A shaman dances in secret, a woman looking for a place to call home…can they bare their tattered souls which are moving to the same rhythm? Answering an ad for a wife, Olive Muegge travels many miles to Wylder. Sure, she’s brazen, speaks her own mind, and can’t cook to save her life, but she’s got an indomitable spirit and yearns for a family to call her own. Nartan Sagebrush is a quiet, thoughtful man, in other words, the complete opposite of Olive. But as these two get to know each other, they discover they might be more alike than different. Olive harbors a deep secret, though. When Nartan is face-to-face with the real Olive, will he turn tail and run, or will he protect her with his dying breath?

Dance to a Wylder Beat is a historical western paranormal romance that took me completely by surprise. From the first page, I connected with Olive. She’s such a spunky heroine who definitely speaks her mind. Sometimes it gets her into sticky situations, yet I found her honesty refreshing. The chemistry between Olive and Nartan is a classic ‘opposites attract’ trope but there are a few twists Marilyn Barr throws in to make it unique. The plot moves at a gentle pace with I found added a layer of mystique to the story. The reader experiences things at the same time as the characters without too much foreshadowing. The native mythology/elements were so well done, I found myself spellbound. Intricate descriptive narration that is not only historically accurate but believable makes this an incredible reading experience. Marilyn Barr is a gifted weaver of stories and Dance to a Wylder Beat is her best book yet. If you like historical western romance, you’ll love Dance to a Wylder Beat. If you’re a fan of historical romance, pick up this gem of a story. If you love shifter romances, you won’t want to miss Dance to a Wylder Beat. Highly recommend!

My Rating: 5+ stars