Today’s romance genre seems to be broken up into various sub-genres: paranormal, gay/lesbian, contemporary and even historicals but few western historicals or at least, few well-written ones. I have always had a thing for cowboys, I can remember Sunday afternoons sitting in front of the television watching the Lone Ranger, the Cisco Kid, Roy Rogers and John Wayne, but of course I didn’t want to be one of those women who sat back and waited for their men to come home from fighting Indians {of course some of those Indians weren’t bad looking either} or bad guys. I wanted to be out there riding the trail into the sunset with my cowboy after getting rid of all the bad guys, of course. So when I found Beth Ciotta’s Romancing the West I couldn’t wait to start it.

Tired of all the injustice in the judicial system, lawman Seth Wright is seriously considering turning in his badge. He had just seen another criminal escape justice due to crooked lawyers and even more crooked judges. So when Athens Garrett tries to convince him to join President Hayes’ Peacemaker Alliance he's more than ready to kick some ruthless desperado butt for the covert government agency. However, he is not so enthusiastic about his first assignment that takes him to the home of Emily McBride, childhood friend of Paris Garrett, Athens’ sister. He joined the PMA to hunt down criminals, not play messenger for his new boss who wants Seth to carry a marriage proposal to Emily and bring her back to Arizona.

The daughter of a deceased preacher, Emily Mc Bride was living in the old home place with one boarder. But Emily was a woman with a secret, a secret dark enough for someone to threaten to expose her double life. If that were to happen all the people she has known all of her life, including the man of her dreams, would never speak to her again.

When the small town librarian mistakes him for Phineas Pinkerton, the dandified poet that Paris was to send to help her, Seth was going to tell her who he really was. But before Seth can set her straight, Emily tells him that she's mixed up in what could be a scandal. So with two unwanted suitors and an unknown blackmailer threatening her, Emily needs protection. And the only way to do that is for Seth to assume Pinkerton’s identity so he can take a room in her house has a boarder without compromising her reputation.

Seth's intentions to protect Emily take on a twist when someone starts gunning for him. Matters are further complicated when he develops genuine feelings for the little librarian.

Kudos to Ms. Beth Ciotta; she has penned an exciting, extremely interesting, complex novel that has a host of characters and a truly multifaceted storyline. The attraction between Seth and Emily grows with every chapter. The suspense over Emily’s blackmailer {I was surprised to find out who it was} was nerve-racking. Not only were the leading characters strongly written but so were the background characters and they worked so well together that what was created was a truly intriguing book which was very hard to put down.

Romancing the West is a tale that will keep readers talking. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who loves the western historical romance genre. You definitely won’t be disappointed! I know I wasn’t and will be looking for more stories from Ms. Ciotta and the Garrett family.

Reviewed by Theresa
© December 2007