Darlin'

While driving home in the rain after visiting a fortune teller with her friends, Joleen Longman’s car skids out of control. Finding herself knee-deep in mud with a throbbing headache isn’t the worst of it. Soon she is being chased by what appear to be Indians! Frontiersman Allen Flint is less than thrilled when a muddy young boy walks right into the Cree hunting party he’s been tracking. He can't just stand by and watch the boy be captured by the Cree, so soon the two are running together for their lives. When they eventually are washed over a waterfall, Flint realizes the boy underneath all the mud is a shapely woman.

After finally escaping the Crees, Joleen develops a fever and goes in and out of consciousness. Flint cares for her as best he can on their way to Fort Pratt. Shortly after Joleen awakens, she learns she’s about to be put in a wife sale. Flint arranges to marry Joleen himself, in order to save her from being auctioned off to one of the rough settlers. After a failed attempt to escape, a somewhat dazed Joleen allows the ceremony to take place. When the time comes to sign the marriage certificate, she is shocked to discover that it says she has been married in the Year of Our Lord 1713. Can a 21st Century career woman and an 18th Century frontier guide make a life together in the wilds of the early American Frontier?

Darlin’ is a unique take on the time travel romance. The uncommon setting, Colonial America during the French and Indian War, is interesting. More unusual though, are Ms. Adams’ characters’ reactions to the time travel issue itself. After her initial shock, Joleen is pretty accepting of her fate. Flint believes her almost immediately when he finally gets Joleen to tell him about her unusual situation. After that, there is not a lot said about it. The story deals more with how their physical attraction grows into a love that will sustain them through the many dangers of traveling west.

Flint is a big, strong mountain man, which is very sexy. As befits a modern woman, Joleen is not timid - on the wagon train or on the bedroll! The combination makes for some very exciting encounters between the pair.

I highly recommend Darlin’ to fans of Time Travel romance. Readers who enjoy historical romance will find Darlin’ a delightful read as well.

Reviewed by: Shelley