To be honest, I struggled through the first two chapters, which deal with the rather complicated backstory between our hero (Thomas) and heroine (Sarah). But when I got to Chapter 3, OMG! This exciting, romantic western adventure took off at a breathtaking pace! I SIMPLY COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!Here's a bit of the plot (I'll skip the backstory). In 1864, ex-lovers Thomas and Sarah set off on a long journey to rescue their 13-year-old daughter (Lucie), who's been captured by the Sioux. The narrative weaves smoothly between the dangers of their search and the challenges of Lucie's life with the Indians. The author's vivid descriptions pull the reader into each scene, from Sacramento to Fort Laramie to the Indian camps. You'll experience Indian attacks, a daring rescue and a deadly blizzard as Thomas and Sarah fight man and nature to save their daughter.I especially appreciated that the white folks are not all "good" and the Indians are not all "bad." I liked Water Blossom, an Indian woman who befriends Sarah. And I admired Eagle Dancer, the young Indian warrior who falls in love with Lucie. (You'll find more of their story in His Dakota Bride, Book 5 in this series.)Above all else, High Plains Bride is a passionate, heartwarming second chance romance between Thomas and Sarah, who rekindle their love after fourteen years apart. It's a back and forth process with plenty of doubts (and some steamy sex) along the way, but it ends with a perfect HEA.The book contains very little foul language, which I appreciated. It could use another round of proofreading to correct some punctuation errors, especially in the second half. A special thanks to the author for her extensive historical research--it shows in every word. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!