Love in Disguise - Carol Cox

This book popped up for free and looked to be one that's right up my alley.  I have never read this particular author before, but it was listed as a historical Christian romance set in the west.  My favorite setting and a no-brainer to give it a try.

Ellie has lost her job as assistant to an ego-driven actress in Chicago.  She's at a loss now as to what to do with her life.  When she overhears some Pinkerton agents commenting on needing a female for a mission, Ellie decides that she's the woman for the job and that she will go to great lengths to get it.

Steven lives in a mining town in Arizona where he owns his own silver mine.  Along with the other mine owners, he is suffering from robberies that are putting his livelihood at risk.  The mine owners get together and hire the Pinkerton Detective Agency since the local marshal doesn't seem inclined to be helpful.

Ellie arrives in town without her partner and without experience.  She ends up getting herself tangled up in her roles and wonders who she really is.  She falls for Steven pretty early on, but her role as an older woman doesn't really give her the freedom to show it in any way.  Once she takes on the role of her own niece as well, she gets close to Steven and finds that she loves him.

I did enjoy this book.  As a first try with an author, it was an enjoyable read.  I was a little disappointed that I had the main villains figured out pretty early on when there was a section devoted to a conversation he had with one of his minions.  There was still a surprise here and there, but overall I had it.  I wondered why I had never come across this author before, as there was a bio in the back saying that she had written over 30 books, but it seems that most of them are much older and a lot of them are not even available in Kindle edition.  Also, it seems that they are all over the place in subject.  I didn't see one that I needed to track, but I did really enjoy this one.  Good Book!