Thanks for sending me an arc, I do appreciate it. I wasn't able to get into this one and haven't been able to get back to it so I won't be leaving an official review at this time.

While respecting all of the knowledge behind this novel and the beautiful writing, this book is not my cup of coffee. Partly because my reading preferences lie elsewhere (I like the plots being more dynamic), partly because this book is seriously prolonged. I believe that much more time could be given into the real love story here, not to the past stories.
Yet if you are in a slightly melancholic mood and could use the gifted author with the sense for beauty of the prose, then Ms Frantz is definitely your authoress to go to.

A wonderful story that takes readers back in history to Kentucky during Daniel Boone's lifetime. The characters and story comes alive through the author's tale. Tempe is strong character with a deep faith. I didn't care for Tempe's father but he did somewhat redeem himself. I loved the way Nate encouraged Sion and the others throughout the book. This is a great read for those who love history. Recommended!

Title: A Moonbow Night

Author: Laura Frantz

Chapters: 32

Pages: 378

Genre: Christian Historical fiction Christian Historical Romance

Rating: 5 stars

Moonbow Night is Laura Frantz's 2017 novel. A novel that takes fans back to the Kentucky Frontier. Temperance Tucker's family came to the frontier with Daniel Boone when tragedy struck. But they press on to Kentucky because due to other events her has father has a price on his head or so he thinks.

They start the Moonbow Inn in which everyone around thinks is run by the widow Tucker and her children. Her father stays hidden for the majority of the year. In order to protect his family. Tempe's claim to frame is she's a good shot and an even better guide, though she's a petite thing. When Scion Morgan's surveying company needs a guide they hire Tem Tucker not realizing that they guide isn't a boy but a young woman.

A Moonbow Night is different in many ways from Laura's previous novels. The heroines cut from a rougher cloth than her previous heroines. In many ways Scion Morgan is even rougher around the edges than even Red Shirt. Who just happened to be my favorite hero until Seamus came along in Mistress of Tall Acre. Scion has since become my second favorite hero with Seamus being number one Red shirt rounds out the top three.

Temperance Tucker doesn't really fit with Laura's other heroines and that's not a bad thing. Tempe is a young woman shaped by events of her past as well as the Kentucky frontier. With a brother unable to hunt and run the woods and an absentee father Tempe learned to shoot not only for protection but to put food on the table. Tempe's a tomboy in time period that it wasn't a thing.

Tempe and Scion surprisingly bring out the best in each other. Her more so if they can both let go of the past and learn to trust God.

Reading A Moonbow Night was slightly bittersweet. That had nothing to do with the book or the writing style. Just the fact that this was the first Laura Frantz book that I was able to enjoy reading without my mother. But all in all I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Laura's previous novels. Readers who love historical fiction and novels set in the Bluegrass state.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

With A Moonbow Night, Laura Frantz has created such a clear feeling of being on the cusp of danger and discovery. More than just using dialect in the dialogue, the very narration itself seems rooted in time and place. It was that immersive sense of being in 1777 Kentucky, along with the characters and plotlines, that had me reading late into the night. How is this only my second book by this author?

Sion Morgan, surveyor and skeptic, captured my interest from the start. As he and his surveying team travel into the wilderness of 'Kentucke,' their dynamics are quickly established as is the danger they are placing themselves in. The oldest of the group, Nate, was endearing in his grizzled bible-verse spouting ways and conversely, Cornelius was immediately an annoying presence.

But it was Sion's first sighting of Temperance "Tempe" Tucker, and a subsequent chase through the trees that had me unable to put the book down. Tempe herself is a wonderful character, and I enjoyed meeting her family and seeing all of the different dynamics as well as the struggles that she was forced to go through.

Incorporating real characters in with the fictional, this is Historical Fiction to get lost in with a slow and sweet romance that is greatly tested. There is adventure, danger, and also a story of faith within this heart-felt story of risk, romance, and of healing.

A Moonbow Night is Historical Fiction to be savored. Highly recommended for those who enjoy Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, and sweet love stories with a faith element. Though only my second book by Laura Frantz, I think it safe to say that when it comes to Historical Christian Romance steeped in history and grounded in faith, she is one of the best.

This review refers to a paperback copy borrowed from my local library. I was previously approved for a NetGalley e-galley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Why have I waited so long to read a novel by Laura Frantz? This is exactly the kind of historical novel I love—one that brings another time and place vividly to life and delivers characters and a story I don’t want to let go of.

Set in the largely untamed Kentucke territory in 1777, both Sion and Tempe’s lives have already felt the brutal impact of tensions between White settlers and Red natives—tensions that are only heightened by Sion Morgan’s purpose for being in Kentucke territory: to survey and claim the land for the Loyal Land Company. Unfortunately for Sion, his presence is no more welcome to Temperance Tucker’s family, despite the hospitality their isolated inn offers his small company of men; Tempe’s father is a marked man after a boundary dispute with a Crown surveyor turned lethal. But Tempe’s skills as a guide and tracker and her knowledge of the area are unparalleled and Sion’s best hope of surveying the Green River country further west. Furthermore, Tempe’s father wants them gone, and what better way to achieve that, than to have Tempe lead them? But the journey is fraught with danger . . .

Frantz’s writing is a delight to read, perfectly matched to the era she’s depicting, and she takes the time to build her story, layer by layer, drawing you further and further into its world. The relationship that grows between Sion and Tempe is my favourite for this kind of novel: subtle, but ever deepening and enduring.

Another masterpiece by Laura Frantz. Love her writing and story telling. Have shared it w/ all of my reading friends.

A Moonbow Night by Laura Frantz is the first novel I have read by this author. When I first started reading, I was unsure about the setting, and the characters. I am more drawn to modern, current fiction than to any other period or place in history, I determined to just read a couple of chapters, and then move on.

This book surprised me! The pioneer element was fascinating. Reading about women with courage, mettle, and strength to survive some of the plights of those "westward expansion" days was compelling. Tempe, one of the main characters, has suffered loss. The man she had chosen to marry had been brutally killed, her father stayed on the run, and danger surrounded her and her family on all sides. Potential dangers, at least.

The Moonbow Inn is a shelter and sanctuary that her family runs. It offers shelter and food, and even amateur medical attention, to those traveling the same pioneer trails and need rest or direction.

Frantz crafts a story in this novel that weaves its way into your heart. You gather questions about her, her life, and her future, as you read. Revelations about the different characters are sprinkled throughout the chapters to keep you reading.

I cannot imagine the depth of research necessary to write a novel like this one. Add to that creativity, heart, and beautiful language, and you have just a glimpse of this story.

Indians also appear in this novel; of course they would, as main actors on Amerian soil during pioneer days. Frantz shows through her story that the encounters between Indians and "white men" were often much more complex than people realize. Her story reveals the nuances of compassionate, Godly people who must grapple with the realities of life during this strained time in our history.

In the end, I am glad I met Tempe, Sion, Russell, and the others. It is well worth the journey!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Temperance "Tempe" Tucker lives with her family in their inn along the Shawnee River, that is a wayside stop for trappers and travelers of all kinds. When her fiance James Boone is killed, and her brother Russell is crippled, by Indians, and her father kills a man, Tempe becomes the provider, forager, scout, and her whole family depends on her for their livelihood. When a surveying team comes to the inn, her father forces her to go with them a guide.

Sion Morgan is a surveyor come to map the Southwest frontier, he is a man at home in the wilderness, but he struggles with conflict within the team, especially from his brother-in-law who is a stark negative to him in every way. Sion is a natural leader, honorable, and true, he and Tempe must rely on each other to survive the Kentucky frontier.

Historically lush and evocative with detail, I loved how the characters were true to their time and were realistic for their time. Tempe is a strong young woman, good daughter, and skilled outdoors woman, she has a strong faith that holds her fast during the turmoil and tension of young Kentucky. I admired Tempe for her faith and forbearance, she befriends Nate an older man on the surveying team.

There is a lot going on this book, full of tension with the conflicts between the Indians and the brave people forging their way into a new frontier. At times the pace was a bit slow going. I loved the evocative writing style that brought the wilds of Kentucky to life in this historical saga that brought to life the brave men and women who traversed the wilds of Kentucky.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Laura Frantz is a master of historical romance. I have read and have the majority of her books on my keeper shelf. She does not disappoint with "A Moonbow Night". Temperance Tucker, though an innocent heroine, remains true to the tough breed of women that must have braved the new frontier that was America in those early days. She finds pleasure in the simple things and resents the invasion of her peace and privacy by those who are bent on expanding the continent as were those that were surveyors like Sion Morgan.
Both Sion and Temperance have deep sorrows and seek no solace in each other though they are immediately drawn to the other without recognizing the invisible pull. They are also thrown together by circumstances and Sion must reluctantly accept the skills of scouting that Temperance has as she objects to being the only woman among his team of men. Their travels are thwart with many dangers along the trail as the Indians are on the warpath objecting to the white man's encroachment into their land. As they travel further inland, so their relationship buds and builds through the twists and turns just as deep and uncharted as the land they traverse.
Ms. Frantz skillfully weaves history and romance into an enduring tale.

With her customary expertise in 18th Century rural life and her poetic pen, Frantz beguiles again with a harrowing setting that is at times lyrical and slow and others propelled at a galloping cut-throat pace.

Balancing a romantic thread with a keen eye for characterization and peppering her fictional world with a bevvy of well-drawn characters, A Moonbow Night is a worthy addition to Frantz' quickly building library of insta-classics.

One of my favourite go-to historical writers, Frantz' possesses a unique touch when it comes to spinning a web of perfectly realized historical circumstances and worthy heroes and heroines.


Flawed, vulnerable and strong, Temperance challenges us to look at the world beyond ourselves with dollops of resourcefulness and intelligence.

While The Mistress of Tall Acre swooned with romanticism, A Moonbow Night harkens to the ballads of yesteryear---in short, it is a love letter to Kentucky: its rough, gritty terrain and the astonishing, agonizingly beautiful grace.

Highly recommended.

(with thanks to Netgalley for the review)

This book tells a little-seen side of the Revolutionary War, the fate of the frontier families in the wilds of Kentucke surrounded by hostile Indians goaded onto the warpath by King George.

At the remote Moonbow Inn, Temperance Tucker and her family work to feed travelers and stay clear of trouble. They have had enough encounters with, and heartbreak from, the Indians in the past. When Sion Morgan, a broad-shouldered surveyor, comes through the territory, Tempe finds herself intrigued by his gruff but dependable presence. With the tribes on the warpath, she signs on as a scout to help Sion and his men reach their destination. But the trip through Kentucke contains more pitfalls than anyone has foreseen, leading the reader to wonder whether either of them will make it back to the Moonbow Inn alive.

The setting of the book is as lushly drawn as any of the characters. The Moonbow Inn and nearby waterfall glow like a beacon in the wilderness. The historical tie-in with Daniel Boone was interesting and added a richness to the plot.

I had trouble at first connecting with the characters, particularly with Sion. His motivations and past, which unfolded gradually with the story, were never fully fleshed out. Tempe came alive sooner for me, although I still wished to know more about the characters in her family.

The Christian themes in the book were handled deftly, and the theme of love and loss explored in some depth. I didn’t enjoy this book as much of some of Frantz’s other titles, but still, I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys American historical novels.

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The author makes sure that each character is grounded and sincere. Each has distinct voices and mannerisms that make you love and sometimes, dislike them. All have strength of character when times call for it and all have weaknesses that nearly do them in. The author weaves the story like a fine artisan, and the story emerges just like a tapestry.

She has a tendency to tie us up in detail when we are on the edge of our seat waiting for the outcome of a serious situation. This does not endear me to her, in fact, I found myself skipping large portions of text in order to find out what happened next and probably missed some fine work. I am not regretful of my decision to skip ahead, as I did not find anything lacking when I got to the end.

Although I had heard of this author before, this was my first Laura Frantz book, and I was overwhelming surprised by the quality of the dialogue and intricate plot details. Frantz reveals the plot slowly by taking time to setup the characters by adding a sentence here and there revealing a much more complicated backstory. I will be adding Laura Frantz to my list of authors to routinely read.

The novel takes place in the 1770s on the Kentucky frontier shortly after Daniel Boone's expeditions. While most people have heard of Daniel Boone, they misplace him chronologically in the time and do not realize he was a contemporary of our Founding Fathers and served in the Revolutionary Army. The Tucker family followed Boone to the frontier, and due to complications, they ended up staying and running the Moonbow, a traveling house in the middle of nowhere. Sion Morgan works as a surveyor exploring the frontier, and enlists Tempe Tucker, a woman, as his guide. It is the classic story of romantic friction and adventure along the frontier.

A Moonbow Night was different from other Laura Frantz's novels that I've read, in that it had a slower story and took me a while to get completely in to. It was still enjoyable for me to read and I did like that the romance wasn't instantaneous with the start of the story and took some time to happen.

I loved the setting and I really liked the danger in the story, as that kept me on my toes waiting to see what would happen next. I was fascinated by the moonbow aspect and now I hope that I will see a "moonbow" myself someday. ;)

Overall, a very good historical read. I recommend it if you enjoy slower storylines or if you are a fan of previous Frantz novels.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review. As always, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*

Being a history lover, I enjoy books set in the past as it gives me some insight as to life during that time period. I enjoyed reading about Temperance Tucker's life and how she was able to defend herself on the Kentucky frontier. I don't know that I could have been as rugged as she was and been able to survive during that time. I enjoyed seeing the story play out between her and Sion and how they learned to get around each other's pasts.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, but the review is my own.

When you pick up a book by Laura Frantz, you are immediately swept away by the exquisite lilt of the narrative, by the vibrancy of the setting, and by the life in the characters. A Moonbow Night is no exception.

I especially love reading her Kentucke books, the name given by various Indian tribes to the hunting ground that would become the state in which I now live. The rich history comes alive in ways I would have not predicted, and I must confess to a squeal of history geek delight when Daniel Boone swaggered across a scene or two. In many ways, the Kentucke wilderness in A Moonbow Night becomes a character all its own, and with each Kentucke book I read by Laura Frantz I develop a greater appreciation for the men and women who bravely lived and died and fought and sacrificed to settle the state I find so beautiful. (As a side note, the snippets and snatches from historical accounts included at the beginning of each chapter were another highlight of the book for me!)

Tempe and Sion are wonderfully layered protagonists, each possessing rich emotions and poignant depth. Both of them have suffered greatly at the hands of the frontier, and both have left parts of their hearts behind in graves dug in the aftermath of Indian raids. While one has rejected God nearly completely, save the wisdom of his most trusted friend, the other clings to Him with one hand while holding Him at a wary distance with the other. And considering the example she has in her father, it’s really no wonder (If ever a character needed to be purse whomped, it is Tempe’s father.)

And let’s not forget to mention the romance, aye? (Side note…. There’s something so swoony about these frontiersmen and their ‘ayes’. Blissful twitterpated sigh.) While A Moonbow Night isn’t drowning in romance, a certain kissing tree … and a certain cave scene … and a … well, you get the idea. It’s not lacking in romance by any stretch of the imagination. And since Laura Frantz has a distinct gift for making every word count, trust me when I say to make sure you read this from the comfort of your favorite fainting couch or facsimile thereof

Bottom Line: A Moonbow Night by Laura Frantz is a book you’ll want to devour in one sitting, yet somehow simultaneously find a way to savor each word so it lingers as long as possible. The beauty of the landscape, the richness of the history, the heart of the characters – all of these will beckon you to settle amongst the pages and immerse yourself in a world of wilderness and courage and discovery. And above all, steady and true, shines the moonbow with its promise of hope and restoration after a season of despair. A promise we could all use a little of today, aye?

I have long been a fan of Laura Frantz's books, and her latest, A Moonbow Night, did not disappoint in the least. Being a lover of history, I was swept away with her rich depiction of frontier life in the wilds of Kentucke. Full of stunning detail and pulse racing adventure, Frantz delivered another stunning novel.

Perhaps one of the things I adore most about Frantz's work is her ability to create characters that are flawed yet bear a depth of strength all at the same time. I do admit to being jealous of her heroine's survival talents in the wilderness, however! Although, while I cannot personally relate to such skills, I can relate to the inner struggles her characters face and their humanity in the midst of such trying times. Frantz truly presents a cast of characters that richly invite you to experience history for yourself.

I do encourage anyone who loves reading about American history to pick up this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it, although I wish there were another several chapters to bury myself in!

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher.

This book seemed to fall into a category by itself. The language, the vocabulary. The heroine’s thoughts are difficult to understand at times. I highlighted several words as I read in hopes my Kindle’s dictionary could help me out. Some terms were simply archaic, which shows strong research on Laura's part. Some weren't even in listed in the dictionary, which led to confusion as I read.

The author keeps many, many secrets. So many that I was lost a few times as I read. The why-not in regards to the romantic relationship was formidable enough that the romance didn’t take shape for me. There were POV missteps in the version I read, which made the reading even more confusing. (Example: though we were in the heroine’s POV, her mother was referred to by her first name in the narrative. That made me feel even more lost as I tried to track the characters.)

The heroine’s call falls far into the story, and by then I’d lost interest off and on. I did keep reading, but I wasn’t drawn in and highly motivated (hooked). The surveyors track in circles, which made the story seem less believable or motivating. Why wouldn’t they progress forward? Why keep circling back again and again for much of the first third of the book? That element felt contrived, rather than believable, in order to bring the hero and heroine together over and over.

Perhaps introducing the call much earlier would have solved a few issues here—like keeping me hooked, making the story line seem less contrived, allowing the romance to grow as the hero and heroine would have been forced into the same vicinity earlier.

Also, in the hero’s POV, we have deep POV, but we don’t have a clear mission for much of the first third of the story, even to the half. That kept me from rooting for him. He’s too much a mystery, as is his purpose. Because of this, along with the odd POV of the heroine, I found I didn’t care for either of the main characters as much as I’d like to when I’m reading fiction. I couldn’t understand the heroine, both superficially and in a deeper way.

Unfortunately, this story didn’t work for me. But I will be watching for Laura's next novel as I’ve appreciated her work in the past. I wish her and her publisher the best.