Bitter Creek’s Redemption by T. A. Chase is a 158-page historical western romance that should delight those readers who love pioneer stories set in the lawless Wild West. It centers on classic themes such as standing up for what’s right, realizing one’s own potential, and honoring the bonds of loyalty and friendship. It features an interracial romance between a white gunslinger, Travis, and a part-Comanche man, Eagle, who feels out of place in both the white and Native American worlds. The story contains vivid historical detail and maintains a fast pace through its extended gun battle scenes. I’ll admit that I found the Native American character slightly too perfect and remote as opposed to the gunslinger who seemed appealingly flawed and realistic, but this didn’t stop me from connecting with their romance.

The story opens late at night with Eagle who works in the town of Bitter Creek at the livery stable. White rancher Ralph Ramsey comes to his room, dying from a gunshot wound. The two of them once had a furtive sexual encounter, and now Ramsey asks Eagle to post a letter summoning his kin to fight for his land and avenge him. Eagle obeys, also managing to hide Ramsey’s herd of horses with his Comanche relatives. In the days to come, everyone in Bitter Creek starts to take sides between two land barons who each want the dead man’s ranch. Meanwhile Ramsey’s brother, Travis, shows up ahead of the rest of the clan. Travis is a gunslinger who travels between his family’s homesteads, doing the dirty work, such as killing, necessary to get them out of trouble. Now Travis and Eagle must defend the ranch and negotiate their own increasing mutual attraction while waiting for the rest of the Ramseys to arrive and join the fight.

Val for AReCafe ( )