Quincano Mendoza, a district attorney, has come to Hacienda Delgado to hide out. The quite old Spanish Hacienda outside of Tombstone Arizona seems a perfect place to escape Emilo Rodriguez, the brother of the drug runner he is currently prosecuting, who has threatened to kill him.

Trying to escape the stigma she faced for being an unwed mother, Kari McCabe has just moved from Texas to take a new position as a physical education teacher at the local high school. Kari has temporarily moved into the Hacienda while building a new house, for herself and four-year-old daughter, Prissy.

Both Kari and Quince have reasons to be wary of the immediate attraction they feel. And the possibilities of relationship between Kari and Quince are complicated further by the dangers facing them. Will the three widows be able to keep everyone safe and still give Kari and Quince a chance for romance?

This fast-paced story is both humorous and suspenseful. Ms. Emory brought to life the fears and concerns of a mother and she creatively dealt with the prejudice a person living 150 years ago might hold. Though an interesting story, I felt it lacked real depth. The development of the romance between Quince and Kari seemed rushed; the other events in the story push the romance to the side. The antics of the widows were delightful but I did not understand the rules governing the extent of their powers nor the ways in which they could help. Gatekeeper's Challenge is a creative paranormal romance for those who love friendly ghost stories.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Mildy Sensual

Reviewer: Larenda Twigg
October 26, 2003