Every once in a while, I love a good romance western - complete with shoot-outs, Indians, cattle rustlin' and wagon train treks, where the bad guy gets the girl!

This book is no exception and it is without a doubt one of the best written Romances, I have read in quite a while.

For a debut novel, Elaine Levine has created a cast of memorable characters in an unforgettable story of bad guy, half-breed Sager tamed by the love and gentleness of Rachel Douglas.

Rachel has run away from her guardians. A mean spirited aunt and uncle who treated her all her life like a hired servant and not their niece. Sent there by her father, after the death of his wife, Old Jack now wants his daughter back home.

Sager has been hired by Old Jack to bring Rachel home. She has been traveling with a wagon train and is found by Sager and saved from the attack of a rabid wolf. As Sager escorts Rachel to his father's ranch, he is incredible drawn to Rachel, whose courage and sweetness brings out a protective instinct in him he never realized he had.

Sager's angst vs. his father and the struggle of the murders of his mother and sister are a stain that fuels his need for revenge. Those plans include Rachel, as he knows that Rachel's father wants her to marry his stepbrother, Logan to end the bitter feud between his father and Old Jack.

Cattle is disappearing from the Crippled Horse - Old Jack's ranch and the Taggart spread - Sager's father's land. The tension runs high between the rustling and the growing attraction between Rachel and Sager. Sid Taggart loves both his son's - and wants to reunite with Sager, but the hatred that Sager's has harbored for so long prevents him from making amends with his father.

There are many twists and turns in the plot and many likable characters. This was a really beautifully written novel and the main protagonists make a beautiful couple. I really enjoyed their story and hope that Logan gets his story as well! ENJOY!!

Lovable characters, Sager is an awesome example of a real man, and I hope that the other characters like Logan and Julian get there own stories.

Rachael and The Hired Gun by Elaine Levene

This book will keep you up past your bedtime. Sager is a gun slinger hired by Rachael's father to bring her west. Sager has his own plans for Rachael. She is a total surprise to Sager and he changes his plans for her. Each of their fathers have an interest in Rachel and Sager's relationship. Levene has a few surprises for you along the way through her story. It was a fun read. By Ruth Thompson author of "The Bluegrass Dream" and "Natchez Above The River"

The Bluegrass Dream: A Wilderness Adventure of Early SettlersNatchez Above The River: A Family's Survival In The Civil War

This well written story has completely likable and believable characters and a story line that is both entertaining and plausible. The story flows seamlessly from start to finish with well written word-pictures, allowing you to visualize the story as it unfolds and drawing you in completely.

Once you start reading, you won't want to put it down until you've finished it. In Rachel and the Hired Gun, Ms Levine has shown herself to be a rising star in this genre. This one goes into my permanent library and I intend to re-read it while waiting for her next publication, which I look forward to with enthusiasm.

Rachel and the Hired Gun is like a good casserole, a little bit of a lot ingredients combined tastes pretty good, this novel has a little bit of many elements of a good western, a lonesome cowboy/scout, a wagon train, cattle rustlers, and an endearing heroine.

Rachel is on her way via a wagon train to her father's ranch the Crippled Horse (this was one aspect of the book I did not like; it was a terrible name for a ranch). Her uncle was her guardian, a despicable man who, thankfully, never really plays a part in this novel. While searching for a lost child from the wagon train, Rachel is saved from a rabid wolf by hero Sager, the man her father hired to escort her to the ranch.

Sager has his own agenda. He is half Native American and at odds with his own father who owns the neighboring ranch next to Rachel's. He intends to seduce Rachel since his father plans to marry her to his step brother Logan, thereby hurting both his father and his brother. However he is really captivated by Rachel who is totally unpretentious and kind hearted. She sees past his protective armor to the man who has survived much trauma. This makes him totally rethink his plans about her and he decides to escort her untouched to her father.

At her father's ranch, Rachel discovers that cattle are being rustled not only from the Crippled Horse but from the neighboring Taggart Ranch too. Since both sides believe the other is the guilty culprit a match between Logan and Rachel should end the rustling but Rachel is in love with Sager. He tries to keep his distance but Rachel is a very determined woman.

There are many little surprises in this novel with the plot and the charachters. The pacing is quite good and Rachel and Sager are an engaging couple. I wonder if Logan will get his own story, I certainly hope so.