Robyn Corum

I really enjoyed “Melinda Heads West” by Robyn Corum. I am a fan of westerns and this had all the elements of a good western. Melinda, Boone, Lucas and some other gents are riding the stage coach west. The terrain being parched and dry was an irritant to all the passengers. However the worst thing happened. A wheel on the stage broke and was unable to be fixed, so the stage drive took the horses and rode out for help. He was accosted by highway robbers and was killed, but the money they were after was never found. The rest of the passengers were forced to walk the rest of the way to their destination. Melinda was the only woman on the trail and had to be full of crust and vinegar to manage to travel with these uncouth, unwashed “gentlemen”. However she held her own and the men begrudgingly gave her credit for her perseverance. Of course the little band was a target of the robbers who kept after them as they walked. Melinda had to pick up a deed from her uncle and take it back to her mother and siblings. That was why she was in the stage headed west. The other men were aboard for other reasons, some not so innocent. They finally came to their destination and the ensuing story line tells what happened to them all.

I really enjoy western novels and was excited to be able to read and review this one. However, there were quite a few times in the story where I was scratching my head and trying to figure out why this or that happened. I think the incidents that occur need to have a basis for being in the story. For example, why did the stagecoach driver need to take all the horses with him and leave all the passengers to walk in the desert without food or water? There were at least four horses available, which would have let at least three of those stranded to be able to ride for a time each. Then, at one time the men in the party were again forced to deal with the robbers as they came back to find the payroll which was not with the driver as anticipated. The travelers got the drop on the highwaymen, but let them walk away and took their horses. Did they not think they would be back to get those horses and anything else they wanted? I just felt that there were some loose strings in the fabric of the story.

However, I you will find this story very entertaining. It was a lighthearted story of the west and very easy to read. The only things that will confound you are the times that you try to explain the way the story line twists and turns.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book for my honest review from the publisher. The opinions expressed here are my own.

You can read this review on my blog at http://wp.me/p2pjIt-4r… (plus d'informations)