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Torn Between Love and Family
During the 1840s, Amelia Alden Chase is being raised on a small farm by her foster parents. An interest in an irrigation project, though, and a harrowing attack by local bandits drives her into town and into the company of two men; one could be the love of her life, while the other is her own long-lost cousin. Has she accidentally stumbled upon happiness? Amelia's hope of a new family is dashed when she discovers the truth.
A complicated and tragic series of events have pitted Jonas Mayfield, a former missionary and Clayton Knight, a beloved and fair Sheriff, against each other. Both men have suffered many hardships in order to forget, before finding themselves in frontal attack, again. What could possibly cause such hatred between the two men?
Amelia has to unite the two sworn enemies and bring all their resources to bear against the forces of nature and of man's most basic instincts. Love, life, everything is on the line for Amelia and her family. Will she be able to save her future, by solving the riddle of the mysterious past? Will she go as far as to put her own life at risk to save the family she's always dreamt of?
"Torn Between Love and Family" is a historical western romance novel of approximately 90,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
A complicated and tragic series of events have pitted Jonas Mayfield, a former missionary and Clayton Knight, a beloved and fair Sheriff, against each other. Both men have suffered many hardships in order to forget, before finding themselves in frontal attack, again. What could possibly cause such hatred between the two men?
Amelia has to unite the two sworn enemies and bring all their resources to bear against the forces of nature and of man's most basic instincts. Love, life, everything is on the line for Amelia and her family. Will she be able to save her future, by solving the riddle of the mysterious past? Will she go as far as to put her own life at risk to save the family she's always dreamt of?
"Torn Between Love and Family" is a historical western romance novel of approximately 90,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
490 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 26, 2018
648 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Aurora Hanson
130 books72 followersAurora Hanson was born in North Dakota where she spent her early years until she moved to San Antonio, where she currently lives.
Shes had always been writing but only recently decided to break out of the shell and release her work to the public.
She is fascinated by the traditional western tales and gets her inspiration from stories from the Frontier Era.
Aurora is married to her very own special cowboy and has two grown children!
She has always loved horses and, when she is not writing, she enjoys riding along with her lovely husband.
Aurora loves to connect with her readers, so drop her a line whenever you feel like it!
aurora@aurorahanson.com
Shes had always been writing but only recently decided to break out of the shell and release her work to the public.
She is fascinated by the traditional western tales and gets her inspiration from stories from the Frontier Era.
Aurora is married to her very own special cowboy and has two grown children!
She has always loved horses and, when she is not writing, she enjoys riding along with her lovely husband.
Aurora loves to connect with her readers, so drop her a line whenever you feel like it!
aurora@aurorahanson.com
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
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August 1, 2020Amelia and Jonas
Amelia is living with her adoptive parents Betty and Silas when one day tragedy strikes. Bandits arrive from seemingly no where. They confront her parents having been sent inside to her room to fetch her bow and arrows. Thankfully when the last of the bandits ride away she is still alive and not taken. However, when she gets downstairs it's not what she expected to find. Her beloved mother is lying on the floor with a gaping hole in her stomach and her father is bleeding from his shoulder wound. Who were these men and how dare they come to kidnap her and kill her mother and wound her father? Now instead of her father going to town it's on Amelia to go. What she finds disappoints her to say the least! The Sheriff of Natrona is a drunkard and doesn't seem to care of the plight she has lived through. So she is forced to go further into Casper and seek the Sheriff there. When she is not far she comes upon a man being attacked by Indians! She knows one of them very well and reasons with him and thankfully he sees the wisdom and allows the man to go free. Jonas Mayfield has never seen anything like it. A woman being able to talk to and reason with the Indians? What happens next seems to be an answer to Amelia's prayers. What could it be? Then when she gets to Casper another pleasant surprise awaits her when she meets Casper's Sheriff Clayton Knight. What could it possibly be? It seems that Amelia has been blessed on her first solo to town trip. With everything coming to fruition for her the only sadness that overtakes her is the memory of how her mother died and those bandits! Are they really gone like everyone keeps saying or will they return to try to finally take her? Only one way to find out read this great story by Aurora Hanson. I was on the edge of my seat reading to see what happened next!
Amelia is living with her adoptive parents Betty and Silas when one day tragedy strikes. Bandits arrive from seemingly no where. They confront her parents having been sent inside to her room to fetch her bow and arrows. Thankfully when the last of the bandits ride away she is still alive and not taken. However, when she gets downstairs it's not what she expected to find. Her beloved mother is lying on the floor with a gaping hole in her stomach and her father is bleeding from his shoulder wound. Who were these men and how dare they come to kidnap her and kill her mother and wound her father? Now instead of her father going to town it's on Amelia to go. What she finds disappoints her to say the least! The Sheriff of Natrona is a drunkard and doesn't seem to care of the plight she has lived through. So she is forced to go further into Casper and seek the Sheriff there. When she is not far she comes upon a man being attacked by Indians! She knows one of them very well and reasons with him and thankfully he sees the wisdom and allows the man to go free. Jonas Mayfield has never seen anything like it. A woman being able to talk to and reason with the Indians? What happens next seems to be an answer to Amelia's prayers. What could it be? Then when she gets to Casper another pleasant surprise awaits her when she meets Casper's Sheriff Clayton Knight. What could it possibly be? It seems that Amelia has been blessed on her first solo to town trip. With everything coming to fruition for her the only sadness that overtakes her is the memory of how her mother died and those bandits! Are they really gone like everyone keeps saying or will they return to try to finally take her? Only one way to find out read this great story by Aurora Hanson. I was on the edge of my seat reading to see what happened next!
September 17, 2018
Torn Between Love and Family tries to be epic, but it isn't. The book does have pulse-pounding action and a spunky protagonist, but the action is interspersed with clunky dialog and unnecessary gruesome details. The book reads like a first draft. It has great potential, but needs developmental editing to make it a good book. It could also use a bit of proofreading; for example, the cover blurb calls the love interest a former missionary, but in the text he is a former military sharpshooter.
Attention! Spoilers Ahead!
The book begins with a prologue designed to show the reader how terrible the antagonist is. The prologue introduces Tess, a young woman who has been kidnapped and is slaving for a gang of bandits. However, when the reader starts to care about pregnant and desperate Tess, Tess commits suicide, and the author describes the death with horrific details.
The book then shifts to the protagonists. Amelia Chase is smart and resourceful. Clayton Knight, Amelia's previously unknown cousin, has developed a feud with his childhood friend Jonas Mayfield. Amelia saves Jonas from Cheyenne who want to kill him, then realizes Jonas might be able to help her engineer an irrigation system. However she wants her new-found cousin to accept her partnership with his enemy.
The whole conflict between love and family seems forced. The backstory includes another young woman's suicide. Couldn't the author think of another way to have childhood friends turn against each other?
There are several problematic areas including gory details and dreadful dialog. Although the story is set in Wyoming in 1840, a romance reader shouldn't have to read a lengthy detailed description of butchering a wild cougar. The internal dialog of all of the protagonists tends to drag on. Amelia muses about being respectful to her patriarch and her role in her family. Clayton spends a lot of time pondering his father's life as sheriff. The spoken dialog is unrealistic. Everyone uses a level of language that doesn't seem realistic for persons of that level of education in that time period. And the dialog seems inappropriate in places, the most glaring example occurs when Amelia's ranch and irrigation project is attacked by bandits. She is defending herself and injures one of the bandits. Rather than kill the bandit, she spares his life while reciting a lengthy quotation from the Old Testament. Realistically, a heroine might spare a life, but standing there quoting scripture instead of getting to safety is unlikely.
This could be a great story if someone made extensive edits.
Attention! Spoilers Ahead!
The book begins with a prologue designed to show the reader how terrible the antagonist is. The prologue introduces Tess, a young woman who has been kidnapped and is slaving for a gang of bandits. However, when the reader starts to care about pregnant and desperate Tess, Tess commits suicide, and the author describes the death with horrific details.
The book then shifts to the protagonists. Amelia Chase is smart and resourceful. Clayton Knight, Amelia's previously unknown cousin, has developed a feud with his childhood friend Jonas Mayfield. Amelia saves Jonas from Cheyenne who want to kill him, then realizes Jonas might be able to help her engineer an irrigation system. However she wants her new-found cousin to accept her partnership with his enemy.
The whole conflict between love and family seems forced. The backstory includes another young woman's suicide. Couldn't the author think of another way to have childhood friends turn against each other?
There are several problematic areas including gory details and dreadful dialog. Although the story is set in Wyoming in 1840, a romance reader shouldn't have to read a lengthy detailed description of butchering a wild cougar. The internal dialog of all of the protagonists tends to drag on. Amelia muses about being respectful to her patriarch and her role in her family. Clayton spends a lot of time pondering his father's life as sheriff. The spoken dialog is unrealistic. Everyone uses a level of language that doesn't seem realistic for persons of that level of education in that time period. And the dialog seems inappropriate in places, the most glaring example occurs when Amelia's ranch and irrigation project is attacked by bandits. She is defending herself and injures one of the bandits. Rather than kill the bandit, she spares his life while reciting a lengthy quotation from the Old Testament. Realistically, a heroine might spare a life, but standing there quoting scripture instead of getting to safety is unlikely.
This could be a great story if someone made extensive edits.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2021
A Life Filled With Change and Tragedy
Amelia Alden Chase lived with foster parents after the death of her parents. Unfortunately her foster mother was murdered by local bandits but Amelia and her foster father tried to interest people in the nearby town to pursue an irrigation project by offering those participating in the project an ownership share in money earned.
Her foster parents had encouraged her interest in irrigation of the land which was too dry to farm without a way to get water to the fields. It would take many people working together to bring water to the fields and the project would bring a percentage of the profit to each worker. After being hesitant they gladly joined the project. A long lost cousin and the man who became the love of her life got the project going.
Read this book to learn about all the things that happened. There were good things and bad things happening. I enjoyed this book and hope you do also.
Amelia Alden Chase lived with foster parents after the death of her parents. Unfortunately her foster mother was murdered by local bandits but Amelia and her foster father tried to interest people in the nearby town to pursue an irrigation project by offering those participating in the project an ownership share in money earned.
Her foster parents had encouraged her interest in irrigation of the land which was too dry to farm without a way to get water to the fields. It would take many people working together to bring water to the fields and the project would bring a percentage of the profit to each worker. After being hesitant they gladly joined the project. A long lost cousin and the man who became the love of her life got the project going.
Read this book to learn about all the things that happened. There were good things and bad things happening. I enjoyed this book and hope you do also.
August 31, 2018
ONE FANTASTIC READ!!!
Wow! Aurora did it again. She brings a fresh outlook on what others would dismiss. Aurora throws us back in time to days gone by and gives us a front row seat as to what life was in that era. Amazing characters and their personalities that just rang true of the history felt and the hardships they endured. The scenes are graphic and gives us a good look as to the way people looked at the things happening around them. All the twists and turns less us to the heart stopping conclusions of this wonderful adventure. Aurora did an excellent job bringing this together beautifully. Great job Aurora, thanks for sharing this awesome read with us.
Wow! Aurora did it again. She brings a fresh outlook on what others would dismiss. Aurora throws us back in time to days gone by and gives us a front row seat as to what life was in that era. Amazing characters and their personalities that just rang true of the history felt and the hardships they endured. The scenes are graphic and gives us a good look as to the way people looked at the things happening around them. All the twists and turns less us to the heart stopping conclusions of this wonderful adventure. Aurora did an excellent job bringing this together beautifully. Great job Aurora, thanks for sharing this awesome read with us.
September 3, 2018
Another Great Read From Aurora
Amelia was adopted by friends of her parents after they were killed. She meets Jonas and he agrees to help her to install an irrigation system. She discovers that the sheriff in another town is her cousin. The sheriff and Jonas have a history. Amelia does not know what happened but she tries to "fix" it. What is the history? I received this book free for a voluntary and honest review. I highly recommend this book. I truly enjoy books by this author.
Amelia was adopted by friends of her parents after they were killed. She meets Jonas and he agrees to help her to install an irrigation system. She discovers that the sheriff in another town is her cousin. The sheriff and Jonas have a history. Amelia does not know what happened but she tries to "fix" it. What is the history? I received this book free for a voluntary and honest review. I highly recommend this book. I truly enjoy books by this author.
January 30, 2019
First let me say that I appreciated the many scriptures quoted in this story:
however, I found much of the writing style awkward and lacking with the feel of reading a high school assignment. Yet, I continued to read only to be totally shocked to after reading well over half of the story to suddenly encounter foul language, cursing ,and the name of the Lord then in vain. I skimmed through the final chapters and was glad to finish, especially after the long and boring fight with the bandits and the campy super hero style antics of Amelia.
however, I found much of the writing style awkward and lacking with the feel of reading a high school assignment. Yet, I continued to read only to be totally shocked to after reading well over half of the story to suddenly encounter foul language, cursing ,and the name of the Lord then in vain. I skimmed through the final chapters and was glad to finish, especially after the long and boring fight with the bandits and the campy super hero style antics of Amelia.
August 30, 2018
A historical romance that is well written with nice story line and plot. I like it is true both in events and language to its time period. The characters are well described and likeable. They develop nicely through the story.
Can love overcome what fate throws at these main characters? They have a lot to fight through before they can get their HEA. A mix of drama, danger, passion, twists and emotional ups and downs makes it worth the read.
Recommendable and captivating read.
Can love overcome what fate throws at these main characters? They have a lot to fight through before they can get their HEA. A mix of drama, danger, passion, twists and emotional ups and downs makes it worth the read.
Recommendable and captivating read.
September 2, 2018
A great read
This is a great mystery romance taken place in the 1800. It takes place in the Wyoming territory. A young girls has survived a flash flood that took the lives of both her parents. Just as her adoptive Mother is trying to tell her the necessity of finding a husband of her own a group of bandits STORM their home and kill the adoptive Mother. Read what becomes of her and her adoptive father in the next couple of years
This is a great mystery romance taken place in the 1800. It takes place in the Wyoming territory. A young girls has survived a flash flood that took the lives of both her parents. Just as her adoptive Mother is trying to tell her the necessity of finding a husband of her own a group of bandits STORM their home and kill the adoptive Mother. Read what becomes of her and her adoptive father in the next couple of years
September 2, 2018
A good storyline!
I loved this book, except it was almost to much Bible sermon like in some places. Loved the romance, though it was heartbreaking in places, but that is what kept me up until 3:45 am! I had to know what was going to happen with the bandits! So far I have really enjoyed all of Aurora Hanson's books!
I loved this book, except it was almost to much Bible sermon like in some places. Loved the romance, though it was heartbreaking in places, but that is what kept me up until 3:45 am! I had to know what was going to happen with the bandits! So far I have really enjoyed all of Aurora Hanson's books!
September 4, 2018
Great and exciting historical book
I received an ARC of this book from the author and this is my voluntary and honest review. This was an exciting book about Amelia, Jonas, and Clayton. The best part was their battle with a group of bandits. I had trouble putting it down once I got into it, and I highly recommend that you read this book.
I received an ARC of this book from the author and this is my voluntary and honest review. This was an exciting book about Amelia, Jonas, and Clayton. The best part was their battle with a group of bandits. I had trouble putting it down once I got into it, and I highly recommend that you read this book.
October 8, 2023
Great Story
This was a really great story. I really enjoyed reading this story and seeing how God helped bring Amelia and Jonas together along with Clayton. It took tragedy to bring them together and overcoming the bad guys would strengthen their bonds and bring a community together as well in the end. This really was a good story.
This was a really great story. I really enjoyed reading this story and seeing how God helped bring Amelia and Jonas together along with Clayton. It took tragedy to bring them together and overcoming the bad guys would strengthen their bonds and bring a community together as well in the end. This really was a good story.
August 30, 2018
Intense
Faith and diligence make people persevere and fight every day to make lives for themselves, make other's proud and lead worthwhile lives. Filled with twists and turns and romance and adventure.
Faith and diligence make people persevere and fight every day to make lives for themselves, make other's proud and lead worthwhile lives. Filled with twists and turns and romance and adventure.
September 2, 2018
Fantastic
Really enjoyed reading this book
This is the first time I have read a book by this author and this kept me interested from the start to the end
Would recommend this book
Can’t wait to read more from this author
Really enjoyed reading this book
This is the first time I have read a book by this author and this kept me interested from the start to the end
Would recommend this book
Can’t wait to read more from this author
September 24, 2018
Awesome
A great story. I'm disappointed with so many loose ends. What happened to the captured women in the mountains? How did the workers fair in the gun battle? Maybe a new story? A little long but very enjoyable. Keep up the storytelling.
A great story. I'm disappointed with so many loose ends. What happened to the captured women in the mountains? How did the workers fair in the gun battle? Maybe a new story? A little long but very enjoyable. Keep up the storytelling.
February 27, 2019
Great story
However the author needs to do a bit more researcher, cougars are never human food. And cypress trees do not grow in northern mountain deserts, they only grow in warm swampy land , also some of the dialogue was not in the style of that time period.
However the author needs to do a bit more researcher, cougars are never human food. And cypress trees do not grow in northern mountain deserts, they only grow in warm swampy land , also some of the dialogue was not in the style of that time period.
April 30, 2020
Enjoyed this interesting, well written western romance novel. Did not enjoy having to download the extended epilogue from my computer. Please contain the 'whole' story in the 400+ pages, your readers will appreciate it.
June 1, 2020
Clean story
Took me a bit to realize the story line was taken place a few years a part . Glad Amelia didn't fall i n love with Jona if Sally was still in the picture. Good story. Never did follow up with those poor women at the bandits camp....
Took me a bit to realize the story line was taken place a few years a part . Glad Amelia didn't fall i n love with Jona if Sally was still in the picture. Good story. Never did follow up with those poor women at the bandits camp....
August 31, 2018
I voluntarily review an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Good job..
September 1, 2018
A well-written story that I enjoyed reading a romance book with a mystery too. A book that kept my interest throughout.
September 18, 2018
Great read
I had a little trouble at first going from past to present but all in all it was a great book, just enough action and romance! Great job Aurora
I had a little trouble at first going from past to present but all in all it was a great book, just enough action and romance! Great job Aurora
January 1, 2019
Great story.
February 2, 2019
Good Read
Another good book by Aurora Hanson. I really enjoyed Clay, Jonas and Amelia's story. They both went through a lot of hardship before finding each other.
Another good book by Aurora Hanson. I really enjoyed Clay, Jonas and Amelia's story. They both went through a lot of hardship before finding each other.
December 28, 2019
Enjoyed this book
This book was very interesting and kept me focused on it. I had a hard time putting it down. Very real characters
This book was very interesting and kept me focused on it. I had a hard time putting it down. Very real characters
June 28, 2020
I really enjoyedthis book . Love the action . Had fun reading.
October 15, 2023
A good story
I loved the scriptures that wad in the story. It was a good read. To me it was hard to keep up with the going back in time. But still a good story.
I loved the scriptures that wad in the story. It was a good read. To me it was hard to keep up with the going back in time. But still a good story.
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September 4, 2018All Things Are Possible Through God
What could have been another great book by Aurora Hanson has some frustrating errors. She is known to have a talent for developing characters. It's light and easy to read but she puts timelines in chapters references 1837-1840. Yet she talks of the Civil War which is 1860's. Then she mixes up the main characters names; Marcus, Clayton, and Jonas several times, when you as a reader know she is referencing one of the other characters. This unfortunately happens often and it makes it confusing at times. Luckily the storyline is good and keeps you interested. It shows with faith all things are possible through God. There are many twists and turns that keep you interested, and Love and Famil triumph. I received an ARC and am voluntarily giving an honest review.
What could have been another great book by Aurora Hanson has some frustrating errors. She is known to have a talent for developing characters. It's light and easy to read but she puts timelines in chapters references 1837-1840. Yet she talks of the Civil War which is 1860's. Then she mixes up the main characters names; Marcus, Clayton, and Jonas several times, when you as a reader know she is referencing one of the other characters. This unfortunately happens often and it makes it confusing at times. Luckily the storyline is good and keeps you interested. It shows with faith all things are possible through God. There are many twists and turns that keep you interested, and Love and Famil triumph. I received an ARC and am voluntarily giving an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews