WYOMING WILD (Proper Romance Western), by Sarah M. Eden, Shadow Mountain, March 7, 2023, Paperback (young adult/ new adult/ adult fiction)
A sheriff’s daughter seeks to bring her corrupt father to justice in Wyoming Wild, the third book in Sarah M. Eden’s Savage Wells series.
Wyoming Territory, 1876
US Marshal John “Hawk” Hawking is one of the most respected lawmen in the West, so when a telegram arrives from the small town of Sand Creek warning him of a death threat against him, he immediately begins an investigation.
Posing as a farmer, Hawk heads to Sand Creek, a town ruled by a violent and corrupt sheriff. Only one person is trying to stop him ― Liesl, the sheriff’s own daughter. When she meets the self-assured and attractive new farmer, John, she hopes he might help her in the fight for justice.
John is completely unfazed by Sheriff Hodges’s attempts at intimidation, and Liesl is quickly swept up by Hawk’s courage and integrity. Just as quickly, Hawk finds himself falling for Liesl’s strength and bravery, as well as her grace and beauty.
When Liesl discovers John’s true identity, she feels betrayed. Despite her lingering distrust of him, Liesl agrees to work with him to enact a dangerous plan that will put the criminals away forever. Liesl must put her life, and her heart, in the hands of his lawman if she has any hope of saving her family and her town. —Synopsis provided by Shadow Mountain
If you’ve read any of Sarah M. Eden’s other books, then you know what a strong writer she is. She excels at creating characters that are instantly compelling and complex. Her writing is smooth and comfortable, and her plotlines engaging.
Wyoming Wild is no different. It’s the third book in Eden’s Savage Wells series, and as such, should probably be read in order. That’s not to say it doesn’t stand on its own, but you’ll miss out on some of the nuances if you don’t get to know Wyoming Wild’s supporting characters first.
That’s not to say that Wyoming Wild is perfect. The first chapter was a bit rough for me. Perhaps it’s because I read the other Savage Wells books a while ago, but I struggled with Eden’s take on “Western speech,” which initially comes on strong. Like a bit hokey strong — almost a caricature. By the time I got to the second chapter, though, it didn’t bother me anymore. I’m not sure whether I got used to it or Eden toned down the colloquialisms. Either way, it’s worth reading more than one chapter to see if it bothers you as a reader.
It will be interesting to see if Eden explores any further characters from this series with books of their own. There’s one in particular that she hints there’s more to than meets the eye. If Eden does write more, I’ll happily read them. Wyoming Wild was a nice one-sitting escape, perfect for a Saturday or Sunday afternoon read.
As with other books in Shadow Mountain’s Proper Romance line, Wyoming Wild is what’s considered a “chaste romance.” There’s no foul language, and the romance part is more about the emotional than the physical — there is some hugging/kissing, but that’s all. There’s also some violence — it is a Western — but that is also tame.
Though written for adult audiences, there’s nothing objectionable in it for young adult.
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