Wyoming Wildflower


Pam Crooks
Leisure
Western
ISBN 0-8439-4843-4
Setting: Cheyenne, Wyoming, 1890


Sonnie Mancuso, the youngest of six daughters, has been called home from Boston after her father's recent heart attack. Sonnie is anxious to see her father, and she also wants to prove to him she can run the Rocking M Ranch. To her surprise and dismay, her father's hired help, Lance Harmon, is known as the 'Boss Man'. Sonnie has always felt unwanted and is determined to prove herself. Will Lance get in her way? Will her father, finally see her worth?

Lance Harmon is a fortunate man. He was ten years old when his mother died, and a few years later, Vince Mancuso took him from an orphanage, offering the boy a chance at a new life. Lance sees something of a kindred spirit in Sonnie, and loves the girl, but with the Rocking M now on the verge of a range war, will Sonnie be safe at home? Or will Lance be forced to send her back to Boston?

In the late 1800s, range wars, sparked by cattle rustling is still going on. Range detectives, not much better than gunslingers, were hired to stop wars before they could start. Wyoming Wildflower, tells of such an attempt and one man's efforts to keep his ranch intact.

Pam Crooks combines romance and changing times to create an entertaining tale. Her secondary characters are amusing and troublesome by turns, but always move the story along. She creates descriptions to help readers visualize Wyoming as it looked before big cities moved in. The famous, (or infamous) Cheyenne Club plays a part as well, in the events.

Treat yourself to an evening at home, on the range, with the Wyoming Wildflower.



Reviewed by Brenda Gayle

March, 01

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