They say that good things come in small packages and, in the case of Loving Mercy, this came so very close to being true. While this rather charming debut novel is still somewhat better than average, it did have its flaws. The author manages to pack an impressive amount of plot and emotional wrangling into…
Just when I thought I’d read almost every variant of Western romance, along comes Lynna Banning’s latest. Forget cowboys and ranchers, this is the tale of a town fundraiser and a mail-order bride competition. While the initial set-up of the story is rather contrived, the story does have some rather unexpectedly touching moments. Leora (Lolly)…
Into His Arms is Paula Reed’s debut novel. With an exotic setting, an unusual source of conflict, and a really adorable hero, she’s off to a good start. Faith Cooper is not your typical heroine: she’s a Puritan. Even though her heart is not involved, she has just about decided to accept her latest suitor….
Untamed is the second book in Merline Lovelace’s series about the history of Oklahoma. It takes place in the early 1800s, back when the territory was still known as Indian Country. It certainly has a distinct sense of place. It’s also a flat, uninvolving and often annoying read. Lady Barbara Chamberlain comes to Indian Country…
The year is 1882. Michael “Mick” McCann is a New York City policeman, not long off the boat from Ireland. He sees a street gang tormenting a boy and rescues him, only to discover that his waif is a woman in boy’s clothing. Her name is Timona Calverson, and she says she was kidnapped and…
A Wanted Man, Susan Kay Law’s latest, has all the elements of an enjoyable western: a fine-looking cowboy, a sympathetic heroine, plus trains, horses, and an evil villain. All of these elements come together for an entertaining and romantic read. Laura Hamilton, a talented artist, is out on her own for the first time in…
The Irish Devil would have been a lot better if it had not had so many sex scenes. I don’t think there was a chapter where there wasn’t one (or two, or three, or four) sex scenes. After I finished the book, I couldn’t help but think it would have been a marvelous big, juicy…
Normally, I very much enjoy books set in the times when modern America was just shaping up: the combination of cowboys, Indians and military men, and the often rough way of life are enough to form a sizzling basis for a story. However, The Princess and the Wolf not only failed to light a fire…
Harper Allen’s The Man That Got Away is one of the most original debut romances I’ve ever come across, and one of my favorites. A time-travel romance with an unusual setting – 1930s Hollywood – it’s brimming over with creativity, excitement, emotion and a lot of heart. Most of all, it’s just a lot of…
Moon in the Water is an uncommonly lush and lovely historical romance. Most of the story takes place aboard a steamer on the Mississippi River, a very nice setting for the gentle love story that unfolds there. Owning a riverboat seemed like an impossible dream for a steersman like Chase Hardesty. Then James Rossiter, owner…
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