You Never Can Tell by Kathleen Eagle (pub 2001)

This is a modern western romance with a Lakota hero and an Easterner heroine.

Kole Kills Crow was a Native American activist who took the rap for his mentor and ended up in prison. He escaped and has been living on the Ojibwa reservation making flutes and hiding from the world. Heather Reardon is a journalist who has been fascinated by him since she was a child and now wants to write a book about him. As Heather learns more about Kole and the cause, she has a hard time separating her feelings for him from the story. Oops, reporters are supposed to be objective and she never really is. They fight their feelings for each other, as they have very little in common, but the passion flares anyway. Kole decides to call attention to the stereotypes of Native Americans in movies and TV and begins a cross-country trip with Heather. They stop at various reservations picking up characters/protesters on their way to Hollywood. The reader is treated to delightfully subtle Native American humor throughout as Kole and Heather develop a strong bond.

I laughed and sighed throughout the book. The characters (primary and secondary) are so realistically written that I felt that I would recognize them anywhere. I give this five stars.

Review written by: byrdloves2read