The Great Western Drive: The Best Of The Rest

So, is your To Be Bought List groaning yet? Can you handle more recommendations (and a contest)? Well I sure hope so, because I've got a few more to toss on to the pile! This is what I'm lovingly referring to as my "hodge-podge" post. My first two lists of recommendations had themes (Harlequin Historicals and Maggie Osborne). This one? Let's call it The Best Of The Rest shall we? For your consideration, some excellent westerns published by Berkley, Leisure and ::gasp:: Avon. Yes, Avon, home of all things England, used to publish westerns. Pretty damn good ones too. Here it goes:

A Reason To Live by Maureen McKade (out of print, easy to find used, available as ebook) - Lord how I love this book. And talk about emotional! Heroine is a widow who is suffering from post-traumatic stress because she was a nurse during the Civil War. Fearing that she's going crazy, she makes it her mission to deliver the last words of the young men she watched die to their families. While traveling she meets up with the hero who is desperate for any news about his son, who ran off to join the war effort despite his objections. Heart-wrenching, emotionally draining, and I savored every single word. Full Super Librarian Review Here.


Hope's Captive by Kate Lyon (in print!) - Yes, I know this is quite possibly the Worst Cover In The History Of The Universe. It's dreadful. But honestly, this really is an awesome story. Heroine is a former Kiowa captive, who was rescued by the Cheyenne and is now shunned by white society. When she hears the Cheyenne are being forced on to a squalid reservation she's desperate to get supplies to them. But she's still a woman (no matter if she is a "whore") and she needs a man to travel with her. Enter the hero (who is a white Army guy and not Native American - seriously ignore the awful cover!), who wants to hook up with the Cheyenne because he thinks they kidnapped his son. Wonderful history, great characters, great story. Full Super Librarian Review Here.


Mustang Annie by Rachelle Morgan (out of print, easy to find used) - Ah yes, a mythical Avon western. Four years ago the heroine lost everything she loved. It was then she started living the nomadic life of a horse trainer. The hero tracks her down and hires her to capture a wild (and randy!) mustang who is literally stealing his prized Arabian mares. He hires the legendary Mustang Annie expecting a crone and gets a beautiful, vulnerable woman instead. I read this story when I first moved across country to California, and swallowed it whole in one sitting. Sadly, I never did a full review for it, but you can find a half-assed one here.

You should all know the song and dance by now. Local library, ask librarian about ILL, blah blah blah.

And sadly, that is it for the recommendations! Do you feel bereft? Relieved? Well hang tight. Because tomorrow's post will be all about upcoming historical westerns that yours truly is looking forward to getting her grubby little mitts on.

Contest Alert!

Because she is the coolest, smartest, most awesome duck in the pond, Sybil landed four copies of A Reason To Live by Maureen McKade on a recent shopping excursion. Better still? She's giving me all four copies to give away on my blog! I will draw four winners from random commenters on any of my recommendation posts. (The one you just read, Tuesdays or Wednesdays). Winners will be announced Wednesday, August 26 (contest is open to non-US readers as well).