Delilah is a tough young woman who was recently released from a two-year prison sentence for killing her step-father who had abused and murdered her mother and sister. She goes to stay with an older woman, Abbey, who had protected her in prison. Delilah stays for a while, but decides she must go check on the family property that had been looked after by a caretaker while she was in prison. Abbey wants a better life for her daughter Sarah, so when Delilah gets ready to leave, Abbey convinces Delilah to take the sixteen-year-old girl with her. On the way, the two women are attacked by men who rape, torture them and leave them for dead. Strung up by a rope twisted around her neck, Delilah manages to get free with the help of her horse. The men kidnap Sarah and Delilah vows to find her girl. Seeking revenge on the men who hurt her and finding Sarah are foremost in her mind as she makes her way.
Delilah meets more bad luck on her journey. She’s attacked by bears, wolves and Indians. Even the weather is against her. She continues on horseback through frigid temperatures, icy roads and blizzards. Delilah makes several friends who help her. A Mormon family on their way to Utah offers her shelter and food until she recovers. But misfortune follows Delilah once more when savage Ute Indians set fire to the covered wagon and kill the family. Again, Delilah must make her way alone.
Delilah makes several friends in a small mining village she eventually reaches such as the friendly woman who owns a bordello, a doctor who patches up Delilah’s many injuries, and a helpful Ute Indian father and son who agree to help her find Sarah. Delilah finds romance at last when the mining company manager courts her and invites her to a dance.
Some of her new friends try to tame Delilah, but she keeps fighting for what she knows is right. It would be great to continue Delilah’s story. I hope the author writes a sequel. Readers who like western stories, especially about strong women will find Delilah the perfect book. I highly recommend it!
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