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The vast majority of historical romances that I read are set in Regency England…because the vast majority of historical romances that are written are set in Regency England. However, my two favorite time/place settings are Medieval Europe and American Westerns. It is just very hard to find any recent books in these sub-genres that are well written. So having read Jo Goodman’s recent western True to the Law, I jumped all over the chance to read this book for review. I was not disappointed.
Quill McKenna is just passing through Falls Hollow, Colorado and decides to spend a night at the local brothel run by Mrs. Fry. Not long after the blonde prostitute sits in his lap, Quill feels a change in the atmosphere in the place; one of expectation and…something else. Something he cannot quite put his finger on. Then he looks up and sees a woman at the top of the stairs. The woman is not his usual sort. He likes them short, curvy and blonde. This woman is tall, slender with dark hair; exactly the sort of woman fellow patron Nick Whitfield prefers. When the woman leads Whitfield up the stairs, Quill is almost compelled to follow. When he finally bullies his way into her room, Quill finds Whitfield trussed up like a rodeo calf and that the woman is not dark haired as he thought but a full, fiery redhead.
Katherine “Calico” Nash is a notorious bounty hunter. Raised by a single father who was an Army scout, she learned the skills for her chosen occupation at his knee. She has been hired by the town of Falls Hollow, Colorado to capture Nick Whitfield after he nearly killed a prostitute at Mrs. Fry’s brothel. For a week, she has sat in that brothel waiting for him to return. Using a disguise known to lure him (to look very creepily like his deceased sister), all that stands between her and $500 is catching him. Having captured him, she just has to wait for the town sheriff to get there. Instead, a man who radiates sunshine bursts into her room, but it takes a lot to rankle Calico Nash. When Whitfield’s two associates show up instead of the sheriff, Quill demonstrates whose side he is on when he helps subdue the two intruders. And then several months later when Calico receives a job offer from Ramsey Stonechurch (Quill’s employer), she gets on the train and heads toward her golden man.
So many romances have conflict at the core of the hero/heroine relationship. This story bucks that trend. Quill and Calico have a mutual attraction from the very beginning and they are both confident enough to act on it. There is also a mutual respect that is very refreshing. While things are not as they should be in Stonechurch, Colorado, the mystery of who is trying to kill Ramsey Stonechurch and his daughter Ann almost takes a backseat to the burgeoning romance between Calico and Quill. In this book, that is how it should be. Bit by bit, Goodman reveals the characters of Quill and Calico and this reader loved every luscious moment. Both are fully drawn and believable characters. It would have been so easy to make Calico an Annie Oakley type caricature. While she does lack some of the feminine refinements a child brought up without a mother would learn, she is still all woman. She learned what she needed to know from the Army wives of her childhood. Calico is also not brash about her masculine profession. She knows her limitations and doesn’t mind asking for help when she needs it.
Quill McKenna is the son of a preacher man, a lawyer and a bodyguard. His laconic speech evokes a taciturn drawl that almost seeps through the pages. The writing of his speech is so masterful, you can almost hear his voice and it defines his personality. He thinks before he speaks or acts, but he also follows through with conviction. He is a good man, the mirror to Calico’s basically good, pragmatic woman. Goodman does a fantastic job of uncovering the past of both characters through their wittily, dry conversations. The lovemaking is sensual without being in your face. Suspense is a major part of this book’s plot, but it is primarily character driven. Calico and Quill are center stage throughout.
When I am fortunate enough to have a great book in my hands, I typically read it straight through, even if it takes until dawn. This book I felt compelled to savor. I did not want it to end, and there is the only quibble that kept this book from an A grade with no minus. I wanted just a tad more from the ending. I wanted a little more psychological rational laid out plainly concerning the villain. The HEA was definitely there, but I wanted just a little more. As far as this reader is concerned, Jo Goodman can write a sequel featuring Quill and Calico and I would knock on the bookstore window at midnight to read it. If you are a fan of Jo Goodman, westerns or both, I highly recommend this one.
I am from Alabama where I live with my husband of over 30 years in our now empty nest. Our three adult children have flown the coop and my husband and I are getting ready to build that retirement house in the next few years when I hope to have even more time for reading. I am a lifelong reader and while I read primarily romance, I enjoy most genres. If an author can tell a good story, I will read it.
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.