STAY WITH ME

Author: Beverly Long ISBN: 0425200620 1/2005 TIME TRAVEL Publisher: BERKLEY Sensation
Time Period: Modern Day, Wyoming Territory 1888

Sarah Jane Tremont never expected to be swept off a beach in California and end up more than a hundred years earlier in the arms of rancher, John Beckett. He confuses her with a woman he's got good reason to hate--his dead brother's selfish wife. He's got no time for forgiveness and she's in the wrong time for love.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

This was the perfect book for me at this time. I find myself so busy and just wanting a good story to settle into. STAY WITH ME was exactly that. I want to call it an easy read, but not give the impression that it's mindless. It's not. There is a story here that is well thought out and has a good tight plot.

The characters are great. You can't help but love Sarah Jane Tremont as she muddles through fitting into 1888, where fate has seen fit to fling her backwards to. And, on top of that, deal with the sexy and rustic John Beckett she finds herself staying with, a man who thinks she is the backstabbing sister-in-law he had never been able to abide. It's fun to watch as they both fight their attraction and lose the battle.

Throw into the mix John's best friend, his brood of children and the harlot who's in love with him, a bad guy who doesn't take kindly to Sarah Jane, and a few more colorful folks, you've got a good story going.

This Western had my attention, gave me a much needed distraction without taxing my overworked brain but interesting enough to keep me thinking. Ms. Long's style of writing was appropriate to the story—down to earth and no frills, much like the times that she was writing about, and very human. I liked it and won't mind checking out the next book that is certain to follow.

Sue Cloud