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Lucky Red
In the summer of 1877, Bridget is orphaned when her unreliable father succumbs to a snakebite as they're crossing the Kansas prairie. Arriving in Dodge City as a penniless orphan, she's quickly recruited for work at the Buffalo Queen brothel and befriends her bookish mentor Constance, securing her home and employment as the favourite of Sheriff's Deputy Jim Bonnie. As winter creeps in from the plains, female gunfighter Spartan Lee rides into town, and Bridget falls in love with her the moment their paths cross.
Their affair threatens the balance of power at the Queen, but is interrupted when an old flame returns to the brothel, setting off a series of double-crosses that result in the destruction of the Buffalo Queen and a searing heartbreak for Bridget. Their lives in ruins, Bridget, Constance and Lila resolve to take revenge on those who wronged them - but will they succeed in their mission? In a misogynistic world of outlaws and gunfights, nothing is certain . . .
A sharply realised, caustically witty and often moving revisionist depiction of frontier life that explores through its feminist heroine queer love, female friendships and the idea of a 'found' family in a page-turning romp of a female revenge thriller.
Their affair threatens the balance of power at the Queen, but is interrupted when an old flame returns to the brothel, setting off a series of double-crosses that result in the destruction of the Buffalo Queen and a searing heartbreak for Bridget. Their lives in ruins, Bridget, Constance and Lila resolve to take revenge on those who wronged them - but will they succeed in their mission? In a misogynistic world of outlaws and gunfights, nothing is certain . . .
A sharply realised, caustically witty and often moving revisionist depiction of frontier life that explores through its feminist heroine queer love, female friendships and the idea of a 'found' family in a page-turning romp of a female revenge thriller.
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 20, 2023
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November 1, 2022Oh, this one is an absolute banger. This is the sapphic whores and gunslingers I didn’t know I needed. I haven’t read a western in ages that’s felt so fresh and alive and seized with the need for freedom of the self. (Perhaps the nearest I’ve read would be Lila Bowen’s brilliant Wake of Vultures, which is a more fantastic take on the queer western). I knew nothing about the story going in, so it took me wildly (and delightedly) by surprise with every glorious turn. The way I screamed at that second act mic drop! And Bridget’s interiority and growth is so beautifully and powerfully depicted—I was beyond invested (in her, but all the whores! I would die for Constance), especially as the book galloped towards that explosive finale. And the jacket copy is right: it’s a cinematic as hell, particularly in the sense of producing that feeling of rapt immersion. I had such a good time.
January 28, 2024
I’m going with four stars for Lucky Red, but I’m being a tiny bit generous. It’s a debut novel, and as is typical of most debuts, Claudia Cravens makes a few rookie mistakes in it. Her mistakes didn’t stop me from enjoying myself, though, so four stars feels better than three stars, I guess.
What I wish Cravens would’ve done a bit differently is speed up Bridget’s transformation from 1877 Dodge City brothel whore to gunslinger. Most of the novel is set inside the walls of the brothel, dwelling in its mundane daily happenings, and it isn’t until the very end that we see some female gunslinging action.
The static nature of the story, however, does allow for a nice amount of character development which is beneficial when we examine Bridget’s sexual experiences at the brothel and her path to realizing she’s attracted to women. But it’s also another misstep in a way because I felt like I knew the character so well, and based upon the love story that came before it, I just couldn’t believe Bridget would do what she does at the very end. Spartan Lee, yes, but Bridget, no.
To be clear: I still really liked this debut. I will be the first in line for Cravens’s second book.
My sincerest appreciation to Claudia Cravens, The Dial Press, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
What I wish Cravens would’ve done a bit differently is speed up Bridget’s transformation from 1877 Dodge City brothel whore to gunslinger. Most of the novel is set inside the walls of the brothel, dwelling in its mundane daily happenings, and it isn’t until the very end that we see some female gunslinging action.
The static nature of the story, however, does allow for a nice amount of character development which is beneficial when we examine Bridget’s sexual experiences at the brothel and her path to realizing she’s attracted to women. But it’s also another misstep in a way because I felt like I knew the character so well, and based upon the love story that came before it, I just couldn’t believe Bridget would do what she does at the very end. Spartan Lee, yes, but Bridget, no.
To be clear: I still really liked this debut. I will be the first in line for Cravens’s second book.
My sincerest appreciation to Claudia Cravens, The Dial Press, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
March 26, 2023
This is my favorite queer Western so far. Often they approach the genre with our protagonist as outlaw but LUCKY RED takes a more realistic approach: if your protagonist is a woman on her own she will likely end up in a whorehouse.
And this is an excellent decision because it really lets us dive in to that world and see how this life is more easy and more free than most women's but imposes its own different set of limits and restrictions. It shows us a lot about how women had to live at the time, and the strange world of being a whore, where your job is to be attractive and interested and put men at ease.
This is where we spend most of the book and I wasn't at all sad about that. It lets this whole world build up for Bridget and those around her. Much of the book is Bridget not understanding how things work, doing what she thinks is best and accidentally throwing off the balance of this little world. And it is during this time that she learns that she's gay, that sex opens up for her after doing so much of it and not taking any pleasure from it.
I could have just breezed along following Bridget through all kinds of moderate stakes stories but don't worry, this is a book that knows when and how to raise the stakes. It took a whole turn in a way I didn't expect and that was one of those perfectly satisfying plot twists that was perfectly executed.
And this is an excellent decision because it really lets us dive in to that world and see how this life is more easy and more free than most women's but imposes its own different set of limits and restrictions. It shows us a lot about how women had to live at the time, and the strange world of being a whore, where your job is to be attractive and interested and put men at ease.
This is where we spend most of the book and I wasn't at all sad about that. It lets this whole world build up for Bridget and those around her. Much of the book is Bridget not understanding how things work, doing what she thinks is best and accidentally throwing off the balance of this little world. And it is during this time that she learns that she's gay, that sex opens up for her after doing so much of it and not taking any pleasure from it.
I could have just breezed along following Bridget through all kinds of moderate stakes stories but don't worry, this is a book that knows when and how to raise the stakes. It took a whole turn in a way I didn't expect and that was one of those perfectly satisfying plot twists that was perfectly executed.
June 24, 2023
Kicking off pride month with one hell of a book that now holds a very dear place in my heart.
To say this was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023 is vastly underselling how excited I am, was, continue to be, for this book. Queer Westerns aren't something I see very often, as a matter of fact the only other Queer Western I'd read up until this point was Vermilion: The Adventures of Lou Merriwether, Psychopomp which was more in the fantasy vein of it.
Lucky Red falls more into what could be considered a true western: a character down on their luck that makes a name for themselves, falls in love, and get some revenge. Westerns were always something that intrigued me, from books, to movies, to shows, but I could never truly enjoy it. And, being honest here, a lot of the western classics are not made for women (or at least not with them in mind), and especially not for sapphic women, who envisioned themselves in that hard won role, as the gunslinger, getting the girl.
And it's funny to have it so skewed this way, considering how queer the wild west was.
But tangent aside, this book plucked all the right strings for me and was refreshing as it did so. Lucky Red set the Wild West genre down exactly where it needs to be. It's queer, features a main character who is in sex work and does not actively shame her, and is actually friends with the women she works beside. Not to mention seeing Bridget slowly realize the hand she's been dealt in life, the hardships she's faced due to her gender, the desire to freedom, burned a hole in my chest.
I wanted Bridget to be free, too, even as she tripped and stumbled and burned a few bridges along the way. I loved all of the character, even if they weren't as fleshed out as I would've liked them to be, I just like when the background characters are richer, but that falls on personal taste and not on the skill of Cravens' writing ability. Which is stellar, by the way.
I found myself falling in love with Spartan Lee, right beside Bridget. The skillful writing and pure SAPPHIC essence that was carried throughout each of their interactions, the beauty and skill that it takes to really encapsulate exactly what it's like to be taken by storm by another woman. Ugh. I hate that I loved it so much.
And the end! Oh! The end... chef's kisses all around.
Anything else Cravens decides to write, I eagerly await. Her skilled way of writing complex queer women will have eating out of the palm of her hand for a while. A talented and stunning debut!
**Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book & Random House Publishing for sending a copy to Copperfield's Petaluma in exchange for a fair and honest review.**
To say this was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023 is vastly underselling how excited I am, was, continue to be, for this book. Queer Westerns aren't something I see very often, as a matter of fact the only other Queer Western I'd read up until this point was Vermilion: The Adventures of Lou Merriwether, Psychopomp which was more in the fantasy vein of it.
Lucky Red falls more into what could be considered a true western: a character down on their luck that makes a name for themselves, falls in love, and get some revenge. Westerns were always something that intrigued me, from books, to movies, to shows, but I could never truly enjoy it. And, being honest here, a lot of the western classics are not made for women (or at least not with them in mind), and especially not for sapphic women, who envisioned themselves in that hard won role, as the gunslinger, getting the girl.
And it's funny to have it so skewed this way, considering how queer the wild west was.
But tangent aside, this book plucked all the right strings for me and was refreshing as it did so. Lucky Red set the Wild West genre down exactly where it needs to be. It's queer, features a main character who is in sex work and does not actively shame her, and is actually friends with the women she works beside. Not to mention seeing Bridget slowly realize the hand she's been dealt in life, the hardships she's faced due to her gender, the desire to freedom, burned a hole in my chest.
I wanted Bridget to be free, too, even as she tripped and stumbled and burned a few bridges along the way. I loved all of the character, even if they weren't as fleshed out as I would've liked them to be, I just like when the background characters are richer, but that falls on personal taste and not on the skill of Cravens' writing ability. Which is stellar, by the way.
I found myself falling in love with Spartan Lee, right beside Bridget. The skillful writing and pure SAPPHIC essence that was carried throughout each of their interactions, the beauty and skill that it takes to really encapsulate exactly what it's like to be taken by storm by another woman. Ugh. I hate that I loved it so much.
And the end! Oh! The end... chef's kisses all around.
Anything else Cravens decides to write, I eagerly await. Her skilled way of writing complex queer women will have eating out of the palm of her hand for a while. A talented and stunning debut!
**Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book & Random House Publishing for sending a copy to Copperfield's Petaluma in exchange for a fair and honest review.**
April 11, 2024
Mi dispiace distruggere così l'esordio di un'autrice, perché so quanto sia difficile farsi strada in un mondo dove già tutto esiste, specialmente con i libri. Ma quando la quarta di copertina cita «un romanzo di frontiera che racconta splendidamente il sex work e l'identità queer» io mi aspetto di trovare quanto promesso al suo interno e non il vuoto cosmico.
Partiamo dal presupposto che una storia ambientata nel far west - o simili - deve farmi respirare l'aria di prateria, maiali e cavalli a ogni pagina, non basta parlare di qualche pistola e cowboy per render viva l'ambientazione. Dodget City, il luogo in cui avvengono le vicende, potrebbe trovarsi ovunque e in qualsiasi momento e non avrebbe importanza, dato che non viene quasi mai accennato il setting che dovrebbe fare da scenografia madre, oltre il saloon.
Raccontare "splendidamente il sex work" in che modo? L'unica cosa che sappiamo è che Bridget, la protagonista, si ritrova a fare la prostituta per mancanza di soldi e un tetto sotto cui vivere. Sin dal primo istante quando viene violentata (mi dispiace ma quella era una violenza in tutto e per tutto), non si pone mai una domanda. Non mostra emozioni, sentimenti, pensieri, timori... sin da subito accetta il suo destino e tratta questo nuovo lavoro come se fosse roba da poco conto. Le giornate passano con lei che si spazzola i capelli, beve qualche tisana, «scopa» con qualche uomo e va bene così, non c'è assolutamente nulla che non vada. Per quanto mi riguarda, mentre leggevo, fingevo fosse una lavandaia, perché il modo in cui viene toccato l'argomento sex work è esattamente lo stesso. Non viene mai affrontato davvero cosa significhi lavorare come prostituta; le protagoniste passano la maggior parte del tempo a chiamarsi "puttane" a vicenda e ridere come se nulla fosse.
Ma passiamo a "l'identità queer", altro grande mah. Appena arrivata al bordello Bridget si ritrova circondata da bellissime donne su cui non fa mai un pensiero, «Scopa» con uomini senza porsi domande, e poi all'improvviso arriva una nuova «puttana» e lei si dichiara innamorata.
Lo accetterei, se la stessa sorte non fosse capitata con Spartan Lee, la nostra seconda protagonista. Subito tra di loro parte una scintilla (per chi ha letto il libro: lo so, lo so che non è proprio così) e attraverso tre - e ribadisco t r e - dialoghi basati sul nulla, noi sappiamo che Bridget è innamorata persa.
Non si parla mai dei suoi sentimenti, dei suoi pensieri a riguardo, delle sue paure sul poter perdere il lavoro se qualcuno la scoprisse innamorata di un'altra donna (o almeno questo è ciò che ci fanno credere e invece non ha mai conseguenze questa cosa, anzi viene spinta dalle sue matrone solo per farci vedere che possono passare il tempo a «scopare»).
Il punto di svolta che dovrebbe farci sussultare non provoca una minima reazione proprio perché non si riesce a creare quel sentimento di fiducia con i personaggi, dato che non sappiamo nulla di loro. Se tu autore vuoi farmi provare un senso di sconforto devi prima riuscire a farmi amare quel personaggio, creare un legame che solo dopo può essere spezzato, se è questo il tuo intento.
Non c'è climax, non c'è pathos, non c'è nulla. Un susseguirsi di scene identiche su come una prostituta passa le sue giornate senza mai focalizzarsi su cosa significhi davvero. Mi spiace ma non è così che si dovrebbe lavorare quando si ha voglia di toccare certe tematiche.
Dalle premesse mi aspettavo la storia di un riscatto, invece ho trovato solo un classico romance che avrei potuto trovare su wattpad.
Partiamo dal presupposto che una storia ambientata nel far west - o simili - deve farmi respirare l'aria di prateria, maiali e cavalli a ogni pagina, non basta parlare di qualche pistola e cowboy per render viva l'ambientazione. Dodget City, il luogo in cui avvengono le vicende, potrebbe trovarsi ovunque e in qualsiasi momento e non avrebbe importanza, dato che non viene quasi mai accennato il setting che dovrebbe fare da scenografia madre, oltre il saloon.
Raccontare "splendidamente il sex work" in che modo? L'unica cosa che sappiamo è che Bridget, la protagonista, si ritrova a fare la prostituta per mancanza di soldi e un tetto sotto cui vivere. Sin dal primo istante quando viene violentata (mi dispiace ma quella era una violenza in tutto e per tutto), non si pone mai una domanda. Non mostra emozioni, sentimenti, pensieri, timori... sin da subito accetta il suo destino e tratta questo nuovo lavoro come se fosse roba da poco conto. Le giornate passano con lei che si spazzola i capelli, beve qualche tisana, «scopa» con qualche uomo e va bene così, non c'è assolutamente nulla che non vada. Per quanto mi riguarda, mentre leggevo, fingevo fosse una lavandaia, perché il modo in cui viene toccato l'argomento sex work è esattamente lo stesso. Non viene mai affrontato davvero cosa significhi lavorare come prostituta; le protagoniste passano la maggior parte del tempo a chiamarsi "puttane" a vicenda e ridere come se nulla fosse.
Ma passiamo a "l'identità queer", altro grande mah. Appena arrivata al bordello Bridget si ritrova circondata da bellissime donne su cui non fa mai un pensiero, «Scopa» con uomini senza porsi domande, e poi all'improvviso arriva una nuova «puttana» e lei si dichiara innamorata.
Lo accetterei, se la stessa sorte non fosse capitata con Spartan Lee, la nostra seconda protagonista. Subito tra di loro parte una scintilla (per chi ha letto il libro: lo so, lo so che non è proprio così) e attraverso tre - e ribadisco t r e - dialoghi basati sul nulla, noi sappiamo che Bridget è innamorata persa.
Non si parla mai dei suoi sentimenti, dei suoi pensieri a riguardo, delle sue paure sul poter perdere il lavoro se qualcuno la scoprisse innamorata di un'altra donna (o almeno questo è ciò che ci fanno credere e invece non ha mai conseguenze questa cosa, anzi viene spinta dalle sue matrone solo per farci vedere che possono passare il tempo a «scopare»).
Il punto di svolta che dovrebbe farci sussultare non provoca una minima reazione proprio perché non si riesce a creare quel sentimento di fiducia con i personaggi, dato che non sappiamo nulla di loro. Se tu autore vuoi farmi provare un senso di sconforto devi prima riuscire a farmi amare quel personaggio, creare un legame che solo dopo può essere spezzato, se è questo il tuo intento.
Non c'è climax, non c'è pathos, non c'è nulla. Un susseguirsi di scene identiche su come una prostituta passa le sue giornate senza mai focalizzarsi su cosa significhi davvero. Mi spiace ma non è così che si dovrebbe lavorare quando si ha voglia di toccare certe tematiche.
Dalle premesse mi aspettavo la storia di un riscatto, invece ho trovato solo un classico romance che avrei potuto trovare su wattpad.
July 14, 2023
This was an interesting queer feminist western, even if it never quite captured my heart. (Tbh, I read this mostly while very sick, so that might have something to do with it). There is a great twist about 3/4 of the way through that came a little late for me; the pacing up until then felt a little too slow. I did really like the nuanced depictions of sex workers -- most of the novel is set in a whorehouse which I appreciate as a usual backdrop to westerns finally given center stage!
November 26, 2023
I really enjoyed this sapphic western. I went in blind after reading some friend’s reviews and it didn’t disappoint. I was glad to know beforehand that it wasn’t a romance because that could’ve left me disappointed. But I loved how it all worked out. I’m hoping that we get a sequel to find out what happens with Bridget.
July 4, 2023
Exactly what I wanted, exactly my kind of book.
April 22, 2023
Lucky Red is the incredible, immersive, feminist, gay western you didn’t know you desperately needed 🐎❤️🔥
That’s right - feminist 👏🏼 gay 👏🏼 western 👏🏼 need I say more?? If you’re already sold, go pre-order it. If you want more details, as you wish…
It’s 1877, and Bridget, aka Red, has had to do most things on her own in life thanks to her alcoholic father. But when he’s killed, she’s really on her own - and by the grit of her own two feet, she ends up in the dusty and lively Kansas town Dodge City.
Without many options, she accepts an offer to work at The Buffalo Queen - the town’s only brothel run by women. Used to being penniless and decision-less, Bridget finds freedom and power in earning her own money, and finds her first true friends in the other girls of the house.
Then Spartan Lee rolls into town - a notorious female gunfighter, and Bridget is enamored. But as they’re pulled together, loyalties and relationships are questioned, and Bridget’s new life of empowerment and happiness is on the line.
I was blown away by this book. I tore through it in two days and was totally immersed - the setting of the Buffalo Queen house and town are so atmospheric, and I loved how the girls cared for each other, while also being laced with the harsher realities & elements of boot-stomping westerns (desire, betrayal, gun fighting & dusty Southern towns).
The fact that it’s also gay is just *chefs kiss*. To have a female hooker and female gunslinger fall in love is so unexpected and made my queer heart so, so happy 🌈
This is also an unforgettable genre bend. It’s the kind of book that shows the power of phenomenal writing - I have never read a western before in my life, but I loved this book so much that I am now a believer in the genre and want to read more just like it.
And the writing really is fantastic - poetic and lyrical, there were many times when I went back and re-read sentences to savor how beautiful they were.
This book is a stunner. Do NOT miss it when it comes out June 20th. Eternally grateful to the author and publisher for granting me an advance copy ❤️🔥🐎
That’s right - feminist 👏🏼 gay 👏🏼 western 👏🏼 need I say more?? If you’re already sold, go pre-order it. If you want more details, as you wish…
It’s 1877, and Bridget, aka Red, has had to do most things on her own in life thanks to her alcoholic father. But when he’s killed, she’s really on her own - and by the grit of her own two feet, she ends up in the dusty and lively Kansas town Dodge City.
Without many options, she accepts an offer to work at The Buffalo Queen - the town’s only brothel run by women. Used to being penniless and decision-less, Bridget finds freedom and power in earning her own money, and finds her first true friends in the other girls of the house.
Then Spartan Lee rolls into town - a notorious female gunfighter, and Bridget is enamored. But as they’re pulled together, loyalties and relationships are questioned, and Bridget’s new life of empowerment and happiness is on the line.
I was blown away by this book. I tore through it in two days and was totally immersed - the setting of the Buffalo Queen house and town are so atmospheric, and I loved how the girls cared for each other, while also being laced with the harsher realities & elements of boot-stomping westerns (desire, betrayal, gun fighting & dusty Southern towns).
The fact that it’s also gay is just *chefs kiss*. To have a female hooker and female gunslinger fall in love is so unexpected and made my queer heart so, so happy 🌈
This is also an unforgettable genre bend. It’s the kind of book that shows the power of phenomenal writing - I have never read a western before in my life, but I loved this book so much that I am now a believer in the genre and want to read more just like it.
And the writing really is fantastic - poetic and lyrical, there were many times when I went back and re-read sentences to savor how beautiful they were.
This book is a stunner. Do NOT miss it when it comes out June 20th. Eternally grateful to the author and publisher for granting me an advance copy ❤️🔥🐎
July 6, 2023
Not lesbian enough and not enough guns
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August 30, 2023Lucky Red is a historical sapphic novel set in the American Wild West of the late 19th century. Our protagonist, Bridget, is a beautiful young redhead whose childhood was plagued with bad luck, to say the least.
Bridget was raised by her dumb and useless father, who sold their house for nothing much at all. While on the road together, they take shelter and he is bitten and killed by a snake.
Alone, Bridget wanders until she reaches the frontier town of Dodge, Kansas. There, she is taken in by the kind women of the Buffalo Queen brothel, where she works and finds a community.
My full thoughts: https://booksandbao.com/must-read-sap...
Bridget was raised by her dumb and useless father, who sold their house for nothing much at all. While on the road together, they take shelter and he is bitten and killed by a snake.
Alone, Bridget wanders until she reaches the frontier town of Dodge, Kansas. There, she is taken in by the kind women of the Buffalo Queen brothel, where she works and finds a community.
My full thoughts: https://booksandbao.com/must-read-sap...
January 12, 2025
I liked the concept and it was a good story. Very well written but I don't know why this don't feel like a 4 stars. Liked the way it was told and the drama. I rarely read historical fiction about women in brothels ect but it felt diffrent and interesting way to look at a historical story from.
December 19, 2025
The doomedest Yuri in all the prairie
My HEART. This ending really had me in its clutches, I was so hooked on the pain being inflicted upon me by the author…
Bridget be making mistakes but in the name of lesbianism so I forgive her for all of it. You might want to yell at her while reading, but I know it my heart of hearts that I’d fall for it too HAHA
For me personally it was a bit hard to get through the amount of time spent on the brothel days… the book is still definitely worth reading, but that does knock off some points for me.
Overall definitely not a feel good story, but it’s very compelling and I do love a story where hardships are actually portrayed as hard… A book with a generous amount of pain with just enough comfort sprinkled on top to allow me to sleep tonight.
The audiobook narrator is amazing!
My HEART. This ending really had me in its clutches, I was so hooked on the pain being inflicted upon me by the author…
Bridget be making mistakes but in the name of lesbianism so I forgive her for all of it. You might want to yell at her while reading, but I know it my heart of hearts that I’d fall for it too HAHA
For me personally it was a bit hard to get through the amount of time spent on the brothel days… the book is still definitely worth reading, but that does knock off some points for me.
Overall definitely not a feel good story, but it’s very compelling and I do love a story where hardships are actually portrayed as hard… A book with a generous amount of pain with just enough comfort sprinkled on top to allow me to sleep tonight.
The audiobook narrator is amazing!
September 17, 2023
i had really low expectations bc a western is probably the last genre i would pick up, but this was an absolute JOY to read. thrilling, fun, goofy, sexy, pow pow revolver guns, yee hawing, and more.
the plot was so perfect too. everyone falling in love with the wrong people? yes. MAJOR kissing kate barlow vibes.
highly recommend to all readers because the writing was just so easy and the whole storyline was so captivating.
the plot was so perfect too. everyone falling in love with the wrong people? yes. MAJOR kissing kate barlow vibes.
highly recommend to all readers because the writing was just so easy and the whole storyline was so captivating.
July 2, 2023
I never considered myself a Western girl, but Claudia Cravens and her queer cowboys have swooped in and changed my mind. I loved this adventure and these characters, and I'd urge more people to give this book a chance, even if it's not in a genre you feel comfortable in. It'll be worth it.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 13, 2023
A queer Western adventure that I just didn't want to end! Perfect for fans of Upright women wanted by Sarah Gailey, Outlawed by Anna North or Heresy by Melissa Lenhardt. This was a heartfelt, character-driver queer, Western story that sees Bridget finding love and belonging working as a whore in the West after her father dies and she's left to fend for herself. Great on audio narrated by Elena Rey.
July 15, 2023
Sixteen-year-old Bridget Shaughnessy is pretty disillusioned with her alcoholic father, and the demands men make on women, by the time he dies of a snakebite. Penniless and homeless, the naïve redhead ends up in Dodge City, and is quickly convinced by Lila to work at the Buffalo Queen, the only brothel in town owned and run by women.
Bridget takes to the work; she is happy to be making her own money, is not shamed, and feels no shame in earning a good wage. But, though she is a draw for the local men and a good earner, she never really fully internalizes the brothel's rules, and there is frequent friction between her and Lila. Bridget does become friends with one of her coworkers, Constance, a bookish young woman. She also catches the eye of the Sheriff's Deputy, Jim, who provides the brothel with some measure of security.
Bridget is alternately frustrating and captivating. She's impulsive to a fault, strongly motivated by a wish for freedom, and truly doesn't understand how delicate a balance the Buffalo Queen owners must maintain in Dodge City to ensure their and their workers' financial and physical safety.
Author Claudia Cravens also shows us how the other young women at the brothel fully realize how complicated their positions are, how their jobs entail being attractive and empty-headed to please their customers, but are also appreciative how their work gives them independence in a way marriage does not.
After working for a while, Bridget discovers, after her first crush, that she's attracted to women, something that she's not shamed for, but must keep quiet from the brothel's customers.
Then, everything changes for Bridget when the only female gunslinger, Spartan Lee, comes to town. Bridget is instantly smitten, and begins a relationship with the woman, falling hard. And, because this is a western, there are double crosses, sudden violence and swift death, swearing of vengeance, hard riding after bad people, and flying bullets.
The writing was great, and the characters were well-drawn. Bridget leapt off the page; she's slightly cynical, but also a bit of a dreamer, aching to be heading off at full speed toward adventure.
Cravens creates the kind of western I've been wanting to see more of, where women are central to the story, and female friendship is critical to the main character's trajectory and success.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Bridget takes to the work; she is happy to be making her own money, is not shamed, and feels no shame in earning a good wage. But, though she is a draw for the local men and a good earner, she never really fully internalizes the brothel's rules, and there is frequent friction between her and Lila. Bridget does become friends with one of her coworkers, Constance, a bookish young woman. She also catches the eye of the Sheriff's Deputy, Jim, who provides the brothel with some measure of security.
Bridget is alternately frustrating and captivating. She's impulsive to a fault, strongly motivated by a wish for freedom, and truly doesn't understand how delicate a balance the Buffalo Queen owners must maintain in Dodge City to ensure their and their workers' financial and physical safety.
Author Claudia Cravens also shows us how the other young women at the brothel fully realize how complicated their positions are, how their jobs entail being attractive and empty-headed to please their customers, but are also appreciative how their work gives them independence in a way marriage does not.
After working for a while, Bridget discovers, after her first crush, that she's attracted to women, something that she's not shamed for, but must keep quiet from the brothel's customers.
Then, everything changes for Bridget when the only female gunslinger, Spartan Lee, comes to town. Bridget is instantly smitten, and begins a relationship with the woman, falling hard. And, because this is a western, there are double crosses, sudden violence and swift death, swearing of vengeance, hard riding after bad people, and flying bullets.
The writing was great, and the characters were well-drawn. Bridget leapt off the page; she's slightly cynical, but also a bit of a dreamer, aching to be heading off at full speed toward adventure.
Cravens creates the kind of western I've been wanting to see more of, where women are central to the story, and female friendship is critical to the main character's trajectory and success.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for my review.
November 18, 2024
Una giovane donna determinata (e forse testarda) finisce a prostituirsi in un bordello, senza che questo diventi per lei umiliante. L'ambiente è piacevole e accogliente, ma lei scoprirà qualcosa su se stessa che porterà a una serie di avvenimenti inaspettati.
E' un romanzo di intrattenimento e forse me lo dimenticherò tra qualche mese, tuttavia è scritto eccezionalmente bene: le descrizioni sono evocative come poche altre, senza che ci sia bisogno di dilungarsi (aspetto che in genere apprezzo molto).
Ve lo venderanno come una storia "queer". No. Il fatto che la protagonista sia lesbica è solo un dettaglio della storia come il fatto che ha i capelli rossi. La protagonista, Bridget, è una donna, una prostituta, un'orfana, è tante cose. Questo è un romanzo western con una protagonista femminile, non serve sapere altro.
E' un romanzo di intrattenimento e forse me lo dimenticherò tra qualche mese, tuttavia è scritto eccezionalmente bene: le descrizioni sono evocative come poche altre, senza che ci sia bisogno di dilungarsi (aspetto che in genere apprezzo molto).
Ve lo venderanno come una storia "queer". No. Il fatto che la protagonista sia lesbica è solo un dettaglio della storia come il fatto che ha i capelli rossi. La protagonista, Bridget, è una donna, una prostituta, un'orfana, è tante cose. Questo è un romanzo western con una protagonista femminile, non serve sapere altro.
June 8, 2023
Wow. This one is awesome. The prose completely captures the place and time—you can see it as you’re reading. Each character is fully realized and fleshed out and compelling to boot.
I was not ready for the twist. Like, a lot. It broke me a little but the author did great things with it.
My one complaint, as it were, I feel that this book has to be a prequel; this is the origin story and the ongoing adventures of Lucky Red are still to come. Pretty please?
I was not ready for the twist. Like, a lot. It broke me a little but the author did great things with it.
My one complaint, as it were, I feel that this book has to be a prequel; this is the origin story and the ongoing adventures of Lucky Red are still to come. Pretty please?
June 8, 2024
Lento fino a due terzi, vola nel finale.
Avrei lasciato il titolo originale, anche se Le spietate rende il libro più corale.
Avrei lasciato il titolo originale, anche se Le spietate rende il libro più corale.
June 18, 2023
I think I read a different book than everyone else because this was not good. I can see why it appeals to people but the characters were just not developed enough for me. The main character falls in love almost instantly with the love interest which would be fine if we ever saw the actual conversations that they have, but we don't. I think that it has a good ending but it doesn't feel like the journey was earned.
I received an arc through netgalley.
I received an arc through netgalley.
April 7, 2024
If this wasn’t for book club, I would’ve DNF’d. Not for me.
December 3, 2024
This is so underrated are you kidding?? So fun, such high drama, sapphic western, what more could you want?
June 22, 2025
I enjoyed reading this western because it has a different spin.
Bridget is sixteen who would be left alone while her Dad goes on a drinking binge and leaves her alone for days. One day her father comes home with two mules and a wagon because he traded the house. They leave their home and stop the night to rest in an abandoned sod house. During the night her father wakes up screaming because a rattlesnake had bit him in the neck. Her father passed away two days later.
Bridget is sixteen years old, travels along river banks until she walks into Dodge City, she meets Lila and Kate who own a bar called The Buffalo Queen Saloon and a house of ill repute.
The local Sheriff named Jim likes Bridget and visits the bar and keeps the rowdy and gunslingers away.
Then there is Spartan Lee, a woman who is a bounty hunter stops in. That’s all I’m telling.
Bridget is sixteen who would be left alone while her Dad goes on a drinking binge and leaves her alone for days. One day her father comes home with two mules and a wagon because he traded the house. They leave their home and stop the night to rest in an abandoned sod house. During the night her father wakes up screaming because a rattlesnake had bit him in the neck. Her father passed away two days later.
Bridget is sixteen years old, travels along river banks until she walks into Dodge City, she meets Lila and Kate who own a bar called The Buffalo Queen Saloon and a house of ill repute.
The local Sheriff named Jim likes Bridget and visits the bar and keeps the rowdy and gunslingers away.
Then there is Spartan Lee, a woman who is a bounty hunter stops in. That’s all I’m telling.
April 25, 2024
L'amore o il ferro: cosa scegli?
to-read-so-bad-it-hurts
July 7, 2021'A genre-bending queer feminist Western pitched as True Grit meets Sarah Waters, following a young woman’s transformation from forlorn orphan to successful prostitute to revenge-seeking gunfighter, exploring desire, loyalty, power, and chosen family'
Okay, I see you 👀
Okay, I see you 👀
August 18, 2024
So the sapphic gunslinger book absolutely slaps. This was MUCH FUN, I read it in one day and had such a good time with it. THAT TWIST!! Exceptional and I didn’t see it coming at all.
November 13, 2023
What’s a young woman supposed to do when she finds herself in Dodge City, penny-less and without any family or education, in the 19th century supposed to do? She has two options: death or life. She chooses life.
I’m a fan of Westerns. But the Venn diagram of sapphic stories and westerns is basically just two independent circles. So when this book showed up in my library’s catalog, I knew I had to read it. And what a surprise! I didn’t know what to expect. Westerns are generally a genre where women/feminists/lesbians/bi women are sidelined—where they have few options. At least with any semblance of realism. But Claudia Cravens somehow manages to work within the construct of the Western to accomplish all of it: a queer, feminist-forward narrative that is gripping and heart wrenching and triumphant. More books like this, please!
I’m a fan of Westerns. But the Venn diagram of sapphic stories and westerns is basically just two independent circles. So when this book showed up in my library’s catalog, I knew I had to read it. And what a surprise! I didn’t know what to expect. Westerns are generally a genre where women/feminists/lesbians/bi women are sidelined—where they have few options. At least with any semblance of realism. But Claudia Cravens somehow manages to work within the construct of the Western to accomplish all of it: a queer, feminist-forward narrative that is gripping and heart wrenching and triumphant. More books like this, please!
July 2, 2025
4 stars for writing style but a weak 3 for enjoyment. Let me explain.
It’s well written no doubt. It’s historical and definitely gives a good sense of the time and what it was like. It’s sapphic but it’s not a romance in that there is no HEA. if I had known that I probably wouldn’t have read it.
I also went through ups and downs with the main character. I liked her then I didn’t for awhile but by the end I respected her.
The plot is interesting and yet I really had to force myself to read it especially in the middle. I probably should have kept reminding myself that Bridget was only 16/17 years old and teens aren’t known for making the best decisions.
Can you tell I am conflicted? Y’all are going to have to judge this one for yourself.
It’s well written no doubt. It’s historical and definitely gives a good sense of the time and what it was like. It’s sapphic but it’s not a romance in that there is no HEA. if I had known that I probably wouldn’t have read it.
I also went through ups and downs with the main character. I liked her then I didn’t for awhile but by the end I respected her.
The plot is interesting and yet I really had to force myself to read it especially in the middle. I probably should have kept reminding myself that Bridget was only 16/17 years old and teens aren’t known for making the best decisions.
Can you tell I am conflicted? Y’all are going to have to judge this one for yourself.
January 23, 2024
Thumbs up on the lesbian homoeroticism. Much needed representation in the genre (and the main reason I picked this up if I’m honest)
I was a little bored at times but not really much to complain about, even through those times it was nice just to hang out with the characters. My one tiny personal nitpick is maybe Constance’s ending because I know she’s not the main focus but my girl deserved more. #justiceforconstance2024
I was a little bored at times but not really much to complain about, even through those times it was nice just to hang out with the characters. My one tiny personal nitpick is maybe Constance’s ending because I know she’s not the main focus but my girl deserved more. #justiceforconstance2024
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