The Reluctant Bride
Leigh Greenwood
Leisure, Jan 2005, $6.99, 373 pp.
ISBN: 0843952369

In 1872, mail order bride Tanzy Gallant travels from St. Louis to meet her future spouse, rancher Russ Tibbolt in Boulder Gap, Colorado Territory. Near the end of her trek, she sees her husband for the first time when she watches him shoot fleeing outlaws with buckshot. Uncomfortable with violence and hearing about Russ' reputation from a traveling companion that he killed someone ten years ago, Tanzy decides to delay the nuptials, insisting to Russ they need to know one another better; Russ reluctantly agrees.

Russ is attracted to the sassy Tanzy and begins courting his fianc e. She soon sees a different picture of the person so many fear; instead he is kind and caring. As they fall in love, his past surfaces when an enemy snatches his Tanzy to get at Russ.

Leigh Greenwood always provides one of the year's best western romances, but his latest tale may be the best in an illustrious career. The lead couple is a likable pairing that readers hope come together as their interplay is terrific fun to follow. However, what makes the tale is the realistic support cast as the audience gets a different taste on relationships that would send someone less courageous than Tanzy back to St. Louis. It is only January and once again Mr. Greenwood will have one of the sub-genre top guns of 2005.

Harriet Klausner