New Review: Catherine Anderson’s COMANCHE HEART – Absorbing Tale of A Second Chance at Love between a Comanche Turned Gunslinger and a Broken Young Woman

Set in Oregon in 1879, this is a tale of second chances and the story of a man who left one world to join another and, in so doing, became worthy of winning the woman he had given his heart to long ago.

We met Amy Masters in Comanche Moon, book 1 in the series. As a 12-year-old girl, Amy suffered a brutal rape by comancheros and was rescued by her cousin, Loretta’s man, Hunter of the Wolf, now Loretta’s husband. The young half Comanche brave, Swift Antelope, friend of Hunter, helped Amy heal. They vowed their love and became betrothed under Comanche law—forever belonging to each other.

Now, 15 years later, Swift Antelope is Swift Lopez a gunslinger famous for his fast draw and the men he has killed after seeing so many of the People die. Swift believed Amy was dead having been told that and shown her grave. When Swift decides to leave his gun slinging behind him and seek a new start, he goes to Oregon to see Hunter and is amazed to learn his betrothed, who wants nothing to do with him now, is alive. Amy, now a schoolteacher, tells him she wants only to be left alone, but Hunter tells Swift she is only going through the motions of living.

Swift is a wonderful hero, strong and patient. He intends to claim his bride one way or the other, for he knows Amy loves him though she is hiding in her “safe” life. As Swift once told her, “The sadness in your heart is a yesterday you can no longer see, so put it behind you and walk always forward.” He encourages her to once again find her “Comanche heart.” Both Swift and Amy are survivors and the people they have become will make their bond even stronger. It’s a great love story with some very real villains.

The new cover

Anderson is masterful at weaving history, dialog and introspection into a fast-paced story that will keep you turning pages. Her sense of Indian thinking is conveyed throughout the story as Hunter and Swift accept they must live among white people while still trying to preserve traditions of the Comanche. I loved Comanche Moon and I loved this one, too. As Indigo’s story begins in this one, as did Amy’s in Comanche Moon, I recommend reading them in order.

The Comanche Series:

Comanche Moon, Comanche Heart, Indigo Blue and Comanche Magic