Ciara Gold Category:  Romance Publisher: Champagne Books ISBN-10:  1897261934 Pages: 281 Copyright: Dec 2006 Striving to make ends meet after her brother is hung for murder, SARAH JONES is determined to make it on her own. After losing everything to war, TABOR NOLAN yearns for family and a home. Can two lost souls discover love on a rural farm in Banjo, Texas?            “I get the distinct impressionthat the lady doesn’t want you here, Mr. Davis.”             Scratch released Sarah and held up his hands. Sarah scrambled away to the far end of the kitchen. An angry red mark marred her slender throat, and Tabor had to strive hard to maintain a rational demeanor.             “Easy now. Turn around so I can see your face.” Tabor kept the gun trained on Scratch but took a step back to allow the man room to move.             “You have it all wrong, mister,” Scratch said, staring at the end of Tabor’s gun.             “Oh? How’s that?” Tabor squinted, a sure sign he was barely controlling his temper.             “She’s going to be working for me. I just came to see if I could help her pack.”             “What makes you think she’s moving?” Tabor maintained eye contact with the villain, though he would have liked nothing more than to check on Sarah.             “Ted Nates sold the place yesterday afternoon. I reckon that’s a pretty good indication.” Scratch shoved his hands in his pockets and puffed out his chest.             “Sarah, have you been served with any eviction notices?” Tabor asked.             Sarah shook her head.             “But they have to serve papers soon,” Scratch said, his eye twitching.  “The new owner won’t want her here. He’ll be glad to get rid of the notorious unwidow and her half-breed brat.”              “You read the new owner’s mind?” Tabor tilted his head to one side, still squinting as he gazed at Scratch.             “Look, let’s, let’s be reasonable. The woman is down on her luck. I’m offering her honest employment and a place to live. Can’t fault a fellow for that, can you?”             “True,” Tabor replied. “but I have it on good authority that the new owner won’t mind if she stays right where she is.”             Obviously rather dense, Scratch frowned. “How can you know that? If Ted wouldn’t give me the buyer’s name, he sure wouldn’t give it to you."                        “Who do you think the new owner is?” Tabor lifted both eyebrows.

TRS five star review
Brenda Talley from the Romance Studio wrote: "When Tabor Nolan road into Banjo, Texas, the first person he saw was Sarah Jones who was trying to make it home with a borrowed wagon and the corpse of her brother on the back. She was trying to dig a hole in the hard dirt to bury John, her brother who had just been hung for murder. No one in town would help her; she wasn’t sure how she would get him buried. Tabor offered her water and then completed the digging and burying of her brother. Sarah was, of course, skeptical of him because none of the townspeople would speak to her, advance her credit, or give her a job. She had no money and nowhere to go with her five-year-old son. This was a big problem because she was five months behind on her farm payments and was to be evicted at anytime. She suggested that Tabor keep on riding if he was looking for a place to settle down; he wasn’t sure Banjo was not the place to stay!
Tabor and Sarah had a future; Tabor was sure of that. When he started checking the story behind Sarah, he knew she needed help. After overhearing an agreement by the land office personnel and the town’s nasty saloon owner to take over her land, Tabor bought it himself and then set out to convince Sarah to marry him.

Ms. Ciara Gold has written a wonderfully uplifting story about two people who are made for each other but are skeptical about a future because of things that happened in the past. The more Tabor pushed, the further Sarah ran! She was skeptical of any kindness he showed to her. Sarah’s Brass Token is an incident which, though seemingly insignificant, becomes a thread which unifies the entire story. The initial offering of the token was an insult; the overall theme proves otherwise. Likewise, Ms. Gold uses the sub-characters in such a way that the story is greatly enhanced. I loved this story from the beginning; I enthusiastically recommend it!"

Coffeetime Romance 5 cup review
Matilda from Coffeetime wrote: Sarah Jones, the town outcast, has just buried her brother. He was hung for murder, of which he was innocent. She has a five-year-old son, is behind in her farm payments, no one in town will offer her credit, and life seems to be getting harder and more impossible. That is, until Tabor returns to Banjo to become her savior and much more.

After losing everything in the war, Tabor Nolan knew what he wanted; a family. And he knew the first time he met Sarah that he wanted her for his wife. Coming back to Banjo was the right choice. Now he must convince Sarah to marry him. He must also decide whether he wants to resume his medical career as a doctor or just continue to make furniture.

Sarah and Tabor are two lost people burned by the past. Now they have a chance to put that past to rest and embark on a new future together. They are each getting so much more than what they longed for in the process.

I cannot say enough good things about this book. It just blew me away. Such heartache turned into such promise. The three-dimensional secondary characters tell more than just the story of Sarah and Tabor. I can only hope for a chance to see some of them in their own story. The Brass Token in this story means one thing, but becomes a symbol of something else. You must read this story. It will touch you to the core. Kudos Ms. Gold on a riveting good book!