The Yukon Wilderness - 1898

Mountie Dylan Wayburn's plans to go undercover to find and capture the violent Maddock gang has hit a snag. Sharing the stagecoach with him, besides those he suspects of being gang members, is the newly famous Klondike Lily. Only Dylan realizes immediately that this isn't just any young woman; Lily used to be a servant for his family. Despite his scruffy appearance, he's sure she'll recognize him. If she blows his cover, they could all be in danger. But the Maddocks take care of any of Dylan's plans when they attack the stagecoach and, even though Dylan manages to kill two of the gang, he and Lily are captured and shackled together. Between the two of them, they escape, but chained to each other makes the going very difficult. When they stumble upon an eccentric settler in the middle of nowhere, they pretend to be married so as not to have to explain too much about each other.

Lily Cromwell struck it rich in the Klondike and is transporting her gold to Skagway in the hopes of finding her younger sister and settling down somewhere. She hired two bodyguards to travel with her -- unfortunately, they turned out to be members of the Maddock gang, and now she is stuck, literally, with Dylan Wayburn until they find civilization. The settler they come upon, Otis Forrestor, helps them, then sets out with them to head to Dawson and report the attack, and get his glasses fixed! Lily has a secret, though, and wonders what Dylan will do if he finds out what it is? She notices that he's been branded on his arm and realizes that she's not the only one hiding something.

The fever in the title of this book refers not only to the atmosphere in the Klondike, but also to what is going on between Dylan and Lily. How can Lily know that Dylan carried a torch for her when she worked for his family? He works very hard to keep his distance, but every day on the run it gets more difficult for him to keep his feelings to himself. Lily begins to soften her heart towards Dylan when she realizes that he may have had it just as tough as she has since they last saw each other. Otis is a real character, doling out marriage advice and worming his way into both of their hearts.

Kate Bridges does for the Mounties what Jodi Thomas does for the Texas Rangers -- she makes them come to life as full-blown heroes who risk their lives, and their hearts, every day. Dylan is a tough, honorable guy with a soft heart, even though he struggles to control his feelings. Readers will enjoy the sparring between Dylan and Lily as they work as a team to achieve their goal. Bolton Maddock is as dastardly and deadly a villain as there ever was. There are lots of adventure, excitement, and more than a bit of romance to keep the pages turning, as well as a very heart-stopping conclusion. As usual, Ms. Bridges brings the wild young Canadian west to life with her well-written, character-driven tale.

Fans of Kate Bridges won't want to miss the latest of the Klondike Gold Rush books, KLONDIKE FEVER.

Jani Brooks