Moira Cavendish may be the belle of Charleston, but her plans do not include marriage to the most eligible bachelor. Her brother Daniel is headed for California’s gold country to make his fortune and she’s determined to follow him and find their missing elder brother Jack (he hasn’t been heard from in over a year). Moira buys passage on Daniel’s ship without his knowledge and once at sea it’s too late to turn back and Daniel’s forced to make the best of it, along with looking out for her virtue – a virtue most especially at risk from handsome sailor Random Hawthorne. Random makes Moira’s heart go all a-flutter, but he always draws away from her at the last-minute (just what deep dark secret from his past is he hiding from?).
The voyage is rocky, but they all land safely in San Francisco, and soon find that Moira’s female status in a town filled with lonely men is a serious obstacle, one that she solves by cutting her hair and dressing in men’s clothing. She and Daniel set out for the gold fields in search of their brother (although Daniel’s more interested in finding gold and poker games), and they soon learn that three other mystery men are trailing Jack as well, hell-bent on discovering the secret to the Valley of Gold.
I really don’t want to tell much more, but let’s just say that our intrepid heroine has a most definite knack for getting herself into one pickle after another, leaving her in constant need of rescuing from the ever-so-handsome Random Hawthorne. “Stay put and out of trouble” or “don’t go out into dangerous conditions” are words that are not in Moira’s vocabulary and her “cute escapes” wear rather thin by the end. I liked the character of Random Hawthorne, although I couldn’t quite understand his immediate passion and true love for self-centered selfish Moira (it took her long enough to see the forest through the trees). Still, the mystery of the gold intrigued me and silly or not I had a hard time putting it down until the big reveal at the end. A nice, quick easy read for a rainy day when one’s mind isn’t up to more challenging tasks. 3.5/5 stars.
FTC? Paperbackswap.
At Home With A Good Book and the Cat 
Im finding Misfit that the books that I read”back then” (and I did enjoy them, like this one)if I re-read them..they are..well boring some of them..I find the writing “style” dosent grab me..am I alone? 😦
No you are not. We all change and grow as readers and one’s tastes change as well. I used to read a ton of true crime. Now you’d never get me near it with a ten foot pole. Well, maybe Anne Rule.
I totally agree with Anne Rule..its the “older BR romances & reg romances” from back then Im having trouble “connecting with lately”. The style of writing makes me ask..why did I like this? I open my “book-cuboard” and **sigh** “you were my friends once” 😦
Not all of our old favorites will stand the test of time, but there are still some long forgotten ones still waiting to be discovered. I have faith I tell ya.
Books that don’t tax the brain are just what the doctor ordered sometimes. When the mood is right, I sure am glad these are around!
Brain candy.
I thought Francine Rivers wrote Christian fiction. Must be getting my Francines mixed up!
Apparently it is the same one, she wrote several of this type before turning to inspirational ficiton.