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The Legacy of Lucky Logan #1
Bargain at Bravebank
A deal gone bad…
…and Van Delano is left to die in the desert.
But most folk said he’d been cursed with a double-barreled shotgun of mulishness.
So when his first attempt at bargaining for his kidnapped sister’s freedom lands him with a dead horse, a bullet in his leg, and miles of desert between him and the nearest town… he’s not about to give up.
He’ll fight and claw, cheat and steal, even kill, if he has to… he made his sister a promise and he’s damn sure gonna keep it.
Doesn’t matter if most folk say she’s dead.
Doesn’t matter if the outlaw queen of the Western Territories is playin’ him.
Doesn’t matter if his new metal leg makes him a wanted man, hunted by both the superstitious and the greedy.
He’s a man out for his own redemption, and the only way to pay that debt is to track down his sister and get her free… no matter the cost.
For fans of The Coilhunter series, Make Me No Grave and the Red Dead Redemption games... saddle up for this gritty, gun-blazin', gadget-laden re-imagining of the Old West.
…and Van Delano is left to die in the desert.
But most folk said he’d been cursed with a double-barreled shotgun of mulishness.
So when his first attempt at bargaining for his kidnapped sister’s freedom lands him with a dead horse, a bullet in his leg, and miles of desert between him and the nearest town… he’s not about to give up.
He’ll fight and claw, cheat and steal, even kill, if he has to… he made his sister a promise and he’s damn sure gonna keep it.
Doesn’t matter if most folk say she’s dead.
Doesn’t matter if the outlaw queen of the Western Territories is playin’ him.
Doesn’t matter if his new metal leg makes him a wanted man, hunted by both the superstitious and the greedy.
He’s a man out for his own redemption, and the only way to pay that debt is to track down his sister and get her free… no matter the cost.
For fans of The Coilhunter series, Make Me No Grave and the Red Dead Redemption games... saddle up for this gritty, gun-blazin', gadget-laden re-imagining of the Old West.
9 pages, Audiobook
Published May 18, 2020
About the author
J.R. Frontera
22 books27 followersJ. R. Frontera has been telling stories in some form or another since she could hold a crayon and draw. Her love of science fiction and fantasy originated with her early exposure to the worlds of Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, and Dune. Exploring the potential and pitfalls of humanity in future or fantastical worlds is a temptation she's just never been able to resist. She writes dark scifi, funny scifi, weird westerns, romantic fantasy, and pretty much every other genre in-between under the same name.
She co-founded a local writing group known as The Wordwraiths and is co-owner of their publishing imprint Wordwraith Books. In January 2017, after noticing a lack of writing resources tailored to fit within the specific restraints of motherhood, she helped start the Writer Mom Life podcast alongside fellow author Daphne James Huff.
She has been writing and learning the craft and business of writing for over twenty years, and fully embraced indie authordom in 2013. She has taken writing workshops with Stephen Mertz, Angela James of Carina Press, and the late Ann C. Crispin. She has short stories published in five anthologies, and her science fiction and fantasy shorts have placed in three out of four years in the Story in a Bag contest at the ConQuesT convention held in Kansas City, Missouri.
When she's not writing, momming, podcasting, or working at her full-time day job, she's often horseback riding, playing videogames, or cosplaying. She lives in rural Missouri with her husband, son, four ducks, three cats, one horse and one dog. You can find out more about J. R. Frontera and her books by visiting her website at jrfrontera.com.
She co-founded a local writing group known as The Wordwraiths and is co-owner of their publishing imprint Wordwraith Books. In January 2017, after noticing a lack of writing resources tailored to fit within the specific restraints of motherhood, she helped start the Writer Mom Life podcast alongside fellow author Daphne James Huff.
She has been writing and learning the craft and business of writing for over twenty years, and fully embraced indie authordom in 2013. She has taken writing workshops with Stephen Mertz, Angela James of Carina Press, and the late Ann C. Crispin. She has short stories published in five anthologies, and her science fiction and fantasy shorts have placed in three out of four years in the Story in a Bag contest at the ConQuesT convention held in Kansas City, Missouri.
When she's not writing, momming, podcasting, or working at her full-time day job, she's often horseback riding, playing videogames, or cosplaying. She lives in rural Missouri with her husband, son, four ducks, three cats, one horse and one dog. You can find out more about J. R. Frontera and her books by visiting her website at jrfrontera.com.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 20, 2022
If you want a mix of western grit and steampunk fun, look no further! Bargain at Bravebank follows Van Delano as he searches for his sister, missing for many years. You'll meet a vivid cast of characters, both friend and foe, throughout. It's a rip-roaring adventure that'll have you looking for the next book.
July 5, 2020
I am not a big into westerns but when I heard that Roger Clark was reading the audiobook for this I had to try it. I could not have been more surprised with how much I loved this book! The story unfolds so naturally and the pacing is spot on. Van is my favorite type of character, an anti-hero with a one track mind. There wasn't a dull moment to be had in this amazing story, I found myself reacting with every single chapter. Truly a book worth reading and I cannot wait for the second installment ❤️
August 25, 2020
Love, love, LOVE this book. Please give this one a go because you will not be disappointed. It's basically John Wick in a western world fighting to save his sister Ethelynn. This was done right, no mistakes. Not stone left unturned and the characters and situations are believable. I loved the cliff hanger because I know book two is coming and I cannot wait for it. Also did I minion there are some small elements of steam punk that actually play a good part? Van wants to get his sister back believing 9 Finger Nan has her. He makes a deal with her but not after she shoots him in the leg, kills his horse and sends him to walk alone in the desert telling him if he survives and makes it to Brave bank, he can meet one of her men there to make a bargain for his sister. All hell breaks loose and he's got to survive to get her back. This review I wont spoil like I did the last book but if you're in the market for something new to you and with humor, action and a little anger at the bad guys then this one is for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2020
Brillant
I've honestly never thought I'd get into a western themed book but wow!! Loved how J.R. Frontera wrote this story. I felt like I was transported back to the wild wild west. This book has everything you'd expect in a western and more. Love all the characters and cannot wait for more of Van!
I've honestly never thought I'd get into a western themed book but wow!! Loved how J.R. Frontera wrote this story. I felt like I was transported back to the wild wild west. This book has everything you'd expect in a western and more. Love all the characters and cannot wait for more of Van!
April 10, 2020
An exceptional book with some new concepts and a new type of protagonist. He gets his ass kicked as often as he kicks ass, but he always wins in in the end. He doesn’t get the girl or the horse in the end.
December 21, 2020
I don't normally read steampunk novels, but when I was asked to review this novel, I couldn't resist. I am glad, this was a great book. I couldn't put it down. The characters were wonderful. I really enjoyed this book.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my voluntary review.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my voluntary review.
May 4, 2026
From its description as “a western steampunk adventure,” I was frankly expecting a lot more crazysauce from Bargain at Bravebank than I ultimately got. And honestly I found that a little disappointing. I wanted a wild, nonsensical, and deeply stupid romp in the vein of Deadmen Walking or Space Unicorn Blues. Instead, what I got was a depressingly competent western with the tiniest dash of steampunk thrown in.
I’m not as familiar with the typical tropes of the western genre as I am with fantasy or science fiction, but this seems to hit all the major ones. Van Delano is a gunslinger on the edge of the law, searching for his long-lost sister. I listened to the audiobook, so I didn’t see the maps that come with the physical and ebook version of the story; if I had, I would have been aware much earlier on that this story takes place in an alternate version of the United States. Here, big chunks of the west and southwest are mere territories or semi-independent nation states. There are outlaw towns, gunfights, bank robberies, trains and horses, all the trappings of the classic western. The one area the book stays far, far away from is race; I don’t remember a single non-white character, and while slavery exists, it’s not race-based the way actual historical slavery in the United States was.
I’m obviously no fan of slavery in any form or context, but I was a little bothered in how it was depicted in this book. The vast majority of the slaves mentioned are female—it wasn’t until the very end of the book when a male slave appears as a character—and the one who gets the most (actually, any) characterization, Charlotte, is explicitly a white redhead. Slaves in this world seem primarily to exist for sex rather than labor, and up until the introduction of that male slave right at the end, it felt a little like the author remembered when sex trafficking was called “white slavery” and took that term too literally. If you’re going to introduce slavery as an institution in your fictionalized world, I’m bothered that it is almost all sexualized, almost all female (implying male-on-female sexual violence), and, as far as I can tell, all white. That last qualifier is important not because of some bullshit “white people shouldn’t be slaves” ideology but because it felt to me like the author was, by ignoring it, erasing the racial legacy of historical slavery.
I also take issue with the characterization of this novel as “steampunk,” because it barely qualifies. The only genuinely steampunk elements of the story are a metal leg Van is gifted after his own is shot, infected, and amputated, and a big fancy cannon-like gun later in the book. That’s it. No monocles, no airships, no silly Victorianesque fashion fused with gears and rivets and lenses. And Van himself, who is both the protagonist and the narrator, seems to actively shy away from any of the steampunky elements. The doctor who gives him his leg explicitly tells him it has “advantages,” but Van is so butthurt about the amputation (dude, it was infected and would have KILLED YOU) that he doesn’t even bother trying to figure out what these might be. It’s only very late in the book when his metal leg starts to do anything vaguely interesting, and the book ends before anything genuinely cool comes of it.
And I guess that leads to my biggest issue with the book: I liked Van as a character and a narrator, but he is a giant dumdum. I don’t know that I can remember another book with such an aggressively dumb protagonist, and I don’t mean he’s necessarily unintelligent or challenged in some way. He’s just a dumbass. He walks headlong into obvious traps, he makes rash decisions, and he gets stuck on his own stubborn beliefs about things to the point where he probably should have gotten himself killed in some stupid fashion before the book even started. And worst of all—and this is a genuine flaw in the book—he does not grow as a character. He ends the book in the exact same place he started, in the exact same predicament, without having learned anything of value or seriously challenged his own preconceptions. He neither matures nor regresses; he is a flat, unmoving rock of a character, unbudgeable.
Despite my complaints, I had fun with this story. It did not require deep thought to understand or appreciate. I genuinely enjoyed the audiobook narration, even though the narrators gravely Wilford Brimley impression made Van sound like he was in his fifties rather than his twenties. That narration gave the book some silliness that the plot itself lacked, and in the absence of any other specifically-audiobooks on my to-read list, who knows? I just might continue with this story and see where it goes.
I’m not as familiar with the typical tropes of the western genre as I am with fantasy or science fiction, but this seems to hit all the major ones. Van Delano is a gunslinger on the edge of the law, searching for his long-lost sister. I listened to the audiobook, so I didn’t see the maps that come with the physical and ebook version of the story; if I had, I would have been aware much earlier on that this story takes place in an alternate version of the United States. Here, big chunks of the west and southwest are mere territories or semi-independent nation states. There are outlaw towns, gunfights, bank robberies, trains and horses, all the trappings of the classic western. The one area the book stays far, far away from is race; I don’t remember a single non-white character, and while slavery exists, it’s not race-based the way actual historical slavery in the United States was.
I’m obviously no fan of slavery in any form or context, but I was a little bothered in how it was depicted in this book. The vast majority of the slaves mentioned are female—it wasn’t until the very end of the book when a male slave appears as a character—and the one who gets the most (actually, any) characterization, Charlotte, is explicitly a white redhead. Slaves in this world seem primarily to exist for sex rather than labor, and up until the introduction of that male slave right at the end, it felt a little like the author remembered when sex trafficking was called “white slavery” and took that term too literally. If you’re going to introduce slavery as an institution in your fictionalized world, I’m bothered that it is almost all sexualized, almost all female (implying male-on-female sexual violence), and, as far as I can tell, all white. That last qualifier is important not because of some bullshit “white people shouldn’t be slaves” ideology but because it felt to me like the author was, by ignoring it, erasing the racial legacy of historical slavery.
I also take issue with the characterization of this novel as “steampunk,” because it barely qualifies. The only genuinely steampunk elements of the story are a metal leg Van is gifted after his own is shot, infected, and amputated, and a big fancy cannon-like gun later in the book. That’s it. No monocles, no airships, no silly Victorianesque fashion fused with gears and rivets and lenses. And Van himself, who is both the protagonist and the narrator, seems to actively shy away from any of the steampunky elements. The doctor who gives him his leg explicitly tells him it has “advantages,” but Van is so butthurt about the amputation (dude, it was infected and would have KILLED YOU) that he doesn’t even bother trying to figure out what these might be. It’s only very late in the book when his metal leg starts to do anything vaguely interesting, and the book ends before anything genuinely cool comes of it.
And I guess that leads to my biggest issue with the book: I liked Van as a character and a narrator, but he is a giant dumdum. I don’t know that I can remember another book with such an aggressively dumb protagonist, and I don’t mean he’s necessarily unintelligent or challenged in some way. He’s just a dumbass. He walks headlong into obvious traps, he makes rash decisions, and he gets stuck on his own stubborn beliefs about things to the point where he probably should have gotten himself killed in some stupid fashion before the book even started. And worst of all—and this is a genuine flaw in the book—he does not grow as a character. He ends the book in the exact same place he started, in the exact same predicament, without having learned anything of value or seriously challenged his own preconceptions. He neither matures nor regresses; he is a flat, unmoving rock of a character, unbudgeable.
Despite my complaints, I had fun with this story. It did not require deep thought to understand or appreciate. I genuinely enjoyed the audiobook narration, even though the narrators gravely Wilford Brimley impression made Van sound like he was in his fifties rather than his twenties. That narration gave the book some silliness that the plot itself lacked, and in the absence of any other specifically-audiobooks on my to-read list, who knows? I just might continue with this story and see where it goes.
April 30, 2026
I did think the choice of narrator for the audiobook was a good choice for a Western. Unfortunately the audiobook isn't able to include the map, it did feel like it was in the southwest but then they mentioned Pennsylvania which made me wonder what the current geography was but thankfully someone who had the ebook took a picture of it and that was helpful.
The worldbuilding is kind of interesting, it seems to take place after the collapse of society. When Van's leg is amputated and he gets a mechanical leg it keeps being referred to as "old world tech", which made me wonder what else they classify in that category and also what the other part of North America are like (the Western Territories are obviously more like the Old West, but what about the Kingdom of Canada? Or he Southern States?).
The story follows Van as he searches for his sister Ethelynn so he has a solid goal and I did feel like there was forward momentum was the plot. However, I wasn't exactly sure how old Van was now or how many years it had been since he last saw his sister. However, I did overall like the Western feel to this book and hearing about Van's journey. Nine Fingered Nan was a fairly decent antagonist, but I really didn't understand why she seemed to think Van would just accept she had his sister when she didn't have any proof of life and it doesn't really feel like she has any plans to hand her over if she does have her.
Unfortunately, I wasn't satisfied with the ending of the book. It's obviously just going to continue in the next book of the series but I didn't really feel like there was much of a resolution or conclusion.
This book was about 8 hours which was fine, however the next book in the series is longer (12h 23m) and the third is even longer (16h 47m) and Spotify only gives you 15 hours/month so I'm not sure if I'll continue with this series which is part of why I was really hoping to get some sort of resolution.
The worldbuilding is kind of interesting, it seems to take place after the collapse of society. When Van's leg is amputated and he gets a mechanical leg it keeps being referred to as "old world tech", which made me wonder what else they classify in that category and also what the other part of North America are like (the Western Territories are obviously more like the Old West, but what about the Kingdom of Canada? Or he Southern States?).
The story follows Van as he searches for his sister Ethelynn so he has a solid goal and I did feel like there was forward momentum was the plot. However, I wasn't exactly sure how old Van was now or how many years it had been since he last saw his sister. However, I did overall like the Western feel to this book and hearing about Van's journey. Nine Fingered Nan was a fairly decent antagonist, but I really didn't understand why she seemed to think Van would just accept she had his sister when she didn't have any proof of life and it doesn't really feel like she has any plans to hand her over if she does have her.
Unfortunately, I wasn't satisfied with the ending of the book. It's obviously just going to continue in the next book of the series but I didn't really feel like there was much of a resolution or conclusion.
This book was about 8 hours which was fine, however the next book in the series is longer (12h 23m) and the third is even longer (16h 47m) and Spotify only gives you 15 hours/month so I'm not sure if I'll continue with this series which is part of why I was really hoping to get some sort of resolution.
December 6, 2020
J.R. Frontera knows how to keep a reader turning pages. This story is well-written, perfectly paced, and packed with action. I particularly enjoyed the author's clever use of repetition.
Even the minor characters are well-developed, though the first-person POV gives a distinct inner voice to protagonist Van Delano, putting the reader in the saddle with him on a desperate adventure to find and free his sister, driving home his inability to move on until he does. The author sprinkles in just enough description and backstory without hampering the pace.
I would have liked a few solid details upfront to better differentiate the steampunk/science fiction world of Bargain at Bravebank from a classic Western setting.
Also, I was a little frustrated for the protagonist's sake when the ending finds him in the same predicament, making the same deal, as at the beginning.
But the epilogue is an effective introduction to the next book, promising an exciting continuation to Van's story.
Even the minor characters are well-developed, though the first-person POV gives a distinct inner voice to protagonist Van Delano, putting the reader in the saddle with him on a desperate adventure to find and free his sister, driving home his inability to move on until he does. The author sprinkles in just enough description and backstory without hampering the pace.
I would have liked a few solid details upfront to better differentiate the steampunk/science fiction world of Bargain at Bravebank from a classic Western setting.
Also, I was a little frustrated for the protagonist's sake when the ending finds him in the same predicament, making the same deal, as at the beginning.
But the epilogue is an effective introduction to the next book, promising an exciting continuation to Van's story.
March 17, 2020
I weren’t lookin’ fer a rip-snortin’ gun-slingin’ steampunk adventure, but when Nine-Fingered Nan has you in her sights, you don’t get to do too much choosin’ you just better git readin’, and boy am I glad I did! Bargain at Bravebank was the first book I’ve read in ages that left me desperate for the next instalment. JR Frontera uses ‘western’ speech patterns to great effect, never overdone, easy to read and very evocative. A fast, easy, and enjoyable read, that kept me interested and engaged all the way through. Well edited and proofed, I didn’t spot a single error. I did wish that was more ‘steampunk’ to it, but then again I didn’t realise there was more to come in the series, and it looks like it’s shaping up nicely!
May 1, 2021
I really wanted to love this gritty, guns blazing Scifi Steampunk Western, but 2 things held me back...
1) I wanted more gadgets...
2) I wanted a little bit happier outcome (no, I don't require an HEA every time)... if only things had gone a bit better?!?
I AbsoDamnLutely empathized with the main character (Van Delano) as he struggles to find and save his sister! As for the narration, Roger Clark's portrayal of Van Delano was simply perfect, he captured all of Van's pain and despair in a Very nuanced performance!!!
I strongly suspect (and hope) that JR Frontera's next book will satisfy my need for more "Steampunky" gadgets, but I really wonder how long it'll take before poor Van Delano will reap any rewards for his boundless perseverance!
1) I wanted more gadgets...
2) I wanted a little bit happier outcome (no, I don't require an HEA every time)... if only things had gone a bit better?!?
I AbsoDamnLutely empathized with the main character (Van Delano) as he struggles to find and save his sister! As for the narration, Roger Clark's portrayal of Van Delano was simply perfect, he captured all of Van's pain and despair in a Very nuanced performance!!!
I strongly suspect (and hope) that JR Frontera's next book will satisfy my need for more "Steampunky" gadgets, but I really wonder how long it'll take before poor Van Delano will reap any rewards for his boundless perseverance!
November 22, 2021
A well-crafted and imaginative book. It took me some time to connect with the protagonist, but once I did I really enjoyed the story.
I look forward to reading more of this author’s work.
I look forward to reading more of this author’s work.
May 19, 2026
Years ago, Van's sister was taken while he was away. A decade later and he's not given up on finding her and bringing her home safe even despite the few people who might care about him trying to get him to bury his past. His latest lead takes him to an old foe of his father's, a woman who strongholds that part of the West.
Not one to just hand things over, she has a test for him. Not something a droll as a duel or a small task. What's the fun at that? No, first he'll have to survive a grave wound and find her lackey. Only then can they talk favors and money. It's a task he's almost up for.
Half healed and with an unexpected alteration of an old-tech metal appendage, he finds himself with a task complicated three times over. First is the ridiculous sum her man's demanded. Second is an old friend of the family showing up to drive that price up but also be his key to getting that money. And third his the heart he can't quite harden. One that urges him to help an escaped woman who's been kept as a slave--a future too close to what he's trying to keep his sister from.
I have enjoyed a few Westerns in my time, and I'm always here for any sort of steampunk element, but I picked up this book with some trepidation. Not being familiar with the author, I feared that it would also have some of the mainstays of classics of the genre that I don't enjoy as much. Mainly the machismo ever brooding hero that makes underthings drop as fast as he shoots his guns. With a side of patronizing of those poor helpless ladies constantly in need of rescue. For dessert a nice dollop of racism.
For anyone who loves all the stereotypes don't fear. Van is a man's man, has his thoughts about ladies, and is able to cause as much trouble as he gives. You're not missing out on that. At the same time, color me delightfully surprised and my snobbery flicked on the nose.
This book encompasses all the grit, a perfect amount of that forlorn hero who happens to be respectful of women not just in a gentleman's way but as frontiers-people and fellow hustlers, villainy, and action that the genre radiates. There's even a side character that tosses out a casual line implying that if not embraced by society, queer people exist and can be, shall we say--accommodated by certain establishments. There's also an immigrant family that is true to the mixed bag draw of people called to a new start in a different region. Plus hints of the less than wonderful traits of mining.
More importantly, this was just FUN. The characters were compelling. Even when there were predictable elements, there weren't unnecessary twists and turns. It gave the story a hook that pulled the reader along. The situation, the world, is left open enough that there are a plethora of directions Van could take in the rest of the series. And hooooo-weeeee! Do I want to know what happens next!
Not one to just hand things over, she has a test for him. Not something a droll as a duel or a small task. What's the fun at that? No, first he'll have to survive a grave wound and find her lackey. Only then can they talk favors and money. It's a task he's almost up for.
Half healed and with an unexpected alteration of an old-tech metal appendage, he finds himself with a task complicated three times over. First is the ridiculous sum her man's demanded. Second is an old friend of the family showing up to drive that price up but also be his key to getting that money. And third his the heart he can't quite harden. One that urges him to help an escaped woman who's been kept as a slave--a future too close to what he's trying to keep his sister from.
I have enjoyed a few Westerns in my time, and I'm always here for any sort of steampunk element, but I picked up this book with some trepidation. Not being familiar with the author, I feared that it would also have some of the mainstays of classics of the genre that I don't enjoy as much. Mainly the machismo ever brooding hero that makes underthings drop as fast as he shoots his guns. With a side of patronizing of those poor helpless ladies constantly in need of rescue. For dessert a nice dollop of racism.
For anyone who loves all the stereotypes don't fear. Van is a man's man, has his thoughts about ladies, and is able to cause as much trouble as he gives. You're not missing out on that. At the same time, color me delightfully surprised and my snobbery flicked on the nose.
This book encompasses all the grit, a perfect amount of that forlorn hero who happens to be respectful of women not just in a gentleman's way but as frontiers-people and fellow hustlers, villainy, and action that the genre radiates. There's even a side character that tosses out a casual line implying that if not embraced by society, queer people exist and can be, shall we say--accommodated by certain establishments. There's also an immigrant family that is true to the mixed bag draw of people called to a new start in a different region. Plus hints of the less than wonderful traits of mining.
More importantly, this was just FUN. The characters were compelling. Even when there were predictable elements, there weren't unnecessary twists and turns. It gave the story a hook that pulled the reader along. The situation, the world, is left open enough that there are a plethora of directions Van could take in the rest of the series. And hooooo-weeeee! Do I want to know what happens next!
Read
May 7, 2026Young gunslinger Van is trying to track down his missing sister. His trail leads to Nine-Finger Nan, notorious criminal who would just as soon shoot the son of her hated enemy as strike a deal. What follows is a series of western story mishaps as Van tries desperately to get his sister back.
The world is interesting—standard American West, but with some mysterious metal/steampunk vibes that are never fully explained in this first book. I want to know more.
I had some difficulty connecting with Van, but I liked the characters around him-Holt and Charlotte.
The front pages of the book—so brilliant—show like the opening credits of a western movie.
Although a bit violent for my taste, the story reads well and is packaged very nicely. I think fans of the genre will really enjoy this one.
The world is interesting—standard American West, but with some mysterious metal/steampunk vibes that are never fully explained in this first book. I want to know more.
I had some difficulty connecting with Van, but I liked the characters around him-Holt and Charlotte.
The front pages of the book—so brilliant—show like the opening credits of a western movie.
Although a bit violent for my taste, the story reads well and is packaged very nicely. I think fans of the genre will really enjoy this one.
June 16, 2024
My second book by this local to me author. Picked it up at an indie author event because I had read one by her previously so I knew it would at least be well written. I liked the story. One of the things I appreciated most about it was there was no info dump. As you read along you figured out things. It started in the middle of the action and just kept that action up for the whole story. I enjoyed the hero and am looking forward to continuing his story in the next one. This one didn't end right in the middle of an action but the conflict is not resolved. Looking forward to the next one.
March 27, 2025
You’re a dusty cowboy on a mission to find a family member and can’t seem to get away from flying bullets but that doesn’t stop ya.
Van is not your typical western book character, he has a motivation to find his long lost sister. While being a “Wild West” guy, he still has a soft spot for doing what he has to do. Along the way he is met with obstacle after obstacle.
This is the first western style book I’ve enjoyed - lucky me, it’s part of a series! I read this book in (RDR2) Arthur Morgan’s voice and I suggest you do the same because it makes the read even more fun.
Van is not your typical western book character, he has a motivation to find his long lost sister. While being a “Wild West” guy, he still has a soft spot for doing what he has to do. Along the way he is met with obstacle after obstacle.
This is the first western style book I’ve enjoyed - lucky me, it’s part of a series! I read this book in (RDR2) Arthur Morgan’s voice and I suggest you do the same because it makes the read even more fun.
February 10, 2026
A great western with a touch of steampunk, with loveable characters and an exciting plot that makes you eager to keep reading to find out where it's going!
I love the Hero Van, the kind of guy who is good at a shoot out, but also good at getting beaten up, left for dead and getting himself caught in bad situations. I love that there's kickass women!
The world feels really alive, and gritty, and the story makes me want to know more about the world and its history as well as following the characters on their adventure.
This whole series is a definite must read.
I love the Hero Van, the kind of guy who is good at a shoot out, but also good at getting beaten up, left for dead and getting himself caught in bad situations. I love that there's kickass women!
The world feels really alive, and gritty, and the story makes me want to know more about the world and its history as well as following the characters on their adventure.
This whole series is a definite must read.
October 17, 2024
…checks notes…adds more Westerns to the TBR ASAP.
It sounds weird to say this book is like a nostalgia read since I’d never read it before, but it’s like watching the new-ish True Grit. Yes it’s a new movie (remake) but has that throwback, nostalgia kind of vibe. That’s this book! It’s just good writing with a strong story. I picked this one up somewhat on a whim, and now I’m hooked. I cannot wait to see what happens next. I feel like this will become a comfort reread for me.
It sounds weird to say this book is like a nostalgia read since I’d never read it before, but it’s like watching the new-ish True Grit. Yes it’s a new movie (remake) but has that throwback, nostalgia kind of vibe. That’s this book! It’s just good writing with a strong story. I picked this one up somewhat on a whim, and now I’m hooked. I cannot wait to see what happens next. I feel like this will become a comfort reread for me.
February 3, 2025
Was honestly such a good read. Very easy and full of action. Flowed easily and the characters are all strong willed which was wonderful to see.
January 21, 2026
western steam punk. Wish there was more steam punk.
April 28, 2026
Great story with the perfect narrator
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