He had no intention of marrying, leaving behind a wife in sorrow or living with the pain of watching her die.” Rina’s story, however, is even more interesting.

The more you clutched close, the more could be taken from you. James allows his guilt and lingering grief to colour his chance for love and commitment: “His father’s death had taught him that life was uncertain, unpredictable. James blames his fourteen-year-old self for failing to warn his father of the aptly named “widow-maker” when he, his brothers, and dad were first logging in Wallin Landing’s forest. James’ rogue-ful demeanor hides a sense of unworthiness, stemming from the accident that killed his father. The first third was the strongest section, when James and Rina were in Wallin Landing and we were privy to their private, secret sorrows. Other than its lack of originality, Miss Bates’ problem with Scott’s Frontier Engagement was its disjointed quality and weakened character development, as well as an inability to commit either to a humorous, or grave narrative tone. The “road” provides much fodder for both humorous and dangerous incidents, as well as James and Rina opportunity to know each other better and grow closer in love and friendship. To ensure her safety and, frankly, because he’s sweet on her, James accompanies her in the guise of her fiancé and the narrative makes an about-face, becoming an inspie road romance. But Rina is barely established in Wallin Landing when the challenges of teaching leave her tear-eyed and on her way to an easier teaching post. Like all good inspie heroines, she’s suspicious and mistrustful, but James’ charm and persistence pay off: “So, like it or not, that schoolmarm had an engagement with the frontier.” James convinces Alexandrina, re-christening her with the diminutive “Rina,” as they set off for Wallin Landing, where Rina hopes to “make something good out of the tatters of her life, where she could make a difference.” Readers soon realize that James’ charm and humour, as well as Rina’s regal bearing, conceal psychic wounds. Logger James Wallin travels to Seattle to bring a school teacher to Wallin Landing, his family’s fledgling town, and finds Alexandrina Eugenia Fosgrave, newly arrived with the Mercer expedition. If you’re looking no further than the pleasantness that the subgenre has on offer with none of the offense that it occasionally exhibits, Scott’s 1866-Washington-frontier romance will be for you. Scott’s Frontier Engagement is inspie-light (some heartfelt praying and one lovely forest-set singing of “Amazing Grace”), but not inspired to offer anything new or original in the subgenre. Miss B’s relentless pursuit of good inspie fiction is running down like an wound-up toy.

Frontier Engagement by Regina Scott