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Miller Brides #1
Runaway Bride: A Loveswept Classic Romance
Sandra Chastain unleashes a steamy tale of two determined individuals braving the uncharted territories of the West--and of the heart.
If there's one thing Annalise Sinclair cannot do, it's derail her plans to be a doctor just to marry a rich man like Daniel Miller. Besides, a woman can't have a profession "and" a husband.Eager to put as much country as possible between her and Daniel's tempting gaze, she makes tracks for the Wild West. But no matter how deep into the wilderness the train takes her, she can't avoid the one man she'd hoped to outrun.
Once the transcontinental railroad is complete, big money will be made. Until then, the entire Miller fortune is in jeopardy. If Daniel had married a rich woman like Annalise Sinclair, his family's worries would be over. Determined to prove his worth, Daniel vows to make his own way by building a spur off the main line. But then trouble comes in the forms of natives, saboteurs, and a stubborn woman named Annie who makes the job a whole lot more difficult . . . and stimulating.
If there's one thing Annalise Sinclair cannot do, it's derail her plans to be a doctor just to marry a rich man like Daniel Miller. Besides, a woman can't have a profession "and" a husband.Eager to put as much country as possible between her and Daniel's tempting gaze, she makes tracks for the Wild West. But no matter how deep into the wilderness the train takes her, she can't avoid the one man she'd hoped to outrun.
Once the transcontinental railroad is complete, big money will be made. Until then, the entire Miller fortune is in jeopardy. If Daniel had married a rich woman like Annalise Sinclair, his family's worries would be over. Determined to prove his worth, Daniel vows to make his own way by building a spur off the main line. But then trouble comes in the forms of natives, saboteurs, and a stubborn woman named Annie who makes the job a whole lot more difficult . . . and stimulating.
ebook
First published July 6, 1999
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About the author
Sandra Chastain
74 books28 followersSandra Chastain was born on 1936 in Wadley, Georgia, 100 miles northwest of Savannah. As a little girl, she created fantasy lives for her paper dolls, and then she discovered Nancy Drew. Sandra wrote her first novel with a friend when she was 10 years old, The Mystery of the Green Necklace. Some four decades later, when her three daughters had gone off on their own, she returned to writing and was soon busy with writing, in addition to working with her husband in their veterinary practice in Smyrna, Georgia. Before long she was writing full time.
Published since 1988, she writes historical novels for Bantam, short contemporary romances for Harlequin, and southern women's fiction for Bellebooks. To date, she has produced over 50 works, including her first fairy tale, The Tiniest Fairy In the Kingdom, published by Bellebooks. She writes under pennames Jenna Darcy and Allie Jordan as well as in her own name. Sandra has won many honors and recognitions from her industry.
Published since 1988, she writes historical novels for Bantam, short contemporary romances for Harlequin, and southern women's fiction for Bellebooks. To date, she has produced over 50 works, including her first fairy tale, The Tiniest Fairy In the Kingdom, published by Bellebooks. She writes under pennames Jenna Darcy and Allie Jordan as well as in her own name. Sandra has won many honors and recognitions from her industry.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 27, 2020
I did a double take when I checked the publication date for this. 1999? This reads like an '80s romance novel.
The characters are all uniformly bland, mostly because they're all defined by being stubborn. Both of our lovebirds are stubborn, refusing to bow to the dictates of their parents and/or society. All of the supporting characters are also primarily defined by being stubborn--the plucky little urchin Joe/Josie living a pickpocket-runaway lifestyle, unmarried Ginny with her baby on the way who refuses to give up hope that she can make a good life for herself Out West, the fathers and business partners and villains--all just stubborn with little else in the way of personality.
I picked this up originally because the setting and time period were unusual for the historical romances I've encountered--post-Civil-War America (not during) and at least partially set in the West, but definitely not a typical cowboy Western. I thought romance in the era of railroad expansion might be interesting, but it wasn't. It was bland. The railroad plot drove the story far more than the romance did, aided by what I consider to be the biggest flaw of the book--absolute transparency about what the villains were up to. Every so often there'd be a scene break and we'd peek in on some rich jerk back East plotting the downfall of our hero and his father. So when the big explosion happened, derailing the train and putting everyone in danger, there was no mystery--obviously someone was out to get them. Obviously somebody set those explosives, we already watched them cackle devilishly about it. So there was no tension. And we know all along who the "spy" in the hero's camp is, but I don't think knowing that adds to the story in any way, despite the spy getting his own romantic subplot.
The story wanted to make sure I had every bit of information I needed to understand what was going on, to the point where nothing was surprising and I didn't have to think at all.
Lastly, it should be said that, this being set in the era of major westward expansion, Native Americans show up in the story. Early mentions of them being obstacles to the railroad spur set my teeth on edge, despite being historically accurate; but these were mostly coming from the mouths of the villains, so it was bearable. When they appear later as actual characters, they were generally treated with the sort of racism that also appears to be historically accurate, but that didn't make it easier to read. The hero and heroine in their own fashions work as best they can within the context of their setting limitations to be "good," egalitarian people and treat the Native characters well, but whether or not it would have actually happened that way (surely not everyone in that time period was awful, there must have been outliers) it came across strongly as putting modern views retroactively onto historical characters. I would rather have seen a plot line that didn't require a potential feud with a Native tribe at all, so all of this could have been avoided.
The actual romantic elements of this romance were stilted and strange at best, while the larger story suffered from a lack of tension. I'm giving it that second star mostly because it was more entertaining than the two romances I saddled with one star a piece last week, but really it's more of a one and a half. Nothing stands out in this book as noteworthy that would make me want to recommend it or reread it.
The characters are all uniformly bland, mostly because they're all defined by being stubborn. Both of our lovebirds are stubborn, refusing to bow to the dictates of their parents and/or society. All of the supporting characters are also primarily defined by being stubborn--the plucky little urchin Joe/Josie living a pickpocket-runaway lifestyle, unmarried Ginny with her baby on the way who refuses to give up hope that she can make a good life for herself Out West, the fathers and business partners and villains--all just stubborn with little else in the way of personality.
I picked this up originally because the setting and time period were unusual for the historical romances I've encountered--post-Civil-War America (not during) and at least partially set in the West, but definitely not a typical cowboy Western. I thought romance in the era of railroad expansion might be interesting, but it wasn't. It was bland. The railroad plot drove the story far more than the romance did, aided by what I consider to be the biggest flaw of the book--absolute transparency about what the villains were up to. Every so often there'd be a scene break and we'd peek in on some rich jerk back East plotting the downfall of our hero and his father. So when the big explosion happened, derailing the train and putting everyone in danger, there was no mystery--obviously someone was out to get them. Obviously somebody set those explosives, we already watched them cackle devilishly about it. So there was no tension. And we know all along who the "spy" in the hero's camp is, but I don't think knowing that adds to the story in any way, despite the spy getting his own romantic subplot.
The story wanted to make sure I had every bit of information I needed to understand what was going on, to the point where nothing was surprising and I didn't have to think at all.
Lastly, it should be said that, this being set in the era of major westward expansion, Native Americans show up in the story. Early mentions of them being obstacles to the railroad spur set my teeth on edge, despite being historically accurate; but these were mostly coming from the mouths of the villains, so it was bearable. When they appear later as actual characters, they were generally treated with the sort of racism that also appears to be historically accurate, but that didn't make it easier to read. The hero and heroine in their own fashions work as best they can within the context of their setting limitations to be "good," egalitarian people and treat the Native characters well, but whether or not it would have actually happened that way (surely not everyone in that time period was awful, there must have been outliers) it came across strongly as putting modern views retroactively onto historical characters. I would rather have seen a plot line that didn't require a potential feud with a Native tribe at all, so all of this could have been avoided.
The actual romantic elements of this romance were stilted and strange at best, while the larger story suffered from a lack of tension. I'm giving it that second star mostly because it was more entertaining than the two romances I saddled with one star a piece last week, but really it's more of a one and a half. Nothing stands out in this book as noteworthy that would make me want to recommend it or reread it.
May 18, 2021
Okay, I struggled with this. Maybe it's because it was published so long ago. I really don't even know. I felt like Annie's only character trait was that she was stubborn and Dan's was only that he could be helpful/ solve problems. And he never got angry while she was always angry.
I honestly found the railroad plot to be more interesting than the romance and... I don't care about the railroad plot.
Red, Ginny, Josie were fun characters though.
I honestly found the railroad plot to be more interesting than the romance and... I don't care about the railroad plot.
Red, Ginny, Josie were fun characters though.
March 30, 2010
This was a great story. It could have been longer and I just would have kept reading. It had great writing and wonderful characters!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews