Dear Penelope

I have been a fan of Sharon Ihle since I was in college. Her Western historicals often feature just the right amount of humor to give them a fun, folksy feel, while her characters are mostly likable and their adventures make me smile. I’ve long thought Ihle deserved a larger audience. Sadly, her first book…

Redemption

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…

The Bachelor by Kate Bridges

The Bachelor is set in Calgary, Alberta in 1893, and the hero is a Mountie. The story is a good one and so are the characters, but it suffered from “Harlequin Historical” compression – there were lots of interesting points that were hurried over. If only it could have been longer! The Royal Canadian Mounted…

Walks in Shadow

Lately I’ve discovered that I have more interest in exciting, action-filled tales of the Old West than I ever thought possible and this tale of evildoers, a feisty rancher, and her beloved horse-tamer certainly fills the bill. This is a fun read, although lacking somewhat in emotionality. Walks in Shadow is a white man who…

Midnight Satin by Laurie Grant

I remember reading some of Laurie Grant’s medievals back when she wrote for Harlequin Historicals and I initially looked forward to reading her again. Unfortunately, while the German immigrant community forming the setting for Midnight Satin sets it apart from many Western romances and gives it an interesting flavor, an unnecessary villain and some choppy…

A Texan’s Luck

I looked at my database of reading for 2004, and realized that I’ve only read two Western romances this year. Fans of the Western romance subgenre know you can usually count on Jodi Thomas for an entertaining read. This book features nice leads, but is marred by sequelitis and a ridiculous action subplot. A Texan’s…

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