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The Slow Drift of Stars: A Historical Western Romance
In this sweeping tale of loss and second chances, a young woman must risk everything on a daring plan, and a forbidden dream.
In 1874 Boston, society belle Pearl Buchanan’s charmed life of elegance and gossip crumbles under the weight of an unimaginable tragedy. Faced with a grief that threatens to consume her, Pearl embarks on a bold quest for a fresh start, defying the confines of her privileged world.
Her daring plan? To flee to Fargo, known as the divorce capital, and sever ties with a past that haunts her. Such defiance comes at a steep cost, risking the wrath of her husband, Armstrong, a man already grappling with his own profound loss. Undeterred, Pearl finds herself pursued by detectives sent by a husband who refuses to let go.
In the rugged terrain of the West, Pearl discovers a life fraught with struggle, but ripe with the promise of freedom. Here, in the face of the unknown, she stumbles upon an unexpected, forbidden romance. But as she navigates this new world, each step toward liberation confronts her with quandaries about love, loyalty, and the true nature of freedom.
Will Pearl’s journey lead her to the happiness she yearns for, or is the dream she chases merely an illusion?
In 1874 Boston, society belle Pearl Buchanan’s charmed life of elegance and gossip crumbles under the weight of an unimaginable tragedy. Faced with a grief that threatens to consume her, Pearl embarks on a bold quest for a fresh start, defying the confines of her privileged world.
Her daring plan? To flee to Fargo, known as the divorce capital, and sever ties with a past that haunts her. Such defiance comes at a steep cost, risking the wrath of her husband, Armstrong, a man already grappling with his own profound loss. Undeterred, Pearl finds herself pursued by detectives sent by a husband who refuses to let go.
In the rugged terrain of the West, Pearl discovers a life fraught with struggle, but ripe with the promise of freedom. Here, in the face of the unknown, she stumbles upon an unexpected, forbidden romance. But as she navigates this new world, each step toward liberation confronts her with quandaries about love, loyalty, and the true nature of freedom.
Will Pearl’s journey lead her to the happiness she yearns for, or is the dream she chases merely an illusion?
343 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 10, 2024
172 people are currently reading
129 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 2, 2025
I was so torn on this book.
While I loved the plot and the characters, the writing was a bit off. This story read a women's fiction with a bit of romance (fade to black). I loved Pearl and seeing her grow as a person on this journey. She did come off as a bit of a snob in the beginning but she was open to learning. At times the writing felt a bit off and stiff. During Pearl's chapters, it felt like Pearl was telling the reader what was happening rather than us experiencing with her.
I also wanted Armstrong to be more of a villain. His downfall happened during a very difficult part of their marriage (neither of them at fault) and it was because neither he nor Pearl knew how to react to it. Part of me wanted to this to be a marriage in trouble book because of how much they did love each other. We get to hear about all these great times during their marriage, that it had me questioning if he really was a bad person. Winslow does try to show that he is a bad person, but it wasn't enough. He did a few bad things, but it kept getting overshadowed with his want to have his wife back and how great they were together. Even at the end, I still questioned who the actual MMC was.
If I didn't read other reviews first, I would not have known who the MMC was going to be by 30ish%. I wanted there to be more of a focus on building their relationship. It developed rather quickly and we didn't get much of a resolution at the end. I just wanted more time with them on page. I think by halfway and beyond, we were getting too much page time with Armstrong.
Overall, it was an interesting story that kept my attention. I wanted to see how it could end and see everyone (there are a few friends that also had love stories) get their happily ever after. I wish this had an epilogue so we can see Pearl more settled.
While I loved the plot and the characters, the writing was a bit off. This story read a women's fiction with a bit of romance (fade to black). I loved Pearl and seeing her grow as a person on this journey. She did come off as a bit of a snob in the beginning but she was open to learning. At times the writing felt a bit off and stiff. During Pearl's chapters, it felt like Pearl was telling the reader what was happening rather than us experiencing with her.
I also wanted Armstrong to be more of a villain. His downfall happened during a very difficult part of their marriage (neither of them at fault) and it was because neither he nor Pearl knew how to react to it. Part of me wanted to this to be a marriage in trouble book because of how much they did love each other. We get to hear about all these great times during their marriage, that it had me questioning if he really was a bad person. Winslow does try to show that he is a bad person, but it wasn't enough. He did a few bad things, but it kept getting overshadowed with his want to have his wife back and how great they were together. Even at the end, I still questioned who the actual MMC was.
If I didn't read other reviews first, I would not have known who the MMC was going to be by 30ish%. I wanted there to be more of a focus on building their relationship. It developed rather quickly and we didn't get much of a resolution at the end. I just wanted more time with them on page. I think by halfway and beyond, we were getting too much page time with Armstrong.
Overall, it was an interesting story that kept my attention. I wanted to see how it could end and see everyone (there are a few friends that also had love stories) get their happily ever after. I wish this had an epilogue so we can see Pearl more settled.
March 15, 2024
I read this book as an ARC read. The overall story line was a lighthearted romance with adventure, character growth, and adventure. While I enjoyed seeing Pearl grow from being a spoiled upper class woman who was naive to the realities of the late 1800s expanding world she still came across as childish and a bit annoying throughout the story which kept me from fully engrossing in the story. I otherwise thought the story was well written and relevant for the time period it was set in. There was a happy ending for all and a beautiful resolution to each storyline. If you enjoy historical romance this is a light easy read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2024
I read this book as an ARC read. The overall story line was a lighthearted romance with adventure, character growth, and adventure. While I enjoyed seeing Pearl grow from being a spoiled upper class woman who was naive to the realities of the late 1800s expanding world she still came across as childish and a bit annoying throughout the story which kept me from fully engrossing in the story. I otherwise thought the story was well written and relevant for the time period it was set in. There was a happy ending for all and a beautiful resolution to each storyline. If you enjoy historical romance this is a light easy read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2024
I like strong women both in life and literature. Despite their millennia-long history of subjugation by men, I suspect many women have found ways to exert some amount of control over their lives and their families. The rules are rigged against them, but they often find paths to personal enrichment. The challenge in writing historical fiction is balancing women’s drive for self-determination versus the reality of the legal and cultural norms holding them back.
The Slow Drift of Stars, by Jennie Winslow, meets that challenge brilliantly.
Pearl has left her husband, Armstrong Endicott, who reigns as one of the richest and most powerful men in the post-war America of 1874. Using her maiden name of Pearl Buchanan because Endicott is instantly recognized everywhere, she has fled to Fargo in the Dakota Territory, known as the divorce capital of the nation. She secures the services of an attorney there to draw up the papers.
Meanwhile, back in Boston, Armstrong rages at his wife’s sudden and unexpected departure. Not only does it demonstrate that he is less than almighty, but the scandal alone could also ruin him in their stratified social circles. “This isn’t done, it simply is not done. We have concert tickets,” his mother says, dreading an appearance at the symphony with Pearl noticeably absent.
From there the story leaps forward into an epic cat-and-mouse chase as Armstrong hires a near-army of Pinkerton detectives to track down and retrieve Pearl, while she escapes through the wilderness of the prairies trying to make her way to San Francisco. The reader finds adventure, betrayal, danger, and even romance as the confrontation slowly builds. Armstrong, reminiscent of some notoriously abusive billionaires in today’s world, will not accept no as an answer from the pampered Pearl, a darling of the upper class who doesn’t know how to cook a meal, let alone stand up to the overwhelming forces deployed to capture and imprison her.
Full disclosure: The author and I have been members of a writing group together for the better part of a decade, after attending a year-long novel-writing class led by New York Times best-selling author Ellen Sussman. I read an earlier draft of this book several years ago and thought it was ready for publication at that time. Ms. Winslow, bless her, ignored my advice and set it aside, returning to the manuscript later to add more texture to the story and more depth to the already magnificent characters. As she says in her note at the end of the book, she let go of her preconceived notions of how the story should proceed and allowed her characters to live it and tell it themselves. The story is so much richer now.
I highly recommend it.
The Slow Drift of Stars, by Jennie Winslow, meets that challenge brilliantly.
Pearl has left her husband, Armstrong Endicott, who reigns as one of the richest and most powerful men in the post-war America of 1874. Using her maiden name of Pearl Buchanan because Endicott is instantly recognized everywhere, she has fled to Fargo in the Dakota Territory, known as the divorce capital of the nation. She secures the services of an attorney there to draw up the papers.
Meanwhile, back in Boston, Armstrong rages at his wife’s sudden and unexpected departure. Not only does it demonstrate that he is less than almighty, but the scandal alone could also ruin him in their stratified social circles. “This isn’t done, it simply is not done. We have concert tickets,” his mother says, dreading an appearance at the symphony with Pearl noticeably absent.
From there the story leaps forward into an epic cat-and-mouse chase as Armstrong hires a near-army of Pinkerton detectives to track down and retrieve Pearl, while she escapes through the wilderness of the prairies trying to make her way to San Francisco. The reader finds adventure, betrayal, danger, and even romance as the confrontation slowly builds. Armstrong, reminiscent of some notoriously abusive billionaires in today’s world, will not accept no as an answer from the pampered Pearl, a darling of the upper class who doesn’t know how to cook a meal, let alone stand up to the overwhelming forces deployed to capture and imprison her.
Full disclosure: The author and I have been members of a writing group together for the better part of a decade, after attending a year-long novel-writing class led by New York Times best-selling author Ellen Sussman. I read an earlier draft of this book several years ago and thought it was ready for publication at that time. Ms. Winslow, bless her, ignored my advice and set it aside, returning to the manuscript later to add more texture to the story and more depth to the already magnificent characters. As she says in her note at the end of the book, she let go of her preconceived notions of how the story should proceed and allowed her characters to live it and tell it themselves. The story is so much richer now.
I highly recommend it.
March 7, 2024
Pearl Buchanan leaves her wealthy husband in Boston, heading west to Fargo in the Dakota territories in 1874 to secure a divorce from her philandering husband, whom she no longer loves following a tragic family event. Along the journey, readers are entertained by a cast of vivid and well-developed characters, via the beautiful journey through the prairies of the US to Denver City. Meanwhile, back in Boston, the illustrious heir to Endicott Enterprises, Anderson Endicott seethes as he realizes his wife has left him. As Anderson sends Pinkertons to discover her whereabouts and bring her home, a series of non-stop suspenseful events occur which I found to be historical suspense/romance at its best. As Pearl eludes the Pinkertons, she finds friendship and love amidst the bleakest of conditions, just as Anderson shows up in Fargo, the divorce capital of the US, to escort his wife back home. The dynamics between Anderson and the newly awakened Pearl and Pearl and her new companions, especially Dark Eyed, had me reading into the night. With a strong and endearing plot and subplots, I read until my eyes blurred and I needed one short nap just about the time Pearl’s lover, Dark Eyed had to embrace his family and a decision which would take him away from Pearl for a time. Would true love find a way? You simply must read this remarkable tale of one woman's quest to make a new life for herself without the trappings and demands of high society. Filled with the history of traveling through the American West, this book is an unputdownable tome of courage, personal confusion, tragedy, and simply beautiful storytelling. I was easily walking and talking with each of her characters, even the miserable husband of Anne Claire and the diabolical Anderson Endicott. If you love historical fiction, love stories, and suspense, you will love Jennie Winslow’s, Slow Drift of Stars. This is the story of women who find the courage to escape the societal rules of their gender in the 19th century - to find themselves free of difficult and impossible marriages. Put on the coffee, or the kettle, and prop up your feet. This story will have you reading from dusk to dawn as you follow Pearl and her friends through a journey of renewal, enlightenment, and love. Five stars all around. I simply loved this story written by a master storyteller – a novel that warmed my heart. This is a voluntary review, and the opinion is mine alone.
January 20, 2024
Action and romance on an 1870s road trip
Pearl Buchanan boards a train for Fargo, North Dakota, determined to file for a quick divorce from her industrial magnate husband (think robber baron), Armstrong Endicott. In small, roughhewn Fargo, she encounters a very different world than the upper crust Boston society she’s become accustomed to. When Armstrong sends Pinkerton detectives to track her and bring her back, Pearl leaves town in a covered wagon with two ex-miners, a handsome Native guide, and an abused woman fleeing her husband. It becomes a road trip full of danger, as they endure extreme weather, the Pinkertons, bounty hunters tracking Pearl, and even Pearl’s husband, who comes after her.
The author is a natural storyteller, and the action does not let up until the end, which is a satisfying one. A good read.
Pearl Buchanan boards a train for Fargo, North Dakota, determined to file for a quick divorce from her industrial magnate husband (think robber baron), Armstrong Endicott. In small, roughhewn Fargo, she encounters a very different world than the upper crust Boston society she’s become accustomed to. When Armstrong sends Pinkerton detectives to track her and bring her back, Pearl leaves town in a covered wagon with two ex-miners, a handsome Native guide, and an abused woman fleeing her husband. It becomes a road trip full of danger, as they endure extreme weather, the Pinkertons, bounty hunters tracking Pearl, and even Pearl’s husband, who comes after her.
The author is a natural storyteller, and the action does not let up until the end, which is a satisfying one. A good read.
June 1, 2024
Well written. Kept my interest. The story of the h with her husband held together. Her new love, not as much. She was just so mired in the culture she grew up in. She also seemed to be able to adapt to circumstances but never really plan anything or assert herself, almost all of her actions are actually things someone else tells her to do. It is really hard to see such a weak, self-absorbed character deciding to leave the only family/city she knows and to pursue getting a divorce. I was really pleasantly surprised that this was a well edited Kindle book.
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June 16, 2024Debut novel by this author – fascinating that the historical facts include a tidbit of her own family history! Suspense builds in the story as Pearl and her fellow travelers move slowly west in covered wagons, facing dangerous challenges along the way. It’s a page-turner with parallels to societal challenges we still face today.
The main character’s weak character, a woman raised to go along with whatever her family and husband dictated, though historically correct, is a bit annoying. I do enjoy historical fiction though and found the book an enjoyable read.
The main character’s weak character, a woman raised to go along with whatever her family and husband dictated, though historically correct, is a bit annoying. I do enjoy historical fiction though and found the book an enjoyable read.
April 13, 2025
An interesting novel with characters that experience growth and change through their life experiences traveling in a covered wagon. There is a happy ending for all storylines and characters while allowing there to be sequels if the author chooses to do so. Definitely recommend this author to those that enjoy an engaging historical fiction novel.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
February 7, 2024
She is te belle of the ball but a loss will make her question what she should do next. It is not going to be easy as she needs to decide what she should do. What will she face? Can she get over the grief? See where she will be lead
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and I want to review
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and I want to review
March 9, 2024
This is a wonderful story, very imaginative and you can tell a deep research went into the making of it! It takes place after the Civil War, with great scenery that you can easily place yourself on a covered wagon traveling West!
June 7, 2024
Excellent,enjoyable, read till midnight (and after)
I
Have never posted a review, but I make an exception with this book. Heart stopping situations with Armstrong, wondering if Pearl will change her mind,
I
Have never posted a review, but I make an exception with this book. Heart stopping situations with Armstrong, wondering if Pearl will change her mind,
August 17, 2024
A wonderful story of unconventional love
I liked how the characters were realistic and able to help and support each other find a better life in the wild west. I like that they are able to share their fee sins acceptance of different life styles.
I liked how the characters were realistic and able to help and support each other find a better life in the wild west. I like that they are able to share their fee sins acceptance of different life styles.
July 19, 2024
Very good read?
I gave the book a five star rating because it was very interesting and well wrote with very interesting characters
I gave the book a five star rating because it was very interesting and well wrote with very interesting characters
September 30, 2024
Awesome story!
One of my favorite books this year! What a good storyline the author weaved in this book! A beautiful ending too!
One of my favorite books this year! What a good storyline the author weaved in this book! A beautiful ending too!
November 21, 2024
Meh ... Guess Historical Western Romance doesn't do it for me.
January 15, 2025
A slow drift of stars
I wasn’t sure when I began reading this book. As I read I began to see the characters take shape and their personalities.
I would recommend this book.
I wasn’t sure when I began reading this book. As I read I began to see the characters take shape and their personalities.
I would recommend this book.
July 30, 2025
Boring. Didn’t like the writing
October 12, 2025
Great Book
One of the best books I have read in a long time. Could not put it down. Recommend to anyone who Loves Historical Stories
One of the best books I have read in a long time. Could not put it down. Recommend to anyone who Loves Historical Stories
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews