Brides of Prairie Gold

I only discovered Maggie Osborne a few months ago and this is the 5th book of hers that I have read. At first when I realized it would be all on a wagon train trip I thought this would get old fast and struggled as to whether I would read it or not. However, I loved the others of hers I had read so gave it a shot. All I can say is it was so real and the events that happened on the long trip were so magnificently written that you felt like you were there. There were surprises along the way you wouldn't have anticipated. I would give it a 10 if I could. Ms Osborne tied up all the loose ends at the end so you know what happened to everyone. Ms Osborne is such a wonderful story teller. I regret she has retired. You can be sure I will look for as many of her books as I can. I have read so many shallow books and when I find one with depth I am thrilled to bits. Don't miss this one.

This is in my top 5 favorite books ever. I read it at least twice a year. Each character has her own story of failure and redemption. Each has chosen her own path and at times, not the correct one. The story is in narrative as well as journal entries. Extremely fabulous story - I stayed up all night reading!

Brides of Prairie Gold is an extraordinary historical romance on the Oregon Trail. All the characters are compelling but her main characters are well defined and truly engaging. This book takes you to new places you thought you could never imagine. Truly wonderful.

What a book! "The Brides of Prairie Gold" was truly entertaining. The book was labeled as a romance, but I have to say that it focused more on the womens relationships with each other than on romance. Thats not to say there was no romance. The main couple, Perrin and Cody, were interesting, but what I really wished for was more of Webb and Mem - I would have LOVED a book written that focused on them alone. Webb was amazing and I prayed for so long that he would FINALLY notice Mem...the scene where they commited themselves to one another was so romantic I could have died...Any frustrations I felt toward Webb vanished when he proclaimed his intentions in a swoon inducing lovescene that took place in hot springs...oh,I truly could have died! So...why not 5 stars? All in all, I wanted a little more focus on romance, but my main problem with the book was its ending...too sad for my taste. Still, this is a genuine keeper...Id recommend it.

Wow! This was an excellent read! Prairie gold is the story of twelve women who travel out west to become mail-order brides. The story focuses primarily on Perrin Waverly who is an intelligent widow with a big secret. Also in the spotlight are the other women who accompany her, including Perrin's nemesis Augusta Boyd.I really enjoyed Prairie Gold. Maggie Osborne is at her absolute best when writing about the frontier days. Perrin and the other women were fascinating creatures and their struggles truly horrific at times. While I liked this book, and give it a five star rating, I didn't find it particularly romantic. Mostly because the romance was rather downplayed, and was rather bland. The hero Cody Snow was rather typical for a romance hero (his wife did him wrong so he hates all women) (bleh). The romance between the character Mem and Webb Coate was more interesting but very unrealistic. The character, who, ironically I liked the most, was Augusta Boyd. Augusta was portrayed as a spoiled princess, but I felt she was the most realistic character as she reflected many of the attitudes and prejudices of the time. PEEVES: The "Good" characters were quite politically correct. Also parts of this novel did not ring true for the period. Examples: Once discovering Perrin's secret, the women of the camp (and men) would shun her. I also could've done without the `obsessed stalker' character (how realistic is it that this person would be able to sneak around unseen amongst such a tight knit and close community and wreak havoc? (Besides I felt this subplot was unnecessary and cluttered an already action-packed plot). And last, despite myself, I wished for a happy ending for Augusta, who grew a lot, and deserved more than the author wrote for her. Overall, a great read. Sure to please the most discerning historical fan, but a little light on romance.

This was my first experience reading Ms. Osborne and I loved the book. I started reading it at 10p.m. and couldn't stop until 5a.m. I really loved the epilogue where she tells about the lives of the characters up until their deaths, it gave me a satisfied feeling of closure, something that you don't always get with a book. I'm a Maggie Osborne fan for good. If you like to read about the Oregon Trail and what these brave pioneers went through this in not only a love story but rich in historical detail as well. This book is on my keeper shelf.