GRR Reviews Trail of Hope (Hot on the Trail Book 2) by Merry Farmer

Trail of Hope is a historical romance in the trope related to mail order bride known as "trail bride", basically hurried marriages along the Oregon trail. the plot was excellent, starting with hopelessness and sadness and gradually moving higher to an HEA from a forced pairing, along with some prior wounds and external factors complicating the trip. However, some of that were tropes as well.

Callie Lewis never wanted to move west, but when her brother and his family is going to Oregon, she followed. She never expected her brother's family including his wife and child to all succumb to trail illness, leaving her alone to manage the family's belongings. To at least partially complete the trip, Callie is encouraged to choose a trail husband, and after careful consideration, she chose John Rye, a grieving widower making a delivery to Denver City. But bad things plagued the wagon train. The miners are almost always gambling and fighting, then one of them lost the deed to the gold mine he inherited from his brother. Then the reverend can't seem to preach properly or even wed John and Callie properly. Then someone was caught pilfering items from Callie's belongings. When a tornado touched down not far from the wagon train John was finally awoken from the fugue to embrace Callie's love. But there are others with designs on his wife... or her belongings. John must protect his bride and catch a thief to protect their future.

The grieving widower was such a trope, but the B-plot (which will not be spoiled) covered that nicely. Let's just say some folks in the convoy are not whom they seem to be, and how that worked out... was slightly trope as well, but the ending was quite nicely done. All in all, enjoyable tale.

Category: Historical Western

Primary Plot: Woman who lost her family on the trail chose a widower as her trail husband; but someone has designs on her and her belongings..

Tropes: trail bride, conspiracy, widower, orphan, protector, woman in peril

Overall Rating:  4/5