UNTAMED COWBOY

Author: Pam Crooks ISBN: 0373294573 7/2007 THRILLER Publisher: HARLEQUIN
Time Period: 1885 Texas

Carina Lockett is driven to build a legacy for her young daughter, and she doesn't need a man to help her do it. But when her precious child is lured away and held for ransom, she must swallow her pride and ask for Penn McClure's help. Penn McClure has no intention of playing cowboy for any woman, especially one as strong-willed as Carina. But driving a herd of cattle to Dodge City is no easy task. And he has a score to settle with the man waiting for them at the end of the trail. Along the way, he discovers Carina is pure female—and that her legacy has become his own.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

UNTAMED COWBOY by Pam Crooks is truly unforgettable. I have to admit, I'm a big fan of historical westerns. Cowboys, fallen women, six-shooters and hard, dusty times. ahh, I love 'em all. Pam Crooks has taken everything about the Old West that true aficionados crave and put the best of it into this book. UNTAMED COWBOY is a western lover's dream come true.

As I said, this novel has everything a great western historical should have. Heart-stopping romance, with a strong, sexy, intelligent hero and a heroine who is so well written that it is simple to forget she's a character, rather than a real person. The pair, both nursing past wounds, come together in a way that seems destined, without feeling orchestrated. This novel unfolds seamlessly, the images and emotions fairly bursting from the pages. Pam Crooks' use of language is magical. Her true-to-character dialogue is enchanting—some of the phrases she uses are laugh-out-loud funny, while others are raw and gritty. Still, she finds room in this fast-paced action to interject soft, sensual passages, bringing the tension and heat between Penn and Carina to a constant simmer.

I was captivated from the very first page of UNTAMED COWBOY. Although the book's conclusion was wonderfully satisfying, I was disappointed to see this end. Pam Crooks' UNTAMED COWBOY is one of the best historical westerns I've read-ever!

Kay James