Lovedust and Trailblazers 

Davee
Jones
ISBN Number: 
978-1618854315
Genre: 
Historical

Josiah Samuels has served his country as a marine in the Korean Conflict. Wounded in battle he returns to his family's cattle ranch in Oklahoma. Minnie Mitchell, at almost thirty is a woman ahead of her time. She's a trained veterinarian in an era when it was almost entirely a male-only vocation.When Josiah meets Minnie for the first time it's not just her pretty face that surprises him, but her independence and perseverance.

The Prologue set in Korea with Josiah during the war, started off strongly; the main story set in 1950s Oklahoma. With so few romances set in this era, this was a potentially engaging read. Unfortunately, a great opportunity was lost to bring this under-used era in historical romances to life. Minnie is a wonderful heroine, hard-working, determined and sexually liberated. Josiah is a man touched by the horrors of war, still suffering, yet determined to see his ranch prosper. Their romantic relationship, as well as their sexual relationship, moved far too quickly, barely knowing each other a day before Minnie feels "devoted" to Josiah.

 

The narrative at times tended to be too flowery, trying too hard, with the dialogue stilted using the formal - we will, we are - instead of we'll, we're - far too often. Although there is some mention of the effects of war on Josiah, not enough was given, neither the problems nor resolution.

With too much emphasis on the sex and too little given to the historical setting, Lovedust and Trailblazers didn’t quite live up to its potential. But, if one is interested in a historical read in a different era with strong sexual content a reader may enjoy this.

 

Jill MacKenzie