White Wolf

White Wolf by Susan Edwards

Oregon Trail, 1856

Jessica Jones is excited at the prospect of journeying west with her brothers—until she learns unmarried women are forbidden on the trip. Refusing to be left behind, she disguises herself as Jessie, the fourth and youngest Jones brother. Working as a man isn't the hard part—the challenge is hiding the womanly passion building within her, passion for the infuriating but intriguing wagon master White Wolf...

White Wolf is a man caught between two worlds. Raised among his father's people, educated by his mother's, he travels the land in search of his own path. He knows from experience the trouble a single woman can cause on the trail but when he discovers the truth about Jessie, it's too late to send her back—and too late to fight the sensual attraction he feels to the green-eyed beauty. But until he knows his destiny, he cannot ask her to stand at his side...

--White Wolf
by Susan Edwards
Copyright © 2012 by Susan Edwards
Published by Carina Press ebooks

My Review

Picking up Susan Edwards’ White series after White Wind, we meet White Wolf, the son of White Wind and Golden Eagle. Grown up, he favors his mother’s looks which helps him fit in with the white man’s world, but he will never fully be a part of it. His grandmother foresaw his gift as one of knowledge so his family sent him away to be educated, but he has no idea what to do with his gift. He agrees to help out an old friend and drive a group of emigrants to the Oregon Territory. His rules are strict but fair, but one family has a problem with one of his rules…no single women allowed.

The Jones family—James, Joshua, Jeremy and Jessica—have been planning their move for months. Now this final rule of Wolf’s is putting their plans in jeopardy. Jessie doesn’t want to be left behind, even though another family has agreed to allow her to travel with them when they leave with another group. When she confronts Wolf about this rule, he mistakes her for a boy. Who could blame him when she dresses like one? She happily allows him to continue to think that way and joins the wagon train west, eager for the adventures coming her way. Several others on the trip quickly catch on to her deception, but say nothing. When Wolf finds out the truth, he’s none too pleased, and yet at the same time, a little relieved, because now at least he understands why Jessie was starting to get under his skin. But what good would it do to give in to his attraction to her? He plans to winter over in Oregon before returning to his people the following spring and Jessie would be staying in Oregon with her brothers.

But Wolf didn’t count on Jessie’s single-minded determination. She is in love with Wolf, and is determined to find a way to make him see they belonged together. When her brothers force a marriage to protect her honor, will that be enough? Or will Wolf leave her in Oregon with her brothers come spring?

This story also includes intriguing hints about the next book in the series, White Nights.

This story was first published in 2003, the remaining stories in the series following naturally. They’re being re-released by Carina Press and the first eight books are available on their web site. Click here to order from Carina Press or the below link to order this book from Amazon.com (and find links to the others available in this series).

I give this story FOUR and a HALF stars.

I received an Advance Uncorrected Proof from NetGalley.