MY REVIEW:
Based loosely on actual historic events, “A Love Forbidden” chronicles a period of American history that does not always show the white man in the best light. As the settlers steadily moved west, their quest for more and more land forced the native Indians off their hunting grounds onto reservations. Sometimes misguided but good intentions and sometimes greed or racism inspired the government’s attempts to tame the savages which ended in disaster most of the time. In “A Love Forbidden” relations between the Ute Indians and the White River Indian Agency were strained at best. Government promises to the Utes had not been fulfilled and they were being manipulated in order to receive the supplies they so desperately needed to survive under the government’s new regulations. Both sides were truly in a no-win situation.
Shiloh Wainwright’s thirst for adventure and a desire to make a difference led her into this simmering situation when she accepted a job at the agency as a teacher for the Ute children. Little did she know the danger she had placed herself in. To her surprise, she soon became reacquainted with an old childhood friend, Jesse Blackwater, a half-breed Ute who was living with the tribe. Although his attraction to Shiloh grew as he spent time in her presence, Jesse’s main thought was to get her back home to safety before it was too late. Besides, there was no place in her life for a half-Ute like him.
Although technically “A Love Forbidden” is a historical romance novel, the history seems to take center stage in this book – but that is not a bad thing. The story of Shiloh and Jesse works perfectly with the historic background which makes it all the more realistic. Shiloh’s faith and compassion were strongly emphasized throughout the story. The reader gets an excellent overview of what the Indians were up against as well as how the white settlers felt about the situation.Knowing a bit about the actual history made this story a bit hard to read at times because I suspected what was coming.
Complete with a spunky but caring heroine, a strong but troubled hero, a near hopeless romance, and lots of action, “A Love Forbidden” should keep most readers turning the pages until the end. In my opinion this is a must read for lovers of historical fiction.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Kathleen Morgan explores themes of mercy, fidelity to one’s beliefs, and compassion for those different from oneself in this sweeping Western saga. Set amongst the wilds of the Colorado Rockies in 1879, this is a tale of a forbidden love and a faith tested in the midst of intolerance and the harsh realities of life on the untamed frontier.
Moved by the desire for adventure and a yearning to help the Ute Indians, twenty-year-old Shiloh Wainright impulsively accepts a teaching position at the White River Indian Agency in northwestern Colorado. The new job, however, isn’t what she imagined it would be, and Shiloh soon finds herself caught in the cross fire between the Utes, their unyielding Indian Agent, and the unrealistic demands of the US government. Her unexpected encounter with Jesse Blackwater, an embittered half-breed Ute and childhood friend, only complicates matters as they battle their growing feelings for each other amidst the spiraling tensions threatening to explode into a catastrophic Indian uprising.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kathleen was born in sunny Long Beach, California, one of four daughters of a career Army officer.
As a former Army nurse with a master’s degree in counseling, she has lived in Germany, Korea, Maryland, Texas, Virginia, Louisiana, Florida, Washington, D.C., Alabama, California, and Colorado.
She is married to a retired Army helicopter pilot and is the mother of two sons-one deceased- and stepmother to another son and a daughter, both of whom have been very busy making her a grandmother.
In her free time, Kathleen likes to quilt, play the Celtic harp, and be companion and caretaker to an aging English cocker spaniel. She is also a companion and the wifely caretaker to her husband, who is not quite so aged :)
Kathleen began her career writing contemporary romances and soon moved to historical and futuristic romances. She sold her first book, a futuristic romance, in April 1990 while stationed in Korea as an Army nurse. Additional romances soon followed, until she had sold a total of fifteen books in the general market, establishing a loyal readership along the way.
Since that time, she has received numerous awards for her work, including a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice award and Career Achievement award, and The Literary Times award for Literary Excellence in the Field of Romantic Fiction. She was also a Romance Writers of America RITA finalist.
Kathleen now focuses her writing talents in the area of inspirational fiction, offering readers characters who struggle to redefine their growing faith in everyday life.
