Kate Lyon Hope’s Captive

Hope's Captive

Kate Lyon

Leisure, Jan 2006, $5.99

ISBN: 0843956267

In 1878 the disease ridden Oklahoma Reservation was no place to live so Chief Little Wolf moves the entire Northern Cheyenne tribe back to their original home in the Montana Territory in spite of the hardship that the trek will cause. As the Indians journey northward, dodging soldiers and mourning those who fail to make it, military officer Zach McCallister believes the Cheyenne have captured his son Luke. He plans to desert if necessary and follow the tribe on his own to somehow liberate his offspring or die in the attempt.

In Dodge City, Kansas to increase his chance of success Zach offers to "guide" Caroline Whitely, allegedly Lone Wolf's wife, when she tries to deliver needed medicine to the beleaguered tribe. They view the Cheyenne differently. She sees noble people, especially Little Wolf who rescued her from the Kiowa, struggling to survive under suppression; he believes these are savages who wantonly massacre innocent people and kidnap children and young women. As the days pass, Zach falls in love with Caroline, but she does not trust him; he knows she has good cause because he will betray her to free Luke.

HOPE'S CAPTIVE, the sequel to the wonderful TIME'S CAPTIVE, is a fabulous historical romance that focuses on the plight of the Cheyenne in the late nineteenth century. Few writers show the skills of Kate Lyon as she provides a powerful story line that enables the audience to feel they are on two trails: with the tribe (the description gets into your gut) and with the lead couple. Fans of American romance will want to read the "Captive" series as Ms. Lyon freshens up what in lesser hands is an overused device.

Harriet Klausner