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Outlaw in Paradise
A beautiful saloon owner looks to a mysterious, gorgeous gunslinger to prevent her from losing her tavern to a greedy bully, even while she rightfully distrusts her would-be savior. By the author of Wild at Heart. Original.
374 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 21, 1997
17 people are currently reading
203 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Gaffney
40 books319 followersPatricia Gaffney was born in Tampa, Florida, and grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English and philosophy from Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York, and also studied literature at Royal Holloway College of the University of London, at George Washington University, and at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
After college, Gaffney taught 12th grade English for a year before becoming a freelance court reporter, a job she pursued in North Carolina, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C., for the next fifteen years.
Her first book, a historical romance, was published by Dorchester in 1989. Between then and 1997, she wrote 11 more romance novels (Dorchester; Penguin USA), for which she was nominated for or won many awards. Many of these previously out of print classics are available again today as digitally reissued classics, including the author's most recently re-released and much beloved novels in The Wyckerley Trilogy.
In 1999, she went in a new direction with her hardcover fiction debut, The Saving Graces (HarperCollins). A contemporary story about four women friends, the novel explored issues of love, friendship, trust, and commitment among women. The Saving Graces enjoyed bestseller status on the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and other lists.
Circle of Three (2000), Flight Lessons (2002), and The Goodbye Summer (2004) followed, all national bestsellers. Gaffney’s most recent novel was Mad Dash (2007), a humorous but insightful look at a 20-year marriage, told from the viewpoints of both longsuffering spouses.
More recently, Pat's been indulging her purely creative side in a brand new format for her -- novellas. With friends including J. D. Robb, she has contributed stories to three anthologies, all New York Times bestsellers. In "The Dog Days of Laurie Summer" (The Lost, 2009), a woman in a troubled marriage "dies" and comes back as the family dog. "The Dancing Ghost" (The Other Side, 2010) brings together a pretty spinster and a shady ghost buster in 1895 New England. And in "Dear One" (The Unquiet, 2011), a fake phone psychic (or IS she?) meets her match in a stuffy Capitol Hill lobbyist -- who couldn't possibly be that sexy-voiced cowboy from Medicine Bend who keeps calling the psychic line.
Patricia Gaffney lives in southern Pennsylvania with her husband.
After college, Gaffney taught 12th grade English for a year before becoming a freelance court reporter, a job she pursued in North Carolina, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C., for the next fifteen years.
Her first book, a historical romance, was published by Dorchester in 1989. Between then and 1997, she wrote 11 more romance novels (Dorchester; Penguin USA), for which she was nominated for or won many awards. Many of these previously out of print classics are available again today as digitally reissued classics, including the author's most recently re-released and much beloved novels in The Wyckerley Trilogy.
In 1999, she went in a new direction with her hardcover fiction debut, The Saving Graces (HarperCollins). A contemporary story about four women friends, the novel explored issues of love, friendship, trust, and commitment among women. The Saving Graces enjoyed bestseller status on the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and other lists.
Circle of Three (2000), Flight Lessons (2002), and The Goodbye Summer (2004) followed, all national bestsellers. Gaffney’s most recent novel was Mad Dash (2007), a humorous but insightful look at a 20-year marriage, told from the viewpoints of both longsuffering spouses.
More recently, Pat's been indulging her purely creative side in a brand new format for her -- novellas. With friends including J. D. Robb, she has contributed stories to three anthologies, all New York Times bestsellers. In "The Dog Days of Laurie Summer" (The Lost, 2009), a woman in a troubled marriage "dies" and comes back as the family dog. "The Dancing Ghost" (The Other Side, 2010) brings together a pretty spinster and a shady ghost buster in 1895 New England. And in "Dear One" (The Unquiet, 2011), a fake phone psychic (or IS she?) meets her match in a stuffy Capitol Hill lobbyist -- who couldn't possibly be that sexy-voiced cowboy from Medicine Bend who keeps calling the psychic line.
Patricia Gaffney lives in southern Pennsylvania with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
April 11, 2023
What a great piece of western romance! It would be such a great romantic comedy if anyone would want to make it into a movie.
It was light, funny, with great characters but also the author was deeply aware of human psychology. So good. I love when authors are introspective enough.
Plus that sex scene in the middle, chef’s kiss. It is probably just me but it hit the spot for me. It portrayed our MCs not just as lovers or partners but also as playmates. Two people who can have fun together in unexpected ways.
Recommend
It was light, funny, with great characters but also the author was deeply aware of human psychology. So good. I love when authors are introspective enough.
Plus that sex scene in the middle, chef’s kiss. It is probably just me but it hit the spot for me. It portrayed our MCs not just as lovers or partners but also as playmates. Two people who can have fun together in unexpected ways.
Recommend
no-way-jose
July 16, 2024No rating, DNF at 8%. Well, this book had been sitting on my tbr shelf for 10 yrs. so I decided to give it a shot. But after 2 days of reading, I’m still only at 8%. I guess the GR rating of 3.56 is accurate 😖. It was just a bit slow and not the humor I was in the mood for.
🤠 The hero is a con man impersonating a deadly gunfighter. He wears all black, eye patch and even smokes black cigarettes. He does a gravelly whisper, instead of talking, to sound more dangerous of course. He carries tons of guns, but he does not know how to shoot them….. 🥴
💃🏻 The heroine is a saloon owner that wears tight red dresses to deal the deck of cards, has a tattoo of a bird on the side of her left breast (that flashes the cowboys as she deals cards) and amazingly enough she’s not shunned by the town and is welcomed for Sunday church services.
That’s as far as I got, but absolutely nothing I read during this 8% made me want to pick it back up and read more.
I tried!
🤠 The hero is a con man impersonating a deadly gunfighter. He wears all black, eye patch and even smokes black cigarettes. He does a gravelly whisper, instead of talking, to sound more dangerous of course. He carries tons of guns, but he does not know how to shoot them….. 🥴
💃🏻 The heroine is a saloon owner that wears tight red dresses to deal the deck of cards, has a tattoo of a bird on the side of her left breast (that flashes the cowboys as she deals cards) and amazingly enough she’s not shunned by the town and is welcomed for Sunday church services.
That’s as far as I got, but absolutely nothing I read during this 8% made me want to pick it back up and read more.
I tried!
February 11, 2017
Ugh, this was just too much sex with no chemistry and not much story. I felt thoroughly lost at the end when the author finally realized she needed to wrap things up and tossed in all but the kitchen sink.
November 5, 2014
Outlaw in Paradise by Patricia Gaffney is a 2011 Open Road Media publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a delightful historical western romance that will tickle the funny bone and warm your heart.
Originally published in 1997, Open Road Integrated Media had re-issued the book in digital format.
Jesse Gault arrives in Paradise, Oregon looking every bit the quintessential outlaw gunslinger, dressed in black all the way down to his black cigarette. Looking for a saloon, Jesse discovers an establishment run by the beautiful Cady McGill, a woman he is instantly smitten with.
The town is full of folks believing Jesse has arrived in Paradise because of them and start making confessions to Jesse. This is hilarious because Jesse is not at all what he appears to be. Meanwhile, Jesse strikes up a friendship with some of the folks in Cady's saloon and soon begins trying to seduce the beautiful saloon owner. But, Cady is having a few problems with a rival who is hell bent on seeing her run out of business and getting his hands on her gold mine. The dangerous Jesse Gault should be able to help her with this problem... but as it turns out, Jesse may not be as fierce with a gun as people have presumed.
The only problem I had with this book was that it moved just a bit too slow. There were a few long periods with not much going on and the even the dialogue started to drag out just a little. However, once I got past the half way mark, things really picked up speed and all the elements came together to create a steamy hot romance, an action packed show down and a heartwarming story of community, friendship and happy ever afters.
There were some laugh out loud moments, witty dialogue , a clever and mistaken identity, plot twist, wonderful secondary characters and an authentic western atmosphere. Cady and Jesse were perfect for each other. Overall this one gets 4 stars!!
This is a delightful historical western romance that will tickle the funny bone and warm your heart.
Originally published in 1997, Open Road Integrated Media had re-issued the book in digital format.
Jesse Gault arrives in Paradise, Oregon looking every bit the quintessential outlaw gunslinger, dressed in black all the way down to his black cigarette. Looking for a saloon, Jesse discovers an establishment run by the beautiful Cady McGill, a woman he is instantly smitten with.
The town is full of folks believing Jesse has arrived in Paradise because of them and start making confessions to Jesse. This is hilarious because Jesse is not at all what he appears to be. Meanwhile, Jesse strikes up a friendship with some of the folks in Cady's saloon and soon begins trying to seduce the beautiful saloon owner. But, Cady is having a few problems with a rival who is hell bent on seeing her run out of business and getting his hands on her gold mine. The dangerous Jesse Gault should be able to help her with this problem... but as it turns out, Jesse may not be as fierce with a gun as people have presumed.
The only problem I had with this book was that it moved just a bit too slow. There were a few long periods with not much going on and the even the dialogue started to drag out just a little. However, once I got past the half way mark, things really picked up speed and all the elements came together to create a steamy hot romance, an action packed show down and a heartwarming story of community, friendship and happy ever afters.
There were some laugh out loud moments, witty dialogue , a clever and mistaken identity, plot twist, wonderful secondary characters and an authentic western atmosphere. Cady and Jesse were perfect for each other. Overall this one gets 4 stars!!
July 29, 2011
I'm enjoying this immensely so far--Cady McGill's running a saloon in Paradise, Oregon, and holding her own in a man's world. Jesse Gault is seemingly a gunslinger who arrives in town. Not all is as it seems :)
Updated now that I've finished--a very good read. Lovely to see Jesse and Cady's relationship develop and see them get to know each other; layer upon layer, like petals unfolding on an opening flower. This is going on the keeper shelf.
Updated now that I've finished--a very good read. Lovely to see Jesse and Cady's relationship develop and see them get to know each other; layer upon layer, like petals unfolding on an opening flower. This is going on the keeper shelf.
July 20, 2012
Although this book was published in 1997, this is my first Patricia Gaffney. It won’t be my last though. I feel like I’ve found a new friend, someone to follow and enjoy and anticipate every new encounter. From cover to cover, I was enchanted by the story, by the characters, and by the language. A Wild West romance with a humorous touch – what could be better?
Warning – spoilers ahead!
The action takes place in a small town Paradise. The town’s weekly is called Paradise Reverberator. Doesn’t that name remind you of a sex toy? It did to me. I couldn’t read the name of that newspaper without a grin.
At first glance, the protagonists of the novel seem standard for a western. Cady is a saloon owner, smart and saucy, determined to survive in a man’s world. Jesse Gault is a gunslinger, a legendary contract killer with an eye patch. His hoarse whisper brings fear into men’s hearts. His spurs’ jingling inspires terror, and his evil, one-eyed gaze is pure menace.
As soon as the news of his arrival spreads through town, everybody with a guilty conscience quakes, convinced that his enemies commissioned Gault to kill him. To escape certain death, people are willing to pay big bucks, sometimes all they have, and Gault accepts their bribes, although he keeps looking sinister and dangerous.
Juxtaposed with his inner musings, the situation is nothing short of hilarious, because in reality, Jesse is a conman … posing as a gunman. Must be the best con in the world, at least until his sham goes askew, calling for actual gunslinger’s skills. Then Jesse would be in a pickle.
The writing sparkles like cut crystal, witty and luminous, even when the tale turns gritty. As Jesse’s and Cady’s mutual affection deepens, despite Cady’s aversion to murderers for hire, their flirting and bantering become more and more magical. I don’t think I’ve ever read such a profound depiction of the beginning of love.
It would’ve been an uncomplicated farce, with the underpinning of a love story, if the real villain didn’t threaten everything dear to Cady, including Jesse’s life. While the lovers explore their passions, the said villain schemes, and the tension mounts. Something is going to explode – and it does. Now both heroes must employ as much ingenuity as they can to find solutions to their unsolvable problems.
The ending is a happy one – a requirement in a romance novel – but it’s also utterly surprising and unexpectedly simple, fitting the tale. On the whole, one of the best books I’ve read recently.
Warning – spoilers ahead!
The action takes place in a small town Paradise. The town’s weekly is called Paradise Reverberator. Doesn’t that name remind you of a sex toy? It did to me. I couldn’t read the name of that newspaper without a grin.
At first glance, the protagonists of the novel seem standard for a western. Cady is a saloon owner, smart and saucy, determined to survive in a man’s world. Jesse Gault is a gunslinger, a legendary contract killer with an eye patch. His hoarse whisper brings fear into men’s hearts. His spurs’ jingling inspires terror, and his evil, one-eyed gaze is pure menace.
As soon as the news of his arrival spreads through town, everybody with a guilty conscience quakes, convinced that his enemies commissioned Gault to kill him. To escape certain death, people are willing to pay big bucks, sometimes all they have, and Gault accepts their bribes, although he keeps looking sinister and dangerous.
Juxtaposed with his inner musings, the situation is nothing short of hilarious, because in reality, Jesse is a conman … posing as a gunman. Must be the best con in the world, at least until his sham goes askew, calling for actual gunslinger’s skills. Then Jesse would be in a pickle.
The writing sparkles like cut crystal, witty and luminous, even when the tale turns gritty. As Jesse’s and Cady’s mutual affection deepens, despite Cady’s aversion to murderers for hire, their flirting and bantering become more and more magical. I don’t think I’ve ever read such a profound depiction of the beginning of love.
It would’ve been an uncomplicated farce, with the underpinning of a love story, if the real villain didn’t threaten everything dear to Cady, including Jesse’s life. While the lovers explore their passions, the said villain schemes, and the tension mounts. Something is going to explode – and it does. Now both heroes must employ as much ingenuity as they can to find solutions to their unsolvable problems.
The ending is a happy one – a requirement in a romance novel – but it’s also utterly surprising and unexpectedly simple, fitting the tale. On the whole, one of the best books I’ve read recently.
October 19, 2025
Outlaw in Paradise by Patricia Gaffney is a slow-burn western that starts quietly, almost cautiously, before settling into a rhythm that is intoxicating in the way it wraps sinuously around you. At first glance, it’s the classic “gunslinger rides into town” tale, but Gaffney gives it unexpected depth, centering not just on the violence and danger of the frontier but on the hearts of two people who have long been shaped by loneliness, pride, and survival.
Cady McGill is the independent owner of the Rogue Tavern, a saloon in Paradise, Oregon, a woman who has carved out her place in a man’s world with grit, wit, and no small measure of defiance. She is a heroine who embodies self-reliance without losing her warmth or sensuality. When Jesse Gault rides into town, her hard-won calm is shattered. He is everything she has been warned about: dangerous, charming, and impossible to ignore. Yet behind his cool swagger and one-eyed stare lies something broken, something that mirrors her own hidden vulnerability.
The chemistry between Cady and Jesse builds slowly but surely, threaded through banter, suspicion, and tension that simmers until it ignites. Their attraction is physical, yes, but it’s also emotional, grounded in their shared sense of displacement and the quiet yearning for something more than what life has dealt them.
Jesse is not your typical Western alpha; he is a fascinating contradiction, a man weary of the persona he has built, aware of his own moral grayness, and capable of tenderness when you least expect it. His intensity does not roar, rather it hums, drawing one in quietly until you realize how completely you have fallen for him.
As secrets unravel and truths come to light, the story transforms from a simple Western romance into something far more layered. Gaffney captures the dusty authenticity of frontier life; the gossiping townsfolk, the bar fights, the quiet codes of pride and redemption, with a vividness that makes the world feel lived-in. Yet what truly elevates the novel is how it never loses sight of the human story underneath: two people trying to find peace, purpose, and love in a place that does not easily grant any of the three.
If the first few chapters feel slow, it more than made up for it towards the end. The sensuality is lush and tender, handled with the kind of realism that makes it both steamy and deeply intimate. By the time the final chapters arrive, complete with revelations, reconciliations, and a marriage that feels wholly deserved, it is mighty hard not to sigh with contentment.
Recommended for: readers who love character-driven historicals, gunfighters with hidden hearts, and heroines who hold their ground with grace and steel.
Final Verdict: A beautifully written Western with heart, humor, and slow-burn sensuality. Outlaw in Paradise proves that love can bloom even in the dust and danger of the frontier.
Rating = 4/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
Cady McGill is the independent owner of the Rogue Tavern, a saloon in Paradise, Oregon, a woman who has carved out her place in a man’s world with grit, wit, and no small measure of defiance. She is a heroine who embodies self-reliance without losing her warmth or sensuality. When Jesse Gault rides into town, her hard-won calm is shattered. He is everything she has been warned about: dangerous, charming, and impossible to ignore. Yet behind his cool swagger and one-eyed stare lies something broken, something that mirrors her own hidden vulnerability.
The chemistry between Cady and Jesse builds slowly but surely, threaded through banter, suspicion, and tension that simmers until it ignites. Their attraction is physical, yes, but it’s also emotional, grounded in their shared sense of displacement and the quiet yearning for something more than what life has dealt them.
Jesse is not your typical Western alpha; he is a fascinating contradiction, a man weary of the persona he has built, aware of his own moral grayness, and capable of tenderness when you least expect it. His intensity does not roar, rather it hums, drawing one in quietly until you realize how completely you have fallen for him.
As secrets unravel and truths come to light, the story transforms from a simple Western romance into something far more layered. Gaffney captures the dusty authenticity of frontier life; the gossiping townsfolk, the bar fights, the quiet codes of pride and redemption, with a vividness that makes the world feel lived-in. Yet what truly elevates the novel is how it never loses sight of the human story underneath: two people trying to find peace, purpose, and love in a place that does not easily grant any of the three.
If the first few chapters feel slow, it more than made up for it towards the end. The sensuality is lush and tender, handled with the kind of realism that makes it both steamy and deeply intimate. By the time the final chapters arrive, complete with revelations, reconciliations, and a marriage that feels wholly deserved, it is mighty hard not to sigh with contentment.
Recommended for: readers who love character-driven historicals, gunfighters with hidden hearts, and heroines who hold their ground with grace and steel.
Final Verdict: A beautifully written Western with heart, humor, and slow-burn sensuality. Outlaw in Paradise proves that love can bloom even in the dust and danger of the frontier.
Rating = 4/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
January 16, 2014
SPOILERS: If this was sold as a comedy instead of a romance, it would receive 5 stars from me. Gaffney is a great writer, and this book is HILARIOUS. There are several laugh-out-loud scenes. Both Jesse and Cady are likable. It's made clear early on that Jesse is a con man, not a real gunslinger. That's fine and all. However, this is ROMANCE and Jesse can't even shoot a gun! I wanted him to show that he had some secret skills or toughness, but alas he didn't. Oh well. Still a good read.
December 12, 2018
Wonderful story! This RITA finalist is sweet, funny, and charming. But it is not a "sweet" book -- there are some very cute sexy bits as well. Jesse Gault wanders into the town of Paradise in the persona of a known gunslinger. He looks the part, but is he what he appears to be? If not, who is he? In little and big ways he becomes attached to the town, especially saloon owner, Cady McGill.
I love these clever, humorous Western stories. This one is just terrific. It charmed me from the first page to the last. Great writing!
I love these clever, humorous Western stories. This one is just terrific. It charmed me from the first page to the last. Great writing!
December 16, 2022
Adorable, sexy and FUNNY...like laugh out loud funny.
Patricia Gaffney has managed to rip my heart out, make me fall in love, make me hate, make me anxious and now she's made me belly laugh. She's a true talent and I love her books!
Patricia Gaffney has managed to rip my heart out, make me fall in love, make me hate, make me anxious and now she's made me belly laugh. She's a true talent and I love her books!
October 2, 2024
Baffled by the low ratings on this one! Possibly Gaffney’s funniest book. Silly without being ridiculous. A top 5 Western for me.
December 2, 2014
This one, provided by the publisher through netgalley, was a wonderful read. It has some of the usual tropes in a Western (the unscrupulous town "boss", the tavern owner/madam with the heart of gold, the philosophical barman etc), but it also has some very Gaffney touches, which I love, and even though not new, feel fresh and funny.
The hero. Well, is he a hero? I'm not so sure he actually is one. But better than that, I think he's an incredibly likeable man, something which isn't all that common in romances any more, it seems (if it ever were common).
The heroine. Doesn't pretend to be anything she isn't. Hard-working, focused, caring but not particularly maternal. She's a business woman.
The plot is kind of formulaic, but the twists and characters are what makes this such an enjoyable read. The ending felt a bit "off" for me. It almost could have ended without the HEA and I would have been smiling forever..
4 stars. I really liked it.
The hero. Well, is he a hero? I'm not so sure he actually is one. But better than that, I think he's an incredibly likeable man, something which isn't all that common in romances any more, it seems (if it ever were common).
The heroine. Doesn't pretend to be anything she isn't. Hard-working, focused, caring but not particularly maternal. She's a business woman.
The plot is kind of formulaic, but the twists and characters are what makes this such an enjoyable read. The ending felt a bit "off" for me. It almost could have ended without the HEA and I would have been smiling forever..
4 stars. I really liked it.
March 24, 2015
I suppose I expected a little more meat to a Patricia Gaffney historical. The story and writing are decent, just not noteworthy. The heroine doesn't pick up on some of the most obvious plot developments. I like my heroines to be more savvy than this. I don't know. I'm disappointed.
January 23, 2009
One of the best romance novels ever, characters lovable, plot realistic and fast, impossible to stop reading, the drama grabs you deep.
December 4, 2023
This is a sweet romance and, like other Patricia Gaffney books, it has a level of psychological insight that I really like. Fascinated by the reviewer who was disappointed because
It is uhh "of its time" in the sense that although the characters of color come across pretty well for the most part, the author felt the need to write out what looks like a Japanese accent for a Chinese character.
It is uhh "of its time" in the sense that although the characters of color come across pretty well for the most part, the author felt the need to write out what looks like a Japanese accent for a Chinese character.
December 26, 2018
Where, other than Gunsmoke, is the lady saloon owner a kind-hearted, mostly well-respected businesswoman? Doesn't work well here either.
And the hired killer who never loads his guns and can't "hit the side of a barn"?
Actually started well but went down hill.
And the hired killer who never loads his guns and can't "hit the side of a barn"?
Actually started well but went down hill.
June 19, 2020
It was not like Patricia Gaffney's other books. It was boring and written for the youth genre.
September 25, 2021
Enjoyable enough, but I probably should downgrade to 3 stars for all the errors. So many inappropriate commas!
Want to read
November 14, 2023noooo why is the kindle cover for this UGLY
July 21, 2024
Sweet Book
This was a delightful sweet book. It was romantic and down to earth. The hero was a rascal and the heroine was gutsy and charming. I enjoyed it.
This was a delightful sweet book. It was romantic and down to earth. The hero was a rascal and the heroine was gutsy and charming. I enjoyed it.
July 28, 2025
set in Oregon! really funny Western romance with two excellent leads.
October 5, 2025
This has some of the cutest and funniest moments of any Gaffney book, a charming MMC and an FMC he’s driving mad in more ways than one. I loved it.
January 6, 2017
This book was fantastic. I laughed pretty much the whole way through. Going into my "would read again" pile and want to try Gaffney's other books.
March 24, 2023
This was Ms Gaffney's lightest book that I'd read so far. So much fun and funny as hell. She is so diverse; she can write dramatic, melancholy, whimsical, and comedy (who knew?). It was just pure entertainment from start to finish. If you're in the mood for something light and funny in a western setting, this book fits the bill to a T.
March 2, 2015
I really like Patricia Gaffney. This is just one of those moments when you realize you're not going to like everything an author writes.
I'm not a huge fan of westerns to begin with but I thought I'd give it a try. Now most westerns have a puritanical background. The women are the homemakers and the men work out in the fields. My surprise was that usually a woman with the heroine's background would be considered "fallen" and treated as a social pariah. But then maybe the other books I've been reading are wrong. Needless to say she was a very well respected member of the community. She even attended church regardless of the fact that she was a woman saloon owner.
Anyways I was really confused as to how everyone was buying Jesse's character. He might have looked like a "bad guy" but the more he spoke the more people would have caught on. Maybe it's because the narration was in his head so I knew more about him. It just didn't seem to fit. His persona and his character were so at odds. People would have cottoned on long before they actually did in the book.
The book just seemed a little far fetched but I went with it. And then it just got too cheesy for me and I started skimming. Give me a good fight, a good break up, where the characters get back together. I just can't stand when the characters are forever "I love you"ing each other. It just ruins the whole climax of the book.
I'm not a huge fan of westerns to begin with but I thought I'd give it a try. Now most westerns have a puritanical background. The women are the homemakers and the men work out in the fields. My surprise was that usually a woman with the heroine's background would be considered "fallen" and treated as a social pariah. But then maybe the other books I've been reading are wrong. Needless to say she was a very well respected member of the community. She even attended church regardless of the fact that she was a woman saloon owner.
Anyways I was really confused as to how everyone was buying Jesse's character. He might have looked like a "bad guy" but the more he spoke the more people would have caught on. Maybe it's because the narration was in his head so I knew more about him. It just didn't seem to fit. His persona and his character were so at odds. People would have cottoned on long before they actually did in the book.
The book just seemed a little far fetched but I went with it. And then it just got too cheesy for me and I started skimming. Give me a good fight, a good break up, where the characters get back together. I just can't stand when the characters are forever "I love you"ing each other. It just ruins the whole climax of the book.
June 13, 2019
It only takes 3 words to describe this book: Just plain fun! There’s an aptly named villain – Mr. Wylie. He doesn’t just want most things, he wants the whole town.
His biggest impediment is lovely Cady McGill, owner of the only other saloon in town. Suddenly, the real trouble comes to town in the person of the notorious gunfighter, Jesse Gault. He wears only black, smokes black cigarettes, wears a black patch over one eye and has a vengeful snarl. The only person that is unafraid of him is Cady McGill.
Mr. Wylie is sure Cady has hired the gunslinger and Cady is just as sure that Wylie has brought Gault to town to kill her. Gault, however, has other plans. His reputation is so frightening that strangers beg him to take their money and let them live.
The ironies will have you chuckling through the book. This is a lighthearted look at life in the West.
His biggest impediment is lovely Cady McGill, owner of the only other saloon in town. Suddenly, the real trouble comes to town in the person of the notorious gunfighter, Jesse Gault. He wears only black, smokes black cigarettes, wears a black patch over one eye and has a vengeful snarl. The only person that is unafraid of him is Cady McGill.
Mr. Wylie is sure Cady has hired the gunslinger and Cady is just as sure that Wylie has brought Gault to town to kill her. Gault, however, has other plans. His reputation is so frightening that strangers beg him to take their money and let them live.
The ironies will have you chuckling through the book. This is a lighthearted look at life in the West.
September 11, 2013
As another reviewer said, I was completely enchanted by this novel. I truly cannot think of another word to describe my experience, and believe me, I tried!
The characters behaved in believable ways (no TSTL heroine was Cady, no sir!), and seeing inside their heads made me love them. The writing was lovely, lyrical, and witty. I chuckled and smiled all the way to the last page.
I'm glad I picked up several other Gaffney titles recently, if this book is any indication of what I have ahead of me. Happy reading!
The characters behaved in believable ways (no TSTL heroine was Cady, no sir!), and seeing inside their heads made me love them. The writing was lovely, lyrical, and witty. I chuckled and smiled all the way to the last page.
I'm glad I picked up several other Gaffney titles recently, if this book is any indication of what I have ahead of me. Happy reading!
June 16, 2024
I'm not really sure how I feel about the book. My main problem is that it ended up being more light-hearted than I expected or wanted for it to be. Also, there is a twist at the end that is similar to the one in Lawless by Patricia Potter, but the way it played out here lacked credibility. Bottom line, I've read better books written by this author.
September 4, 2016
This was a very lighthearted story, though not likely or brilliant. The main characters are ok, I didn't dislike them. What reduced my enjoyment was how slow the story seemed to be going and how much of a charicature everyone and everything seemed. I didn't like how Gaffney handled race in the book. I realise that I'm reading this 20 years after it was first published, but that doesn't make me like it any more.
February 27, 2016
Honestly? The story is a little unbelievable, how Jesse Gault/Vaughn managed to trick everyone for as long as he did without having to draw his weapons even once! Still, it was one entertaining, hilarious ride! The characters were also engaging and well presented. Patricia Gaffney won with this one! Highly recommended!
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