Review: Wonderful Western Romance
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 29, 2011
4-1/2 starsWhile running from her notorious outlaw husband, Katherine Slade is mistaken for a mail-order bride and given passage to Fatal Bluff--the town she's been seeking in order to fulfill a deathbed promise to the man who saved her life. Once in Fatal Bluff, she is forced to continue the charade and seek employment. No one's hiring--well, the local bar does need another harlot and the Sheriff needs a housekeeper. Not happy about being in the home of a lawman because of her outlaw husband, Katherine is determined to stick it out for the month and then try to outrun her husband. Sheriff Connor Langston doesn't want a wife or any woman in his life, but realizes he needs help with his 8 year-old niece and home. He's not happy about having Kate around, especially since he's becoming more and more attracted and attached to her. He can tell she's hiding something and not sure what that could mean to him and his niece.THE OUTLAW BRIDE was a well written and moving story. The POV switches between Kate and Connor, but nothing is rehashed or repeated. The story moves along quickly and smoothly, slowly building the relationship between the two. The changes that occur felt natural and right. I loved that we saw both Kate and Connor grow, as well as get to know each other and relax around each other. Everyone in town *thinks* they know what's going on, but they have no idea.Kate and Connor both, as well as the townsfolk around them, were very well developed. The romance that builds and builds was done perfectly. Ms. Boyce uses so many subtle changes to show the buildup of tension between Kate and Connor. Even then, she doesn't just throw them into bed together and wrap a bow around it. Everything had such a feeling of real life that I became absorbed into the story.The plot involving Kate's outlaw husband was done very well. We feel Kate's anxiety right from the start as she's trying to avoid detection at the train station. Throughout the story the agitation grows until a major confrontation in the end.I loved this story. It was beautifully executed. I look forward to reading more by this author and hope to do so real soon.