Of Peaks and Prairies

Paradise Valley, Book 1

By: Vivi Holt

Narrated by: Cody Roberts

Genevieve Waters-Ewing is married.

She's married to a man she doesn't love, and didn't agree to marry.

The scoundrel dragged her to the altar, and now everything is going to change. In a split second decision, she runs away, and stows aboard a chuck wagon that's leaving on a cattle drive, heading north to Montana. She doesn't know where she'll go, or what she'll do, she only knows one thing - she has to leave Fort Worth, Texas.

Thomas O'Reilly's finally got the chance to prove himself to his Pa. After finding gold in Montana Territory, he travels to Texas to buy a herd of longhorns to take back north with him, where demand for beef is high. Everything is going his way until he discovers a beautiful, young woman asleep in the back of his chuck wagon.

A woman on the trail is bad for business, especially in a group of rough and rowdy cowboys. Will she ruin everything he's worked so hard for? Or will she be the one thing he really needs?

Follow their journey, from Texas to Montana Territory, where challenges lurk around every corner, and love is forged in the heat of battle.

©2016 Vivi Holt (P)2017 Vivi Holt

Genevieve is forced by her step father to marry his best friend.

Genevieve refuses to marry the older man but she is not strong enough to stop it. He even signs her name to the marriage license when she refuses. While waiting outside the saloon for the two men drinking congratulations to each other, she runs away and secretly joins a cattle drive. Thomas, the foreman of the drive discovers her but after her pleading lets her stay as long as she helps the cook. It is obvious they are smitten with each other but she knows nothing can happen even if she is unhappily married. Well written characters one can care for.

Dangerous trails

A story that will pull at your heart. A young woman physically forced to marry a horrible man. A young man leading a cattle drive who finds her hiding in a wagon. He decides to help her. They end up having feelings for each other, but with her being married and the dangers of the cattle drive keep them from acting on their feelings. But vengeance is mine says the Lord and the bad guys will get their due. You will be drawn in to this story.

Beautiful story of hope and love

Genevieve has been forced to marry the friend of her stepfather, a bad tempered older man. Refusing to be subjected to a life with him, she runs away when her stepfather and husband leave her outside of the saloon to go imbibe. She follows a cowboy and stows away in a chuck wagon.
Thomas is in Texas to collect a herd of longhorns and head back to Montana. Imagine his surprise when he discovers a beautiful stow away in his chuck wagon. Genevieve isn’t honest with Tom and tells him that she’s heading to California to meet her aunt. However, Gen’s stepfather and husband catch up with the group looking for her...something about the duo doesn’t sit well with Tom and he tells them that her hasn’t seen her. Still Gen doesn’t trust him with the truth. The trip to Montana is filled with adversity...Native Indians, rustlers and army impeding the Boseman pass, but through it all, the small group never gives up. The trip gives Tom and Gen time to get to know each other and feelings grow...will they overcome Gen’s marital status and have an HEA?

An Unexpected Journey

Wow, can I just say I am so glad I found these audible stories by Vivi Holt! What is more exciting is this is the start of a series so I have several more hours of wonderful listening to enjoy!
Genevieve was forced to marry a terrible man due to her stepfather "giving" her to his friend who lived across the street. They even forged her name on the marriage certificate. But when they left her alone to go celebrate, she took off and saw her chance when she came upon a wagon that appeared to be headed out and she stowed away.
Thomas and his crew of cowboys were headed to Montana with a hugh herd of longhorns and he knew this was his chance to make something of his life. It would be a long road from Texas and many dangers ahead. When he found Jenny hidden after they were down the trail, he could not believe it.
Again I say wow. WIth the amazing writing of Vivi Holt and the narration of Cody Roberts, who voiced perfectly all of the characters, this is a journey that had my heart pounding and totally engaged in this journey of hope.

Adventure

I enjoyed the book and the adventure! I bought this book because I'm a huge fan of Cody Roberts, and he did not fail. Love listening to him! Well done!

From Despair to Delight

Knowing the harsh conditions of the pioneer west and the still harsher conditions of humankind, some requisite suspensions of disbelief become necessary to maintain the storyline; but relax into the world as outlined by the author and enjoy an old-fashioned western romance with sufficient twists, turns and adventures to make for interesting storytelling around the campfire. Our narrator (4.5* but I rounded up) has a very pleasant voice although he gives the women a certain breathlessness not always quite in line with the dialogue. Nonetheless I was able to become fully engrossed in the story and enjoyed myself thoroughly as our heroine overcame misuse and abuse and got up the gumption to light out from impossible circumstances and find true love. No, that is not a spoiler--this is an HEA (a Happily Ever After)!

Wonderful Story

Cody Roberts did an absolutely amazing job of narrating this audio book. The varied emotional feelings came through wonderfully. Great job.

How can a stepfather treat his stepdaughter the horrific way he treated Genny? He was despicable. He and his neighbor should have been hung for what they did to her.

Genny was very brave to run away and do what she did, Thomas sure was a lifeline for her even though it caused him untold problems both with his job and personally.

The end of the book was amazing! Please do get either the audio book or the book and read it for yourself or have Cody read to you. It's a book well worth reading or listening to.

Paaradise and Cattle Drives

The book begins with Genevieve being forced into marriage by her evil stepfather. His best friend, Quincy, has coveted her for a long time. Now that Fred is ready to find himself a wife, he agrees to the marriage. However, Jenny definitely isn't ready for marriage, especially to the filthy and cruel Quincy.

She becomes a stowaway in a wagon and soon finds herself on the way to Montana with a cattle drive. The handsome owner, Thomas O'Reilly, finds her and agrees to let her come along on the drive against his better judgment. Thomas is determined to prove himself to his father by driving a herd of Longhorns from Texas to the gold miners in Montana. When he tries to find out why Jenny is leaving Texas, she refuses to tell him the reason or that she is married.

Of course, as in all of Ms. Holt's wonderful books, there is plenty of misunderstanding along the route to true love. How can Jenny love Tom when she is married (even though reluctantly)? Then, you have the side story of Sarah and Bill, which I hope to learn more about in subsequent books.

Since my husband is an avid Western movie/TV fan, I have seen plenty of movies about cattle drives. Ms. Holt does a great job describing the hazards, the long days, and the hard work involved. The characters are wonderful and realistic, the story is uplifting, and of course, we have a HEA ending. Jenny is a typical heroine in that at times, I wished I could shake some sense into her for her reticence!

The narrator, Cody Roberts, adds a lot to the enjoyment of this book. He does an outstanding job.

Thoroughly enjoyable!

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook! I haven't read a lot of Vivi's books but I plan to read more! I loved the surprising scenes with Sara and the Indians as well as the letter from Jenny's best friend! The Narrator did a great job and I got lost in the story as his cadence whipped me away to the trail! I'm sure to listen and or read more of Vivi's adventurous books!

Very Enjoyable Western Audio book

Great story! Her "wedding" at the beginning had me worried, but I really enjoyed this story. The narrator did a great job as well. Definitely recommend.