RIDE THE HIGH LONESOME is the first book in the OUTLAW TRAIL series, and I can’t wait to read more. The book held my interest from the first page to the last, and I was turning the pages to see what would happen next. There were so many stories being told in the outlaw country of the Wyoming Territories beginning in August of 1869 that the author seamlessly wove together.

When we first meet Kate and Luke, it’s not under the best circumstances. She is wandering alone, lost, hungry, thirsty, and filthy. He’s been left for dead by outlaws. From that point on they do their best to work together to get to a town and then on with their lives.

They have chemistry though. and both are trying to leave their pasts behind and forge a new future whether separately or together. Luke especially has a hard time trusting others due to what happened to him both during the Civil War and after he went home to Ohio.

The small town of Lander, where they end up, has its share of lawlessness, but there’s a code of ethics shared by many of those living there. There isn’t a sheriff, so townspeople seemed to settle their disputes themselves with brawls, shootouts, and even hangings. But the town also has businessmen and women and families. The cast of characters all bring something different to the story.

RIDE THE HIGH LONESOME has a nice flow, and the vivid descriptions of the past and settings are fascinating and really contribute to the history of the story. There is a nice twist to the happily-ever-after and an epilogue for closure.

This is the third book I’ve read by Ms. Bittner, and I look forward to reading more of her historical fiction and romances.

I rated it .4.5 stars but rounded to 5 here and on other sites.

I love historical westerns, and yes, I'm self-aware enough to recognize that the sub genre is problematic. While westerns, be they contemporary or historical, have celebrated somewhat of a rebirth, riding on the coattails of the small town contemporary boom - I've always preferred the darker and grittier westerns. Westerns where the main couple tends to be in peril (a lot). Possibly because even if the author doesn't implicitly spell it out, the reader is confronted with the problematic nature of the sub genre - even if it is only found in between the lines of the text.

Ride the High Lonesome by Rosanne Bittner is the start of a new series set post-Civil War in "outlaw country" where men make their own law and live by a code (be it good or bad - the lines blur an awful lot). Kate Winters lost her husband in the war and left Indiana to travel to Oregon to live with her brother-in-law's family. However, the wagon train she is traveling with is attacked in route, and Kate is the only survivor, hiding under the rubble of a destroyed wagon. She emerges to find her fellow travelers dead, with no supplies, no horse, and no idea where the heck she is. So she starts walking and happens upon a band of men stringing up another man to hang him. They're going to steal the guy's cattle, and would have taken his horse - accept the horse fights back, they decide to not dally, and take off with the herd. Kate still has no idea where she is, where the nearest town is, but she needs that horse and the meager supplies still strapped to it. That's when she notices the hanging man isn't dead. Yes, she's desperate - but she's not a monster. Plus, she has no idea where she is. She weighs the odds and cuts him down.

Luke Bowden is a might cranky. Naturally our boy wants his cattle back, his money back, oh and to put a bullet in every one of the men who tried to murder him by doing a piss-poor job of hanging him. He doesn't need a woman along for the ride, but he's also indebted to her. Plus the outlaws are more than likely heading to the nearest town to sell off the herd - so he can deliver her to civilization and get his revenge.

What follows is a road romance with all the trigger warnings you can possibly think of. Nobody is writing westerns like Bittner anymore (if they are, please leave me suggestions in the comments section!). Over the course of this story you have Luke almost dying by hanging, Kate nearly getting raped twice (well, multiple times really since the second instance would have been a gang rape...), and more dead bodies than I can keep track of: 5, 6, 7, 8? I lost count. It's a western set in a violent time, with the shadow of the Civil War shadowing everything.

I can roll with all of this, even as I recognize that the violence in the plot will be a sticking point for some readers. No, my issues with this book are entirely based on writing and characterization. The dialogue is stilted at times and the writing falls into repetition. Kate is a heroine that's hard to get a bead on. I started out loving her. She's vulnerable, but recognizes that shit has to get done - or else she's going to die. She's a "good woman" but she saves a man from hanging, fights off her would-be rapists, and is pretty brave in the face of getting stranded in outlaw country with her only help being a man she needs to trust, but doesn't know if she quite can. But then she's also a former Civil War nurse who doesn't do much to doctor up a bullet wound she receives until Luke rides in at the 11th hour to save her. She also turns clingy and needy which I "get" but found annoying compared to those times when she sucks it up and barrels through a situation because she doesn't have much choice.

Luke is your prototypical Alpha western hero who lives by a code even though he skirts around the edges of the law when it suits him. He takes no issue with killing a man, but only when he feels said man does something to warrant it. And he's bound by honor to protect Kate because she saves his life. But, and wouldn't you know it, he was also done wrong by a woman so he's got trust issues, and at the end he does something for no other reason that to "test" Kate's faithfulness that had me wanting to find the nearest cast iron skillet and beat him over the head until he was bloody and unconscious. Frankly Kate sticking by his side, saving him from hanging, and practically mooning over him in the final chapters should have given him a clue. No, this thundering jackass has to "test" her some more.

Sigh.

So where does this leave me? I was sitting at a B- for most of this book. It was slow in spots, the repetition got repetitious and the dialogue was a bit stilted for my liking - but it was fine and frankly nobody writes westerns like this anymore. But for as brave as Kate is over the course of events in this story, there's an underlying thread of Rescue Fantasy and adherence to traditional gender roles which were hard to ignore because there's zero subtlety. Kate Is Woman, Ergo Luke Protects Kate Because He Is Big Bad Man. Kate Stares Lovingly As He Rides Away and Sits Her Ass On Shelf To Pine.

Luke's "test" and Kate simply resigning herself to a life of lonely waiting while he rides off with vague promises to return put a bullet between the eyes of that B-. Yes, there's a happy ending and yes, I'll read the next book in the series, because of course I will. Why? Because nobody else is writing westerns like this anymore.

Final Grade = C-

I'm a dedicated western reader who sometimes reads a romance or two. Rosanne Bittner managed to write a good western and romance together. With a cast of characters, both good and bad, that come to life on the pages, it is easy to see why Ms Bittner has a dedicated fan club. This is book 1 in what I hope is a long series.

Luke have both been through several traumatic events before meeting. Then, they go through more together due to the truly ‘wild’ west. Kate seems to be able to weather her struggles better than Luke. Admittedly, he may have what is now known as PTSD from events that occurred during the war with Kate having lost her husband during the war.

I loved how Kate and Luke’s relationship grew during their difficult times together. Luke wanted to make sure of Kate’s feelings for him, while she was sure of hers. Their relationship grew so quickly that Luke was still trying to get past his anger and the betrayal of his former love.

This does not seem to be a typical Roseanne Bittner romance, but it is enjoyable just the same. There were times it seemed unrealistic that one more thing should happen to this couple, but hey, it is fiction and builds the plot. It is still a good weekend read with drama, sensuality and romance.

I am never disappointed in a Rosanne Bittner story and RIDE THE HIGH LONESOME captured me early on and held me captive for Kate and Luke’s story. I enjoy Ms. Bittner’s worlds. They are realistically wild, ruff and tumble told with a sometimes old-fashioned slant, one that keeps me coming back for more of her stories time and time again. If you’ve followed her “Outlaw Hearts” series then you’ll want to keep an eye out for the first of the cameos she’s promised in this story. No, I’m not going to tell you who – that would spoil the fun but simply be on the lookout for an old book friend.

Aside from the trauma to both Luke and Kate, witnessing her wagon train’s occupants being slaughtered in front of her and being hung and left for dead while outlaws made off with his cattle, these two have some other issues to be dealt with before they find their happy ending. Watching them deal with the past while coping with the present made for an entertaining story. I’ll be frank and say that there were a couple of events that I questioned motives and reasons about – but overall, I found RIDE THE HIGH LONESOME to be an intense taste of the wild west and two loners who discover that love can happen when least expected.

If you love a good Western Romance with characters who leap off the page, enough danger to satisfy, and issues to be dealt with before love can fully bloom then you need to get in on the beginning of this new series – right now.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Last week was Thanksgiving here in the United States, a time where we reflect on the things we’re thankful for. Every time I read a western, I’m thankful I was born in the late 20th century. I’m also thankful for good books.

Kate Winters lost her husband in the Civil War. With nothing tying her to Indiana, she joined a small wagon train heading to Oregon, where her brother and his family live. But somewhere in the middle of Utah the group was attacked by outlaws and Kate barely escaped with her life. After several days of wandering she came across another group of outlaws in the process of hanging a man. Hiding behind some bushes she waited until they left, only to discover the poor man hanging wasn’t dead. After much effort she’s able to cut him down and nurse him until his strength returns.

Luke Bowden can hardly believe he’s still alive, and he’s grateful to the beautiful woman who saved his life. But he has to get to the closest town - which is over 20 miles away - so he can retrieve his cattle and get revenge on the men who tried to kill him.

Ride the Lonesome High is a good old fashioned western, complete with outlaws, cattle rustlers, and saloon shootouts. The story was action packed from beginning to end, and for the most part I really enjoyed it. What I didn’t enjoy was the repeated internal thoughts by both the main characters, which is what dropped the rating down a star. (On the upside, at least it wasn’t about how hawt the hero is...so there’s that.)

Historical romance isn’t a genre I actively try to read, but this book kept me engaged from the first page, all the way to the last. So I’ll definitely be looking to read more from this series!

* thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

*I enjoyed this book, it was reminiscent of books I have read in the past by Rosanne Bittner. This type of book rarely exists anymore, so it was refreshing to immerse myself in that world again. Good character development, I would have liked a little more scenic development.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an advanced copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Ride The High Lonesome
By: Roseanne Bittner

*REVIEW* 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Ride The High Lonesome is a story of survival. The West, for all that we have romanticized it, was actually a brutal inhospitable land. The heroine, Kate, is struggling to survive after an attack on the wagon train left her destitute and alone. She happens upon a hanging, and approaching the victim, Kate finds him still alive. She saves the life of this man, Luke. He is very much alive and bent on revenge. Kate and Luke make an agreement to help each other. Along the way, these virtual strangers begin to mean something more to one another. What will happen as they journey through this hardscrabble unforgiving land? Will Kate reach her destination and Luke exact his revenge? It is a story of epic adventure, thrills and drama. Kate and Luke are excellent characters, and I enjoyed reading their transformative experiences. Any fan of the era will enjoy this historical fiction read.

Kate has been through hell. She barely survived an attack on her wagon train and has been walking alone in outlaw country when she spies a man about to be hung. She can do nothing to save the man, but hopes that his horse can save her. But upon reaching the man, she sees that he is still alive and does what she can to save him.

Luke has survived a hanging and now he seeks his revenge on the men that tried to kill him. But he can't leave Kate behind since she saved him. He agrees to help her get to her brother in law's home after he gets what was stolen from him. But he'll travel faster without Kate.

Can Luke get his revenge and still keep his promise to the woman that saved his life?

I really enjoyed Luke and Kate's story. Kate was a strong woman and just want Jake needed in his life. But he didn't trust others after two people close to him betrayed him. It was nice watching him open up his heart to let love in.

We get to see a favorite of mine from another of Bittner's series and that was fun!! This was a great start to a new series and I can't wait to see what Bittner has in store for us!

I struggled so hard to like this book. I managed to get past halfway, but at that point in the story it only seemed to be getting worse so I had to admit defeat. The opening pages were promising, effectively pulling me into the story with no difficulty. The hero, Luke is dangling at the end of a noose as Kate fearfully stumbles upon the scene. Her traveling group had just been set upon by thieves and murderers, and she's been wandering in outlaw country all alone with nothing but the clothes on her back. Even though she's frightened about who she could be saving, she takes a risk and cuts Jake down. Unfortunately this is the peak of her bravery and she slides quickly into helpless, prissy female very quickly.

My problem isn't with her being shattered and in need of help after her party is attacked and brutally murdered in front of her. Let's face it, anyone would have a low rate of survival in this situation when they're in unfamiliar, dangerous territory. Kate's thoughts and actions were so illogical, and the inconsistency was a real problem. She's had so much unexpected death and tragedy in her life recently, and she doesn't really spare a thought about it. No, the things that really bothered (and deeply embarrassed) her were so ridiculous it was not to be believed.

Kate's leg injury was a major plot point that didn't make a bit of sense. We were told repeatedly that she "nursed" soldiers in the civil war and was very familiar with war wounds that led to amputation. Going by this information, she would have to be somewhat knowledgeable as well as capable in tending to her leg when it was badly hurt. Instead, she refused to look at her injury and just ignored it until passing out. If Luke hadn't come back and taken charge she would have been done for. She fawns all over him, repetitively telling him he's thought of everything. And how lucky she is to have a capable man around to take care of her!

The final line in the synopsis leads you to believe the plot centers around Luke making a choice between love or revenge. Well, this was answered very early in the book. After this happens, all I could think about was the fact that the majority of the book remained and I didn't see a point for the rest. She felt such adoration and unconditional trust in this man after a week's time, and he couldn't even tell her he loved her at that point. The writing was beyond old-fashioned for me.

To wrap things up, both of them were inconsistent characters that fell flat. The story was riddled with plot holes, and I couldn't take anything seriously. There was a side character named Jake Harkner who was honestly more interesting than the hero. I did a little research and he is the protagonist from her Outlaw Hearts series, so fans of those books may be excited at his cameo. I wish I could have liked this book, but it was a total miss for me. Perhaps fans of her other series will find more to entertain them.

Kate was a woman alone after the wagon train she was on was was attacked and she had hidden. Walking lost out in a vast country, not knowing if she would find help, food or anyone to help her. Can you just imagine?
Luke Bowden had been attacked by outlaws, who ended up stealing his cattle and trying to hang him. By a miracle, Kate came upon him and saved his life.
Two strangers, both with a hard past come together unexpectedly. Kate a widow whose husband had been killed in the war. Luke back from serving in the war to find his girl married to his brother..
Could these two help each other and find a little bit of happiness for themselves?
Such a well written story which painted a picture of life in the west and what it took to survive. It was not easy and reminds us that the men and women who were brave enough to venture west, were truly amazing.. Just a wonderful story!

It led with a hanging for two people desperate to survive in the hard, gritty frontier of the American West, but then it grew into something more if they were courageous enough to grab hold. Give me a hard fought story full of desperation and survival in the historic West paired with a romance pair that have to grow as individuals and work against a dangerous situation together and I’m pleased as punch.
Review

Ride the High Lonesome opens on a woman dead on her feet happening upon a hanging. Only the man wasn’t dead when the others left and that was their mistake and her chance to survive out in that wild untame land. Kate saves the stranger and reluctantly places her trust in Luke Bowden as they face many dangers. Trust comes as does love though she knows its unrequited because Luke will never trust another woman with his heart again.

Luke came home from the Civil War a burdened man, but ready to pick up with his sweetheart back home only to find her married to his own brother. Feeling betrayed by both, he came west to begin again if he can keep his stake against natural disaster and against the ruthless outlaws roaming the western trails of the high lonesome. Now, he has a hurt woman in his care that is teaching him that not all women are Bonnie. Maybe he can give her a chance if the outlaws he’s after don’t get him first.

This author’s books don’t shy away from setting her stories and describing with authenticity the reality of the hard, desperate life of the American Western Frontier after the war. Her characters are colorful and suited to the times coming from a cross section of people ever moving west looking for a new start- even the outlaws who are also varied with some shades of gray more gentleman than some non-outlaws all the way through true evil needing to be stopped. Her characters have to be strong or learn to be strong to sometimes face all she throws at them from natural elements and bad breaks to gun battles or other desperate fights to live. In this case, the demons of the past for Luke are as tough for him to combat as Kate facing men who want to rape and steal.

I was riveted much of the time though I confess that there were times when one or the other of them was being repetitively introspective over the same internal issues so I skimmed that now and then. I loved them as a couple though their romance stopped and started as external conflicts and personal issues had to be dealt with and for all the conflict, this was relatively angst-free compared to many of her older books. I enjoyed that they were not prim and were quite open with each other even with Luke denying deeper feelings. They worked together and made a great team after that first little stutter-start that had me giggling a bit at Kate’s reaction to Luke seeing her in the all-together.

On a side note, Outlaw Hearts fans will enjoy the Jake Harker cameo with a scene that takes place during his first book. The author has promised this sort of fun cameo with several of her older series characters with each book in this new Outlaw Trail series.

All in all, I was well satisfied with this first in a new exciting western adventure romance series and look forward to each new story flowing from the pen. I can highly recommend this one to western historical romance fans who like spicy romance and gritty action set against an authentic historical backdrop.

Kate is left wandering in outlaw country when what's left of her wagon train is attacked. She stumbles upon outlaws hanging a man. She stays hidden until they leave to see if there are any supplies. She then she sees he's still alive.
They begin a journey to find the men and get to a town. Much happens a lot of drama and angst.

Ride the High Lonesome by Roseanne Bittner
Outlaw Trail #1

This story grabbed me at the beginning as Kate is watching the lynching of Luke. Would she be able to save him or just grab his things and maybe find salvation in civilization? There was so much potential for Kate and Luke as they both seemed to be survivors, smart, mature and with enough of a backstory (maybe) to make them interesting. I mean, they booth had lived through the Civil War and experienced loss and changes from those losses that made them grow and change. At some point I began to feel that Kate was too wrapped up in the idea that she might be raped or someone might see her body parts or something else that would be improper. Sure, there were some rather scary things that happened to her and some wicked outlaws that nearly got her but still...she seemed to spend a lot of time in her head thinking about what might happen, whether or not Luke might really like her, would Luke come back for her, could he love her, etc. And Luke, he seemed the strong stalwart wise one but they he was derailed into a revenge seeking killer that also could not trust a woman because of...well...because of a woman that did him wrong. So, I have mixed feelings. It was a good book but it could have been a great book if both characters had stayed truer to the strong character I saw in both of them and hadn’t begun to wallow in the angst and push pull of the relationship that developed instead.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes...for the most part
Would I read more in this series? I would try another book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

Ride the High Lonesome is the first book in Rosanne Bittner's Outlaw Trail series. I just adore starting a new series. I have read some of Ms. Bittner's work previously and really enjoyed it, so I was excited to have the opportunity to read this one.

Kate Winters is the sole survivor of an attack on a wagon train that was making its way to Oregon. Stranded in Wyoming, she comes across a gang hanging a man. She hides until they leave, then makes her way to the man. She needs supplies, and he won't need them any longer. However, when she approaches him, she realizes he's still alive; she cuts him down and cares for him. Luke Bowden wants his revenge and won't let anything get in his way of hunting down the men who did this to him. However, he vows to protect Kate and they head toward the outlaw town of Lander. Thus commences a story of traveling through the "high lonesome", outlaws, shootouts, hardship, friendship and love.

This story worked better as a western than a love story for me. I actually found the romance between Kate and Luke to be a bit annoying. Kate came across as needy, whiny and concerned about her reputation. Luke seemed to care more about his revenge, and he had an odd idea of how to decide if he loved Kate or not. I believe a bit more backstory for these two characters was needed. However, I still found this story highly enjoyable, mostly for the way Ms. Bittner writes about the Wyoming Territory. She really brings the area to life; you can almost feel the beating sun, then the stinging snow of a blizzard. She excels at showing the beauty of the land. I will definitely read the next installment of this series; I just hope for a better romance.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Ok read. I really liked it at first, then it just got melodramatic. I love you but I can’t love you. I love you but let me leave you so we really know we love each other?!? Of course the never ending shoot’em up and no one goes to jail. The push and pull between Luke and Kate took away from liking them. I wishe there was a tad more backstory on both. Oh well I dragged through it. Not my favorite by far.

Received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley, for an honest review.

Thanks goes to the publisher, via Net-Galley, for the opportunity to read and review Ride the High Lonesome by Roseanne Bittner, in advance of publication. My opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

Ride the High Lonesome starts out brilliantly, pulling me in at the first page. After all, the heroine manages to save the hero, even though he’d been hanged and left for dead. I became excited over the possibilities with a beginning like that. The action continued with the hero leaving the heroine alone in a cave to travel to Landers and find the men who tried unsuccessfully to hang him and get his horses and cattle back. He quite ruthlessly goes after the villains, killing all but one who is killed by a known outlaw in the area. Evidently this is a character from one of her other books.

While Luke’s gone a man stumbles upon the cave and Kate kills the dastardly man and manages to hurt herself in the process. The hero returns and finds a half-naked heroine on the point of death. This all happens in the first 25% of the book. At that point, I couldn’t read fast enough.

However, the romance between Luke and Kate is non-existent until around 50%. They leave the cave, having shared one kiss which felt contrived. Then as they head to a cabin Luke knows of, and along the way, they suddenly fall into each other’s arms and make love. That is the basis of their love story. I struggled with the abruptness of this encounter.

The rest of the book has Kate exhibiting low self-esteem regarding her age and how the hero could never be attracted to her. It became a bit tedious to be honest. I don’t believe that at any time her age is mentioned but I could have missed that.

Luke is bent on revenge for a good part of the book. First, he goes after those men, then he goes after one of the men who planned to rape Kate, during another exciting action scene. Luke’s back story is that he returned from the Civil War to find his sweetheart married to his brother with an infant on her hip. Because of this, he has a difficult time trusting any woman.

While I absolutely loved the action and suspense, the romance between Kate and Luke fell flat. I never felt any fire and passion between them. Then he leaves her for months in a lawless town filled with outlaws and where she knows no one. It just didn’t work for me.

You may be wondering why I’ve rated this book 4 Gold Crowns, if I didn’t enjoy the romance. The book is well written. Ms. Bittner is a master at painting the scenery and there’s no doubt she knows her historical period. As I’ve mentioned, the action and suspense are amazing. For those reasons, I am comfortable with my rating. Oh, and the ending turns out well.

If you enjoy historical westerns with vivid descriptive writing and plenty of suspense and action, then you will like Ride the High Lonesome. If you are looking for a romance that will have you sighing and waiting in eager anticipation for the hero and heroine to find their happy ending, then this might not be the book for you. Happy reading!

Book Info
Paperback, 320 pages
Expected publication: November 26th 2019 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN 1492689262 (ISBN13: 9781492689263)
Series
Outlaw Trail #1
Other Editions (1)
Source:Netgalley EARC
Buy book from
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BOOK BLURB

A man bent on revenge
A woman determined to survive
A land that knows no mercy
Meet the Men of the Outlaw Trail

When Kate Winters is left stranded and defenseless in outlaw country, she knows there's little chance she'll make it out alive...until she stumbles across a ruthless gang hanging a cowboy for his cattle. She waits until the outlaws are gone, desperate enough to claim the dead man's horse to make her escape—only to realize he's not dead after all.

Those outlaws should have made damn sure Luke Bowden was good and gone. Now he vows he'll have his revenge no matter the cost. But they're miles away from the nearest town, and the woman who saved his hide won't survive the ride back. He owes her his life—he owes her everything—and it doesn't take long before he's faced with a terrible choice: stand by Kate...or claim his revenge?
My Thoughts

These 4 statements from the books blurb/synopsis are what I am going to address first in order of their appearance and my thoughts on the story as a whole follows.

A man bent on revenge
Luke Bowden may have been left bound, hanged and helpless by the unlucky gang of men who also stole his cattle but his quest for revenge on them is fueled by the determination of a man hellbent on western justice.

A woman determined to survive
Kate Winters was a part of a group of travelers bound for a better life, a quest cut short in the most brutal way so finding Luke was an answer to her survival prayers. Of course she did not expect a total stranger would become important to more than that in a very short space of time either.

A land that knows no mercy
Starting off with their relentless journey which takes place miles away from the nearest town and culminates within the boundaries of a town which is in itself also has little to no mercy for its eclectic inhabitants. Many, if not all, of which are violent men and women with questionable pasts or even more questionable futures.

Meet the Men of the Outlaw Trail

Brutal land and even more brutally violent men, or women, rule along countryside and the towns in areas known as The Outlaw Trail.

Kate Winters and Luke Bowden were lucky more than not to survive their escapades in this era of lawlessness.

Finding themselves alone and depending on each other takes more than trust but also hard work as well.

Traveling is harsh and their surviving stretches each characters limits at times, also bringing to fore qualities in Luke and Kate that were unexpected by their foes or each other some of the time.

Nice beginning to the series, which I was expecting, with some unexpected twists here and there to keep anyone who had read the authors work before wanting more of the same and new readers forging eagerly ahead to find out what happened next.

Despite the ease with which one immerses into the book it is not so easy to put it down once started, nor did I expect it be.

Looking forward to other books in this series once they are available to read and enjoy.

[EArc from Netgalley]

On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

Ride the High Lonesome by Roseanne Bittner
For me, this was like finding a lost friend. I had read books by Roseanne Bittner a long time ago and remember enjoying them. And the enjoyment is still there.
True to form, this was a book of life heading west, with loss and love along the way. This was not an easy time in our history. But, this story about resilience and perseverance, revenge and lust will leave you wanting for more.
I look forward to backtracking now and reading more from Roseanne Bittner.
Thank you to NetGalley for my Advanced Review Copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Ride the High Lonesome is a western historical romance that is mostly set in the wild country. Being stranded without a way to get around and food/water in this type of place means you are left for dead. The main characters are Kate Winters who is left stranded and defenseless in this outlaw country, and Luke who is being hanged after having his cattle stolen. Kate sees an opportunity to take this dead man's horse and supplies, but when she gets close she sees that the man hanging from the rope isn't dead yet. She does what I hope any person would do in this scenario, and cuts him down. I absolutely loved the development in their relationship. Obviously Kate is hesitant to fully trust this stranger, but she needs him if she wants to survive. I really loved that they were both taking care of each other. Kate is a very strong woman and took care of herself when needed. Luke is a proud and loyal man, but has been hurt in the past and doesn't want to open up his heart again.

"Letting herself feel too deeply for Luke would be to toy with the heart, and both of them had hearts that had already been broken by the war."

The western historical romance subgenre is one that always feels more than just a romance. Everything around it keeps me entertained and intrigued. There is always hints of suspense and action that elevates the story, and that was also the case for this book. In this wild country all you have is human interaction and it is impossible not to get to know someone very intimately. Which is important, because you are miles apart from civilization and knowing someones intentions is a matter of life and death. The development of the trust that was built between the characters was paced perfectly. It felt very natural. This was also the case for the love that development between them. Both Kate and Luke had their heart broken, but I was happy to see them find each other and heal. I would've wanted a longer epilogue that was set further in the future, but overall I am happy with the ending. I look forward to reading more books in the Outlaw Trail series. Also I can't finish this review without mentioning that I love the cover.