Enjoy Christian Western Fiction Novels


By Iva Cannon


Like horses? Like handsome young men in denim and boots? Well, Christian western fiction novels might just be your cup of tea. The world of horses, mountains and plains, living close to the land, and adventure calls for strong women - the preferred heroines of today - and strong men.

The west is as full of adventure today as it was in the days of the pioneers. The mountains are still rugged, the plains endless, and the sky huge and empty. This makes it easy to create believable settings and story lines that frame the characters and create complications. The Christian nature of these stories will be reassuring for those who hesitate to read conventional modern novels; both characters and action will stay within benign limits.

Since many women like horses as well as men, the settings and plots of this genre are popular. Heroines can be young and inexperienced, but they are often older but wiser in today's literature. One thing they have in common is strength, in their own characters and in the faith that keeps them going in the right direction. Of course, it could be the hero who has the faith to bring things to a satisfactory close and two lovers together.

The hero can be a guy with a mysterious past - prison, witness protection program, failed romance or marriage - or a man who simply never thought he'd settle down but blam! the heroine's blue eyes hit him between the eyes and stop him in his tracks. Perhaps he's the Christian and leads her to the Lord, or she's the believer who helps him see he doesn't have to fight everything alone. Children can complicate the mix, or aging parents, or old boy/girl friends. The possibilities are endless.

Traditionally, the hero is devastatingly attractive. He sets all hearts aflutter, whether innocent young ones or those which have been damaged beyond repair. Inevitably, our cowboy rides off into the Texas sunlight without a backward look. This is a real bummer for the pretty woman left behind who can't compete with the lure of the open road or the excitement of the rodeo.

Well, bummer. However, the cowpoke who's found Jesus will have overcome these philandering ways and found solace for broken dreams. He'll be ready, willing, and able to make a girl a steady husband, once all the misunderstandings and obstacles are out of the way. This is the happy ending most romantic women prefer, and lots of men, too, if the truth be told.

Many readers love both boy-meets-girl stores and testimonies of how people meet the Lord and come to accept His grace. The faith-based western has both themes to entertain and enchant. Believable characters and realistic story lines are easy to create when the wild, wild west is the backdrop.

These novels, whether set on the frontier or in contemporary times, make reading fun for anyone old enough to appreciate a good romance. If the writer obviously knows the western world intimately, it's even better.




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