Rating 5/5

Badlands was a real page turner! I read it in 24 hours because I couldn’t put the book down. I think what I truly loved about it was how it magically seemed to transport me back in time to the old west. Badlands is a gripping tale about a woman, a former doctor on the run, whom is kidnapped by a prostitute that longs for a new life. News of the doctor’s husband and his impending trial keeps her close to the woman she once despised. Together the doctor and prostitute learn so much of each other, their strengths, their weaknesses, with a lingering doubt in their fragile trust always on their mind. But through it all, they develop an amazing friendship that’s raw and deep, the kind that keeps you alive.

I simply love the characters in this story. They were real and complex, the kind that drew breath from the very first page. I love both Laura and Rosemond and I love their relationship, how their friendship unfolds, and all the mystery that surrounds Rosemond. Of course I enjoyed Kindle as well and after meeting him I am craving more of his and Laura’s story. I’m ready to dive into Sawbones and Blood Oath just so I can get more of them. Badlands was driven and intense, giving me little snippets about the other novels that has pulled me into wanting to read more. I NEED those stories! And I cannot wait to read the other two.

I love how Lenhardt shines a light on the true, brutality of the west. But also the good as well. I love how Lenhardt shows us the hardship of prostitutes during this time, how men were treated superior to women, and how the main character does what she can for women in general when it comes to their health. I also loved the moments when Laura would come to a salon and somehow would get inside regardless of the rules. Laura certain was a rule breaker and is a great icon for women empowerment.

Badlands is unlike any western tale I have read before and I like it all the more for that factor. It’s a must read for anyone that enjoys mystery, suspense, love, cowboys, old west, and the intensity of a character being on the run from the law. Badlands is everything I ever wanted in a western and so much more. I am ready to take the 3:10 back to the eighteen hundreds to read about a heroine that is noble, humble, feels guilt and remorse when she does something wrong, tries to do the right thing no matter the costs, and is a total kick ass doctor.

What about you? Ready to board the train with me?