Beauty and the Bounty Hunter: Once Upon a Time in the West (Once Upon a Time in West) [Mass Market Paperback]

Lori Austin (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 2, 2012 | Series: Once Upon a Time in West (Book 1)

Cathleen Chase is no killer—but as Cat O’Banyon, she is a ruthless bounty hunter who always gets her man. Catching one lowlife after another, she continues her search for the only man she really cares to locate. The one whose voice she will never forget; the man who murdered her husband. She’ll stop at nothing to find him.

 

Con artist Alexi Romanov taught Cat every trick she knows.  He is a master of deceit, disguise, and desire. He’s difficult to trust, and even more difficult to resist, but he has news she can’t ignore. The man she’s after has placed a bounty on her head. To get him before he gets her, she’ll have to team up with Alexi again....And just like before, the two of them together are nothing but trouble.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Will knock you out of your boots!”—Sabrina Jeffries, Author of ’Twas the Night After Christmas

“Riveting, poignant, and unforgettable.”—Lorraine Heath, Author of She Tempts the Duke

 

“Hang on and enjoy the ride!”—Claudia Dain, Author of the Courtesan Chronicles

 

“You’ll fall in love with these characters and the American West.”—Susan Mallery, Author of Summer Days

“A wild ride!”—Kaki Warner, Author of Bride of the High Country

About the Author

Lori Austin is the pseudonym of two-time RITA Award–winning romance author Lori Handeland. She sold her first novel in 1993 and has written many since. Lori lives in southern Wisconsin with her husband, enjoying occasional visits from her two grown sons.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Signet; Original edition (October 2, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451238273
• ISBN-13: 978-0451238276
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #798,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Alexi is such a yummy hero! October 2, 2012

By Serious Romance Reader

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I'm so happy to see Westerns making a comeback! I thought this book was really great--the characters were wonderful, the plot was interesting, and the passion was palpable. I really enjoyed it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wild, Wild West Action!! October 13, 2012

By Chelsey Lynn

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Where do I even begin with this book? I loved it!! My favorite part was Cathleen Chase, or should I say Cat O'Banyon? Cat is a bounty hunter who is out to seek revenge on the man who killed her husband some time ago. The death of her husband obviously altered her life for the worse and she has changed her entire persona just to find his killer. When we are first introduced to Cat she is in, well, a whorehouse and some man has just bought a "session" with her. I was like, WHOA CAT, but once they are alone you find out her real purpose in doing what she does. She is an amazing heroine and she had my respect from the beginning, well after I realized she wasn't really a prostitute. I have always wanted to own my own gun and I would like to imagine that I could be as courageous as Cat with it! Her words and actions are just so powerful and I was thinking to myself the whole time that she should be a character in a movie.

Alexi is Cat's male counterpart and I have to say that I love Alexi equally as much as I love Cat. In the beginning of the novel you get the sense that they have been lovers before and it makes the tension between them so much more steamy! Alexi is your typical male in this story. His first loves are money, alcohol, and women, lots of women! He comes off as arrogant and just plain stubborn at times but there are parts where we are able to see the soft side of him and the side that cares deeply for Cat. Their attraction to one another is unstoppable; they are like two huge magnets that cannot stay apart. Alexi has a tendency to speak in various foreign languages, especially when using terms of endearment with Cat, and I thought this was an awesome characteristic that only added to his depth as a ladies' man!

Action, action, action! I was so thrilled with how much action we see in this story and Lori Austin keeps you right in the covered wagon with Cat and Alexi the whole time! I could hear the guns and see the looks on the grimy faces of the men that Cat was hunting down. I loved every second of my trip with Alexi and Cat. The best parts were when either Alexi or Cat would end up hurting someone who saying the wrong thing to someone else and then they would have to skip town as fast as they could to avoid anyone coming after them. They both seem to have a knack for causing trouble. They love to start fights, but just can't stick around to finish their pathetic victims off!

The best twist in this story is what holds Cat and Alexi together! I don't want to give anything away because it is worth picking up and finding out for yourself! This is a new series and I hope to read every other book in it! I am so pleased with this story and this new author that I can add to my list!

***A huge hug and thank you to Lori Austin for gifting me an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review***

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars I loved it! December 30, 2012

By Karen H in NC

Format:Mass Market Paperback

This is the first book I've read by Lori Austin/Lori Handeland and I must say it won't be the last. I placed the next book in this series (An Outlaw in Wonderland) on my books-to-buy list.

The action starts out on the first page with a bang and doesn't let up. We meet Cathleen Chase/Cat O'Banyon in one of her many disguises on her quest to find the man who murdered her husband, Billy Chase. She learns her mastery of disguises from Alexi Romanov (also an alias...but who knows his real name...and do we really care?). As the story progresses, the reader discovers more about each character, their painful pasts and the events that brought them together.

It's a gritty story with the characters reliving some rather unpleasant events that might be offensive to some readers. I say, get past it...the story is worth it. There are a few surprises along the way and near the end but it all ends well for our hero and heroine and they end up living their HEA! My only problem with the book is the title. I'm getting mightily fed up with everyone jumping on the fairy tale bandwagon with word plays on titles and story lines similar to fairy tales. That said, whatever the title, this story can't be construed as a fairy tale!

If you like historical westerns, this one is for you. Even if you haven't read one for a long time (like me), read this one. You won't be sorry.