Ho-Hum Series Opener!
After reading all the rave reviews about this series, I began this book with eager anticipation. About 1/3 into the book, I wondered if I had picked up the correct author/book/series. Now that I've finished the book, I still wonder.
This is a well-written book that has lots of action; Willow Moran is on her way to find Matt Moran with 5 Arabian horses. Every bad boy in the Territory wants those horses and eluding the crooks is a full time job. Because of the dangers involved, Willow hires the most knowledgeable mountain man available ? Caleb Black.
Caleb has his own agenda; he's been looking for Matt ?Reno? Moran to kill him for using and discarding his sister, Rebecca Black (Rebecca died after delivering a baby, that died hours later). Caleb sees things in black-and-white; he's known as an Old Testament kind of guy (?an eye for an eye? summarizes his sense of justice).
***** THE ONLY WAY I CAN EXPLAIN THE 3 STAR RATING IS TO INCLUDE THESE SPOILERS. *****
1) Caleb wants to kill Matt for charming (his sister) Rebecca with lies and convincing her to give herself to him willingly. Then Rebecca's seducer abandons her when he's through; Caleb undertakes a similar seduction of Willow. He even plots and plans Willow's seduction in the hidden valley, while waiting for Deuce to heal.
2) The entire book is about avoiding horrible murderers who are on Caleb and Willow's trail. When Willow and Caleb have a serious argument, Willow runs away on one of the Arabian horses (even though she knows there are 10 or more men on their trail at the time).
This is out of character for a practical person like Willow; it is used as a device to bring about the ending shoot out. All it showed was that the author couldn't think of a better device for resolving the story.
Only Series
1. Only His (1991)
2. Only Mine (1992)
3. Only You (1992)
4. Only Love (1995)
