ARC REVIEW Thunder on the Plains by Rosanne Bittner

Why, why do I do this to myself??? Oh yeah I love Epic Historical Western Romance. This republished tragic romance originally was published in hardback in 1991 has a shiny new cover but then same epic romance. This is what I like, I'm not always in the mood for it but when I am, this is what I like to read. Where the two main characters struggle and struggle and just when things start going good tragedy strikes and they are ripped apart, but they get one hell of happy ending.

Sunny and Colt are kept apart by many thing, They meet each other fairly early in each others lives, Sunny is fifteen and Colt is twenty. It is obvious Colt falls for her instantly attracted to her and Sunny has a bit a a school girl crush on him. Colt understands they aren't meant for each other Sunny's father has great plans for her and Colt carries on with his life.

Colt is half Cherokee and in his young life has suffered a quite a bit. When he agrees to help scout for a big business tycoon who wants to built a transcontinental railroad he never knew it would be the thing to change his life.  Bo Landers has a dream and no one is going to get in his way, He is even teaching everything to his daughter so she can take over for him, much to the dismay of her eldest half-brother. Going on the scouting excursion opened Sunny's eyes to a whole new world, she alone believes in her father. Sunny never expected the plains to be so beautiful and she keeps a journal throughout the whole journey so she can go back and relive the experience. The journey also solidifies the the need in Sunny and Bo's eyes for the transcontinental railroad. Colt saves Sunny's life twice, and is forever in her heart and mind even after they part ways.

So much happens before they speak again, Colt tried settling down. He got married and built a house started to farm but soon after his wife gave birth to their son and band of Native Americans attack and kill his son and wife he almost dies himself. Saved by another tribe Colt joins up with them and seeks his revenge. After living with them for a while he leaves and joins the pony express. That's when he hears about the first states seceding from the nation and talk about a civil war. It's also when he hears about Bo Landers death and all the trouble Sunny went through to keep her inheritance.

Bo Landers worked hard to get with people of like mind to get the railroad going and Sunny worked hard with him. Bo Landers worked himself into an early grave and leaving Sunny all alone with her Eldest brother trying to appeal the will and her other brother standing by her she only has her sister-in-law to confide in, that is until she gets a letter from Colt giving her his condolences on the death of her father. It's still not the right time for them but a friendship is exactly what they need. Sunny has attracted the attention of a big business tycoon out of New York and he has been courting her, but Sunny needs to see her Father's dream come through before following her own. More time passes and Colt decides to join the war. Colt ends up in Andersonville a prisoner of war.

Twelve years pass from start to finish before it is finally the time for Colt and Sunny to be together each having to go through their own personal hell before being able to find the happiness they deserve together. Overall, this was an outstanding piece of work, beautifully written, so emotional it ties you up inside.