
As always Piper delivers an amazing story. She is my one click author all the time.
1 review
March 24, 2021
Great Series

Love the series, but I didn’t expect them to get so sexual in nature. The first three are by far my favorite.
Profile Image for Raven.
46 reviews2 followers
June 23, 2022
Loved Sam, but found Rayne annoying. I get that she’s meant to be a spoiled pop star. So, looking past that…I enjoyed this overall.
Profile Image for Brenda.
602 reviews
October 30, 2011
Of all of the books in the "Civil War Bride Series", written by Tracey Jane Jackson, this book #6 of the Series, "The Bride Star", is my favorite to date!

If you like time travel, and civil war era books, this is truly one for you. If you have followed the books in this series there are some that I thought were better than others, the difference between a 4 and a 5, big difference going on there, I think this one should be a 6! You aren't allowed to rate any of them a 6 so this is a hearty 5!

Rayne is fresh off the stage after one of her rock star performances, and finds herself drugged by the friend who lured her away. She tries to run but is locked in the building and enters into a very strange room, decorated in the Victorian era. She passed out and woke up in the woods, and is found by a man who mistakes her for a prostitute and attacks her. She is rescued but thrown into jail. I'm sure you know this is all very confusing to her, as she was fighting off the affects of the drug she was given.

Everyone around her is dressed in the civil war era clothing and they don't understand why she is dressed the way she is, she doesn't understand where they came from either, in their strange garb. She wants to try and find her way back home. She actually meets people who are from her time period and they know who she is, she was famous when they were thrown back in time. They are willing to help her find her way home, but she falls in love. Will she stay where she is, forever, will she stay for love?

You have to read this book to find out the answers, if you haven't read the series you will want to. I have to say, this book left me wanting more, I was so disappointed when the story ended!! I look forward to book #7 of the Civil War Bride Series.

Here is the description I found on Amazon about the book:

Rayne Green, is a major recording star and on tour to promote her latest album. A hard-hitting, no nonsense woman, Rayne does not make friends easily and trusts no one, except her best friend, Shaye.

After a concert in Chicago, an old friend from high school lures her to an abandoned building under false pretenses. She is not prepared for what he does next, and in her attempt to escape, her world goes black.

Samuel Powell is the head of an exclusive prison, housing the worst of the worst in the country’s treasonous realm. He is called back to the prison one night to find a woman dressed as a prostitute and causing a general ruckus.

Despite her attempts to explain who she is to Sam, he doesn't believe her and Rayne is resigned to finding a way back to the future, but Sam will not give her up.

Once the truth is revealed, will he be able to convince her to stay? Will she be willing to give up the old life she knows for the new love she has found?
Profile Image for Judith.
1,226 reviews
February 25, 2013
It's one thing to be a co-ed and find oneself transported back 145 years. It's quite another to be a well-reknown rock star, complete with a retinue of background musicians and a host of fans mobbing your life. So it is with Rayne Green and a woman whose contemporary life is rudely interrupted by time travel, a journey she doesn't at all appreciate and one she is anxious to reverse, in spite of the fact that she meets a man who upends her emotions and forces her to look at herself and life very differently. Sam is a serious man, one entrusted with the oversight of one of the Union Army's most secure prisons. Finding Rayne, seeing how she is dressed--only whores dress like that--and rescuing her from drunken and unprincipled soldiers is like an emotional and sexual bolt out of the blue for a man whose life is routinized, carefully constructed, and focused on some personal goals that did not include marriage. It is a wonderful story filled with humor but it is also a story of how people change, how their ideas of life and love shift and change when the people around them challenge them to be better than they are. Beautifully written and constructed to keep the reader's interest from start to finish. A very, very nice reading experience.
Profile Image for Amazeballs Book Addicts.
2,811 reviews243 followers
January 28, 2019
Starting this book, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect since Rayne was a new character and Samuel hasn't been a huge part of any previous books, but I was very pleasantly surprised that I was hooked from the very first page and couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen. Samuel turned out to be one of my favorite heroes of this series and let me tell you that says a whole lot because I really love all the heroes. Samuel had the patience of a saint I swear. There were times I wanted to strangle Rayne but Ms. Jackson totally redeemed her in the end. I cheated and looked at who the next book is about and I'm excited to say it is about Rayne's best friend, Shaye and Crow. Can't wait for more from this series!! A copy was gifted in exchange for an honest review. Another 5 AMAZEBALLS stars in my book!!

Review by Tabitha
Profile Image for Shannon Sonneveldt.
Author 11 books7 followers
August 23, 2013
Tracey Jackson is one of my favorite authors and I LOVE this series. That said this is so far my least favorite in the series. I loved catching up on the characters from the previous books in the series but didn’t really connect with Rayne and Sam. I did love the ‘talking to’ that Rayne received from Sophie about her spoiled selfish ways but overall just didn’t gravitate to the main couple. That said, it laid the ground work for the next book which I can’t wait to read – Shaye and Crow, so can’t wait for that story! I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Cayla.
1,079 reviews36 followers
September 18, 2016
At first, I wasn't sure I was going to like this book, but now I do! It was a great read. Rayne struck me as a spoiled brat who had gotten way too used to being in the spotlight and demanding her own way every single time. She really needed a good support system and got that through Hannah, Sophie, and Victoria. I hope that as the series continues that she will grow in maturity.

Onward to Book 7!
Profile Image for Victoria .
47 reviews1 follower
June 23, 2012
I was not sure I was going to like this story because of a rock star being introduced as the person traveling back in time, but she surprised me by making her very likable once she met Sophie. I was scared that the story was going to veer away from the rest of the books but she is an amazing author who has away of bringing the characters around to make sure they fit in the rest of the stories.
Profile Image for Leah Banicki.
Author 16 books95 followers
November 22, 2011
A fun read, a great story full of twists and turns and a relevant wit. Modern strong women somehow sent back in time- a charming time traveling romp.
Profile Image for Nellie.
1,363 reviews23 followers
May 4, 2012
I love this series! Excellent premise, easy read. Fun historical value. Clean romance, and great for my teen daughter! I love these!!! I wish there was no end!!!
11 reviews1 follower
August 23, 2013
I was wondering where this would go, introducing us to a whole new character we hadn't even heard of before, but I shouldn't have been worried. It was just as good as the others.
42 reviews
Read
April 13, 2014
Excellent

did not thin I was going to like this one as much as the others. I was wrong. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I was enthralled by this one
Profile Image for Elise Hargreaves.
687 reviews3 followers
Read
May 15, 2018
Another fabulous trip back to our Civil War Brides 💕

Another great read in the Civil War Bride series! I cannot get enough of these books!! I loved that our other favourite's like Sophie and Victoria weren't afraid to feed Rayne a slice of humble pie when she needed it instead of pandering to her every whim like she was accustomed to. I liked Rayne's character and her tendency to speak her mind - even though she was prone to throwing to occasional tantrum - because she wasn't too proud to admit when she was wrong and it was clear she had a good heart and had had a run of bad luck early on in her life. Sam was a wonderful character, his love for Rayne was intense and all encompassing and even though at times Rayne felt chastised or slightly smothered, Sam would have done anything for her and these were two people who just needed time to understand each other. I love the possibility of Jake and Amelia and I am now on pins and needles waiting for Crow and Shaye!!
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