Set in 1780 in the Spanish
colony of New Mexico and Texas, this is the story of
Paloma Vega, orphaned and forced to live on her uncle’s charity, which is grudgingly
given (her uncle treats her like a servant, nearly starving her). At 18, she
meets 31-year-old Marco Mondragón, a widower and rancher, who is also a
brand inspector. Marco lives on the edge of Comanchería, the domain of the
Comanches.
Each autumn, Marco takes cattle, wool
and his records of livestock transactions to the governor in Santa Fe. After
his wife died eight years ago, her little dog kept him company, but the dog has
died, so this year, he is looking for a new dog to keep his feet warm. When he
stops at the hacienda of his friend’s future father-in-law, Marco finds a
yellow dog he likes. And he meets Paloma.
This is a well-told story of loss and a second chance at love as Marco acquires not only a dog, but also—very quickly—a wife. Both Marco and Paloma are near perfect people, honorable, courageous, caring and clever. He sweeps her away from her lonely cruel existence and she fills the void left by his wife. Together, they make a home in his hacienda. I did like their characters, but who wouldn’t?
Perhaps the most compelling
relationship in the story is that of Paloma and the Comanche she saves, Toshua,
particularly since Comanches slaughtered her family.
Kelly provides a rich array of
characters and an excellent portrayal of life in the Spanish colony of New
Mexico where a man’s brands were very important. It is obvious she has done
considerable research and knows her subject well.
This is an unusual romance as there is
no conflict, no angst, no misunderstanding and no black moment. (The “double
cross” is a reference to Marco’s brand.) They frequently make love but we see
little of that. Still, historical fans will enjoy it, especially if you like
historical authenticity, as I do. At the end, the story had an unfinished feel to
me with a few loose ends, but then I discovered this is the first in the series
in which Marco and Paloma’s story continues. So, here’s the list:
The
Spanish Brand series:
The
Double Cross
Marco
and the Devil's Bargain
Paloma
and the Horse Traders
The
Star in the Meadow
No comments:
Post a Comment