In 1899 New Mexico, a waitress with a questionable previous falls in
love with a straight-laced lawman.
That is the second guide in Schmidt’s (Trailblazer, 2019)
Cowboys & Harvey Ladies collection, which focuses on a less-well-known
side of frontier dwelling. Within the late 1800s, Fred Harvey established a series
of “consuming homes” alongside the railroad strains to newly established frontier
cities. Lily Travis is likely one of the younger, single ladies of “good ethical character”
employed to serve meals and dwell in firm housing in Juniper, New Mexico. After
fleeing an abusive stepfather in Chicago and being rapidly married to after which
ditched by an unscrupulous stranger, she fears she has missed her probability at
love and household. Sheriff Cody Daniels is drawn to Lily, however he’s a
by-the-book lawman with political ambitions. When considered one of Lily’s co-workers at
the Harvey Firm is murdered, she turns to Cody for assist. The assassin is
pure evil, and everybody else is pure goodness. Lily frets that different males “solely
knew methods to take what they wished, and within the course of, they robbed me of my
capability to belief,” however she and Cody are too honorable to truly battle over
misunderstandings or maintain grudges.
Competent writing and an uncommon historic setting are
marred by flat characters and a uninteresting romance.
