Starred review from December 19, 2022
A woman falls for the U.S. Marshal attempting to bring her own father to justice in this page-turning historical romance from Eden (the Dread Penny Society series). After Liesl Hodges overhears her father, a corrupt sheriff in 1876 Wyoming Territory, plotting the assassination of U.S. Marshal John “Hawk” Hawkins, she anonymously sends Hawk a telegram warning him to watch his back. Hawk goes undercover with his sharpshooting deputy to investigate, learning both the source of the threat and that Sheriff Hodges is responsible for a slew of other crimes. With everyone else in town too afraid to testify, Liesl is the lawman’s only hope of putting an end to her father’s dastardly deeds. The well-matched pair bond as they band together to fight crime, with gruff Hawk revealing his sweet side and admirable Liesl displaying her strength. But when danger gets too close, Hawk worries being in love is clouding his usually sharp judgement. Packed with memorable, complex characters, this thoroughly satisfying, G-rated romance will have readers on the edges of their seats.
February 1, 2023
In Eden's ("The Dread Penny Society" series) latest novel, set in Wyoming Territory in 1876, Liesl Hodges is doing her best to protect the townsfolk of Sand Creek from her corrupt father, who's the town sheriff, and his band of ruffians. After Liesl overhears her father plotting to assassinate U.S. Marshal John "Hawk" Hawking, she sends an anonymous telegram to warn Hawk, who then travels to Sand Creek undercover as a farmer, with his deputy, Paisley O'Brien, posing as his sister. Liesl quickly comes to admire Hawk because he stands up to Sheriff Hodges's bullying, and eventually, she trusts Hawk enough to open up about her father's extortion and violence against the residents of Sand Creek. However, once Liesl finds out that Hawk is actually the threatened U.S. Marshal she warned, she feels betrayed and finds it difficult to trust him when his plan to bring down her father goes awry. VERDICT With lots of danger and intrigue, Eden's latest will keep readers on the edge of their seats, but constant threats tend to dim the fragile romance between Hawk and Liesl. This historical romance is a stand-alone novel, but fans of Eden's The Sheriffs of Savage Wells will be happy to see so many familiar faces return to action here.--Eve Stano
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