SHEILA H. (bambiedeer) reviewed on 2/15/2007 + 71 more book reviews

In Leigh's winning second Old West romance about the Fraser brothers (after The Frasers: Clay), Colt Fraser, a former Confederate soldier, is riding a stagecoach to California, where he plans to visit his brother, when he takes a bullet in the shoulder while attempting to foil a holdup. Forced to wait a week for the next California-bound stage in tiny Arena Roja, N.Mex., Colt is made a temporary deputy after the holdup gang returns and shoots the local sheriff. A more delightful diversion is pursuing Cassie Braden, the sheriff's strong-willed daughter, who strides around town in men's attire. Engaged to Arena Roja's schoolteacher, who, after five years, still hasn't returned from fighting in the Civil War, Cassie initially rejects Colt's advances. Only when bank robbers show up and place Cassie in mortal danger does she accept the true feelings of her heart. Leigh has written a very 21st-century light romance in a 19th-century setting with characters speaking freely about sex, love, psychology and even Hindu philosophy. (Jan.)
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From Booklist
*Starred Review* Cathy Bowden is everything a man would want in a woman--beautiful, gracious, and charming. No wonder Colt Fraser can't figure out why he's attracted to Cassie, Cathy's stubborn, opinionated, pants-wearing twin, instead. After Colt saves Cassie and her intoxicated brother, Jeff, during a stagecoach robbery, their father, Jethro, the town sheriff, makes Colt his deputy. A former Confederate soldier, Colt is on his way to California to start a new life, but he agrees to help Jethro until the next stagecoach comes through. Using his time in Arena Roja to court the feisty Cassie, Colt has to watch out for many nemeses, including a jealous Jeff, who wanted to be his dad's deputy; the surviving robbers, and three dreadful children. Quirky characters and witty dialogue fill the pages of this entertaining novel. The second book in Leigh's Fraser series (The Frasers: Clay, 2004), this will appeal to many audiences, from fans of the Old West, to readers who enjoy a good romance, to those who like books rich in humor.

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