Lovely Rachel McKinnon's only protection against the evil Jonas Wilkes is a town doctor who swore to her dying mother he would protect her from all harm. He did more than that--he fell in love with her, and she with him. But could they withstand Wilkes' evil plot to tear them apart?
By the end of the second page, I couldnt put this book down. It really grabbed my attention and kept me glued to the story.
Rebecca McKinnon ran away from her husband and daughter years ago; weary with the subsistence living miners (and their families) accepted as their lot. She became a successful madam of a bordello in Providence, Washington Territory. But now she is dying and afraid her husband (plus daughter) will arrive soon in Providence. Ezra will work in the mines for the very dangerous Jonas Wilkes.
Jonas owns everything in the area and has an eye for the ladies he collects them like cards uses them up and discards them. Rebecca is afraid that her daughter, Rachel, will catch Jonas eye and suffer the same fate.
When her doctor arrives, Rebecca begs Dr. Fletcher Griffin to marry her daughter to keep her from Jonas clutches. Fletcher is stunned by the offer and gently refuses. He has his own complicated back story.
Eating in the miners cafeteria on the first morning, Rachel runs into Jonas Wilkes. He is taken with her violet eyes immediately. The rest of the book is a tale of Fletcher and Jonas warring over Rachel. The only time they join forces is to save Rachel from being kidnapped and sent on a ship to wealthy South Americans and sold for the best price.
This is an involved plot, with enough twists and turns for any reader. Miller outdid herself with this tale; it was a page-turner.
Rebecca McKinnon ran away from her husband and daughter years ago; weary with the subsistence living miners (and their families) accepted as their lot. She became a successful madam of a bordello in Providence, Washington Territory. But now she is dying and afraid her husband (plus daughter) will arrive soon in Providence. Ezra will work in the mines for the very dangerous Jonas Wilkes.
Jonas owns everything in the area and has an eye for the ladies he collects them like cards uses them up and discards them. Rebecca is afraid that her daughter, Rachel, will catch Jonas eye and suffer the same fate.
When her doctor arrives, Rebecca begs Dr. Fletcher Griffin to marry her daughter to keep her from Jonas clutches. Fletcher is stunned by the offer and gently refuses. He has his own complicated back story.
Eating in the miners cafeteria on the first morning, Rachel runs into Jonas Wilkes. He is taken with her violet eyes immediately. The rest of the book is a tale of Fletcher and Jonas warring over Rachel. The only time they join forces is to save Rachel from being kidnapped and sent on a ship to wealthy South Americans and sold for the best price.
This is an involved plot, with enough twists and turns for any reader. Miller outdid herself with this tale; it was a page-turner.
Different than the other works of this author but a very enjoyable book.
A young woman torn by her feelings for 2 very different men. Searching for answers -who is she, what does she want in life, she has to find her own way, make her own mistakes and determine who is really the better man plus and who and what is best for her.
A young woman torn by her feelings for 2 very different men. Searching for answers -who is she, what does she want in life, she has to find her own way, make her own mistakes and determine who is really the better man plus and who and what is best for her.
Not one of my favorites from this author but it kept me hanging on to see what happened next. And, a lot happened in this story! Set in the beauty of the Pacific Coast and centered around a lumber camp, Rachel McKinnon's father was a lumberjack and her mother ran a bordello and Jonas Wilkes ran everything else in the place except for hot-headed, mean-tempered Dr. Griffin Fletcher. Things heat up from the beginning with intrigue, jealousy, fights, kidnappings, a hint at white slavery, murders, high drama, racial conflict, a little funny stuff and of course, love conquers all. And, Rachel lands smack dab in the middle of everything.
