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This is my kind of book. I was asked to review this as a Historical Romance, but “Redemption on the River” by Loren DeShon (self-published) is more along the lines of Historical Adventure, rich with multi-dimensional characters, an exciting journey, and amazingly accurate, well-researched history. The historical facts aren’t blatant, aren’t set out in a list, aren’t the least bit dry. They are woven into the story with taste and finesse—more of a challenge for an author than you’d think! He writes beautifully, with an easy flow and natural dialogue. And the romance in “Redemption on the River”? Well, it’s exactly right for this reviewer. I’m not the kind of reader who wants to know who will be with whom within the first chapter. Not even within the second. And I don’t care to read the bedroom nitty-gritty. I’d prefer to leave that to my imagination. In my humble opinion, sex is a by-product of romance, and not necessary in a book of this quality—in fact, it might even take away from the story—so I was glad DeShon let any sexual mentions “fade to black.” Romance itself has to simmer, build a foundation, have a reason, even. This book has all that and more.