In the early 1800s, Lucinda Carlson inherits her aunt’s estate, giving her the chance to flea her oppressive stepfather and stepbrother. But she must travel from Boston to Chicago to claim the prize, and the journey takes her on an adventure that could prove to be her last.
Lucinda faces threats from every side and finds a new love in stalwart rancher Sebastian Cole, an ex-cavalryman with the soul of a lover and the sorrow of a soldier. But he’s willing to face death one last time to save the love of his life.
Will Lucinda survive her journey and claim her fortune, or will they become two more casualties on the road to the twentieth century?
A thrilling and romantic epic that takes the reader on a fast and decadent trip through the country’s early years, when predators of every kind lurked, where truth and character went head-to-head against greed and corruption. One woman’s determination, one man’s grit, and a mysterious spirit animal lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike, warning of danger, the call of the Lone Wolf.
Lucinda Carlson's aunt died and left Lucinda her estate, instead of her own son. The book starts with the aunt's family meeting with the lawyer, who is executing the will, and everybody is angry that they were shafted and Lucinda got it all. Lucinda's cousin, Eustace, declares he's going to contest the will and for some reason I didn't understand, it was going to be contested in Chicago instead of in Boston, where the aunt lived as did Lucinda, her stepfather, and stepbrother. Eustace lives in Philadelphia.
Lucinda has to travel to Chicago with her aunt's lawyer by stagecoach. It's a typical mode of transportation for the time as are armed bandits. Predictably, the stage is attacked and torched, leaving no survivors except for Lucinda, who happened to be saved by Sebastian. Yay for him.
Sebastian is a widower who has a sheep ranch. His mother-in-law and his friend live there with him and help him out. It's all good. There's a wolf that's prowling around all the ranches, apparently eating the sheep. The conflict in this is that the nearby tribe of Iroquois Indians hold this animal in great reverence, knowing that it is a spirit guide. The mayor of the town wants Sebastian to kill it. It's one wolf causing all the mayhem. Sebastian doesn't have any intentions of killing it just because he sees it. The wolf is going to have to provoke him or bring it on itself.
The story started going sideways for me at this point. Lucinda is basically a stranger to Sebastian. She's recovering from a gunshot wound at his house, but there is no relationship established. No conversations worth mentioning, no touching, nothing. Flat. But he's going to go to Chicago with her so they can defend the will. At one point, he told her "we can put that money to good use." She'd never said she was going to share it with him. I think it was a slip by the author because later on, he was shocked that she'd said, "we" when it came to the money.
I wasn't drawn into the story at all. I think the idea behind it was good, but it wasn't enough to keep me entertained, although I did finish the book. The characters were one-dimensional and uninteresting. There was zero tension between them, no touching, no meaningful words, nothing that led up to the first and only kiss in the entire book. Lucinda spent a lot of time thinking rather than speaking. There was more internal dialogue than external and it got annoying.
Sebastian wasn't entitled to think, I guess. He was more like a machine. He showed up at every gunfight, never showed an ounce of fear, and did what had to be done. He was as flat as a pancake, just like the other characters. I didn't know him when I first started the book and I didn't know him at the end. There were zero indications from him that he was in love with Lucinda. None whatsoever. There was a brief conversation between him and his mother-in-law that Lucinda overheard that he was a little interested. Nothing before that. Nothing after.
I didn't see or feel any sort of love between him and Lucinda at all. Not even one time. She had these idiotic thoughts that she was in love with him and that he was definitely going to propose to her. Great. I want to know where these thoughts came from. I was begging for some sort of real touchy-feely, feel-good moments between them that never came. I thought I was going to die from terminal disappointment. Before I wrote this review, I had to make sure the book is supposed to be a romance. It isn't available on Amazon, but the other books by this author are romances, so I suppose this one is, too.
Onto the next part. There's always some truth in fiction. I can see that the author did a lot of homework with this, especially considering she's from Britain...at least, the novel is written in British English. She got a lot of stuff right. But she got one part wrong that ground me hard. During another of the gunfights that are so frequent in the book, she said that Lucinda was riding a three-thousand pound horse. WHAT?!? I grew up in South Dakota and live in Kansas. Horses are everywhere in these places and I've never seen a horse that big. After a couple of clicks in my search engine, I discovered the the biggest horse to have ever lived was 3300 pounds and stood 7'2". That is one massive animal. Lucinda wasn't much of a rider yet she was able to mount and stay on the back of a horse that had to be well over six feet tall, during a gunfight no less. Point this out is probably petty on my part, but for some reason, it struck me in the wrong way.
Other than that, I saw one instance where Agnes was Angus. The writing was pretty good overall. I like the cover, too. It's just that the story and the characters flatlined.
It's a squeaky clean romance and will appeal to others. It just didn't do it for me.
A little predictable in the romance aspect. The thing that really bothered me was it said, twice in fact, that the horse Lucinda rode on the trip to Chicago weighed 3,000 pounds. I have horses of my own. My Paint mare stands 15.1 hands and weighs about 1,200 pounds. The Palomino riding horse could not possibly weigh 3,000. Most draft horses aren’t more than 2,000 each..
1800s, Boston, MA. Newton Lawrence (executor, attorney, Lorraine’s BMF) was reading Aunt Lorraine’s will. Lucinda Blythe Carlson (21, stepsister) would inherit her Chicago, IL estate. Harmon Carlson (stepfather), & Rolf Carlson (stepbrother) were not pleased at all. Lucinda told Lloyd Setner (thug/oaf, Setner’s Sundries) she had no intention of marrying him.
The Abbot Downey stagecoach was being robbed. Newton, & Lucinda didn’t know what to think. Mercutio, Tybalt (killed), & Benvolio (wounded), were firing at the robbers. Lucinda was now the only survivor. The carriage had been set on fire. She had been shot in the left arm. Sebastian Cole (widower, former US Navy), & Umberto (dark complicated) introduced their-selves. Sebastian “Bastian” had changed Lucinda’s bandage. Agnes O’Dell (Irish, Sebastian’s mother-in-law, maid) kept the ranch house up.
Lucinda “Cin” was learning how to shoot a gun. Then she met her 1st Iroquois’ Indians: Lone Wolf, Wild Plain (tribe guide), & Watches the Stars. 7/4, Snakebite, IN. Snakebite National Hotel. Sebastian got he/Lucinda separate rooms. Cook County Courthouse. Judge Douglass McCloud is presiding. Sebastian (lawyer) was representing Lucinda against Dale Farnsworth (attorney) is representing Eustace Dean (son). Dr. Rubin Remus was called to the stand. He is Lorraine Dean’s personal physician. Where will Sebastian, & Lucinda’s adventure take them next?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.
A very awesome book cover, & great font/writing style. A very well written Western romance book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great Western romantic adventure movie, or better yet a paid-per-view mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free BookFunnel; Author; PDF, Word book Tony Parsons (Washburn; MSW)
The basic premise was OK, but there were some major flaws. Kristi Hudecek-Ashwill wrote an excellent review pointing out some major errors, including the (erroneous) size/ weight of Lucinda's horse.
I want to put another major flaw that knocked me out of the story several times- The route from Boston to Vincennes to Chicago. I really can't speak to the travel from Boston to Vincennes, but the way from Vincennes to Chicago and back was really messed up! For example- on their way *to* Chicago from Vincennes-
"The tulip trees and rolling hills of Northwestern Indiana slowly gave way to the swampy waterways of Southern, Illinois, egrets and other waterfowl more plentiful. Leaving Snakebite and two others just like it behind them, Lucinda and Sebastian were making slow but steady progress. By the fourteenth of July, a Monday, they were just four days away from the hearing and only two or perhaps three days outside of Chicago."
So let me get this straight- They go from V (which is about in line with St. Louis) to Northwestern Indiana (straight north up the state from V) to Southern Illinois (why go back even more south than their starting point), then head back north to Chicago?! And then in reverse, they went from Chicago to Northwest Indiana (east) to deep Southern Illinois (south/south west) to Vincennes (north/ northwest). No wonder why it took so long!
No concept of the geography of the area the author wrote about.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book as I have most of Carol Coyler's books. Lucinda's father passed and her mother remarried. After her mother's passing her step-father treats her less kindly than a servent. When her aunt's will is read it is discovered Lucinda has inherited her aunt's entire estate. Her cousin is enraged that he has been left out of the inheritance and decides to contest it. Demanding she travel to Chicago where he lives. Lucinda decides to travel to Chicago by herself to fight for her rightful inheritance. Traveling by stage they are attacked by robbers and everyone is killed except Lucinda who is rescued by Sebastian who brings her home with him to recover from her gunshot wound. He promises to travel to Chicago with Lucinda to keep her safe. She feels safe and protected for the first time since the passing of her parents. Soon love starts to bloom and so begins a sweet romance.
This is the first book I have read by this author. I will certainly be watching for other books by her.
This story is about Lucinda. After her father passed away her mother remarried. This man was hostile towards her mother and when she died her step father treated her like his property to do with as he wished.
Lucinda's aunt passed away and at the reading of hr will, she left everything to Lucinda. However Lucinda had to travel to Chicago to claim her inheritance. Her step father tried to forbid her from going as he felt the inheritance was rightfully his.
Lucinda defied him and left on the stagecoach to travel to Chicago. Her journey there is anything but safe. The stagecoach is attacked and everything died except Lucinda as she was saved by Sebastian a nearby rancher.
Sebastian travels with Lucinda to Chicago and to the court hearing. Trouble is not over for Lucinda and this is her story of trust and love.
You’ve created a lovely foundation for this book. I really enjoyed the blend of characters—Sebastian’s quiet strength is a perfect complement to Lucinda’s independent and authentic nature. I especially appreciated seeing a woman in a historical setting who isn’t afraid to speak her mind, stand up for herself, and stay true to what she believes in. It gave the story a refreshing and empowering touch.
That said, I found myself wanting a bit more detail and development in certain parts of the narrative. I would have loved to see some scenes expanded so the story could fully unfold and allow the characters’ journeys to deepen even further.
I did notice a couple of small location errors—for instance, when the characters were in Vincennes, it was written as Boston. It didn’t take away from the story, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
Thank you for sharing your words with readers. I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to experiencing more of your work in the future!
Lucinda Carlson has grown up in an abusive household. Her step-father and his son have abused her for years. Her dear aunt died and left her estate to Lucinda. Her aunt's son decides to contest the will.The problem is that she must go to Chicago to respond to the will. Her lawyer escorts her in a stage coach for the long journey. The stage coach is attacked by her step-fathers men but she is rescued and taken to a stranger's home. Upon awaking she has a vision of a wolf. Sebastion Cole is a widower who lives his life quietly on his ranch. After the war he only wants peace. He promises to take Lucinda to Chicago. The journey proves difficult.
It’s the wilds of the west; it’s family jealousy; and it’s criminal actions toward the innocent. Lucinda had lost her mother and was now living with an uncle and cousin. When a loving aunt passed, there was the reading of the Will and others lost while she was given property and money. Right away, there are threats, and the world turned angry. The storyline was interesting, and I really enjoyed the addition of the Lone Wolf. Thanks for a couple days of wonderful story. This author is new to me, and I’ll be watching for more books.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Call of the Lone Wolf by Carol Colyer. What a wonderful roller coaster ride for Lucinda and Sebastian. Lucinda travels from Boston to Chicago to fight for her rightful inheritance. But she is followed by tragedy and danger. Sebastian rescued her then helped her on her way. They are both tested time and again while their new love is growing. Once I started reading their story, I couldn’t put it down.
1800's,where the time line begins. Another great adventures from Carol Colyer where you have a family feud on a will and there are a lot of people unhappy. Going from one state to the next,you have adventure,excitement and love. Very strong characters throughout the story where you go on adventures and adventure throughout the story! Another excellent description of the surroundings and the plot of the story! It's a MUST read,you will not be disappointed!
This story is well-written, action-packed and just a little crazy. You'll see what I mean as crazy as you reach the climax of this story.The main characters are developed well, but the villains, and supporting characters lack definition and real focus. The Lone Wolf was written in the story with no real focus but to have a reason to save the hero and heroine. It serves no real purpose.
This a romantic, yet blood thirsty, wild kingdom, greedy men that will kill you for the love of money; bad men that just happen to be family, that will try to kill you and burn your house down kinda book. It was so much better than I thought I was going to be! It kept me up late at night reading it. It was great!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I have had this book for quite some time, had not read it because it just did not look like something I would like. Well, I read it, fast, because I could not put it down. Loved it. Carol has fast become one of my favorite authors. I wish this had been a whole series of books. I gave it a 5 star rating, only because I could not give it more.
There was plenty of action and romance. Overall the narrative was well written. I didn't care for the use of all the "bang, bang bang" phrases. I think it is a given for most readers that gun fights involve sound.
I also was indifferent to the employment of the lone wolf. It felt contrived and unnecessary.
I couldn't connect with the story line or any of the characters. The over all flow of the book is choppy and makes it hard to follow. This is the worst book I've read in a long time.
I alternated between liking this book and being very irritated. It was a good story. But the characters were rather stoic and one sided. There wasn’t at lot of conversation in the book. We heard a lot of what Lucinda was thinking but no meaningful interaction between the characters. Sebastian was a soldier. He talks about hating to kill, but he kills quite a few people throughout the book. Also some of it struck me as juvenile.
Despite saying the Palomino had a black tail, & that it weighed a whopping 3,000 pounds, (not even a draft weighs that much!; my horse weighs about 1,000 or 1200 lbs.) it read like a good old fashioned western, but with a fun heroine!
This book has a good storyline, with a lot of action, but it reads like a TV movie. There are limited details, for example; it would be interesting to know the kind weapons that are being used… and more character details.
This was an interesting western about the struggles of a young woman to collect her inheritance. The element of a lone wolf only came into play during the last five to ten pages of the book. Even then to me it seemed totally out place. I wouldn't recommend it because of that. Sorry
Good clean read of western romance. I enjoyed it and love the lone wolf and how you did that. Both strong character Lucinda and Sebastian. Plus caring and a good people.
wasn't what I was expecting....good story theme just didn't hold my attention....couldn't connect with the characters... to be fair not my usual type of read though.
I really do not often read romance, but I was pleasantly surprised but this little novella. It was well done and had a satisfyingly, sweet ending. I enjoyed it very much.
I enjoyed this book a lot!! An original, unexpected storyline which intrigued me from the start. Lots of action and strong characters. It was action packed and a page turner for me.
Absolutely wonderful book! Definitely a page turner! I couldn't put it down! Wonderful true to life characters with an excellent storyline to back them up! Don't miss out on this awesome book!
Mack Anderson rides into town seeking medical attention for his brother Howard who has broken his leg.
Josie Weissborn finds Mack to be the most obstinate man alive. Josie realizes that Mack is concerned about finishing the survey job that he and Howard have been trusted to complete.
Ruthie tells Mack that Josie can do anything, she convinces Mack to take Josie with him to finish the survey. Mack gets more than he bargained for. Aunt Nell would not approve of Josie going alone, so Ruthie is going as well!
Ruthie will grab hold of your heart! She speaks her mind without a filter.
The rest of the story is an adventure of one very stubborn man, Josie who proves she's a hard worker, and an eight-year-old Ruthie who asks questions that Mack prefers not to answer!
This is such an enjoyable read! You will laugh out loud at what Ruthie says and how Josie and Mack react to her!