Savage Intrigue

If you're a fan of the savage series, you're sure to enjoy this one. It's quite a page turner. Loved it.

A classic love story but with a twist. This time the woman involved is part Dakota, in addition to being white. She understands what it means to be a "breed" and she knows where her loyalties lie; with the handsome chief Midnight Wolf. There are two men looking for her: a Dakota scout and the white man who mercilessly hung her father for his involvement with the Dakota Indians years earlier in Minnesota. In his attempt to kill her, Sheleen gets the first shot off and disables him. It is this revenge he wants to exact now, not realizing the scout is related to this woman. An interesting play on words and actions this time around. A story I think many will love.

In 1862 Minnesota, the angry desperate Dakota strike out at those nearby in Mankato to claim what was promised to them as once again the American government broke a treaty that included food and protection from settlers. Outraged whites retaliated lynching hundreds of the Dakota. Tribes fled to neighboring Wisconsin, but three years later lynching fever has returned; even white Doctor Hicks who provided medicine to the people is killed. The doctor's daughter Sheleen flees before she becomes a victim too; her hope is to reach her late mother's people. However, young excited Indian Gentle Bear out hunting accidentally hits Sheleen with an arrow. He takes the unconscious woman to his tribe where Chief Midnight Wolf decides to keep her prisoner until he can decide what to do with her as he has a problem with her story. As Colonel Robertson and others search for Sheleen, she and Midnight Wolf fall in love, but she knows she must leave as her troubles will harm his tribe just like the shaman insists. Although the traits of the key characters are interchangeable with their counterparts in previous Savage tales, as always Cassie Edwards provides an entertaining historical romance. The well written story line is built on the real ugly events of 1862 that haunted the Dakota especially when it appears the ugly lynching mentality had returned three years later; Ms. Edwards captures that fear in such a deep way that readers will feel the trepidation. Fans of the series will enjoy this latest historical Indian romance as Ms. Edwards uses her recurring theme quite nicely. Harriet Klausner