Maureen McKade
McKade, Maureen - MAIL-ORDER BRIDE (Avon - 1/00) (4)
Setting: Colorado, 1800s
Kate Murphy had spent a good portion of her life taking care
of her sick, drunken father. Left with a ton of bills after
his death, she was forced to sell her home. With no place
else to go, Kate left Kansas and headed for Orion, Colorado
to become the mail-order bride of John Samuels. Upon her
arrival in Orion, however, she discovered that a tragic
mining accident had taken the life of her fiancé.
Now, penniless and without a husband, Kate needs to find lodging and a job. A local woman gives her room and board, but it seems the only available jobs are for saloon girls. Luckily, Kate is soon offered the position of baby-sitter to the children of the mine superintendent, Trev Trevelyan. The only problem is...she doesn't know the first thing about taking care of babies, and she can't resist her attraction for their handsome father.
Widower Trev Trevelyan has had his share of troubles: first, an unfeeling wife, then a mute daughter, and now a rebellion of his mine workers. He's desperate to find someone to care for his children during the day when he's working, but none of the women in town are willing to take care of his daughter. When he discovers Kate needs a job, and she accepts his offer, Trev feels quite fortunate—but he also feels an obligation to her because her fiancé was killed while under his supervision.
The local miners are ready to strike when they are told their wages will be cut and their hours lengthened. As the superintendent, Trev is right in the middle of the action. Although he disagrees with the mine's owner, Jason Cromwell, he has no choice but to carry out his orders. The situation takes a precarious turn when Cromwell refuses to comply with the workers' demands and they consider becoming unionized. Kate is torn between her growing love for Trev and her fear for his life. The union means business, and mining is a hazardous occupation as it is. Trev finds himself attracted to Kate, but he's afraid of becoming involved with another woman who can't accept his dangerous lifestyle. In the center of their problems are two innocent children, desperate for the love of both a mother and father.
Maureen McKade brings the Old West alive in a story filled with adventure, mystery, and romance. Her characters are portrayed in a very realistic way, and readers will be quickly turning the pages to find out how this riveting, emotional tale ends. Give MAIL-ORDER BRIDE a try; you won't be sorry! ~Yvonne Hering for Bookbug on the Web
McKade, Maureen - UNTAMED HEART (Avon - 1999) (3)
I wanted to like this western historical, I really did. I
enjoyed the characters and the town, but the whole package was just so...uninteresting to me. The hero, boring but
respectable, runs for mayor against the feisty heroine. The problem is the sparks just never flew and even the secondary romance had more depth.
Tyler Ashburn runs a business in Sawtooth, Wyoming and he is as upright as they come. His father was a gambler and drunkard, and he is determined that no one, especially himself, will ever have fun. When he runs for mayor, his intention is to shut down the saloons to make the town attractive for settlers with families. Gabby Wade owns Miss Gabby's Emporium, where a man can get a drink and an honest game of cards, and she does not take his threat lightly. She is just as determined to make a go at her business as Tyler is at his, and her friends persuade her to run against him in the election.
Gabby is a lot of fun; she knows how to enjoy life and she doesn't mind looking ridiculous. But all work and no play has made our hero a dull boy indeed. His motivation is pure, but he drags down what should have been a humorous, charming tale. Maureen McKade has certainly done her research, providing an accurate portrait of a small western town, but I was never really convinced of the attraction between Gabby and Tyler; the sexual tension seems forced and there is no real basis for their attraction. In my opinion, this is not McKade's best work; I would recommend last year's DIME NOVEL HERO over this one. ~Anne Kirby for Bookbug on the Web
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