chloebear21's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Rape
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Racial slurs
lexicon1982's review against another edition
4.0
Firstly this book is not for the faint of heart, it is dark, it is gritty, and not for those who are easily triggered! But if none of that bothers you then I would recommend this for a strong female character in the wilds of the West.
Catherine/ Laura Elliston is a woman doctor who faces hardships and survives trials to outrun a murder she did not commit!
This was one of those books I had a hard time putting down because I was invested in the characters, had a n epic outline and cliffhanger ending...so now I’m diving right in to the 2nd book because I need to know what happens!!!
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨stars!
Catherine/ Laura Elliston is a woman doctor who faces hardships and survives trials to outrun a murder she did not commit!
This was one of those books I had a hard time putting down because I was invested in the characters, had a n epic outline and cliffhanger ending...so now I’m diving right in to the 2nd book because I need to know what happens!!!
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨stars!
iggyebab's review against another edition
3.0
If you like westerns with some romance thrown in, this book might work for you. At it's heart, it is about a woman who wants the freedom to be a doctor and dictate her own life. She doesn't wish to marry because her husband will be able to stop her from practicing medicine. She is falsely accused of a crime and finds herself on the run. Running to the dangerous west is not an easy road. When her wagon train is attacked, she is the only adult survivor. She is taken to a Fort and is confronted with men she met during the war. She was disguised as a boy and worked with her father as a field surgeon.
This book was an easy read. There is a lot going on and constant drama. Since you have someone trying to hide but unable to hold her tongue, there are a lot of things that could possible happen. IT is not a stand alone so there is no HEA.
This book was an easy read. There is a lot going on and constant drama. Since you have someone trying to hide but unable to hold her tongue, there are a lot of things that could possible happen. IT is not a stand alone so there is no HEA.
ayargeau's review against another edition
4.0
I went into reading this book with the expectation that it would be some kind of western romance. It was sort of that, but it was so much more than that. This book features a strong, independent woman making her way as a physician in 1871. Even after some unfortunate occurrences (tragedies, actually) Catherine/Laura is incredibly strong, and a true pillar of all of the communities she is a part of.
Many people have been comparing this book to Outlander, but I don't see it. I think this really stands on its own, and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
Many people have been comparing this book to Outlander, but I don't see it. I think this really stands on its own, and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
sarah1984's review against another edition
5.0
24/12 - This is the third of three non-romance book I borrowed a few weeks back, but the only one I've really enjoyed.
Catherine Bennett/Laura Elliston is a doctor in late 1800s New York and she is accused of having an affair with one of her patients' husbands then murdering him when he broke up with her and so she decides to escape New York for the west (California, originally) - that's what the blurb tells us and I thought that was going to be enough of a challenge for Catherine/Laura. But then disaster after disaster befall her and when I was like "Can this woman not get a break? Life is hard enough for a female doctor accused of adultery and murder, on the run from the law and stuck at a military fort rife with corruption some not so nice men. Does she also have to It just seemed so unfair (although not unrealistic), but this book wasn't even nearly done with poor Laura.
I really enjoyed the first three quarters of the book, even after because I figured that was probably it in terms of torturing Laura, but then when the second (and much worse) wave hit at about 75% there were some pretty upsetting and disturbing scenes that were difficult to 'enjoy'. A lot of the lower starred reviews talk about the graphic violence and give that as a reason why they didn't overall enjoy the book, I don't have a problem with graphic violence, as long as it's not gratuitous or just there to be offensive. If someone is going to be murdered, then I expect (want, even) the scene to be properly described, just like with sex scenes in a romance (of which I don't think this can be included) I don't want the introduction to a murder and then fade to black and then we come back and it's all over. That's a copout, in my opinion. If you're going to write/read about murder you have to be prepared to write/read all the gory details. But, for me, . After thinking about my reading experience while I wrote this I've decided that I enjoyed it enough to give it five stars (originally it was four) - it's actually closer to 4.5, but it's definitely above a four.
The writing was very good and I felt like Catherine/Laura was a believable character who faced believable challenges (just a whole lot of them in the space of about two months) for a woman of those days. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series, in fact I can't wait to get my hands on #2 for my January holiday (reading a fantastic historical fiction while relaxing on the deck of a cruise ship sounds perfect).
Catherine Bennett/Laura Elliston is a doctor in late 1800s New York and she is accused of having an affair with one of her patients' husbands then murdering him when he broke up with her and so she decides to escape New York for the west (California, originally) - that's what the blurb tells us and I thought that was going to be enough of a challenge for Catherine/Laura. But then disaster after disaster befall her and when
Spoiler
her wagon train is attacked by Indians and all her companions are murdered (bar one teenage girl who is kidnapped)Spoiler
lose her only remaining friend (her nurse/nanny/companion from New York) in the most brutal way possible (scalped and then had the lower half of her face hacked off because she wouldn't stop screaming after being scalped and didn't die immediately)?I really enjoyed the first three quarters of the book, even after
Spoiler
her wagon train was massacredSpoiler
rape and murder are two different things and even though Laura's rape wasn't particularly detailed, it was enough to bring tears to my eyes and make me uncomfortable and if it had been a movie/tv show I probably would have muted it or even fast-forwarded past the sceneThe writing was very good and I felt like Catherine/Laura was a believable character who faced believable challenges (just a whole lot of them in the space of about two months) for a woman of those days. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series, in fact I can't wait to get my hands on #2 for my January holiday (reading a fantastic historical fiction while relaxing on the deck of a cruise ship sounds perfect).
jilljemmett's review against another edition
4.0
I was approved for this galley last year, but I just couldn’t get into the story. I’m not a big fan of Westerns, but on my second reading the plot hooked me.
There were twists that I couldn’t have predicted. The twists weren’t even the answers to my questions. There were many surprises, and not all of them good.
Some of the descriptions of injuries and medical procedures are hard to read. I think that’s why I struggled with the book before. However, it added some realism to the story.
I think Catherine was a little ahead of her time in some of her medical ideas. For example, she says she doesn’t think smoking is good for your lungs, but that wouldn’t have been known back then. Her advanced knowledge reminded me a lot of Claire in Outlander. They were both thrown into similar medical positions in a world that is not ready for a female physician.
I enjoyed this book after reading it again. I’m curious to see how this series turns out.
There were twists that I couldn’t have predicted. The twists weren’t even the answers to my questions. There were many surprises, and not all of them good.
Some of the descriptions of injuries and medical procedures are hard to read. I think that’s why I struggled with the book before. However, it added some realism to the story.
I think Catherine was a little ahead of her time in some of her medical ideas. For example, she says she doesn’t think smoking is good for your lungs, but that wouldn’t have been known back then. Her advanced knowledge reminded me a lot of Claire in Outlander. They were both thrown into similar medical positions in a world that is not ready for a female physician.
I enjoyed this book after reading it again. I’m curious to see how this series turns out.
sionna's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars
I made it through!!! Wow, I did not really like this book.
This book was very difficult to get through. I pushed through, wanting to know what people found so interesting about this book, but I ended up being more repulsed than encouraged to read more. Let me explain.
Because Catherine is a doctor during a time when there is little that can be done to save people, I expected some medical gore. I did not expect attempted rape, rape, scalping, mass murder, and more. That came as a complete surprise and is something I feel that books should make sure people know they are getting into. There was so much detail. If I had not been reading this for an assignment, I wouldn't have continued. Also, the portrayal of Native Americans was pretty horrible. True, there is one or two instances of showing they aren't so bad, but considering our main character hates them and is attacked by them, there is a lot of negativity. It can make the reader feel quite uncomfortable.
Besides that, the book is quite slow-paced for my taste, but I have read that many others have found it to be at a good solid clip. The beginning is slow, in my opinion, the middle is okay, but the ending is decently fast. This mixed pacing along with the abruptness of the next parts, makes the book confusing at times. For example, at the end of part one, everything is going great, then the next page, the beginning of part two, they are in the middle of an attack. At first, I thought I was missing pages.
The characters are developed well and the setting is described nicely. So, there are some good parts to the book. The medical knowledge of the time is interesting to learn about as well.
I will not be continuing this series.
I made it through!!! Wow, I did not really like this book.
This book was very difficult to get through. I pushed through, wanting to know what people found so interesting about this book, but I ended up being more repulsed than encouraged to read more. Let me explain.
Because Catherine is a doctor during a time when there is little that can be done to save people, I expected some medical gore. I did not expect attempted rape, rape, scalping, mass murder, and more. That came as a complete surprise and is something I feel that books should make sure people know they are getting into. There was so much detail. If I had not been reading this for an assignment, I wouldn't have continued. Also, the portrayal of Native Americans was pretty horrible. True, there is one or two instances of showing they aren't so bad, but considering our main character hates them and is attacked by them, there is a lot of negativity. It can make the reader feel quite uncomfortable.
Besides that, the book is quite slow-paced for my taste, but I have read that many others have found it to be at a good solid clip. The beginning is slow, in my opinion, the middle is okay, but the ending is decently fast. This mixed pacing along with the abruptness of the next parts, makes the book confusing at times. For example, at the end of part one, everything is going great, then the next page, the beginning of part two, they are in the middle of an attack. At first, I thought I was missing pages.
The characters are developed well and the setting is described nicely. So, there are some good parts to the book. The medical knowledge of the time is interesting to learn about as well.
I will not be continuing this series.
earth2erika's review against another edition
4.0
so i debated for a while on what to rate this book because i really liked it for the most part but also don't know if i'll read the rest of the series because some of the stuff was really off putting for me. in the end I went with the higher rating because the things that really bothered me about the book aren't necessarily things that are bad about the book just things that were really not for me.
so first things first. this book is (in my opinion) really gory and violent. i went into this thinking i was getting a kind of fluffy, frontier, historical romance and while it is occasionally those things the majority of the book is actually the characters experiencing truly horrific things and then recovering from those things while being afraid something else bad is going to happen, and then something else terrible happens. the first major instance of violence was honestly shocking. i was listening to the audio book at work and had to restart the chapter because i thought I had missed something, I just couldn't figure out where this was all coming from and then things keep getting worse. it was all very well written but that actually made it harder to experience because it was harder to separate myself from it. tbh the violence was the worst part of the book for me. i understand that it was a part of frontier life but i'm also pretty certain that no one person actually experienced all the awful things that happened to Catherine/Laura. Like one of these terrible, tragic events probably would have been enough imo.
there were some other things that had me side eyeing this book. Cathlaura's interactions with other women were troubling. She thinks to herself more than once that she could've been friends with a woman if she had tried but she never really tries. She's got a massively offputting superiority complex and is a little insufferable about it even when acknowledging that she has one? she'll recognize flaws in herself which is nice but does nothing to fix them which is not. also the portrayal of "indians" was perturbing to say the least. again, i'm sure this is a pretty accurate historical representation of what white people felt about the native population at the time (i'm not familiar v familiar with frontier history so i honestly don't know and am just trusting this to be so based on some stuff some racist canadians have said about our indigenous peoples). even though the possibility that white people are exaggerating about native americans is brought up and that maybe they're not actually all that bad tis postulated it's quickly disproved by having "indians" commit about 85% of the violence in the book (the other 15 is justified vengeance and one crazy white dude) even though they're (arguably) not even the main villain. they're just used as tools to make horrible things happen which was really upsetting. they're not given any agency or motive to try and let the reader make sense of why this is happening, their actions are chalked up to just plain ol' savagery for the most part. blegh.
despite these things though i actually /liked/ the story. it was really different from what i'd normally read and i still want to know more about the characters who survive to the next book (like /why/ was Catherine accused of murder? something is definitely afoot there.) but i don't know if i'll continue with the series because i just can't decide if it's worth it or not. maybe if the audio books come to my library's digital holdings i'll give them a shot but as of right now i'm leaning away from the next book instead of towards it.
so first things first. this book is (in my opinion) really gory and violent. i went into this thinking i was getting a kind of fluffy, frontier, historical romance and while it is occasionally those things the majority of the book is actually the characters experiencing truly horrific things and then recovering from those things while being afraid something else bad is going to happen, and then something else terrible happens. the first major instance of violence was honestly shocking. i was listening to the audio book at work and had to restart the chapter because i thought I had missed something, I just couldn't figure out where this was all coming from and then things keep getting worse. it was all very well written but that actually made it harder to experience because it was harder to separate myself from it. tbh the violence was the worst part of the book for me. i understand that it was a part of frontier life but i'm also pretty certain that no one person actually experienced all the awful things that happened to Catherine/Laura. Like one of these terrible, tragic events probably would have been enough imo.
there were some other things that had me side eyeing this book. Cathlaura's interactions with other women were troubling. She thinks to herself more than once that she could've been friends with a woman if she had tried but she never really tries. She's got a massively offputting superiority complex and is a little insufferable about it even when acknowledging that she has one? she'll recognize flaws in herself which is nice but does nothing to fix them which is not. also the portrayal of "indians" was perturbing to say the least. again, i'm sure this is a pretty accurate historical representation of what white people felt about the native population at the time (i'm not familiar v familiar with frontier history so i honestly don't know and am just trusting this to be so based on some stuff some racist canadians have said about our indigenous peoples). even though the possibility that white people are exaggerating about native americans is brought up and that maybe they're not actually all that bad tis postulated it's quickly disproved by having "indians" commit about 85% of the violence in the book (the other 15 is justified vengeance and one crazy white dude) even though they're (arguably) not even the main villain. they're just used as tools to make horrible things happen which was really upsetting. they're not given any agency or motive to try and let the reader make sense of why this is happening, their actions are chalked up to just plain ol' savagery for the most part. blegh.
despite these things though i actually /liked/ the story. it was really different from what i'd normally read and i still want to know more about the characters who survive to the next book (like /why/ was Catherine accused of murder? something is definitely afoot there.) but i don't know if i'll continue with the series because i just can't decide if it's worth it or not. maybe if the audio books come to my library's digital holdings i'll give them a shot but as of right now i'm leaning away from the next book instead of towards it.
td3's review against another edition
4.0
Sawbones is a gritty, wild and intense western that tells the story of a female doctor (which was almost unheard of in 1871) who is falsely accused of murder by a prominent family in New York. The doctor, Catherine Bennett, is forced to flee to Texas and change her name, taking with her just a few possessions and her lifelong maid.
Upon arrival in Texas, there is a glitch in her plans and she decides instead to get on a wagon train bound for Colorado. Now posing as Dr. Laura Elliston, she and her maid set out with the wagon train which is later attacked by Indians. Luckily for Laura, she survives and is taken to Fort Richardson, where she saves the life of Captain Kindle and eventually falls in love with him.
The adventure is just getting wound up at this point. There are bounty hunters searching for Laura (aka Catherine Bennett) and there is a strange man who seems to be trailing her. In addition to that, Captain Kindle has some secrets of his own.
Sawbones is a novel that is just as rough and untamed as Texas was during the late 1800’s. There are descriptions of the Indian attacks and raping of women, as well as descriptions of the medical conditions Elliston is treating. Definitely not a book for the squeamish.
I thought the ending was thrilling and look forward to reading the next book in the series.
On a side note, I met the author in my local Barnes & Noble as were were browsing the shelves of new fiction releases. Melissa Lenhardt, I am so glad I met you and after we talked, I bought Stillwater and The Fisher King. I’m looking forward to reading them this fall.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Redhook books for the opportunity to read a copy of this book for an honest review.
Upon arrival in Texas, there is a glitch in her plans and she decides instead to get on a wagon train bound for Colorado. Now posing as Dr. Laura Elliston, she and her maid set out with the wagon train which is later attacked by Indians. Luckily for Laura, she survives and is taken to Fort Richardson, where she saves the life of Captain Kindle and eventually falls in love with him.
The adventure is just getting wound up at this point. There are bounty hunters searching for Laura (aka Catherine Bennett) and there is a strange man who seems to be trailing her. In addition to that, Captain Kindle has some secrets of his own.
Sawbones is a novel that is just as rough and untamed as Texas was during the late 1800’s. There are descriptions of the Indian attacks and raping of women, as well as descriptions of the medical conditions Elliston is treating. Definitely not a book for the squeamish.
I thought the ending was thrilling and look forward to reading the next book in the series.
On a side note, I met the author in my local Barnes & Noble as were were browsing the shelves of new fiction releases. Melissa Lenhardt, I am so glad I met you and after we talked, I bought Stillwater and The Fisher King. I’m looking forward to reading them this fall.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Redhook books for the opportunity to read a copy of this book for an honest review.