From the day she was born, Rita Baxter’s mother encouraged her to follow her heart. Filled with innocent dreams and faith that her hard work training to be a Prima Ballerina on New York’s bright stage will lead to fortune and fame, Rita is crushed when she loses her mother and must take a job dancing in a burlesque chorus line to keep a roof over her head. Witnessing a brutal murder is the … last straw. The policepromise to keep her safe, but Rita has learned to be a realist. Determined to escape the Irish gang that wants her dead and start a new life for herself, Rita heads to Colorado Territory as a mail-order bride.
Jack Colton struck gold in his Central City mine, but the dark recesses of the mine mirror the lonely, dark places in his heart. He longs for a wife and family, but the only women in town interested in a hard former soldier like him aren’t really interested in him at all. Tired of being pursued for his newfound wealth, Jack decides to take a chance on a mail-order bride from New York. She’s supposed to be petite and beautiful, a dancer who will bring color and warmth into his cold life.
Sparks fly when they meet, both hopeful for a bright future. But murder is a poison and it followed Rita all the way from New York. Jack thought his killing days were over, but when an assassin arrives to destroy everything Jack will stop at nothing to protect his new wife…no matter the cost.
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Today was my second attempt to read this book and AGAIN I bailed on it. Just did not gain my interest, so I’ll move to a different book that will.
Worst book I’ve read in a long time! I painfully got 31% into it & couldn’t go any further. I had no desire to try finishing it. The book reads like it was written by a juvenile. Terrible!
married sex
I loved this story!
Great storyline – like the mail order bride stories
Mail order bride with a killer looking for her. Fun and enjoyable story
Not as good as her other books.
This book was interesting from the start. The heroine hooked me with her determination to follow her dreams and fight to live. When plan A didn’t work out quite like she thought it would, she went straight to plan B. This was one lady who knew her mind.
I also enjoyed reading about the hero. I thought him a bit chatty, though, considering his background. Otherwise, his character was very well done. The supporting characters had some interesting quirks and backgrounds of their own. I hope I’ll get to read their stories in the future.
Good characters. Good read
Poorly written
Great book
A very good book kept me reading to the end.
Fun to read.
Did not like the writing. Very simplistic
The plot is ‘moderately complicated’ and there are evil characters seeking to steal from and/or kill the bride. The story is worth the ‘investment’ (and I think it will entice the reader into reading some of the follow-on novels)…
This story was just ok for me. I did not really like the main characters. The conversations seems kind of stilted to me. It was ok for a quick read, but glad I got it for free.
I bought this book because my grandfather was born in Central City. I have visited several times and even seen the house where he grew up. (It was still standing in the early 1990s). I would have liked more descriptions of the town where my great-grandparents raised their children and had to bury three of them.
The story is sweet. The heroine wanted to be a ballet dancer and had to settle for burlesque. One evening she witnesses a murder. She goes to a match making agency and hopes to find someone who could keep her safe. The hero, an ex-soldier, fits the bill.
I know this was make-believe and I know four single male friends imply more books but there is a realistic charm of two people awkwardly trying to figure things out. Rita is spunky but appropriately so for 1869 and 1870 America. Jackson (Historically correct – a lot of men in that time period were named after Andrew Jackson) has sorrows. Jackson and Rita both have secrets not to mention that someone is trying to kill the latter.
I teally liked it! Would read again!
I didn’t finish this book. It couldn’t hold my interest.
I liked Rita as she played poker and had an appetite. Jack started out very one dimensional as he was apparently only interested in sex but not love. He did have some interesting friends.