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Racing Moon
Commissioned to paint watercolors on a Louisiana cotton plantation, Irish artist Maureen O'Rourke encounters Racing Moon, a fierce Chitimacha chief who captures her heart, but their newfound happiness is threatened by Maureen's employer, who is Racing Moon's worst adversary. Original.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 6, 2003
258 people want to read
About the author
Cassie Edwards
163 books419 followersEdwards began writing romances in 1982 and released her 100th novel, Savage Skies, on August 28, 2007. Although her earlier books were classic historical romances, the vast majority of her novels involve Native American tribes. Edwards's grandmother was a full-blooded Cheyenne. Her first 99 books sold a combined 10 million copies as of August 2007, with her more recent novels averaging sales of 250,000–350,000 copies.
Edwards has won the Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award and the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award, as well as being named one of Affaire de Coeur's top ten favorite romance writers. Edwards has a reputation for meticulously researching the proper anthropological backgrounds of each tribe she writes about.
Edwards and her husband Charles, a retired high school biology teacher, have been married for over 50 years. They have two sons, Charles and Brian, and three grandchildren. The family lived in St. Louis, Missouri for over thirty years, but now reside in Mattoon, Illinois.
Edwards has won the Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award and the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award, as well as being named one of Affaire de Coeur's top ten favorite romance writers. Edwards has a reputation for meticulously researching the proper anthropological backgrounds of each tribe she writes about.
Edwards and her husband Charles, a retired high school biology teacher, have been married for over 50 years. They have two sons, Charles and Brian, and three grandchildren. The family lived in St. Louis, Missouri for over thirty years, but now reside in Mattoon, Illinois.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 7, 2019
Maureen and her parents came to America from Ireland to make a fresh start. Her parents were looking to start their own bakery but they didnt have any money. Maureen was an artist with waterpaints and she was hired to do paintings of a home. The owner agreed to rent a building to her parents to run their bakery and the money Maureen made would help pay for it. This owners true colors came out shortly after when he tried to get his way with Maureen... She ran away into the night where she was captured by a indian war chief who was seeking revenge against the white man that came onto Maureen. The white man had ordered that the indians holy house be burnt down, but he wasnt aware that a young boy was in that house to fast and seek his vision to become a warrior.
This story has lots of people that make wrong assumptions, and those wrong assumptions cause some hard feelings. watching all these entanglements unravel make this a great story. I always love the adventure and intrigue that Cassie Edwards writes... Thank you Cassie for another great story..
This story has lots of people that make wrong assumptions, and those wrong assumptions cause some hard feelings. watching all these entanglements unravel make this a great story. I always love the adventure and intrigue that Cassie Edwards writes... Thank you Cassie for another great story..
December 5, 2021
Rating: 3.2 / 5
If I had to identify two things that took away from my enjoyment of this book, I'd have to say that it's the setting and the plot that just about turned me off.
Sounds odd to say, I know, as both of those are technically big elements, but go with me on this.
First off, on the setting, I think part of my dislike is just because of my expectations. Nearly all of the Native American romances thus far, without exception, took place out West. Whether that was in the south, around Texas and New Mexico, or further up in the Dakotas or Nebraska, or even further west into the mountainous territories of Wyoming and Idaho, the Native American cultures that were largely represented were those who lived in teepees instead of lodges, those who still fought for freedom and would not let themselves be conquered by Manifest Destiny.
In terms of Racing Moon's people though...yeah, seeing as they're all apparently fluent in English and live in land that adjourns some asshole's plantation where slavery is very much a thing (1857)...I'd say that it wasn't what I expected. In truth though, it isn't that I didn't enjoy learning about the Chitimacha people, whom I had never heard about before and that aren't very well known when people thing of Native American culture, but...well, let's just say that I prefer the backdrop of the prairies in comparison to the bayou swamps. Like...seriously. The mention of mosquitoes and alligators was far from setting a romantic tone for everything.
Otherwise though, as to the plot itself, I'd have to say that it was rather lackluster and felt rather arbitrary and forced. Like...I just could not pinpoint how Racing Moon and Maureen fell in love. I mean, sure, there was the customary "damsel in distress" moment for Maureen, but the reality of the situation is that they've barely spent a few days together (and even then, not so much) and yet Maureen realizes that she loves Racing Moon and vice-versa.
Um...no.
And even so, insta-romance is obviously quite a trope of romances, historical or otherwise, so maybe I would have been able to handle this just fine if only not for...well, Maureen. For the record, I didn't like this character that much, but thinking it over I realized that it wasn't so much Maureen herself as the decisionsway longer than is necessary and holds off on telling Racing Moon the truth even though she has ample opportunity to do so. At the beginning, forced as it was, I kind of accepted it, but as more time passed and she just didn't open her mouth to say something, it honestly felt like the author was just looking for excuses to frustrate Racing Moon more as Maureen is not the first, but the second supposed married woman that he has a thing for. I just didn't see the point of deluding the poor guy except for increasing the page count.
Aaaand, while we're talking, if a reader starts to honestly feel that an author's writing about something just for the sake of writing it and upping the page count, then you should know that you're in trouble. That's a big nuh-uh moment if ever there was one, amirite?
Anyway, all things considered, this was a moderate 'okay' story, not anything too special but tolerable enough for me. Maybe someone who's more interesting in a bayou setting would be more into it?
If I had to identify two things that took away from my enjoyment of this book, I'd have to say that it's the setting and the plot that just about turned me off.
Sounds odd to say, I know, as both of those are technically big elements, but go with me on this.
First off, on the setting, I think part of my dislike is just because of my expectations. Nearly all of the Native American romances thus far, without exception, took place out West. Whether that was in the south, around Texas and New Mexico, or further up in the Dakotas or Nebraska, or even further west into the mountainous territories of Wyoming and Idaho, the Native American cultures that were largely represented were those who lived in teepees instead of lodges, those who still fought for freedom and would not let themselves be conquered by Manifest Destiny.
In terms of Racing Moon's people though...yeah, seeing as they're all apparently fluent in English and live in land that adjourns some asshole's plantation where slavery is very much a thing (1857)...I'd say that it wasn't what I expected. In truth though, it isn't that I didn't enjoy learning about the Chitimacha people, whom I had never heard about before and that aren't very well known when people thing of Native American culture, but...well, let's just say that I prefer the backdrop of the prairies in comparison to the bayou swamps. Like...seriously. The mention of mosquitoes and alligators was far from setting a romantic tone for everything.
Otherwise though, as to the plot itself, I'd have to say that it was rather lackluster and felt rather arbitrary and forced. Like...I just could not pinpoint how Racing Moon and Maureen fell in love. I mean, sure, there was the customary "damsel in distress" moment for Maureen, but the reality of the situation is that they've barely spent a few days together (and even then, not so much) and yet Maureen realizes that she loves Racing Moon and vice-versa.
Um...no.
And even so, insta-romance is obviously quite a trope of romances, historical or otherwise, so maybe I would have been able to handle this just fine if only not for...well, Maureen. For the record, I didn't like this character that much, but thinking it over I realized that it wasn't so much Maureen herself as the decisionsway longer than is necessary and holds off on telling Racing Moon the truth even though she has ample opportunity to do so. At the beginning, forced as it was, I kind of accepted it, but as more time passed and she just didn't open her mouth to say something, it honestly felt like the author was just looking for excuses to frustrate Racing Moon more as Maureen is not the first, but the second supposed married woman that he has a thing for. I just didn't see the point of deluding the poor guy except for increasing the page count.
Aaaand, while we're talking, if a reader starts to honestly feel that an author's writing about something just for the sake of writing it and upping the page count, then you should know that you're in trouble. That's a big nuh-uh moment if ever there was one, amirite?
Anyway, all things considered, this was a moderate 'okay' story, not anything too special but tolerable enough for me. Maybe someone who's more interesting in a bayou setting would be more into it?
January 9, 2015
A wonderful book Cassie Edwards never disappoints with her lovely style of story telling.
February 1, 2022
An enjoyable read. Various dynamics to the story.
March 28, 2009
Okay but typical Cassie Edwards.
September 13, 2013
Concept is good, execution is lacking. The dialogue is confusing- simple at certain times then complex at others.
September 8, 2018
Enjoyed the characters and how they interact with each other.
December 5, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. It had action but not to much just enough to keep it interesting. I really enjoyed the character development. We got to learn about a multitude of characters and get a decent backstory. While it wasn’t a very realistic setting it was a very relatable love that the two main characters had it was very refreshing. I also enjoyed how it wasn’t 100% predictable it kinda kept you on your toes you didn’t know for sure what was going to happen. I would very much recommend this book!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews