Review: Took a Cliche & Made it New!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 10, 2012
Running away from an arranged marriage to a man you hate isn't an easy thing to do but its really tough when you're a woman in 1879. It's exactly what Allison Lake does and finds herself alone and broke in Copper City, MT. Homeless, jobless and penniless, the pampered Bostonian applies for a position as a ranch hand for TJ Bester, the local landowner/widower who the entire town adores and respects. And, you can guess what ensues from there right? Wrong! He refuses to hire her and she is put to work in the local whorehouse.I was impressed with the way Kyann Waters took a pretty cliché plot and gave it new twists.TJ Bester is your typical gruff cowboy with a soft side. However, much of the plot conflict stems from his undying love and devotion to his first wife. Ms. Waters did a great job with keeping the reader wondering and guessing whether Allison Allison, a very typical romance heroine, who seems quite the feminist for the times, will choose TJ, who drives her mad with passion and temper, or Joseph, who is sweet and solid. You will find yourself cheering for both men at times and the tension continue to mount.There were several other characters in this novel that, while secondary, played great parts in the story and at time, steal the show, including Sandy, the madam; Marion, the whore who takes a liking to Allison; and Train (Joseph), TJ's right hand man.This was a great, very quick read for an afternoon and a steal at $.99. It was so good that I couldn't wait to read her next book (and my next review as well), To Wed a Wanton Woman.