Review: Chasing the Horizon

Title: Chasing the Horizon

Author: Mary Connealy

Publisher: 13th February 2024 by Bethany House Publishers

Pages: 304 pages

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance

Rating: 4.5 crowns

Synopsis:

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?

My Thoughts

I have a newly acquired love of Westerns thanks to Taylor Sheridan’s TV series, 1883. So I was delighted to return to this period of American history and embark on another wagon trail to Oregon - in fact, one of the last ones thanks to the new rail line which would see wagon trails become obsolete. 

“You seemed to want to be away from trouble, too,” he added. “Did that trouble follow you all the way out here?”

This is the first book in a new series by Mary Connealy. It covers a few themes with a range of primary and secondary characters which made this read multidimensional. Firstly is the journey on the wagon trail itself. As one can imagine there are plenty of hardships, majestic scenery and day-to-day life on the trail with these true pioneers working together when times are tough.

‘They rolled into and across the prairies of Wyoming. For days, weeks, months, the horses and cattle plodded on. The early excitement among the pioneers had been given a quick death … Now it faded to dull drudgery as each day stretched out the same. The only break in the sameness came when terrible storms whipped across the plains. Then they longed for the boring sameness to return.’

Secondly, there is a fabulous plot with mother and daughter escaping and running away from an all controlling husband/father. Underpinning this is the awful recount of how the husband had placed Eugenia ‘Ginny’ in an insane asylum for no other reason than a form of control. This is the story of their escape and how they felt that moving West was their only hope of freedom.

‘So they were leaving trouble behind. So be it. Many who headed west were doing the same. Just so long as they didn’t bring trouble with them’

Finally, there is some romance which is very understated. I like that the focus remains on the above two factors. The thrill of being on the run deserves precedence but all up, the tale is well balanced and most engaging. Be warned - there are some incomplete storylines especially regarding secondary characters. This book definitely lends itself to future installments, however, this was a story I could easily follow and a series I would willingly return to. 

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This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.