Warrior's Heart

Bestselling romance novelist Jackie Kramer published her short novel Warrior’s Heart in 2005. The story of mismatched lovers coming together after both have been wronged by the same terrible man, this novella was awarded first place in two short contemporary fiction contests: the 2006 HOLT Medallion and 2006 More Than Magic competition.

Jake Lone Wolf has just spent five years in prison, unjustly accused and convicted despite not having actually committed any crimes. The prejudice and hatred of his brother-in-law, Richard Culvers, a judge who couldn’t stand the fact that his sister married a Native American man was the reason for this injustice

However, the true victim of Richard’s machinations was neither Jake nor Jake’s wife – instead, it was their one-year-old daughter, Audrey. Not only did the young girl lose her father to prison, she soon after lost her mother as well. After the death of Jake’s wife, Richard Culver and his wife, Vicki, adopted Audrey. She has never known any other parents, and she no longer has Jake’s last name.



As the novel opens, Jake is finally released from prison. He has only thing on his mind: returning to Capston, Oklahoma, taking vengeance on his nemesis Richard, and taking back his daughter.

However, when he gets there, he finds that Richard is also long dead, and getting custody of Audrey is going to be much more complicated than he at first thought. Wanting to be close to his daughter, Jake seeks out the woman now raising her alone – Richard’s widow, Vicky.

Besides having her hands full with a six-year-old, Vicky has been struggling to turn her family’s Cato Creek Ranch into a thriving ostrich farm. It is a hard life, but she doesn’t mind. Since Richard’s death, she has felt nothing but relief, now finally free from the emotionally abusive marriage. She does, however, need help with the ranch, so when a handsome stranger offers to work there, she accepts.



Jake takes the ranch job, assuming that once Vicky hears his name, she will know who he is. Even though he introduces himself as Jake Lone Wolf, he is surprised that the name doesn’t at all register for Vicky. Quickly, Jake realizes that Vicky was just as much a victim of Richard’s evil as he was. Together, they start working to save the ranch and to develop its potential as much as possible.

Vicky has no interest in love or relationships, but she can’t help being attracted to the handsome and rugged Jake. Meanwhile, Jake is moved by Vicky’s love for his daughter and by her dedication to her job. Without intending to, they start to fall in love. Nevertheless, always hanging over Jake’s head is the knowledge that once Vicky finds out who he really is in relation to Audrey, their interests will no longer be aligned.

Of course, as is par for this genre’s course, true love ends up overcoming whatever obstacles are put in its way. Despite a few hiccups, Jake and Vicky are clearly meant for each other, and their love for their six-year-old daughter means they are the right parents for her as well. By the time Vicky finds out who Jake is, it is too late for her to reject the man who has become the love of her life.