Runaway women, a wagon train, and a villain tracking them, oh my!

In Chasing the Horizon, Beth and her mother, Ginny, are on the run from her domineering father. He locked her mother up for being criminally insane because she had the sense to stand up to him. Now Beth is breaking her mom out and running because she knows she is next. Jumping on a wagon train headed west, they hope to leave her overbearing, greedy father behind and start a new life where he can't find them. Jake Holt is second in command on the wagon train, and this is his last trek across the US. He is ready to settle in Oregon and prove his land. He is intrigued by Beth, who is beautiful and inquisitive. He can tell she is hiding something from him and the rest of the group, but she wouldn't be the first to come to the West to reinvent herself, and he doesn't hold it against her for wanting to try.

I read anything I can get my hands on written by Mary Connealy. She has a delightful way of combining humor, suspense, romance, and a good old-fashioned Western theme. I was particularly drawn to this book because it involves a wagon train. I enjoy stories about the trials and struggles people went through getting across the United States in search of a better life. I love the fun cast of characters, especially Beth and Jake, as they get to know and trust each other and experience the sparks of attraction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Chasing the Horizon is at once both unique and yet as familiar as you’d want from a historical romance.

Chasing the Horizon begins with a daring escape. Beth Rutledge must break her mother out from an asylum after her father has her locked up in a bid for power and money. Beth, her mother and two unexpected extra companions make their dash for freedom and soon join a wagon train heading west. There, Beth must work to keep her family’s true purpose a secret, knowing that her father will not be far behind them. She finds an ally in wagon-train scout Jake Holt, who seems to know she isn’t being completely upfront with him and yet continues to look out for her, despite her deceit.

The romance in Chasing the Horizon develops quickly, hastened by circumstances. The journey pushes Jake and Beth together and forces upon them choices quicker than they might have made otherwise. The journey brings lots of different challenges for the group and for Beth to manage. She is a strong and determined character. We also see short chapters from Beth’s father’s perspective to heighten the suspense. I enjoyed the story of the wagon journey and the people Beth has around her that support her. However, the quickness of both the romance and the climax of the suspense in the story left me wanting a little more consideration of the details. The end of the story leaves the threads of danger open and two characters with mysterious backstories who will take centre stage for the second book.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

1869 Illinois to Idaho

The idea of how easily a wife could be admitted to an insane asylum a century ago is so frightening. Elizabeth Rutledge partners with a former employee of her dad's estate to break her mom out of the asylum and flee. Mother and daughter escape west under new identities. Their journey on the Oregon Trail begins in Independence, Missouri. While Elizabeth has had time to build skills for the journey, her mother has not.

It was great to be a part of their time on the Oregon Trail. I look forward to continuing the series.

If you were a fan of the Yellowstone prequel 1882, then you will absolutely love Chasing the Horizon by Mary Connealy.

Set in 1869, a large part of this story follows the Collins "family" as they travel the Oregon trail. Full of heart-pounding adventure, disaster, but love and friendship as well.

Beth and Ginny Rutledge are running from a father and husband who is beyond cruel. Committing his wife to an asylum because she dared have different opinions from him and preparing to marry his daughter off to a 70 year old every bit as ruthless as he. Along with the normal dangers of the Oregon trail, the women are also hunted by this vicious man who will see them both locked up if he catches them.

Chasing the Horizon is Book 1 in the A Western Light series. This book has multiple genres, historical fiction, and Western/frontier romance. It is 304 pages, but it was so captivating. It felt like such a quick read.

The descriptions of life on the trail were vivid, and I could easily imagine what it would have been like. There was an amazing found family aspect to this story, as people in Beth's life helped to rescue her and her mom and create a new life for them all together, as they left to Oregon trail to forge their own path. And there was a beautiful romance that developed for Beth on the trail.

The ending for me was very unexpected, and I felt like it left some loose ends, but considering this is just the first book, I suppose that is expected. I will definitely be reading on in this series.

Thank you to Bethany House Fiction for the advanced digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

Chasing the Horizon
by Mary Connealy
Publisher: Bethany House
Series: A Western Light, Book 1
Rated: 3
Obtain: Borrow or buy
Back of the Book: “Her only chance at freedom waits across the horizon
Upon uncovering her tyrannical father's malevolent plot to commit her to an asylum, Beth Rutledge fabricates a plan of her own. She will rescue her mother, who had already been sent to the asylum and escape together on a wagon train heading west. Posing as sisters, Beth and her mother travel with the pioneers in hopes of making it to Idaho before the others start asking too many questions.
Wagon-train scout Jake Holt senses that the mysterious women in his caravan are running from something. When rumors begin to spread of Pinkerton agents searching relentlessly for wanted criminals who match the description of those on his wagon train, including Beth, she begins to open up to him, and he learns something more sinister is at hand. Can they risk trusting each other with their lives--and their hearts--when danger threatens their every step?”

Impressions: I found this book to be good until the end when things were quickly resolved in an all too tidy way. Mental health treatment during this time was unfortunate. The lack of knowledge concerning mental health illnesses combined with nefarious desires of some left many people shut into an asylum. I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression to be thankful for the advancements in this field. The women in this story were so brave to take charge of their futures by escaping. I enjoyed most of their journey to freedom until the end. The story was quickly and neatly resolved, cheapening the rest of the story. I would still recommend it as a historical clean romance.

Quotes: “’ Don’t do no good to lie to Him. He already knows everything you’re feeling. Give Him a chance to comfort you. And trust God to be strong enough to handle your anger.’”

I received an ARC of this book via the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here.

She was free. If she wanted to remain free, she had to run.

In 1869 it was legal for a husband to have his wife committed to an asylum just for disagreeing with him. Thaddeus Rutledge was just such a person, when he was unable to access the sizable inheritance of his wife and daughter. Knowing they would have to disappear in order to be safe, plans were made.
An escape from the asylum, a new name and a grand adventure.

Beth and her older sister Ginny (her mother), left luxury for a cattle boat, horseback and a wagon train. But would they manage to stay safe in spite of tragedy? Could he possibly find them using his vast resources, feeling very free to lie to get what he wanted?

This fabulous first book in the A Western Light series was received through Bethany House Publishers, Baker Publishing House and NetGalley. These thoughts are my own and were in no way solicited.

Mary Connealy can take me from a sneaky escape to a dusty wagon trail as her characters run from a life of riches that feels like captivity and cause me to believe it all. This is going to be a wild west series for sure. I received the advanced reader's copy of this first book in A Western Light series from the author, Baker Publishing, Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley. This is my own opinion about the book.
July 1869, Elizabeth Rutledge orchestrates an escape from a mental asylum and begins a wild adventure toward the Oregon trail with help from Oscar Collins. As Beth Collins she travels with 'sister', Ginny to a destination where they pray, they will not be found.
Jake Holt is a well-traveled ramrod for the wagon train the Collins family is part of. He is intrigued by Beth and notices that something is different about her. Something that just doesn't add up.
I really like this story. A lot is going on. The characters are well written with background, shattered dreams, 'scars' and interesting traits. There is intrigue too. (I think Oscar is going to be a force in a future book. He is special here as it is.) There is an abrupt ending which took me by surprise, but I do get it as the author is going to dive right into the story in book two. I can't wait to read it.

Beth and Ginny Rutledge are on the run from Thaddeus Rutledge, a man who will stop at nothing to put the women in his life away so he can have control of their money. The plan Beth executes to escape from him was brilliant as they join the wagons going west. Beth and Ginny are continually looking over their shoulder with the fear of being discovered, adding to the suspense of the story.

The details that the author uses throughout paints a vivid picture of not only the hardships of the journey but also the beautiful place they are going to be homesteading. I felt as though I were with Beth, Ginny, and the entourage that join them. There are many unknowns at this point in the story that leaves me wondering what is going to happen next, I can’t wait to read the upcoming book.

Lovers of historical romance with a faith element throughout it will enjoy reading this first book in the A Western Light series. I received this complimentary book from the publisher through Austenprose PR. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Mary Connealy’s book Chasing the Horizon is filled with adventure, suspense, and romance.

Beth Rutledge is such a strong character, putting so much on herself. Always wanting to learn everything to be fully prepared. And Jake! He is such a good partner for Beth. They were the perfect pair.

Honestly, it is really sad to see what women went through. Insane asylums. Granted some women needed it, but most didn’t. The way Mary Connealy wrote this book made me feel so sorry for these women and gave me a bit of anxiety for Ginny. Always having to look behind her back, never fully feeling free. The trauma. The nightmares. Her character was so well written. The one character that needed to be locked away was the one roaming around free, ruining people’s lives.

I enjoyed the history portion of the wagon train. I have recently read a few books dealing with wagon trains, and I am pleased to have read another one. The trials and journey these people had to take was no easy task. I loved another book about the Oregon Trail.

There was a surprise visit from two past characters! Let me just say if you missed High Sierra Sweethearts like I have, you’ll get a little pleasant visit from two characters in that series.

I requested and received an ARC of this book through NetGalley. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

In Chasing the Horizon, we travel back to 1869 and get an up-close look at life on the Oregon Trail. We get to see the weight of the different roles and responsibilities that fall on every member of the train; the camaraderie that must be built and maintained between the different families, as well as with the wagon master and scout; and how a train rallies together when danger threatens to overcome an entire family.

We also get to see how the sight of unsettled land can lead to an unsettled heart, but that when one fixes their eyes on the Lord, hope and faith abound; that amid great tragedy and loss, God is still good and worthy to be praised; and though the heart of man plans his way, it is indeed the Lord who establishes his steps.

In addition to being a story of faith, hardship, endurance, and love, Chasing the Horizon brims with elements of intrigue, suspense, and danger that grabs hold of you from the beginning and keeps your interest held until the very last page.

(4.5 stars rounded up)

Thank you, NetGalley and Bethany House Fiction, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3 stars, Freedom

CHASING THE HORIZON
by Mary Connealy

The premise of this book sounded great, a wagon train, maybe a little romance added in. I was surprised with how evil some of the characters were. I was not expecting it in a Christian historical fiction novel.

I received a complimentary copy of #ChasingTheHorizon from #NetGalley #BakerPublishing #BethanyHousePublishers #LibraryThing I was not obligated to post a review.

#HistoricalFiction #StrongFemaleProtagonist #Inspirational #ChristianFiction #MaryConnealy

Her only chance at freedom waits across the horizon.

I love wagon train stories, especially those that travel along the Oregon Trail! Mary Connealy is one of my favorite authors who can really write in this timeline and brought this piece of history to light. In Chasing the Horizon, she breathes life into her characters and brings many adventures for the reader to experience. I probably would not make it even a few miles because of how long and rugged the trail was! I enjoyed getting to know Beth, Ginny, Kat, Sebastian, Oliver, Jake and all the rest we met on the wagon train. They faced hardships, loss, endless days, many months of travel over rugged terrain but also forged friendships & family ties, and had a strong reliance on God to make it through each day. Of course, Connealy added a bit of danger to spice up an already fantastic tale! Thaddeus Rutledge was the worst kind of man, he was relentless in his pursuit of Beth & Ginny and would go to any length or cost to get them back…forced or not. He’s a truly villainous villain!

All this wrapped up in just over 300 pages; I enjoyed every one of them. I can’t wait until the next installment!

*I was provided a copy courtesy of Bethany House publishers through Interviews & Reviews and was not obligated to leave a favorable review. All opinions expressed here are my own. *

I won a copy of this book through LibraryThing and this review is totally my own thoughts.
I liked the parts of the book that featured Beth and Ginny and the others but I totally had a very hard time reading about Beth's father and his cronies. This book is divided between very good people and very evil people.
I was disappointed in the ending. There were too many loose endings. I realize there is a book to follow but each book should have a definite ending and not leave you dangling.

A daughter rescues her from an asylum that her father had put her in. They head to Idaho posing as sisters. They try to keep their identity a secret from others on the Oregon Trail. There are Pinkerton Agents searching for them. Will they be found or able to keep their identity secret? A great story.

I hadn’t read a historical fiction book with an old Western setting in such a long time! Chasing the Horizon is a gripping story of a daughter helping two women, one of them her mother, escape from an insane asylum that they were unjustly thrown into and treated horribly. On the run from her father and his hired Pinkerton agents, Beth and the women, now with a strange man they’ve rescued in tow, join the wagons headed west on the Oregon Trail to try to make a new life for themselves.

This story felt like it began very abruptly and it took me a bit to really sort out how certain people were connected and what was really going on. However, once I got further into the story and was able to really envision the connections and the setting, I was completely invested and on the edge of my seat the rest of the way through. In fact, I stayed up entirely too late to finish the last few chapters!

The romance between Beth and Jake was really sweet and I wished that there had been a bit more of that, so I’m really excited to get to know them better in the next book of the series. The ending has me wondering so many things about Sebastian and Kat and I can’t wait to find out.

Book #2 of the series, titled “Toward the Dawn,” is expected to be published this June already, so definitely jump to read this first book. You don’t want to miss it! 🙂

Thank you to @netgalley and @bethanyhousefiction for my gifted e-copy of Chasing the Horizon, in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars
What a wonderful start to a brand new series!
Author Mary Connealy takes readers on a journey west where characters experience the best and the worst the Oregon Trail has to offer them.
Beth and Ginny are fleeing for their lives, only they keep picking up strangers to join them. Labeled “insane” by her husband, Ginny escapes the asylum with help from her daughter. Not to be outdone by his women, Thaddeus will do everything possible to get his hands on the women who betrayed him – and the massive fortune they’ve kept from him.
The story starts out with a bang and keeps a steady pace throughout. There are plenty of secrets to go around, some of which aren’t revealed by the end of the story (stay tuned for book two…). In true Connealy style, dialogue is witty and there are plenty of awkward situations provided for everyone.
One of the last wagon trains to head west, the pioneers will experience a tragic loss but pull together to overcome. Readers may want to have tissues handy as the tragedy digs deep, hitting an emotional cord.
I enjoyed getting to know a new cast of characters, and was delighted to revisit John and Penny McCall from the High Sierra Sweethearts series.
I’m looking forward to the next book to discover what secrets Kat and Sebastian are keeping.
I received an ecopy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Beth has rescued her mother, Ginny, from an insane asylum and they are headed west by wagon train to escape from her fathers wrath. This was a time in history when a husband had full control over his wife and could commit her to an asylum without any proof of insanity. Beth's father wanted Ginny's money that was tied up in a trust. He figured he could get his hands on it with her being insane. Beth and Ginny head west. The scout thinks Beth and her party are hiding secrets. But a lot of people heading west are. Jack takes extra care to insure they are ok along the way. Of course Beth's father catches up with them. You'll have to read the story to find out what happens.

This story doesn't have the usual humor thrown in that I have come to expect from Ms. Connealy. But it is still a good book. It shows the hardships that the pioneers had to face while traveling west. I look forward to reading the next story in this series.

I was given this book by Bethany House Publishing via Net/Galley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

I am an incredible fan of Mary Connealy's writing because she writes stories that are inspiring, romantic, witty, and suspenseful, yet she never compromises her Christian beliefs. You always finish one of her books feeling a little sad that you reached the end, but oh so glad that you know what happened. With Chasing the Horizon, I felt like this was a different side of Mary Connealy. This book is an edgy, suspenseful, nail-biter all the way to the end. The humor is gone and in its place are several unknowns that leave you hungry for more. Chasing the Horizon is the story of Beth who helps her mother escape from a mental asylum. Together they join a wagon train headed across country to Idaho. One of the many people they meet is Jake, the wagon train scout. Jake suspects Beth is not as she seems when she quizzes him on all things along the way. But both Jake and Beth have secrets, along with several other members of the party. Mrs. Connealy still writes with her moral compass intact but she has thrown in several curve balls at the last inning. Unfortunately I will have to wait until the next story to get answers and you can bet I am anxiously waiting.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bethany House Publishers for allowing me to read an advanced reader copy. I was in no way influenced to give a positive review of the book.

Loved this story! I was intrigued right from the beginning with Beth helping her mother Ginny escape from the insane asylum. Then they joined the wagon train headed to Oregon with some other people and pose as sisters with different name. While on the trail Beth meets Jake, who helps people to get to their destination. Beth and her mother hope to outrun her father, who will be hunting them down to put her mother back in the asylum. Jake becomes suspicious of the sisters and when he finds out the truth helps them. I liked how engaging this story was. Lots of different situations happen in this western adventure. I loved Beth and Jake, they are a great couple. This book ends on a cliffhanger, ahh! But now I really want to read the next one! Great Christian content throughout! Definitely recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Content: violence/mistreatment in the asylum , stabbing and shooting

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from netgalley . All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Readers who like historical western fiction will enjoy this story. Quite the tale of a young woman, Beth rescuing her mother from an insane asylum and joining a wagon train. Interesting law as to how people could be committed to an asylum in the 1800s. Beth's father was quite the evil person. Enjoyable story about the journey to Idaho and the people on the wagon train. Looking forward to the next book. What happens to Beth's father, and what is quirky Sebastian working on? Recommended.