‘The Last Woman Standing’ by Thelma Adams book review

On July 1, Lake Union Publishing released the trade paperback novel The Last Woman Standing by Thelma Adams. The book has a fun style that fits the funky protagonist. And it gives us a deeper look into the lesser known history behind the shooting at the O.K. Corral.

Adams’s novel tells the story of Josephine Marcus. The daughter of Jewish immigrants, she flees her dull home-life to go west with the promise of marriage to famous Arizona lawman Johnny Behan. Once in Tombstone, she realizes that life with Johnny is a nightmare and she falls for the enigmatic Wyatt Earp. The story follows their whirlwind romance through the infamous shooting. Will she stick by his side while his reputation is dragged through the mud, or will she run back home to her parents in San Francisco?

This book fascinates from start to finish. The heroine has spunk and yearns for freedom. She runs away to fully live the life she’s meant to lead in an era where women were meant to obey their husbands and keep the home. It makes me wonder if I would have had the gall to do the same if I felt trapped. I like to think I would have.

Adams expertly makes Josephine come across as both vain and unsure of herself but in an endearing fashion. We rage with her when she’s wronged due to her naivety and we feel her passion with Wyatt. The book is both a romance and a historical depiction of the most famous town in the Old West. Both aspects hold the readers interest and you find yourself saying, “just one more chapter, just one more chapter.”

The Last Woman Standing is the best historical fiction I’ve read in some time. I’m a sucker for a plucky heroine who leaps before she looks. If you’re looking for a good Western, a good romance, or a historical retelling of the O.K. Corral, this book is for you. Adams holds your interest all the way through and gives you an in-depth look into a lesser-known historical figure behind the hero we all know.