BOOK REVIEW: Lady Renegade by Carol Finch

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin (November 1, 2010)
• Language: English

BLURB ON BACK OF BOOK:


U.S. Deputy Marshal Gideon Fox's first glimpse of the ravishing beauty was like a mystical vision. But when Lorelei Russell identified herself, the lawman in Gideon kicked in—this woman was wanted for murder! He'd have to tame his fierce attraction until justice could be served

For her part, Lori couldn't believe the injustice of it all. Falsely accused, apprehended by a hard-hearted marshal and, the most unfair part—how her body rebelled every time Gideon was near, making resistance to her gorgeous captor absolutely futile….

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Carol Finch is the author of many historical westerns, and she knows her territory well. No more so than here. U.S. Marshall Gideon Fox is hot on the trail of an outlaw when a vision appears before him out of the mist, a woman, with an abundance of curves, and a fiery head of hair and a fiery disposition to match. Gideon is immediately captivated by her angelic look. But his gut screams, 'here comes trouble'.

How true. Lorelei Russell is wrongly accused of murder of a supposed lover, she approaches the Marshall hoping he will take up her cause. Was she ever mistaken. Gideon Fox is a doggedly stubborn man, and if this spitfire is wanted for murder, then he is determined to take her in!

Its a situation fraught with danger on many levels, as Gideon leads Lori back to headquarters with her kicking and screaming all the way. Part Osage, Gideon himself is an imposing specimen, over 6 feet, broad shoulders, darkly handsome. And good at his job. Gideon stops the night at his ranch, and we get to meet his 2 brothers, Galen is taken, but I would sure like to see Glenn in his own story. Very appealing. Of course, his family takes to Lori, believing her side of the story, Gideon continues to be convinced she is guilty, even ties her up in the barn so she won't escape!

While the snarling and sniping was starting to be too much between the two, (it was starting to annoy me) Carol deftly weaves in the spark of desire which is no doubt fueling these verbal sparings. It is a fine line, when does all this fighting become tedious? Thankfully, the love scenes are hot, the attraction real and dense, so the fighting is not a deterrent to the love story.

Lori is a real pistol. She can handle a gun, a knife and put the serious hurt on a man. She even manages to beat up on Gideon in an attempted escape. And on the trip to her father's trading post, adventure and passion are intertwined to make for a cracking good read.

I figured out who was really behind the shooting of the supposed ex-lover, but the reasons surprised me.


I thoroughly enjoyed this old west adventure/romance. Lots of love scenes under the stars, lots of action and some great secondary characters. I loved Lori's gruff ex-Army father, the man who trained her for combat. And the bounty hunter Reese McCree was also intriguing, again, a character that could have his own story. These characters really added some meat to this story.


Gideon as a hero was very appealing. An honorable man, gruff in a lot of ways, and yes, stubborn as a Missouri mule, but down deep, a lonely man who wants peace and maybe love, in his life. Lori for her part, under all the bravado and fire, is a passionate woman at heart, she falls for Gideon and tries to fight it, to no avail. Enjoyable.
3 out of 4 stars for the book