LONE RIDER by B.J. DANIELS

Publisher:    HQN

Published:   July 28, 2015

ISBN:       978-0373788415

Genre:    Contemporary Western Romance

Format:   Ebook   

Obtained via:  Publisher via Edelweiss

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina  Ginalrmreviews@gmail.com

THREE HEARTS

 

Bo Hamilton hasn’t been the most stable of the Montana Hamilton’s but she’s been doing a decent job running the foundation named after her mother, Sarah.  And then one day Bo disappears.  Just takes off into the Crazies Mountains.  Coincidentally, at the same time, a considerable amount of money goes missing from the foundation.  Speculation as to just what is going on with Bo catches more than one person’s attention, but it is Jace Calder who is determinedly sure she’s innocent.

Not so many years ago Bo broke Jace’s heart.  But even a broken heart can’t stop caring so Bo heads up into the mountains to look for the woman he has always loved.  But there are more than just Bo and Jace on the mountain.  Something much more sinister than missing money awaits them.

Meanwhile, Senator Buck Hamilton is still trying to figure out what to do about his two wives.  When Sarah disappeared almost 20 years ago, after an acceptable time period Buck had her declared dead.  Not long after he married Angelina.  While Sarah was more than content to live on the ranch and raise their six daughters, Angelina shared his dream of living in the White House.  With Sarah’s return from the dead Angelina becomes increasingly concerned about not only her marriage, but most important to her, becoming the First Lady. 

With troubles mounting in the Hamilton family the last thing they need is for convicted killer Raymond Spencer to surface on Hamilton land.

I’ve been a long time B.J. Daniels fan but have been disappointed in her last two books – the Montana Hamilton’s series.  Generally I’m not happy with Daniels buying into what seems to be a growing trend in romance writers of using the “cliff hanger” at the end of their books. For me, like many readers, it comes across more like an effort to force the reader to purchase the next book just to find out the ending.  It doesn’t enhance the mystery but does turn me off on reading any more by an author who does this. 

The other is more specific to the story.  There were additional threads, particularly the one about Emily, that just didn’t seem to add to the story.  If it is meant as a lead in to the next book it was just too distracting throughout the entire book.  If it was a way to boost the word count, more could have been done with Sarah or Angelina’s parts of the story.

That said, what I did like are the stories around Sarah and Angelina.  Angelina is one of those women who you love to hate.  Their interactions—even though they never meet up but are seen through Buck’s eyes and thoughts are reminiscent of the old Dynasty TV show.  You just keep wanting more.  Angelina is an out front schemer.  While Buck doesn’t see it so much, the reader does and just wants more.  And Sarah appears to be a sweet innocent—but something much more is going on and I’m starting to suspect I know who is pulling the strings.

The scenes up in the Crazies were well done.  Daniels does evoke some wonderful visceral reactions and you’re sure you can smell the camp fires and feel the chill in the air.

Each book in the Montana Hamilton’s series is essentially a standalone, but this is one series were you do need to read the books in order. 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.