A quintessential man's world, the frontier is an appealing setting for romance novels because of the kind of people it demands. Lone, wild and earthy, frontiersmen draw the American ethic in flesh and bone. The heroine, while often forced by outside events to journey to or live on the frontier, changes in the experience. She succeeds in a man's world, tames it and is always worthy of the frontier hero. She encounters a wild, unruly force in the hero, conquers her fears with love, and fends for herself to make a real home wherever circumstances have brought her.
Love is the one treasure great enough to risk honor and life to claim.
The lovers go out to the edge of danger and return safely to shape new possibilities together. The bad guys get hanged, while the good guys win. There's integrity on the frontier. Stephanie recommends A Rogue in Texas by Lorraine Heath. There's also the thrill of being first in a place.