Books

She died then showed me

A Page Turner

—Readers’ Favorite

Painterly Prose

—Kirkus Review

Skillfully Told Tale

—IndieReader

Prepare to Get Enthralled

—Reedsy Discovery

Rich Descriptions

—Publishers’ Weekly BookLife

In a realm of family secrets and lost letters, love paints the truest portrait. Reminiscent of Rosamunde Pilcher’s The Shell Seekers and Isabelle Allende’s The House of Spirits, Peyton Chase fights to save her family’s heritage, confront the mysteries of her troubled past, face her deepest fears, and reframe her legacy.

Overshadowed by her mother’s prodigious talent as a renowned artist, Peyton wrestles with her own insecurities. Filled with self-doubt, she secretly pursues her passion for painting while yearning to break free from the shadows.

After her father’s passing, Peyton is rocked by his secret dealings to sell her late mother’s paintings. She’s determined to stop her family’s estate from falling apart, but only if she can decipher the enigmatic clues hidden in her late mother’s masterpieces. But truth always comes at a price. In unearthing her family’s legacy, will Peyton find the confidence to paint her own path with resolve, courage, and wit?

Amid the labyrinth of mysteries and sibling rivalries, a captivating new man, a cowboy turned Navy SEAL captain, sets her soul ablaze. While a former lover who possesses the key to her financial troubles reignites a dormant ember, but at what cost to her authentic self?

As Peyton’s journey evolves into a confrontation with personal demons and her family’s hidden truths, the revelations lead the heiress on a voyage of compassionate insights into family dynamics and the odyssey of self-love.

Each book in The Pioneer Ranch Saga can be read as a stand-alone or as part of the larger series.

*Cover Design by Tim Barber at Dissect Designs

*Trailer Design by Yash Sharma

Editorial & Professional Reviews

Trailer

Book Reviews

Here are some of the most recent book reviews from my dedicated readers.
Feel free to leave a review on Amazon as well by clicking the button below if you have read this title!

A Work of Art

Amazon Review

She died Then Showed Me is a work of art. I bought this book because I enjoy reading interesting family sagas with strong female characters. This book did not disappoint! The well-drawn protagonist (Peyton), complete with strengths and weaknesses, comes alive and leaps off the page. This book explores modern day relationships, spirituality, self-discovery, and resilience in the face of adversity. The author blends painful realities with healing love in a strong, uplifting tale. She intertwines Peyton’s different loves – the family she was born into, the family she chooses, and the love that brings them together. Along Peyton’s healing journey of self-discovery, the reader is treated to a look at Navajo customs and beliefs; the inner workings of the art world; and the beauty of the West and Southwest. In fact, the raw beauty of the West and Southwest is captured so beautifully that I want to hop on a plane and head west. I recommend this novel as it is an elegantly structured, beautiful story of love and family with lots of edges and considerations. With an emphasis on the power of family and friends, the joy of new romance, this novel is fresh and unforgettable. I’m thrilled that this book is part of a series and I look forward to getting to know this cast of characters even better as the saga continues.

Moving, Inspirational, Funny. And Insightful!

Barnes & Noble Review

Love this book. It made me laugh, cry, feel all giddy and excited at the crackling romance and deep friendships. The imagery is vivid and characters are lovable. It kept me guessing. This book is full of surprises, left me uplifted even though it's about the sacrifices it takes to become an authentic person who earns their stripes. The best part is it's part of a series. Can't wait for Book 2.

Must Read!

Amazon Review

The Pioneer Ranch Saga entertains its readers with a story that begins as loss and betrayal and grows with love, self-discovery, psychological awareness, and forgiveness and all the while taunting us with a mystery. So much passion and the meaning of family, friendships, and love. This against the backdrop of New Mexico's mountains and California's beaches. The main character, Peyton, had to deal with family secrets, lies, and a past that's catching up to her. She has to become braver than ever and face her demons to reach the healing point she needs without sacrificing what she'd been entrusted with. I won’t spoil it, except to say, you must read to the end. Such an entertaining and insightful read.

A VERY SATISFYING BOOK

Goodreads Review

A very satisfying book. I don't usually read sagas, but this one hooked me. The characters are diverse, fascinating and engaging. Lots of psychology and emotions, surprising, fun, and uplifting.

Moving And Engaging!!

Barnes & Noble Review

Never a dull moment. This book made feel so many emotions, and the ending was just awesome. Very well written, funny, sweet, and made me dream bigger. Can't wait to read the other books in the series.

Great Story

Amazon Review

This a story with memorable characters, vivid landscapes and an intriguing storyline. I would highly recommend this book.

Great Story

Amazon Review

This story has a great plot, an engaging hook that leaves you wanting more and characters you can root for. Great read all in all

Great Read!

Amazon Review

Great storyline. I am interested in next book.

A heart-stoppingly good book.

Goodreads

She Died Then Showed Me is a heart-stoppingly good book. At first, Peyton Chase seems to have the perfect life, aside from just losing her dad. As I read though, I found how deceptive appearances are. Her father's death brings the possiblity - some say probability - of having to sell the ranch that her family has owned for generations, forcing Peyton to dig into the secrets her father kept. Peyton has a full plate of problems: a half-sister who hates her, her father's debts and a former lover trying to rekindle the love affair she walked away from years ago. In exploring ways to pay off the mortgage on the ranch, Peyton encounters Blake Adler, who both attracts and angers her. Peyton is forced to examine her childhood memories to understand the secrets her parents kept. She has to examine her life, to determine what is really important, what she values most, and who she really wants to be. Samar Reine is a new author for me and will be someone whose books I will seek out. The characters are well developed and relatable, even the secondary characters. The writing made me feel as if I knew the desert in New Mexico, a place I've never seen. The heroine Peyton has made poor decisions in the past and is determined to do the right thing, not the easiest thing, with the problems she is facing after her father's death. That determination results in very difficult decisions for Peyton, forcing her to make the best choice possible from several bad alternatives. Adler, the hero, is not perfect but he is perfect for Peyton, accepting her as she is. There is a surprise twist at the end that I didn't see coming which really added to my enjoyment of the story. I highly recommend She Died Then Showed Me. I read the book in one sitting because I was pulled right into the story. It was worth the lost sleep. Like Comment

Great Read

Barnes & Noble Review

This is an excellent book. Many great characters, including the local native people, with locations that stretch from the mountains of New Mexico to the beaches of California. Anyone who enjoys family stories and the secrets and intrigue that surround them will love this book

Great Book

Good Book - best one I have read in a while Amazon

Well-written and sends a powerful message

Surprisingly Superb!

Amazon

Love the book, it grabs me from the first moment ,I could not put it down until I finished, and when I finished I found myself wanting more ! Waiting the sequel!

MUST READ

Amazon Review

Well written and easy to read. Very interesting characters. I enjoyed the book very much and recommend the book to everyone and experience for themselves Peyton's saga.

A story of courage, authenticity, and love

Amazon Review

Very few stories are provocative enough to make you stop and consider your own path, but this book does. There can be no growth without sacrifice and overcoming, but how wonderful it is when it leads to salvation, forgiveness, and the freedom to be your ultimate self. So much love in this book. All kinds. Very powerful first book.

THE EMERGING VOICE OF INGMAR BERGMAN HAS ARISEN IN AMERICA

Amazon Review

This first important novel by Samar Reine has blossomed in the desert with a depth of meaning and beauty that few can ever achieve. This level of literary accomplishment can only be recognized as a “GIFT”. for all of us who wait for an emerging author of this quality to appear; the time has come; a powerful novel has appeared. Her characters are alive, believable, dynamic; and possess great depth. You quickly form empathetic attachments to these characters who seem so alive. This is true “literary work”, with a story on three levels: the surface; the symbolic; and the Existential; just like Bergman. For those who love meaningful and life-giving literature, you will embrace this powerful narrative; just as I have.

Enjoyable Summer Read

Amazon Review

The book engages the reader from the very beginning. It has the usual family dynamics mixed with intrigue and romance. It is well written and an easy summer read.

This is a Brilliant Book!

Amazon Review

This book is brilliant. One of the best I’ve read in recent years. The heroine of the story, Payton, is relatable and very likable. She faces an instrumental amount of problems and heartache, which would bring anyone to their knees, but she is able to face them with the help of a handful of friends who turn out to be closer than family to her. This story is about realization of self-worth after years of self-doubt while holding onto a self-inflicted false sense of guilt. The story is spiritual, uplifting and healing. The characters are authentic and familiar, and the author’s descriptive writing transports the reader right into the middle of the story. Samar Reine is a superb writer! I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a story with a heart! I loved it!!!

Incredibly Good Family Saga

Amazon Review

She Died Then Showed Me is a heart-stoppingly good book. At first, Peyton Chase seems to have the perfect life, aside from just losing her dad. As I read though, I found how deceptive appearances are. Her father's death brings the possiblity - some say probability - of having to sell the ranch that her family has owned for generations, forcing Peyton to dig into the secrets her father kept. Peyton has a full plate of problems: a half-sister who hates her, her father's debts and a former lover trying to rekindle the love affair she walked away from years ago. In exploring ways to pay off the mortgage on the ranch, Peyton encounters Blake Adler, who both attracts and angers her. Peyton is forced to examine her childhood memories to understand the secrets her parents kept. She has to examine her life, to determine what is really important, what she values most, and who she really wants to be. Samar Reine is a new author for me and will be someone whose books I will seek out. The characters are well developed and relatable, even the secondary characters. The writing made me feel as if I knew the desert in New Mexico, a place I've never seen. The heroine Peyton has made poor decisions in the past and is determined to do the right thing, not the easiest thing, with the problems she is facing after her father's death. That determination results in very difficult decisions for Peyton, forcing her to make the best choice possible from several bad alternatives. Adler, the hero, is not perfect but he is perfect for Peyton, accepting her as she is. There is a surprise twist at the end that I didn't see coming which really added to my enjoyment of the story. I highly recommend She Died Then Showed Me. I read the book in one sitting because I was pulled right into the story. It was worth the lost sleep.

A thoughtful story about generational conflicts

Goodreads

This is a thoughtful story about generational conflicts, grief, mental health, and secrets that can fracture families. It took some time for me to connect with the main character Peyton. She comes from old money and her ex-boyfriend was not a great guy. However, the author was excellent at showing Peyton's strengths at the right times, and I ended up loving her character by the end of the story. I liked how naturally the relationships between Peyton and her new love interest developed, as well as her relationship with the ranch workers and her friends. It did feel at times that I would want to see more of Peyton's inner thoughts instead of the feelings being revealed in the dialogue, but that is just my preference. The descriptions of New Mexico landscapes were beautifully written, and I loved the inclusion of Navajo lore. As someone coming from a Northern European country, it was fascinating to live on a ranch in New Mexico for a little while, and it urged me to learn more about this state and its art history. Thank you very much, NetGalley, for the chance to read this ARC!

More Books

Available Now

First sons and last daughters
book 2

Learn More About The Book

Available Now

The three layers of a moment
book 3

Learn More About The Book

Samar Reine

Award Winning Professor of Economics, Author, and YouTube Content Creator

CONTACT

Contact

Location: Southwest, USA

Newsletter

Sign Up for Samar Reine’s Newsletter and Receive FREE Stories, Opportunities for FREE Books, Steep Discounts, and Updates!

Instagram Feed