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The Return: The Grass Isn’t Always Greener
327 pages, Paperback
Published September 12, 2025
About the author
Mike Torreano
14 books31 followersI write traditional western mysteries and historical fiction, sweet reads with a thread of romance.
My inspiration has always been Zane Grey, who I started reading in fifth grade. His vivid descriptions put me riding right along with the good guys and bad guys amid the red sandstone formations of the Painted Desert.
I'm also drawn to The Code of the West, which laid out right and wrong for many parts of the Old West that didn't have any other law. Our country could sure use some of those timeless values today.
My first historical, Fireflies at Dusk. was released in November 2023.
My inspiration has always been Zane Grey, who I started reading in fifth grade. His vivid descriptions put me riding right along with the good guys and bad guys amid the red sandstone formations of the Painted Desert.
I'm also drawn to The Code of the West, which laid out right and wrong for many parts of the Old West that didn't have any other law. Our country could sure use some of those timeless values today.
My first historical, Fireflies at Dusk. was released in November 2023.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 3, 2026
After thoroughly enjoying the prequels to The Return, I eagerly awaited the conclusion of the saga—The Reckoning, The Renewal, and now The Return—which features Lorraine, Ike, and South Park, Colorado. The wait was absolutely worthwhile. Although I plan to reread them all to confirm, I believe this installment is my favorite in the series. Mike Torreano immerses readers in the narrative long before they realize they're hooked, much like Louis L’Amour’s books did for me (I've read everything L’Amour wrote at least once). Mr. Torreano’s work stands alongside those treasured experiences.
My grandparents moved to Colorado in the early 1900s, drawn by hopes for TB cures and gold, as many were at the time. Having spent all my adult life there, I often reflect on what Colorado must have been like 120 years ago. Imagine more open spaces, fewer people, and a stronger sense of freedom and bravery. Colorado remains wonderful, but imagining life in 19th-century Colorado evokes thoughts of its ruggedness, danger, freedom, and beauty.
Mike Torreano skillfully transports readers to that era. The engaging storyline keeps you captivated right up to the end, and his meticulous attention to historical detail is impressive. After decades exploring, fishing, and camping between Poncha Pass and Leadville, I know South Park well, yet I seldom find Old West fiction set there—until now.
Torreano’s depiction of South Park, including train journeys from Denver to the fictional Cottonwood, is spot-on. His research is thorough, and I learned new facts throughout the series, just as I did when reading Louis L’Amour. The Return’s descriptions of LoDo are especially vivid, filled with details I hadn’t known; I could almost see—and nearly smell—the setting.
If you love captivating novels, enjoy stories set in the Old West, or if you’ve never read an authentic Western, buy this book—you won’t be disappointed.
My grandparents moved to Colorado in the early 1900s, drawn by hopes for TB cures and gold, as many were at the time. Having spent all my adult life there, I often reflect on what Colorado must have been like 120 years ago. Imagine more open spaces, fewer people, and a stronger sense of freedom and bravery. Colorado remains wonderful, but imagining life in 19th-century Colorado evokes thoughts of its ruggedness, danger, freedom, and beauty.
Mike Torreano skillfully transports readers to that era. The engaging storyline keeps you captivated right up to the end, and his meticulous attention to historical detail is impressive. After decades exploring, fishing, and camping between Poncha Pass and Leadville, I know South Park well, yet I seldom find Old West fiction set there—until now.
Torreano’s depiction of South Park, including train journeys from Denver to the fictional Cottonwood, is spot-on. His research is thorough, and I learned new facts throughout the series, just as I did when reading Louis L’Amour. The Return’s descriptions of LoDo are especially vivid, filled with details I hadn’t known; I could almost see—and nearly smell—the setting.
If you love captivating novels, enjoy stories set in the Old West, or if you’ve never read an authentic Western, buy this book—you won’t be disappointed.
Displaying 1 of 1 review