"A good Western romance"

In 1895, Benjamin Star leaves San Francisco for Denver at about the same time that Diane Buchannan leaves DC for the Mile High City. Benjamin, raised by the Shoshoni who rescued him from a fire as an infant, travels like a native; Diane rides the train to join her grandparents who raised her when her parents died. Diane plans to help her beloved family with the financially failing "Colonel Buck Buchannan's Wild West Show" as a trick rider and lariat artist.

Employees of the show led by the Cherokee Kid bring in a savage dubbed "the Redman of the Rockies". Though afraid of him, Diane feels sorry for the captive. Unable to ignore the ignorant brute, she frees him, but he abducts her. On their trek she pleads with the "Beast" to free her when he suddenly speaks perfect English because he is Benjamin. After overcoming the shock that he is not some feral savage, Diane frees the attraction she hid from herself and soon she and Benjamin fall in love. However, the nasty Cherokee Kid wants Diane for himself and he will not stop until he kills the Beast and takes the Beauty.

Indian romance readers will gain much pleasure from Nan Ryan's latest tale, WRITTEN IN THE STARS that is more of a westernized Beauty and the Beast. The action-packed story line never slows down even before the abduction. The lead couple is a delight and most of the support cast provides depth to their personalities. However, the Cherokee Kid is so nasty he subtracts from a powerful historical romance.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted February 6, 2003

Summary

Mesmerized by the sexy Indian man who's been taken captive by her employer, a young woman releases the prisoner, only to be held hostage herself by his love.