THIS GUN FOR HIRE

When a Colorado mine owner’s family is under attack, his right-hand man/bodyguard, Quill McKenna, brings in famous bounty hunter Calico Nash to go undercover as a tutor to help protect them, but he finds his heart at risk to the independent woman.

On a business trip, Quill runs into Calico Nash, a renowned bounty hunter he’s surprised to learn is female. His current client, Ramsey Stonechurch, a rich Colorado mine owner, is in declining health and has survived a couple of attempts on his life. Suddenly Stonechurch's daughter, Ann, seems to be under attack as well, though she doesn’t realize it, since the attempts have been masked as accidents. Quill convinces Calico to come to the Stonechurch estate to protect Ann, under the guise of being a tutor. Once she’s on the property, he finds himself fascinated by her, and when he realizes she reciprocates his attraction, the two fall into a secret affair. But someone is definitely after Stonechurch, and unrest in the mines could be related. As Quill and Calico investigate labor issues and community disgruntlement while trying to keep the Stonechurches safe, the situation is complicated by Ramsey’s attraction to Calico and Ann’s attraction to Quill, plus a close, quiet enemy no one suspects. Western romance favorite Goodman’s new release includes an intriguing and entrancing main couple whose witty banter and smart interactions keep the reader engaged and invested. The complex story and well-drawn secondary characters polish the package, only slightly tarnished by a big plot element that seems a little too obvious for the sharp Quill and Calico to miss. Nonetheless, watching Quill and Calico come together, risk admitting their feelings and reaching for their hard-fought happy-ever-after is entertaining and satisfying.

Unique and charismatic main characters make this romance a success.