BADLANDS BRIDE
by Adrianne Wood
When Lily, an exiled Bostonian heiress, and Mason, a frontier journalist suffering major writer’s block, meet on her grandfather’s dinosaur dig, sparks fly and secrets are unearthed—but as mysteries unfold, Mason and Lily realize they may have to choose between love and truth.
Mason Donnelly was considered one of the best writers on the frontier, but he’s burned out and apathetic. When he makes his way to the Colorado excavation of Charles Highfill, a business magnate with an interest in paleontology, Mason isn’t really looking for a story. He just hopes to find a place to stay for a little while, and a tent on the site is as good as any. Welcomed, surprisingly, with open arms by Highfill and his right-hand man, Dickon, Mason settles into the dig community. He tries to ignore his attraction to the rich man’s granddaughter, Lily, as well as her lap-dog attitude toward Cecil St. John, the stuffy, condescending New England bones expert who is clearly the front-runner for Lily’s hand in marriage. Lily concocts a plan to make Cecil more aware of her by flirting with Mason, which backfires when Cecil still ignores her and she realizes her growing yet unwelcome attraction to Mason—a very unsuitable suitor. Meanwhile, Dickon discovers raw sapphires on the site, and Highfill orders his inner circle—consisting of Dickon, Lily and Cecil—to keep the find a secret, especially from Mason. Of course, the hint of a mystery sets off Mason’s journalistic instincts, and the stage is set for an investigation that will uncover long-buried family secrets, new crimes and scandals, and a scorching passion that just may burn Mason and Lily when the path to truth drives them apart. The novel, originally published as an e-book, offers a sensual, emotionally satisfying romance, smooth writing and dialogue, and a plot sophisticated enough to keep readers engaged and invested. A hint of intrigue adds tension, and a few unexpected twists deepen the complexity and texture of the plot.
A quick, enjoyable romance that will satisfy the intended audience.