Outrider

By: Colleen French

Narrated by: June deBorahae

Outrider Noah Ericson isn't Mercy Atkins' idea of a hotel guest, but the bank pays cash—a week in advance—for their stagecoach shotgun. She worries about how long she can get away with not replacing the hotel's battered roof and she never turns away a paying guest—even if he holsters a loaded weapon.

Mercy's husband Haman disappeared, and she hides a shameful secret, running a decent boarding house while caring for her young son and elderly father. Haman's vicious brother Jehu circles like a vulture, determined to lay claim to Haman's stake and take the hotel away from her. Mercy finds everything about Noah a welcome comfort at her supper table.

But war cost Noah dearly. When he came back, he found the graves of his wife and young daughter who had been viciously violated and murdered. He walks with guilt and grief as his constant companions. I should have been there to protect them. With his troubling past, Noah at first resists his deepening attraction to Mercy.

But when bank stagecoaches are ambushed more than once, Noah grows suspicious. When he discovers Mercy's shameful secret, which could ruin their life together, he makes up his mind.

A man knows what needs protecting.

©1999, 2018 Colleen French (P)2023 Tantor

Loved It!

OMG, this book! It's so good! I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this. The story is well-written, heartwarming, and a bit steamy! I didn't expect those twists in the story. They were unraveled at the perfect points in the story. It also had a great mix of characters. Most of them were interesting and likable. The rest were the type you'd love to hate.

June deBorahae did a brilliant job with the narration! She gave perfect differentiation to each character. Her performance really made this book great!