reviewsbyerin

With a heart for women who are struggling, Emma Chandler operates a female-only community on the Texas frontier. The ladies work together to provide for themselves by raising animals, growing gardens, and making quilts. A refuge for those who are alone or have been abused, Harper's Station is doing well and making a difference - until suddenly they are receiving threatening notes and being visited by menacing masked messengers telling the women to leave.

Uncertain how to fight the escalating violence towards the town, Emma asks for the assistance of her childhood friend, Malachi Shaw. Mal drops everything and takes leave from his railroad job to help the girl who was once his lifeline. As a boy, Emma and her aunts had taken him in for several years. He's always known he would do anything for Emma, even though he hasn't seen her since he was a youth.

The threats seem to escalate once Malachi arrives. As Emma and Mal investigate, they begin suspecting that this is partially an inside job. Who among the ladies are assisting those trying to shut down Harper's Station, and why? Can the violence be stopped before someone is really injured?

It's so fun to read a western every now and then. The idea behind this story was unique and intriguing, but the story took a long time getting off the ground and the ending was a bit predictable. I normally enjoy Karen's stories a bit more than this one, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future!