Rachel's Eyes

Eyes of Silver Revisited #1

by Ellen O'Connell

Alternate Cover Edition for ASIN: B004W3FYAC

SHORT STORY

Rachel's Eyes features characters from the author's western historical romance novel, Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold. Rachel Miles Ross has shunned her former best friend, Anne Wells Bennett, since the day of Anne's marriage to half-breed Cord Bennett. Yet when Rachel's life crumbles around her, she turns to Anne for help. Anne can give sympathy, but Cord is the one whose help Rachel really needs. Will he help a woman he considers an unworthy friend and first-class snob?

Genres: Historical, Westerns, Historical Romance, Romance, Novella, Short Stories, Historical Fiction

28 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Bgurl (don't h8 me cuz I'm honestful) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel’s Eyes (EOS 1.6), by Ellen O’Connell: 4 “Fun Sized” Stars

Cord: “Think he’ll leave without more prodding?”
Frank: “You have no idea how scary you looked with that knife.”
Cord: “Thought the same about you with the gun.”
Luke: “What about me? Don’t I get credit for the bloodthirsty act?”
Frank: “Oh, yeah. If you get tired of the cattle business, you can go on stage.”
~Cord, Frank, & Luke Bennett

Rachel’s Eyes, by Ellen O’Connell, is the resolution to Rachel Miles Moss’s story; the estranged BFF of Anne Bennett, the heroine in Eyes of Silver, Eye’s of Gold. After 4 years of shunning Anne for marrying the half-breed Cord Bennett, Rachel finds herself in need of their help. Of course, Cord rises to the occasion. He wouldn’t be the awesome, protective, kick-ass hero we’ve come to know and love if he didn’t.

Once available as a freebie on O’Connell’s website, Rachel’s Eyes, is the literary version of a fun sized Milky Way: as sweet and satisfying as the original, only smaller.

For information about my rating system, see my profile page.

Links to related reviews:
My review
Luke's Eyes (Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold #1.5): Click Me!
Val's review
Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold: Click Me!

[Sophia Triad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cord and Anne have created the perfect little family and Anne’s friend Rachel visits them to ask for their help.

Domestic violence existed in 1885 and there was no supporting from the local community for the woman.

It is a good thing that Cord always answers if someone cries for help – even if that someone is a person that he does not particularly like.

Very cute, short story. It is nice revising Cord and Anne.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute short spin-off from Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Golds.

Rachel Miles Ross was friends with Anne when they were younger. But since Anne married Cord Rachel doesn’t even acknowledge her.

Cord is surprised and totally unimpressed to discover Rachel sat in his house one day. It turns out the woman who’s ignored his wife now wants their help.

This is a great little catch-up with a few of the characters.

Eyes of Silver is one of my favourite books so any spin-off is good with me.

My 3* is a result of length rather than content since the content is fabulous.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not what I expected but it was nice to revisit these characters. She could have thrown us a sex scene though, I mean come on!

Note: I read this on KU so it cost me nothing but I wouldn’t advise paying for this as it’s mostly an extended epilogue and something the author should include on her website for free.

[Zero (semi-hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

February 2023
January 2025

Interesting short story about Cord helping Anne's friend with her abusive husband.

Set two years after Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold.

[Dab · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just needed more of these characters 🥰

[Rain · Rating 4 out of 5]

This might be the shortest novella in history. Three chapters! But it was worth it to read about Anne and Cord again.

[Renegade ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars

Loved getting this wee peek into Annie and Cord's future.

It serves as a kind of epilogue of sorts.

"[...] You're the one who might be able to help. She needs to talk to you."
"Husband know she's here?"
"No, he's out of town on business."
Cord had absolutely no desire to help the friend who had shunned Anne all the years of their marriage. The countervailing desire to give Anne anything he could won out.

***

He looked up to find Rachel staring at him again. What was going through her mind? Only her own problems? Or was she sitting there feeling sorry for Anne because her son looked like a miniature of his half-Indian father instead of his white mother? If the woman kept it up, her eyes were going to fall right out from between their red-rimmed lids, and damn it, he was going to help her if he could - for Anne's sake and for the sake of a boy who had had more broken than an arm.
"What do you want, Mrs. Ross?" he said.
"Don't call me that," she whispered. "Call me Rachel."
He didn't repeat the question, and Rachel threw a pleading look at Anne.
"I'm not sure what you mean by that either," Anne said. "She wants help. That's why she's here."
"What kind of help?" Cord said patiently. "Does she want someone to make him behave better? Want a divorce? Want him to disappear? Want him killed?"
Rachel gasped at the last question. Made of sterner stuff, Anne narrowed her eyes and wrinkled her nose at him.
"I don't know," Rachel managed. "I didn't think about - I want it to stop, but I never thought about how."
"Think now," Cord said, getting to his feet and putting Ty down. "Horse needs cared for. Then you tell me."


***

Anne slid into bed beside her husband with a contented sigh. At the beginning of her marriage she had decided this was the best part, and nothing had ever changed her mind. She curled her fingers around Cord's arm and nestled her cheek against his shoulder.
No matter how tired either of them felt by the end of the day, this was always the time for quiet talk about the things that made their life together.

***

"You don't feel very sympathetic about Rachel's situation, do you?" she asked.
She could hear the surprise in his voice at the question. "Yeah, I do, but I feel something else too. In her shoes, you'd buy a buy a gun and shoot the bastard between the eyes."
Anne smiled into the darkness at that, but she had to disagree. "Maybe that's what I'd do these days, but before we were married... The first time I was in this house, I asked you for help, and I was running from trouble myself."
"You didn't stare at me like you expected to be scalped any minute while you were asking."

[Giorgia Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great novella to catch up with Anne and Cord.

[Ian]

A very short story revisiting the characters from Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold. It works on its own but was obviously written to provide fan-service. Entertaining but there isn't much to it...it's probably worth the 80 cents it's being sold for.

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've read Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold you know that Rachel Miles Ross was Anne's best friend, but when Anne married Cord, Rachel stopped coming around. In Rachel's Eyes we learn the truth about why she stayed away, and we get some insight into the abusive life that was her marriage.

This is a sweet, funny story, and I'm glad the author felt Rachel and Anne's friendship was deserving of a best friends happily ever after, too. But I'm especially glad for the chance we had to revisit Cord, Frank and Luke.

[Mei · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very cute and very short story!
I loved meeting again with Anne and Cord and I remebered how much I loved Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold!

[Sandra Hoover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very short on pages, but oh so good to get more of Cord and Anne! A good short story.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread 1/20/26

Original Review 3/31/19

Rachel's Eyes was a really short story. So short that I would never rate it 5 stars but hello Cord and Anne were in it. I can honestly read and love anything with that couple in it. They will be forever one of my favorites. Now for the story Domestic Violence is an issue that has plagued societies for forever. While it was taken care of really easily, I hope Rachel can find some happiness.

[Cheesecake · Rating 5 out of 5]

.
Loved the ending of this one. So sweet.
Cord and Anne help out her (ex?)friend, Rachel.

I went into it blind and that worked well, so I'm gonna just say that it was a great read.

...but if you have a specific trigger with regards to violence it talks about domestic abuse but not in much detail and it happened before the story starts

[Tenley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only 20 some pages and free on KU. We get a peek at Anne and Cord in the future in this very brief story revolving around Anne's former best friend.

[book bruin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a really short story about Anne’s former BFF/still BFF in secret, Rachel. It’s only 3 chapters long, but we do get a nice peak into Anne and Cord’s life about 2 years after the end of Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold. We also get cameos from a few other characters, like Frank and Luke. A quick read and I’m happy for this little Bennett update.

[Sometime · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great short story. Love catching up with these characters.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is just a really short glimpse into Anne and Cord's married life but still I treasured it.

[MBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel's Eyes is a short story that continues from one of the most wonderful historical romances that I have read to-date i.e. Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold by Ellen O'Connell. I loved the story that unfolded between half-breed Cord Bennett and Anne Wells amidst the violence and prejudices that life was back then so much that I have pimped it out on several occasions when fellow book lovers like me ask for book recommendations from the American-Western romance genre.

I was delighted when my friend Jill on Goodreads told me about the release of this short novel which sort of continues Anne's and Cord's story, giving the reader glimpses of their happily ever after which makes me one ecstatic reader all around.

This novella tells the story of Rachel Miles Ross, Anne's best friend before her marriage to Cord. When Rachel comes calling, in dire need of help from Anne and her husband, Cord certainly cannot say no after hearing about what married and family life has been like for Rachel all along. And it is always heartwarming to see Cord through the eyes of secondary characters, bringing to light what it is that made me fall so hopelessly in love with his character.

For a novella that wanted to bring about a part of Anne's life that was left without a happy ending in Anne and Cord's story, this one does a swell job of tying up that loose end quite effectively.

And once again, let me not forget how Ellen O'Connell weaves her brand of magic that even in a short story like this manages to grab the reader right from page one. Literally can't wait until the release of her next book which is to come out later this year.

Definitely recommended for those who have already read and fallen in love with Cord upon reading Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold. If you haven't already read their story, buy a copy and immerse yourself in one of the finest American-Western romances out there. Most certainly worth your time & money.

Rating=4/5

[Ainhoa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too short and simple. I suppose it closes a chapter with Rachel’s friendship and get a glimpse of their life but nothing more.

[Jac K · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Cord & Anne Stars

This is a super short follow-up to Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold. I really only read it to see what Cord and Anne had a boy named Tyler.
Rachel was Anne’s BFF that dumped her when she married Cord, so call me heartless, but I wanted to give her the middle finger when she came looking for help… The nerve of the snooty bitch. :) Good news is this isn’t really Rachel’s story… It’s really just a few scenes with the gang taking care of R’s problem.

It was quick and I loved the scene with Cord, Frank, and Luke... and I loved seeing him as a father. I really wish they would've gotten an epilogue... sigh.

[Kristiej · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure what to call this. It's way to short to be called a novel, a novella or even a short story. It's only 3 chapters. But if you've read and loved Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold like I do, it's a very brief catch up on what Cord and Anne are doing two years after their story. Very short and very sweet and it's so nice to see them again.

[Leona · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is actually more an epilogue, than a short story. I finished it in less than 15 minutes. But, even as an epilogue it doesn't work very well. The plot is weak and poorly executed.

Rachel goes to her friend (Anne) for help when she has refused to acknowledge her for the past 4 years. Cord agrees to break the law risking jail and the safety of his family for this so-called friend (Rachel won't even acknowledge him publicly because he's a half-breed). On top of that, I'm also supposed to believe that his scare tactics work and Rachel's miserable, abusive husband gets scared enough to actually leave?

In a way, I'm glad this wasn't an epilogue because it would have spoiled the ending for Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold

[Paloma · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was so cute i gobbled it up i mean it is pretty short like 30 pages maybe
im so thirsty for more Cord and Anne wow and we had an unfinished question answered in this short story which was thrilling we find out the sex of the baby! its boy named Tyler ahhhh i dont get why she didn't include that in the main book

[Eloisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

satisfying short story

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Duchess Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really quick story that resolves one issue in Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold. While it doesn’t neatly tie up all of the loose ends (like the spineless Reverend Pratt), it does give a little insight into Annie's friend Rachel and why she let the friendship go so easily.

We also get to find out the sex of the baby, which was one thing that I was disappointed in about the end of the book. Oh, and we get some tenderness from Cord, both for Annie and their child. And if you've read the book, you know that tenderness was in short supply.

Great short! A nice rounding out of some things left out of the main story.

[Frankly Frankie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cord as a daddy?

My ovaries went something like this while reading:



Short but humorous.

[Nadine Wilmschen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story is more of an extended epilogue to "Eyes of silver, eyes of gold."
We visit Annie and Cord three years after their HEA. It was so sweet to see Cord as a daddy. That alone was worth reading this short story.