From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress:
This might surprise my Regency era friends and followers, but I love a good Western romance. Particularly when the protagonists face down challenges from the wild west and all the lawlessness that can come with it. Add in an iconic, honorable hero, a spunky heroine, and lots of horses, and I am as pleased as Punch.
A US Marshal Undercover
Wyoming Wild, the third novel in The Town of Savage Wells series by Sarah M. Eden supplied all of this, and more. Our hero, John “Hawk” Hawking, is a no-nonsense US Marshal who goes undercover as a farmer in Sand Creek, Wyoming Territory to investigate an assassination plot against him.
A Besieged Sheriff’s Daughter
Liesl Hodges is the local sheriff’s daughter who has done her best to help the townsfolk who have been oppressed, brutalized, and robbed by her violent father and his gang of cohorts she has dubbed the “Charming Chaps,” though they are far from it. She hopes the arrival of the confident and capable farmer and his sister will change things for the town, and her corrupt father.
The Investigation
Liesl proves a great source of information for Hawk, including backstory on her no-good father, the murder of her brother, and a tax and land scheme that is stripping many of the residents of money, property, and their lives. As he follows leads and directly questions Sheriff Hodges, Hawk remains focused and unintimidated by the sheriff’s scare tactics. While he carefully plans out his next move to uncover the criminals, Liesl discovers that the man she admired, trusted, and had feelings for was not a farmer but a US Marshall. Unable to get past his deception she feels betrayed. Can she put aside her anger and hurt to join forces to expose those behind the corruption and bring down her father and his gang forever?
Superior Writing, and a Quibble
What elevates this story beyond a good guys vs bad guys horse opera is the creative writing ability of Sarah Eden. She knows how to craft a story with a fast-paced, twisty plot filled with endearing characters that are flawed yet believable. My only quibble, and it is a minor one, is that there is a lot of exposition from the marshals analyzing the possible actions of the bad guys. It felt a bit out of place in the rough and tumble wild west. Do marshals strategize every possible move like a Grandmaster chess player? It showed their intellectual prowess, but it made my brain hurt trying to follow their logic.
Ain’t No Denying
Sarah Eden’s writing continues to awe in both her Regency and Western romances alike. There “ain’t” no denying that you will be swept up into the story, delighted by the appealing characters, and in love with her hard-hearted lawman.
4 out of 5 Stars
BOOK INFORMATION
- Wyoming Wild: The Town of Savage Wells (Book 3), by Sarah M. Eden
- Shadow Mountain Publishing (March 7, 2023)
- Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook (256) pages
- ISBN: 978-1639930920
- Genre: Historical Romance, Western Romance, Inspirational Fiction
AMAZON | SHADOW MOUNTAIN PUBLISHING | ADD TO GOODREADS
We received a review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Cover image courtesy of Shadow Mountain Publishing © 2023; text Laurel Ann Nattress © 2023, austenprose.com, an Amazon affiliate.
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Austenprose 
Lovely review and here’s to ‘wild, wild, wild West; not as in Wilde the author of The Importance of Being Ernest…; anyhow, I have been to Wyoming when traveling to Washington state to reside but we only lasted some fourteen months and returned to MA. I recall it being flat and dusty; I can’t even recall the name of the town that we stayed at overnight; they did seem nice. That being said, I like Westerns; a big Clint Eastwood fan, and yes, must not forget Chuck Connors from The Rifleman. Thank you for this review, another author to keep in mind when the reading is slimming.
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