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Overview
SamanthaWhen she manages to get herself hired for the cattle drive, all of Samantha's prayers seem to be answered. The hundred dollars she'll earn will pull her family's Texas farm out of ruin and pay off their debts. But keeping the cowhands fooled that she's a boy becomes harder than she'd expected where one cowboy in particular is concerned.
The Cowboy
Matthew Hart wants two things: to forget the tragedies he witnessed on the front lines of the War Between the States, and to reclaim his cowboy life. The last thing he wants is the responsibility of a tagalong youngster on the cattle drive. His closed mind and hardened heart are territory best left unexplored, until a fateful moment turns his world upside down.
Matt discovers what and who "Sam" really is, and he is furious. But soon a stronger emotion takes hold, and bound by Samantha's secret, Matt is torn between revealing her identity and his own sudden and frightening love for her.
Editorials
KLIATT
Samantha, desperate to help her family financially, passes herself off as a boy and signs up to move cattle from Texas to Kansas. Sam, never having done this before, is determined, courageous and bold enough to get the position. Matthew, whose father owns the cattle, but is not in charge of the hiring, takes a liking to Sam and not only gets her hired but mentors her along the way. Matt, an unusual 18-year-old, has survived the Civil War but it left an indelible mark on his memory, and he is determined to watch over Sam and keep her safe from harm. He does not realize that Samantha is a female. This is an enchanting story, and although the outcome is easily discerned, it still is a charming coming-of-age tale. Spending an afternoon involved in Sam and Matt's story will delight romance readers. (Editors' note: See the others in this series reviewed below; two more books in the series are also available: Margaret Moore's Gwyneth and the Thief and Meg Cabot's Nicola and the Viscount.) (An Avon True Romance) Category: Paperback Fiction. KLIATT Codes: JS—Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2002, HarperCollins, Avon, 250p.,— Sherri Forgash Ginsberg; Chapel Hill, NC