Dreams in Deadwood

By: Kari Trumbo

Narrated by: Meghan Kelly

Length: 5 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's Summary

He has a vice as bad as her father. 

Jennie Arnsby wants nothing more than to turn around and go home. Her family is on their way to Deadwood, South Dakota, when Aiden finds his way to their small wagon train. His teasing and banter leave her wanting to toss him out the back and in the dust. When they are separated outside the city, she is left wondering if she'll ever see him again. 

Aiden Bradly wants to find his gold and return home. Nothing more. He can't afford to get tangled with a woman. He's doing just that until he meets the feisty Jennie. She gets him thinking about his past and forgiveness, but what's more important, his past or his new future? 

Aiden will either redeem his past or claim a treasure greater than he could ever imagine, but he must choose one. 

Dreams in Deadwood is book one of the Seven Brides of South Dakota series by Kari Trumbo. A romantic, Wild West romp in pioneer South Dakota.

©2017 Kari Trumbo (P)2018 Kari Trumbo

Heartwarming Gold Rush Era Romance

Dreams in Deadwood by Kari Trumbo is the first book in the Seven Brides of South Dakota series. It is a clean romance set during the gold rush era. Unlike most books of this genre (with yet another mail-order bride), here we have a family of sisters relocating to Deadwood, South Dakota. The story centers around Jennie Arnsby who wants nothing more than to turn around and go home. Along the way, Jennie and her family meet Aiden Bradly who left Kansas in search of the riches that the gold rush promised. After basically being robbed of everything including his horse, he finds his way to their small wagon train.

Jennie and Aiden struck up a “hate ‘em til you love ‘em” romance. However, this is not your stereotypicalI romance; instead, we have an understated romance that develops slowly. Near the end of the book it only seems natural when Jennie falls in love with Aiden while nursing him and his wounds back to health. However, Aiden never gives up his desire to return home to Kansas, which he eventually does, without the gold he promised his family and without Jennie. I was reminded of the famous quote by Richard Bach: If you love someone, set them free. If they come back to you, they are yours. If they do not, they never were.” Since this is a romance, there was no doubt that Aiden would return. My favorite part of the book was when Aiden convinced his parents and brother to move to Deadwood. His homecoming, both in Kansas and in Deadwood, was truly heartwarming.

The highly talented Meghan Kelly narrates this story and her narration is simply wonderful. Meghan provides different voices for male and female characters, young and old. She has great intonation and pace, and she demonstrates urgency in all the right places. I can’t wait to listen to the next 6 books in this series!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Sweet Historical Western

This is a wonderful surprise, not the typical historical I am used to. So many are the woman arriving as a mail order bride and fall for the prospective husband. Kari Trumbo gives this time period a little twist by having a family of sisters relocating to Deadwood, South Dakota and on the way meet Aidan, a young man also heading towards Deadwood in search of gold. Little does Aidan know, that Jennie, one of the girls will be his nugget! Guilt drags Aidan home to Kansas, leaving Jennie behind with her sisters. Will their love be enough to bring him back? I have to say, although it's a sweet romance, there are a few scenes that are so romantic, it's heartwarming. It will be fun to get to know the other 6 brides in this series!

Meghan Kelly truly brings this story to life. Her portrayal of each character is wonderful, each with a distinctive voice and definite personality. Her voicing of Jennie for me is particularly good, as you can hear Jennie's hesitation, indecision and love all at war with just the sound of Meghan's voice. It's a pleasure to listen to it.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

An amazing historical romance treasure!

A young girl pulled from home to go with her sisters to a new home, growing up, learning what love is, and how to embrace change & the future. A prodigal son who leaves home sure he can find fortune, finds love and healing instead, and returns home, risking all to make amends. I haven't found a story of Kari's yet that I don't absolutely love and learn from. This one blessed my heart with it's story of redemption, the prodigal son, and the strength of family & faith. This story has the perfect blend of history, action, true life lessons, and romance. One of my favorite parts was the marriage advice Jenny's mom gives her, and the hope chest they prepare together. The narrator did an excellent job, her accent and character voices made them come to life for me. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Dreams in Deadwood

On the trail to Deadwood Aiden meets Jennie and her family. When he’s invited to join them, Jennie isn’t pleased. She wants nothing to do with him. The more time they spend together, the more her feelings begin to change. Is there a happily ever after in store for them?

I enjoyed this sweet historical romance written by Kari Trumbo.

Meghan Kelly has once again delivered a spot on performance!

I was given this free review copy Audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

learning to forgive yourself & finding love

Aiden left home his parents' home in Kansas, a year ago because he was tired of ranching and not being the 'perfect' son...he decided to join the hoards mining for gold...hoping to strike it rich and return home. Things didn't work out so well for him; his mining partner stole away in the middle of the night with his share of gold AND his horse...now he's back to nothing and walking to the nearest town of Deadwood, SD. Jennie and her sisters are in the wagon train with her oldest sister and her husband, on their way to start a new life in Deadwood. Just a few days from their destination and they pick up a hitchhiker, of sorts. Aiden can't resist teasing Jennie...her spunk and quick wit keep him entertained, of course the reverse isn't true...Jennie can't stand the infuriating man. Aiden walks off after an argument with Jennie's BIL, Beau, and we think that's the end of him...until his rescued dog comes to get help for the injured Aiden. This gives the pair time to get to know each other but Jennie is scared of marriage, due to her growing up with an alcoholic father who threatened marriage to older men. She is also afraid of leaving her family, since Aiden is determined to return to his family for forgiveness. Meanwhile, one of Jennie's sisters...she's a hot tamale`...is dissatisfied with their living arrangements...and turns up missing. How will this affect the family? There are lots of twists and turns in this story that keeps you engaged and wanting to get to that HEA. The narration was perfect...many characters and all distinctly portrayed.
I voluntarily accepted a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

First time

This was my first time listening to a Kari Trumbo book, and I enjoyed it all the way to the end! Meghan Kelly did an excellent job telling the story and using different character voices, and I'm looking forward to starting book #2 in this series! A very sweet story of love of family and faith. Nicely done!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

A lesson in starting new

This historical romance is of a family of sisters and the husband of the oldest sister who have left the family home to move to Deadwood South Dakota. The story is about the struggle of the sister Jenny Arnsby excepting the move, taking care of her other siblings, learning her new status as a young woman not a child and learning what it is like for the first time to be in love with Aiden Bradley. Aiden never meant to fall in love with Jenny, his agenda was to make some fast cash and go back to his family’s farm, plus he had been warned off by Jenny’s brother in law, but when he is injured and she is his nurse all he can think about is her.
I did not listen to the first story and this one can be listened to as a stand-alone, but there is a missing sister Hattie and it is hinted in this story that Aiden’s brother Hugh is going searching for her in Kisses in Keystone so you may want to move on to it.
I was gifted this audible book by Meghan Kelly, for a fair and honest review, thank you. As always you did a fantastic job.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Clean Romance

This was a fun clean romance. Meghan Kelly did a fantastic job narrating it.
Jennie was traveling in a covered wagon to Deadwood, SD with her sister Ruby and her husband Bo. The couple had taken on bringing along all of sisters as their mother didn’t want them separated. While they were camped for the night, Aiden Bradly wandered into their camp on foot with feet in bad condition. He was headed to the goldfields to mine. Aiden traveled with them and then the adventure gets interesting when he teased Jennie all of the time.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

A great, Old West Christian romance

This author has created a great story set in the time of settlors expanding into the western part of the United States. Following the miners who had hoped to strike it rich, this group set out to find a fulfilment of the dreams of wide-open space and a place to live and love. This is the first book in the series of this group of sisters. Some of them want to be part of the adventure and others would have rather just stayed where they were. A love story that is easy to enjoy and makes you want to continue reading the series to find out what happens to the other sisters.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Loved this historical romance!

Great story and characters made this a great historical romance listen. Fantastic performance from the narrator! I received a free review copy of this audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful