Love Finds You in Deadwood, South Dakota

by Tracey Cross

Jane Albright is newly widowed, with one child to care for and another on the way. When she learns that she is at risk of losing the family home and freighting business to greedy moneylender Franklin Lloyd, she has no choice but to brandish a bullwhip and haul freight all the way to Deadwood, South Dakota. Franklin agrees to give Jane six months to pay the note, and it’ll take every ounce of grit she has to secure her children’s future. Franklin admires the strong and beautiful woman - but how can he help her when he is her greatest enemy?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Christian, Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical, Historical Romance, Westerns

317 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2010

About the author

TRACEY CROSS, also published as Tracey Bateman, is the award-winning author of more than thirty titles and has nearly a million books in print. She lives in Missouri's Ozarks with her husband and four children.

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was interesting the way the author used the history of Deadwood, including the fire of September 1879 to tell the story of Jane and Franklin. I liked both of them as characters for the most part, but Franklin got on my nerves with his assumptions (incorrect ones, I might add!) about Jane's motivations for certain things.
I think the romance in this book was very understated, definitely taking a back seat to the action involving the villain. I did think that aspect of the book was well done, and it kept me turning pages, trying to figure out what might happen next.
3.5 stars

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a mini ‘Books For Christian Girls’ review. It is not a full content review and will not receive one. These mini-reviews are years old and just for clarity on the rating the book received on Goodreads.

11/2/2015-
"Stopped half-way. I found Jane to be so annoyingly stubborn, Franklin admits to not being a gentleman (no kidding!), and Bedlow is a creep! Quite a few sexual hints as well that turned me off of finishing this book."
*Main Content-
Many mentions of alcohol, drinking, drunks, gambling; Mentions of animals shot & killed (some for food, up to semi-detailed);
Mentions of wedding nights (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of brothels, players, a man's favorite prostitute; Mentions of touches & being a mistress (a man offers to Jane to be his mistress); A mention of fifteen-year-old entertaining guys at a saloon.

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

SUMMARY: Can love survive in the roughest town in the Weat? Jane Albright's late husband lost the family home and business to moneylender Franklin Lloyd, but the lovely young widow won't give them up without a fight.

REVIEW: This LFY has more substance and depth than some of the other LFY. The storyline reminds me of the old vaudeville plays with the hero, heroine and villain where the heroine ends up in the deadly clutches of the villain and must be rescued by the hero. This is very appropriate to the place and time in which the story occurrs. With the addition of the subplots, the story has more interest. I really liked Jane's fighting spirit and the fact that she never gave up trying to find a solution to her situation. However, she was at times blinded by the evil in others. Overall an interesting read.

[Madison Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved this book for an easy read and cute romance without all the unnecessary inappropriate scenes. Overall loved the story and characters, felt a little bit like love comes softly….only thing I got frustrated with was the main character because she was very stubborn sometimes and could have avoided certain situations if she just let people help her.

[Christine Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feel good book. Easy to read. Good plot and intensity. I hope there is a follow up book!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: LOVE FINDS YOU IN DEADWOOD, SOUTH DAKOTA
Author: Tracey Cross (aka Tracey Bateman)
Publisher: Summerside Press
August 2010
ISBN: 978-1-60936-003-0
Genre: Inspirational/historical romance

Jane Albright has just buried her husband—not that there was any love lost. It was a marriage of convenience, and Jane has one five year old son and another baby on her way. However, she is horrified to learn that her husband has not paid a penny on a loan he’d signed, he was three months over due on the final payment, and the loan holder was collecting—everything she owned, including the land and soddy.

Jane has nothing to do but fight for what she wants. Determined to pay off every penny of her husband’s debt, she takes a job as a freighter, hauling supplies to the town of Deadwood. But her new boss is a crook and has other plans for Jane.

Franklin Lloyd is not the greedy moneylender Jane envisioned, instead, he’s quite the gentleman. But even Franklin’s patience is tried when he must rescue Jane every time he turns around. But how can he help her when he is her greatest enemy?

LOVE FINDS YOU IN DEADWOOD, SOUTH DAKOTA is a prairie romance that reminds me greatly of one of Janette Oke’s books in places, but yet has a few surprising twists and turns all it’s own. I absolutely loved Franklin, but I had to admire Jane’s pluck and strength. I don’t know if I would’ve been able to do most of what she did.

LOVE FINDS YOU IN DEADWOOD, SOUTH DAKOTA is a delightful mixture of western, prairie, and historical with grit. Fans will devour ever page of this book and be anxious for more. Plus there’s a page of information about the real Deadwood, South Dakota—then and now. $12.99. 316 pages.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane Albright, is a widow. A widow who was married to a worthless man, who gambled away his business, and their home. Franklin Lloyd is the man who holds the note that turns her homestead over to him. Determined to somehow, someway keep her home, she comes up with a plan.

Unfortunately, Jane is not dealing with an honest man, when she makes a deal with Trent Bedlow to haul freight for him to make money to pay off her debt to Franklin Lloyd. She never dreams he will hold her hostage, and take her son to keep her hostage to him. The nightmare that follows is full of horrors that Jane could never begin to dream of. Will she ever escape the madness of Trent Bedlow?

Franklin Lloyd knows that something is not right with the entire situation, but has no idea how to help Jane. She seems to be willingly staying with that snake Bedlow and Franklin is baffled. Once he learns that Bedlow had her son, he understood why Jane would not leave with him.

A story that is full of excitement, and will have you amazed at the debauchery of an entire town. Truly a must read for LFY fans and for fans of historical romance books. I enjoyed this story greatly and was tickled to find that Tracey Cross is one of the names that Tracey Bateman writes under. 316 pages $12.99 US 5 stars.

This book was provided for review purposes from Christian Bookworm Reviews. No payment was received for this review.

[Margaret Chind]

[Estaleda Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suprisingly I really liked this book. I am not much for love stories with happy endings but this book was really good. I found myself reading it morning, noon, and night. i recomend it to anyone who likes romance novels or even anyone who is looking for something different to read.

[Samantha]

Was an interesting read... I admit I checked out the book because of it's reference to Deadwood. That was about it.

The woman was very determined to do things all on her own after she learns that her husband has died leaving her pregnant and with a young boy to raise, in a time when women have no power or voice. One gentlemen, Franklin, once understanding her predicament, does offer to assist (even though her husband left her to his debt), but she refuses any assistance. She ends up in further debt by a completely degenerate piece of crap guy who has no qualms about putting young girls up for prostitution in his establishment.

Anyway, how will this independent woman survive? Will she fall into the horrific trap of becoming a woman of ill repute? Who will she end up marrying?

[Phylisha Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely story about a young pregnant woman named Jane Albright a newly widowed single mom who is trying to homestead her land after her deadbeat husband gts himself killed and left her with a disaster. As this is set in the old west with a gold rush going on, there are of course a number of obsticals in her way. She has a young son who is nearly 6 yrs old and is pregnant with her second child. Her husbands partner abandons them to go oregon. This story is chuck full of bad luck, bad men. loose women and gold diggers (literally). Jane had to go thru some serious stuff to finally get her HEA.

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This time period is one my favorites to read. I love reading about people moving out west for a new start to life. That's what I liked about this book. But I also found it very frustrating.

What was really frustrating to me was the plot. It could have been done better. The author spent more time with Jane being in captive and her trying to figure out how to leave. This could have been done in a few chapters.
There was one page of Jane and Franklin finally getting together, then it was the end. No epilogue or anything.
I wish that the author spent more time building Jane and Franklin's relationship.

Overall, I did like this book but it could have been better

[Marilyn Rushing · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the book. The setting is in the 1800’s during the gold mining days.
Jane Albright, a widow with a young boy and a baby on the way finds herself in deep financial trouble with the man her deceased husband has bargained with, Franklin Lloyd. After finding the truth behind her circumstances, Jane I’d determined to keep the homestead she has worked so hard to build. Can she find work to pay Franklin Lloyd the money he is owed or will he drive her off “her land”.
Lots of twist and turns find Jane having to fake a marriage proposal in order to escape a love less life.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a very realistic gritty feel to it. I think it is good to remember how lawless a town could become in those days, when the wrong people are in power. It was interesting to read about the frieghting business, and that the story was set in a real town.

[Jerrianne Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read, started & finished in one sitting. I guess what I was missing was details throughout the book. Characters' feelings seemed superficial. The ending was predictable...except it just stopped. What happened to Trent? Maybe a sequel is planned?

[Debby Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the setting for this book. It truly had an Old West theme. I loved how all the women in this story were strong and capable. Then children were delightful characters. There was a lot of suspense woven into the story. I loved the redeeming happy ending.

[Samantha Cornwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Start to finish, this story was a whirlwind! I'm very glad I read it. I found myself on the edge of my seat worried for Jane and Danny, and as the plot shifted my concern kept changing. If you enjoy historical fiction, I believe you'll enjoy this book!

[Tara Irlbeck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too old fashioned for me. Not the type of romance book that I was expecting.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. I like to read westerns with a little bit of love in the story.

[Yvonne Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clean romance

[Doreen Nicolet]

Didn't like.

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just okay.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book keeps you on your toes. Very good book

[Victoria (hotcocoaandbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Jane is a new widow left with her fiver year old son and a baby in her womb. She is left with debt from her husband. A man named Franklin Lloyd says he now has ownership of all that she has, which brings out her stubborn streak. She will pay off the homestead debt so she can live on the land she worked herself, as her lazy dead husband did nothing. It was her land. She would not give it up easily! She heads out to work as a freighter. Not too many women take up such a job. She meets a man who seems to be intrigued by her longing to work hard and hires her. However, this man has more in mind for her regardless of the warnings that Mr. Lloyd has told her.

Various things about this book that are interesting to me. This definitely shows how human trafficking could have been insanely real in the late 1800s. You will read a lot of things that will make you mad in regards to situations. I think that was well done. However, this was predictable in the first chapter of figuring out what would happen. Also the ending was too fast.

There is also a struggle shown with faith in Mr. Lloyd throughout the book and I don't think they tackled the situation well enough at the end of it. It seemed to be a little poorly done with the ending, is all. It was enjoyable otherwise.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the most part I loved this story and couldn't put it down. This is even with it having a lot of things I normally dislike in books. There were time skips with weeks at a time just being jumped over. The love building between Jane and Franklin was unbelievable since they barely spent any time whatsoever with each other and what time they had spent together wasn't exactly with them getting along. Finally the ending was rushed. The whole book was a build up of Jane's rescue from Trent and in the end he basically gave her up with no fight. Even Frank the hero was unconscious through the whole climax lol.

BUT!, I'm still giving it a high rating because I enjoyed the story line and like I mentioned, I couldn't put it down. This time the flaws I normally dislike weren't enough to take away much from my joy of the book. Even if the ending does leave me shaking my head. :)

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started out in a promising way. But when it came down to it, it really wasn't able to deliver. The ending was especially loose with all sorts of frayed ends all over the place. The two protagonists were fairly likeable as well as capable. So, why couldn't they do something to resolve the issue with Trent besides keep getting beat up? They seemed smarter than that. What finally tipped the scales for Mam & George to choose a different side? Their choice was not substantiated. And why do they think if they just get to the homestead everything will be alright? Trent's a vindictive, controlling man who wouldn't hesitate to come after them. What can I say? The plot leaks like a sieve.

And stink, I paid money for this!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

The events in the life of newly widowed Jane Albright who in addition to the death of her husband leaving her to care for their young son, this widow finds that her husband had mortgaged their homestead and mounted vast amounts of death. This reality pushes her to become a freight hauler, and dealing with persons who does not have her best interest at heart. The income from the first haul should have reduced her monies owed, instead all of the freight was broken and she incurred more amounts owed. To repay she had to agree to work for the owner in a saloon, meanwhile the other person she owed tried to save her and of course there was drama. Along the way she never gave up on her principals and helped to sway a few others in her path to take a chance toward freedom.

[Zette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the book started out hooking me from the beginning, I finished it feeling a bit let down. Franklin and Jane met and the sparks flew between them but, unfortunately, they spent most of the rest of the book apart. The conflict was resolved too easily in the end. Trent was such an evil, driven man that I don't think everything would have been solved by Franklin taking Jane and the kids and riding off in the sunset. Trent would not have given up so easily and would have followed them to their homestead to retaliate.

[Aimee Berg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. It started out very slow, but then it picked up so that I was reading as fast as I could to find out what would happen next. This book is a little darker than some of the other love inspired books. It touches on subjects such as prostitution and drinking. It's not dirty though.
The only thing I didn't like was that there wasn't a lot of interaction between the two main people, and I don't think that the love story was completely believable.
A page turner, for sure, but towards the end especially.

[Shannah Mauney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great story... until the end. Don't get me wrong, I loved the plot. It was riveting and engaging. I was rooting for Franklin the entire story. The ending, however, seemed very anti-climatic to me. Read my full review: http://faithlovebooks.blogspot.com/20...