A Story Of The West by Susan Spence Review

A Story of the West is a tale of ranching on the American prairie during the frontier days of the 1880s. It takes place mainly in what was then Montana Territory, before there were fences or laws to prevent people from doing what they pleased. During the early days of ranching, the early day cattlemen ran cattle on as much rangeland as they could control. It was the days of the Wild West, so control usually meant enforcement with a gun.

Spending summers trailing herds of longhorns north from Texas, Matt Daly and his father eventually arrive in Montana Territory in the 1880s. They realize immediately this is where they want to make their home. There are few people living on the frontier at this time, and the two are determined to build a ranch running cattle on the fertile grasslands.

Once the transcontinental railroad was completed, it became much easier for people to head west, and many did, leaving the populated east behind. Lavina Lavold stepped off the train in Miles City and immediately caught Matt's eye. She had ridden out with her family looking for adventure. When she meets Matt and falls in love, she decides she would like nothing more than to share his life on the isolated prairie.

There are other men however, determined to build cattle empires. When a ruthless neighbor attempts to take control of the land they had claimed as their own, Matt and his father have no choice but to defend their home and family. Although the land is still owned by the federal government, there is little law on the rough frontier to manage the threatening range war.

About the author

Susan Spence has always been intrigued with life in the West during the 1880s. She researched historical accounts and first-person narratives as she prepared to write A Story of the West. A lifelong resident of the West, she currently lives in Montana where she blogs about her life on the Rocking Seven Mile Ranch. She is also writing a second novel, a sequel to her first.

http://www.writing-ranching.com/index.html

My Thoughts:

The Story of the West by Susan Spence is a historical novel that takes place in the American West in the later 1880's. It is about Matt Daly  who is in town one day for supplies and see's the woman he will marry, Lavina. They marry, have children and are very happy on the ranch until a ruthless neighbor who wants the Daly's ranch and water rights. As in the old west things are settled with a gun and Matt becomes a fugitive from the law, everyone thinks he is dead and he was told that his family was dead also. So on the run he is until he comes across an Indian who helps him get back on the road to recovery. Lavina does the only thing she can do. She sells the cattle and moves back home with her parents along with her children. Tragedy strikes and Lavina almost dies from a fever. Needless to say, things do work out for Matt and Lavina, but not without loss. 

This is a story that does not have a lot of dialogue but that does not detract from the story. A very descriptive tale of love and loss, a sweet romance. I am not usually a fan of westerns but I really enjoyed this story. It moved right along and I even learned a bit about cattle ranching in the old west at that. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves to read historical fiction and also loves a good old fashioned love story.

I received a review copy for review from the author and was not monetarily compensated for my review.