J. M. Snyder’s Wanted is a story of love and danger set in the Old West town of Defiance, Texas. Jesse McCray is an outlaw featured on a Wanted poster – a member of a gang known as the Rustlers who have a reputation for stealing cattle, womanizing, cheating at cards, and rough living. Ethan Phillips is an idealistic young entertainer on his way to California and its streets of gold, stranded in town with a lame horse. From their very first meeting, Jesse and Ethan are smitten with each other, and they swear that nothing will keep them apart. Fate does not appear to be listening to them, however, because an ill-timed shootout at the local saloon puts a price on Jesse’s head, and he must flee town with his gang in order to avoid a posse out for blood. Ethan wants to convince Jesse to come to California with him, but Jesse insists that he can’t leave his friends while they need his help. How can these two be together when circumstances are determined to keep them apart? Can Jesse keep himself and Ethan alive long enough to see if the streets of California are actually paved with gold?

Wanted features its heroes in a shoot-em-up western story. Young Ethan is almost too sweet and innocent and trusting, and the reader can’t help but wonder how he has travelled so far without losing the stars in his eyes. Jesse and his band of outlaws are likeable characters even if they are tough guys. Jesse is appealing in his devotion to and protection of Ethan. If the story was novel-length, one would hope that the other members of the Rustlers would have their characters developed a little more thoroughly, because they are worth knowing a little better. The conflict in this story is quite suspenseful, and the reader must wait until the very end to find out if the conclusion is a happy one or not. Overall, this story is worth the read.

Reviewed by: Whitney