The bloom of sweet romance buds like a wildflower in Erica Vetsch’s novel, Maggie and the Maverick. As delightful as the love story is, the mystery of robberies consistently interfering with the stagecoach runs adds just the right amount of suspense to keep this story interesting. With colorful colloquialisms, Vetsch takes her readers straight into life in the Idaho Territory before it became a state. Her descriptions and cowboy dialogue add rustic charm to the narrative.

Following the youngest of the McConell brothers from the first two books in the series, this one gives Cal, the handsome rogue, his chance to meet his match in Maggie Davis. Spunk, grit, and small-town vibes shimmer through the chapters. The characters from previous books in the series add to the layered plot that intricately weaves the prior mysteries with the current one, keeping you guessing who is involved. I found the necessary secrets added angst to the fast-fall romance and gave the book a colorful tension.

A quick read with spiritual nuggets tucked into the pages, this is one historical romance that will surely please. It had me guessing until the end. The strong finish was perfect for the book and the series.

I received a complimentary copy from the author but was not required to leave a review. All opinions expressed are my own. Click on the book cover for purchase link.

About the Book

Book: Maggie and the Maverick

Author: Erica Vetsch

Genre: Christian Historical  Romance

Release Date: October 13, 2025

A jaded lady marshal and a stage driver with a past—bound by duty, tested by lies, and drawn to a love that could change everything.

A wary lady marshal and a reformed stage driver—entangled by secrets, shadowed by danger, and tempted by a love neither dared to trust.

U.S. Marshal Maggie Davis has learned the hard way not to trust men with charming smiles and winning ways. Her reticence makes her the perfect undercover investigator for a string of daring stage robberies. When the case leads her to stay with a local family, she finds herself drawn to Cal McConnell, the handsome stage driver who could either be her greatest ally or her prime suspect.

Cal has worked hard to put his wild past behind him and build an honest life as a stage driver. When a mysterious new lady comes to town selling ladies’ garments, he’s instantly captivated by her beauty and fierce independence. But as stage robberies escalate and murder enters the picture, Cal must decide if he can trust this woman who seems determined to keep him at arm’s length—even as his heart tells him she could be the one.

When the line between truth and deception blurs, will they cling to caution—or risk everything for something real?

Final Thoughts from Erica

Did you ever watch the movie Stagecoach? The movie that launched John Wayne’s career? My father introduced me to the movie when I was young, and that sparked my interest in westward expansion, cowboys, and stagecoaches.

When I was a teen, I read a book called Six Horse Hitch, by author Janice Holt Giles. In the book, she goes into all the details of stagecoach driving, stations across the west, the coaches, the passengers, the US mail delivery, and more. I was enthralled.

Stagecoach drivers (sometimes called Jehus) were a breed apart. Brave, resilient, and bold. Heroic.

Which meant, when I became an author, I wanted to create a hero who was a stagecoach driver. Enter Cal McConnell in Maggie and the Maverick. He’s the third of three sons, with a dry humor, and a bit of a jaded outlook on life.

Truthfully, I patterned him after Heath Barkley, a character on the 1960’s TV show, The Big Valley, played by Lee Majors. Even down to the light brown/dark blond hair and blue eyes.

One thing that is important when writing romance is to ensure that the heroine is worthy of the hero and vice versa. So I imagined what kind of a woman would be a great life partner for Cal. She would have to be spunky, smart, and compassionate.

Maggie Davis, an undercover agent, fit the bill. Her guise was that of a ladies’ unmentionables saleswoman, and that job leads to a memorable encounter upon meeting Cal for the first time.

I’m so thankful that Maggie and the Maverick is getting a new release out into the world through Wild Heart Books. I hope that you enjoy this rollicking western with a stage driving hero and undercover agent heroine.