In 1780, the American Colonies close to the ocean are embroiled in hostilities with the English military. Further inland in places along the Ohio River, the locals barely feel the war. Most residents are neutrally ambivalent or lean towards loyalty to the crown with few freedom fighters. In Willow Creek, like most of the Ohio Valley settlements, the Revolution takes a back stage to farming and family. Luke Wilde works the land whether he is an English subject or an American citizen. However, his brother Jeremiah has wandered the wilderness and thus has a wider perspective so he desires freedom at any cost.

After being away for three years, Jeremiah returns to Willow Creek on the eve of his sibling's marriage to Annie Barnes. Jeremiah loves Annie, but knows she is better off with his brother, which is why he left in the first place. His arrival brings the British army to previously peaceful Willow Creek forcing the two brothers to join in arms against the oppressor while Annie remains wild about both men.

THE SETTLERS is an exciting historical tale that looks closely at a segment of American Revolutionary War society often ignored by textbooks. The vivid story line brings to the forefront the varying feelings including internal conflict towards the war and the crown. This leads to deep characterizations, at least on the colonial side. The English come across as caricatures because they appear as abusive brutes rather than concerned individual with some doubts about fighting their Anglo brothers. Fans of strong Americana novels will appreciate Roseanne Bittner's powerful trek to 1780 in the Ohio Valley.

Harriet Klausner

I loved this book ( no surprise). Rosanne never disappoints. The only thing about this book that could have been different was there could have been more with Jesse, Noah and the boys as they were growing up. Can't wait for the next book.

Yes, this book is #2 in a trilogy. No, I have not read books #1 or #3. Yes, it is possible to read this book out of order and still understand what is going on...the question is though, would you want to?

_Mystic Visions_ goes from 1838-1851 in a mere 316 pages. Those 316 pages are spent busily going from plot event to plot event with rapid-fire speed.

Each "section" of the book takes place during a one-month period. Interestingly, all months occur during the summer, spring, or fall, glossing over the not-so-pretty aspects of living as a hunter-gatherer during difficult winter months...very typical "glossing" for an historical romance...but omitions that nonetheless create a skewed picture of Native American daily life and culture.

Buffalo Dreamer and Rising Eagle do have a solid and loving relationship...then again, they'd HAVE to for Buffalo Dreamer to so easily shake off the image of seeing her husband rape a white woman lashed to a wagon wheel (all she does is complain about how the white woman should be honored to be "claimed" by so brave and handsome a warrior as her husband).

I do believe that Bittner puts *GREAT* effort into portraying Native Americans in their own light, and in every sense of the description, this IS a "Native American Romance". Bittner works to dispell the image of the Native American as a "bloodthirsty heathon" of Hollywood and old western lore. That said, all Bittner has done is to supplant this stereotype with that of another...the Native American as "noble savage".

As a readers' advisory librarian at a public library, I would have to question who indeed I could recommend this title to. Certainly it affords a "different" view of Native American life within American literature, and might be of interest to someone wanting to read Native American fiction.

That said, a reader expecting lots of romance (I can probably count on one hand the number of intimate encounters), *accurate* historical information (I think I've expanded on this one enough already), or even sympathetic characters might be disappointed.

I can only say that I will certainly NOT recommend this to anyone who has not expressed that they already enjoyed Bittner's other Native American works.

Begins in June 1836, The Month of Making Fat. We return to the Lakota tribe. Still the same characters as the first book, "Mystic Dreamers". If you have not read the first book, do not worry, you will still understand the entire book. We see what happens to Fall Leaf Woman and her son, Spirit Walker. We witness casualties of war and some new faces.

This book holds back no punches and is extremely realistic! It will make you laugh out loud, smile in joy, and scream in anger! You will feel the loss of friends from the first book and revel in the revenge of the Lakota in way that only the Lakota could do!

*** This book continues where "Mystic Dreamers" (now in paperback) left off! Just as amazing as the last, this book follows history with great accuracy. A powerful and dramatic story that will leave its readers breathless! I was captivated from the very first paragraph! I felt like crying when it ended because I was begging for more! My only consolation was knowing that "Mystic Warriors" would come out. Here is a series that thousands will collect in hardback versions for their "keeper shelf". I will be one of them! ***

Anything Rosanne Bittner writes is 5 STAR! She taught me almost everything I know about Native Americans, at a time when I was craving to learn it. (Even though it is fiction, SHE has done all of the homework) THANKS ROSANNE!! Jacy Pierce

I really did enjoy "This Time Forever" but I have to say it wasn't my favorite, and although I loved the first half or so and then the last few chapters, there was an underlying feeling of sadness to much of the story. Although I always had the desire to keep reading on to find out if Lilly and Chase would be reunited, it would have been better if it happened earlier and more story then could have covered the life of Lilly and Chase and their children together. It would have been wonderful if they could have gone to Salt Lake City to visit their Morman friends: Hiriam, Mary, and Catheryn, in which Lilly shared so many years with and trials and tribulations with. I love all of Rosanne Bittner's books, but I'm not sure if this will be a keeper, because there was too much of a sad feeling to much of the story to want to reread when there are so many happier choices available. Seventeen years between them first falling in love and then finally getting together again is too long. I found myself at times, wanting the story to get over with so they could be together again, but then once they were together I really did not want it to end. If you want a book that may make you cry with the frustration of unrequitted love and other hardships, read this book. If you love Rosanne Bittner's books, but not yet read this one, read this book. If you never have read Rosanne Bittner, but want to start, maybe another one of her books is a better place to start; may I suggest "Unforgettable", "Savage Love: Sweet Prarie Passion", "Outlaw Love". or "Love's Bounty".

I don't usually mess with light romance novels, but this came to me at a wonderful half price book store in Columbus, Ohio and since I bought it, I had to read it. I was very pleased and surprised with the story and content and some of the history of the Mormons which I really know very little about. I guess I can go into some detail since no one else has reviewed it. Lilly B. comes to America from Scotland, loses her Mom on the way, becomes involved with a Mormon family and with a good looking young man, Chase Mitchell. they have SEX and he goes to Mexico to fight, leaving her very pregnant. (Horrors) She marries a Mormon man but cannot get very into their sex life. Eventually, she gets rich, thanks to her lovely singing voice and naturally, she and Chase find each other in the end when their son is grown. It really is worth reading, if nothing else but to learn something about the Mormons.

I love Rosanne Bittner's books. Although this is not quite as good as the first 4 books in the Savage Destiny series, it is still very enjoyable. I love being able to follow the lives of Zeke and Abbie and the rest of their family. Giving the reason why the story isn't one of my favorites could give away certain parts of the story. I'm still looking forward to reading the last 2 in the series, as well as all her other books. No one can tell a story the way Rosanne Bittner can.

Anyone who enjoys Bittner's books must read this one. Just when you think Rainmaker and Cass will NEVER get together..........

Any girl who has ever loved an older man from afar and imagined a romance such as this one, will shed quiet tears over this story.

I've been trying to keep reading this book. The glowing five star reviews got me to find and purchase it. That and the cat people. I LOVE cats. And I love to read, esp. paranormal romance. I'm on page 107 and even though I bought this book, I may not finish it. The conversation seems dull to me and the survival of the cat people and Rissa's plight just don't touch me at all.

I had this book once and my father sold it with a table full for 20.00 10 years ago. Well I finally found a copy and bought it! I loved this story back then, and I love it today, 10 years later.

Adam and Andrea are young teenagers (Adam 16 and Andrea 14) in love before the Congress demands Cherokee Indian Removal in Georgia. Not only do we get to see Adam and Andrea's love blossom, but also last and endure through the hardships all Indian's faced as the "Trail of Tears" happens, all the way to Indian hardships in the western Indian Territory, and every across the borders to white slavery in Mexico. We even get to see their love come full circle in the end!

It's a love story mixed in with well documented history of how the Georgia Militia and the state of Georgia itself as well as Congress treated the Indians before, during and after the "Trail of Tears".

If you want a very well rounded story of romance in historical times GET THIS BOOK! It will make you laugh, cry and LOVE. F. Rosanne Bittner creates main characters in her stories that you love and villans that you love to hate. She uses well-documented history and quotes as a backdrop for her stories.

Heart's Surrender is a novel focusing on the removal of Indians from Georgia and the struggle the Cherokee's went through.It becomes evident who the true savages were and how bad the Indians were treated.
Adam and Andrea's struggle through the Indian Removal tells of their breathtaking love for each other and how love can overcome all the heartache surrounding them.References are also made to the 'Trail of Tears' which is full of despair itself.
Heart's Surrender reflects how strong the Indian's spirit or soul is and how everything around them is sacred.
If you like a well structured romance novel capturing the love of 2 people who would go through anything as long as they have each other along with references to what happened to the native americans during this tragic era then this is the novel for you?

"Into the Wilderness: The Long Hunters" could have been an interesting historical fiction, as it takes place during The French & Indian War, a war that isn't written about often, but it seemed to focus more on how men reacted to war, than history. At times, I was confused with the English side and French side, but a historical note would have cleared things up, but there was none. The romance wasn't all that great, and at times interfered with the story. The relationship between Noah and Jessica happened quickly and didn't have that "courtship" romance. It seemed Noah "loved" Jessica because there was a resemblance to his late wife and Jessica "loved" Noah because she was a young, naive girl who needed to be taken care of, and was flattered that an "experienced" man had taken an interest in her. Both stories, The French & Indian War and the romance, didn't mix well and because of it, I really had no interest in finishing the story. There also should have been an epilogue explaining how the war ended and how Noah and Jessica's life turned out together. I do not recommend.

This book is okay as romance, but not so good at depicting colonial life in the 13 colonies around the time of the French and Indian War. I rate it only "okay" as a romance because I find it a little hard to believe that the 2 main characters could fall in love so quickly and so easily without really knowing eachother. In the case of Jess, I think that hero worship or puppy love or even a crush would better describe her feelings for Noah. The only hint we readers get about Noah's feelings for the teenage Jess (there is a 13 year age gap between them) are based on her appearance--she resembles his (murdered) wife to a certain degree. I also find it a little hard to believe that Noah's bloodlust and quest for revenge for the death of his wife could so easily be sated by Jess. As I was reading this novel, I could not help but think that it resembles the 1992 movie "The last of the Mohicans" in many ways. (I thought that the movie was better.)
Although the author tried to make the romance feel more historical by including actual people from the era such as George Washington, Governor Dinwiddie, Chief Pontiac, DuQuesne, et al., it still lacks enough background to understand why the French and their Indian allies and the English and their Indian allies were so intent upon killing eachother, destroying the settlements, taking captives, etc. I also found it a little hard to believe that any character would be thinking about independence from Great Britain at this time. People in the English colonies still thought of themselves as English, subjects of King George III, and the incidents that led some of the colonists to rebel 20 years after the French and Indian War had not yet occurred (namely, the colonists were taxed on sugar, tea, and stamps in order to pay for the high cost of the French and Indian War, which began in 1755. The British sent troops, advisors, supplies, weapons, etc., all of which cost a great deal of money and which the government in London expected the colonists to contribute to covering the cost of defending them against the French. Many of the captives were ransomed, that is, the governments (usually the colonial governments) paid the French in Canada to release the captive English. The French also paid the English for the release of their own captives. Sometimes captives were exchanged--English for French. Given that her timeline is a bit off, I find it a little hard to believe the story here. I am not suggesting an academic treatise on the subject. There are many excellent books on the French and Indian War. But without a little more information, all I am left with are descriptions of massacres. I also think that more character development would help the story and would help the reader care a little more about the characters. I realize that the author cannot do too much with 16-year-old Jess because she is just a teenager, but she could have more fully developed Noah's character. I suppose to make it more interesting she could have made the female protagonist older--maybe in her mid twenties, too. Her idea was a good one, and she selected an interesting period in colonial history. It is too bad that the story fell short.

I purchased this book with anticipation, ready to sacrifice sleep to devour it in one reading as I have with many other books by this author. I was sorely disappointed. The effort was great, the historical detail thoroughly researched as far as I could tell. What bothered me most is the lack of character in both Noah and Jess. Normally Bittner will bring you so in touch with her characters, it feels as though you are breathing for them at times. Neither Noah or Jess did that for me. I feel their "love" was rushed and even the fact that they spent a good part of the story apart from one another wouldn't have been so bad IF they had developed a true relationship at the beginning. And speaking of rushed, I feel the story itself was entirely too short. I understand that there are two other books following this one but another hundred pages or so could have filled the lacking characterization of hero and heroine.

I am giving a rating of 3 stars as I feel the book isn't completely horrible just lacking the usual depth of emotion and character that Bittner normally delivers.

the first story was the most disappointing. Bitner usually has more substance to her writing. When I read one of her earlier books, ("Embers of the Heart" I think the title was), I was deeply moved. Subsequent titles were almost as involving. Perhaps because this was a short story there was no plot or character development. The heroine went from aversion to love without our understanding fully how that happened.

The second story was the best. I loved the heroine and her motivations seemed to go beyond the standard "I'm not good enough for him" formula. It was on the strength of this tale that I rated the book as high as I did.

The third story was awful, filled with western cliches. I don't understand why authors of western romance feel the need to resort to stereopyical cowboy dialogue in order to convey the setting. It speaks of poor writing--very amaturish.

Story line is different. Nothing very spectacular but it holds your interest. The hero is a perfect 10+ WOW, sexy and male with stamina to die for. The heroine got really lucky when he fell for her since she's about a 2-3...always bemoaning her fate. She does have a few worthwhile moments but I couldn't see any red blooded girl putting this guy aside!!!! And I figure he sure deserved better than her. But, oh well. I'd probably re read it just to meet Nick (Cole) again.