At her best, Linda Broday has a way with words and creates an unforgettable atmosphere. In her latest historical, even though the opening line and closing line are both wonderful, the story that lies between them is sadly uneven. Further, while Redemption does have some good moments, the story often walks on the wrong side of the line between strong emotion and mawkish sentimentality.

Laurel James has come to Redemption with her friend Olivia Applejack b’Dam (I swear I’m not making that up) in search of a fresh start. She has left behind her scandalous past and seeks to begin life as a respectable woman. She and her friend Ollie run a café in the town of Redemption, and Laurel is engaged to local banker Murphy Yates.

This changes when Murphy’s brother, Brodie Yates, rides into town. Brodie knows Laurel’s past and is determined to make sure she does not forget it. As Brodie makes it clear to Laurel that he will dash her hopes of cutting away the shadows of her past life, he also comes to realize how much Laurel really does mean to him. Laurel, for her part, cared for Brodie in the past, and as she learns more about him, she is attracted to him.

Laurel’s secret past is no trifling matter and it plays a huge role in the story. The tension created by her attempts to avoid dealing with her past and how it shapes the interactions between Laurel and Brodie makes for compelling conflict. At times, these conflicts become a tad melodramatic, but it is still an interesting story.

My main problem with the story lay with the supporting characters, particularly Ollie. The exceedingly plain-spoken (and wise, of course) woman is a stock character who is Laurel’s confidante and advisor. While using stock characters to make a point is a literary device that can be quite useful, Ollie’s voice causes it to derail the story at times. From the way she is portrayed, it appears Ollie is supposed to be a rough but lovable character. However, her over-the-top usage of ridiculous made-up swear words and treacly homespun proverbs jerked me right out of the story on occasion and sometimes ran a tender love story into something one would expect to find in a bad Hallmark card knock-off.

On the plus side, Laurel and Brodie’s story is an appealing one. Though Broday does at times go a little over-the-top with the local color, it is obvious she has researched her place and her time period. Far from having a generic Western setting, Redemption has numerous unobtrusive references that remind the reader this tale takes place in Texas during Reconstruction.

While the unevenness of the writing and some over-the-top sentimentality make this book one I cannot quite recommend, those who love emotional stories, as well as fans of Western romance may want to check this one out. The moments of purple prose and hackneyed “down home” sentiment did not work for me, but true Western fans may be able to see past them.