THE COWBOY LAWMAN By Brenda Minton

 



 

Cooper Creek Series

 



Cooper Creek Series takes place in Dawson, Oklahoma and centers around the Coopers--a family of natural and adopted siblings. Cruising through the country side, cattle and horses dotting fenced pastures, wild flowers in abundance, stopping at the Mad Cow Cafe and stepping out of your car, meeting cowboy gentlemen who take their hats off in respect and still open doors for you--takes a traditional woman back to a time and place that hardly exist anymore.

I love to open one of these stories--the plot is usually compelling and the characters, though flawed, are believable. Their struggle with spiritual conflicts or physical disabilities remind us of ourselves--not perfect, but creations of the one God who remains God Alone.

In the Cowboy Lawman, we meet Mia Cooper, an adopted sibling with South American roots. Immediately, we find she is struggling with a lingering disability from an undercover operation gone wrong, in which her partner died. Quickly, we are introduced to the hero, Slade McKennon, local law enforcement and childhood friend. Once married to Mia's best friend, who he lost tragically in a car accident, he is raising his son as a single father.

Mutually attracted to each other, Mia and Slade allow grief and guilt to color their responses. Mia's life remains endangered from those who injured her and killed her partner so she needs Slade's protection whether she likes it or not. Slade's mother, and baby sitter, sufferes a heart attack and he needs someone to look out for his 5 year old son. From here on out, the fireworks literally sparkle.

Moving on after tragedy is hard for any of us. Forgiving ourselves is even harder. Trusting in God's all comforting and powerful hands is harder yet. I assume, if you stopped by this site, you appreciate the spiritual insight a good christian author lends to a story.

Ms. Minton uses family, friends, and situations well to share her themes with us. She paints a picture that draws us in but then allows us to feel the turmoil in her characters. In "The Cowboy Lawman" you feel Mia's sorrow as she grieves over the loss of her friend and realizes she can't fill her shoes as a Mother figure. Slade and others try to help her see that she has her own shoes to fill. As for Slade, we feel his pain and frustration as Mia refuses to let him help her and as he realizes he needs to move on from the loss of his wife and that his son needs a mother.

A poignant moment arises when Mia tries to keep a promise to her dead partner and protect his wife and children but finds herself unable to use her firearm. In the meantime, Slade arrives just in time risking his life to save hers.

This story is loaded with action, twists and turns of plot, sweet moments, and a satisfying end. This one's a keeper!