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I am Lover of romance, who indulges in the romantic adventures of literature

My name is Renee, and I am the host of this site. I am a 34 year old woman, on the prowl for her mate, searching out the best of books, exploring the wilds of the imagination and delving into the heart of a beautiful love story.

 

Book Review- Wildest Dreams by Rosanne Bittner

by | Jan 17, 2016 | Book Reviews | 18 comments

Book Review- Wildest Dreams by Rosanne Bittner

Book Review- Wildest Dreams by Rosanne BittnerWildest Dreams by Rosanne Bittner
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on February 1st 2012
Genres: Historical Romance, American West, Saga Romance
Pages: 560
Format: eARC
Source: Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN: 140226769X
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five-stars

With more than 7 million books in print, RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award-winning author Roseanne Bittner is beloved by fans for her powerful, epic historical romances.

Lettie MacBride knew that joining a wagon train heading West was her chance to begin anew, far from the devastating memories of the night that had changed her forever. She didn't believe she could escape the pain of innocence lost or feel desire for any man...until she meets Luke Fontaine.

Haunted by his own secrets, Luke could never blame Lettie for what had happened in the past. One glance at the pretty red-haired lass was enough to fill the handsome, hard-driving pioneer with a savage hunger.

Against relentless snows, murderous desperadoes, and raiding Sioux, Luke and Lettie will face a heartrending choice: abandon a lawless land before it destroys them, or fight for their...Wildest Dreams.

My Review

In Wildest Dreams, Originally Published 1994, we have a story that through Sourcebook Casablanca comes back alive with a republishing. We are taken to an era that was full of discovery, danger, and finding one’s full potential through the test of trials, grief, suffering but also love, devotion and passion for life. The story takes us back to the era of the civil war and after the war and reconstruction. This period of America’s history was full of strife and Rosanne Bittner makes these challenges come alive within these 600 pages. I know that amount of numbere of pages sounds daunting, however I savored each moment of this story.

We are taken back to a story that begins with our two main characters….Lettie Mcbride and Luke Fontaine. Lettie along with her parents and siblings are traveling west on a wagon train in search of a new hope. Lettie has suffered from the raids on their home, when in an effort to protect and save her horse, she herself was attacked and raped. She had a son from that horrific night, Nathan. When Lettie meets Luke, Nathan is only a few years old. Luke Fontaine, has recently learned that he is a bastard, and his father favors his brother over Luke. So Luke leaves the only home he has ever known, and is driven to succeed. When he meets Lettie, and they start spending time together while traveling west, they fall in love. Lettie’s family heads to Colorado but when she agrees to marry Luke, she knows that life is going to be full of troubles and trials. Luke and Lettie head to the Montana Territory. A territory that has plenty of land, but is rugged, dangerous and untamed. Luke wants to make an empire and even though Luke and Lettie start in a shack, they make a home together. The first few years wear on Lettie and Luke with battles with indians, rustlers and more. They make friends of neighbors, but one fateful night will test them. They lose their son Nathan to indians, not knowing if he is alive or dead. Luke and Lettie only become stronger, they build up their ranch and the land, they begin building a family with three sons and two daughters. Even though they build up a wondrous dream, they also have their griefs and losses and battles.

What is most wonderful about Rosanne Bittner, is how she handles these love family saga’s. I have never read a author that handles them so well. There were many moments in this story where I want to break down in tears. The emotion that Bittner conveys in this story is truly heart wrenching at times. It really brings home, what trials these men and women—-true pioneers suffered. Luke and Lottie are one of my favorite couples to read, because the one thing that keeps them strong and vibrant is the love they have for each other. We see them grow from newlyweds in their twenties to their forties, with grown children having families of their own. This is not your average romance that we see, and quite frankly sage romances are so rare that its also so delightful to immerse myself into one and boy this one had everything I needed to be a full satisfying romance that I couldn’t get enough of.

There are some tragedies but there are also many great triumphs for Luke and Lettie. We see the joy they find in each other and in each of their children. It was so charming to see the growth of their relationship over the years. And they really get challenged at a certain point that almost tears them apart. But what was most endearing about this pair, was their strength and devotion to each other. Both Luke and Lettie have such courage and stay together no matter what comes their way. The literally learn to fight for one another both physically and emotionally. They learn how important it is to rely on each other; especially in the most challenging times of their marriage because that is when they need each other most. We see the trials their children have to go through, and boy my heart ached for all of them. And those that have read this story already, know which ones I am talking about. But we also see how they overcome the trials they each have been dealt and overcome them to claim a life of love and fulfillment just like their own parents.

Wildest Hearts is a love story that will endear you forever to Luke and Lettie, will take you back through the time of the reconstruction era of America’s history, introduce you to the beauty of the Montana land and this poignant love story to remember forever!!! SIMPLY MAJESTIC!!

Just as a seed can sprout new life after being tossed aside, forgotten and left to die; So can love buried by pride and guilt come to bloom again…Stronger, Healthier and even more beautiful.

Books N’Tunes Challenge

About Rosanne Bittner

For those of you who have not yet read my books, my stories are generally set in the American West of the 1800's and feature vividly-described, historically accurate settings that span the US from Missouri to California, from Canada to Mexico. Many of my books portray the poignant history of our Native Americans, and though the characters are my own, I use real historical locations and events in all my novels. I must be doing something right, because more and more men are writing to tell me how much they enjoy my westerns, too. Louis L'Amour has always been one of my favorite writers, and I am very flattered that my male readers compare my books favorably with his!

As many of you already know, I was selected as the September 2013 Spotlight Author on fellow romance- writer Winnie Griggs' website, "Small Towns, Big Hearts, Amazing Grace." Winnie writes inspirational historicals for Love Inspired, and she conducted a very extensive interview with me about my life and my writing. If you missed it, you can still read the interview here!

Recently we lost an icon of TV westerns, James Arness, better known as Matt Dillon of the longest-running TV western ever, GUNSMOKE. I was very saddened to hear this, partly because Matt Dillon was my hero in my teens, and also because there are so few TV heroes left — actually, none that I can think of. TV sets no good examples of a strong line between "good" and "bad" any more. The old westerns did that. Cheesy sometimes, but kids understood that if you did something "bad" you had to pay for it. Respect, honor, manners — very little of any of that on TV any more. GUNSMOKE survived as long as it did because it had several characters with whom one could identify and empathize — like Doc Adams, Chester Good, Festus, and Matt Dillon's long-time "girlfriend" Kitty. The only western hero left as far as I can see is Clint Eastwood. When he is gone it will be a HUGE loss for quality movies as well as another icon of western movies and also TV (remember Rowdy Yates of RAWHIDE?). I always wanted to be able to meet James Arness in person, but now that will never happen. Still, he remains "alive" to me through continued re-runs of GUNSMOKE, which I watch every evening.

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18 Comments

  1. Blodeuedd

    Ohh another Bittner 😀 Nice

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      She is fantastic right? Love her books. I just can’t seem to get enough of her, despite how long some of her books are.

      Reply
  2. Carole's Random Life

    This sounds wonderful. I love a well done family saga. I saw this book but had no idea that it was a re-issue. I am so glad that you enjoyed this one.

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      oh it is!!! I have read quite a few family love sagas over the years, and she rocks at it. She does a great job with detail and historical context.

      Reply
  3. Lekeisha

    I swear that I’ve read this before. I can’t really recall the details, I just know that I took it from my Aunt’s shelf when I was younger. I’m gonna see if my library has it so that I can be sure. Great review!

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      Well that would make sense, since this book was first published years ago. Before Sourcebooks started republishing her books, she had been on my TBR shelf for the longest time. So its been such a ride to read her finally. Love her saga romances.

      Reply
  4. Lola

    It’s like you and Sophia are trying to convince me to read a book by this author, Sophia reviewed this book earlier this week too. And you both made it sound like an author I need to try out, but her books are so long and for some reason that makes me very hesistant to pick them up. I don’t read so fast, so when I read long books it feel like it takes me ages to read them and I don’t like that. Then again it does sound like a good book with how she manages to convey so many emotions and how the story spans so many years. And Luke and Lettie sound like a great couple. Great review!

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      haha….yes Sophia and I have a secret plan to get you addicted to Rosanne Bittner. I know they are long (boy do I know), but honestly, they are so worth it. She writes historical romance in a way it should be written, and I wish more authors wrote detail and romance the way that she does. Trust me….you will love any book of hers you pick up.

      Reply
      • Lola

        Okay I caved, Wildest Dream was on netgalley, so I got it. I hope I like it as much as you and Sophia!

        Reply
  5. Braine TS

    Wildest Dreams, ahhhh haaaa… *TSwift*

    I’ve been on a genre streak lately. I started the year with fantasy, then historical mysteries, now moving to Women’s lit. If the mood strikes, I might go for historical romance next. Will have to check this series out, Epic Romance sounds fantastic!

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      Genre streaks are always fun and adds some spice. I guess I am lucky where I enjoy most genres as long as it has a romance theme to it. I love HR…..so you definitely need to add Bittner to your list if you go to that genre. She is one of the best authors I have read.

      Reply
  6. Bambi Unbridled

    This book wore me out – I felt like I had read 3 books by the time I finished. Glad you liked it.

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      oh I agree….it took me a whole weekend to read it but I loved every moment.

      Reply
  7. Sophia Rose

    Oh yes! I got to enjoy it once again through your review. Love how you wrote it up. That song is a good choice for this book. Hey, I caught a library sale and picked up four of her older ones. Can’t wait to squeeze them in somehow between review commitments.

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      Thanks!!! Such a great book, and the more I read her, and the more I fall for her again and again. She definitely knows how to write a true romance right? Reading her lately, has made me fall in love with saga romances again. That is awesome about catching up some of her older ones. I believe my library has some of hers, but I have yet to read them yet. I really want to try out her indian romances soon.

      Reply
  8. Aurian

    I do love books like this. Sounds good!

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      This one is fantastic, so if you love epic love stories….Bittner is a must read.

      Reply
  9. Rosanne Bittner

    I am so touched by all the great comments. Helps me keep going back to the computer and working on another book. I am currently working on my first big contemporary Indian/white romance. It is going to be full of suspense, deep love and hot sex! I know you will love it! Thank you, everybody, for your kind remarks. Stay up-to-date by watching my web site at http://www.rosannebittner.com and my Author Facebook page. Happy Valentine’s Day! Rosanne Bittner

    Reply

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