Right off the bat, Allensworth grips with compelling characters that jump off the page and stir significant empathy. Readers will be invested in the trials of both protagonists, and feel what they are feeling every step of the way. It’s also clear that Allensworth has a firm grasp over the setting that she has chosen for much of the book: a ranch. Her descriptions of ranching, riding, colt-breaking—“the dun crow-hopped and then reared, pawing the air”—feel so richly authentic that readers will not be surprised to discover that Allensworth draws upon many years of personal experience in the ranching business

The alternating between timelines takes some chapters to get used to, and Allensworth risks reader impatience in the buildup to the moment when the stories at last connect. But her vivid prose and sure hand with character will hold readers’ attention from one century to another. The revelations and climax, when they come, do not disappoint. Lovers of ranching and time travel novels will enjoy this book which is as engrossing as it is heartfelt.

Takeaway: A book for lovers of ranching and time travel, distinguished by rich detail.

Comparable Titles: Amy Harmon’s What the Wind Knows, Jeannette Walls’s Half Broke Horses.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-