Sam Cherry created this romance-themed Western  pulp painting for use as the June, 1943 cover of Thrilling Ranch Stories – Romantic Stories of The West. The image shows a pretty blonde sweetheart of the rodeo embracing a Wild West town sheriff, who grins as he contemplates his great luck. Not only did he seemingly get the girl, a bullet aimed at him narrowly missed its mark, hurting only his Stetson.  For a hot minute in the pulp world, Western/Romance titles proliferated, filled with stories of love and in the lawless and reckless frontier. These hybrid titles included Ranch Romances, Western Rodeo Romances, Rangeland Love, Frontier Romances, Romances of The West and this Thrilling Publications title Thrilling Ranch Stories.

Grapefruit Moon Gallery recently purchased seven 1940s pulp cover paintings from an east coast collection belonging to a former employee of the publisher. Painting has been stretched on new pine back stretcher bars; its displays handsomely.