Comanche Cowboy by Georgina Gentry follows the captivating journey of a man and a woman against the backdrop of the Old West.
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Comanche Cowboy by Georgina Gentry
Rating: 
Published: 1988
Illustrator: Diane Sivavec
Imprint or Line: Zebra Lovegram
Book Series: Panorama of the Old West #3
Published by: Kensington
Genres: Historical Romance, Western Romance
Pages: 512
Format: Paperback
Buy on: Amazon, AbeBooks
Reviewed by: Blue Falcon
MILD SPOILER ALERT
The Book
This is a review of Comanche Cowboy, book #3, in Georgina Gentry’s “Panorama of the Old West” series.
A reminder: although the books in the series are in numerical order, they are not in chronological order. Seeds of storylines that begin in this book will be picked up in future novels, but not necessarily in the following book.
The Plot
Comanche Cowboy begins in Wichita, Kansas, in late June 1874. This book’s heroine, Cayenne Carol McBride—or, as her younger sisters call her, Cee-Cee—is trying to return home to Texas as her family is in major trouble.
The problem is that the simmering tension between whites and Indians is reaching a boiling point, and it’s very dangerous.
She decides to hire Maverick Durango, the hero of the book, to accompany her. Cayenne offers him all her money: $18.25. Maverick refuses.
She offers him herself. Maverick takes her up on that offer! Cayenne thinks Maverick is going to marry her; he doesn’t see things that way. He rapes her, but then they become lovers.
Cayenne doesn’t explain to Maverick the real reason she wants to hire him, but once he discovers her father is Jim McBride, Maverick agrees to escort her. As they make their way to Texas, they face many perils: bandits, Comancheros, and Indians. We also learn what trouble Cayenne’s family is in and why Maverick is so interested in going to see Jim McBride.
The scene then shifts to McBride, Texas (the town is named after Jim, who is considered a local hero).
Final confrontations happen, and truths are revealed. In the end, Cayenne and Maverick marry and have a daughter. And as the book closes, the seeds for future stories are planted as they have their “Happily Ever After” ending.
The Upside
The best books make me feel like I’m watching the characters’ lives play out in front of me rather than reading words. This is the case with Comanche Cowboy.
Like Rosanne Bittner, an author whose work I admire, Ms. Gentry has written a highly complex, emotional book centered around three primary characters: Cayenne, Maverick, and Jim.
Unusually, the characters with the most depth are Maverick and Jim, two men who don’t meet until the end of the book but who have many threads that connect them to each other. Both men made–and are making–decisions that will affect their lives as well as Cayenne’s. The result is a very emotionally rich book.
Ms. Gentry does a great deal of research into her subjects. She also includes a list of some of her source material in the back of the book. Ms. Gentry’s research shows as she seamlessly weaves her fictional characters with real-life figures from history.
The Downside
Like Ms. Bittner’s work, Ms. Gentry’s is both violent and misogynistic. I found myself having mixed feelings toward Cayenne and Maverick. Cayenne because I didn’t agree with some of her views. As for Maverick, he was an unheroic hero because he raped Cayenne twice.
Sex
There are multiple love scenes between Cayenne and Maverick. Some are fairly hot and different (different positions and acts than typically found in romance novels, which I like).
Heat Level
Violence
In addition to Maverick’s violations of Cayenne, there are multiple scenes of assault, battery, rape, shootings, and killings. While most of the violence is not graphic, there are some scenes that would be at home in an adult Western.
Bottom Line on Comanche Cowboy
In many ways, Comanche Cowboy by Georgina Gentry is reminiscent of classic Western movies. Even though Westerns aren’t “in” right now, this would be a great novel to adapt into a film.
Comanche Cowboy won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but those who love books with depth and a somewhat anti-hero hero will find much to like here.
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| Overall: | 4.7 |
Synopsis
REDSKINNED SNAKE
Feisty, stubborn Cayenne McBride just had to get to her sick daddy’s Texas ranch where some lowdown outlaws had holed up. And after she met the big, fearless half-breed Maverick Durango, she knew he’d be the perfect guide. But when the towering trail-boss demanded her innocence in exchange for his protection, the Lone Star lovely agreed, plotting all along to use him as bait for the gun-toughs at the end of the road. Then Cayenne fell in love with her tormentor–with no way out of sacrificing his life so she could save her Pa’s!REDHEADED SIREN
Comanche Cowboy by Georgina Gentry
Onyx-haired Maverick Durango could’ve whooped with joy when he discovered that the spirited, sexy gal who’d hired him was his old enemy’s daughter. The hot-blooded ranchhand would slake ins lust with the wench, then do in her father to complete his revenge. But Maverick never figured that way before they reached their destination he’d become obsessed with the supple spitfire–yet have no choice but to fulfill his lifelong plan. All he craved now were Cayenne’s lips, Cayenne’s laugh, Cayenne’s love…and all he ever wanted to be was her everlasting Comanche Cowboy
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Used to love her books back in the day. Is she still with us