Carolyn Davidson, Nightsong

Nightsong

Carolyn Davidson

Harlequin HQN, May 2007, $6.99

ISBN 0373772858

In 1888 in the Dakota Territory, half-breed Debra Nightsong lives alone as neither her Indian progeny nor her white people accept her. She is okay with being somewhat a hermit especially when the winter freezes everything, though deep down she knows she is lonely and expects one day to die without anyone coming to her funeral except perhaps her half-brother.

After a long day working hard on her farm, Debra returns to her home only to find Ethan Tyler inside holding a gun aimed at her. He is on the lam, but will not explain why; she assumes he runs from the law though it could be a woman. Ethan makes Debra his hostage, but he surprises her even more with his hard work on the farm. As they fall in love, a bounty hunter is coming to bring Ethan back to face the law.

NIGHTSONG is an entertaining, western romance starring a woman who has given up on humanity (with few exceptions) due to facing bigotry all her life, and a mysterious seemingly kindhearted man on the run. The storyline is at its best when this couple work the farm together. It loses some steam when the late suspense occurs with the arrival of the bounty hunter. Though no major villainous character shows up, Carolyn Davidson provides a strong look at the debilitating impact of racism in the late-nineteenth century.

Harriet Klausner