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Broken Trails
Scotch Fuller has already run the Iditarod three times and is preparing for a fourth attempt. Her single-minded focus on the rigors of training allows her to forget the shocking loss of her lover in a tragedy for which she blames herself.
The only race Lainey Hughes runs is away from her past and into the bottom of a bottle. After a devastating injury in a war zone, she’s continued her photojournalist career in the natural beauty and warmth of Uganda. A trip to Alaska to cover dog sledding is not what she wants, but the lure of a paying gig proves too tempting.
Lainey trusts her camera and Scotch trusts her dogs—and neither cares much what the other thinks…not at first.
Love runs hot in the cold Alaskan night in this long-awaited romance from D Jordan Redhawk.
The only race Lainey Hughes runs is away from her past and into the bottom of a bottle. After a devastating injury in a war zone, she’s continued her photojournalist career in the natural beauty and warmth of Uganda. A trip to Alaska to cover dog sledding is not what she wants, but the lure of a paying gig proves too tempting.
Lainey trusts her camera and Scotch trusts her dogs—and neither cares much what the other thinks…not at first.
Love runs hot in the cold Alaskan night in this long-awaited romance from D Jordan Redhawk.
388 pages, Paperback
First published June 13, 2013
13 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
About the author
D. Jordan Redhawk
17 books97 followersA fan-geek and internet junkie, D. Jordan Redhawk is a passionate writer of lesbian romance, covering multiple genres. She highlights the outsider, revealing that we are not all that different from one another. Her books are published by PD Publishing and Bella Books.
To learn more, visit her bibliography.
To learn more, visit her bibliography.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
December 30, 2022
Rounding up because it certainly delivered with the whole dog racing bit.
Unfortunately, the writing felt a bit dated. There were some pretty unnecessary lines of commentary that was very cringe for 2022. Add in the fact that most charcters in the novel were white and when indigenous characters were referenced they never referred to them by name it certainly felt like a bit of a missed opportunity to include interesting representation.
The first half is preparing for the Iditarod and the second half of the book is the race. The second half was what I was looking for when I started this book. I really enjoyed the outdoor survival aspect.
I would recommend if you are craving an outdoor adventure. The first half is a bit awkward as I felt like too much was being squished in (alcoholism, love, training regimen, ect). I think this was something that if kept simple could have really worked for me. I will warn that there is romanticism of not fully consensual sex. One character is woken up by intimate touches from her partner when the sexy parts start happening.
Unfortunately, the writing felt a bit dated. There were some pretty unnecessary lines of commentary that was very cringe for 2022. Add in the fact that most charcters in the novel were white and when indigenous characters were referenced they never referred to them by name it certainly felt like a bit of a missed opportunity to include interesting representation.
The first half is preparing for the Iditarod and the second half of the book is the race. The second half was what I was looking for when I started this book. I really enjoyed the outdoor survival aspect.
I would recommend if you are craving an outdoor adventure. The first half is a bit awkward as I felt like too much was being squished in (alcoholism, love, training regimen, ect). I think this was something that if kept simple could have really worked for me. I will warn that there is romanticism of not fully consensual sex. One character is woken up by intimate touches from her partner when the sexy parts start happening.
December 22, 2016
Broken Trails is very well written, with excellent plotting, pacing and character work. D. Jordan Redhawk includes a lot of detail about what it takes to prepare for the Iditarod, as well as what it’s like on the trail, and she does it without info dumps or slowing down the book. This is a romance, and a lovely one at that, with the relationship building slowly as Lainey and Scotch stay focused on their training.
Joint review with Brooklyn here: http://www.thelesbianreview.com/broke...
Joint review with Brooklyn here: http://www.thelesbianreview.com/broke...
January 1, 2017
Liked this a lot more than I thought I would. Interesting setting. The description of the Iditarod trail makes you feel as if you are experiencing it first hand. Sweet romance. Nice main characters as well as secondary ones. Rich in details.
January 29, 2014
This actually is 4 1/2 stars. I liked her Tioga Ki Lakota book a bit better and want to reflect. This book takes you on a ride through the Iditarod. I'm not necessarily a dog person but enjoyed the interaction between women and dogs, especially Bonaparte. Loved the characters, the romance was nice and a surprise reveal at the end of a life changing event...actually caught me unprepared.
July 12, 2013
This was a great book, I loved the characters including the Dogs ,and the experiences and training of the Iditarod race that helped Lainey become a stronger woman. I look forward to reading more of the Authors books.
January 22, 2014
A great adventure story with a strong dash of romance. D. Jordan Redhawk, master of multiple genres, triumphs again!
February 26, 2018
TW: Suicide of a minor character (occurred in the past and is recounted)
I really enjoyed this book. As others have said, I’m definitely not a dog person, but the story is gripping regardless. Ever since I saw a documentary series on the Iditarod via the discovery channel over a decade ago, the sport has fascinated me. Add a lesbian romance and I was drawn to it.
Ultimately I think this story is about laying yourself bare to someone and finding out that they can and do still love you, despite any scars, secrets, or shortcomings of character. That is really what crept up and stole my heart. Plus Scotch and the Fuller family are easy to love.
The story is definitely a slow burn, and you feel the monotony of the race, but I actually enjoyed really feeling like I was in it with Laney and so it being on the slow side didn’t both me.
***Spoilers***
I am a sucker for letters, and was excited when Don gave the letter to Laney from Scotch when the race started. I was kind of disappointed it took to nearly the end to discover the contents, and given the structure of Scotch being ahead, they were only one sided.
The Tonya storyline was important to Scotch’s growth, but I felt could have been developed a little more before the reveal. It felt like she needed something to be going through, some scar to match Laney’s but it kinda felt dropped in rather than lived in.
The sex scene, the long awaited sex scene, was too short for how late in the book it came. And to fade to black when it was Scotch’s turn to be pleasured just blew the wind out of my sails. Their exchange was emotional, and their speeches at the end nearly made up for it...nearly.
I really enjoyed this book. As others have said, I’m definitely not a dog person, but the story is gripping regardless. Ever since I saw a documentary series on the Iditarod via the discovery channel over a decade ago, the sport has fascinated me. Add a lesbian romance and I was drawn to it.
Ultimately I think this story is about laying yourself bare to someone and finding out that they can and do still love you, despite any scars, secrets, or shortcomings of character. That is really what crept up and stole my heart. Plus Scotch and the Fuller family are easy to love.
The story is definitely a slow burn, and you feel the monotony of the race, but I actually enjoyed really feeling like I was in it with Laney and so it being on the slow side didn’t both me.
***Spoilers***
I am a sucker for letters, and was excited when Don gave the letter to Laney from Scotch when the race started. I was kind of disappointed it took to nearly the end to discover the contents, and given the structure of Scotch being ahead, they were only one sided.
The Tonya storyline was important to Scotch’s growth, but I felt could have been developed a little more before the reveal. It felt like she needed something to be going through, some scar to match Laney’s but it kinda felt dropped in rather than lived in.
The sex scene, the long awaited sex scene, was too short for how late in the book it came. And to fade to black when it was Scotch’s turn to be pleasured just blew the wind out of my sails. Their exchange was emotional, and their speeches at the end nearly made up for it...nearly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2022
Lainey Hughes, a journalist, is tasked with covering the Iditarod race in Alaska. When tasked with being trained before the next Iditarod race, she sets her sight on Scotch Fuller, who caught her eye during an earlier assignment.
My rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars
This is the first book I’ve read from D. Jordan Redhawk and although it took me several tries to finish this book, I’d still read the rest of her books as I ended up liking this book quite a bit. I’m glad I decided to finally finish this one as I wasn’t disappointed at all, in fact, it turned out to be a nice surprise. It took me a while to finish this book because I was distracted by other books and found of the length of the novel to a be a bit daunting for an author I haven’t read before.
Broken Trails was very informative particularly about dog sledding and about the Iditarod race. I rather enjoyed reading about this particular sport. Lainey Hughes, a strong character due to her work but not without her weaknesses, particularly alcohol. Meanwhile, Scotch Fuller is an intriguing character as not much is revealed about her life before Lainey. In fact not much is revealed about her past until the end.
The pacing of their romance could be best described as a slow-burn. The progression of their love story was a believable one.
I love that the author mentioned each little quirks of the dog, I thought that it was cute and a nice touch.
Although the length of the book is long, it didn’t feel like it at all once you got into the groove of it. Both characters are easy to like. It wasn’t the most epic love story but one you can appreciate nonetheless.
My rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars
This is the first book I’ve read from D. Jordan Redhawk and although it took me several tries to finish this book, I’d still read the rest of her books as I ended up liking this book quite a bit. I’m glad I decided to finally finish this one as I wasn’t disappointed at all, in fact, it turned out to be a nice surprise. It took me a while to finish this book because I was distracted by other books and found of the length of the novel to a be a bit daunting for an author I haven’t read before.
Broken Trails was very informative particularly about dog sledding and about the Iditarod race. I rather enjoyed reading about this particular sport. Lainey Hughes, a strong character due to her work but not without her weaknesses, particularly alcohol. Meanwhile, Scotch Fuller is an intriguing character as not much is revealed about her life before Lainey. In fact not much is revealed about her past until the end.
The pacing of their romance could be best described as a slow-burn. The progression of their love story was a believable one.
I love that the author mentioned each little quirks of the dog, I thought that it was cute and a nice touch.
Although the length of the book is long, it didn’t feel like it at all once you got into the groove of it. Both characters are easy to like. It wasn’t the most epic love story but one you can appreciate nonetheless.
July 31, 2017
It's rare, lately, that I take the time to do a full written review, but I would like to with this one.
I tend to plough through the lesbian romance genre, enjoying especially novels heavy with lush descriptions of the outdoors. That was the original reason I selected this novel, that and my enjoyment of another of Redhawk's novels, Alaskan Bride. I can see that Redhawk never skimps on fastidious research, whether it's Gold Rush era Alaska, or in this case, extremely realistic detail of the Iditarod, including all the training and care of the mushers and animals before and during the endurance race, as well as captivating descriptions of the Yukon wilderness and its potential challenges and perils.
Unlike other romance novels, I was on the edge of my seat not as much from the sexual tension, but my full engrossment in the outcome of the race for both the protagonists. Redhawk has a knack for descriptions of settings, especially wilderness, with language that is understandable and engrossing even for someone completely unfamiliar with dog sled racing. I read this book in about three days, and loved every minute.
The love story was also very beautiful and more realistic than some, dealing candidly with inner demons and past traumas, as well as the physical and psychological realities of the Iditarod.
A fresh voice in the genre. Five stars.
I tend to plough through the lesbian romance genre, enjoying especially novels heavy with lush descriptions of the outdoors. That was the original reason I selected this novel, that and my enjoyment of another of Redhawk's novels, Alaskan Bride. I can see that Redhawk never skimps on fastidious research, whether it's Gold Rush era Alaska, or in this case, extremely realistic detail of the Iditarod, including all the training and care of the mushers and animals before and during the endurance race, as well as captivating descriptions of the Yukon wilderness and its potential challenges and perils.
Unlike other romance novels, I was on the edge of my seat not as much from the sexual tension, but my full engrossment in the outcome of the race for both the protagonists. Redhawk has a knack for descriptions of settings, especially wilderness, with language that is understandable and engrossing even for someone completely unfamiliar with dog sled racing. I read this book in about three days, and loved every minute.
The love story was also very beautiful and more realistic than some, dealing candidly with inner demons and past traumas, as well as the physical and psychological realities of the Iditarod.
A fresh voice in the genre. Five stars.
July 1, 2017
Wonderful outdoor romance. Loved the sled dogs!
April 11, 2020
Powerful journey of a woman. Nice love story. Have respect for the Iditarod travelers.
November 10, 2020
This is one of my favorite books. It actually led to me moving to Alaska for a year. It was amazing how well described winter and the landscape were described...
February 13, 2021
Awesome book! This is my fourth time reading this novel and I enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time. Looking forward to dog sled training again with Lainey and Scotch again in maybe a year from now.
July 11, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The characters were believable and I found myself attached to them all. It seems a lot of research went into this story in regard to the Iditarod. Very fun read!
June 16, 2016
Excellent.
There's a thing this book does, which made it really satisfying to read but which I'm having a hard time describing. (And especially describing in a way that doesn't sound awful.) Like, basically: the external conflict is that the protagonist signs up for the Iditarod (a nightmarish, icy ultramarathon with dogs), then spends a year training for it, then does it. But Redhawk does one of the best jobs I've seen at depicting routines in an enjoyable way, and using them to show the protagonist's gradual leveling-up (and occasional setbacks).
There's a thing this book does, which made it really satisfying to read but which I'm having a hard time describing. (And especially describing in a way that doesn't sound awful.) Like, basically: the external conflict is that the protagonist signs up for the Iditarod (a nightmarish, icy ultramarathon with dogs), then spends a year training for it, then does it. But Redhawk does one of the best jobs I've seen at depicting routines in an enjoyable way, and using them to show the protagonist's gradual leveling-up (and occasional setbacks).
August 18, 2013
Great story about the dogs, the running of the iditarod. The harsh Alaskan country, the hardier Alaskan people. There was one point I thought it was too much detail of the trail, but just about that point the story starts to bring our two main characters back to the forefront and the race drifts back into the background again.. I would recommend it!
September 4, 2013
Stunning. Fabulous. Alaska and dog sledding. I'm a Northern Girl, so I absolutely was predisposed to liking this book..... I didn't expect to totally love it! Well written. Much loved. I don't want to spill the beans, but, this author handles some delicate topics very deftly, leaving me searching for the rest of her work!
October 23, 2013
This is a great book in many ways. The characters have great depth, the scenic descriptions and settings feel very real, and anything, and everything, you want to know about Iditarod is covered. This was an excellently researched book with great flow and believable dialogue. A fantastic adventure romance story. Five well deserved stars.
March 22, 2014
This book is very colorful. The scenery and the race are beautifully transformed from the pages. But, the romance wasn't depicted in nearly the same detail. We learned how each character was feeling kind of as an aside from the race training. I wish for more moments to display the growing feelings between the two.
July 16, 2014
I really enjoyed this book, great storyline and characters. Even triggered me watching the documentary on discovery channel. Unfortunately there wad no lesbian monologue to support it tho lol. Great stuff!
January 4, 2016
100 pages or more reading about dogs, how she change shoes dogs, give him food and return to the road. Snow everywhere. 100 pages or more of charlatanism. And then at 4 or 5 pages the story ends.
Too much kindness on my part to give 2 stars.
Too much kindness on my part to give 2 stars.
July 20, 2013
What a great book! Well worth the long wait to see it published.
September 1, 2013
Not just a romance novel, it also reads as a travelogue on Alaska. The author does a good job making the world of the dog musher come alive.
April 26, 2014
Alaska, dogs adventure this book had it all
May 8, 2014
Good book, story and characters. While the scenery was described a wee bit more than the characters I was able to still enjoy the character development. I would enjoy a sequel as well.
October 31, 2022
Terrific book start to finish, we'll worth the read.
January 17, 2017
Excellent !
Good writing, nice story.
Good writing, nice story.
June 4, 2017
One of my best weekend read....Enjiyed the education on dog sport and the love letters/notes as well.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews