A book for lovers of ranching and time travel, distinguished by rich detail.

Great for fans of Amy Harmon’s What the Wind Knows, Jeannette Walls’s Half Broke Horses.

FICTION The Other Side of the River: A Story of Love, War, Cattle & Cowboys Sandra Allensworth | ProductPublisher 193p, e-book, $9.99, ISBN 979-8-9876758-0-9

The plot of Allensworth’s ambitious debut novel about history, romance, and ranching in New Mexico alternates between eras and lives, with storylines set in the 1860s and 2012. On one hand is Morgan, who is a Confederate soldier who falls in love with the nurse Sophia as she tends to his wounds after the Battle of Glorieta Pass. On the other hand is Caroline, a young woman in the 21st century whose husband is cheating on her, and who now longs to return to her old love, Travis, whose wife has died. Beyond the suspense of these characters’ lives, Allensworth guides readers to wonder how these narratives will intersect, and what impact the past will have on Caroline’s present. The answers prove familiar in genre—this ultimately is a time travel story, with elements of romance—but unique in execution.

Right off the bat, Allensworth grips with compelling characters that jump off the page and stir significant empathy. Readers will be invested in the trials of both protagonists, and feel what they are feeling every step of the way. It’s also clear that Allensworth has a firm grasp over the setting that she has chosen for much of the book: a ranch. Her descriptions of ranching, riding, colt-breaking— “the dun crow-hopped and then reared, pawing the air”—feel so richly authentic that readers will not be surprised to discover that Allensworth draws upon many years of personal experience in the ranching business

The alternating between timelines takes some chapters to get used to, and Allensworth risks reader impatience in the buildup to the moment when the stories at last connect. But her vivid prose and sure hand with character will hold readers’ attention from one century to another. The revelations and climax, when they come, do not disappoint. Lovers of ranching and time travel novels will enjoy this book which is as engrossing as it is heartfelt.

Cover: B+ | Design & typography: B | Illustrations: – Editing: A | Marketing copy: A