Between The Pages - Dance To A Wylder Beat

Dance To A Wylder Beat 

Marilyn Barr 

July 2021 

Nartan Sagebrush's name may mean "to dance" in Arapaho, but he dances in secret. Forced to abandon his Shamanic apprenticeship, he is overwhelmed with homesteader life, and even his spirit guides are at their wit's end. Nartan takes fate into his own hands. Instead of divine intervention, a wife will help with his responsibilities and in assimilating into the Wylder community. 

Olive Muegge answers Nartan's "wife wanted" advertisement. Wildly independent she has secretly dreamed of a family to call her own. The secret she carries inside makes her an outcast and her wild ways don't fit the quiet wife Nartan thinks he desires. 

Despite their differences, they are drawn to each other but a mistake may drive them apart. Will Nartan embrace his Shamanic past to save them both or will he choose to rid himself of Olive forever? 

Between The Pages 

This historical western with a slice of paranormal was such an enjoyable read. Olive and Nartan are perfect together, and they have extreme chemistry, but instead of rushing the intimacy, the author did a wonderful job letting their relationship grow, making the story more emotional and believable. Their fun banter will make you smile. The setting is picturesque with an easy visual of the cabin, teepees, and landscape. A well-developed plot describes Nartan’s culture, drawing the reader further into the story. His brother, Ikshu, was a delightful secondary character as were the spirit guides. A ceremony near the end was vivid and touching. This book is a must read.

Rating 

5 Stars

Between The Pages - The Texan's Favor

The Texan’s Favor 

D.K. Deters 

October 2021 

Ambushed, Texas Ranger Jake Fontaine's a dead man until a Kansas spinster raises her shotgun in his defense. Despite the rogue lawman's obsession to bring in his brother's killer, duty demands he escort her to the next town. 

Kat Collins is a thief, though an honorable one. She's on the run from controlling kin and aims to escape her past. Traveling with Jake offers the perfect cover—until her uncle finds them sharing a campfire and imposes his own kind of justice—a wedding. 

Marriage will cost Jake his freedom, but refusing may cost him his life. Kat figures he's bound to recognize her on a wanted poster. Would sharing passionate nights in his arms be worth the peril? 

Between The Pages 

This story has the ‘wow’ factor – Wild west entertainment, Outstanding setting, and Wicked cowboys. The action fuels the plot with flying bullets, cattle rustling, vengeance, and mistrust. The author does excellent work of dropping the reader into the scenes of a rugged yet beautiful terrain. With a cast of cowboys, this story has a definite swooning element with Jake, Dallas, and Levi (who is deserving of his own book). Even the villains are interesting to learn about. The chemistry between Jake and Kat is heartwarming and believable. If I had to nitpick, I would have like the two years separation between Jake and Kat to be shorter and have Kat standoff against her cousins near the end. But those are small things that don’t disrupt the smooth and enjoyable read. A few twists in the plot makes this historical western romance a page turner, which I highly recommend. 

Rating 

5 Stars