GRR Reviews The Gambler (Bachelors of the Prairie Bo by Carré White

The Gambler is a historical "Western" romantic adventure that is clean but not spiritual. It's also NOT a mail-order bride story, which is a plus in its favor.

Lea "Jubilee" Duncan plays the gambling hall girl with her pa (as the gambler) until a brawl left her father bleeding out, and her job gone. With little cash left, no job, and no man, Lea's only future seems to be with the gambler Nash Monaghan who protected her during the melee and even kissed her before the tragedy. Nash took Lea in (purely as a gentleman) but Lea, intending to make her own way, "borrowed" some funds from Nash, packed, and got on a train to head West. Two years later, Nash was on his quest to find his brother and his wife (who ran off with his brother) but was also looking for "Jubilee", when he finally found her as part of "Irish" performing troupe. This time, Nash does not intend to let her get away... But someone else may have different ideas...

The meet-cute was a bit long but decent. There was a bit of adventure that including the ever-trope "kidnapping", and the end featured the final resolution to the MMC's quest, so basically, everything was wrapped up by the end, which was better than most mail order bride plots without resorting to lame tropes.

Category: Historical Western

Primary Plot: Gambler vowed to hunt down the wife who betrayed him as well as the woman who stole from him; he found the woman first...

Tropes: betrayal, sibling traingle, triangle, disguise, enemies to lovers, kidnapping, orphan

Overall Rating: 4/5