"amusing western romance"

In 1855, impoverished twenty two year old Kate VanNam leaves Boston to start over in Fortune, California where she has inherited a mansion and a gold mine from her Great- Aunt Arielle VanNam Colfax. When her Uncle Nelson, who raised her and her brother dies, she decides to find her fortune out west. However, when she arrives on the West Coast she finds her situation not golden as the house is so dilapidated it may be dangerous and there is no gold left in her mine; ergo no fortune.

Sheriff Travis McLoud does not hide his fear that the beautiful easterner means problems keeping her safe from the horde of miners wanting her. Also arriving in town is Winn Delaney, who decides the Bostonian is the perfect complement to him as the only true gentleman in Fortune. However, Travis soon finds he wants to step to the head of the line courting the kissable Kate even as that makes the owner of the Golden Nugget Valentina Knight jealous while someone wants the "worthless" gold mine at any cost to others especially the well being o f the transplanted Bostonian.

This is an amusing western romance starring two amiable protagonists. Travis has a strong foreboding that the arrival of Kate is trouble for him, but initially he thinks as a law enforcement official, but soon revises his estimation to that of his heart in jeopardy. The zany story line makes for a fun mid nineteenth century tale. Nan Ryan always writes an exciting and delightful romance novel.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted July 9, 2006