Lonestar's Lady

Deborah
Camp
Genre: 
Historical

Augusta (Gussie) Horton has travelled to Pear Orchard, Arkansas with the hope that she can find happiness and stability as a mail-order bride, but upon her arrival, she learns that her intended has landed himself in jail.  Penniless and homeless, she finds herself without resources in the small town.  Soon she is introduced to social outcast Max Lonestar and it appears that they can help each other.  Gussie needs a home, and to fulfill his dream of owning a ranch, Lonestar needs a bride. Gussie and Lonestar reach for the chance of happiness in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges that threaten to end their marriage before it even has a chance to begin.

“Lonestar’s Lady” is a nice western romance with a plucky heroine and mysterious and misunderstood hero.  In this regard, there is nothing remarkable or original in the plot.  Much of the conflict between Gussie and Lonestar result from misunderstandings that are contrived to further the plot. As such, there is less emotional investment in the fate of the characters, and the story is somewhat formulaic.  The villain of the piece is rather one-dimensional and his motivation obvious. What makes “Lonestar’s Lady” a pleasure to read is Ms. Camp’s descriptive and lively prose.  Well-written dialogue adds color and depth to otherwise flat main characters.  In this regard, “Lonestar’s Lady” qualifies as some nice light reading with a cup of tea on a lazy Sunday afternoon. 

Gwenellen Tarbet