To Echo the Past

McCall #2

by Marcia Lynn McClure

As her family abandoned the excitement of the city for the uneventful lifestyle of a small, western town, Brynn Clarkston's worst fears were realized. Stripped of her heart's hopes and dreams, Brynn knew true loneliness. Until an ordinary day revealed a heavenly oasis in the desert . . . Michael McCall. Handsome and irresistibly charming, Michael McCall (the son of legendary horse breeder Jackson McCall) seemed to offer wild distraction and sincere friendship to Brynn. But could Brynn be content with mere friendship when her dreams of Michael involved so much more?

Genres: Romance, Clean Romance, Historical Romance, Westerns, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical

180 pages, Paperback

First published July 14, 2005

About the author

Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Marcia Lynn McClure grew up influenced by the reminiscent stories of rugged, rural Colorado farm life fascinatingly recounted to her by her parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts…tales of runaway buckboards, mule-drawn plows and dust pneumonia; verbalized images of stream-flooded meadows, frozen over in winter, where a child could peer through the crystal clear ice in wonder at the small fish, snakes and mice sealed in the meadow grasses beneath; stories of hardship and tragedy, love and loss. But always the stories, and the people telling them, bore evidence of the wonder and worthiness of simpler, yet sometimes brutal, times.

These influential people and the family legends they detailed, coupled with her own life experiences and utterly romantic nature, led Marcia to begin writing novels as Christmas gifts for her closest friends…friends who long for a breath of the past and miss the romance of bygone eras; friends searching for moments of distraction from the stressful, demanding times we live in.

And so, knowing that it is the breath of the past and the "take me in you arms and kiss me" kind of moments that so many women long to relive, Marcia spins her tales of love, life and laughter…adventures woven around those compelling, romantic instances that most appeal to a woman's loving heart. Marcia feels that if her readers close one of her books with a contented sigh and a delighted smile, feeling rejuvenated, cheerful and edified, then she has achieved what she set out to do…shower refreshment and happiness on anyone having experienced the story.

Marcia lives in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. There she writes her stories surrounded by her beloved friends and family...and the beautiful desert landscape of New Mexico!

Reviews

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best part of the book is when the men are raising the barn and the entire McCall family attires themselves in typical Marcia fashion. Marcia is never at a loss for ways to find her male characters without their shirts! I missed having a bit of mystery with this Marcia installment (she usually has some secret or a tortured past a character or two is hiding) but still a sweet love story with loads of flirting. (And one of my favorite characters, Jackson McCall, is back!)

Ooooh, favorite part number two is when Brynn spies on Jackson and Malaina still sparking somethin' fierce after all these years. :)

[Annalisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 Love Notes Collection Series. I like how this does indeed Echo the Past of the first book in this series "Desert Fire" only now it is with Jackson and Malaina's son Michael and the new girl in town Brynn Clarkston. I also really liked glimpsing more of what has transpired in the lives of Jackson and Malaina, Baker and Charlotte, Mary and Matthew and how their love still burns.

Amazon Product Description:
As her family abandoned the excitement of the city for the uneventful lifestyle of a small,
western town, Brynn Clarkston's worst fears were realized. Stripped of her heart's hopes and dreams, Brynn knew true loneliness. Until an ordinary day revealed a heavenly oasis in the desert . . . Michael McCall. Handsome and irresistibly charming, Michael McCall (the son of legendary horse breeder Jackson McCall) seemed to offer wild distraction and sincere friendship to Brynn. But could Brynn be content with mere friendship when her dreams of Michael involved so much more?

[Kathy * Bookworm Nation · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoyed Desert Fire, you’ll want to check out this charming sequel. It takes place twenty or so years later and follows Michael McCall (son of Jackson and Malaiana) and Brynn Clarkston.

Brynn is new in town and not too happy about it. That is, until she meets the ruggedly handsome rancher Michael McCall. I thought these two were really cute together; they have a light happy courtship. There are some fun scenes in this one, gotta love a good barn raisin’. This is a fun novella, but would make a cute full-length novel where the story and relationship could be developed more, but its fun if you're just in the mood for something quick and sweet.

Content Rated PG
Romance: Kissing
Language: None that I remember
Violence: Mild

[Jennybug · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this one. It was a really quick read. I liked how well spun the tale was. It was really fun to read and left you wanting more. I liked the relationship between both of the main characters, and I just love reading about the Olden Days! I mean what girl wouldn't want to make a picnic lunch and then have her beau bid, so that he could eat the lunch with her. Actually making the lunch I could do with out, maybe I will just have my beau take me to lunch at the Spaghetti Factory.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

To Echo the Past is a sequel to Desert Fire, but doesn't need to be read in the right order. It is one of my favorite MLM westerns. I love Brynn and Michael. I love how Michael teases her! and especially love their first kiss. Marcia Lynn McClure just puts you right into the west, and makes me long for a simpler life, a small town mercantile, and barn raisings. I love the setting, love the characters, and love Michael MCCall's toothpick ;)

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sigh...
I admit I'm a hopeless romantic.
This was a wonderful short story. My only complaint is that it was too short. 180 small pages easily read in less than 2 hours. Perfect for a lazy afternoon. Read after Marcia's book Desert Fire since it's about the next generation of McCalls.

[Runrachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun fast read.. I loved it... great for a little pick me up on a slow day..

[Marybeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh I loved this one! Accidentally read the 2nd one first, which I don't recommend, but still, I loved this set so much that I've read them both twice. Quick reads, but sooooo good!!

[McKenzie Dygert · Rating 5 out of 5]

i LOVED this book too. but who wouldn't love one of marcia lynn mcclures books. i liked this one cuz it was short and to the point. i loved the toothpick part!!! :D

[Elizabeth Glaittli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Loved this one! I loved that is was a sequel to desert fire, that the story went on and we go to see the characters lives afterwords. I loved the story! So good!

[Angie Cornelison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just what I needed! A light fluffy book. Life can now resume. This was a great book!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love a McClure book. I love the juicy romance, the fluttery feeling she can create with her words- without getting R or X rated! So clean, and so romantic.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick and enjoyable read! And the picnic scene...YES.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the kissing!

This is a fast and easy read. I love reading this book when I want a fast little lift. This book makes me smile, laugh and sigh. I always end reading it with a big smile and a happy little sigh.
I love Michael i. This book. He makes me laugh he makes me smile. I live how he teases so much but in his teasing there always lays the truth of how he is feeling.
I love how Brynn is better than Annabelle. I think I would have totally smacked that girl a few times but Brynn is better then that and I really like that about her she doesn't give into the bait.
Oh and you can't forget about the kissing! I love all the kissing!
I really enjoy this book even if it is a fast story it still makes you smile.

[Katrina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not one of Marcia Lynn McClure’s best. I thought Michael was a bit of a jerk face who doesn’t take “no” for an answer. I don’t know how Brynn liked him at all. They just seemed to “fall in love” with each other’s looks, because they sure didn’t talk to each other much to have fallen in love with anything else. I also do not think that being humble means you’re completely unaware of how beautiful you are. They had mirrors. They know they were beautiful. Knowing you’re beautiful doesn’t make you vain.

[Jamille Parks · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was alright. It had some continuity errors, but the story was good. I was hoping for some depth that never came, but I'm glad that I read it.

[Dorry Lou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story by one of my favorite authors.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this little sequel. Cute story and again had me laughing out loud at the McCall boys antics.

[Alexis Stephens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super quick read. Again, not my favorite of hers, definitely a sequel vibe but I still found myself not wanting to put it down.

[Angie Vach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read. I liked the story line but felt it ended too quickly.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

-3.75 stars. It was such a short little novella with charming characters. It was fun and easy to read with no real plot twist but just a simple love story.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read "Desert fire" first to get the background for this story. a clean quick read, romance. the innocence of love is clearly displayed in this story of Brynn, a 17 year old moving from the civilized east to the more rowdy west were her father accepted a teaching position. She is bored out of her mind with the newness of her surroundings until she meets Michael McCall, a handsome, older, horseman in Mrs. Johnson's store. She thinks his shameless flirting is just a ruse, but finds that he really does like her more than a friend. The McCall families introduce and welcome the newcomers, even though some are very jealous of Michael's attention to Brynn like Annabelle. When robbery are getting closer and closer to town, one time their own bank robbed, the sheriff and his deputy suspect Michael, but when michael shows up at Brynn's shot, the truth is revealed, the law is dirty and Michael was supposed to be the fall guy. When Brynn tries to help michael by hiding him in a legendary family cave he leads trouble to them. There is a shoot out and Michael is wounded again, but not before he skirts around the answer to what he was talking to Brynn's dad about on the night of the robbery. When the honest law men come to clean out the bad, Michael asks Brynn to marry him and she says yes after he tells her that after meeting her in the store the first time he knew she was the one for him, he just had to test and see if she felt the same and was old enough to agree.

[Teya Teya · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's that time of the year again to devour the deliciousness of Marcia Mcclure's journeys to destiny books. Okay, I'm a month early starting but who cares!

11/17/23
I love the McCall trilogy, and this one is amazing! I love that he champions her and shows up for her and that they kind of have a reunion in the same cave a generation later. It's just a joy.

8/26/22
Book two in the McCall trilogy. I love that this story goes in generations and they are listed. Beautiful people and beautiful hearts. I mean you gotta love the shirts always coming off. Love it. Great story to boot.

It's a perfect second-generation story.
I read the trilogy and commented on that one.

Brynn and Michael's story is so sweet. My favorite is the toothpick, it's strangely romantic.

[Kathryn Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed on Clean Adult Fiction

Reviewed as part of the McCall Trilogy:

I love Marcia's books. Romance books set in the 'Ole West are so fun to read. Ah! It was so romantic!! I read the first 2 books (Desert Fire and To Echo The Past) because I'd already read book 3. If you like old fashioned books where the man is handsome and protects the woman he loves, and the woman is sweet but spunky then you'll love these books. These are perfect to read during the month of love. :)

Content Ratings:
sexual: mild
language: none
violence: mild

[Jo Notary]

Cowboy/Ranch
196p (Sequel to Desert Fire) As her family abandoned the excitement of the city for the uneventful lifestyle of a small, western town, Brynn Clarkston's worst fears were realized. Stripped of her heart's hopes and dreams, Brynn knew true loneliness. Until an ordinary day revealed a heavenly oasis in the desert . . . Michael McCall. Handsome and irresistibly charming, Michael McCall (the son of legendary horse breeder Jackson McCall) seemed to offer wild distraction and sincere friendship to Brynn. But could Brynn be content with mere friendship when her dreams of Michael involved so much more?

[Ruby · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book was kind of a dumb romance. It is the second book in a series and I read this one before the first one. Maybe I would have liked it better if I had read it in order.

It is a poorly written story of two people falling in love from the olden days. I think this author is obsessed with the boys taking off their shirts, and the couple kissing, along with a bad guy that tries to kill someone and the boy is the hero.

I don't think that she does a good job with the period transition and it just isn't written that well.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read Desert Fire first. It is the story of how the previous McCall family came to be. This novel is the next generation of McCalls.

I love how the town store always seems to be the meeting place where the McCall brothers find their gals. The lovely Brynn Clarkston is new to the town and handsome Michael McCall is more than capable of making her feel welcome. It's love at first sight and each time they meet at the store and in other places only makes their fondness for each other that much greater.

Loved the barnraising and picnic auction scenes :)

Rated for 16 and up.

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that was just too short- but still so good. The McCalls are hot and toothpicks will never be the same to me. ;)

Re-read Aug. 5, 2014... Still So HOT!!

Nov. 2015: I'm glad I read Desert Fire again right before I read this. It's so great to go from reading about Jackson McCall and continue on to read about his son, Michael. Those McCall boys are just beautiful. "Dang right!" ;)

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

The McCall Trilogy was gifted to me by my sister and I am ever so thankful that she did. This was an amazing book and I loved every second of reading it. Although it was short you can't help but fall in love with it and all of it's turns. Annie McCall is an amazing sister and friend. Michael McCall is an amazing brother as well as lover. Brynn Clarkston is a young vibrant woman who is an amazing friend daughter and role model to her younger sister. I loved so many people in this book and would definitively read it again.

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was too short to fully develop an interesting or believable story. Most of the book was spent getting the characters together with only a minor obstacle, and the "big" action of the story had no build up and was wrapped up too quickly and then all of a sudden the story is over. And the old west "accent" bugged me ... maybe it is authentic (I don't know whether it is or isn't), but it didn't feel real and pulled me out of the story.