Emma's Journey

Emma is way out of her depth. Bare months after marrying Peter Thorpe, she is pressured into leaving on a trail wagon headed toward Oregon. To top it all, Peter is killed mere weeks after they set off. Now she's alone, forced to take care of everything on her own. The trail leader does have a solution - she could marry scout Davis Cooper, and all her problems would be solved. Because, of course, every woman wants to remarry in a matter of weeks of her husband dying... For his part, Davis is willing to marry Emma. She is everything he could want in a wife, now all he needs to do is to convince her to take a chance on him and his dream.

An immersing story set in the West,  the story follows Emma's journey on the difficult and dangerous Oregon Trail. The storytelling is smooth-flowing and engaging. The characters are well-developed and Davis is a likable hero, so much so that more time was needed on him.  Far more attention is paid to Emma. In the beginning, she was immature and her behavior irritating, even Davis called her a little girl. But, as the time goes on, she toughens up, learns to deal with everything that life throws at her. It was quite gratifying to see her evolve. There was a subplot that seemed a bit redundant (the too-ardent suitor of Emma's), but it doesn't overly impact the enjoyment of the book. It really is a charming read that will enlighten as well as entertain! 

Ana Smith