Beauty and the Bounty Hunter

Once Upon a Time in the West #1

by Lori Austin, Lori Handeland

Once Upon a Time . . .

Beauty Became the Bounty Hunter

Cathleen Chase was an unassuming farmer’s wife until her husband was gunned down in front of her. Desperate for revenge, she offered con artist Alexi Romanov anything if he would school her in the art of the dodge.

Alexi didn’t realize he’d turned Cathleen Chase into Cat O’Banyon, a ruthless bounty hunter who would stop at nothing to catch the man who murdered her husband, until she was gone. That she took the heart he didn’t know he had along with her surprised him even more.

Now Cat has a bounty on her head. Hunted by every gunslinger from Abilene to St. Louis to Denver, she won’t last long without an ally. With little choice, she turns to Alexi for help. But, again, he has his price. Again, she will pay any cost.

To survive, they must trust each other, but in a relationship forged from deception and lust, is trust even possible?

And if they can’t learn to trust, can they ever learn to love?

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Westerns, Historical Fiction, Western Romance, Adult

290 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 2, 2012

About the author

Lori Austin is the pseudonym for award winning author Lori Handeland, known for her paranormal romance series, The Nightcreature Novels, as well as the urban fantasy series, The Phoenix Chronicles and the historical fantasy series, Shakespeare Undead. Under the Austin name, Lori writes sexy, adventurous western historical romance.

She is a New York Times Bestselling Author and the recipient of many industry awards, including two RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America for Best Paranormal Romance and Best Long Contemporary Category Romance.

Lori lives in Wisconsin with her husband, enjoying occasional visits from her grown sons.

Reviews

[Dija · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beauty and the Bounty Hunter is the first Western I've ever had the pleasure of reading and definitely won't be the last. Previously, I had no idea "Western" was actually a proper subbranch of historical romance and I don't think there could've better introduction to the genre than Beauty and the Bounty Hunter. I loved this book!

Cat's husband was murdered in front of her and she's vowed to hunt down all the thugs in the area until she finds the one who killed her husband. After making up her mind, she meets Alexi, a con artist, who teaches her everything he knows about disguises and combat. Alexi demands her body in exchange and after spending a couple of years together, they part ways, until someone puts a bounty on Cat's head and Alexi comes back into her life to help and protect her while she continues her quest for revenge.

Cat is an all-around badass. There's nothing meek or submissive about her and I loved her from the beginning. While most women would have spent their remaining days completely crushed or even committed suicide after the death of their husbands back in that era, she decided to become a bounty hunter to hunt down the man who murdered her husband instead.

Alexi Romanov is even sexier than his name suggests. As evasive as Cat is direct, Alexi's enigmatic personality balances out their romance perfectly. I adored his use of foreign endearments when addressing her. They've both been through a lot, but there's absolutely no angst in this book. Both characters manage to reshape their lives after their respective tragedies and help each other come to terms with everything that happened, all the while fighting off their current pursuers. They're simply beautiful together.

“Moya krasavitsa,” he murmured into her hair. “I will always find you. You shine like a beacon in the darkness of my world.”

The story comes together quite nicely, with the perfect balance between action and romance. The epilogue isn't too cheesy, but it still made me grin like a fool. The next book is supposed to be about Ethan and I hope we can catch glimpses of Alexi and Cat in there as well.

Beauty and the Bounty Hunter was a romantic, entertaining, and touching read throughout, one I'll be revisiting again for sure. Highly recommended for fans of historical adventures!

My Versions of Alexi and Cat:

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For more reviews, visit my blog:

[Stella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short review:

I liked it so much it was one of my Favourite Reads of 2012!

I LOVED this book!! Both Cat and Alexi were heartbreakingly scarred characters but so fascinating. I loved how this book had it all: heartbreak, adventure, love and lots of fun. I enjoyed every minute of it, grew so fond of Alexi, Cat and Mikhail and can't wait to read the next books in the series!

Detailed review:

Wow, wow, wow. Sorry I don't know where to begin. I'll start in the middle and tell you that I LOVED this book to pieces. First it was the cover that caught my eye on another blog then when I read the premise I was intrigued (a lady bounty hunter? That sure sounded original and interesting), and even though I've seen a couple of praising reviews nothing prepared me for what an amazing read this novel would be. It was terrific!

First of all the whole story was a huge breath of fresh air: it was a historical romance set not in the usual Regency ballroom or Medieval Scottish Highlands, but in the Wild Wild West of America! The heroine wasn't a fainting debutante but a gun-wielding badass/kickass bounty hunter! But let be rewind and start at the beginning.

The plot was original and exciting: a grieving wife who wants to avenge the murder of her husband takes any means necessary to be a successful bounty hunter and hunt down the man who ruined her life. She learned the tricks of the trade of blending in, becoming someone else, giving false impressions from the best: Alexi Romanov a mysterious handsome foreigner who has as many personaes as other people have matches.

Both Cat and Alexi were extraordinary characters: Cat was tough and independent, head-strong and yet she retained a vulnerability that not only touched Alexi but made me want to comfort her as well. Both of them hadn't had it easy, and that's saying it lightly, both have been hurt and scarred, and they were both so beautifully flawed characters.

Alexi was so beautiful and irresistible he made my heart ache. I could sympathize with Cat wanting to keep her distance fearing for her heart but it was obvious her struggles were futile; Alexi packed such a potent charisma that even across time and space of the pages he wove his spell on me as well.

"Smooth, sun-kissed skin, wavy black hair, deep blue eyes and hands that could make a violin sing or a woman moan. He could also lie to an angel and cheat the pants off the Devil himself. He had taught Cat everything she knew."

While we were given bits and pieces of Cat's background to understand her hunger and need for revenge, Alexi remained a big mystery until quite late in the story. We just knew he had an exotic, foreign background, he had travelled the world, met a lot of people and spoke dozens of languages. That was one small, subtle touch in his characterisation that the linguist in me especially enjoyed: that Alexi's speech was peppered with countless foreign endearments from calling Cat his heart in Spanish (mi corazon), to his treasure in Greek (Khriso mou), or his life in Russian (moya zhizn), it not only added some subtleties and depths to his character but also made me melt and shiver :-D

"There was always something in Alexi's voice that made folks wonder: Would he kiss you or kill you?"

"He cursed. French? Spanish? Italian? She wasn't certain, but whatever language, the words, the tone, the cadence were both beautiful and brutal. Kind of like Alexi himself."

The relationship between Cat and Alexi was a layered and complicated one. I wouldn't even attempt to sum it up to you, let me just say that the development of their relaionship, the different stages and emotions they went through was a wonderful and poignant journey, even for the reader.

"How did you find me?" she asked.
"Moya krasavitsa," he murmured into her hair. "I will always find you. You shine like a beacon in the darkness of my world."
Cat blew a derisive puff of air from her lips. Even Alexi laughed. "Where do you come up with this stuff?"

Both were so different from the usual stereotype of historical romance heroes and heroines that they stand in a category of their own. I loved how smooth and charming Alexi was and Cat's sarcasm and cynism often made me chuckle. They sure were well fleshed out characters that just seemed real.

Besides the spntaneous language courses I very much enjoyed the historical tidbits, information Lori Austin included in the story, liked learning about the origin of names of towns through anecdotes and discovering some aspects of the Civil War and how life could have been in the Wild West.

Verdict: Beauty and the Bounty Hunter has it all: lots of adveture, heartache, passion and fun. Lorraine Heath sums it up perfectly in her endorsement: Beauty and the Bounty Hunter is a "riveting, poignant and unforgettable story". Both Cat and Alexi will stay with the reader long after the end of the novel and their story will be one the reader will cherish and remember fondly. With Beauty and the Bounty Hunter I instantly became a die hard fan of Lori Austin and her new Once Upon a Time in the West - Western historical romance series, and I'm impatiently counting back the days 'till the next release. Trust me, don't wait until Christmas to put this book on your wishlist, get it now, you'll love it!

I give Beauty and the Bounty Hunter 5 sparkling stars!

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Writing: 10/10
Ending: 10/10 - perfect, but I could have gone on for a bit longer ;-)
Cover: 10- absolute cover perfection! It conveys the passion, the sexiness and the adventure true to the time period, love it!

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm embarrassed to say that this is the first historical western(romance) I've ever read. If the genre is anything like this novel was then I'll be reading it more often. Lori Austin(Lori Handeland) is a genius. I really felt as if I was in the wild west along side Cat, Alexi & Mikhail.

This romance had a different feel than the usual. No damsel in distress here, but deep down Cat is emotionally scarred. After her husband was murdered Cathleen Chase died along side him, the only one left now is Cat O`Banyon, "the ruthless bounty hunter who always gets her man".

At first I wasn't sure about her personality. Disguising as a loose woman at a brothel house to get close to any man she suspects is "the one". I felt weird, but you soon see why she does it. She definitely has a way with men and a body for seducing. The one person knows that body well is, Alexi.

Alexi is a dream. Beautiful, smart, cunning and caring. Although, he doesn't really show that to Cat. I found it odd, yet refreshing that the male was the one with more feelings. It was actually funny seeing the famous for being perfect Alexi, stutter and slip around Cat.

That being said, this novel wasn't just about the romance between Cat and Alexi. There was plenty of action, murder and relived horror. I loved Mikhail. He was an original sidekick and also a new favorite of mine. I hope to see more of him in Lori's next western romance release. Which I believe features Ethan from this novel.

Over all, this novel was fantastic. I loved every bit of it and look forward to more! Check it out, you won't regret it.

[Jenny Q · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars. I have found a new series and a new author to love! I was hooked from the very first scene, where Cat, a grieving widow-cum-bounty hunter disguised as a prostitute, wrangles yet another outlaw in her effort to track down the man who murdered her husband, a man whose face she’s never seen, but whose voice haunts her. But an unexpected wrench is thrown into her plans in the form of Alexi Romanov, the con-man Cat stumbled upon when she was most vulnerable, who showed her how to escape from her pain by losing herself in the art of the dodge, and whose bed she left in the middle of the night one year ago without ever looking back.

But Alexi has been looking back. He can’t forget the one woman to get under his skin and leave him wanting more. As much as he’d like to revel in reacquainting himself with all of Cat’s charms, he’s come with a very serious purpose. Someone has put a bounty on Cat’s head, and he’s no longer content to track Cat’s activities from afar. He would like nothing more than to throw her over his shoulder and carry her to safety, but he knows that’s the surest way to ensure Cat does the exact opposite of what he wants her to do. So instead he sets up a dodge to lure her back into his life, back into teaming up with him, and back into his bed. Cat’s not best pleased, but the hunter has become the hunted, and she’s not likely to last long without an ally. Together with their bodyguard Mikhail, Cat and Alexi hit the trail–Cat determined to track down the man who ruined her life and put a price on her head, no matter the cost–and Alexi determined to keep her safe from the bounty hunters and from herself, even if he has to con her in the process.

From Abilene to St. Louis to Denver, Cat and Alexi dance around each other, falling back into the intuitive partnership that made them such successful cons, but each holding on to their own agendas. But this time they both find themselves wanting more, yet reluctant to trust in each other’s feelings and intentions. In a relationship forged in deception, can they put aside their vulnerabilities and overcome the tragedies in their pasts to grasp for a future together? With every gunslinger in the West hunting for Cat O’Banyan, and Cat O’Banyan closing in on a face-off with the most dangerous of them all, they might not live long enough to find out.

The story takes place in 1870, when the American West was becoming more connected via railroads and telegraph wires, but was still full of isolated hiding places and lawless towns; and during a time when many disillusioned Civil War veterans were heading west, some running from the past, some seeking new beginnings. In a land where life was hard, temptations were many, and violence was rampant, Ms. Austin does a fabulous job of creating an atmosphere of contradictions: of wariness and wonder, resignation and hopefulness. And she has created two unique and memorable characters in Cat and Alexi. They are two scarred souls who have spent the past years of their lives pretending to be other people so much that they don’t know how to be themselves anymore, but the closest they come to it is with each other. Their histories are slowly teased out in a sexy story that had me burning through the pages. Evocative historical setting, great characters, punchy dialogue, wry humor, and a poignant storyline with plenty of danger and action to go along with the emotional angst–it all adds up to a very satisfying Western romance, and one that stands out from the crowd. I’ve already added the forthcoming second in the series to my list!

[new_user · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cat and Alexi have a complicated relationship. He taught her to lie. What's a conman's apprentice called? Alexi taught Cat the trade after her former, proper life went to ruin with the brutal murder of her husband. When Cat and Alexi reunite she's on a mission. (You can guess.) The cons were fun, probably because for both Cat and Alexi they aren't so much about profit as their individual martyring motivations, which were grimmer and darker than I expected, especially Alexi's motivations.

He's devoted to Cat. Beauty and the Bounty Hunter's relationship was a bit one-sided much of the time, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Alexi is wounded and kind of noble, and I liked that Cat spent little time waxing on about her wounds and more time attempting to resolve them- to the exclusion of all else, admittedly. Why am I applauding silent suffering? I don't know. Society has brainwashed me too.

I did have a couple qualms. First, Lori Austin set Beauty in post-civil war era Kansas, and while I wasn't surprised that Catherine, from Georgia, repeated Confederate propaganda, I was a little surprised when Alexi does, who is not from the South. From Alexi's internal dialogue: "The Conscription Act was hugely unpopular as it was considered an infringement upon an individual’s rights by the government, one of the reasons that shot was fired at Fort Sumter in the first place."

I emphasized the relevant part. Prior, the text's mention of the civil war as an "invasion" left a bad taste in my mouth, but I excused that from Catherine's point of view. It strikes me as a little odd, however, that Alexi would phrase his thoughts like this, incorporating that uniquely Southern, historically inaccurate interpretation of the war's initiation. (By the way, lest anyone else is laboring under this misapprehension, read What This Cruel War Was Over, an article with primary sources.) In contrast, slavery isn't mentioned once when Cat and Alexi think of or discuss the war. In the teaser for When Morning Comes, another Western, a former Union major thinks of the war as an invasion too. Media creators literally write history and culture. They are responsible for disseminating a lot of misconceptions. As the war's not a major point of the novel, I'll move on, but I hope the next books don't spread any more manure, to put it gently.

My next qualm was with a revelation about Alexi near book's end, where one could interpret Alexi as arrogant, exploitative, misguided or compassionate- or all of the above. I thought he was the latter two myself, but he may seem coercive to others. Anywho, I liked this better before the civil war conversation near the end and I was looking forward to Ethan's book then (because ETHANOMG!). Maybe the next is absent the hogwash in this one- or maybe that's wishful thinking. By the way, this author also wrote the Phoenix Chronicles, and while Beauty isn't fantasy, it reads almost as gritty.

[Mei · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!! If I could give it 10 starts I would!!! Great story, great protagonists, great love (and sex too)! I could feel the feelings here: the h loss, the H loss, even the secondary characters loss.
Definitively one of the best books I've read!
Cannot wait for the next one (Ethan's book)!!! Hope it will be as good as this one!

[Aoi · Rating 4 out of 5]

And that's another add to my authors-to-watch-out-for shelf! Beauty and the Bounty Hunter is an engrossing, rollicking, and steamy read set in the mordernizing-but-not-yet-quite-mordern Wild West. The story picks up straight from out of a movie, when our heroine lures a customer to her room in a whorehouse, only to reveal her identity as the infamous bounty hunter Cat O'Banyon.

She is on the lookout to capture her husband's killer-the only cinch being she can only identify him by the sound of his voice, but not by face. Her bounty is only half hogtied, when she realises there is an intruder in the room. The intruder is none other than master of disguises and her mentor Alexi Romanov. Cat can see the sparks
and the sizzling chemistry between them hasn't dimmed at all, and is rightly scared it will distract her from her revenge.

A year after Cat left his bed in the dead of the night, Alexi is back in her life- to protect her from whoever has put the bounty on her head. He knows any attempts to impose his will would have her running again in no time. Instead, Alexi and his loyal sidekick Mikhail join forces with her and hit the trail, each with a different agenda in mind. Can Alexi keep Cat safe from her demons; or will the two masters at deception outcon each other into danger?

He tasted of the night and the wind. Despair. Desire. Destiny. He smelled of the rain after a hundred-year drought. She wanted to drink of him until her eternal thirst washed away.

In the rough and violent world of the West, Cat O'Banyon is tough tough tough. Here's a woman who has overcome odds that would break most others, remould herself and take on the world. She will stop at nothing to get her revenge- even if it meant deceiving the one man she knows she can have a future with.

The honesty in his expression, his words words, humbled her. He'd bared his soul, and bared her breasts. If she were half the woman that he was a man, she’d tell him everything. But she’d never claimed to be much of a woman at all.

And Alexi! He is as darkly mysterious and enigmatic as his name suggests. He relies as much on his clever clever mind as his physicality to get them out of trouble. And have I mentioned how much I love his calling Cat endearments in exotic foreign languages! The author builds his character so cleverly, dropping a few hints, showing a glimpse here and there- till I want to know more about him!

"Moya krasavitsa," he murmured into her hair. "I will always find you. You shine like a beacon in the darkness of my world."

An addicting and enigmatic hero, a heroine who is more than a match for him; and an endless chain of one exciting adventure after another in the wilds- it's no wonder the book has found another fan in me.

4 stars!

[Regan Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever, Gritty Tale of a Female Bounty Hunter in the Old West and Her Magical Man!

Ok, so you know when you see the title you’re thinking the heroine’s the beauty, right? Wrong!

Set in Kansas and Missouri in 1870, this is the story of Cathleen (“Cat”) Chase, a farm wife who became a bounty hunter, a legend known as Cat O’Banyon, in order to hunt down her husband’s killer. In her words, her occupation was “born from the ashes that had tumbled across Billy’s grave nearly two years ago.”

Cat learned all she knows from Alexi Romanov, a man so pretty he is a beauty with “hands that could make a violin sing or a woman moan.” He was more than her teacher and her healer when she was broken up over Billy’s death; he was her lover. After he’d taught her to shoot and take on any disguise, she left him without a word. Now he’s come to find her.

This is a very clever, well-written tale that captured me from the first page. The banter between Cat and Alexi and Cat’s own thoughts are priceless. And there is more here, lots more. It reflects research into the period, which I so appreciate. It’s a post Civil War story in which the hero is still suffering from the nightmare he experienced.

It’s a story of running away from your past and dealing with the hard stuff. As Alexi said,

“I understand more than most the need to become another. To bury the past along with who you were, to create a new life completely different from it, and forget, or try to, the person who came before.”

I highly recommend this unique story from the Old West. It will keep you reading to solve the mystery and finally see Alexi and Cat come together.

The Once Upon a Time in the West series:

Beauty and The Bounty Hunter
An Outlaw in Wonderland
The Lone Warrior

[Gerd · Rating 1 out of 5]

Aaarghh... if I could somehow unread the last twenty pages I might still be inclined to give the book a three star rating, but as it stands I can only utter a: Do not read!

Warning.
This book relies heavily on rape culture!

Lori Austin reintroduces the rapist as romantic hero in the form of her lead character Alexi.
Of whom it is said in the novel that "...he would never force himself on a woman, he would never take what wasn't freely given."
Only to have at the end of the novel this passage (after hearing that Cat was sexually abused):

"Wait a second. You knew what that bastard had done to me, yet you made it a condition of helping me that I sleep with you?"

which is getting answered by this:

"Wasn't it better to face what you feared? Not doing so only makes that fear loom larger"
...
(Passage shortened, but meaning stays contained)
"Besides," he continued, "I thought I could fix you."

Lori Austin aka Handeland has the gall to proclaim that the way to overcome the trauma of sexual abuse is to let yourself be abused by another until you believe you're in love with him (that's called a Stockholm Syndrome, by the way, persons in a situation they can't escape will convince themselves that they like it as it is).
Demanding from a woman in a desperate situation to sleep with you is sexual violence, there's no two ways around it, and there's nothing(!) romantic about that!

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cat O'Banyon is a bounty hunter who uses every weapon at her disposal, including her body. As long as she gets her man that is all that counts with her. Two years ago, one evil man blew apart her world and she is determined to find him, one outlaw at a time. That is why she had to escape from Alexi Romanov, a grifter with blue eyes and unforgettable hands. He also taught her every trick she knew and saved her you might say. Alexi for his part, is also running from his past and who he is.

After he finds out that there is now a bounty on Cat's head, he is determined to keep her safe, whether she wants him to or not. Cat believes she is invincible until a bullet shows her the error of her ways. She knows her heart can't hold out with Alexi for long, as he sets out to show her that she can trust him with her secrets. Is he willing to trust her with his?

Going into this book, I thought it was going to be a light hearted book...it wasn't. It was a book with deep emotions, as two people try and find their way back to each other's hearts. Once you get their pasts, they are both heart wrenching, but both shine as they overcome their histories. Lori Austin is a NTM author and this won't be my last Austin book. I can't wait for Ethan's book.

[Barbara ★ · Rating 2 out of 5]

It must be me but I didn't find anything remotely sexy or inviting about Alexi Romanov. He's a conman, a sheister, a manwhore. Oh sure he's sexy but so what he has nothing else going for him. I honestly couldn't see the connection between them.

Cathleen Chase is devastated by the death of her husband and sets off after the man who killed him and raped her. Enter Alexi who teaches her everything he knows about conning people and basically rapes her (for her own good, of course. You know, back in the saddle and all that.) Once Cat learns all she can, she sets off on her own. Of course, Alexi thinks he's in love and can't stand that she dared to leave him and he sets out after her.

Honestly it started out good but then the backstory was included and I completely lost interest. This wasn't my idea of a romantic story. I won't be continuing this series.

[Susan (susayq ~) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not your typical historical romance. There are no innocent virgins in ballrooms here. There's only Cat O'Banyon, female bounty hunter who poses as a man, or whore, to catch her bounty. She's tough, and smart and out for vengeance. But wait. When she reconnects with Alexi Romanov we see a side of Cat that she thought she buried when she buried her husband and former self. She loves him and is vulnerable with him and they are amazing to watch because they are both so broken but together they help each other to heal.

There was lots of action in this! In fact, more action than romance. That's not a bad thing ;) I am looking forward to the next one. I hope we will get to see Alexi and Cat again.

[Anne in VA · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this so hard. Started off good. The writing style had hints of some of my favorite HR authors like Anne Stuart, Jo Goodman, Joanna Bourne and even a little bit of Sherry Thomas. It came close, but sadly fell flat.

The main reason this didn't work for me is because it's sort of a second-chance romance. Not my favorite trope in general and this book is a perfect example of why. You don't get much of their past together, so it's difficult to understand how they became so close to begin with. You get a little of their history, but it's vague and unsatisfying for me as the reader. And this may just be a me thing, but i had trouble picturing these characters ---especially Alexi. I couldn't get a grasp of height, face, eyes, hair...etc. Maybe the author purposely wanted to keep it vague since he could change on a whim, but it still bugged me.

Not to mention, every conversation felt like a damn riddle and it felt forced at times--like the author was trying too hard to be different. I just wanted some normal conversations sometimes. The ending was a bit underwhelming as well. (Sidenote: I was also also a little surprised by the fade to black. Like I wasn't even sure if/when they actually did the deed lol)

[Aurian Booklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Lori Handeland’s nightcreatures novels for a long time now, and when she went back to her roots as an historical romance author, I had to follow. As not to confuse her fans, she uses the name Lori Austin for those books. I’ve already read some enthusiastic reviews about this book, so I was eager to start reading it, and I certainly was not disappointed.

The book kicks of with a lot of action, which is something I love as it drags you into the story at once, wondering what has happened. Cat O’Banyon is a bounty hunter in the Wild West, and she has a reputation of always getting her man. She doesn’t mind dressing up as a hooker, or saloon girl, or anything else, if in the end she can take him in, and ask him the question she asks all the criminals: “you or she?”
Cat is hunting for someone, and she only knows she will recognize his voice. But the trademark is making her notorious as well, and now someone has put a huge bounty on her own head. Luckily, her old friend Alexi Romanov has heard about it, and he tracked her down to warn her, just in time to safe her, or so he thinks. Cat is convinced she would have saved herself though.

They end up travelling together again, and with Alexi’s big friend Mikhail. During their travels, their histories are revealed, bit by bit, and I loved both the adventurous journey, and the personal stories. Which I am not going to spoil for you.


Lori Austin has written a very good historical western romance, and she does not shy away from some of the heavier topics concerning the war between the states and the cruelty of men. It was really kind of heartbreaking to read about it.
I did love Cat, and her kick ass character, she was above all practical. She took care of herself. She started out as a farmers wife, a pioneer’s woman, and one criminal changed all that. Alexi teached her everything she wanted to know, how to shoot, how to kill, how to defend herself. How to con people. He also thought her about disguises, and passion, and how to play cards, to cheat, and how to spot a fellow cheat. Everything she needs to survive.

But then there is Alexi, a man to dream about. Of course he is a con artist, who doesn’t mind taking someone else’s hard earned money, but well. He is gorgeous, he speaks several languages, or at least the endearments and the cursing, and he takes care of Cat and Mikhail. He really has a tortured past, so you tend to overlook his bad points. They were just fire together, and I absolutely loved reading this book.
And I have to write it, I hate her brother in law even more than the real villain in this book. There are no words for this piece of slime.

This book is filled with action, with hard memories but also sarcasm, friendship, love and some good lovescenes. I loved it all.

I do recommend this book to all lovers of something new and original in historical romance.

9 stars
Full review on my blog, www.boeklogboek.blogspot.com

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

It started with the narrator observing that dark skin is ugly ("Short, swarthy, stocky -- the three S's of ugly" p.1) and then mentioning that the heroine is worth more because of her light skin, which was... not a great way to begin.

But then it got better -- zippy (non-racist) banter and a little intrigue, yay! -- so I kept reading.

But then... a village of convenient Indians, constant threats of sexual violence, the Civil War mentioned only in terms of states's rights, the grand reveal of a really obvious henchman, and finally a little romance ... that sort of made it seem like the heroine was healed by the power of the (kinda skeevy) hero's Magic Wang. Of course, by that time I'd reached a point of "What next?" annoyance so maybe I'm misinterpreting the epilogue. Maybe.

I don't know if two stars is being overly harsh or overly generous. There was a lot of good stuff in this book, but not enough to get me past the bad.

[~Leslie~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I was not expecting this book. This is not your typical historical western romance. The characters were so different and engaging and the storyline was a unique twist on a tale of revenge. Cat O'Banyon remade herself with the help of Alexi Romanov after her husband is brutally killed. She is now a bounty hunter and on the hunt for the man who destroyed her life. Alexi is confidence man and also hiding from a brutal past. Those hidden lives collide as they come together to hunt down the man responsible. Her writing is fast paced and easy to read. Her characters well done and intriguing. I've never read this author before but this will not be the last.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beauty of the title is quite literally the hero of the tale, so if you don't like your men to be prettier than your heroines you may not like this one. Cat was pretty much my college roommate, in that she had a very cavalier attitude about changing clothes in front of everyone and anyone in order to show off her spectacular breasts.

Other than that, I am not sure what to make of it all. I liked some scenes a lot, but it was a very unromantic romance. Plus, Alexi's psychological war wounds were compelling, but the whole plotline about Cat's revenge and the brother-in-law betrayal seemed a bit of a stretch.

[Gawelleb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alors ici, on va dire que les rôles sont inversés. La fille, Cat, est une dure à cuire qui est profondément affectée par la mort de son mari et ne vit que pour sa vengeance. Du coup, elle ne se rend pas compte à quel point elle a besoin du héros, Alexis. Et lui dés les premières pages, il a volé mon petit coeur de midinette. Il traîne ses propres casseroles mais il est plus "ouvert". Il est souvent le narrateur du coup, on sait ce qu'il ressent et on s'attache.
Dommage que l'intrigue vengeance soit quelques peu diluée. Mais j'ai aimé l'histoire et je lirai la suite avec plaisir.

[Sheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most enjoyable read!

This was a great ride! The author fleshed out the characters very well. You feel like you’re there with them in the story. Cat, looking for her husband’s murderer. And Alexi, her teacher and mentor and sometimes lover. There were a few phrases used that seemed out of place for the timeframe (calling them “morons”, but hardly enough to be a distraction. I enjoyed this book and the look forward to more by this author.

[Geraldine Rubin · Rating 1 out of 5]

No thanks

Couldn't even get pass the first few sentences! I don't read books written by authors that find it necessary to blasphemy!

[Dorine · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Blue Ribbon Review courtesy of Romance Junkies. For one of the most engaging, unusual, galloping historical westerns I've read this year, grab this novel for an addictive chase through the old west. Green-eyed beauty, Cat O'Banyon is a tough bounty hunter by circumstance who hooks up with a sharp-shooting, charm-the-pants-off-you, sexy master of illusion Alexi Romanov. The question will be, who is protecting whom, and will they live or die by the bounty?

Farmer Cathleen Chase becomes the infamous bounty hunter Cat O'Banyon when she decides to track her husband's killer. The killer's words invade her dreams and haunt her days, while one by one Cat hunts down bad men who may or may not be "the one" she's determined to find.

Master of illusion and former sharp-shooter Alexi Romanov craves the game of deceit, cheating others becomes his way of survival…even though he looks at it as taking what's offered. When Cat came into his life, she was tattered. By the time she left him, she had purpose and skills only he could teach her. They had an agreement, her body for his training, but he never agreed for her to steal his heart.

They've moved on as individuals, trying to stay alive, until Alexi discovers a sizeable bounty for Cat, dead or alive. Not able to leave a former colleague and lover to fend for herself, Alexi and his companion, Mikhail, go to Cat's aid. Not that Cat wants or needs their help, and if truth be told, helping her can be just as dangerous as being Cat O'Banyon yourself.

Cat and Alexi make a great team once they decide to work together, but how long that lasts depends on whether it's safer to be together or apart. Just like there's a certain addiction to danger for these two independent hellions, there's a spark of attraction to each other that neither of them can deny for long. Never quite sure who's charming-the-pants-off of whom, their one-upmanship is very entertaining. But, with a bounty on her head, Cat isn't safe to be around and she intends to keep Alexi and Mikhail safely out of her way. The question is, can the student of disguise outfox the master and live to tell about it?

You know you've read a great book when you can't figure out exactly how the author transported you into her world and left you there stewing about it, wanting more, needing more, long after the last page was turned. Alexi and Cat's story was captivating and it's very hard to let it go when a novel is as magnetic as this one. Lori Austin's style is so convincing that you can't imagine her story told any other way other than exactly like she layered it for our reading pleasure.

BEAUTY AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER is a galloping kick-off to Lori Austin's ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST historical series. Witty, adventurous, loving, heart-breaking, fast-paced with unexpected characters sure to entrance, BEAUTY AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER is so fun and addictive!

Taking place in 1870, this novel will easily draw in new readers with its fresh storyline, as well as capture the hearts of western historical lovers. For non-stop action, an irresistible, but tough, heroine with a heart-rending story, and the tempting man we all hope she gets in the end, BEAUTY AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER is highly recommended as the next book you'll add to your keeper shelf. There's not a dull moment and I'm not ashamed to beg for book two, AN OUTLAW IN WONDERLAND, to magically arrive on my doorstep tomorrow! Doggone it, I read that sneak-peek excerpt for book two and now I'm toast! Back to re-reading book one...again.

[David Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read a lot of romance novels in my time but I've heard a lot about Lori Austin's work lately and wanted to give it a try. while I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, I was familiar with some of the books that Lori has written under the name of Lori Handeland so I had high expectations. Beauty and The Bounty Hunter by Lori Austin is a historical romance set in the wild west in 1870.

The story begins with Cathleen Chase searching for a wanted man. You could say Cathleen lives a double life, Cathleen is a woman with a horrific past but as Cat O'Banyon she is a ruthless bounty hunter and master of disguise. Cat is on a mission to find the man who killed her husband and she is putting an end to every wanted man she finds along the way. The problem is she is also a wanted woman with several bounty hunters on her trail.

Cat learned her skills from a man named Alexi Romanov who is a con artist with a complicated past. Alexi and Cat worked together on the road but Cat left him to follow the trail of the murderer she is after. Alexi catches up with her and has some information on the man she is looking for. Her husband's murderer is in Denver City and has put a bounty on Cat's head. The two travel together to find the man that destroyed Cat's world and they run into nothing but trouble on the way.

When I first started reading this book I thought, what did I get myself into? In the beginning it seemed like it was going to be way to heavy on the romance for my tastes. I kept reading though and I quickly fell in love with this book. When you first start reading you don't know anything about Cat and Alexi and the details are filled in as you go along. All of the characters in this story are very complex and have a good back story including the supporting characters.

I loved the characters of Ethan and Mikhail, even though they weren't a big part of the story. Lori Austin makes you care about them by telling their story and it added a lot more depth to the book. The villains in the story are also very deep characters and you get the feeling they are what they are because living during this time period was so brutal.

While I loved the characters, I also loved how the settings are described. The west really comes to life in Beauty and The Bounty Hunter. I liked the scenes in the Indian territory and the civil war prison. There is also a scene in the saloon where the patrons were talking about the health problems they had and I found myself thinking that is probably exactly what they talked about in the saloons during that time. I got the feeling that Lori Austin put a lot of research into the history of the west. The world these characters live in is a brutal place and it shapes who they are.You see that in Cat and Alexi, they've done some bad things but its because they are doing what they need to do to survive and not because they are bad people.

They actually become better people by being together. They have tortured pasts and they understand each other's pain. I think this is an excellent romance but it is much more then that. The story is excellent and halfway through the book I was hoping that there was going to be a sequel because I felt there was so much more you could do with these characters. I was glad to see that there is a sequel to Beauty and The Bounty Hunter coming soon. So give this book a shot no matter what kind of genre you like, a good story is a good story and you won't be disappointed.

[Kit★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first picked this up recently because I'd heard good things about it from some friends in my romance groups. Then it got chosen as the November book of the month in the Western and Medieval Romance Lovers group, so I bumped it up to the top of the TBR. It barely sat on the shelf for a week. Once I started reading it, I was hooked. I was really liking the Western type setting, and I was especially liking the heroine, Cat. She was definitely not a run of the mill heroine. She was a bounty hunter, on a vengeance mission to find and kill the man who destroyed her life. She was smart, and not afraid of much, especially not whipping her goods out as a distraction. That was a neat change from the usual virgins and stuff, lol. I liked how she and Alexi both were excellent at disguise, sneaking in and out of places with only a little hassle. It was rather fun, even though there was a slight hint of danger hanging over them. I could totally envision this story as a movie, it would be good. I liked Alexi's character a lot too. They went great together. Even Mikhail was a great character, I liked him a lot. A good one to have around, on your side. His back story was sad, I would have liked to see him as he was before the 'accident', but he was still a good character to me. When there was danger, he was almost always around to help get them out of a mess, in one way or another, even if it was just to have the horses ready to run. I was also slightly intrigued by Ethan's character, he went through a lot of the same stuff as Alexi, even if in different ways at times, so I'm eager to get to his story, learn more about him. I enjoyed Alexi though, how he projected that take charge kind of attitude, but wasn't so awful tough, couldn't even shoot a gun without having a nervous breakdown afterwards. Not that I blame him, after what he went through in the prisoners' camp during the war, but I liked how he had a vulnerability. One that could possibly get him killed, but still. He had to use his brains, and his skills at disguise, and convincing people of things to survive, and get out of scrapes. Brains are nice to have in a hero, not just toughness. This book projected a high level of steaminess, but it ended up being more medium than spicy. Mostly the love scenes were short, sweet and to the point, no abundance of purple descriptions and stuff. I coulda went for a higher steam level myself, but I still liked it. I also could've went for more on Alexi's background, his story was told a bit, but not in full details, especially his childhood that was so terrible. It was only vaguely told of. Altogether though, I don't really have anything to complain about. It was a highly enjoyable story, with enough action, drama, tension, and 'mystery' to keep me intrigued. Plus I was really into the setting, and the tough heroine. I really liked her a lot. I'll definitely be getting the next one in the series when it comes out, I'm really looking forward to it.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This is one of the best fast paced standalone romance I had the pleasure of reading. We started off right in the middle of the action. There is not much down time or lag in the story line. It keeps me reading till the end and I forgo my sleep until 3 in the morning.

The story started with Cat, a bounty hunter trying to catch her bounty in a whorehouse. While, in the room, a mysterious man appeared at the window. Initially, Cat thought he must be another bounty hunter competing with her. But later she learned that he is Alexi, her ex-mentor cum old flame. Thing that I don't understand is, how does she not recognize him when he cornered her without revealing his face, when later in the story she mentioned how she remember Alexi's scent. Anyway, Cat learned to become a skilled bounty hunter and a con-woman to avenge the death of her husband, Billy. He was killed right in front of her and now she goes around hunting bounty to look for the killer who she only recognize his voice, but not his face.

What I like most is, we don't need to read through a long chapter on Cat's past with her husband or how she mourns for him. We only got a snippets of flash back of her memories with her husband and how she met Alexi.

Oh, our Alexi, a skilled master of disguise and con artist helped Cat when she was at her lowest point of her life. He did have a mysterious past himself. I was anxious to find out why did he carried unloaded guns and when he brought Cat to Dr. Ethan Walsh, I am eager to find out what is the history between him, Mikhail (Alexi's right hand man) and Ethan.

I love Alexi for being a hero who let's his action speaks of itself. All this while, when he is helping Cat to avoid the bounty on her own head and to find her husband's killer, he knows that she still miss her dead husband dearly. He even believes that she think of her husband when she is in his bed. I didn't blame Cat for her lack of trying to convince Alexi because being a con artist as they are, they had a hard time believing each other words. Nonetheless, Alexi, is a selfless hero. He wanted to protect Cat and even try to hunt down Billy's killer on his own, or die trying.

Beside the romance, I really love the fast pacing plot. The author provide us with enough snippets and make me eager to continue reading without stopping to find out the answer. The only thing I'm disappointed is the story ended. I love Alexi and Cat so much that after they got their little HEA, I'm hoping that the next story 'An Outlaw in Wonderland' featuring Dr. Ethan as the main character, we will still have some Alexi and Cat in it. I miss this fantastic duo. I'm sure Alexi still needs to the settle the unresolved issue between Ethan and himself.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most notable things about Lori Austin/Lori Handeland's work is the author's remarkable ability to change style and tone with each book. Elements of her engaging voice remain, but they're arranged in new ways to create a completely different experience for readers. That's a good thing.

BEAUTY AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER may not be what readers expect. That's also a good thing. The heroine is strong and independent in ways not often seen in historical romance. In fact, in many ways she's stronger than the hero. Both are damaged, cynical loners, though she is more the callous alpha type than he is. She's also more secretive with the hero, but not with readers. For the majority of the book, readers are champing at the bit to discover the hero's dark past, but we're privy to the heroine's early in the story. One must wonder why the heroine doesn't just level with the hero, especially after he reveals all to her. He says he's always been able to read her history in her eyes, so there's no need for her to come right out and tell him her secrets, but that somehow rings hollow. It also leaves them on unequal emotional footing at the end. That's a minor quibble, though.

Fast-paced, dark, and violent in several spots, BEAUTY AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER is well worth a read. Writers, watch the way Austin ends chapters. Almost every one ends on a cliffhanger, forcing -- not merely encouraging -- readers to turn the page.

Even the title of the book twists familiar tropes: She's the bounty hunter.

[ᴥ Irena ᴥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This seems to be the first historical romance set in the Wild West (I am not counting steampunk books I've read). I have no idea if that is really the case. Maybe I forgot some.

Beauty and the Bounty Hunter has two main characters, both equally messed up. Cat O'Banyon, now a legendary bounty hunter, is still hunting for a man whose voice still lingers in her nightmares when he killed her husband and raped her. All she knows about hiding and deceiving she learned from Alexi Romanov, a man she had to leave when she thought she is ready to become Cat. They are invincible together. They don't trust each other at all.

Now, Cat has become the one who is hunted and she needs all the help she can get, whether she wants it or not. She is a difficult character to like, but I am biased because of what happened to her, what she had to become, what she had to endure. Her past is actually a happy and wonderful one unless you count that horrible event.
Alexi, on the other hand, never got a chance. He is an easy character to love even if he really is a thief and a liar. You get bits of his life throughout the story.

Some things are not resolved in the end. They will probably be in the next book. Cat and Alexi's story is finished in this book, but other characters who are introduced need their own story. This one has a happy ending although all the chatting with the villain in the end was almost funny.

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 3.5 star read for me. I quite enjoyed it, especially the interesting Civil War facts sprinkled throughout although the relationship between Alexi and Cat did seem a tad cliched in parts. I also had a bit of an issue with the resolution There didn't seem a valid reason for the baddie Larsen to kill Cat's husband and rape Cat other than opportunity. He was supposed to be a gambling barron. Also it seemed unlikely that Cat's brother in law Sheriff Ben Chase would get in debt to his brother's killer then sell out his sister in law.

I did like the character of Ethan Walsh the hero of the next instalment An Outlaw in Wonderland which I will be reading in June 2013.

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I would like to say I received this book through the goodreads giveaway. I had not read any books by this author before. Lori Austin is a really wonderful writer. She pulls you into the book from the beginning and keeps you enthralled to the very end and glued to the edge of your seat wanting more. When you are finished you wish you weren't. This is a really good read and one I feel you will want to make sure you read. Great book Great Author Great read! A must!!

[Marijah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is poorly written with an inane plot and disjointed descriptions and dialogue. I got two chapters into it and still didn't care at all about the main characters. Lori spends too much time hinting at her characters' tragic pasts and not enough time moving forward. I get it, something bad happened & they're both tragically scarred, now develop that or move on from it!!

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Review posted on Fiction Vixen*