GRR Reviews The Circle Eight: Caleb by Emma Lang

The Circle Eight: Caleb is a historical western romance that seems to have missed a few bits of research that seriously strained credulity. The twists and turns that followed was not bad, but can't redeem the book with the improbable beginning.

Caleb Graham is a Texas Ranger and no stranger to danger, but the latest assignment may be his most challenging yet. His parents were gunned down and their youngest brother kidnapped and apparently sold into Mexico with no solid leads. He had been away for a long time. Thanks to his brothers, the family Circle Eight Ranch was doing well. His latest assignment should have been simple: kick some blacksmith squatter off government property. But it's nothing simple when he got there... The blacksmith turned out to be Aurora "Rory" Foster, who wears men's clothes and swears like a man, with the strength to match, and she ain't going anywhere. Caleb admired "Rory"s conviction, but he has a job to do. When Rory became injured, Caleb had no choice but to take her to see the head of a neighboring ranch owned by Mr. Garza for medical help. But the ranch, technically a huge hacienda, is full of armed men who are clearly keeping secrets... and when Caleb found his youngest brother there, now known as Marcelo, supposedly Garza's son, Caleb must escape with both Rory and his brother... and make his way back home, several hundred miles away... But "Garza" is not a man who would let go so easily...

The historical research is problematic. Texas property laws are actually far more related to the Spanish laws than the British laws, in that they allow women to inherit. Sending a ranger to kick a blacksmith out made no sense, either. Nor does a blacksmith that seem to live in the middle of nowhere. But you need these elements to set up the meeting and get them to the hacienda to get the story rolling. Thus, with a contrived beginning and tolerable plot, you end up with a barely average novel.

Category: Historical Western

Primary Plot: A ranger looking for his long-lost brother had to save a female blacksmith from injury, and ran into a conspiracy...

Tropes: law enforcement, forced proximity, hurt/comfort, protector, woman in peril, search and rescue

Overall Rating:  3/5