The dark frontier romance Red Black Dawn was published by the Writers in Crime in October 2023 and currently ranks as #1 on these Goodreads lists:
- Best Western Adventure Books
- Westerns Written by Women
- Westerns, Western Romance, Cowboys, and the Old West
- Frontier/Western
Cover art: Book Cover zone and Lea Bronsen
Anno 1865. Three regional conflicts, three conflicted hearts.
As the Indian Wars rage in Colorado, Ute hunter Tókwar wanders without purpose after finding his wife and unborn son murdered and mutilated by White trappers. Sick with grief, he’s about to leave for the Spirit World when he witnesses a joint Arapaho/Cheyenne attack on a convoy.
Heavily pregnant Bella is the daughter of a cotton plantation owner and his Black slave. While her fiancé, a Confederate soldier, is imprisoned on Rock Island, she flees the Civil War-ravaged Arkansas with a group of settlers to build a new home at the western frontier.
Young Cheyenne warrior Hevovetāso thirsts for blood. With his band of Dog Men on the prowl, he aims to avenge the innocents slaughtered at Sand Creek and wipe out all Whitemen. His plan comes to an abrupt halt when he’s wounded during a raid and forced to assist an enemy Ute deliver a baby.
Becoming responsible for a newborn amid the chaos and pain gives Tókwar some solace, but he knows it’s temporary. The beautiful, feisty mother is restless, and despite his growing attraction to her and fatherly love for her son, he must travel east and return her safely to her man. But how will he enter the Whiteman’s war zone without risking his life—or once more losing his heart?
#CivilWar #IndianWars #HistoricalRomance
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Reviews:
I just finished Red Black Dawn. 5 star definitely! My review coming soon to Amazon and Goodreads. Bravo Lea!!!
– Janis Frisch
this was my first time reading a native american historical, and i was not disappointed. the writing was on point, the details and story were captivating. I wanted more, but was happy with the story. I would def recommend this author. I will be reading more of her work.
– Tammy Rufo
First rate romantic fiction, with strong characters and plot… not to be missed if you enjoy romance, westerns, adventure!
Set in the Western Frontier, 1865 and the conclusion of the US Civil War… this is the story of Tókwar and Bella… an unexpected couple. He, a Native American warrior… she, a mixed race freewoman with a fiancé and a baby on the way…
Rich in historical detail and Native American lore, and the product of 8 years of careful research… but not a dry or dull moment! a storyline that will keep you guessing as to how it things will ever work out… I won’t spoil the outcome!
I’ve read other novels by author Lea Bronsen, and this is one of her finest efforts. Highly recommended.
– Laurel Freeder
Western romance done right, with the perfect amount of action, thrill and romance.
It’s been years since I read a good western and the blurb hooked me right in. The few initial scenes where we meet our hero-Tokwar (or the black wolf as he’s hailed) and the grief he battles alone were so beautifully written. The author has done a fantastic job of describing in words the scenery, the lives of the Indians, the growing tensions among the whites and the harsh, brutal aftermath of the war.
All the characters of the novel share the connect of having loved and lost and of self integrity and bravery.
Tokwar’s character was a treat to read and the sexual tension between Tokwar and Bella was intense.
Though I had a few qualms about Whirlwind ‘s wavering affections for the women he met, I was happy with how things turned out in the end.
Looking forward to reading more from this author.
– Shweta Reads
About the project:
The novel combines three parallel conflicts in 1860s’ North America: the Indian Wars (here, west of the Rocky Mountains where Native tribes fought against the white army and militia), the Civil War (the Confederate south vs. the Unionist north), and the abolition of black slavery.
The novel is set in Colorado at a turning point in history when the United States gives the Black slaves their long-deserved freedom, while at the same time displacing the last of the free Natives to reservations where nothing grows, land that nobody wants.
The story combines this trauma with the traditional wars between the Utes and the Cheyennes, and amid these dramatic scenes grows an unlikely but intense romance.
Alternate cover:
Lea Bronsen 