Review: The Bride Star by Tracey Jane Jackson

THE BRIDE STAR by Tracey Jane Jackson
FORMAT: Kindle
GENRE: Historical Time Travel
FILE SIZE: 455 KB (about 86,000 words)
PUBLISHER: Tracey Jane Jackson (October 22, 2011)

Rayne Green, is a major recording star and on tour to promote her latest album. A hard-hitting, no nonsense woman, Rayne does not make friends easily and trusts no one, except her best friend, Shaye.

After a concert in Chicago, an old friend from high school lures her to an abandoned building under false pretenses. She is not prepared for what he does next, and in her attempt to escape, her world goes black.

Samuel Powell is the head of an exclusive prison, housing the worst of the worst in the country’s treasonous realm. He is called back to the prison one night to find a woman dressed as a prostitute and causing a general ruckus.

Despite her attempts to explain who she is to Sam, he doesn't believe her and Rayne is resigned to finding a way back to the future, but Sam will not give her up.

Once the truth is revealed, will he be able to convince her to stay? Will she finally want to stay?

Where To Find Tracey: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook | Blog
Where To Buy: Kindle | Nook | Smashwords
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt 

I really liked it.

Other Books in Series (click on covers for excerpts):



REVIEW:

An interesting concept of a room in an abandoned building as some sort of time portal taking the person into the midst of the Civil War. It's what I would call a "clean romance": lots of hot and heavy kisses, a brush of the hand, a half lidded stare or two or three, some wicked grins but when it comes to The Sex, fade-to-black.

Rayne Green is a total rock star. Literally. She plays for millions of fans every night and is on tour with sold out concerts. An old friend from high school shows up one night after a show and wants to hang. Rayne's friend Shaye doesn't think it's a good idea but hey, Rayne can do whatever she wants. Bad idea.

The friend takes Rayne to an abandoned warehouse where it's said that it's haunted and people disappear from it. Rayne is a bit leery but it's with an old friend. How bad could it be even if two girls have mysteriously disappeared from there? Said friend spikes her water with something and tries to take advantage of her. Mustering enough strength to knee him where the sun don't shine, she stumbles around trying to find a way out. Entering the door that she shouldn't go in, she notices it's been untouched for ages and blacks out.

Rayne wakes up in the street and gets mistaken for a whore. Two icky men try to have their way with her but she gets away. She's thrown into jail for causing a ruckus and selling her wares in the street. Being a twenty-first century woman, Rayne takes offense. Where in the heck is she?! All these people wearing period clothing eyeing her like she's totally inappropriate. Well, dressed in skintight clothing might do that.

Enter the handsome Samuel Powell. He doesn't know what to make of this woman. His friend's wife comes to the rescue. She's also from the future and is one of the girls who disappeared. She seems well adjusted and okay with living in a time where there are no proper bathrooms and women were supposed to defer to their husbands. Rayne meets a few more people from the future but she still seems skeptical. If she is trapped in the middle of the Civil War, she wants to go home. Whatever it takes. But her attraction to Sam soon makes her question whether she wants to go back to her time or not.

Sam is smitten with Rayne from the first moment he sees her. Fiery and outspoken, she challenges him at every turn. Sam wants to show Rayne around and he won't take 'no' for an answer. Rayne thinks- 'what could it hurt?' She might as well see the sights and sounds of the city while she's here and everyone is trying to figure out how to get her home. As the days drag on waiting for an answer, Rayne falls into a comfortable routine with Sam.

Sam knows that there's something that Rayne isn't telling him. Something is off and why does she keep insisting that she 'go home'? Her manner of speaking and slip of the tongue makes him a bit suspicious. He tries to get her to let him in. He tells her that they're getting married. Yup, no 'will you marry me?' Just all out-- 'we're getting married'. At first, Rayne is a offended. Who did this guy think he was telling her they're getting married? They haven't known each other long enough and she's not willing to tell him everything.

All the other time travelers accept Rayne as part of their ever growing family. When each one of them first meets Rayne, they freak out. There's a rock star among them! During gatherings, they get her to sing some of her songs. Sam knows something is off because how could these people he's known for a while know things about Rayne that he doesn't know and they've only known her for a short time.

Rayne must tell Sam who she is, where she's from and why she needs to go back home before she falls more in love with him. Sam must convince Rayne to stay with him after finding out everything.

FAVORITE QUOTE: 

Victoria closed the door and leaned against it. "You've been transported back in time."
"Like as in, time travel?" Rayne let out a nervous laugh.
Hannah nodded. "Yes, time travel. You've been sent back in time."
"Funny...I don't see a Delorian parked outside."
Hannah giggled. "Thing Kate and Leopold, rather than Back to the Future."

OVERALL: It's been a while since I've read anything past the Regency era and jumping in to the middle of the Civil War and a book series was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed reading this book and made me want to go back and read the previous ones but I found it a bit lacking. At least in the intimacy department. Jackson takes the same route as Stephenie Meyer when it comes to The Sex. (no broken headboards or floating feathers) Full of hot and heavy kisses, some intense staring, quite a few shouting matches and fade-to-black sexing with many laugh out loud moments. It's a sweet story that will literally sweep you off your feet and into a different time. Rayne and Sam must work out their huge differences and allow themselves that happily ever after they both deserve. The Bride Price (first book in the series) is floating around the Kindle so I will be reading it to see how it all began.

***review copy provided by author***