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Indian Summer

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In this historical romance novella by the author of Love’s Bounty , a handsome Cheyenne man shakes up the life of a sheltered preacher’s wife.

Maggie Gibbons leads a happy, if sheltered life on the frontier with her husband, a preacher, and their daughter. But her husband's increasingly cold and unfeeling ways trouble her, as does his disdain for the Cheyenne his mission is to convert.

His unwavering beliefs have left her questioning how she feels, and even their relationship. One chance encounter with Wild Horse, a gentle soul who the frontier soldiers have painted as savage, cements what she knows to be her husband, her neighbors, her community were all wrong. But will her secret encounters with Wild Horse set her free—or lead her into a world of sin?

Praise for USA Today –bestselling Author Rosanne Bittner

“Power, passion, tragedy, and triumph are Rosanne Bittner’s hallmarks. Again and again she brings readers to tears.”— RT Book Reviews

89 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 5, 2015

102 people are currently reading
71 people want to read

About the author

Rosanne Bittner

84 books622 followers
I am a USA-TODAY best-selling author with 41 years, 76 books, and numerous writing awards behind me. My major genre is historical romance. I have always written for standard publishers but am now writing strictly for Amazon so I have more freedom to write real history. My most recent publication is SHADOW TRAIL, the 6th book in my Outlaw Hearts series. I also wrote and published my first full-length contemporary story, DANCING BENEATH YOU, in September 2022, a romance involving mystery and a depiction of reservation life in the Badlands of South Dakota. My best sellers are my SAVAGE DESTINY series (7 books) and my OUTLAW HEARTS series. See my website (www.rosannebittner.com) for details on all my books - most available for Kindle and in print. I am known for great love stories filled with real history and high emotion. I have also written many Native American stories, all based on real history.

I love American history. For those of you who have not yet read my books, my stories are generally set in the American West of the 1800s and feature vividly described, historically accurate settings that span the US from Missouri to California, from Canada to Mexico. Many of my books portray the poignant history of our Native Americans, and though the characters are my own, I use real historical locations and events in all my novels. I have also written about the French & Indian wars, American Revolution, the War of 1812, the war with Mexico (the Alamo), and the Civil War.

National magazine ROMANTIC TIMES has called me the "Queen of Western Romance" and an "emotional powerhouse." My husband and I have traveled the west for nearly 40 years and I have visited just about every location mentioned in my books.

Visit my website at www.rosannebittner.com and my Facebook Author page. And be sure to join Rosanne Bittner's Heart of the West Street Team! Happy reading!




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5 stars
118 (57%)
4 stars
43 (21%)
3 stars
28 (13%)
2 stars
8 (3%)
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7 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Profile Image for Cara .
30 reviews
October 22, 2019
This book is not predictable that is for sure! It did not go in the way I thought it was going to. I enjoy books that are not predictable, so this fit the bill. I kind of wish that this book was written with two versions. One ending with her with her husband and one ending with her and Wild Horse. This is a touching story and shows what can happen when you start looking at a persons heart and not their skin color. It tugs at your heart strings, I did get teary in the story.
Profile Image for Kristiej.
1,530 reviews101 followers
Read
September 2, 2018
Even though I know how a romance always ends, I still have to check the end to make doubly sure and I did that with this one too. I love Rosanne Bittner's books, simply adore them. But this book doesn't follow the most basic of romance rules and as such I couldn't read it.

'Nuff said
Profile Image for Tonya Lucas.
1,266 reviews19 followers
March 25, 2020
A beautiful and tender book. In true Rosanne Bittner fashion, the trials, tribulations, and heartache discovered on the western prairies, nothing comes without a price. Love and faith remain during the Indian Summer. An excellent book, one you’ll be glad you read for many years. A beautiful journey not to be missed.
Profile Image for Stephanie Jenkins Ortiz Cerrillo.
373 reviews12 followers
March 29, 2020
What a beautiful story! Rosanne Bittner just has a way of teaching us history while spinning beautifully written love stories. My favorite HWR novels often are written about a white female heroine falling in love with an Indian or a mixed breed. I adore so many of  the family values, customs and beliefs of some of the Indian tribes.

Maggie Gibbons is married to a preacher, Edward, that has chosen to take his family and go out west to try to teach and convert Indians into Christians. Maggie's husband is a very regimented, almost everything fun or makes you happy, is a sin type of man. He was raised that way and so I have to remember that as I read so I don't hate him, just as Maggie is forced to do. Maggie has a chance encounter at a pond when she seeks a little fun and relief from the summer heat for herself and her daughter, Evy. Her encounter is with none other but the Indian that is the most wanted Indian in the area, Wild Horse. Maggie quickly begins to realize that the Indian she and her daughter, Evy, are coming to know and love could never be the cruel, ruthless savage that he is told of being. Maggie begins to use the things she is learning from Wild Horse to try to help her husband in getting the Indians to listen to him as he tries to teach them about Christianity. Maggie begins to change, to not be the meek, obeying wife that she is expected to be. Little Evy starts letting little stories about Wild Horse slip out. Stories that Maggie has to play off as being the vivid imagination of a lonely child. As suspicions begin to arise about Maggie and Wild Horse, little Evy is discovered to be missing.

This is a wondergul little novella that spins a beautiful story about how we can't always help who we love. It's a story about how we can learn so much from other cultures that could end up bettering our lives and the lives of others around us.  A must read!
952 reviews2 followers
August 15, 2017
Words fail me as to how much I loved this book

I read Roseanne Bittner's books years ago; I saw this book listed as a novella so thought I would read one of her books again....and I'm so glad I did. I love Native American history, and I am amazed at the heartwarming portrayals of our early Americans she envisions and writes about in her stories. So much history and feeling...this book brought me tears of joy.
Profile Image for Suzy Vero.
467 reviews16 followers
August 9, 2025
Indian Summer (novella) is the prequel to Full Circle tho I read it after reading Full Circle. And I’m glad that I did as it wouldn’t have made much sense to me otherwise. It is a brief snapshot of the childhood story of Evy the heroine in Full Circle and why she has such an affinity for Native Americans. A lovely love story that’s actually sad and happy at the end. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for Lois Mezo.
175 reviews
April 27, 2019
Feelings and passion

A story of A wife who needs love and passion in her marriage,About a Indian who wants the old way of life .Book was to short.Well written .
Profile Image for Michelle.
631 reviews33 followers
May 27, 2015
Loved getting a look at Eve's (from Full Circle) mother's relationship with Wild Horse. Maggie's strength and determination was beautiful to see. Wild Horse's spirit and wisdom went above what I expected. Loved seeing how their love for each other stayed innocent and beautiful. I loved seeing how Maggie's relationship with her preacher husband had the opportunity to grow and improve.

Reading this prequel to Full Circle made me want to reread it - which I did! Love getting another amazing Rosanne Bittner story!
Profile Image for Tonya Lucas.
276 reviews14 followers
May 24, 2015
A beautiful and tender book. But in true Rosanne Bittner fashion, the trials, tribulations, and heartache discovered on the Western prairies, nothing comes without a price. Love and faith remain during the Indian Summer. An excellent book, one you'll be glad you read for many years. A journey not to be missed.
Profile Image for EvilAntie Jan.
1,590 reviews13 followers
July 17, 2015
I love this book

What a magnificent story heart wrenching as fate seemed to doom Margret and Wild Horse! The richness of the Cheyenne people is beautifully told-such a treasure. Sometimes a book resonates in one's heart and soul this book of all the books I devour I did not want this one to end...so the journey continues.....
Profile Image for Dianne.
852 reviews
November 7, 2015
This was a good short story. It is not your typical romance story. The ending is both happy and sad depending on which way you want to look at it I personally felt both emotions, but soon realized Wild Horse was finally happy. I plan to read Full Circle next, but wonder if I should read something in between. My thoughts still linger with Maggie and Wild Horse.
Profile Image for Kathryn.
1,625 reviews62 followers
May 7, 2015
A wonderful prequel to Full Circle by Rosanne Bittner. Although, I have not yet read "Full Circle", I plan to move it up on my to read list. I wish the book could have been longer, so we could have seen more character development and followed the changes in Maggie and Edward's relationship.
13 reviews
May 10, 2015
When I read full circle I forgot the sad parts and was just in awe he was a painter great book
Profile Image for Teresa Radoslovich.
47 reviews
October 13, 2015
Amazing

This was a well written book! The characters seemed real,fell in love with Wild Horse. Little Envy was adorable. Really enjoyed all the characters awesome!!!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews

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