This is a new review of a book I originally read in 2015.
There are more than 140 books in the Montana Mavericks series, spanning over 25 years. I happened to pick up this book, not realizing that I'd read it a number of years ago. This anthology is one of the few in the Montana Mavericks series that offers historical, rather than contemporary short stories.
About halfway through the first story, I realized that the characters and the plot were too familiar to be new. However, I was in the mood and decided to re-read this book.
SPIRIT OF THE WOLF (Susan Mallery) --
Widower Caleb Kincaid's son decides to run away when a new teacher is hired (he will have to go to school instead of working on the ranch). So seven-year-old Zeke runs to the Indian village not far from his father's home. Unfortunately, it is the home of the Cheyenne woman healer, Ruth Whitefeather, who refused Caleb's marriage offer nine years before. This is still an unrealistic story (from my understanding of Cheyenne culture).
AS GOOD AS GOLD (Bronwyn Williams) --
Dixie Browning writes historical romances with her sister, Mary Burris William; they use the pen name of Bronwyn Williams. This is a fairly average story of an older man rescuing a much younger woman from being the latest town prostitute. However, this story redeems itself when Lizzy takes her life into her own hands (she has a worthless brother who left her to "work off" his gambling debts).
THE GAMBLE (Carolyn Davidson) --
Since I've already read almost all of Davidson's extensive backlist, I decided to savor her style once more with this short story. James Kincaid is a drunk gambler with an eye for the ladies. The town needs a sheriff; the town fathers encourage James to take the job. However, it is the new schoolmarm who creates the change in James and he takes the job he swore he didn't want. Now, can she turn him into marriage material?
OVERALL REVIEW: Since reading this book years ago, I've learned a great deal more about history and human nature. Thus, I've demoted this book to G. I still stand by the error in the first book.
There are more than 140 books in the Montana Mavericks series, spanning over 25 years. I happened to pick up this book, not realizing that I'd read it a number of years ago. This anthology is one of the few in the Montana Mavericks series that offers historical, rather than contemporary short stories.
About halfway through the first story, I realized that the characters and the plot were too familiar to be new. However, I was in the mood and decided to re-read this book.
SPIRIT OF THE WOLF (Susan Mallery) --
Widower Caleb Kincaid's son decides to run away when a new teacher is hired (he will have to go to school instead of working on the ranch). So seven-year-old Zeke runs to the Indian village not far from his father's home. Unfortunately, it is the home of the Cheyenne woman healer, Ruth Whitefeather, who refused Caleb's marriage offer nine years before. This is still an unrealistic story (from my understanding of Cheyenne culture).
AS GOOD AS GOLD (Bronwyn Williams) --
Dixie Browning writes historical romances with her sister, Mary Burris William; they use the pen name of Bronwyn Williams. This is a fairly average story of an older man rescuing a much younger woman from being the latest town prostitute. However, this story redeems itself when Lizzy takes her life into her own hands (she has a worthless brother who left her to "work off" his gambling debts).
THE GAMBLE (Carolyn Davidson) --
Since I've already read almost all of Davidson's extensive backlist, I decided to savor her style once more with this short story. James Kincaid is a drunk gambler with an eye for the ladies. The town needs a sheriff; the town fathers encourage James to take the job. However, it is the new schoolmarm who creates the change in James and he takes the job he swore he didn't want. Now, can she turn him into marriage material?
OVERALL REVIEW: Since reading this book years ago, I've learned a great deal more about history and human nature. Thus, I've demoted this book to G. I still stand by the error in the first book.
The book was okay. Not at all what I was expecting. Normally I can really get into Susan Mallery but this book I could not.
Stories of brothers Caleb and Will Kincaid, plus cousin James Kincaid
