No Greater Treasure

Ms. Kelley shows her excellent talent for storytelling in this debut novel! She has a way of pulling the reader into the story with her rich characterization and fast moving plot. I enjoyed reading the story of Kacey O'Reilly and felt that I too fell in love with Rafe right along beside of her. This book is a must have for anyone that loves reading about the west with the flavor of history and romance. I'm looking forward to the sequel!

The dream of every serious archaeologist is to make that big discovery, and Kacey O'Reilly' dream was on the verge of coming true, and nothing was going to get in its way, not even her own father's wishes for her happiness.Schooled in the field of her father, who raised her and who is her biggest role model, Kacey has come to judge her own self-worth by the value of her archaeological finds.The reader soon learns that the self-reliant Kacey is somewhat of a rarity among women of her lifetimes (the late 1880's) since finding a husband is not on her agenda.The story develops from her father's plan to have his "pick" for his daughter accompany them, along with a party of their associates, on a dig out West.True to the real world, many unexpected "turns in the road" make the reader anxious to know what the next turn in the journey brings.Rafe, the young Frenchman who is the victim of infatuation with the spirited Kacey, is as tenacious in his pursuit of her as she is in her pursuit of hidden relics.The reader is left with a subtle notion about the real treasures in life - the intangible ones which cannot be weighed and measured - something the captivating Rafe knew all along.Ellen Kelley certainly proves herself as a romance writer in this refreshingly light-hearted, cleverly-done novel!

In 1887, archeologist Colin O'Reilly invites a former student, Rafe Assante, on an expedition in Colorado. Colin's daughter Kacey does not relish having the French ladies' man on the dig. On the contrary, Rafe enjoys the thought of working with the cool woman. Colin feels that Rafe is the right man for his brilliant, but obstinate daughter.While on the train West and at the dig site in the mountains, the two young archeologists begin to fall in love A rash of accidents occur that makes it seem as if the Indian ruins are cursed. Thefts also have happened, leaving no doubt that mortals are involved. However, before love can be explored, Rafe and Kacey need to uncover the identity of the individual who is behind the problems besetting the dig.Award winning poet, Ellen Kelley scribes her debut novel, a lyrical and appealing historical romance that will exhilarate fans of the Americana sub-genre. The story line moves quickly, especially the subplot involving archeology. The characters are all exciting, especially Kacey. Though the mystery lacks red herrings, it adds much to the overall historical flavor of the book. Ms. Kelley has entered the romance world in a big way that will leave her with many fans desiring more and bigger historical romances from her. Harriet Klausner

In 1887, archeologist Colin O'Reilly invites a former student, Rafe Assante, on an expedition in Colorado. Colin's daughter Kacey does not relish having the French ladies' man on the dig. On the contrary, Rafe enjoys the thought of working with the cool woman. Colin feels that Rafe is the right man for his brilliant, but obstinate daughter.While on the train West and at the dig site in the mountains, the two young archeologists begin to fall in love with one another. A rash of accidents occur that makes it seem as if the Indian ruins are cursed. Thefts also have happened, leaving no doubt that mortals are involved. However, before love can be explored, Rafe and Kacey need to uncover the identity of the individual who is behind the problems besetting the dig.Award winning poet Ellen Kelley scribes her debut novel, a lyrical and appealing historical romance that will exhilarate fans of the Americana sub-genre. The story line moves quickly, especially the subplot involving archeology. The characters are all exciting, especially Kacey. Though the mystery lacks red herrings, it adds much to the overall historical flavor of the book. Ms. Kelley has entered the romance world in a big way that will leave her with many fans desiring more and bigger historical romances from her.Harriet Klausner 10/19/98

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