Love Finds You in Last Chance, California (Love Finds You, Book 5) [Paperback]

Miralee Ferrell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2009

It's 1877 and Alexia Travers is alone in the world. Her father has died unexpectedly, leaving her burdened with a heavily mortgaged horse ranch. Marrying one of the town’s all-too-willing bachelors would offer an easy solution, but Alex has no interest in marriage.
Instead, she dons men’s clothing and rides the range, determined to make the ranch a success on her own. Help arrives when Justin Phillips, an acquaintance of her father’s, comes to Last
Chance with his young son. Justin'’s and Alex’'s combined effort to save the ranch quickly turns into a fierce competition between cowboy and tomboy.
But when disaster threatens Travers Ranch, they must work together to save someone they
both love. Can these two independent people learn to depend on God —and on each other?

Love Finds You™ is a series of full-length romance novels that give readers a peek into local life across the United States. The novels are uniquely named after actual American towns with quirky, interesting names that inspire romance and are just plain fun! This means that each fictional story draws on the compelling history or unique character of a real place.

Our fresh, original love stories will feature everything from romance kindled in small towns, to old loves lost and found on the high plains, to new loves discovered at exciting vacation getaways.

Love Finds You™ promises to deliver the best of romance, travel and escape, all in one inspirational fiction package.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Budding author Miralee Ferrell'’s debut novel, The Other Daughter, released in October 2007 with excellent reviews. Romantic Times Book Reviews magazine awarded it 4 out of 4.5 stars, and two major motion picture studios are considering the book as a possible family movie. She is working on the book'’s sequel, scheduled to release in 2009. Miralee lives in a rural community in Washington with Allen, her husband of 35 years. Together they have two grown children. She serves on staff at her local church and is actively involved in ministry to women.

Miralee serves as president of the Portland, Oregon, chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers and belongs to a number of writer's groups. She also speaks at women's groups, libraries, and churches about her writing journey. When she started writing fiction Miralee believed that she'd always stay with women's contemporary, but has since branched out to historical romance. Love Finds You in Last Chance, CA received 4 1/2 stars from Romantic Times Review Magazine.

She found her 'voice' in writing historical fiction, especially books set in the Old West, and loves filling them with adventure, action, remarkable characters, and sweet romance. Miralee grew up as a young adult reading every Zane Grey western she could find, and believes that influenced her current writing to some degree. Some day she'll go back to writing contemporary fiction, but right now she's having so much fun creating characters making their mark in the Old West, that she's not quite ready to stop. She hopes you'll join her on one of their adventures and let her know what you think!!

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Summerside Press (February 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934770396
• ISBN-13: 978-1934770399
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #223,189 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

First and foremost I'm a child of God and daughter of the King. I've been involved in women's ministries for years, and serve on staff at our small church. I've been married for 38 years, have two grown children, two cats, two dogs and an Arabian mare. We live about 9 miles from the nearest town in our new home on 11 acres, surrounded by trees. I have five books out now & a 6th releasing in August, 2011. I write both women's contemporary fiction and historical romance.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars From "It Is To Write", February 10, 2009

By 

Bruce Judisch (San Antonio, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Love Finds You in Last Chance, California (Love Finds You, Book 5) (Paperback)

You'll recall I reviewed "The Other Daughter" by Miralee Ferrell not too long ago. In that book, her desire to write from the heart, to encourage, to edify, all came through loud and clear. They just did again, only 130 years earlier.

What, you ask? Let me `splain.

Love Finds You in Last Chance California--yes, yes, I know; enough about my guy card, okay?--is number five in Summerside's "Love Finds You" series, and the first contribution by Ms. Ferrell. Great debut in the genre!

In it, she takes us back to 1877 California, where she's crafted a well-researched and tightly written novel inspired by a real person of that era and venue. Our heroine, Alexia "Alex" Travers, has unexpectedly inherited her father's horse ranch at his untimely death. She strives to keep the ranch solvent, encountering along the way all the resistance and bias you might expect of that period regarding a woman running a ranch full of male wranglers. Add to the mix the romantic interest the community's now most eligible bachelorette draws--including those more ambitious for her land than smitten by her charm--and a hidden conspiracy to drive her into ruin, and you've got a fast-paced story that rarely lets up.

Ms. Ferrell celebrates the grit and determination of an independent woman who is determined to make a success of her father's legacy. However, along the way she discovers independence is not all it's cracked up to be. For Alex learns true independence includes dependence upon God, family and good friends--not to mention a very special friend; one who enters her story and her life in a rather inauspicious, but singularly intriguing, way.

If you like stories of the Old West where you can hear the creak of well worn saddle leather, smell pungent sage and aromatic fir, and feel the sweat and satisfaction of taming a wild land at every page turn, this is a good bet.

Oh, did I mention there's romance? Umm, well, yes, there's that. But take heart, guys. Somebody gets shot at, too.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful read!, September 23, 2009

By 

Cheryl Wyatt "Author and Avid Reader" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Love Finds You in Last Chance, California (Love Finds YouTM) (Kindle Edition)

Every time I pick up one of these new Summerside Press books, I am hooked even more on the line. This story is full of romance and intrigue. One of the very special things about it is the unique sense of setting that the author brings to the story. This is going on my Keeper Shelf, definitely.

Hope you will consider picking up this book. It reminded me of growing up out west with my horses. Very emotionally charged and evocative writing.

Cheryl Wyatt

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hope to see much more from this author!, August 3, 2009

By 

Janice A. Thompson "booksbyjanice" (The Woodlands TX) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Love Finds You in Last Chance, California (Love Finds You, Book 5) (Paperback)

It's always so much fun to pick up a book by an author I've never read before and be blown away by both the writing and the story. Such was the case with Miralee Ferrell's wonderful book LOVE FINDS YOU IN LAST CHANCE, CALIFORNIA.

I can't tell you how much I loved this book! I particularly enjoyed the character of Alex (Alexia). What a strong, independent heroine! When Alex's father passes away, she makes it clear to all who will listen that she plans to keep the family's ranch going on her own. Of course, she faces some daunting challenges. Justin, the story's hero, (and a total stranger to Alex) arrives with his three-year-old son to offer assistance. Only one problem. . .Justin thinks "Alex" is a man! Talk about conflict! Now add intrigue, romance and plenty of action/adventure and it's clear this is one well-rounded historical!

Miralee's story is intelligently written and it's clear she did her research on both the area and the time period. She also did something else remarkably well. By tying the town's name to the predominant "issue" of the book (the need for another "chance") she has woven a lovely allegorical thread throughout. Nicely done!