Bushwhacked Bride by Eugenia Riley is part of the new "Wink & A Kiss" series published by Leisure.  The series is advertised as being romance novels with a great deal of humour.  In this case it is certainly very true.

Jessica Garrett is on a trip in a stagecoach in the middle of the Old West.  When she pricks herself on an old cameo pin she suddenly finds herself living in the past and her colleagues sharing her coach are now their own ancestors.

However her main problem is that the coach is under fire from the Reklaw Gang who are about to kidnap her.

If Jessica thought that the rowdy brothers were terrifying then she did not account for their mother who brings them all to heel with a sweep of the broom.  Taken Jessica under her wing Ma Reklaw soon sets about making her part of the family.  Unable to let her go into town and turn her sons over to the law Ma Reklaw comes up with the plan of wedding Jessica to one of her sons.  After all she would not turn her own husband over to the law.

But there are five brothers and only one Jessica.  This is where the fun begins as all but the eldest brother set about trying to woo Jessica. Naturally it is Cole, the eldest, who sparks Jessica's attention....

Meanwhile as Jessica discovers the true motives of the gang she realises the danger they are in from the sheriff who is hot on their trail.  Getting Ma on side Jessica sets about putting the Reklaw boys on the straight and narrow and setting them up with girls of their own.  Easier said than done....and the results are yet another source of humour in this novel.

But the sheriff will not give up easily and the Reklaw gang have made a name for themselves that will not be ignored.  Jessica comes to realise that while it may not be too late for the brothers to change their ways, they will still be in danger for as long as they remain in the area.

It is the brothers in this story that make it as good as it is.  One modern woman amongst a gang out outlaw brothers - there are so many humorous possibilities and Ms Riley makes the most of them, to the thorough enjoyment of the reader.

I have to admit that I am not a person who watches many western films.  However since my father is a big fan of them I have sat through several dozen.  There are very few that I would choose to watch myself but one I make an exception for is the musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.  In a way this book reminded me very strongly of this film - in particular the idea of one woman teaching a group of brothers about manners and finding them brides.  This book has this old formula told in a whole new way.

If you have seen the film and liked it you will almost certainly love this book as much as I did.  A keeper.
 

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Also by Eugenia Riley:   Tempest in Time,  Waltz in Time,  Phantom in Time, Embers of Time, Wanted Across Time, Timeswept Bride and Tryst in Time.

Read an interview with Eugenia Riley

Eugenia Riley's website.