Thursday, April 9, 2015

#AtoZChallenge-- This Gun for Hire by Jo Goodman

It's the A to Z Challenge!

We're blogging the alphabet along with 1000s of other bloggers.

There's a specific letter for each day and then you pick your own theme.

Our Theme: herder of cats, burner of soup
Basically...a day in the life of and all the things I love


Former army cavalryman Quill McKenna takes pride in protecting the most powerful man in Stonechurch, Colorado: Mr. Ramsey Stonechurch himself. But the mine owner has enemies, and after several threats on his life, mines, and family, Quill decides to hire someone to help guard the boss’s daughter. Only problem is the uncontrollable attraction he feels toward the fiery-haired woman who takes the job.

Calico Nash has more knowledge of scouting and shooting than cross-stitching, but she agrees to pose as Ann’s private tutor while protecting her. But between her growing attraction to Quill and the escalating threats against the Stonechurches, Calico will soon have a choice to make—hang on to her hard-won independence or put her faith in Quill to create the kind of happy ending she never imagined…

Type: Historical Romance, Western
Heat: 3 out of 5
Rating: 4 out of 5

Amazon | All Romance | Book Depository | BAM | Goodreads
This Gun for Hire was kind of like floating down a slow moving river <you know, if nature didn't freak me the fuck out>. Relaxing, easily twisting and turning and taking you along for a ride that just leaves you smiling. Tinged with an undercurrent of excitement and thrill. And that's so what I love about Jo Goodman's books!


The quick of it is that Quill has been hired to protect the owner of a mine who's been receiving threats and when it becomes clear he needs help protecting the rest of the family he brings in a past acquaintance...a female bounty hunter named Calico who left him awestruck months earlier.
She squeezed his hand. "Just to be clear," she said quietly. "I love you whether or not you give me my way, but I think you will find I am easier to love if you do."
I loved Calico and Quill. Goodman brings phenomenal heroines to the page. Strong, feisty, capable and sassy all at the same time and with a good heart. Calico was just my type of heroine. I loved watching her challenge the oh so sexy and charming Quill. Quill was pretty easy going and just had that personality I enjoy. Almost cheeky? The two were really perfect for each other and had such great quip-ish bantery little moments that made me smile. I really appreciated how much he was drawn to her just for who she was with all her rough prickly edges.
Calico groped for one of the folded newspapers at her side with every intention of throwing it at him, but when she picked it up, she realized it was too flimsy to have any impact. She dropped it and pointed to her sling. "You know I could slip my derringer in here and you would be none the wiser until I was pointing it at your heart"

He grinned broadly. "You are feeling better."

She groaned softly. "You really are impervious to threats.."
The suspense was interesting and had me curious. It's slow building and kept me wondering what was happening in this mining town. Who was behind hinky happenings at the mines and sending threats to the family Calico and Quill were protecting. There were a couple surprises along the way too.

My only complaint was a lack of contractions in dialogue. There were some but there were so many spots where they weren't used and it made for rather stilted conversations. It was something that lessened or rather I settled into as I read but at the start it tripped me up a bit.

All in all. Goodman once again took me for an amazing ride. The romance, the suspense, the characters. Everything about This Gun for Hire delighted the reader in me.

Have you ever read Goodman? Have a favorite?
Any authors you just fall into their books for a lazy happy read?

  



A to Z: 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012


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