Review: Campy western historical
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 01 4, 2012
When Rebecca Hamilton steps off the stagecoach in tiny Gardiner, Texas she's not sure what to expect.  The plain,  spinsterish young woman from Massachusetts has come to claim the inheritance left to her by her aunt, but what exactly that inheritance entails is rather vague.  Gardiner's sheriff, Adam Caldwell, wastes no time in setting Rebecca straight:  She is now the new "Madam" of the town's only house of ill repute.  Since Rebecca is clearly not Madam material and Adam could really use a wife, the solution seems simple - Adam proposes.  But after years of taking care of her overbearing father Rebecca is in no hurry to tie herself to yet another man who is just looking for someone to cater to his every whim.  So Rebecca decides to try her new life on for size, and assumes the persona of "Miss Becky".  There's just one little problem...Miss Becky can't seem to resist the town's  temperamental sheriff, and Adam prefers plain old Rebecca to her flashier alter ego.I'm always singing Shannon Stacey's praises, but I felt kind of neutral about this one.  I found these characters very one dimensional.  Rebecca's lightening fast transformation from nave and virginal to faux-prostitute was really ridiculous, and the running joke about Adam just needing to shoot someone to blow off some steam got old real fast.  The whole story is very reminiscent of those cheesy, campy western movies and television programs that were so popular in the late 60's/early 70's.  I can almost picture the silly costumes and the fake looking scenery!  Wait!  Do I hear the theme music from Bonanza playing in the background?  I just know that Hoss and Little Joe are around her somewhere...While this one wasn't a good "fit" for me, there's no denying that the author really does write quite well.  The pacing is good and the dialog is nicely done.  I think the key to enjoying this is to go into it knowing what you're going to get:  a very light, fluffy romance that's historical in name only.While this is a follow-up to another book set in Gardiner, Texas -Taming Eliza Jane, you won't be lost if you don't read them in order.Occasional strong language and some sexual content.