HELL FOR LEATHER – Beth Williamson
Samhain Publishing
ISBN 1-60504-046-0
June 2008
Historical Romance

Eustace, New Mexico – 1889

Kincaid had buried his guns and his past before arriving in New Mexico and taking the name Cade Brody. He purchases an old cabin in the foothills of the Santa Fe Mountains, but as he moves in, he senses someone watching him. He goes into the small town of Eustace to buy staples for his new home and meets the beautiful Sabrina Edmonds, who runs the store with her sister, Ellen. He is instantly attracted to Sabrina, but plans to keep a low profile in town and get used to his new persona. Sabrina is curious about the handsome stranger.

Sabrina runs the store while Ellen works in the background. After Sabrina’s husband was murdered and Ellen was attacked in the old mill, Ellen is left with scars and is afraid and embarrassed to face people. Sam Fuller, a widower in town, is constantly asking Sabrina to marry him, but she refuses him each time. He is concerned about his young daughter, Melissa, who after talking to Cade, has formed an attachment to him.

Someone is leaving food by Cade’s door. He is annoyed by his invisible visitor. Although Cade wants to be left alone, things beyond his control keep happening to make it impossible for him to stay away from town. Sabrina becomes more enthralled with Cade, but Ellen sees him as evil and warns her sister to stay away from him. The attraction between Cade and Sabrina becomes a firestorm that cannot be denied, and despite Cade’s resolve, he is getting involved with the people of Eustace, and the person leaving food on his doorstep.

HELL FOR LEATHER is an intriguing tale about a tough man who has been on his own ever since he can remember...except for the good memories of one friend he left behind in Wyoming who showed him a different life. Cade sees himself as unworthy of Sabrina; he has made many mistakes, and even though he tries to stay away from town, he is drawn to Sabrina like a magnet. She knows Cade has a dark side, but she is convinced that he is a fundamentally good man regardless of what people say. Will the people get to know Cade and find the goodness in him even though he has rough edges and a dark past?

Not a typical Western tale, HELL FOR LEATHER is a story about redemption and self-forgiveness. Secondary characters bring additional interest -- Melissa, who has a crush on Cade and sees him as her own; Antonio, who runs the saloon and forms a friendship with Cade; Clara, the diminutive woman who doctors the sick; and Ellen, who shies away from everyone. Of special interest is the “ghost” who brings food to the cabin and is more like Cade than he would care to admit.

For readers who enjoy Westerns, HELL FOR LEATHER is a fascinating story and a good summer read.

Marilyn Heyman