Pink Heart Reviews
Loving Mercy
Teresa Bodwell
ISBN# 0827178153
Zebra, January 2005, 314 Pages
Historical Romance-Western
Kansa/Colorado Territory 1867
$3.99 (US) $5.99 (CDN)
Reviewed by Laurel
June 2005
Mercy Clarke is a widowed cattle rancher. Being a female and a rancher has made her a rugged and strong woman who takes no crap from any man. She carries at her side a bullwhip and is a crack shot with a rifle and skilled with a colt revolver. She is over six-feet tall and men are intimidated by her attitude and manner with which she regards them Having just reached Abilene, Kansas to sell her Hereford cattle to save her Ranch and meet her loan deadline, she is accosted by a man with other alternatives on his mind. on a cattle drive to Kansas to sell her precious Hereford Cattle that she thinks ruined her marriage to her husband and to save her Ranch. In steps Thad Buchanan a Southern Gentleman at heart and a killer smile. She is rude and arrogant and later proclaims him to be a drunk and gambler and wants no part of him or him helping her. But her family has other plans. Mercy has to travel back to the Colorado Territory alone with her sister Miranda with over 1000.00 cash. They coerce Mercy into hiring Thad. Mercy wishes he would just drop dead.
Thad Buchanan is trying to reach Fort Victory to his only surviving relative his sister Clarisse, being hired on to protect Mercy is challenge that Thad is only to happy to accept. Clarisse promised him she would help him find a wife and rebuild his life, after the war saw his father and brothers die and then slowly his mother, shortly after that he lost the family home. Shattered and broken and trying to put his past behind he looks forward to the future in Fort Victory and the widow that Clarisse is promising to introduce him too. Together Thad, Mercy her sister Miranda and family friend Harold set out to Fort Victory. Danger strikes when Mercy and her group are shot at. Everyone knew that Mercy was carrying a large sum of cash and everyone wanted it. Harold is shot and they are forced to leave him behind with Miranda while Mercy and Thad continue on their journey. Once alone is where the sparks start to erupt between these two and where the journey home truly begins.
I really enjoyed the this novel, I will be the first person to admit that I am not normally a Western reader, the story must really stand out for to enjoy it let alone devour it. I loved the character of Mercy she carried a lot of guilt in her soul and through out this novel we got to see her break down, cry for what she lost and not just her husband, she gambled with her life and she lost. She vowed to never let it happen again and in walks this truly hunk of man whose dimple sweeps her off her feet. She is conflicted she wants to protect her heart but she also wishes she could be like a shooting star and live for the moment. She grew in this novel and relaxed her guard. She had to face many changes and challenges in this novel, her sister who she adored was in love and I hope that we do get to read Harold and Miranda’s story. They were last seen at the halfway point in this novel and I am mighty intrigued on their story from where it left off and how they are faring if not a little disappointed they were not heard from again even if the author did a small epilogue to allude they were coming in another book in the future.
Thad the man was the epitome of sexy. Have you seen the cover for this novel, that cover is Thad, the body and striking pose. The art department really did well with his image and in several cases in this novel it was quite easy to look at the cover and go I agree…sigh. He was a gentleman he thought he wanted a wife who would be meek, and provide him a home and an abundance of children. Instead he lost his heart to this very strong and determined woman and became equally determined to win her over. Their one sex scene in this novel where I was thinking oh yes a man who understands I took to laughing at Mercy who was so impatient to see the deed done that it turned humorous to watch her struggle with her resolve and being told to be patient.
Loving Mercy is Teresa Bodwell’s debut novel under a debut author program through Zebra. She wrote a wonderful story set in Western Times and it was a delicious and delightful read. It held me in all ways, even in the predictable parts where I knew who the bad guy was and what his motive would be to see Mercy out of the way. The age of Thad was another minor sticking point with me I do prefer my hero’s to be older than the Heroine but in this case it was irrelevant and he displayed a more matured outlook than the heroine when it came to life that it was quickly forgotten. I look forward to reading more from Teresa Bodwell in the future and her brand on Western Romances.
