School Library Journal
YA-Masked to conceal his healing wounds, Dave Cameron arrives to help Elizabeth, his dying comrade's wife, run her ranch. He immediately senses trouble, and suspects that Elizabeth's brother is plotting to steal cattle and sell the property without her knowledge. Nine-year-old Danny, Elizabeth's son, grows up quickly, learns how to shoot a gun, and, most importantly, how to judge character. Easy reading and fast paced, this novel will appeal to reluctant YA readers.-Judy Sokoll, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

BookList - Wes Lukowsky
Elizabeth Hamilton and her young son, Danny, await the return of Elizabeth's husband, Harry, from the Civil War. But the rider who comes is not Harry but Dave Cameron, who served with Harry and brings news of his death. The Hamiltons' Texas ranch has worn down without a healthy man to tend it, so Dave stays on to help, despite the reluctance of Elizabeth's sickly, domineering brother, Lance. Curtis, an Emmy nominee for his "Gunsmoke" screenplays, develops his characters slowly. Dave and Elizabeth are mutually attracted, but she needs time to grieve and he needs time to heal from the war and a hidden, more violent past. A mutual foe--a local rustler--brings the makeshift family closer together but also threatens to reveal Dave's past. The unique twist is that Dave needs Elizabeth to start his life anew more than she needs him to save her ranch. There are times a fast gun just isn't the answer. A subtle western in which regular folks struggle to lead regular lives.