Under the Desert Sky by Sara Luck – a Review

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Description:
Phoebe Sloan isn’t afraid of hard work—she couldn’t have survived on the Arizona frontier if she were. But ever since her husband was killed in a ranch accident, she’s struggled to make ends meet and preserve her young son’s birthright. Her last gamble was to start raising ostriches—the plumes are prized by fashionable city ladies—and it could work, but someone’s determined to sabotage her efforts.

Enter Christian de Wet, a South African importer who finds himself drawn to the fragile but determined Phoebe. He begins helping her around the ranch as a kindness, but the two quickly find that the heat rising between them has nothing to do with the Arizona desert! When the saboteur finds a way to endanger not just the ranch, but Phoebe’s family, will she have to forsake her happiness to save her son?

Review:

Under the Desert Sky begins with Phoebe being sent away by her father, for her own good.  Even though Phoebe doesn’t want to leave, she understands and takes a huge leap of faith.  As the blurb says, life in Arizona has been hard on Phoebe, but she is bound and determined to make it on her own terms and build a good life for her and her young son. 

Christian has basically been sent away from his home the same as Phoebe.  He needs to leave South Africa and it just so happens that the woman who raised him as her own needs some ostriches delivered to Arizona, so she enlists Christian to get the animals to the Arizona territories.  Christian and July, a hired hand who has been with the family for years, set out for Arizona.  It was a very long trip,  and are very thankful when they finally reach their destination.

Once Christian and Phoebe meet, they feel an almost immediate attraction.  Unfortunately, there are those who do not want Phoebe to succeed and those who want Christian gone.  However, Christian and Phoebe prove to be a formidable team and are bound and determined to make things work. 

Under the Desert Sky is a nicely written story, and it’s the first I’ve read by Sara Luck.  Her characters are well written and you will fall in love with Phoebe.  She is fierce, protective and loving.  Christian is perfect match for her.  He’s loyal as well as protective of everyone he considers his.  I loved the secondary characters as well and wished that we’d found out a little more about them. 

This one is a bit different that what I normally read, and I have to say when I saw “ostrich farm”, I was like????  LOL!!  Anyway, if you’re looking for a quick read with a sweet romance and lovely developed relationship, this one is for you.  For some reason, I keep comparing this to Out of Africa.  That, at least for me, is the kind of vibe I got while reading this story.  Well done, Sarah Luck.

Reviewed by Vickie

Copy provided by Publisher