The Scent of Roses by Charlene Raddon

The Scent of Roses.  Charlene Raddon. Tirgearr Publishing. May 2013. 331 pp. e-book. ISBN #: BOOD377012.

Whip Kincaid is about to be hit by a series of disasters that will rock his peaceful world.  First there is a mine collapse in the town of Whiskey Ridge, Arizona, perhaps caused by Whip Kincaid’s partner, Josiah Bullock.  Three men die and before Whip can question Josh more, the latter is found dead, shot by an intruder.  Whip discovers his body and also a woman who escapes before he can question her further about the murderer.  However, as Josh’s butler, Smythley, remarks, Whip is holding the gun and everyone in town already knows about their big fight right after the mine collapse.  It surely looks like Whip is the killer and the Sheriff would love to exact revenge of his own, for other reasons, by seeing Whip hung!

On the same day as all of these events occur, Rosalyn Delaney arrives in town to seek help from Josh, whom she claims is her husband.  The problem is that another woman, Lucy, is also Josh’s wife, his second one.  The reader waits with intense longing to know to whom Josh will leave his money in his will.

At the same time, Whip hasn’t left Josh’s home but is hiding out in secret passages, listening and looking through peepholes and wandering around at night through the house to try to find out who Josh’s killer really is and what this new woman is out to get.  He poses a threat to Rosalyn, who is trying to escape a religious cult leader, and yet is also secretly very, very attracted to her as well.  He initially poses as K.D. and oh how the romance swells and swirls! 

Still there are two mysteries to solve involving the murder and the two marriages.  Whip can’t see his daughter until he finds Josh’s killer and more complexities develop for all the characters.  These are basically good, good people who’ve been dealt the wrong hand, as the Tarot cards indicate in this tale, and are trying to find a way out of their quandaries in the middle of a haunted house.

This is a fine Western romance with just the right amount of tension through hot-tempered dialogue, paranormal quirks, and questionable clues as well as hot, hot, hot romance that will thrill those who love romance fiction or Western fiction.  

Charlene Raddon puts just enough unique surprises in each of her romance novels to leave the reader very satisfied and yearning for more stories from this talented writer!  Nicely done, Charlene Raddon!