Set in the 1860's, I Rode with Cullen Baker is the story of 15 year old Southern girl, Jessica Linville, whose life of privilege is inexorably changed when the Yankees burn down her family’s home. Orphaned and alone, and disguised as a boy, she soon gets into trouble and is rescued by the enigmatic Cullen Baker (Cully), a notorious real-life outlaw. Under the protection of Cully, Jess is exposed to a side of life she never knew. Experiencing numerous adventures with him, she soon finds herself falling in love with the larger-than-life outlaw.

Jess is an extremely likeable, if unlikely heroine, a prim and proper young woman who is well educated and mannered, yet not spoiled or arrogant. Cully is the perfect blend of charm and grit, just the sort of scoundrel a sheltered upperclass girl like Jess might fall for. Both characters are skilfully drawn as complex individuals with conflicting needs and a growing tension between them.

Jess is drawn to Cully perhaps because he represents everything that she is not, or perhaps because of the allure of a forbidden love. Colored by her perception of Cully as a knight in shining armor, she’s never quite sure–or reluctant to admit–how ruthless he is, or what he might be capable of. The subplot of her growing attraction to him provides a resonance of truth and an intriguing subtext of excitement and danger.

Jess becomes increasingly convinced she can change him, believing that all he needs is the love of a good woman to straighten him out. The attraction isn’t wholly one-sided though, and despite Cully’s rough nature, he genuinely begins to care for her as well. But other factors, including his shadowy past, ultimately come into play, and their future together becomes questionable.

Told in the first person through Jess’s point of view, the prose is eloquently written, crisp and rich in authentic detail. The lean narrative evokes a strong sense of setting and atmosphere, using all the senses to depict a vivid, dynamic world.

The imagery of the cabin and the campfire scenes, the inner thoughts and observations of Jess, the way the story begins so quickly without any wasted words is all evidence of Hartmann’s command of her craft.

I Rode with Cullen Baker is an impressive debut novel and excellent reading for all. It deserves far more exposure and a far greater audience than it's likely to get as a POD book.

Peter Marinacci