Spirit of the Crow by M. Carolyn Steele

June 27, 2017 By Leave a Comment


Spirit of the Crow by M. Carolyn Steele
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Action/Adventure, Historical
Length: Full Length (338 pgs)
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

In 1836 John McGregor, a Scottish and Seminole half breed, kills a white man in Florida. The crime is worse when the man turns out to be an Army sergeant. Self-defense is no excuse. McGregor is angry––angry with God, the Maker and Taker of Breath, angry with the red man as well as the white. Among the Indians, this rage earns him the name, One-Who-Gives-No-Chance.

The hardened outcast hides among hundreds of Creek Indians being forcibly removed to Indian Territory. No-Chance ignores the human misery until a scream awakens a hidden memory. He risks exposure of his secret and intercedes for an injured woman in labor. The birth of the infant begins the redemption of John McGregor as he seeks to escape past demons and, despite the hardships, make a place for himself in Indian Territory.

John McGregor is half Scotch and half Seminole Indian. He looks mostly Indian but his blue eyes give him away. He got in a fight with a white man in Florida and killed him. It was self-defense but he’s a half breed and the white man was an Army sergeant. They’re after him. He joins Indians that are being taken to a different reservation and keeps his head down.

This book is factually accurate and covers a very painful time in the history of the US. The Indians were driven from the land they grew up in. They were promised goods and meat by the Army but it never came to be. Ms. Steele bases her story on the Indians themselves and while it’s a sad tale, it’s told well and makes you think of all their suffering.

Things start to go wrong when he notices a young pregnant woman who can barely walk. He tries to give her aid but when she falls, the soldiers are ready to whip her to get her to move again. He stops that and it takes the Indian Scout to save him from trouble. They leave the woman behind and assign John (No Chance) to get her up with the group later. Her husband remains behind also. The woman goes into labor, the men have no idea what to do, and while the baby lives, the mother dies. They bury her and join the Indians again.

Despite all the hardships and loss of hope, No Chance doesn’t give up. Trying to hide among the Indians is not so easy to do. They won’t give him away but they won’t stop the soldiers either.

The story reads well and keeps your interest. As you get into the spirit of the Indians, you can relate to their fear of the white man. No Chance has visits from his dead father. He needs his guidance. It’s all believable as you read it. No Chance ends up with a chance at the end of the book.

If you’re familiar with Indian history, this is a visit to the past with memorable characters. If you’re not, this story will be enlightening. Give it a try; it’s an excellent read.

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Abbey’s Tale by Katherine McDermott

June 21, 2017 By Leave a Comment


Abbey’s Tale by Katherine McDermott
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (202 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

An immigrant from Ireland, Jeremy McKetcheon took the place of a wealthy New Englander drafted into the Union Army during the Civil War. Jeremy, terribly scarred by a shell that set fire to his tent, is now a reclusive lighthouse keeper on an island off the coast of Maine. He is haunted by flashbacks of the war, and never expects to find love, understanding, or acceptance.

Beautiful but blind from birth, Abigail Morrison sees the world through the intricate carvings her father brings back from Lighthouse Island when he takes supplies there. She wonders about the artistic carver and why he hides from the world. But when the opportunity arises for her to visit the island, she and her father are tossed overboard in a raging storm. Having seen their distress from the lighthouse, Jeremy attempts a rescue in the frigid waters, and all their lives are changed forever.

Abbey’s Tale was a sweet, endearing love story between Jeremy and Abbey. Jeremy, whose face was scarred while fighting in the Civil War, and Abbey who was born blind, were given a chance at love. While together they learned about inner beauty. They both helped each other to overcome their insecurities. Jeremy felt his face was repulsive and would rather be a recluse. Abbey worried no one would fall in love with a blind woman because they’d think she was a burden. From the moment Jeremy and Abbey met their lives changed for the better. If you add an amazing dog named Bailey, meddling relatives, crashing ships, and a criminal who threatens, robs and lies, then you have a recipe for a 5 star book. Oh! Let’s not forget Jeremy’s Irish accent, it was completely irresistible.

In a world that is full of judgmental people it was nice to read how Jeremy and Abbey showed the community what true love is. The plot thread with the criminal added an interesting twist with a bit of suspense throughout the story. I’d like to point out the plot thread when Abbey’s aunt and uncle meddled in Jeremy and Abbey’s relationship. It was well intended meddling and as a parent I understood, but I understood how Abbey felt as a child. As a wife I understood how Jeremy felt. I was all emotionally mixed up but then realized that is what family is about. It all worked out for the good. It’s a perfect example and lesson of why the young should respect and listen to their elders.

This was a well written story that progressed nicely and held my interest from the beginning to the end. I’m glad I chose Abbey’s Tale to read by the pool on my weekend. It was a wonderful, heartwarming love story. There was so much more to this tale that you just have to read it for yourself.

It definitely was a quality read that I’d recommend to others, especially to a reading club because there are thought provoking discussion questions at the end. I could see this book being turned into a movie in the theaters with a young Mel Gibson playing the hero and Julia Roberts playing Abbey. I’d love to see the lighthouse scenery that Katherine McDermott described come to life. I do think this novel would make a beautiful historical romance movie. Abbey’s Tale is a must read!

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Steele and Stone by Kay Phoenix

June 20, 2017 By Leave a Comment


Steele and Stone by Kay Phoenix
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (170 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Elle Thompson was raised in Denver. She paints. She hikes. She knows how to avoid cougar attacks.

The only cougars Michael Williams usually worries about are the ones that wear leopard print leggings on 5th Avenue.

But, when his acquisition firm sets its sights on Elle’s family business, his tidy life goes awry. As things unravel, so do all his preconceived notions of love and what makes a perfect partner.

Steele and Stone was a short story that can be read in a small amount of time. It captured my interest from the first page and managed to keep me turning pages until I reached the end.

Michael, the hero, wasn’t quite my type of man so I had trouble relating to him but for the heroine, he was Elle’s type of man and together they were relatable. I prefer a strong and decisive hero. I had more respect for Elle for staying focused on her priorities. Together they had to get past previous emotional hurts before their love for one another could flourish. It was a bit slow and tedious, yet still an enjoyable process that was accomplished before the book ended.

The plot wasn’t original and was quite predictable yet I still enjoyed the journey. The writing style was average. I think the characters, such as Michael’s Uncle John, could have been more developed to add a bit more substance, suspense and drama to the plot. I just felt like this book didn’t meet its full potential. However, my curiosity was able to overlook those flaws. I was like a fly drawn into the trap. I couldn’t look away. I needed to see how it was going to end. Actually, the ending was wrapped up quickly. Perhaps even a bit too quickly but at that point I was ready to move on.

I would recommend Steele and Stone to someone who is looking to pass time with a quick, easy and uncomplicated short story. This would be a great book to read on a two hour plane ride. I look at it this way – if you are starving to read a romance story then this would be a great appetizer!

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Love in the Golden Years by Ellynore Seybold

June 16, 2017 By Leave a Comment


Love in the Golden Years by Ellynore Seybold
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (28 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

Harold, a widower and a retired government worker, misses his wife and decides to take up a hobby. Courageously stepping out of his shell, he joins a scuba diving class, where he meets a vivacious widow and discovers new adventures.

Attractive and fun-loving Aletha spices up Harold’s mostly routine life with one surprise after another. Neither of them expect any obstacles to a nice relationship, but everything—from sexual malfunction to legalese to Aletha’s new career—seems to interfere.

Will they ever find married bliss?

Love in the Golden Years is an enjoyable sweet read that gives proof that a second love is possible. The story is mostly told from widower Harold’s view. Harold misses his wife of 42 years but finds his interest is sparked when he meets adventurous Aletha. Aletha is a widow and in her golden years is looking for something interesting. She takes to Harold, even though I think she is a little bit too much for him.

This is a short read, that had my attention from the beginning. I would have liked to have read a little more from Aletha’s point of view. I enjoyed reading how Aletha and her husband Norman met and their love seemed so real and actually touched my heart. I classify them as an adventurous and daring couple that won my heart. I hated to see that their 30 years of marriage ended so abruptly. Even though the introduction of their meeting was short and their marriage was mentioned briefly I enjoyed reading about their bond and closeness. I am glad that Aletha kept living and kept her adventurous side active.

Harold tells most of the story of their relationship. I get the feeling that Harold felt left out often, but he didn’t voice this to Aletha, perhaps fearing he would run her off. Harold enjoyed Aletha’s liveliness and I think this is what kept him around even though they faced conflicts.

The plot is interesting and the writing is simple and to the point. The characters are likable and I can picture them dancing and enjoying the night. Even though I am not in my golden years, the story can be relatable to someone of age because it varies from losing someone, starting a new relationship and the events that come with new beginnings.

I would recommend this pleasurable read to readers that enjoy reading about love and happy endings.

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I Wish For Your Kiss by Cynthia Moore

June 15, 2017 By Leave a Comment


I Wish For Your Kiss by Cynthia Moore
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical, Holiday
Length: Short Story (69 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Justin Wexley, Marquess of Rockton has decided he doesn’t want to be married. He has come to this conclusion after many uncomfortable experiences with young women who were thrust upon him by their domineering mothers as possible candidates for the position of his future wife and Marchioness. He is tired of discussing the weather with these silly, nitwitted girls. He is perfectly happy taking care of his large estate with the knowledge that one day his cousin, a smart and diligent young man, will one day inherit his title and property.

Miss Catherine Simms arrives at her friend’s home in the country to celebrate Christmas with her and her family. She discovers that the Marquess of Rockton has also been included in the invitation. Catherine has heard the rumors about Lord Rockton’s aversion to marriage. She finds him to be intelligent as well as handsome and greatly enjoys the time spent with him. Regrettably, they part under less than ideal circumstances on Christmas day.

Fate works its magic and the two of them meet again two years later. Can Justin and Catherine forget about their less than ideal experiences from the past and begin to make lovely, happy moments together in the present?

Justin Wexley – the Marquess of Rockton – was spending the Christmas holidays with his friend from Eton – Edward Teague, the Earl of Norton. Justin was surprised at how another guest – Miss Catherine Simms, a childhood friend of the Earl’s wife – somehow managed to flummox him. Finding the vibrant and engaging young woman constantly on his mind, Justin is uncertain if his previously held notions on remaining unmarried might have been a little precipitous. Can Justin and Catherine both get their fondest wish for Christmas?

This is a very different and oddly interesting Regency romance story. Far from the usual tales of ballrooms and dalliances, discreet affairs or sneaking around the corridors at a house party, I really enjoyed how both Justin and Catherine came to Edward and Mary’s home to celebrate Christmas quietly with their respective friends. Also refreshingly I loved how neither Edward nor Mary tried to set up Catherine and Justin. In many respects I found this a really different, fresh perspective on a Regency story.

I enjoyed how Catherine was quite knowledgeable on many topics – architecture and farming, as well as general court and ton style gossip – but didn’t appear overly bookish or like a know-it-all. I have to admit that although the author gave an exceptional explanation as to why Catherine was so knowledgeable about farming practices, it still felt a little unrealistic to me. Women – even avid readers who were single children and close to their parents – were kept strictly kept away from the “men’s business” of things like agriculture and farming. Also, far more selfishly, while it was lovely to see Catherine talk so knowingly on such a variety of subjects, the number of pages talking about farming and such did grow old for me quite quickly. I enjoyed seeing Catherine charm Justin in such a novel way, and it absolutely proved how strong their connection was and gave a really good basis for them emotional connection and a strong basis for their chemistry, but it struck me as just a little far-fetched.

I greatly enjoyed all four main characters. I liked how there were layers to them and how all the usual traps of a Regency Romance weren’t really present here. I felt this was a fresh take on a Regency Christmas story and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I also enjoyed how the conflict, while not completely original, nevertheless didn’t feel stilted to me and wasn’t the dreaded “we had a miscommunication and parted angry” style of play that’s massively overused to my mind. Perfectly sweet, there are a few chaste kisses, but I found all other romance is kept inside the interactions between the characters and in the chemistry that builds slowly but wonderfully between Catherine and Justin.

A sweet and wonderful Regency Christmas short story, I found this a lovely tale with great characters and tons of plot. A brilliant story.

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Tilly Loves Johnny by Marion L. Cornett

June 12, 2017 By 1 Comment


Tilly Loves Johnny by Marion L. Cornett
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (217 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

Newlywed Tilly Miner turns a deaf ear to rumors and gossip her husband, Johnny, is running parties where “complimentary” hooch loosens lips as well as pocketbooks for those looking to gamble. Some nights he crawls into their bed, smelling of sour rye mash; others, not even making it home until early morning. But her loyalty remains unwavering.

And then, the unspeakable happens. A few days before Christmas, Tilly discovers a bloody atrocity dumped on their kitchen table. A warning from the Ku Klux Klan? Johnny laughs it off as a joke. But, when he goes missing one cold night in February, 1929, Tilly is convinced someone or something prevents his return.

Her undying faith in Johnny is tested by righteous attitudes from her best friend’s mother and a too cruel mother-in-law, while a recalcitrant sheriff is convinced the man merely ran off.

Tilly Miner’s love and dedication for her husband Johnny kept my attention. The plot is interesting but seemed to be delivered in away that truly didn’t give it full justice. The book opens at the beginning of a card game, then follows with Tilly’s story of Johnny’s long nights of not coming home. Rumor has it Johnny is into various unlawful acts and when he goes missing. Tilly is the only one that believes in his return.

Tilly’s life is depressing and sad. I wanted something good to happen for her but it never did. She had this dark cloud over her through out the entire book. Though Tilly’s life was sad I was drawn in to continue reading. Tilly didn’t have an exciting life nor many thrills. It seemed the only joy Tilly had was her friend Rita Mae and their shared enjoyment in going to the movies. I felt that Tilly was cheated. She didn’t have a husband who truly loved her like she loved him. Johnny didn’t spend time with her, nor did he really show Tilly that she was a priority. Tilly lived in her family home on the second floor while her father lived on the third floor. Tilly’s mother has been deceased for years. Tilly and her father didn’t have a close relationship. Her father seemed more concerned with Johnny’s behavior and repetition than he did in how unhappy his daughter was.

I thought maybe when Tilly got pregnant that that would bring about some happiness to Tilly’s life. This only made me feel sorry for her daughter, Tiz because she was basically motherless. This book is an example of someone focusing on the bad and not on the good in life. Tilly enjoyed reading the town paper and making accessories but eventually she lost interest in these things.

I did like the small town interaction. The various characters that helped give the story realness. I liked the relationship that Thad Andrews, the milkman, had with Tilly. It seemed that was the highlight of Tilly’s day when Thad and Brown Molly, Thad’s horse, brought milk.

Even after finishing this book, I am still trying to figure out how I feel about it. While reading, there is the question is Johnny really dead or did he just leave town to avoid those that were looking for him. The ending was unpredictable for me. I give the author high praise for a creative ending. I was glad that the story gave a full ending in disclosing what really happened to Johnny and how other characters fared.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Taking Chances by Arnold Greenberg

June 9, 2017 By Leave a Comment


Taking Chances by Arnold Greenberg
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (59 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Catherine loves Martin, but is no longer in love. Two days after celebrating their thirty-fourth anniversary, she’s fascinated by the man sitting across from her in the park. He’s writing intensely in his notebook, and when their eyes meet, he stops writing. After a short conversation, he offers to walk her back to her office across the street, then invites her to have coffee after work. Captivated, she reluctantly agrees to go to his apartment where, much to her surprise, a secret year-long affair begins.

Though horrified that she has broken her marriage vows, is living a lie, and suffocating, she finds the courage to tell Martin she’s in love with another man. Breaking his heart is the hardest thing she has ever done but must take a chance and follow her own. When Martin dies, she feels responsible but painfully learns a person is responsible for one’s own happiness.

Is it a fleeting crush or something more permanent than that? Catherine is about to find out whether she’s ready to or not.

The conflict was handled perfectly. I read the whole thing in one sitting because I couldn’t wait to find out what Catherine would decide to do and how her life would play out after she began to feel the consequences of her choices. The tension rose so steadily that there was no way I was going to stop until I knew how her story ended.

There were a few things about Catherine’s affair that I would have liked to see explained better. She talked about feeling deeply conflicted about it in some scenes, but in other scenes she seemed completely at ease with her decision to cheat on her spouse. This was a little confusing to me because it didn’t match how she behaved in the rest of her life. I was fascinated by this part of her personality, though, and would have simply liked to explore it in more depth so I could have known if was a one-time decision or part of a pattern in her life.

With that being said, Catherine was a complex and interesting main character. She felt like a real person to me, flaws and all. Her love of hearty food and burning desire for a taste of the romance she’d read about in books brought a smile to my lips. There were so many times when I wished I could reach through the pages and give her some friendly advice. I remained intrigued by her even when she made choices that I wished she wouldn’t make.

Taking Chances was a thought-provoking tale that I’d recommend to anyone who is in the mood for an honest and unique take on modern love.

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A Touch of Texas Irish by Linda LaRoque

June 9, 2017 By 3 Comments


A Touch of Texas Irish by Linda LaRoque
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (217 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

Heiress Aileen Lynch has just lost her mother to cancer, but her spendthrift stepfather insists she must cancel his gambling debts by marrying his disreputable associate. Fleeing Ireland with the help of her mother’s lawyer, she lands in Boston to stay with friends and is attracted to one of their visitors.

Doctor Samuel Walker is in town to attend a medical conference. When he meets the lovely young Irishwoman he is quite taken with her and, at his colleague’s entreaty, marries her and takes her home to Texas with him to keep her safe. Sam rationalizes that he doesn’t need a wife but he does need a mother for his son.

While Aileen strives to earn Sam’s affection, he vows never to risk Aileen’s safety or his heart—he’ll not father a child and watch Aileen die in childbirth as his first wife did. And falling in love is not in his plans.

A death, a dreadful demand, and a deceptive departure took Aileen Lynch from her home in misty, green Ireland to the arid Fort Stockton area of Texas.

The reader is swept along with the emotional and physical turmoil of eighteen year old Aileen Lynch as she, with the help of the lawyer who controls her money, avoids marrying or being mistress to Brian MacAuley, the man her “Da” owes gambling debts to. She goes to America to stay with the lawyer’s relatives. Here she meets the widower Dr. Samuel Walker from Texas.

Her new life begins in what is to be a “marriage of convenience” to protect her and to give Walker’s young son Tad a mother. Good reading finding out how this works out. As Aileen works to win over Tad and to make a home that feels like it is hers, she has an adversary in Ruth, a relative of Samuel’s deceased wife, who had planned to be Samuel’s wife.

The gentle love story that threads its way through all the day to day activities is predictable but still a joy to read. The twists and turns of events and the shocking climax makes for “gotta finish this” kind of reading. There is a shocker that brackets the total story that stands out – if would be a spoiler if I told!

Linda La Roque’s smooth, straight-forward writing style is a pleasure to read. The research is thorough for the modes of travel in the late nineteenth century, for the attitudes of the people about the Irish, and many other details that make A Touch of Texas Irish seem real.

Enjoyable Reading!

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Fire in Her Blood by Rachel Graves

June 7, 2017 By Leave a Comment


Fire in Her Blood by Rachel Graves
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense
Length: Full Length (402 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Daisy

Death witch and Detective Mallory Mors arrives at the scene of an out of control arson called by a victim who desperately wants to die. Using her powers, Mallory battles the strongest fire witch in town to help the woman cross over.

When she’s forced to work with the angry fire witch, she discovers their lives are linked in complicated ways. As all the other fire witches in the city mysteriously lose their powers, the heat is on to solve the case. Saddled with a vampire assault at the local supernatural brothel, a missing person who doesn’t want to be found, and a mess of vampire politics, Mallory struggles to put together the pieces before the city burns.

This book has all the elements of what I would call a riveting read. Despite being the second book in a series, it’s still a fully contained tale. Mallory Mors is a rookie detective in a magical world with numerous bad guys capable of burning people to a crisp, and her home life is steamy, with a head vampire beneath the sheets. Her latest story is full of fire witches and a tangled mystery of arson and death by fire, plus a bonus mystery surrounding the fire witches in her friendship circle.

As a protagonist, Mallory is spontaneous without being stupid, but she is naïve and green in her job, her powers and her beliefs, something I sense will change as the series progresses. I found the intricacies of her love life politics to be played well, most of the time, though occasionally she let a fight go too quickly, as did her partner. Their frequent time in bed, or heading towards it, vividly goes through the play by play of the event and is full of screams, primitive and primal alike. For me, this went too far and ended up sounding unrealistic, a caricature of the event. However, this may have been because I was far more interested in the mystery playing out within the book and found the romance to be a relatively boring interruption in this part of the narrative.

The mystery running through this story was what kept me hooked through the conflictless love scenes and the occasional typo. With fire after fire killing, maiming, and destroying buildings, the culprits were known but not their motives, or their location. The manhunt to find them, bouncing through many seedy establishments along the way, was riveting and gave me a wonderfully thorough introduction to the society and world Graves is building in this series. The payoff to this mystery was a little predictable and I had guessed the outcome from maybe halfway through the book, but there was a twist or two in there which made me smile.

This series is sure to appeal to people who like sex with their mysteries. Some readers may recognise it as a more mainstream version of what Laurell K Hamilton creates in her Anita Blake series. What draws me to the series above all else, are the potential conflicts to come. Mallory has embedded herself into a life with a vampire who keeps his professional life as head vampire of the city secret. Since an old friend of his has reappeared on the scene and become central to Mallory’s work, there’s much for her to learn and, I suspect, much she would not like. I’m eager to find out how those mysteries reveal themselves in later books. I imagine Mallory is in for a rough ride!

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

When Hearts Fly by Tanya Hanson

June 6, 2017 By Leave a Comment


When Hearts Fly by Tanya Hanson
Help Wanted series
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Genre: Historical
Length: Short Story (106 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Myrtle

Cordy Meeker can’t wait to sell her Paradise, Nebraska, inn and move to the mountains of Colorado. All she wants is a cowboy to call her own. But her late twin has gotten her in trouble at the bank. She needs a moneymaking scheme and fast. When she falls into Hawk Shockley’s arms, she believes her troubles are over.

The second son of a British nobleman, Hawk finds himself broke and alone in Paradise on his way to his family’s Colorado holdings. He guards his heart against the beautiful innkeeper—women have gotten him into fixes before—but needs quick money, too. He posts a Help Wanted advertisement seeking riders to pay to prove horses can fly. But can he resist Cordy while the two of them pull off the impossible?

Anything can happen in Paradise.

The security of owning a boardinghouse in 1888, willed by a loving aunt, is as good as the promise of a prosperous future, unless of course, a dead brother mortgages it right out from under you!

Cordy Meeker loved her brother, Clancy, but that doesn’t wipe away her anger at him, dead or not, when the local banker shows up threatening to foreclose on her previously free and clear property. How could Clancy mortgage their boardinghouse without her approval? In 1888, a man often had more rights than brains.

All seems doomed until handsome Keaton “Hawk” Shockly arrives with a plan to prove horses can fly! He seems to be Cordy’s dream man, a real Wild West cowboy-type who turns out to be the son of an English Earl. Both he and Cordy need money fast, so she helps him set up a contest that draws entrants from miles around their little town. The “Horses Can Fly!” event, which happens to be based on an actual 1800s experiment, starts bringing in money, barely in the nick of time. Unfortunately, it also puts Hawk in a position to be killed—and just as he starts falling in love with Cordy.

This storyline started well, but it quickly became disjointed by new circumstances that came out of nowhere. It seemed even the story itself had a hard time focusing on the plot. Romantic thoughts popped up throughout the story without any benefit of emotion, reason, or clarity. Other scenes and sentences simply made no sense, i.e., “And, he smiled, much money. Which reminded him, and heat brushed him. He owed her, too. Well, he was practically barefooted; the half-eagle was in his boot upstairs.” Or, “Like melting butter, her golden hair streamed over her shoulders and begged for his mouth.”

However, this western storyline is unique—flying horses! And the methods for proving the theory, worked for me. If you enjoy westerns with a unique slant, this story might be a good one for your next reading weekend.

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