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Gold Rush Romances #1
Restless Hearts
Boston, 1849. Denied her dream of attending medical school, Sarah Howard is desperate to leave Boston far behind. Determined to prove that she can make it on her own, she poses as a married woman and boards a schooner bound for San Francisco.
Stuck working in his family’s merchant bank, Jamie Thompson eagerly accepts the challenge of setting up a branch in San Francisco. He’s been restless for some time now, and barely escaped the clutches of the woman determined to marry him.
The attraction between Sarah and Jamie is instant and powerful, yet each has something to prove, if only to themselves. Will their single-minded determination derail a blossoming romance?
Stuck working in his family’s merchant bank, Jamie Thompson eagerly accepts the challenge of setting up a branch in San Francisco. He’s been restless for some time now, and barely escaped the clutches of the woman determined to marry him.
The attraction between Sarah and Jamie is instant and powerful, yet each has something to prove, if only to themselves. Will their single-minded determination derail a blossoming romance?
191 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 13, 2014
852 people are currently reading
1092 people want to read
About the author
Mona Ingram
83 books298 followersMona Ingram is the author of over 60 romance novels, including twelve novellas. Many of her stories take place in British Columbia, where she has lived since the age of twelve. In recent years she has lived in the Okanagan Valley and on Vancouver Island. In addition to reading and writing, traveling and bird watching are among Mona's favourite pastimes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
January 1, 2016
Ludicrous anachronisms in speech and attitude. I finally deleted it when the protagonist walked into the room of a woman she had never met who is ill, and says, "Your daughter says you're pregnant." Seriously, in 1860? Older people wouldn't even say that word in 1960! There were problems before that of a similar type, but that was the last straw.
She can write a coherent sentence, though.
She can write a coherent sentence, though.
February 17, 2017
The story isn't bad but it is too easy and some of the middle feels missing. The women needs more challenges and set backs building their business, not just minor things from the added women. Also a few characters appear suddenly, which makes me suspect cut scenes.
It made little sense for her to go to bed with him so quickly, but at least it was discretely written.
Low 3 star. Needs more filling and complications to be a satisfying story line. Also confused she gave up medicine so easily and didn't do more about dirty hospital.
It made little sense for her to go to bed with him so quickly, but at least it was discretely written.
Low 3 star. Needs more filling and complications to be a satisfying story line. Also confused she gave up medicine so easily and didn't do more about dirty hospital.
August 11, 2020
This was a good book, but it was kinda slow and definitely predictable.
April 14, 2022
I absolutely loved it! Great read!
It was wonderful to hear about the characters who had a good story to tell..it was worth reading it!
Looking forward to read more book series soon
It was wonderful to hear about the characters who had a good story to tell..it was worth reading it!
Looking forward to read more book series soon
abandoned
August 29, 2019DNF 3%
It feels like this is going to be a heroine-conquers-all plot. And I am even ok with that but there is something too cutesy about the beginning of his book.
It feels like this is going to be a heroine-conquers-all plot. And I am even ok with that but there is something too cutesy about the beginning of his book.
January 8, 2019
Restless Waters by Mona Ingram
Book starts out with Sarah and it's May 1849 and she's on a ship heading to CA. She's leaving the Boston area because she knows she will never advance with her medical degree nor with a spouse. Disturbing events have caused her to make up her mind.
She meets many on her voyage and I enjoyed the trip along with the stops. She trusts others to help her once they arrive and some have unforeseen things happen.
Love how she is just so caring to everybody, especially when they need medical attention. She was brought up right with her father the doctor in the city she left behind.
Story also follows a man that is on his way out west to help the bank he works in but he knows he wants something different and he has opportunities to change his life as a relative has left him a lot of land.
Love how she is able to once again have her brother there with her and surprised at the ways they were able to make a living-priceless! Loved hearing about bowling-of all things out in the wilderness.
Sounds like a good series to be reading. So very detailed I can picture myself there with her.
Book starts out with Sarah and it's May 1849 and she's on a ship heading to CA. She's leaving the Boston area because she knows she will never advance with her medical degree nor with a spouse. Disturbing events have caused her to make up her mind.
She meets many on her voyage and I enjoyed the trip along with the stops. She trusts others to help her once they arrive and some have unforeseen things happen.
Love how she is just so caring to everybody, especially when they need medical attention. She was brought up right with her father the doctor in the city she left behind.
Story also follows a man that is on his way out west to help the bank he works in but he knows he wants something different and he has opportunities to change his life as a relative has left him a lot of land.
Love how she is able to once again have her brother there with her and surprised at the ways they were able to make a living-priceless! Loved hearing about bowling-of all things out in the wilderness.
Sounds like a good series to be reading. So very detailed I can picture myself there with her.
February 3, 2016
Thank god it was a short book. 1 1/2 stars rounding up (and I am being kind).
This type of story is just not for me. Squeaky clean heroine who has no flaws, hero who is the same. The conflicts were few and laughable, easily resolved in a sentence or two. There is just so much wrong with this book, but I don't wish to waste any more of my time pointing them all out for I have spent too much valuable time just time reading it.. skimming through most of it.
No romance, no passion, no sex.
The characters were flat and unhumanlike. The plot is ridiculous and boring.
I gave it 1.5 stars because the writing is ok, not terrible but just ok. Nothing was written in detail, everything was vague, with large portions of time skipped over. I could go on but it is not worth the effort.
Avoid avoid avoid this one.
This type of story is just not for me. Squeaky clean heroine who has no flaws, hero who is the same. The conflicts were few and laughable, easily resolved in a sentence or two. There is just so much wrong with this book, but I don't wish to waste any more of my time pointing them all out for I have spent too much valuable time just time reading it.. skimming through most of it.
No romance, no passion, no sex.
The characters were flat and unhumanlike. The plot is ridiculous and boring.
I gave it 1.5 stars because the writing is ok, not terrible but just ok. Nothing was written in detail, everything was vague, with large portions of time skipped over. I could go on but it is not worth the effort.
Avoid avoid avoid this one.
November 13, 2015
A cute and lovely romance. The heroine had more strength than usual and the dilemma separating the couple wasn't that big, which was fitting, the interesting was to see who Sarah managed to help so many people while trying to find her way.
September 27, 2016
A sweet, but predictable story. Nice, easy read.
May 22, 2019
I felt a sense of kinship with these characters that was not a surprising side effect since for me learning new things to challenge myself has always come naturally.
However in my wildest dreams undertaking a four month journey like Sarah and Anna did is beyond the scope of any challenge I would even try.
This was a serious start to a series set in a time of our history that is both daunting and exciting at once.
Nice story, sweet romance, great characters and day to day scenes well fleshed out as well as easy to follow along with as the plot lines played out over the course of this story.
However in my wildest dreams undertaking a four month journey like Sarah and Anna did is beyond the scope of any challenge I would even try.
This was a serious start to a series set in a time of our history that is both daunting and exciting at once.
Nice story, sweet romance, great characters and day to day scenes well fleshed out as well as easy to follow along with as the plot lines played out over the course of this story.
August 21, 2019
I really liked how the main characters didn't just literally rush to and fro like headless chickens once their emotions came into play.
Both Sarah and Jamie showed they had level heads on their shoulders and good, compassionate hearts, which drew me into the story. I think things might have seemed almost too good to be true and too easy, but I suppose in a flood of stories where the heroine will give the hero a cold shoulder for something she sees but doesn't bother to understand or discuss, this one rates high because Sarah doesn't do that.
Also, the book kept me hungry with all those pies!
Both Sarah and Jamie showed they had level heads on their shoulders and good, compassionate hearts, which drew me into the story. I think things might have seemed almost too good to be true and too easy, but I suppose in a flood of stories where the heroine will give the hero a cold shoulder for something she sees but doesn't bother to understand or discuss, this one rates high because Sarah doesn't do that.
Also, the book kept me hungry with all those pies!
November 23, 2020
Excellent quick read
The plot is engaging, and by no means the stereotypical “socialite strikes out on her own”storyline you might expect. The characters are well developed and the use of foreshadowing is well done.
The only things that bothered me were a) everything seemed to happen for Sara in just the right way; there were no struggles, no worries as to how she’d survive, and b) Leticia gave up far too easily after traveling for almost a year.
Looking forward to reading more in the series.
The plot is engaging, and by no means the stereotypical “socialite strikes out on her own”storyline you might expect. The characters are well developed and the use of foreshadowing is well done.
The only things that bothered me were a) everything seemed to happen for Sara in just the right way; there were no struggles, no worries as to how she’d survive, and b) Leticia gave up far too easily after traveling for almost a year.
Looking forward to reading more in the series.
October 4, 2020
Rating: 1.5
I had a good laugh throughout the book. Not because there was anything humorous about it. I just found it funny that all the characters are saints, and they're so perceptive and know how to deal with every situation. Come on!
The snippets of information while on the ship sailing from Boston to San Francisco were pretty interesting though. In fact, at first I thought the whole book would be about that voyage - and I wouldn't have been averse to that.
I had a good laugh throughout the book. Not because there was anything humorous about it. I just found it funny that all the characters are saints, and they're so perceptive and know how to deal with every situation. Come on!
The snippets of information while on the ship sailing from Boston to San Francisco were pretty interesting though. In fact, at first I thought the whole book would be about that voyage - and I wouldn't have been averse to that.
January 6, 2021
Easy-read gold rush era romance where Sarah meets a young man on her journey to California from Boston and are attracted to one another despite Sarah's attempt to indicate she's meeting up with her husband for safety reasons. A benevolent young woman who wants to prove herself and does so quite successfully once she arrives vs Jaime who has inherited a ranch - a ten hour boat ride away. Many miraculous timing events makes everything fit together for a happy ending.
March 8, 2021
loved this story start to finish. It is believable with a well developed storyline. The characters were interesting and believable. You have suspence drama and romance intertwined to kerp the storyline moving along . This series is starting out great. Casey spends summer camps st grandma's hotel. Supposedly a haunted hotel. If you like intense mysteries this book is for you. I recommend this book.
August 11, 2022
Gold and Romance
The adventure was good, the characters were diverse, and the facts seemed solid. However, just mentioning the mud and the abandoned ships in the harbor didn't make it feel real.
There was a conversation about all the while in the harbor, but the captain would manage to have a crew to sail away, in spite of the fact that hardly anyone else could. And apparently he did. Too bad for everybody else. Ditto finding the supplies they needed.
The adventure was good, the characters were diverse, and the facts seemed solid. However, just mentioning the mud and the abandoned ships in the harbor didn't make it feel real.
There was a conversation about all the while in the harbor, but the captain would manage to have a crew to sail away, in spite of the fact that hardly anyone else could. And apparently he did. Too bad for everybody else. Ditto finding the supplies they needed.
October 15, 2017
Excellent Gold Rush Romantic Historical Novel
I honestly can say I have found very few satisfying reads lately. This author did a great job with her plot, characters, and realistic description of the time period, both good and bad. This is not a great piece of literature, but a solid, chaste, good read.
I honestly can say I have found very few satisfying reads lately. This author did a great job with her plot, characters, and realistic description of the time period, both good and bad. This is not a great piece of literature, but a solid, chaste, good read.
January 6, 2018
Well written
If there were any flaws, I didn't notice as I be was caught up in the story. I like that there wasn't any explicit sex yet the thought was there as well as the love that developed. Winding all those lives together coherently is hard to do but the author did it and did it well
If there were any flaws, I didn't notice as I be was caught up in the story. I like that there wasn't any explicit sex yet the thought was there as well as the love that developed. Winding all those lives together coherently is hard to do but the author did it and did it well
April 24, 2018
Love this time period in history so was drawn to it. The author depicts the incredible journey by sailing ship from Boston to San Francisco during the gold rush period. It’s a remarkable story of an adventurous young lady. Without giving the storyline away, it includes adventure, trauma, success as well as a sweet love story.
July 27, 2017
Romance isn't my usual genre, but I did find this an easy read and engaging story. It's well written and the characters well developed. Much was predictable, but I suspect that isn't an issue in romance novels.
February 15, 2018
Good read
This book is so good. I really felt like I was living in that time period the way that the author wrote the story. The boat trip, landing in a new land uncertain about her future Sarah was brought to life for me.
This book is so good. I really felt like I was living in that time period the way that the author wrote the story. The boat trip, landing in a new land uncertain about her future Sarah was brought to life for me.
September 23, 2018
My Musings
I enjoyed reading this book. The characters are engaging and the plot is interesting. I do think the ending is rushed. I read the excerpt and plan to read the next book in this series. Happy reading 📚!
I enjoyed reading this book. The characters are engaging and the plot is interesting. I do think the ending is rushed. I read the excerpt and plan to read the next book in this series. Happy reading 📚!
August 19, 2019
Love cares. How beautifully that was demonstrated in this tale about people who dared, but in the daring cared. I really hated to put it down, even when my eyes were closing on me last night; or when it was time to eat to day. I would commend it to any -- no every -- one.
August 23, 2019
Sex scenes
I don't know if I've ever given a one star before but I am so disappointed to find sex scenes in this good story that I can't help this rating that would otherwise be a four or maybe five stars. Good luck with your writing but it's just not for me.
I don't know if I've ever given a one star before but I am so disappointed to find sex scenes in this good story that I can't help this rating that would otherwise be a four or maybe five stars. Good luck with your writing but it's just not for me.
April 8, 2021
Sweet and simple
A lovely gentle read about a capable woman who seeks independence and finds love and family. From the journey over sea to starting a new life in San Francisco it was a touching story. Short and sweet
A lovely gentle read about a capable woman who seeks independence and finds love and family. From the journey over sea to starting a new life in San Francisco it was a touching story. Short and sweet
September 22, 2023
A cute, easy to read distraction. Although set in 1849, characters are modern and plot is predictable, but prose flows well. It’s quite a short story, so good for a lazy afternoon where you don’t want to think too hard.
November 11, 2023
This was an enjoyable book. It’s was nice to read a story about women who broke out of the mold. It was also touching to read about women helping women when so much of the time they are pitted against each other. R. K. Carulli
May 17, 2017
Free Nook Book. Also cute.
November 4, 2017
Great story
I enjoyed the adventure and care in the characters hearts. Thank you. I am looking forward to the next in this series.
I enjoyed the adventure and care in the characters hearts. Thank you. I am looking forward to the next in this series.
October 4, 2018
Great Story!
I loved this story! Why? One strong woman helping other women to become strong......and their empowerment snowballs!
I also enjoy stories set back in the 1800s.
Highly recommended!
I loved this story! Why? One strong woman helping other women to become strong......and their empowerment snowballs!
I also enjoy stories set back in the 1800s.
Highly recommended!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews