Title: Most Wanted
Author: Barbara Sheridan
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: Historical Western
Length: Novella (68 pages)
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
A Guest Review by Aunt Lynn
One Sentence Review: A historical western with alpha/beta characters that was fine, but left me feeling a little “meh.”
THE BLURB
1894
Boston born and bred Tim Dwyer doesn’t relish the thought of giving up Eastern comforts for life in the rough-and-tumble West. But when he finds himself with no job, little money, and no place else to go, he accepts a position at his cousin’s weekly newspaper in the Indian Territory. When his cousin and his new editor cook up a roving reporter assignment, Tim learns that spending a mere week in the life of U.S. Deputy Marshal Jon Sauvage won’t ever be enough to satisfy his needs.
Choctaw lawman “Savage Jon” Sauvage has spent his entire adult life content with chasing wanted men and taking his pleasures wherever and however he can. But once he’s roped into letting a big city reporter tag along with him on a manhunt, Jon soon suspects that Tim Dwyer might just capture his heart.
THE REVIEW
Bostonian Tim has just lost his home, job, savings and has been blacklisted by his former lover from working as a journalist east of the Mississippi. Traveling with his aunt to Indian Territory for the christening of his cousin’s twins, he is immediately attracted to handsome and rough Deputy Marshal Jon, kin to his cousin through marriage. When a job offer comes his way that would keep in the area at least temporarily, he is hesitant but agrees. His first assignment? Follow Jon around for a week gathering data for a “Week in the Life” article. Jon isn’t very happy about this because not only would he be responsible for the young Easterner who has never even handled a gun, he is not sure how well he can keep his attraction hidden away.
What worked for me:
Sheridan has written a pretty classic Beta/Alpha story in Most Wanted, which I happen to like and it worked for me here. Tim is younger, vulnerable and smaller with big, blue expressive eyes and a soft voice that Jon can’t resist. Jon is the older, brooding, intense, larger man, half-Native American and all loner.
There are a few light moments, and I thought this was very funny (Tim’s cousin and her husband taking):
“The babies are waking up,” Jason said when he came to the table. “Mamma’s with them, but I’m sure they’ll be wanting fed.”
“Moo,” Star said as she stood.
Jason winked. “Mighty fine set of udders you got there, darlin’.”
What didn’t:
I’ve read a few other books by this author, either by herself or co-authoring with another (I’ll be reviewing Risky Maneuvers within the next few weeks), and I admit to liking some of them better. This was fine, and there wasn’t anything wrong with it, per se, and I’m not sure I can even describe it, but I was a little “meh” about it in the end. It’s possible that fans of the author may feel differently.
My only other niggle is that I felt like I got to know Jon less than Tim, even though there is a shared, alternating third-person POV. I felt Tim was well-rounded for the length of the book, and I got a good idea what made him tick, his concerns were over taking a job in the dusty “untamed West,” and his feelings over what happened to him to Boston, but I left the story feeling that Jon was a bit of an enigma. There isn’t an HEA necessarily, but a hopeful ending that is left open for possibly a sequel that could perhaps expand Jon’s character some.
OVERALL
If you like historical westerns with beta/alpha characters, and or are fans of this author, you will probably like this story.
My feelings exactly when I got done with this….1) I like her others more 2) meh, not bad but not something I’ll ever read again.
Lynn,
I’m so completely with you on this one. At the end, the story felt as if it was just getting started. Add some more chapters, and maybe it would have been an interesting read, but as it is…well, I don’t know exactly what “meh” means, but it sounds about right.
Although I found the “moo” scene quite endearing.
Lynn
I usually like Old West stories and I have read and enjoyed many paranormal books by this author which she co-wrote with Anne Cain but somehow I don’t think this one will resonate, based on your review.
I don’t mind the lack of a HEA since this is 1894 and a ‘hopeful’ ending is more realistic but the characters would probably not have endeared themselves to me.
Wonderful review as always Lynn.
Sorry folks, I’ve been conferencing and now am vacationing, so delays are us. 🙂
Sherry and Feliz, glad to see that I was pretty much on base with my assessment.
Feliz, “meh” is a term used here in the US (and apparently in Canada as well) to indicate apathy, indifference, boredom or mediocrity. Not a lot of feeling in either direction.
Wave, I generally liked the other co-authored book of hers that I read and will review soon, but yeah, not so great here. Not terrible, just didn’t love it either.