Second in a Series
Jace Rankin is a bounty hunter and Kyle/Kyla Springer needs his help. Kyla (dressed as a lad) finds him as Jace is confronting his sister's killer in a saloon. The search for his sister's killer has taken him 3 years. This is a continuation of HOMEWARD HEARTS in which Jace had found that his best friend did not kill Jace's sister. Now that Jace has killed the murder, he doesn't feel a sense of accomplishment. He wonders how he will spend the rest of his years now that his main goal has been met.
Jace agrees to help Kyle (the lad explains that the family ranch was stolen by an evil step-brother and someone was killed); but first he must tell his best friend that he'd found his sis's killer. Kyle isn't happy but agrees. One of the interesting facts is that Jace is a short man (a hero less than 6 feet, horrors!) who has had to fight bullies all of his life because of his size. He's always been a scrapper.
On the way to the best friend's home, Kyle is gravely injured. When they arrive at the best friend's house, it is abandoned and Jace finds himself caring for the lad -- who turns out to be a young woman. It was nice to have a hero who was less than perfect.
This was a pleasant diversion and a quick read. The characters were compelling and the action kept the story moving along. I get really involved in Alexis Harrington's characters; in this one I was less caught up than usual. Unfortunately, I read this book first, not knowing that it was the second in a series. Perhaps I would have felt closer to the characters had I read the novels in order. Alexis Harrington always offers a great story line.
2 Book Series
Homeward Hearts
Desperate Hearts