Another Winner by Constance O'Banyon.
"Savage Spring" is the third book in Constance O'Banyon's "Seven Seasons of Blackfoot" series, and once again, Ms. O'Banyon has penned a winner.
The Story: The story begins seven years after "Savage Winter" ended. In a Blood Blackfoot village lives Joanna James, her husband, Blood Blackfoot Indian chief Windhawk, and their two children, a son, Little Hawk, and a daughter, Sky Dancer, and Joanna's brother, Taggart "Tag" James and his wife, Morning Song, Windhawk's sister, who are about to celebrate the birth of their first child. Both Joanna and Tag also have Indian names; Joanna's is Flaming Hair after her hair color, and Tag's is Night Falcon. Both couples are very happy together. However, there is a malevolent force back in Philadelphia which will have an impact on Tag's life. That force is Claudia Landon, wife to Howard Landon, the former husband of the James'siblings Aunt Margaret. Claudia is living in the James' family home and spending the James family money, but she wants access to it all. To help facilitate that, Claudia and one of her many lovers, her lawyer, Melvin Garner, have hired three men to kill Tag and Joanna. When the men attempt the killings, they gravely wound Tag and kill Morning Song, who manages to stay alive long enough to give birth to her and Tag's child, a daughter who is later named Danielle. Tag overhears the men talking and realizes that Claudia is behind the assassination attempt. He kills one attacker before being gravely wounded, Windhawk kills another one and one escapes. As he is recovering, Tag realizes the only way he will have peace is to go back to Philadelphia and get revenge on Claudia and Howard for what they have done to him and Joanna. Tag and his longtime friend, Farley, go to Philadelphia to exact Tag's revenge.
Meanwhile, back in Pennsylvania, the heroine of the book, Alexandria Bradford, is facing her own dilemma. Alexandria is being forced into a marriage by her stepmother, Barbara, to Barbara's son, Rodney, in an effort to gain control of Meadowlake Farm, and Alexandria's money. One night, when Rodney tries to rape Alexandria, she throws a lamp at him that explodes and burns him severely. Barbara then locks Alexandria in a cellar while she goes for the authorities to arrest her. With the help of Rodney's cousin, who hates him, Alexandria escapes by disguising herself as a boy. She and Tag meet when he rescues her from being shanghaied in a local tavern.
Tag's plan to get Claudia and Howard involves his posing as a rich English gentleman named Falcon Knight, who has arrived from England to buy property in America. This will allow him access to Claudia and Howard without their being suspicious. After Tag rescues "Alex" who he thinks is a boy, she gets him to take her with him. Alexandria becomes sexually attracted to Tag when he undresses in front of her-remember, he thinks "Alex" is a boy-and when she scrubs his back while bathing. Later, Tag asks "Alex" to send up a serving wench to fulfill his manly needs, if you know what I mean and I think you do! Instead, Alexandria goes to Tag and they make love. So, for a spell, Alexandria is playing "Alex", a boy, by day, and Tag's silent lover, Xandria, by night. For a while, Tag doesn't realize the many sides of Alexandria, but eventually, he does find out.
Later, Alexandria who is now no longer playing "Alex", gets a job as a domestic, and not just any job, but a job as companion to Howard Landon! This helps Tag immensely, because it gives him an "inside man" and Alexandria helps Tag find information that he can use to finally get Claudia and Howard. While this is happening, a mysterious stranger is following Tag everywhere he goes. Howard is feeling very guilty about what he has done and helps Tag bring down Claudia and Melvin. Claudia, however, has other ideas. First, she makes contact with Barbara and Rodney, who kidnap Alexandria and once again try to force Alexandria to marry Rodney. This marriage is broken up by Tag, Farley and the mysterious stranger. A wedding does take place, however; that wedding is of Tag and Alexandria. After settling the hash of Barbara and Rodney, Tag continues his efforts to get Claudia and Melvin; Howard died earlier. Before Tag can spring his trap, Claudia discovers that Falcon Knight is really Taggart James,and she and Melvin set in motion a plan to kill them.
Step 1 of their plan is to kidnap Alexandria. Then, by using her as bait, lure Tag into a trap and kill them both. When Tag comes to rescue Alexandria, he is assaulted and held with her. They are then rescued by Farley and the mysterious stranger, who we later realize is Russell James, Tag and Joanna's father. Melvin is arrested and Claudia, rather than going to jail, jumps from the ship that Tag and Alexandria are being held on to her death.
Soon after, Tag and Russell decide to head to the Blackfoot village to see Joanna and for Tag to see his baby daughter, whom he hadn't seen since he left her with Joanna and Windhawk. Alexandria goes with them to meet Joanna and Windhawk, and soon realizes that she is pregnant with Tag's child. Alexandria doesn't know if Tag loves her or not, because he is cold to her, but he does love her and eventually they express that love to each other. After seeing Joanna and Windhawk, and letting Joanna know that her father is in fact alive, Tag and Alexandria bring Tag's daughter Danielle back with them to Meadowlake Farm where they will live. Alexandria gives birth to a son and there is a tease at the end of the book that Danielle will later be tested and will have her feet in both the white and Indian worlds. So for that matter will Joanna and Windhawk's daughter, Sky Dancer, who is the heroine of the final book in the series, "Savage Summer."
Sex: a few scenes, but as is the case in Constance O'Banyon's books, they are more focused on the feelings of the act rather than the esoterics of the act itself.
Violence: Multiple scenes. None are overly graphic, however.
Bottom Line: Not quite as beautiful and lyrical as "Savage Autumn" but a strong book nonetheless.