Yesteryear

Wabash River #4

by Dorothy Garlock

Addie Hyde spent four years waiting to see if the high-spirited husband she had married in haste would come back after the South lost the war. Yet Kirby Hyde was never among the Confederates in rags and tatters straggling through Arkansas.

Addie always had spunk, but now she also had a young son, two foster children she cherished, and trouble. Deserters and drifters were making Addie's isolated farmhouse a dangerous place for a pretty woman without a man—until John Tallman showed up in town.

He asked about Addie, he watched for her, and suddenly he was using his guns and fists to protect her. His kindness showed Addie not to fear him. Her heart soon told her more. John Tallman had a shadow about him that even love might not chase away. And although yesteryear was gone, it could take all a woman's caring, and all her courage, to make tomorrow theirs.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Westerns, Western Historical Romance

375 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Dorothy Garlock was a best-selling American author of over 60 historical romance novels, most of them set in the American West. More than 20 million copies of her books are in print, in 18 languages. Her books have been on the New York Times best seller list seven times. She was named one of the 10 most popular writers of women's fiction four years in a row, from 1985-1988. In 1997, she was awarded the Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award. Garlock is also a member of the Romance Writers Hall of Fame.

Garlock worked as an editor, agent and publicist for most of her writing career. She was a native of Texas who grew up in Oklahoma then married and moved to Iowa. Garlock donated many of her manuscripts and other unpublished writings to the University of Iowa libraries.


Pen names include:
Johanna Phillips
Dorothy Phillips
Dorothy Glenn

Reviews

[Mary23nm · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good historical fiction story with strong hero and heroine. It does contain some curse words and some sexual scenes. Most of the time the curse words fit into the character's vocabulary since the wagon train was filled with freight teamsters. The sexual scenes could have contained a little less detail but weren't as steamy as some of the secular romance novels.

[Linda MARIE Pankow · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

But here's why...

I read this with my daughter, and we both loved every minute of it. We are reading another by this author right away.🥰

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s so much that happens in this book it’s hard to know where to start. The characters are well written, the atmosphere and connections between them. I loved the relationships with Addie and her children. Her stepping up and taking them all in regardless of who they were, keeping them safe from everyone. Though there were times I understood Addie. At the end I wanted to shake her, who cares about Hyde she finally found herself a good man who she loves and loves her back. I felt at times that John and Addie’s relationship was shallow not given the connection I was looking for. The author spent a lot of time creating the journey while also including Trish and her story. Making it so Addie and John’s relationship wasn’t focused on, I also noticed there wasn’t much character development. It left me surprised and a bit disappointed I gave the story a 3.5 stars because I enjoyed the journey and the characters. But I still felt the story was lacking a lot of things that could have made it more endearing.

[Dorothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Addie is a single mother whose husband left to fight in the Civil War. Four long years later Addie finds out her husband was killed. She now has her son, two foster children, and beautiful Trisha who was a run away slave. Back then when two beautiful women lived out in the country there was bound to be trouble. Then John Tallman is a rancher from Arizona happens into her town and uses his fists and guns to help the ladies.

[MissKitty · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I’ve been enjoying the books or this author. They are well written, good romances but with a lot of story as well. Still basically my favored harlequins but with a lot more meat on their bones. It makes a difference from the usual fare of sex, angst, misunderstanding and make up sex which is much the norm now.

[Karen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my kind of book.

[Helen Geng]

Read 2021

[Neva Womack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was a pretty good read. Steamy sex and difficult situations.

[Susan Hylton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast read, civil war widow and wagon master find love and adventure. I enjoyed it,

[Jerry Jares · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a most satisfying story; the characters are engaging, the pacing is wonderful and right wins in the end. The only thing that seemed off-kilter was the quick ending. I've thought about this a bit and wonder if perhaps Ms. Garlock plans to add another story to this series.

The story opens with Addie Hyde in growing difficulties. Her husband left to join the Arkansas Regulars four years earlier and has not returned, even though the Civil War is over. She has a young son, Dillon, and two orphans (she has taken in and loved) and Trisha, a mixed-race girl with a chip on her shoulder and anger in her heart.

These five are in danger because the country is adjusting to the end of the war and poor, starving men are taking what they want - as if women and property are theirs for the taking. When word circulates that Addie's husband died on the way home, men start planning to take her. Into this dangerous situation come freighter, John Tallman, and Indian scout Buffer Simmons.

The name of the book, YESTERYEAR, refers to things that happened in the past and now drive the current direction of the story.

Wabash River Series
1. Lonesome River (1987)
2. Dream River (1988)
3. River of Tomorrow (1988)
4. Yesteryear (1995)

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

1860s after the civil war a white woman & former slave try to run farm with his son & orphans. They are helped by frontier man as they escape prejudice & threats of Arkansas post war south.

[Karen & Gerard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very good and a fast read about a Wagon train experience. Addie and her boy and two orphans and Trish her young friend struggle in the time after the Civil War after she just got word that her no-good husband got killed on his way back after the war. Good plot and happy ending. Both Addie and Trish got two good men who cared for them and there was a lot of action and some humor too.

[Simply Love Book Reviews]

Dorothy Garlock was the first ever romance books I read, I was in 9th grade. They have stayed in my memory as great reads. Two series stick out in my memory, the Wind series and the River series. I found them for my kindle and am going to re-read them and see if they are still as magical as way back then

[Maura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Arkansas after the civil war our hero John Tallman was riding to New Mexico Territory when he encounters our heroine being botherd by ex-confederate drunk man and chases bad guy. Heroine is widow with 4 yr boy, 2 foster kids and a 20 yr old mixed race beautiful best friend. A great story with a surprise ending.

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series

No nonsense men and women capable of surviving abound in this book. I truly love the writing and personalities that jump off the page. John youngest son of Rain and Amy, meets his perfect woman in the aftermath of the Civil War. Addie has a son, two orphans and a runaway slave to care for when John rides to the rescue. Highly recommend.

[Autumncandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

When you want to write a book with a black woman as a supporting character, maybe not have the main lead tell one of the soldiers that he's the reason why the Confederates lost. And for goodness sakes, wth is up with the characters telling Trisha that she doesn't look black and she's barely has any negro blood when Trisha puts herself down!?

[Paula Myatt]

Excellent !!!

[Marianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Been a while since I've read one of Garlocks books. I like the flavor and atmosphere of the old west that she spins in her books.