The Lone Warrior
Lori Austin

Genre:
Historical
Heat Level: Sensual/Hot
Rating:

Rose Varner needs a man…

But not just any man. The one known as “White Ghost with Hair of Fire.” He may be the only way to rescue her daughter, Lily, from the Cheyenne. Legend has it he was once the Cheyenne’s captive, but his courage impressed them so much that they accepted him as one of their own. Yet the man Rose finds seems far from legendary…

Luke Phelan’s tortured past has driven him to live as a recluse in the Smoky Hills of western Kansas. Having vowed to keep his distance from the Cheyenne, Luke refuses to accompany Rose on her rescue mission. But her bravery in the face of dangerous odds changes his mind. Now as they ride toward their destination, they’ll battle outlaws, bounty hunters, and their own rising desires before finding Lily. But the cost to Rose will be high, and her budding love for Luke will be put to the test…

Don't miss the first two books, BEAUTY AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER and AN OUTLAW IN WONDERLAND

Review

The Lone Warrior is my first book by this author and although being part of a series I read this book first and it didn’t matter that I hadn’t read the first of the series.  One thing I discovered by the time I reached the end is the I definitely wanted to go back and read the earlier books. This author is simply, in one word, great.

The setting is the old west with a damaged, although sexy hero who survived being a captive of the Cheyenne.  The brave and strong heroine is no measly miss but needing help to rescue Lily from the Cheyenne.  The couple faces danger and steamy sexual tension while undertaking the rescue mission. 
Lily, the heroine’s daughter, is taken captive by the Cheyenne and staying strong she sets out to rescue her.  Who better, she believes, could help her other than an ex-captive of the Indians, Luke, the hero.  As a result of his past experiences Luke has problems of his own and has no interest in going down that road again and wants nothing to do with getting that close to the Cheyenne again.  Rose, the heroine, being headstrong and determined, will not take no for an answer. 

The roadblocks and issues the couple must face on their journey reveals that everything is not a bed of roses and helps them develop strength and hope through each other.  The hero had to, throughout his past, literally fight to stay alive and meeting a woman who is not afraid to fight to get what she needs or wants or believes in is surprising to him.  And Rose is definitely that, as she is every inch a female warrior willing to fight, and even faces death several times, to gain back her family.  The trials they endure will provide a strong foundation that will last them a lifetime, if they can survive. 

The author grabs your attention from the start and holds it until the end with all the events throughout the book.  The reader actually feels as if they become part of the story and you will remember the characters long after having read the book.  The story is not a fairy tale but creates a picture of living within the period of time.  The hero and heroine helps each other overcome damaged pasts and through trials develop love towards each other.  Nothing is predictable throughout the story and each character and event is absolutely believable.

This author deserves grand applause for presenting a believable romance while maintaining harsh dangers and reality of the time period.  This will not be the only book I read by Lori Austin.

Reviewed by Rhonda