About the Book

 

 

Book: When You Are Near

 
Author: Tracie Peterson  

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

 
Release Date: March 5, 2018

 

After her father’s death, Lizzy Brookstone, a trick rider in the all-female Brookstone Wild West Extravaganza, wants nothing more than to quit her role as the star of the show and live a quiet life on her family’s ranch. But returning home would bring Wesley DeShazer, the ranch’s foreman and the man who broke her heart, back into her life. In addition, the Brookstones’ new manager fears that Lizzy’s departure could doom the already cash-strapped show.

 

Hope grows in Lizzy during a stopover at Fleming Farm. Ella Fleming not only has a natural talent for trick riding and could easily replace Lizzy, but she’s eager to join the show to flee a forced betrothal. However, while there, one of the show’s wranglers is killed in a manner Lizzy finds suspicious. And during her escape from the farm, Ella stumbles across a secret that could affect all of their lives, as well as the future of the Brookstone Extravaganza.

Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Author

 

 

Tracie Peterson (www.traciepeterson.com) is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 100 novels. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana.

 

 

 

 

Guest Post from Tracie

 

Introducing…When You Are Near!

 

I’m excited about the new Brookstone Brides series and had so much fun researching for the various characters and locations. This is a story about a fictional Wild West show with all female performers. Prior to the rodeos we see today, the Wild West shows traveled throughout America and Europe to entertain people and give city dwellers a taste of what the American frontier was like. At least their version.

 

Buffalo Bill Cody was famous for his shows, which brought Native Americans and their culture into the world of people who might otherwise never have even seen an “Indian.” Pawnee Bill was another entertainer who sought to keep these shows alive.  



For the fictional show in my novels, I wanted to focus on three female characters who became a part of the Brookstone Wild West Extravaganza for varying reasons. Lizzy Brookstone is the heroine in book one, When You Are Near, and as the daughter of one of the show’s owners, she has enjoyed a starring role as a trick rider.

 

For research I went to Pueblo, Colorado to the ranch of Karen Vold, a famous trick rider and rodeo star. Linda Scholtz, a famed trick rider, was teaching a clinic there along with Karen at the Red Top Ranch Trickriding School.

 

These are two remarkable Christian trick riders who have long worked to keep the sport alive. I spent three days getting to know them and what they do and learned so much. And just to prove that we weren’t all work and no play, I thought I’d share my attempt at trick riding. What I won’t do for research!

 

The series will have three books, as usual, and each book will focus on a different lady and her skills. Mary is a trick shooter like Annie Oakley, and Ella is a Roman rider who stands on the backs of two horses for her part in the act. It was so interesting learning about each of these types of performers, and I hope you’ll get a chance to read all three and enjoy the stories of the Brookstone Wild West Extravaganza.

 

 

My Review

 

With her new Brookstone Brides series, Tracie Peterson creates a homey, faith-filled, adventurous ambiance in which romance and excitement coalesce. As a horse lover, I was immediately drawn into the story and thoroughly enjoyed reading about trick riding and the care of the horses, including some details about purchasing them from breeders. The Brookstone Wild West Extravaganza embodies the spirit of the Wild West era while uniquely being comprised of all female performers. The respect and equality that the women receive demonstrates how progressive this setting is, a rarity that adds depth and dimension to this tale. While the plight of a young woman fleeing a desperate situation indicates circumstances more typical of 1900, the actions of the main characters prove the prevailing love of Christ.

Universal themes clearly link “When You Are Near” to contemporary life. The 28-year-old protagonist, Lizzy, is the star of the show, yet the recent loss of her father and that of others she loved in years past has hardened her heart and caused her to build walls to keep her pain at bay: “The need for people to care about her argued with the part of her determined never again to feel the pain that came with loss.” It is a common struggle because as humans we crave that intimate connection and yet also fear losing it, and unless we surrender our hearts to the Lord we will always have an emptiness within us, as Peterson illustrates. Furthermore, the loyalty that such relationships, be they romances or friendships, foster prove to be indispensable during the inevitable trials of life. In this story, the characters must each reconcile with their past in order to become who they are meant to be and to carry out the work to which they are called. The obstacles that they encounter along the way ultimately serve to strengthen them and to make them realize that the Lord truly does work all things for the good for those who love Him. This is a promising start to a new series, and I only hope that after a somewhat abrupt ending, more details will be revealed in book two.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through CelebrateLit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

Blog Stops

 

Giveaway