Claiming Her Legacy by Linda Goodnight
by Linda Goodnight
The only thing left for Willa and her sisters is the farm. It’s their legacy and their lives depend on making the bank payment. But a woman does not go after an outlaw for the bounty. Gideon is the one man that can help her but his past eats at him & whiskey makes it go away… The year 1890; the location is Oklahoma Territory.
This reviewer was dubious when I read the full synopsis of the book. How could the author make the reader believe that Willa would plan to hunt down the outlaw that killed her father to collect the bounty? Could the author make it believable? Linda Goodnight did exactly that.
I loved the first two sentences. Only four words that draw you into the story immediately. Willa is the oldest and she is stubborn, opinionated, filled with self-doubt but tough as she needs to be. The town banker is slimy with nary a drop of human kindness. Willa must make the next payment.
The characters are given time to develop and grow. The reader begins to know them as people. Scenes are well-developed so the reader can see it in their mind’s eye. The pacing, though, at times dragged. Especially in the beginning when Gideon is struggling with his drinking. Multiple failures are meant to show Gideon is a full-blown alcoholic. However, this reviewer felt several of them could be removed or merged.
I enjoyed this book, but it didn’t keep me as engaged as most of my five-star reads do. I also found that during the pursuit of the outlaw actions done by Gideon were not believable. Gideon and Willa did not want the outlaw to learn they were searching for him. Yet, every place they went Gideon would show the wanted poster and specifically ask if anyone had seen him. Not what you do when you don’t want word to get back.
Then, the author would deal brilliantly with another situation.
Readers will enjoy this story. And will, I believe, like the supporting characters, especially Isaac. Isaac is Gideon’s friend and lives his beliefs completely. He guides Gideon thoughtfully and without criticism. The words of the Holy Bible are used wisely. In reading, the Biblical use felt like the characters would *really* say that. Yes, I recommend Claiming Her Legacy.
I received a complimentary e-ARC* copy of Claiming Her Legacy via NetGalley and HARLEQUIN – Romance (U.S. & Canada), Love Inspired. A positive review was not required; the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
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