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On the Trail to Moonlight Gulch
It’s 1886, and Chicago is booming, but for nineteen-year-old Torsten Pilkvist, American-born son of Swedish immigrants, it’s not big enough. After tragically losing a rare love, Tory immerses himself in the pages of a Wild West mail-order bride magazine, where he stumbles on the advertisement of frontiersman and Civil War veteran Franklin Ausmus. Torsten and Franklin begin an innocent correspondence—or as innocent as it can be, considering Torsten keeps his true gender hidden. But when his parents discover the letters, Tory is forced out on his own. With nowhere else to go, he boards a train for the Black Hills and Franklin’s homestead, Moonlight Gulch.
Franklin figures Tory for a drifter, but he’s lonely after ten years of living in the backcountry alone, and his “girl” in Chicago has mysteriously stopped writing, so he hires Tory on as his ranch hand. Franklin and Tory grow closer while defending the land from outlaws who want the untapped gold in Franklin’s creek, but then Franklin learns Tory’s true identity and banishes Tory from his sight. Will their lives be forever tattered, or will Torsten—overhearing a desperate last-ditch scheme to snatch Franklin’s gold—be able to save Moonlight Gulch and his final shot at love?
Franklin figures Tory for a drifter, but he’s lonely after ten years of living in the backcountry alone, and his “girl” in Chicago has mysteriously stopped writing, so he hires Tory on as his ranch hand. Franklin and Tory grow closer while defending the land from outlaws who want the untapped gold in Franklin’s creek, but then Franklin learns Tory’s true identity and banishes Tory from his sight. Will their lives be forever tattered, or will Torsten—overhearing a desperate last-ditch scheme to snatch Franklin’s gold—be able to save Moonlight Gulch and his final shot at love?
320 pages, ebook
First published April 13, 2012
7 people are currently reading
300 people want to read
About the author
Shelter Somerset
12 books54 followersShelter Somerset's home base is Chicago, Illinois. He enjoys writing about the lives of people who live off the land, whether they be the Amish, nineteenth-century pioneers, or modern-day idealists seeking to live apart from the crowd. Shelter's fascination with the rustic, aesthetic lifestyle began as a child with family camping trips into the Blue Ridge Mountains. His “brand” is anything from historicals, mysteries, thrillers, and contemporaries, all with individualistic themes. When not back home in Illinois writing, Shelter continues to explore America's expansive backcountry and rural communities. His philosophy is best summed up by the actor John Wayne: "Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway."
Shelter Somerset's novels are available on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Shelter-Somerse...
Shelter Somerset's novels are available on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Shelter-Somerse...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
February 23, 2019
After reading The Celestial by Barry Brennessel, I've started looking for more historicals set in the American West around the end of the 19th century and I've come across Shelter Somerset's On the Trail to Moonlight Gulch.
The book has a complex and winding plot following a young Swedish-American man, Torsten Pilkvist, and a Civil War veteran, Franklin Ausmus, and their relationship variously complicated by lies, secrets and external dangers.
Despite growing fond of the characters and curious about the outcome of their story, I thought the writing was a bit clunky and unnecessarily didactic at times and that detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book.
The historical setting and details were fascinating and convincing and I've appreciated the slow build up to the story and the bizarre subterfuge Torsten employs to get to know Franklin (who turned out to be my favourite MC).
Despite not being crazy about it, this novel was an interesting discovery and a good company for a few reading sessions.
A rounded 3-star.
The book has a complex and winding plot following a young Swedish-American man, Torsten Pilkvist, and a Civil War veteran, Franklin Ausmus, and their relationship variously complicated by lies, secrets and external dangers.
Despite growing fond of the characters and curious about the outcome of their story, I thought the writing was a bit clunky and unnecessarily didactic at times and that detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book.
The historical setting and details were fascinating and convincing and I've appreciated the slow build up to the story and the bizarre subterfuge Torsten employs to get to know Franklin (who turned out to be my favourite MC).
Despite not being crazy about it, this novel was an interesting discovery and a good company for a few reading sessions.
A rounded 3-star.
Read
October 19, 2012DNF-18%
Lovely way of setting up the mood and the feel of the time period. It felt authentic if maybe a bit heavy at times with the descriptions and the prose but that wasn't really an issue. My main problem with this book was 19 yr old Tory. I wasn't able to warm up to him, didn't like him, more like couldn't stand him...at all. In my opinion, many of his thoughts headed too much into CWD (chick with dick) territory to my liking and being in his head was painful.
We know from the blurb that Tory loses Joseph to a tragic accident and eventually begins to correspond with Franklin due to an ad he saw on a mail-order bride magazine. I never got to meet Franklin, never got on the trail, didn't want to, didn't care. Thanks to Tory I lost all interest in this book.
Lovely way of setting up the mood and the feel of the time period. It felt authentic if maybe a bit heavy at times with the descriptions and the prose but that wasn't really an issue. My main problem with this book was 19 yr old Tory. I wasn't able to warm up to him, didn't like him, more like couldn't stand him...at all. In my opinion, many of his thoughts headed too much into CWD (chick with dick) territory to my liking and being in his head was painful.
We know from the blurb that Tory loses Joseph to a tragic accident and eventually begins to correspond with Franklin due to an ad he saw on a mail-order bride magazine. I never got to meet Franklin, never got on the trail, didn't want to, didn't care. Thanks to Tory I lost all interest in this book.
May 5, 2012
This one was a mixed bag. It started out well and had real potential, but in the end it didn't work for me. The historical setting and detail lent some extra substance to the story. The characters, however, were annoyingly inconsistent: Frank morphed from a gentle nature-loving soul to Mr. Macho and then just went bananas (for no logical reason) at the end when he found out about Tory's true identity. And Tory went from a fairly self-assured young man in Chicago to a simpering (yes, he actually simpered) boy-toy once he met Frank. When Frank and Tory finally do get together it was borderline icky: Frank just grabs a confused and sleeping Tory out of bed and drags him off to ravish him. Um, consent,anyone? The secondary characters were pretty much straight out of central casting (madam with a heart of gold - check; wise Indian sidekick - check; mustache-twirling evil villain (with bonus French accent) - check; crooked lawman - check.) Wish I had better things to say about this one, but as always, your mileage may vary.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2012
The blurb doesn't do this book justice.
June 15, 2012
This review appears at OurStory/GLBT Bookshelf: http://bookworld.editme.com/REVIEW-ON...
REVIEW: On the Trail to Moonlight Gulch
By Shelter Somerset
Rreviewed by Lichen Craig
Four out of five stars.
The first thing that must be said about The Trail to Moonlight Gulch is that is a rollicking good read – never less than entertaining. Somerset has a knack for drawing interesting characters, compelling the reader to stay glued to the story. And a good story it is: set in late nineteenth-century Chicago and Dakota Territory, it is full of angst, twists and turns, surprises, sweet romance, danger and suspense. Unfortunately, for the discerning reader, the book contains some glaring flaws, but these are made up for by the excitement inherent in the story itself.
Nineteen-year-old Torsten Pilkvist is a good boy. The son of Swedish immigrants, the owners of a bakery and boarding house in Chicago, his days are filled with diligently and respectfully working at his family’s business. But Torsten dreams of finding a way to leave home and start an adult life, and he is tormented by the shame in the realization that he is sexually attracted to men. When he meets the love of his life, things seem to be looking up, until a tragic accident changes the course of his hopes. Despairing, he answers an ad for a mail-order bride to the Black Hills of the wild Dakota Territory– but he answers it deliberately keeping his gender to himself. Predictably he falls for the letters’ recipient, and vice-versa. And more predictably, a final confrontation with his parents over his sexual preferences leads to Torsten’s fleeing toward the West to find the frontiersman of his fantasies – despite the lie upon which their correspondence has flourished.
Somerset is a master at painting a picture of the daily details of the past. One can see the streets of Chicago, smell the air, feel the surge of immigration. The pages are furnished with historical factual details that make reading fascinating for the fan of a good historical novel. Likewise, the latter part of the book paints a picture of the American frontier in which one smells the pine, hears the trickle of waterfalls, senses the tension of the gold-rush years, and appreciates the stark contrast between the easier life east of the Mississippi and the hard physical labor required to carve out a life in the West. The homestead on which Franklin Ausmus lives is so vivid that one deeply feels its terrific impending loss when it is threatened.
The problems with the book come mainly in the last quarter. The first three-quarters of the book read quickly, enticingly – although this reader heaved a sigh at the suggestion that a nineteen-year-old finds a forty-year-old sexually attractive, particularly in an era where people who lived hard lives aged quickly; the May-December cliché is much overdone in gay romance. But barring that failed suspension of disbelief – there are some problems that should never appear in an otherwise well-written book. Perhaps most frustrating is the abundance of clichés. These come to a head when during a final shootout at the homestead, we have someone falling shot from a tower, then crawling on his belly to painfully raise a rifle and fire the shot that saves the hero; we have a villain having been dispatched with several gunshots, then rising from the dead to stand and aim a rifle at the hero one more time. These kinds of things leave the reader rolling eyes. There are also lapses in logic – for example when a character steals a horse and drops his duffle bag, only to magically be in possession of the contents of the bag later; men have anal sex repeatedly without anyone using any type of lube or adequate preparation (elementary research for a writer hoping to write gay sex scenes!). Most annoying are the glaring grammatical errors in the final quarter of the book. These matter because they break the flow of reading – forcing the reader’s mind to stop abruptly.
Unfortunately, such a foray into cliché, illogic, and technical error hurts the believability of the story overall and lessens the quality of the book. Still, the story as an idea is so terribly good, the description so well-done, and the characters so strong, that this reviewer must somewhat reluctantly assign a four of five stars. If the reader can look past the occasional silliness, the book is well worth the time.
REVIEW: On the Trail to Moonlight Gulch
By Shelter Somerset
Rreviewed by Lichen Craig
Four out of five stars.
The first thing that must be said about The Trail to Moonlight Gulch is that is a rollicking good read – never less than entertaining. Somerset has a knack for drawing interesting characters, compelling the reader to stay glued to the story. And a good story it is: set in late nineteenth-century Chicago and Dakota Territory, it is full of angst, twists and turns, surprises, sweet romance, danger and suspense. Unfortunately, for the discerning reader, the book contains some glaring flaws, but these are made up for by the excitement inherent in the story itself.
Nineteen-year-old Torsten Pilkvist is a good boy. The son of Swedish immigrants, the owners of a bakery and boarding house in Chicago, his days are filled with diligently and respectfully working at his family’s business. But Torsten dreams of finding a way to leave home and start an adult life, and he is tormented by the shame in the realization that he is sexually attracted to men. When he meets the love of his life, things seem to be looking up, until a tragic accident changes the course of his hopes. Despairing, he answers an ad for a mail-order bride to the Black Hills of the wild Dakota Territory– but he answers it deliberately keeping his gender to himself. Predictably he falls for the letters’ recipient, and vice-versa. And more predictably, a final confrontation with his parents over his sexual preferences leads to Torsten’s fleeing toward the West to find the frontiersman of his fantasies – despite the lie upon which their correspondence has flourished.
Somerset is a master at painting a picture of the daily details of the past. One can see the streets of Chicago, smell the air, feel the surge of immigration. The pages are furnished with historical factual details that make reading fascinating for the fan of a good historical novel. Likewise, the latter part of the book paints a picture of the American frontier in which one smells the pine, hears the trickle of waterfalls, senses the tension of the gold-rush years, and appreciates the stark contrast between the easier life east of the Mississippi and the hard physical labor required to carve out a life in the West. The homestead on which Franklin Ausmus lives is so vivid that one deeply feels its terrific impending loss when it is threatened.
The problems with the book come mainly in the last quarter. The first three-quarters of the book read quickly, enticingly – although this reader heaved a sigh at the suggestion that a nineteen-year-old finds a forty-year-old sexually attractive, particularly in an era where people who lived hard lives aged quickly; the May-December cliché is much overdone in gay romance. But barring that failed suspension of disbelief – there are some problems that should never appear in an otherwise well-written book. Perhaps most frustrating is the abundance of clichés. These come to a head when during a final shootout at the homestead, we have someone falling shot from a tower, then crawling on his belly to painfully raise a rifle and fire the shot that saves the hero; we have a villain having been dispatched with several gunshots, then rising from the dead to stand and aim a rifle at the hero one more time. These kinds of things leave the reader rolling eyes. There are also lapses in logic – for example when a character steals a horse and drops his duffle bag, only to magically be in possession of the contents of the bag later; men have anal sex repeatedly without anyone using any type of lube or adequate preparation (elementary research for a writer hoping to write gay sex scenes!). Most annoying are the glaring grammatical errors in the final quarter of the book. These matter because they break the flow of reading – forcing the reader’s mind to stop abruptly.
Unfortunately, such a foray into cliché, illogic, and technical error hurts the believability of the story overall and lessens the quality of the book. Still, the story as an idea is so terribly good, the description so well-done, and the characters so strong, that this reviewer must somewhat reluctantly assign a four of five stars. If the reader can look past the occasional silliness, the book is well worth the time.
April 14, 2012
Somewhere between a 3.5 and a 4. My rating in no way reflects the quality of the writing or the story. In my opinion, the writing is great with fantastic attention to detail. Its very subtle in the romance department and very little sex. The sex that is there on page is hardly descriptive at all. Its a very, very slow build between the characters with more of a focus on plot than than romance. The plot follows a first love in Chicago, a relationship built by letters, a travel across the country, the greed for Gold, a murder trail, and much, much more. All of these factors are the central of the plot. For those that love a historical novel, I think you would really enjoy this. The only reason this is somewhere between a 3.5 and a 4 for me is that right now I'm mostly in the mood for funny/sarcastic writing or stories that have a lot of grit. That or super short gooey reads. As this novel doesn't really meet any of that criteria it fell just short of something fantastic for me. I will certainly though read something by this author in the future.
April 20, 2012
This nail-biter reads more like a late 19th century novel, minus the sex, and I kept checking the front page to make sure it was written in 2012. I was thoroughly impressed with both the clever style and the inspirational theme that the search for love is universal -- it's merely the technology that sets us apart from those of the past.
The impact of the climax put me through a gut-wrenching blending machine I hadn't experienced in quite some time. Highly highly recommend.
The impact of the climax put me through a gut-wrenching blending machine I hadn't experienced in quite some time. Highly highly recommend.
September 5, 2012
I was surprised at how engrossing this was. Historicals aren't my usual thing, but once I got in the mood to read this, I devoured it eagerly. (This review says it better than I can.)
July 22, 2012
When was the last time I finished a novel and then turned to the beginning and started reading all over again? I'm in the middle of my second reading and I still can't put it down. Magnum Opus!
November 12, 2016
I rarely read historical novels, but, on occasion, I come across one that sounds intriguing. So, I am no expert, but this one truly fascinated me. It has great attention to detail, characters that come alive and are so real to me that I feel as if I have actually met them, and the suspense kept me turning the pages. The topic of a ‘mail order bride’ in times before the Internet is as interesting as the way Franklin and Tory end up dealing with the deception Tory commits. The basic problem of not knowing who is at the other end of the correspondence before there were telephones and video conferences is not so very different from meeting someone only in cyberspace, but the implications back then were very different and the historical setting added a lot of depth to what was going on.
Tory, the son of Swedish Immigrants born in Chicago, is so lonely it made my heart hurt. He doesn’t even admit it to himself until he meets Joseph – and sees what it might be like to have a friend, and, eventually, a lover. When tragedy strikes he is desperate enough to try anything to alleviate the crushing emptiness in his heart. It takes him a while to realize how much he will have to distance himself from his parents, but when he does, he grows up fast. I can totally understand why he acts the way he does with Franklin, even while knowing that the train wreck is unavoidable. And, boy, did it still hurt when it happens!
Franklin, while physically strong, is a wounded war veteran who has learned to deal with life with one arm. What he is not willing to accept (yet) is that he will remain a bachelor. His ‘personal ad’ ends up getting him a much better response than he ever expected. He values honesty, having faced a fight with a local ‘bandit; in sheep’s clothing for a long time, so when he discovers Tory’s deception it hits him especially hard. His subsequent road to ‘enlightenment’ is painful, and I hung on every word as he worked his way through dealing with the aftermath.
This book, while set at the end of the 19th century, has many lessons that are as important today as they were back then. I loved the added sense of adventure the ‘Wild West’ setting gave me, and enjoyed exploring the new territory along with Tory. If you enjoy historical set in the Wild West, reading this is a must. If you are looking for a character-driven story with wonderful emotional depth, please give this one a try. And if you enjoy the sense of adventure that comes from exploring a ‘world’ not well known to you, you will probably like this book as much as I did.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Tory, the son of Swedish Immigrants born in Chicago, is so lonely it made my heart hurt. He doesn’t even admit it to himself until he meets Joseph – and sees what it might be like to have a friend, and, eventually, a lover. When tragedy strikes he is desperate enough to try anything to alleviate the crushing emptiness in his heart. It takes him a while to realize how much he will have to distance himself from his parents, but when he does, he grows up fast. I can totally understand why he acts the way he does with Franklin, even while knowing that the train wreck is unavoidable. And, boy, did it still hurt when it happens!
Franklin, while physically strong, is a wounded war veteran who has learned to deal with life with one arm. What he is not willing to accept (yet) is that he will remain a bachelor. His ‘personal ad’ ends up getting him a much better response than he ever expected. He values honesty, having faced a fight with a local ‘bandit; in sheep’s clothing for a long time, so when he discovers Tory’s deception it hits him especially hard. His subsequent road to ‘enlightenment’ is painful, and I hung on every word as he worked his way through dealing with the aftermath.
This book, while set at the end of the 19th century, has many lessons that are as important today as they were back then. I loved the added sense of adventure the ‘Wild West’ setting gave me, and enjoyed exploring the new territory along with Tory. If you enjoy historical set in the Wild West, reading this is a must. If you are looking for a character-driven story with wonderful emotional depth, please give this one a try. And if you enjoy the sense of adventure that comes from exploring a ‘world’ not well known to you, you will probably like this book as much as I did.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
May 2, 2012
Gennie's review posted on Guilty Pleasures
On the Trail to Moonlight Gulch by Shelter Somerset is a rollercoaster ride from the very beginning! I have never read a book by this author, but I like M/M and historical romance, so this seems like a perfect match. This novel is set in 1886 and begins with Tory (Torsten Pilkvist) is Chicago. Tory still lives with his strict immigrant parents and helps them run a boarding house and bakery. Immediately Tory meets a man who he thinks is “the one,” and he couldn’t be happier. However, great tragedy strikes and Tory is left alone and adrift once more.
During his grief, Tory picks up periodical for mail-order brides and feels compelled to start a correspondence with one of the gentlemen who advertise. Franklin Ausmus is a Civil War veteran who has isolated himself in the beautiful Black Hill of Dakota Territory. The closest town to Franklin’s oasis is Spiketrout and it was established as a boom town during the Gold Rush. However, the gold that used to be so abundant in streams has all but dried up, leaving the townsfolk and those with gold-fever desperate for more easy gold. Franklin has a stream and pool on his land that is filled with gold, but having seen what happens to those drunk on gold, Frank chooses to leave the stream undisturbed as it’s been for many years.
Frank is a gentle many who longs for a woman to love and is drawn to Tory’s initial letter and quickly comes to rely on their correspondence. This story reminded me how much we in the modern world rely on instant communication. These two men wait at least 10 days between letters and yet the communication is vital for both men. When Tory’s parents put a stop the communication, Tory takes a big leap of faith and sets out on the thousand mile journey to find the one person with whom he feels a connection to in this world. (Remember the railroad was still not complete, so this journey was dangerous and included days of travel on a stagecoach.)
When Tory arrives in Spiketrout without warning and with Frank still believing Tory is a female, Tory is at a loss. The book and developing relationship between Tory and Franklin is good and we get to meet Frank’s Indian friend Wicasha. I don’t want to give too much away, but the story is filled with drama, greed, love, friendship and the eventual triumph of good over evil. I really enjoyed this story and if you like historical romance of the sweet M/M kind, this is a book for you.
On the Trail to Moonlight Gulch by Shelter Somerset is a rollercoaster ride from the very beginning! I have never read a book by this author, but I like M/M and historical romance, so this seems like a perfect match. This novel is set in 1886 and begins with Tory (Torsten Pilkvist) is Chicago. Tory still lives with his strict immigrant parents and helps them run a boarding house and bakery. Immediately Tory meets a man who he thinks is “the one,” and he couldn’t be happier. However, great tragedy strikes and Tory is left alone and adrift once more.
During his grief, Tory picks up periodical for mail-order brides and feels compelled to start a correspondence with one of the gentlemen who advertise. Franklin Ausmus is a Civil War veteran who has isolated himself in the beautiful Black Hill of Dakota Territory. The closest town to Franklin’s oasis is Spiketrout and it was established as a boom town during the Gold Rush. However, the gold that used to be so abundant in streams has all but dried up, leaving the townsfolk and those with gold-fever desperate for more easy gold. Franklin has a stream and pool on his land that is filled with gold, but having seen what happens to those drunk on gold, Frank chooses to leave the stream undisturbed as it’s been for many years.
Frank is a gentle many who longs for a woman to love and is drawn to Tory’s initial letter and quickly comes to rely on their correspondence. This story reminded me how much we in the modern world rely on instant communication. These two men wait at least 10 days between letters and yet the communication is vital for both men. When Tory’s parents put a stop the communication, Tory takes a big leap of faith and sets out on the thousand mile journey to find the one person with whom he feels a connection to in this world. (Remember the railroad was still not complete, so this journey was dangerous and included days of travel on a stagecoach.)
When Tory arrives in Spiketrout without warning and with Frank still believing Tory is a female, Tory is at a loss. The book and developing relationship between Tory and Franklin is good and we get to meet Frank’s Indian friend Wicasha. I don’t want to give too much away, but the story is filled with drama, greed, love, friendship and the eventual triumph of good over evil. I really enjoyed this story and if you like historical romance of the sweet M/M kind, this is a book for you.
April 29, 2012
On the Trail to Moonlight Gulch by Shelter Somerset is a rollercoaster ride from the very beginning! I have never read a book by this author, but I like M/M and historical romance, so this seems like a perfect match. This novel is set in 1886 and begins with Tory (Torsten Pilkvist) is Chicago. Tory still lives with his strict immigrant parents and helps them run a boarding house and bakery. Immediately Tory meets a man who he thinks is “the one,” and he couldn’t be happier. However, great tragedy strikes and Tory is left alone and adrift once more.
During his grief, Tory picks up periodical for mail-order brides and feels compelled to start a correspondence with one of the gentlemen who advertise. Franklin Ausmus is a Civil War veteran who has isolated himself in the beautiful Black Hill of Dakota Territory. The closest town to Franklin’s oasis is Spiketrout and it was established as a boom town during the Gold Rush. However, the gold that used to be so abundant in streams has all but dried up, leaving the townsfolk and those with gold-fever desperate for more easy gold. Franklin has a stream and pool on his land that is filled with gold, but having seen what happens to those drunk on gold, Frank chooses to leave the stream undisturbed as it’s been for many years.
Frank is a gentle many who longs for a woman to love and is drawn to Tory’s initial letter and quickly comes to rely on their correspondence. This story reminded me how much we in the modern world rely on instant communication. These two men wait at least 10 days between letters and yet the communication is vital for both men. When Tory’s parents put a stop the communication, Tory takes a big leap of faith and sets out on the thousand mile journey to find the one person with whom he feels a connection to in this world. (Remember the railroad was still not complete, so this journey was dangerous and included days of travel on a stagecoach.)
When Tory arrives in Spiketrout without warning and with Frank still believing Tory is a female, Tory is at a loss. The book and developing relationship between Tory and Franklin is good and we get to meet Frank’s Indian friend Wicasha. I don’t want to give too much away, but the story is filled with drama, greed, love, friendship and the eventual triumph of good over evil. I really enjoyed this story and if you like historical romance of the sweet M/M kind, this is a book for you.
During his grief, Tory picks up periodical for mail-order brides and feels compelled to start a correspondence with one of the gentlemen who advertise. Franklin Ausmus is a Civil War veteran who has isolated himself in the beautiful Black Hill of Dakota Territory. The closest town to Franklin’s oasis is Spiketrout and it was established as a boom town during the Gold Rush. However, the gold that used to be so abundant in streams has all but dried up, leaving the townsfolk and those with gold-fever desperate for more easy gold. Franklin has a stream and pool on his land that is filled with gold, but having seen what happens to those drunk on gold, Frank chooses to leave the stream undisturbed as it’s been for many years.
Frank is a gentle many who longs for a woman to love and is drawn to Tory’s initial letter and quickly comes to rely on their correspondence. This story reminded me how much we in the modern world rely on instant communication. These two men wait at least 10 days between letters and yet the communication is vital for both men. When Tory’s parents put a stop the communication, Tory takes a big leap of faith and sets out on the thousand mile journey to find the one person with whom he feels a connection to in this world. (Remember the railroad was still not complete, so this journey was dangerous and included days of travel on a stagecoach.)
When Tory arrives in Spiketrout without warning and with Frank still believing Tory is a female, Tory is at a loss. The book and developing relationship between Tory and Franklin is good and we get to meet Frank’s Indian friend Wicasha. I don’t want to give too much away, but the story is filled with drama, greed, love, friendship and the eventual triumph of good over evil. I really enjoyed this story and if you like historical romance of the sweet M/M kind, this is a book for you.
October 10, 2012
On the Trail to Moonlight Gulch is a beautiful, slow paced historical story with believable characters and (thankfully) not many (or no graphic and detailed) sex scenes – which was exactly the right decision for this kind of story.
What I didn’t like so much:
What I didn’t like so much:
August 14, 2013
It's a great, original plot idea and I really liked the non-typical MC (Franklin), but sadly it was all a bit clumsily written. There was a lot of 'this happened, then that happened.'
Moments that weren't that interesting were described in great detail, but a lot of pivotal moments were just glossed over (the first, rather strange sexual encounter between the two MCs for instance).
The potential evident at the beginning is squandered and then the story just turns into a bog standard story of a strong alpha male and his simpering lover.
Still, I would say it was an enjoyable if not great read.
Moments that weren't that interesting were described in great detail, but a lot of pivotal moments were just glossed over (the first, rather strange sexual encounter between the two MCs for instance).
The potential evident at the beginning is squandered and then the story just turns into a bog standard story of a strong alpha male and his simpering lover.
Still, I would say it was an enjoyable if not great read.
April 17, 2012
Wowzer! Whew! What an emotional punch. I wasn't sure what to expect when I embarked on this novel. It was a journey in so many ways. For historical/western fans I can't imagine a better read. And for those who love a well crafted novel, you can't miss. The writing is superb, A+. State of the art all the way.
June 25, 2024
Author Shelter Somerset, whose previous works include "Between Two Worlds" and "Between Two Promises," invites readers along on a young man's quest to find love circa the late 19th century Wild West in the romantic adventure, "On the Trail to Moonlight Gulch."
Nineteen-year-old, American-born Torsten Pilkvist is the son of Swedish immigrants, and Chicago, the city where "Tory" and his parents call home, has become a mecca for industry since the Great Fire of 1871. When his family lets a room in their boarding house to New York entrepreneur Joseph van Werckhoven, sparks fly and the two gentlemen embark upon a passionate love affair.
Soon after their short-lived courtship ends in tragedy, Tory responds to an ad in "Matrimonial News," a personals publication designed to help lonely individuals find someone special. He begins to correspond with Franklin Ausmus, a Civil War veteran from out West who lost his arm in battle, however Tory neglects to mention to his newfound pen pal that he's a male.
When his parents discover the letters and forbid any further communication, Tory storms off on a mission to find Franklin's homestead, Moonlight Gulch. Despite numerous obstacles, the two eventually meet and become fast friends. Franklin, it turns out, is quite well known, because Moonlight Gulch rests atop a goldmine, and those willing to do anything for gold are starting to close in on his land. Meanwhile, as Frank grows fonder of Tory each day, he remains unaware that his companion is the author of the letters.
Somerset has created two extremely likeable characters from different backgrounds and generations, yet their connection is genuine and complementary. Tory behaves very much like an awestruck teen, and Frank is ever the older man accustomed to being alone yet welcoming of another's company. It seems perfectly natural for them to have found each other, however unconventionally.
In addition to the romance, Frank's ongoing conflict with his townsfolk makes for an exciting read and serves as a grim reminder that issues of dirty politics, smear tactics and greed are an integral albeit shameful part of America's history.
Nineteen-year-old, American-born Torsten Pilkvist is the son of Swedish immigrants, and Chicago, the city where "Tory" and his parents call home, has become a mecca for industry since the Great Fire of 1871. When his family lets a room in their boarding house to New York entrepreneur Joseph van Werckhoven, sparks fly and the two gentlemen embark upon a passionate love affair.
Soon after their short-lived courtship ends in tragedy, Tory responds to an ad in "Matrimonial News," a personals publication designed to help lonely individuals find someone special. He begins to correspond with Franklin Ausmus, a Civil War veteran from out West who lost his arm in battle, however Tory neglects to mention to his newfound pen pal that he's a male.
When his parents discover the letters and forbid any further communication, Tory storms off on a mission to find Franklin's homestead, Moonlight Gulch. Despite numerous obstacles, the two eventually meet and become fast friends. Franklin, it turns out, is quite well known, because Moonlight Gulch rests atop a goldmine, and those willing to do anything for gold are starting to close in on his land. Meanwhile, as Frank grows fonder of Tory each day, he remains unaware that his companion is the author of the letters.
Somerset has created two extremely likeable characters from different backgrounds and generations, yet their connection is genuine and complementary. Tory behaves very much like an awestruck teen, and Frank is ever the older man accustomed to being alone yet welcoming of another's company. It seems perfectly natural for them to have found each other, however unconventionally.
In addition to the romance, Frank's ongoing conflict with his townsfolk makes for an exciting read and serves as a grim reminder that issues of dirty politics, smear tactics and greed are an integral albeit shameful part of America's history.
May 19, 2017
DID NOT FINISH. Bad writing made it too hard to get past the first sex scene.
I think the author was trying too hard to give readers a sense of the time and place, which made sections read more like a history report than historical fiction. I tried to struggle on, but the sex scene was so awkwardly written I noped out. "Drool" for lube, "swiveling" heads, and "lopping" tongues are the complete opposite of sexy.
I think the author was trying too hard to give readers a sense of the time and place, which made sections read more like a history report than historical fiction. I tried to struggle on, but the sex scene was so awkwardly written I noped out. "Drool" for lube, "swiveling" heads, and "lopping" tongues are the complete opposite of sexy.
May 28, 2022
This was a little bit too lewd, and very very modern. There was no angst about those unnatural feelings or anything that indicated any of the men were struggling with forbidden desires. It did pick up, although the slaughter of the animals was unnecessary
September 8, 2017
The MC was annoying and snivelling. There were lots of stereotypical and negative references to minor POC characters. All in all, a waste of my time reading this.
March 8, 2020
4.0 of 5
February 10, 2020
One of my favourite childhood films still is Sarah Plain and Tall – a mail-order bride sets up such a marvellous romantic setting. Then in 2004, Australian film makers came up with a wonderful little indie film called Love’s Brother which takes that theme and gives it a twist … a bride emigrates from Italy to Melbourne so as to marry Angelo, handsome son of Italian immigrant market gardeners. Trouble is, the picture of Angelo is actually that of his younger brother Gino (played in the film by the hunky Adam Garcia). Oh the drama! And such a romantic ending.
Now Shelter Somerset takes the story one twist further. Set in the mid-1880s, Torsten Pilkvist escapes from his parent’s home and bakery business after a horrific love gone terribly wrong incident. I must admit the shocking incident right at the starting chapters threw me a little – did not see that coming! Prior to Tor leaving behind booming and cosmopolitan Chicago, he strikes up a long-distance correspondence with one Franklin Ausmus, disabled civil war veteran, longing for a loving companion and hoping to find one through the mail-order bride adverts. So where does a 19 year old runaway go after falling out with one’s parents? Naturally to frontier territory Moonlight Gulch of course – where Franklin lives.
But how to explain to Franklin that the wonderfully demure and charming woman he’s been writing to all this time is actually a 19 year-old gay youth?? Tor doesn’t of course, and through a series of fortuitous events finds himself hired as Franklin’s ranch-hand. The two draw closer together through shared toil and mutual care and concern. Of course there’s nothing like a common enemy to bond people together and the nasty power-broking, gold obsessed local baddy oozes badness in spades. He’s after the gold that lies in the stream that flows through Franklin’s property and will stop at nothing (even murder) to get his hands on that.
Torsten’s come-uppance happens half-way through the book and of course Franklin is incensed/outraged at the deception (no matter how innocent it all started) and throws Tor off his land. It will take a chain of explosive and fiery events to bring these two MCs to realise what they mean to each other. It’s a great nail-biting finale with lots of aawwwww moments and a HEA for romance readers.
The MCs are well developed and likeable. Tor starts off a little needy and soppy but eventually proves he’s made of stronger mettle. Gruff, anti-social, disabled Franklin comes complete with a strong build, tough exterior but a fragile heart of gold. I was really pulling for these two to work out their misunderstandings and differences. There’s a couple of nicely drawn secondary characters – including a savvy and wise native American ‘neighbour’. The plot moved at a good pace, the narrative flowed easily so I thoroughly enjoyed making the journey to Moonlight Gulch … I will be definitely be looking into more of Shelter Somerset’s other works.
Now Shelter Somerset takes the story one twist further. Set in the mid-1880s, Torsten Pilkvist escapes from his parent’s home and bakery business after a horrific love gone terribly wrong incident. I must admit the shocking incident right at the starting chapters threw me a little – did not see that coming! Prior to Tor leaving behind booming and cosmopolitan Chicago, he strikes up a long-distance correspondence with one Franklin Ausmus, disabled civil war veteran, longing for a loving companion and hoping to find one through the mail-order bride adverts. So where does a 19 year old runaway go after falling out with one’s parents? Naturally to frontier territory Moonlight Gulch of course – where Franklin lives.
But how to explain to Franklin that the wonderfully demure and charming woman he’s been writing to all this time is actually a 19 year-old gay youth?? Tor doesn’t of course, and through a series of fortuitous events finds himself hired as Franklin’s ranch-hand. The two draw closer together through shared toil and mutual care and concern. Of course there’s nothing like a common enemy to bond people together and the nasty power-broking, gold obsessed local baddy oozes badness in spades. He’s after the gold that lies in the stream that flows through Franklin’s property and will stop at nothing (even murder) to get his hands on that.
Torsten’s come-uppance happens half-way through the book and of course Franklin is incensed/outraged at the deception (no matter how innocent it all started) and throws Tor off his land. It will take a chain of explosive and fiery events to bring these two MCs to realise what they mean to each other. It’s a great nail-biting finale with lots of aawwwww moments and a HEA for romance readers.
The MCs are well developed and likeable. Tor starts off a little needy and soppy but eventually proves he’s made of stronger mettle. Gruff, anti-social, disabled Franklin comes complete with a strong build, tough exterior but a fragile heart of gold. I was really pulling for these two to work out their misunderstandings and differences. There’s a couple of nicely drawn secondary characters – including a savvy and wise native American ‘neighbour’. The plot moved at a good pace, the narrative flowed easily so I thoroughly enjoyed making the journey to Moonlight Gulch … I will be definitely be looking into more of Shelter Somerset’s other works.
June 26, 2012
I struggled to rate this one initially.
I have given it 3 stars because I finished it, and I don't finish books I don't like. So on that level I liked it.
What I had trouble with was the fact it badly needed editing. As I read, I got the impression that Shelter Somerset might not have English as their first language. There were many, many clunky euphemisms and the use of some very odd words in descriptive passages. If I happened to be near my pc I did keep a record of some of these as I was reading, but deleted the file as I'd decided I wasn't going to leave a review. Now I don't feel like running around trying to find them in the book again, but I'm sure you'll recognize a few when you read the book.
Perhaps because of this, I found the sex scenes rather unemotional. The acts described seemed brusque and somewhat cold. They were usually in Tory's POV, and especially at the start of the book I found his pursuit of sex something that made me a little uncomfortable because of this, and that too, is hugely rare for me.
I enjoyed the book's premise though: mail order bride-to-be, the female correspondent with a man living in the wilderness during pioneer days, turns out to be a man - it's a good one. But I do agree with another reviewer who said that after the heroes have spent a good while living together, being in love and having all sorts of happy domesticity, Frank's reaction to finding out that Tory was the 'female' letter writer from Chicago who'd let him down, was really weird. I mean, come on, Frank: be a little pissed, have a few words, yes. But go crazy and throw Tory out? Drive him away and say you never want to lay eyes on him again? No, that's overkill, and especially from Frank, the older, settled, nature-loving partner.
Overall I found the novel rather long, and for once I'm complaining a bit about that, because I'm sure some of the dragging scenes could have been edited out. As it was, it did drag a bit at times, but as I said at the beginning I definitely liked the characters and plot enough to want to see what happened to them, and to read to the end.
This would have got 4 stars if the editing had been up to scratch. I'm sure the niggles I've mentioned would have been picked up by a good read-through by someone with a dedicated love of the English language. As it stands, it's as if 'it'll do' was the publisher's attitude about it, and that's a shame as I'm a real fan of Dreamspinner.
To sum up, it could have been so much better, and for that, I don't really blame the author, because I've a feeling English is his/her 2nd language. With a little nip and tuck, and a good editor, I'd have loved it.
I hope that whoever edits Shelter's future efforts will do them more justice.
I have given it 3 stars because I finished it, and I don't finish books I don't like. So on that level I liked it.
What I had trouble with was the fact it badly needed editing. As I read, I got the impression that Shelter Somerset might not have English as their first language. There were many, many clunky euphemisms and the use of some very odd words in descriptive passages. If I happened to be near my pc I did keep a record of some of these as I was reading, but deleted the file as I'd decided I wasn't going to leave a review. Now I don't feel like running around trying to find them in the book again, but I'm sure you'll recognize a few when you read the book.
Perhaps because of this, I found the sex scenes rather unemotional. The acts described seemed brusque and somewhat cold. They were usually in Tory's POV, and especially at the start of the book I found his pursuit of sex something that made me a little uncomfortable because of this, and that too, is hugely rare for me.
I enjoyed the book's premise though: mail order bride-to-be, the female correspondent with a man living in the wilderness during pioneer days, turns out to be a man - it's a good one. But I do agree with another reviewer who said that after the heroes have spent a good while living together, being in love and having all sorts of happy domesticity, Frank's reaction to finding out that Tory was the 'female' letter writer from Chicago who'd let him down, was really weird. I mean, come on, Frank: be a little pissed, have a few words, yes. But go crazy and throw Tory out? Drive him away and say you never want to lay eyes on him again? No, that's overkill, and especially from Frank, the older, settled, nature-loving partner.
Overall I found the novel rather long, and for once I'm complaining a bit about that, because I'm sure some of the dragging scenes could have been edited out. As it was, it did drag a bit at times, but as I said at the beginning I definitely liked the characters and plot enough to want to see what happened to them, and to read to the end.
This would have got 4 stars if the editing had been up to scratch. I'm sure the niggles I've mentioned would have been picked up by a good read-through by someone with a dedicated love of the English language. As it stands, it's as if 'it'll do' was the publisher's attitude about it, and that's a shame as I'm a real fan of Dreamspinner.
To sum up, it could have been so much better, and for that, I don't really blame the author, because I've a feeling English is his/her 2nd language. With a little nip and tuck, and a good editor, I'd have loved it.
I hope that whoever edits Shelter's future efforts will do them more justice.
June 1, 2012
From Our Story: GLBTQ Historical Fiction on www.glbtbookshelf.com
ON THE TRAIL TO MOONLIGHT GULCH
Shelter Somerset
Reviewed by Nan Hawthorne
4 out of 5 stars
When Torsten's father learns that he has been writing to a man he met through a matrimonial magazine, the young man, who is grieving from the loss of his lover, knows he has to leave for points west. He decides that even though Franklin, the man in South Dakota he's been writing to, believes Tory is a woman, he is going to him anyway. What he finds when he gets there is that Franklin, a disabled veteran of the American Civil War, is a proud and independent man beset by greedy men who want the gold on his land. The questions arise, can Franklin resist the pressure? Will he fall for Tory? Will he change how he feels if he finds out Tory and Torsten are one and the same.
This masterfully written novel has a poignancy about it addressing so many different conflicts, love between two men, self determination, loyalty, understanding, and one man against the world. The historical detail is remarkable, not only of post-Civil War Chicago but the post-gold rush Dakotas, the city in its greatest burst of development contrasted with the fleeting promise of the Black Hills gold streams. This era of Walt Whitman is perfect for a story of men in love as Whitman was emblematic of the shift in values, the "Go Weest, young man" time when seeking one's own destiny became part of modern American culture.
One particularly satisfying character is Wikisha, Franklin's Indian friend, who reveals to Tory and Franklin that he is a "wink", what some have called "two spirit", and he tells of his own lost male lover. Wikisha manages to be a catalytic figure without becoming the stereotype of "the Noble Savage".
If there was a fly int the ointment for this reviewer it was that after a major shift in the relationship between Franklin and Tory, the author all but drops Tory as as a main character for some time, making one wonder just what Tory made of his dreams coming true. I wanted to hear how he felt, but everything shifted past him into Franklin's fight with the villains in the story. However, Tory's story does pick up again eventually, and a satisfying story it turns out to be.
Find more reviews at Our Story: GLBTQ historical Fiction at www.glbtbookshelf.com
ON THE TRAIL TO MOONLIGHT GULCH
Shelter Somerset
Reviewed by Nan Hawthorne
4 out of 5 stars
When Torsten's father learns that he has been writing to a man he met through a matrimonial magazine, the young man, who is grieving from the loss of his lover, knows he has to leave for points west. He decides that even though Franklin, the man in South Dakota he's been writing to, believes Tory is a woman, he is going to him anyway. What he finds when he gets there is that Franklin, a disabled veteran of the American Civil War, is a proud and independent man beset by greedy men who want the gold on his land. The questions arise, can Franklin resist the pressure? Will he fall for Tory? Will he change how he feels if he finds out Tory and Torsten are one and the same.
This masterfully written novel has a poignancy about it addressing so many different conflicts, love between two men, self determination, loyalty, understanding, and one man against the world. The historical detail is remarkable, not only of post-Civil War Chicago but the post-gold rush Dakotas, the city in its greatest burst of development contrasted with the fleeting promise of the Black Hills gold streams. This era of Walt Whitman is perfect for a story of men in love as Whitman was emblematic of the shift in values, the "Go Weest, young man" time when seeking one's own destiny became part of modern American culture.
One particularly satisfying character is Wikisha, Franklin's Indian friend, who reveals to Tory and Franklin that he is a "wink", what some have called "two spirit", and he tells of his own lost male lover. Wikisha manages to be a catalytic figure without becoming the stereotype of "the Noble Savage".
If there was a fly int the ointment for this reviewer it was that after a major shift in the relationship between Franklin and Tory, the author all but drops Tory as as a main character for some time, making one wonder just what Tory made of his dreams coming true. I wanted to hear how he felt, but everything shifted past him into Franklin's fight with the villains in the story. However, Tory's story does pick up again eventually, and a satisfying story it turns out to be.
Find more reviews at Our Story: GLBTQ historical Fiction at www.glbtbookshelf.com
April 11, 2020
The premise of this book intrigued me. Dug up a craving for historical romance that I've been trying to keep buried. I yearned for an angsty slowburn romance set in a wilder world, with perhaps a twinge of gender crisis, if the universe would be so kind.
And for the most part, I did get that (without the gender crisis). But the writing style, with all the brisk fluidity of modern prose, consistently took me out of the experience. Where I wanted sepia tones and pungent sweat, I got HD stock photo images of a neat and clean western love story. But my gripes don't just end with the writing style.
The "love" in this love story felt weak, and the characters were unlikable. From the start, I thought Torsten was at most a 10 year old for his childish behavior. Finding out he was in fact an adult left me speechless and I almost dropped the book right then and there. But I pushed onward, hoping to find something worthwhile in the deep recesses of its pages. But Torsten never redeemed himself to me, and his love interest Franklin didn't have any substance to offer either. To top it all off, when they finally got together in a sex scene heated with dubious consent, it was immediately followed by a 4 day time skip, effectively skipping over any emotional connection we may have gotten from either of the characters.
I wanted to give this book 2 stars because I did really like the concept. But that's where the enjoyment ends. The writing, in all its facets, is weak and unremarkable. Because of that, this is probably the last book I'll be reading from dreamspinner press.
And for the most part, I did get that (without the gender crisis). But the writing style, with all the brisk fluidity of modern prose, consistently took me out of the experience. Where I wanted sepia tones and pungent sweat, I got HD stock photo images of a neat and clean western love story. But my gripes don't just end with the writing style.
The "love" in this love story felt weak, and the characters were unlikable. From the start, I thought Torsten was at most a 10 year old for his childish behavior. Finding out he was in fact an adult left me speechless and I almost dropped the book right then and there. But I pushed onward, hoping to find something worthwhile in the deep recesses of its pages. But Torsten never redeemed himself to me, and his love interest Franklin didn't have any substance to offer either. To top it all off, when they finally got together in a sex scene heated with dubious consent, it was immediately followed by a 4 day time skip, effectively skipping over any emotional connection we may have gotten from either of the characters.
I wanted to give this book 2 stars because I did really like the concept. But that's where the enjoyment ends. The writing, in all its facets, is weak and unremarkable. Because of that, this is probably the last book I'll be reading from dreamspinner press.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2012
Shelter Somerset’s ON THE TRAIL TO MOONLIGHT GULCH is a fascinating look at a time in history that is so distant technologically, but relatively recent chronologically. If you were born in the 1970s your great grandparents may have lived during this period and experienced some of the hardships that the westward settlers took for granted.
Ms Somerset paints a vivid picture of the landscape Tory sees as he travels to the Black Hills of the Dakota Territory in the late 19th century. She develops characters who speak and write letters in a style that is almost foreign to today’s ear. The plot is detailed and sometimes slow paced, but that is appropriate to a story about traveling from Chicago to the Dakotas in a time when even the railroad was not available for the entire trip.
This is a character-driven book, with people to care for and worry about when they make bad decisions, even when you understand why they did that. This is an historical western well worth reading, especially if you are a fan of that genre. I truly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more stories by the talented Ms. Somerset.
Please see my complete review June 4, 2012 at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
Ms Somerset paints a vivid picture of the landscape Tory sees as he travels to the Black Hills of the Dakota Territory in the late 19th century. She develops characters who speak and write letters in a style that is almost foreign to today’s ear. The plot is detailed and sometimes slow paced, but that is appropriate to a story about traveling from Chicago to the Dakotas in a time when even the railroad was not available for the entire trip.
This is a character-driven book, with people to care for and worry about when they make bad decisions, even when you understand why they did that. This is an historical western well worth reading, especially if you are a fan of that genre. I truly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more stories by the talented Ms. Somerset.
Please see my complete review June 4, 2012 at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
April 19, 2012
I don't usually bother to write reviews but I wanted to for this one. I can't express how much I loved this novel. The story got better and better as it moved forward. I kept expecting the author to lose my interest but never did. A wondrous thread holds the tale together from the first scene in Chicago to the last in the Black Hills. I couldn't stop reading it and it's 100,000+ words. I loved Shelter Somerset's first two novels about being gay in the Amish country, but this one reaches to a whole new level and succeeds! I might even call Moonlight Gulch epic. Definitely a read for those who like masterful writing and storytelling. I can't wait to read what this author puts out next.
April 16, 2012
This book really surprised me. It reminded me a bit of Lola Dances in the setting and overall tone. The characters were believable and interesting with rich backstories. I thought it was very daring for one of the main characters to only have one arm. Not something you typically see in romance where everything is usually idealized to an extent and I respect the author's decision for that. The settings were interesting and believable. I felt my suspension of disbelief a bit stretched by Tory's decision to head west based on a few letters. Other than that very well done.
April 13, 2012
Great read! I've always been a huge fan of western films and this book is the written equivalent. It's a big, sprawling, panoramic account of the still-wild Dakota Territory in the late 19th century, and those who chose to live there.
May 6, 2012
This is a beautifully written novel, a very enjoyable and emotional read.
April 30, 2012
Literature, wow!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews