Wilderness Trail of Love (American Wilderness #1)

HISTORICAL:  Set in the spring of 1797, Stephen, Jane and their young daughters head west.  Stephen has a dream that his family will find some land in the Kentucky wilderness that they can call their own.  Despite the trials and tribulations that they will no doubt face, Stephen is certain that he can be strong enough to get them to where he feels they need to be.  Although Jane is a dutiful wife, she can’t help but feel like this journey might break them, and it almost does. 

This audio is full of adventure, danger, sorrow, steamy romance, humor and most of all, love.  Dorothy Wiley has no doubt done her research, because the listener will find themselves feeling as though they are traveling right alongside the Wyllie family as they make this trek.  Although families going through a trip like this no doubt faced the amount of trials depicted in the book, it did get a little draining to have so much negative and not enough positive.  Listeners can expect heartache that is palpable and almost more than one can bear, but the ending helps to make up for the anguish that is felt throughout the body of the book.

Alan Philip Ormond’s style is more “story telling” than true narration in this audio; however for this book it is a welcome approach as it is historical and one might expect to be told a story rather than acted out.  His pacing, inflection, emotion and tone are spot on and the sound quality was stellar. 

Misty Walker