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The corner of Cade’s eye caught a glimpse of a redheaded woman entering the drugstore. His quickening heartbeat caught him off guard. For a moment he thought it was Zoe. It wasn’t. He settled back in the saddle, grinning. Zoe Bradshaw. Now there was a woman not easily forgotten.

Famous bounty hunter Cade Kolby is forced off the trail to decide the fate of his sister’s orphaned children. He’s returning not only to his hometown and nieces and nephews but also to a fiery redhead he loved and left 15 years ago.


The last person Zoe Bradshaw wants to see is Cade, but she does want to raise her best friend’s children as her own. So she tries to be polite, if cool, even as the attraction between them flares up again. Only this time, Zoe is determined not to let Cade get close to her heart.

But the townsfolk have other ideas. They want to see the little orphans with a mother and a father, and they form a plan that includes the possibility of a kiss… © back book cover

My Review…

I really enjoyed the story line of this western romance set during 1885. I do have a weakness for a great western and this one came pretty close to meeting that bill. The abundant loss and grief in the story was disheartening at times although not many characters died during the story, most were simply referred to or briefly remembered. The conclusion was pretty much expected from the very first chapters of the book and there weren’t any major plot surprises.

One of the major strengths of the novel is the characters. Preparing for a series (The Western Sky Series) Copeland masterfully creates the town of Winterborn with many interesting and delightful characters. Who can forget Pop making runs to the outhouse after eating several pieces of gooseberry pie, Laticia Wiseman and her nasty, bone-chilling ways, Glori-Lee with her cook’s heart, or gentle Abraham?

The two main characters, Zoe and Cade are filled with lots of interesting details and have some depth to them. The romantic tension between them is really well done in many places.

Overall, the anecdotes from the children, the strong and memorable characters and the budding romance all make for a very enjoyable read. Lori Copeland is an accomplished writer and this novel proves it.


Tracy’s Pick of the Best Reviews:
Margaret at Creative Madness Mama
Tiffany at Tiffany’s Bookself
Linda at Havenlife
Deborah at Deborah’s Read-it List