Out of Control was
a great, page-turning read. Julia Gilliland is a book-smart young woman, and
not nearly as helpless as independent rancher Rafe Kincaid thinks. They work
together to solve the mystery surrounding a menacing, shadowy cave dweller.
However, they both have a stubborn streak a mile wide … which hinders their
progress and threatens to put both of them in danger.
I liked that it wasn’t a sappy romance, but rather a romance
with a hefty dose of adventure, suspense and mystery woven into the story. I
also really enjoyed the time period of the story, as well as the author’s
descriptive portrayal of the rugged beauty of Colorado
The author injected a few gender stereotypes into the
characters’ thinking, which added some humorous moments to the story. The main
characters’ perception of each other – a slightly nutty young woman fascinated
with old dinner remnants and a bossy, uncultured rancher – are quite funny.
Both think the other just doesn’t get it.
Although, when you think about it, the stereotypes seem
old-fashioned, but it probably wasn’t uncommon in that time period for a man to
think of a woman as delicate like a “hothouse flower” or prone to “leaking
saltwater” from her eyes.
Part of the mystery was solved at the end of the book and
part was not. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series to see
how the story continues to unfold!
Note: I received a copy of this book at no charge from Bethany House Publishers in return for an honest review.
