I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and Wild Rose Press. Opinions expressed are solely my own.
Jake Fontaine, a Texas Ranger, is hot on the trail of the vicious outlaw, Grizzly Duvall, when everything goes wrong.
Kat Collins is hellbent on escaping from her abusive uncle when she witnesses the ambush that will end the lawman’s life. She makes a rash decision to fire at the attackers and her actions save him.
Now, Jake is obligated. But because she’s dressed like a boy, he doesn’t realize she’s a woman until her hat falls off and her braid tumbles out. His Texas code of ethics won’t allow him to leave a woman alone in the wilds of Kansas. Frustrated that this new turn of events causes him to lose the outlaw he is so determined to capture, he offers to accompany her to the ferry that will take her across the river to St. Louis.
Kat is strongly independent. She needs no one. She will make it to St. Louis and start a new life as a seamstress. So, when Jake insists on accompanying her, she makes it clear she does not need his help.
Thus begins a tumultuous relationship. Each struggles to deny any attraction they feel.
Things go sideways when Kat’s uncle catches up to the pair and forces Jake to marry her. After all her uncle is a judge and the marriage is legal and binding. For me, this part of the story was not believable. That a man would go to all the trouble to track down his niece, then not force her to return with him seemed a little far-fetched.
But now they’re married and when one night of passion brings them together, maybe they are going to work out their differences after all.
Not the case. While Jake is sleeping, Kat sneaks away, taking his horse with her.
Throughout the rest of the story, Kat is running and Jake is pursuing and each time they meet up, their relationship switches from cold to hot in seconds.
The story ramps up when Jake’s grandfather goes to St. Louis to find Kat and get her out of his grandson’s life forever. But instead, in five short weeks, he falls in love with the woman who has given birth to his great-granddaughter and on his dying bed, wills the ranch in Texas to her.
Now things get really complicated. Jake is betrothed to another. He has no idea he has a daughter.
He and Kat are like oil and water. I grew a little frustrated with both of them at different times during the story when they lied to each other and danced around the truth over and over.
However, the story does culminate into an action-filled shoot-out and happy ending.
If not for the frustration I felt while reading the story, and a couple of plot twists that were not believable, this would be a five-star read for me. However, I give it a four-star rating.
If you enjoy westerns, and tumultuous romances, you would enjoy this story.
Westerns aren’t my thing but a great review, Jan!
I know romances need complications between the two leads, but I hate the kind that feel unnecessarily frustrating. But I’m glad the writing is solid.
I agree, Staci. Romances must have conflict and obstacles to overcome to end up with a happy ever after. I just got so frustrated with their constant lying to each other. It almost cost them everything. The writing is solid and this author has a lot of potential. This is only her second published book.
I’ve been reading some western romances lately, Jan, and this sounds pretty good. I do get frustrated too when characters beat around the bush a lot. Thanks for the honest review!
The story is good, I just have to wonder how much deeper it could have gone if the two had joined forces to save the ranch instead of fighting each other. I always strive to give honest reviews. It’s just my opinion after all. Thank you for leaving a comment!
Great point. That “fighting each other” is a trope that works, but it can get tiring if the characters don’t get past it. 🙂
It sounds like the author overcomplicated what could have been a grand love affair- too bad.
That’s a good way to put it, Jacquie. I know what she was trying to do, to keep the tension going, but I wonder what would have happened if they’d joined forces to fight the ones trying to take the ranch instead of fighting each other. Thanks for stopping by!
I’ve seen this book around the blogosphere. It sounds good but I have to admit to feeling a level of frustration just reading the way the plot plays out. If it were a movie, I think I’d be yelling at the characters, LOL!
I know I would, Mae. They just needed to talk and quit lying to each other. Thank you for stopping by!
Sounds like it has good and bad points to it. It bothers me too if something doesn’t make sense. Thanks for sharing your review, Jan.
Thanks for your comment, Denise. I get that fiction has no boundaries, but I still think there has to be something believable in it. Happy Sunday!
Sounds like lots of twists and turns in this one, Jan.
Very true, Joan. And I grew so frustrated with these characters. If they’d only sat down and talked, they could have joined forces to fight the people who were really trying to steal the ranch. Thanks for stopping by.
This story is interesting but I’ve read and watched so many such stories! Sounds like nice mixture of realism and fantasy. Thanks for sharing Jan.
Thank you, Balroop. I appreciate your comment.
A mixed bag, innit? It’s hard to imagine how some of those plot twists came about but…
But it is fiction, Jacqui. And that’s the bottom line. The author has the freedom to create what they want for the characters. I grew weary of their hot/cold relationship.
So true (about the fiction). My husband keeps reminding me of that as I obsess over the research (did they have this plant 1.8 mya????).
But even writing fiction, it needs to be believable. The only exception might be sci-fi or fantasy.
This sounds like a lot of turmoil. If she loved Jake, why is she running from him? And if her uncle forced them to marry, how did he get engaged to another woman? Wow! But this is her first book so she’s still learning her craft.
Exactly. I got so frustrated with both of them. But as you say, this is her first book and the writing was good. Thank you for stopping by, sister!