Queen B’s Decree: I read the Lonesome Dove series as an impressionable college freshman and I was forever changed. The Devil’s Backbone really brought me back to that feeling.
It’s a slow burn romance, yes, but it felt more like a true western. A horse sidekick (with an almost spiritual connection with Cass), a revenge plot, a dashing sheriff’s deputy, and a whole lot of graphic violence. Cassidy is an interesting lead; it’s not often you read about a female bounty hunter. Moone is the sheriff’s deputy that has been smitten with her since the moment he met her, but their real emotional connection takes some time to grow.
I don’t want to give away any spoilers for the story, but I will say I struggled with Cass. I understand her trauma response and her need for revenge, but I found the ending a bit perplexing. I’m still not sure I comprehend what the major conflict was between Cassidy and Moone? Please, for the love of God, can you two just please communicate? I know therapy wasn’t a thing in the 19th century, so I guess I’ll have to give them a pass.
Overall, I was entranced by this story (and god, did I love Solo—the horse). The plot was interesting and the romance was the good kind of slow burn, but I felt slightly unfulfilled at the ending.
Book: The Devil’s Backbone by Kirsten Bohling
Series: Bargains & Bounties #1
Genre: Historical
Hotness: medium salsa
Plot Devices/Tropes: revenge, slow burn