A COWBOY WORTH CLAIMING – Charlene Sands
The Worths of Red Ridge , a Prequel
Harlequin Historical #1083
April 2012
Historical Romance
Red Ridge, Arizona , 1884
Rustlers, drought, and disease have decimated the herd on the Mitchell Ranch. The only Mitchells left are eighteen year old Lizzie (who wishes people would call her Elizabeth !) and her Grandpa. Edward Mitchell is dying and desperate, so he calls in a favor from a young man he saved fifteen years ago.
Chase Worth was a twelve year old orphan when Edward saved him from a beating that would have killed him. They've stayed in touch since through letters, and Chase readily answers the summons from Edward. On his way, he comes upon a lake in time to rescue a strange young woman from a sinking boat. Does she want to be rescued? Is she the least bit grateful? No to both questions. She struggles with Chance, claiming she has to go down to save her dolls. He saves her anyway, as its obvious her skirts are pulling her under for good. Not only is she angry with him, when he tells her his name, she informs him she won't marry him! Chance responds with a laugh.
When the two reach the Mitchell spread, Chase learns why he was sent for. His dying friend asks Chance to drive his remaining herd to the railhead in town to sell. Not only is Lizzie to go with him, but Edward asks Chance to find her a husband.
Chance will do what he can to save the ranch to repay the honorable old man for his life, but find a husband for his feisty, contrary granddaughter? That will be one big chore!
Lizzie stubbornly insists her grandpa will get well; it would break her heart to lose the only family she has left. Chance already has no one. The man who adopted him after Edward saved him treats him as just one more ranchhand. Chance's experiences with women have left him uninterested in attaching himself to one of the untrustworthy creatures.
Lizzie and Chance have adventures on the cattle drive. They make a successful sale, but lose all in a moment on the way home. What can they do now? You'll get a kick out of the fiery relationship between Chance and Lizzie…oops, pardon me… Elizabeth .
In a letter to the reader, Ms. Sands explains that this book gives the background of the Silhouette Desire contemporary series, The Worths of Red Ridge, that includes CARRYING THE RANCHER'S HEIR (May 2011, #2088) and THE COWBOY'S PRIDE (December 2011, #2127). WORTH THE RISK will wind up the series in October. If you have read the earlier books, you will be very interested in this historical.
With suspense, deep emotions, and touches of humor, A COWBOY WORTH CLAIMING delivers good reading whether or not you are already into the series.
Jane Bowers
