The Gunslinger’s Vow

Sandas (The Untouchable Earl) opens her Runaway Brides series with a racy romance set in 1881 America. After spending five years in Boston with an aunt, Alexandra Brighton is on the verge of being married off to an ambitious politician. She dodges him long enough to embark on a visit to her childhood home in Montana, but gets stuck in Wyoming territory. Bounty hunter Malcolm Kincaid is on a mission to take down the man who killed his brother. The last thing he needs is to chaperone some upper-crust lady from out East, but when he finds her stranded in the middle of nowhere, his innate goodness won’t allow him to leave her. Both Malcolm and Alexandra have hidden depths: Alexandra may look delicate, but she’s a cool-headed crack shot, and Malcolm may have rough edges, but there’s tenderness beneath. On the journey, danger abounds, but when the two team up to vanquish a common enemy in Montana, they realize they’re unstoppable. The plot’s twists and turns are entirely believable and thoroughly enjoyable, and Sandas’s flair for characterization makes the reader care deeply about her characters. This is a strong series start that will leave readers eager for more. Agent: Nalini Akolekar, Spencerhill Assoc. (June)