Back in April, I decided to try out the Western historical fiction genre with Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold by Ellen O’Connell. At that time, I was new to the genre but I really enjoyed that book. After finishing it, I discovered that there were two spin off stories; “Rachel’s Eyes”, a short story, and Luke’s Eyes, a novella. I finally got around to reading them and decided to review them together because they’re quite short. Since they are on the shorter side, I’ll keep these reviews spoiler free. Let’s start with “Rachel’s Eyes.”

“Rachel’s Eyes”

Synopsis: 

“Rachel’s Eyes” features characters from the author’s western historical romance novel, Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold.

Rachel Miles Ross has shunned her former best friend, Anne Wells Bennett, since the day of Anne’s marriage to half-breed Cord Bennett. Yet when Rachel’s life crumbles around her, she turns to Anne for help. Anne can give sympathy, but Cord is the one whose help Rachel really needs. Will he help a woman he considers an unworthy friend and first-class snob?

My Thoughts:

“Rachel’s Eyes” was a fun way to see the characters from Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold again but it was WAY too short. I know, I know, it’s a short story but I felt that even for a short story it was, well, pretty short. I was able to finish it in around fifteen minutes and was honestly left wondering what the point even was. It was really well written and enjoyable but I would’ve enjoyed it more if it was fleshed out into a novella. 

Luke’s Eyes

Synopsis: 

Luke Bennett is on his own at the cattle auction in Denver, Colorado, and the responsibility for buying Hereford bulls to upgrade the cattle herds of the family ranch sits heavy on his shoulders. Even so, the sight of four men bullying a young woman near the stock pens changes his focus from evaluating cattle to helping Miss Theadora Pierce, who stands accused of rustling cattle she claims are hers.

Trusting any man comes hard to Teddy Pierce. Too many have already let her down. The way Luke makes her heart quicken and stomach flip makes him more suspect than most. Or does it?

My Thoughts:

Luke’s Eyes was the PERFECT length. It was definitely a novella but on the longer side. Once again, I loved seeing the original characters but I also loved the new ones. This will possibly be an unpopular opinion but I actually liked Luke’s Eyes more than Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold. 

I primarily liked it more because of the main characters. I really enjoy the way O’Connell writes her female characters and Teddy Pierce is no exception. She was strong willed and feisty but didn’t seem out of place in the 1800’s setting. I also absolutely LOVED Luke and the banter between them both. Even though this is a novella, their relationship didn’t feel rushed and I was very happy with the twists that happened throughout the story. 

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I recommend all three of the stories in this series. I do wish “Rachel’s Eyes” would have been longer but as a whole, I love the characters and story line that O’Connell has created. Speaking of Ellen O’Connell, I noticed that she hadn’t updated her website or blog since 2017. She also hadn’t released any books so me, being the nosy person that I am, decided to email her. She actually replied and said that she’s planning to come back in 2020. I really hope that she does because I’d love to read something new from her. In the meantime, I have bought one of her other books, Dancing on Coals, and plan to review it soon. I would love to know if you’re a fan of the Western genre! Thanks for reading and have a great day!