Hot! Hot! Hot! That one word best describes the scorching chemistry between the characters of Only You. Right away, before I was able to catch my breath, Elizabeth Lowell had me running along in the action of her story about learning to trust and to love with abandon. The imagery of the setting is breath-taking, as though I were the one riding a horse through the mesas of the southwestern United States. Only You is a whirlwind of passion and adventure wrapped up in 370 pages of skillful, wonderful romance writing.

Eve, Evelyn Starr Johnson, has never had love. As an orphan, she was purchased from an orphan train by a Spanish couple, the Lyons, seeking companionship and help in their old age. Eve has always provided strength and stability for those in her life whether it was at the orphanage or to the couple that she took care of. Self sufficiency was something she could count on. But her world tilts dramatically when the Lyon's are murdered and she goes after what was stolen from them: a treasure map to Spanish gold. In a moment of an impetuous decision, Eve bets herself in a game of poker against the pot containing the stolen treasures; her intention is to cheat her way to victory.

Matthew "Reno" Moran was drawn from the onset of entering the Gold Dust saloon to the saloon girl dressed in crimson. He couldn't stay away from her pull anymore than a moth to a flame, so he joined her card game and placed himself in between two of the most notorious criminals west of the Mississippi. Immediately he saw her cheat, giving him the hand of a lifetime and giving him a death sentence. Fortunately, Reno Moran is one of the fastest gunslingers around and is able to escape, but the saloon girl ran off with his winnings which included the hint of a map to a treasure he's been seeking. He's not overly worried about finding the saloon girl however; she's about as inconspicuous as a flower in a pit of vipers.

An agreement to become partners of convenience is reached between Reno and Eve, though he thinks little more of her than her red dress and the payment of her body which he rightfully won, and Eve can't seem to figure out why Reno won't trust her. But, they discover they need each other: she can read the map and he knows how to get there. Yet, neither of them bargained for the heat they would stir up as they crossed the desert of southwestern America in search of treasure, heat that could either scorch them or fuse them into one. And, if you've read other "Only" books by Ms. Lowell, you will be treated to appearances by Cal, Willow, Wolfe and Jessie as well as meeting Rafe Moran.

Elizabeth Lowell's Only You is a fabulous read. It is lightening quick and heady with adrenalin. From the first line in chapter one through the last line of the book, my white knuckles remained as I hung on for dear life. The dialogue was superb in delivery and realism, but what set the book apart for me was the attention to detail in describing the setting. I could feel the heat as they crossed the desert, imagine the Grand Canyon and the Mesas they rode to reach their destination. And the torrid chemistry that rocked Reno and Eve seemed palpable. Only You is a great read and one that I would recommend to even the most skeptical romance critic. Only You is a fine example of quality romantic fiction.

Reviewed By Maci Walker
© February 2005