It’s summer break and Dr. Luke Geller, history prof and part-time archeologist is in Nevada looking for potsherds. What he discovers is an antique rifle and a portal in time. Touching an ancient piece of Chiastolite crystal, the earth rumbles, the skies darken and the ground opens. He’s hurled straight to the core of the earth then shot back up and spewed out. When he stumbles to his feet, he finds himself where he began. Same, yet different. There are no winding roads. No parking lots. No cars. No town with bright lights in the distance. Only Lily Winter Tremaine, an angry young woman pointing a gun at him, demanding he hand over her rifle. All thoughts of primitive pottery disappear as Luke finds himself fighting alongside three young women trying to hold onto their ranch against a dangerous scoundrel who intends to have the ranch by whatever means possible. Then there’s the little fact that Luke’s mightily attracted to the young woman he’s working for. A woman old enough to be his great-great granny. And Miss Lily Winter Tremaine does not figure into any of tenured professor Luke Geller’s lesson plans.
Multi-published author Sandra Cox writes All Things Western and More. Sandra lives with her husband, a menagerie of pets, and an occasional foster cat in sunny North Carolina.
Luke Geller is a college professor planning to enjoy the last few weeks of his summer digging for potsherds in Nevada. In Cox’s western-romance-paranormal mash-ups, I just knew Luke was in for an unexpected ride through time. He finds himself in 1882, oddly dressed and, for all intents and purposes, homeless. He also finds himself in the company of Lily, the young owner of a ranch who’s struggling to hold onto her place. Stryker, a man of questionable character, wants to buy her out, and Luke is curious as to why. And then there’s the shooter who’s taking aim at Lily and her household.
I’ve come to expect great characters from Cox—independent women, handsome and endearing men, and strong-willed antagonists. Luke, Lily, and Stryker fit the bill, but there are some great secondary characters in this book as well, particularly the flirtatious Saffron, shy and vision-impaired Taffy, and Luke’s mom, a character that had me laughing out loud toward the end.
The plot holds together well with some red herrings tossed in, and I liked the two-way time travel in this book, which added a fun twist. The romance isn’t steamy or gushy, which I really appreciated. And the pace is lickety-split. I polished off the book in half a day. Highly recommended to fans of western romance with a bit of time travel and a lot of great characters.
Luke Geller is a professor and part-time archeologist. While out hunting potshards, he comes across an old gun and a strange crystal. This find takes him to the same place, but not at the same time. The gun owner, Lily, helps him out and takes him back to her ranch. I love the immediate connection between these two, even though Luke realizes he must leave and return to his life. There are so many great characters in this story that I even rooted for a character I didn’t even trust. The three women running the ranch were terrific, especially Saffron. Her humor always made me smile, including when she suggested a horse for Luke to ride. The setting brought Nevada to life during the gold rush, including a budding town. The ranch named No Gold has other treasures, including fruit and cattle. Ms. Cox has created another place I’d love to live in, but maybe with a few more present-day amenities. I was so drawn into the story that I felt the peaceful pleasure of riding a horse out on the ranch and enjoying nature’s beauty. A fantastic blend of time-traveling, a brewing romance, and the old west. A story that I can highly recommend!
I won’t give away the ending but let’s just say this wasn’t your typical time-travel story. If you like strong female characters, old west, adventure and family drama you will definitely enjoy this romantic adventure into the past!
Ever since I was introduced to Sandra Cox’s westerns I’ve been hooked. She creates scenes right out of my favorite John Wayne or Clint Eastwood flicks, with characters who are tough as rawhide and just as compelling. Archaeology professor Luke Geller is looking forward to a summer of discovering ancient potsherds in Nevada. Instead, he finds a mysterious rifle and a portal in time. Deposited into 1882, Luke is still trying to get his bearings when a beautiful woman appears, gun in hand, demanding her rifle. Bemused, Luke talks her down, then gratefully accepts the offer of a night’s lodging until he can figure out his next move.
Lilly Winter Tremaine doesn’t trust the handsome stranger she’s invited to her ranch, but they need help, and he seems to have nowhere to go… Her household companions, Saffron and Taffy, take to Luke after a bit of contention, but Lilly isn’t as willing to let him into her life. He wears strange clothes, talks weird, and has a secret that could cost Lilly her heart.
No-Gold Ranch, Lilly’s home, is under threat of a hostile takeover from a nefarious saloon owner whose game plan seems to be either marrying Lilly or killing her. Luke isn’t about to stand by and let him succeed. The Lost Gold women mean too much to him. Lilly means everything to him.
The characters are engaging. There is even a horse appropriately named Ornery and a cat with attitude- what more could you ask from a wonderful read?
Sandra Cox is one of my favorite authors. When I heard that she had a new time-travel, western-romance out, I just knew I had to read it. What makes that statement amazing to me is that I was never a western-romance, time travel kind of reader before I discovered Ms. Cox and her wonderful books. She knows her stuff, and because of that, she has made me a fan of her writing. So, I find myself waiting anxiously whenever I hear about a new book she has on the way, and Geller’s Find, her newest, was worth the wait.
Luke Geller is a history professor who likes to spend his off time digging up the past as a part-time archeologist. He is in Nevada doing just that when he discovers an antique rifle buried inside an ancient tree. When he also finds an ancient piece of Chiastolite crystal in a patch of weeds, he’s not sure what to make of it. But when he leans down to pick up the rock, the ground opens beneath him, and sends him into a whirling cyclone of air that pushes him downward and then back up to the surface. As the earth finally settles, he finds himself in the same place he was before the ground opened. But things are clearly different, and Luke’s next discovery is one he never could’ve imagined—a young woman, appearing seemingly out of nowhere, pointing a gun in his face and demanding he give her back her rifle.
This is a story about discovery. How Luke discovers and comes to terms with the fact that he has been thrust back in time to the old west, and how the people he meets there interact with him. And of course, there’s a woman, because it’s also a story about romance. But nothing’s ever easy. There are hombres to deal with, a ranch to be tended to, and feelings to be sorted through. And how it all comes together needs to be experienced through your own eyes within the pages of this superb book.
Ms. Cox has a style of writing that draws the reader inside the story. The dialog is comfortable and not forced, and the characters are richly developed with a depth that makes them feel three dimensional. Even though the plot has a time travel element to it, it was so well presented that I was able to easily suspend my disbelief and become absorbed in the storyline and the characters who were driving it. I’ve read several of this author’s books, and Geller’s Find has quickly become one of my all-time favorites. If you enjoy time travel romance with a western flare or are just looking for a five-star reading experience, I highly suggest you give this book a try. And once you’ve read one Sandra Cox book, you will certainly crave another.
Geller's Find is pure, delightful escapist reading.
Dr.Luke Geller is a history professor with an interest in archeology. While digging for potsherds, he stumbles across an old Winchester rifle that inadvertently tosses him back in time to the No Gold Ranch, owned by Lily Winter Tremaine. The ranch is run by Lily and her two closest friends. Luke soon finds himself hired on as a ranch hand, helping the three women defend the property against possible takeover. If that sounds like the set up for an old fashioned western mixed with time travel--yes and no.
Some things play out as expected but there are several surprises along the way. The strength of the book lies in its characters, its feel good vibe, and a huge heartwarming HEA ending. There's even a cat who factors into the action! You can't go wrong with this one. It's guaranteed to leave you with a contented and sloppy grin at the end. A winner!
Ah.... this is a western, one that takes the reader out of their everyday irritations and worries, and transports them---literally. The story makes you miss the old west, the simpler time, with uncomplicated people and their desires. A tip: the good-old fist fight between the rivals is highly entertaining.
As usual, the writing from Sandra Cox is stellar, and during the 2nd chapter, a reader might experience an overwhelming urge to go hiking: the passage brings the reader as close to being on the mountain with the protagonist as possible without viewing it through a video.
Throughout the story, vintage western expressions and objects are sprinkled frequently enough to deepen the literary atmosphere. The thunderstorms are as much of the plot as the characters are, and the plot drives the romantic element---not the other way around. The protagonist Luke Geller begins his archeology exploration as usual, but finds romance along the way. Does this sound like a plot you've read before? It is more than that.... Several times in the story, the characters travel, very believably, through time between the late 1800s and the present. The transference, or time warp, or whatever you think of it as, is extremely well done using sparse vivid descriptions. It is all very believable, and readable.
This book is a fun and quick read. Kept my attention to the end and put a smile on my face. Different than what I usually pick up but very entertaining. I would like to read more from this author.
Geller’s Find by Sandra Cox is an intriguing tale, a combination of western and time travel, with a cozy romance thrown in. True to her style, Cox dives into the story headlong, and keeps a brisk pace, never letting you waver an eyelid. While hiking through the majestic Great Basin, Luke’s love for artifacts leads him into the past, as he hurtles down into a deep hole, “whirling into a tube of rock”and reaches in the year 1882 where he meets Lily, a rancher. The vivid description of his journey, as if he were in an elevator is most captivating. Many questions would crop up in your mind - How would he get back? Will he stay and never go back? Oh! another nightmare... his bag gets lost! How would he find it? Where would he stay? Can he adjust to the unfamiliar surroundings?
Cox’s characters are most realistic and the way they welcome Luke into their lives is heart-warming. Strong yet tender at heart, Saffron likes Luke but he keeps his distance, as he knows he doesn't belong to their world. Stryker remains an enigma till the end though Luke is smart enough to see through his sinister plans. There is enough action to keep you enthralled. The book converts into a page-turner toward the end and much is left to the imagination of the reader. Pick up this book, you won't be disappointed. I loved it.
Talented storyteller, Sandra Cox, has delivered another great Western tale filled with romance, adventure, engaging characters and delightful word pictures. I enjoy time travel stories, but especially with a surprising ending. I did not see this one coming. If you enjoy Westerns, Time Travel and Romance, you will enjoy every page in this book.
As a fan of Sandra Cox's western romances you know that you are going to be offered all the elements in a story that make for a riveting read.
The special element to her stories is that there is usually a supernatural twist that adds additional tension, mystery and intrigue. In Geller's Find we have two worlds, 140 years apart, which collide with a bang, offering an opportunity for Luke Geller to experience the subject he teaches in person.
Throw in sassy women, a beautiful but wilful boss, a macho saloon owner with an acquiring nature, gunfights, a horse with a mind of his own and a mystery hidden beneath the earth of the ranch, and you have a great story.
The characters in Sandra Cox's books are always memorable, and whilst not necessarily perfect human beings, they are authentic. I loved Geller's mother, who appears in the later part of the book, who proved that feisty women still existed in the present day.
If you have already read books by this author you probably don't need me to convince you to read Geller's Find... but if you are new to her stories I can highly recommend you check them out.
I’d been hearing buzz about this book, so I added it to my KU queue. I’m so glad I did. It’s the first story I’ve read by Sandra Cox, but it won’t be my last.
Cox’s characters are rich and wonderful. I loved Luke, a kinder, gentler Indiana Jones with just enough edge to fight for what’s right (and win, to boot). Lily is a hard-working, progressive woman whose ideals are far more suited for today’s standards than those of the 1800s. The supporting cast was also well-developed and a joy to get to know. Saffie’s no-nonsense attitude. Taffy’s boundless kindness. Birdie’s sense of adventure. Stryker’s strength, savvy, and (at times) questionable intents. Even the horses had personality. I’d love to spend more time with all of them.
This was a slightly different take on a time-travel story, and I enjoyed the variance quite a bit. It was nice to see both sides of the quantum shift—a modern man visiting a historical period and a woman from the past experiencing life in today’s world. That these two characters found each other against such astronomical odds is heartwarming.
The plot was well-developed and nicely wrapped up. The pacing kept me engaged. The settings were vibrant and nuanced. This one ticks all the boxes. And the author’s note fascinated me. That this story was derived from a news report of a bizarre discovery proves this writer’s creative chops. I’m glad her brother nudged her into writing this tale.
While this is not your typical western, fans of the save-the-ranch plot will love this story. And while it’s not your typical sci-fi time-travel tale, fans of the trope will enjoy the trip back through the years. I can’t think of a mash-up I’ve enjoyed more. Kudos to the author. Geller’s Find is a treasure and easily earns five stars from me.
Geller's Find by Sandra Cox A Book Review by AZ Perez May 2024
The characters are endearing from beginning to end!
A very lighthearted and empowering read, with women portrayed as amazingly capable, self-sufficient and equally as efficient as men!
Luke Geller values his freedom. No responsibilities to think about having a partner or family and is content with finding his joy in his archeological finds. Until, the moment he gets to meet Lily and the No Gold Ranch Ladies!
Once I got to start reading it lured me to continue flipping the pages until to its very end. It is fast-paced and cohesive, interesting events come one after another. They make me smile and laugh!
The conclusion of the book promises a second of the series and I look forward to reading it! And my wish in the second book is I could have read more about how the ranch girls manage the farm – the strawberries, fruit trees and vegetables - it’s nitty-gritty; the daily life grind and challenges of the Western landscape of 1882.
I love the plot of time travel, the western landscape and the romance. They are so perfect for a lighthearted read. I am imagining how wonderful it would be if this could be mounted into a motion picture! A real treasure reading, similar to Luke Geller’s find!
I can never understand why it is that when people go to the trouble of writing a review they invariably drop so many spoilers there’s little point reading the book. This I won’t do, but I have to say I am mighty glad I did read this book. The plot is expressed only too well in the blurb, so I won’t dwell on that. What I can say is that the book is very well written: a good story line, with believable characters, a beginning a middle and an end (which many novels do not have nowadays). The narrative is written with a clear dexterity and is easy to follow; and what’s more provides a good back drop to the scenes set. This is sort of novel that definitely has the feel-good factor and what’s more makes you glad you have read it.
An enjoyable blend of western romance and time travel. Luke Geller has a hard time finding the right woman until he falls back through time and finds his perfect mate! Sweet story with plenty of intriguing characters and plot twists to keep you turning pages.
I love this type of story, and this one was among the best! A little western, a little jumping timeline, and good horse flesh! A super sweet romance added made it a awesome story!
Geller’s Find is a fun read. With time travel and romance, the old West never looked so good. The characters carried the story for me and kept me glued to the evolving adventure on the ranch. This is a feel-good book, one to read for pleasure. I highly recommend it.
'Geller's Find' is a treat from page one. Sandra Cox writes this novel with a unique twist to an archeologist's trade. Since I have read other books by Ms. Cox and so enjoy her writing style, I knew 'Geller's Find' would not disappoint. What I did not anticipate was time travel in a western. Brilliant, just plain brilliant. I stopped a time or two to ponder the 'what if' factor and can imagine the confusion and fright our MCs felt. I didn't pause long, though, as I read the book straight through. In addition to the MCs, I dearly enjoyed Saffie's wit and sarcasm. Treat yourself to a delightful book.