December 12, 2011
Gentry’s third Texans western (Rio; Diablo) features stock characters in a rote, overwrought story. Lt. Colton Prescott reaches his new assignment, a Southwest Texas fort, where he plans to help U.S. forces confront the local Comanche, with whom he spent a decade. After flirting with the commander’s dainty daughter, Olivia, Colt leads a raid into a Comanche camp and rescues Hannah Brownley, who was abused by her white husband and then kidnapped, raped (resulting in the birth of a child), and mistreated by the Comanche. Colt falls for Texas-bred, emotionally scarred Hannah and helps her rescue her son, even though Eastern-born, duplicitously sweet Olivia appears to be the better match. The remainder of the tale is divided between praise for rugged, loyal, honest Texans and scorn for Olivia’s attempts to snare Colt and ruin Hannah, all at the cost of the reader’s interest. Agent: Meredith Bernstein Literary Agency.