Tag Archives: Western

#BookReview: Too Far Down by Mary Connealy

15 Nov

Connealy’s books are always a pleasure to read, and Too Far Down is no exception! The story begins with a bang, and the action and adventure continue until the very end. I enjoyed Cole and Mel’s story with its delightful blend of danger, romance, faith, and family. Although it is not a necessity, reading this series in order is recommended for a greater understanding of the ongoing storyline. Too Far Down is a great conclusion to the Cimarron Legacy series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thought expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

When an explosion kills men and damages the CR Mining Company, the Bodens realize their troubles are not behind them as they thought. Shadowy forces are still working against them.

Cole Boden finds himself caught between missing his time back East and all that New Mexico offers. Sure he fights with his siblings now and then, but he does care for them. He enjoys running the mine and, when he’s honest, he admits that Melanie Blake captures his interest in a way no other woman ever has.

Melanie has been a friend to the Bodens forever. A cowgirl who is more comfortable with horses and lassoes than people, she never expected to find herself falling for someone. Particularly for refined Cole Boden, a Harvard graduate who may not stay long at the ranch. She’s determined, however, to help the Bodens finally put an end to the danger that’s threatened all of them. But will putting herself in harm’s way be more dangerous than anyone expected?

Learn more about the book and the author.

#BookReview: Peace in the Valley by Ruth Logan Herne

5 Jun

Peace in the Valley is a great conclusion to the Double S Ranch series! I have enjoyed each of the Stafford stories, and Trey’s tale is my favorite of the bunch. I delighted in the pairing of a successful country crooner with an overwhelmed single mother. Their relationship is entertaining and romantic, and one that beautifully illustrates the importance of faith, love, and forgiveness. While Peace in the Valley can stand alone, I believe fans of cowboy romance will enjoy reading all three books in this heartwarming series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

In spite of their differences, Trey Walker Stafford knows he owes his life to cowboy and legendary rancher Sam Stafford—the uncle who rescued him after his parents’ death. Trey had left the Double S Ranch to pursue music against Sam’s wishes, but returns to central Washington when he learns he’s the best match for a procedure that could save Sam’s life. Although Trey’s found country music fame and success, he’s also endured the tragic loss of his wife. He croons about love, but struggles with a yawning emptiness he can’t explain.

Overwhelmed by a growing list of challenges, but mistrustful of Stafford men, single mother Lucy Carlton reluctantly accepts Trey’s help to revive her crumbling farm when Sam instructs him to repay the overdue debt to her family.

As the two grow closer, Trey slowly begins to open his heart to this beautiful woman and strives to let go of the grief he’s held for years. Lucy has a complicated history of her own. Can Trey accept her as she is, learn to forgive the past, and find the elusive peace he’s sought for so long?

Learn more about the book and the author.

#BookReview: Long Time Gone by Mary Connealy

26 Apr

From the western setting to the strong characters, Connealy’s stories are always fun to read! Drama and danger continue for the Boden clan, and I enjoyed reading Justin and Angie’s story. Humor and hijinks abound amidst the mystery and mayhem, leaving me eager to know how the series will conclude. While reading this series in order is not necessary, it is recommended for a greater understanding of the ongoing storyline. Long Time Gone is a charming blend of action, adventure, and romance!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

The Boden clan thought their problems had ended with the death of a dangerous enemy, but have they truly uncovered the real plot to take their New Mexico ranch? Rancher Justin Boden is now in charge. He is normally an unshakable and rugged man, but with his brother, Cole, shot and in mortal danger, even a tough man faces doubts. And it doesn’t help that Angie DuPree, the assistant to the doctor trying to save Cole, is as distracting a woman as Justin ever laid eyes on.

With her and the doc’s timely skills, Cole looks to be on the mend, and Justin and the rest of the Bodens can turn their attention back to the dangers facing them. It’s clear now that everything that’s occurred is part of a much bigger plot that could date back to a decades-old secret. Can they uncover all the pieces before danger closes in on them, or is the threat to the ranch even bigger than any of the Bodens could imagine?

Purchase a copy | Visit the author’s website

#BookReview: Love, Lies, and Typewriters | Facebook Launch Party

28 Nov

love-lies-and-typewriters

Love, Lies, & Typewriters by Heather Blanton

On sale today for $0.99!  http://amzn.to/2eKaMG7

A cowboy with a Purple Heart. A reporter with a broken heart. Which one is her Mr. Right?

When Lucy Daniels is rescued from a stampeding herd of cattle by war hero Dale Sumner, sparks fly and headlines are born. Smelling an opportunity, the local newspaper decides to send the couple on a tour selling war bonds—not to mention, subscriptions. Enamored with her handsome savior, Lucy is happy to play her part … until she realizes her affections are slowly slipping toward the wrong man.

Ace reporter and aspiring mystery writer Bryce Richard is tasked with building up Lucy and Dale’s budding affair. He can’t think of anything worse for a journalist than switching from hard news to pounding out romantic drivel. Complicating matters, Bryce wishes Lucy would look to him for her happily-ever-after. Only, that would wreck the whole tour and Bryce’s coveted book deal.

When love and lies collide on the front page, will Lucy and Bryce have a chance to write their own fairy tale ending? Or are they already yesterday’s news?

My thoughts:

“The fairy-tale ending is non-negotiable.”

This happily-ever-after is witty, humorous, and full of charm! I loved the time period and delighted in the characters and their antics. Love, Lies, and Typewriters is an entertaining novella and a great introduction to Heather Blanton’s writing. I look forward to reading more!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

llt-launch-party

YOU’RE INVITED!

Heather is celebrating the release of Love, Lies, & Typewriters with a Facebook launch party, TOMORROW, November 29, from 5-8 PM EST.  There will be chatting, freebies, and fun, so join the party now!  https://www.facebook.com/events/586955768155915/

#BookReview: Home on the Range by Ruth Logan Herne

17 Nov

home-on-the-range

Home on the Range by Ruth Logan Herne 

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/2dGI1wW

Can the brother left behind and a woman without hope work together for the good of two precious children?

Nick Stafford stayed in central Washington, working his family’s large ranch after his brothers left to pursue other passions—but his toughest job is being a single dad. As a child he watched his father fail at marriage and parenting, so Nick was determined to show him up. He’d be a better husband, father, and ranch manager than Sam Stafford ever was. Despite that commitment, three years after Nick’s wife left him, he has a daughter in trouble at school and both of his girls are facing issues that force him to rethink his stubborn plans.

For Dr. Elsa Andreas, life fell apart when tragedy caused her to abandon her family therapy practice and retreat to the backwoods of Gray’s Glen. Her school principal sister believes Elsa can guide the Stafford girls and that working with kids will draw Elsa out of her protective bubble.

Summer on the Double S teems with life and adventure. Amid the bounty of God and land, will Nick and Elsa find the courage to build futures based on faith rather than fear?

 

My thoughts:

Ruth Logan Herne welcomes readers back to the Double S Ranch, once again capturing the intricacies of ranching and family life. I quickly became immersed in the lives of Nick and his girls; the angst and emotion they felt was palpable. Experiencing their journey was both heart-wrenching and heartwarming, and I delighted in their happiness and healing. Home on the Range is an engaging story and a wonderful addition to this dramatic series. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Stafford family!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

#BookReview: Back in the Saddle by Ruth Logan Herne

4 Apr

Back in the Saddle

Back in the Saddle by Ruth Logan Herne

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1MyMU8l

The prodigal is coming home.

It’s been a long time since Colt Stafford shrugged off his cowboy legacy for shiny Manhattan loafers and a promising career on Wall Street. But when stock market manipulations leave him financially strapped, the oldest son of legendary rancher Sam Stafford decides to return to the sprawling Double S ranch in Gray’s Glen, Washington. He’s broke, but not broken, and it’s time to check in with his ailing father, and get his legs back under him by climbing into the saddle again.

He doesn’t expect to come home to a stranger pointing a loaded gun at his chest—a tough yet beautiful woman that Sam hired as the house manager. Colt senses there’s more to Angelina Morales than meets the eye and he’s determined to find out what she’s hiding . . . and why.

Colt’s return brings new challenges. Younger brother Nick has been Sam’s right-hand man at the ranch for years and isn’t thrilled at having Colt insert himself into Double S affairs. And the ranch’s contentious relationship with the citizens of Gray’s Glen asks all the Stafford men to examine their hearts about what it truly means to be a neighbor. And as Wall Street recovers, will Colt succumb to the call of the financial district’s wealth and power—or finally the courage to stay in the saddle for good?

 

My thoughts:

Back in the Saddle is a wonderful story of faith, family, and forgiveness! From the eye-catching cover to the sweet treat on the last page, I delighted in everything about this western romance. Ruth Logan Herne beautifully captures the intricate dynamics of this ranching family and brings the narrative to life with great characterization, vivid imagery, and an engaging story line.

It’s been years since Colt Stafford left the Double S Ranch, and now the prodigal son has returned. What he finds at home is not at all what he expected, but he’s determined to get back in the saddle. Colt’s story isn’t the only one that needs to be told, though. All of the Stafford men are wrestling with the past in their own way, and I can’t wait to continue the series and see what their future holds!

 

Ruth Logan Herne

Ruth Logan Herne has more than half a million books in print, including fifteen Love Inspired contemporary novels. Back in the Saddle is the first book in her new western romance series. Ruth is a founding member of Seekerville, a popular writing collective blog. A country girl who loves the big city, Ruth and her husband live on a farm in upstate New York.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

 

Back in the Saddle

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All thoughts expressed are my own. Click here to read what other bloggers are saying about Back in the Saddle.

Review: Now and Forever

8 Jun

Now and Forever

Now and Forever by Mary Connealy

Purchase links:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble

A grizzly bear, sheep, and wolves!  Oh my!  I can always count on Mary Connealy to humor me with her stories, and she certainly delivered the laughs in Now and Forever.  She also delivered drama, danger, and intrigue in this Wilde adventure. 

I loved Shannon Wilde and Matt Tucker!  Shannon is an independent woman who is determined to maintain her homestead and tend her sheep.  Matt is a mountain man content to hunt and trap and live off the land.  These two are entertaining characters and the fireworks between them are fun to behold!   

Now and Forever is another delightful story in the Wild at Heart series.  I love these feisty sisters and can’t wait to read Book 3, Fire and Ice

I received a complimentary copy of this book through the Bethany House Blogger Reviewer program. All thoughts expressed are my own and no monetary compensation was received.

 

About the book:

Saddle up for romance and adventure with the Wilde sisters!

Shannon Wilde is the middle sister–and the one who loves animals. She’s established her own homestead and is raising sheep for their wool. Things are going fine…until Shannon gets swept over a cliff by Matthew Tucker!

Tucker seizes every opportunity to get away from civilization, but one particular walk in the woods ends with him sprinting away from an angry grizzly and plunging into a raging river, accidentally taking Shannon Wilde with him. Their adventure in the wilderness results in the solitary mountain man finding himself hitched to a young woman with a passel of relatives, a homestead, and a flock of sheep to care for.

As Tucker and Shannon learn to live with each other, strange things begin to happen on Shannon’s land. Someone clearly wants to drive her off, but whoever it is apparently didn’t count on Tucker. Trying to scare Matthew Tucker just makes him mad–and trying to hurt the woman he’s falling in love with sets off something even he never expected.

 

Mary Conneally

 

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy…with cowboys.
http://www.maryconnealy.com
She is a Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

 

 

Review: Tried and True

8 Apr

Tried & True

Tried & True by Mary Connealy

Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Saddle up for a wildly fun ride with the Wilde sisters!

Kylie Wilde is the youngest sister–and the most civilized. Her older sisters might be happy dressing in trousers and posing as men, but Kylie has grown her hair long and wears skirts every chance she gets. It’s a risk–they are homesteading using the special exemptions they earned serving in the Civil War as “boys”–but Kylie plans to make the most of the years before she can sell her property and return to the luxuries of life back East.

Local land agent Aaron Masterson is fascinated with Kylie from the moment her long hair falls from her cap. But now that he knows her secret, can he in good conscience defraud the U.S. government? And when someone tries to force Kylie off her land, does he have any hope of convincing her that marrying him and settling on the frontier is the better option for her future?

Thoughts:

I loved this fun story!  Mary Connealy is a master of humor and western romance!  From the spunky characters to the drama, danger, and romance, Tried & True is pure delight.  I devoured this book and am eager to get my hands on the next one! 

I received a complimentary copy of this book through The Book Club Network.  All thoughts expressed are my own and no monetary compensation was received. 

Mary Conneally

 

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy…with cowboys.
http://www.maryconnealy.com
She is a Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.
    

Blog Tour + Review: Wind in the Wires

26 Jan

Wind in the Wires

Wind in the Wires by Janet Chester Bly

Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble

A cowgirl searches for love and family. An old man seeks justice for two cold case murders. Their journey together exposes lies and betrayal. Will the truth be too hard for either to bear?

It’s 1991. Reba Cahill loves ranching with Grandma Pearl in north central Idaho. But there’s a lot of work and only two of them. Reba decides she needs a husband to help her run the ranch. But she finds few prospects in the small town of Road’s End.  

But Reba is also missing something else: her mother. Deserted by her at three-years-old and never knowing her dad, she feels a sense of longing and loss. And bitterness.

When elderly, quirky Road’s End citizen Maidie Fortress dies, Uncle Seth presents Reba Cahill with an expensive piece of jewelry that turns Reba’s world upside down and leads her down unexpected paths and toward unsuspected admirers. Will the facts also ruin all hope for romance?  

Thoughts:

Wind in the Wires is the first book in a new series by Janet Chester Bly.  This Trails of Reba Cahill novel is Janet’s solo debut, as the books she has written in the past were co-authored with her late husband Stephen Bly.  Janet also co-authored with her three sons to finish Stephen’s last novel for him, Stuart Brannon’s Final Shot.

Wind in the Wires takes the reader back to 1991 in the small town of Road’s End, Idaho.  The author’s imagery is vivid and I easily envisioned the rural countryside.  While the characterization is strong, the cast of characters is vast and I found myself struggling to become invested in the characters.  The plot also presented a few challenges.  There were times when the story was engaging and other times when I felt a bit lost and my interest waned.  As the story progressed, I enjoyed the elements of suspense as family secrets were uncovered and surprises were revealed.  As the story concludes, questions linger and set the stage for the novel to follow. 

Despite my personal struggles, I have no doubt there are many who will enjoy this unique story! 

My sincere thanks to the author for the complimentary copy of this book.  All thoughts expressed in this review are my own. 

Click here to read the first chapter of Wind in the Wires.

 

About the Author:

Janet-w-leather-scarf-1-200x300Janet Chester Bly is a city girl with a country heart. She doesn’t corral horses or mow her own lawn. “I’m no womba woman,” she says. But she followed her husband award-winning western author Stephen Bly to the Idaho mountain top village of Winchester to write books and minister to a small church. When she lost him, she stayed. She manages the online Bly Books bookstore, rakes lots of Ponderosa pine needles and cones, and survives the long winter snows.

Janet Chester Bly is the widow of award-winning western author Stephen Bly. Together they authored and co-authored 120 fiction and nonfiction books. She and her three sons finished Stephen’s last novel for him, Stuart Brannon’s Final Shot, a Selah Award Finalist. The family’s story is told on her website blog: http://www.blybooks.com/. Wind in the Wires is Janet’s first solo adult novel, a contemporary western mystery, a road adventure with a touch of romance. It’s Cowgirl Lit. Reader’s Guide for Group Discussion included. 

Author Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

Blog Tour + Review: Colorado Hope

19 Jan

Colorado Hope banner

 

About the Book:

1875 ~ Beset by a sudden spring storm on the Front Range, newlywed Grace Cunningham watches in horror as her husband, Monty, is swept downriver. Pregnant and despairing, she stumbles into Fort Collins and tries to make a life for herself, praying that one day the man she loves will walk into town and back into her life.Colorado Hope 2

A year after Grace’s tragic loss, Monty enters the dress shop where she works—with a beautiful woman on his arm. Shocked that he has no recollection of her, Grace is determined to win back his heart. Somehow she must help him regain his memories and his buried love for her—and not just for her sake but for the sake of their infant son, Ben.

Monty, miserable in his marriage to a woman he hardly knows, is inexplicably drawn to Grace. Every time he’s near her, memories surface, but they are hazy and troubling. He’s torn between his vows and the desires of his heart, for he cannot stay away from Grace.

Grace’s hope is sparked when Monty starts recalling glimpses of his past. But when murderous outlaws come to town, she is thrust into grave danger. Monty risks his life to rescue her, only to face even greater perils in the treacherous mountains. Can she truly hang on to hope when she is about to lose all she loves?

Thoughts:

Colorado Hope is another wonderful, historical romance by Charlene Whitman!  Adventures in the Colorado Territory continue in this second book in the Front Range series.  While readers of Book 1, Colorado Promise, will enjoy revisiting a few characters, Colorado Hope is easily enjoyed as a stand-alone novel.    

With excellent characterization and superb imagery, Charlene Whitman brings this story to life!  I loved the dramatic storyline and its pulse-pounding danger and tender romance.  Monty and Grace Cunningham are such endearing characters!  My heart ached for them and all they endured.  Their story is one of loss and despair, but is also one of abiding love and hope.  I loved this captivating journey and look forward to more adventures on the Front Range! 

For fans of historical and western romance, I highly recommend both books in Charlene Whitman’s Front Range series, Colorado Promise and Colorado Hope.   

Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

Charlene WhitmanCharlene Whitman spent many years living on Colorado’s Front Range.  She grew up riding and raising horses, and loves to read, write, and hike the mountains.  She attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins as an English major.  She has two daughters and is married to George “Dix” Whitman, her love of thirty years.  Colorado Hope is the second sweet Historical Western Romance novel in her Front Range series.

Connect with Charlene on Facebook and Twitter.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.  All thoughts expressed in this review are my own and no monetary compensation was received.