Kat's Law

Sweet Historical Western Romance

Romance - Historical
158 Pages
Reviewed on 07/07/2016
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Samantha St. Claire is the pen name for an author of historical fiction for middle grade and young adults. The Sawtooth Range is her first venture into romantic historical fiction. She began her career as a writing instructor, guiding children and young adults in creative expression. In more recent years, she's taught children to express themselves in the visual arts. The two passions have found an outlet in her writing style which has been described as lyrical.
Dividing her time between her homes in Idaho and the Olympic Peninsula she travels the old Oregon Trail collecting stories and inspiration along the way.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Deborah Stone for Readers' Favorite

Kat's Law by Samantha St. Claire is an 1888 western romance and much more. Katherine has become a doctor during a time when women doctors are not well received. Dr. Katherine Meriwether, Kat, returns home to Snowberry in the Idaho Territory before starting her new career at a modern hospital. Nathaniel Meriwether, Kat's father, is the only doctor in Snowberry, but he is hoping that this will change. Kat plans to assist him while she is home, but she has bigger plans. When Kat arrives, she discovers that a lot of changes have taken place in her peaceful little town and they are not for the better. The gold and silver mining in the nearby mountains have brought in strangers and more violence, which is keeping her father busy. One stranger to the area is Jonathan Winthrop, a somewhat mysterious ex-Texas Ranger who is looking for a quiet place to sort out the events that precipitated his sudden retirement. Kat and Jonathan become friends and neither wants it to progress any further than that.

As events unfold in Snowberry, Kat's sense of justice is ignited and she takes dangerous risks to protect those she loves and the town she wants to preserve - which involve standing up to the self appointed sheriff. Kat's Law takes you from achievement to romance to self awareness and justice - all on a thoroughly enjoyable ride. Kat has decisions to make that will affect those she cares about. Jonathan has to learn to let go of the past in order to embrace the future. If they can both make the right choices, they may have a future together ... if they can survive the local law.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Samantha St. Claire's style of writing is captivating. She lures you in with vivid word imagery and takes you on a journey with a well written sequence of events that make this book very difficult to put down. Samantha St. Claire's language and storytelling skills combine to give us a very enjoyable, sometimes emotional adventure to another time and place. Samantha's characters are real and flawed. It is impossible not to cheer for the good guys and boo the bad. This story is endearing, inspiring, encouraging and dangerous, and there is also a bit of romance to round it out nicely. This is somewhat like a grown up version of Little House on the Prairie meets a refined Annie Oakley. Samantha's main character, Kat, is a determined young woman who knows what she wants and is more than capable of getting it. Jonathan is a skilled and capable man in bondage to the events of the past. Whether they end up together or not is secondary as they help each other to achieve their potential in Snowberry. A well well written novel, well worth your time to read.

Francine Zane

The heroine of Kat's Law by Samantha St. Claire is the first book of the Sawtooth Range Series. Dr. Kat Meriwether returns home after finishing medical school to find her Idaho-based hometown much changed and under the rule of a self-appointed lawman, who is less interested in protecting and serving than he is in greed and power. Jonathan Winthrop is an ex-Texas Ranger running from his nightmares. They seem like an unlikely pair, but together they may be the only chance their town has of survival.

In beautiful strokes, Samantha St. Claire draws the reader into Kat's Law by painting breathtaking views and dynamic characters with interesting pasts, realistic hopes, and dreams for the future. Her vision of a progressive woman such as Kat flourishing during a time when women were still corseted and expected to take second place to a man adds an extra layer of harsh reality to an engaging story filled with intrigue, adventure, and homespun small town life.

While I enjoyed reading Kat's Law, I found some of the writing lacked flow and pulled me out of the story; however, the appeal of Kat's 'tomboy all grown up' and refined personality, and Jonathan's good looks and quiet manner, more than made up for it. I recommend Kat's Law to readers who enjoy western fiction with a very light touch of romance mixed into a sweet story of home, community, and historical nostalgia. St. Claire has created a very worthy work of fiction.

Emily-Jane Hills Orford

A female doctor in the Idaho Territory in the late 1800s was a rarity and certainly not something easily accepted by the population. But Kat, recently returned from studying medicine, was well known in her community of Snowberry. Her father was the town doctor and they were both very much respected. The town was growing, though, and there were more medical requirements than one doctor could handle, so having his daughter home, fully trained as a doctor, was a blessing in so many ways.

Kat had returned to a town that was very different from the one she had left years earlier. Mining had increased and the town was growing. There was a new sheriff in town, a law force not previously deemed necessary. But crime had increased with the arrival of the new sheriff and things were becoming increasingly more dangerous, especially for a father-daughter medical team that was witness to the types of injuries incurred from armed robberies and gunfights. Jonathon was new to town, too. He was escaping his own nightmares, failed missions during his work as a Texas Ranger. He thought he had left that all behind, but the lawlessness of Snowberry and the attraction of a young lady doctor now placing herself in harm’s way was enough to pull him out of his self-inflicted retirement.

Samantha St. Claire’s novella, Kat’s Law, is a dynamic and powerful story pitting the powers of good and evil in a nineteenth-century western town. A classic tale of greed for power and riches versus the good of the everyday hardworking person and the elegant hero riding forward on his steadfast, trusty steed is firmly presented in the story’s plot. Description and narrative provide a compelling and realistic scenario, and the plot is definitely driven with lots of action and drama right to the end. A good read.

Nicole Laverdure

*Reviewed for Books & Benches*

Lovers of western romance, will love Kat’s Law, written by new author Samantha St. Claire. If you're looking for a fast read and clean romance, with an independent and very determine heroine, then Kat's Law, will be perfect for you! Ms. St. Claire is a new author for me, so I didn't really know what to expect! Surprise, it's a real page turner.

This story is mainly about Dr. Kat Meriwether, a young doctor, who goes back to her hometown in Idaho Territory, 1888. Her new life will be filled with danger, intrigue and a dash of romance.

Kat's story tells the journey, of a strong-minded, smart and very determine young woman! As a female doctor, she has to prove, her new skills, to the residents of Snowberry, especially men. But, with the help of her entourage, she will find respect and friendship. Kat, is glad to be back with her father Nathaniel, but is disappointed about the violence that is occurring in her home town, and is quite determine to do something about that. Meanwhile, a newcomer, an ex-Texas Ranger, Jonathan Winthrop, enters her life. He would gladly help, but he is a broken man, and is still haunted by a nightmare, so he doesn't feel ready to help the residents. Since, Kat and Jonathan are both for justice, together, they will embark on a mission to re-establish peace and harmony in Snowberry. Will he be able to protect Kat and Nathaniel when they are threatened by danger? Will their new friendship bloom and create a beautiful chemistry between the two, that will unite them forever?

I recommend, Kat's Law, specially if you love western romance! A real page turner! I loved Kat, for her independence and determination!

Kristin Collins

Amazon Customer Review

This was a simple story sweetly told. It held my attention from the first few pages, all the way thru. I completely fell in love with the characters. This is a great story to read on in a porch swing, under a tree, with a tall glass of old fashioned lemonade.

Deborah Stone

Glad you are happy with the review and feel free to use any part of it for marketing. I thoroughly enjoyed your book. Your language skills are superb.