When I first began reading Moon Hunter, I was looking forward to the fact that a more unusual time and place were used as settings – the story takes place in late 18th century frontier Kentucky. The only reason I knew this, however, is because Fort Boonesborough is mentioned, and that settlement was not built until about 1775. It was this refreshing change of venue that kept me reading, for the story is very slow-paced; overall, not much happens.

Rebecca Wallace and her baby are in hiding after Becca’s abusive husband goes on another violent rampage. While she is away, the cabin is attacked by Indians and husband Hugh is killed. Alone in the wilderness, Becca meets Mack McGee, a handsome army scout who has taken it upon himself to personally save every wilderness-dweller he can. He has vowed never to marry or have a family, so saving the helpless has become his mission in life.

Rebecca, who had been abused by both her step-father and then her husband, is both attracted and repelled by Mack. He’s big and strong and can hurt her, but never does. She learns to trust him, and then to want him.

As for Mack, he’s used to having his pick of willing ladies back at the fort, but, even though Becca is now a widow, he constantly rejects the growing feelings he has for her. When he is wounded by Indians, he is forced to let Becca tend his wounds, and the two of them grow closer.

Their goal is to return to Boonesborough and safety, but the first half of the book is spent with Mack recovering from the wound to his leg. Very little happens here, except Becca and Mack’s constant fearfulness of getting close to the other. At one point, Becca succumbs to Mack’s kisses and immediately wants him to take her. Becca’s capitulation to her passions happens far too soon, considering her lifetime of fearing men. There are so many near-miss episodes like this, when they finally did make love, it is anti-climactic (no pun intended).

To give this author credit, she has tried to maintain a consistent tone of regional language in her characters’ dialogue. I liked this; it added another dimension that made the basic story refreshing. Unfortunately, because so little happens and the pace is so slow, the positives neutralized the negatives, making this an average read for me.

Another problem I had was: Why in the world was Mack so dead-set against falling in love and getting married? The reader knows from the very beginning Mack’s reason for keeping his distance, but it is simply not a strong enough motivation to be sustained some twenty years (and 200 pages) after the fact. I thought his resistance to Becca went on far too long.

This is Ms. Mascle’s third novel, so if you’re a fan, you may enjoy Moon Hunter. Based on my reading of this book, however, I’m in no rush to seek out her backlikst.