Recent Reads - The Scarlet Pen

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The Scarlet Pen by Jennifer Uhlarik - Emma Draycott is excited to accept the surprise proposal of her childhood friend Stephen Dee Richards, but her family is less than thrilled. Her parents don't like that they got engaged before Stephen asked their permission, and there is something about him that doesn't sit right with them. Something more than the fact that he has no means to support their daughter. Stephen claims to have business prospects that he's pursuing and leaves town to earn his fortune . . . after some extravagant spending with money he received as an inheritance. Emma is distraught when he leaves so quickly after their engagement, and with so little information about where he's going and who his business partners might be, but she remains loyal and continues to write to him. To add to her distress, a cowboy that is new in town turns out to be a Secret Service agent investigating counterfeit money, and he is asking a lot of questions about Stephen.

Clay Timmons is a Secret Service agent tracking down the source of counterfeit bills that have been passed in the area. He quickly develops a good working relationship with the banker, Emmitt Draycott and his family, staying in their guesthouse as he follows the trail. He is attracted to Emma and his feelings are torn when he realizes that the fake money keeps leading to her betrothed. It puts his friendship with her on rocky ground, to say the least. As he continues following Stephen's trail, he realizes that the string of violent murders is connected to Stephen as well. It soon becomes very clear that Stephen is extremely dangerous, and it will be up to Clay to inform Emma and protect her as well as bring Stephen to justice. But will she believe him, and how will she react?

This story is based on the true history of serial killer Stephen Dee Richards, and despite the horror of his crimes, there is justice and even a message of hope in his true story and in the fictional framework the author uses to tell the story. It definitely kept me turning pages and hoping the law would catch up to Stephen before he did more harm.

From the publisher:

Step into True Colors -- a series of Historical Stories of Romance and True American Crime

Enjoy a tale of true but forgotten history of a 19th century serial killer whose silver-tongued ways almost trap a young woman into a nightmarish marriage.

In 1876, Emma Draycott is charmed into a quick engagement with childhood friend Stephen Dee Richards after reconnecting with him at a church event in Mount Pleasant, Ohio. But within the week, Stephen leaves to "make his fame and fortune." The heartbroken Emma gives him a special pen to write to her, and he does with tales of grand adventures. Secret Service agent Clay Timmons arrives in Mount Pleasant to track purchases made with fake currency. Every trail leads back to Stephen -- and therefore, Emma. Can he convince the naive woman she is engaged to a charlatan who is being linked to a string of deaths in Nebraska?

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

I received a digital ARC of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review.

#TheScarletPen #NetGalley

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - The Chisholm Trail Bride

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The Chisholm Trail Bride by Kathleen Y'Barbo - Eliza Gentry is the headstrong youngest child of a rancher, and she's frustrated by her family's opposition to the young man who has been courting her. Her father has been enemies with Ben's family since Eliza was a young girl. She soon realizes that her interest in Ben is more about her own bid for freedom than any fondness for the man himself, and that knowledge is certain the evening one of the bodyguards her father has hired must step in to protect her when Ben threatens.

Wyatt Creed is the Pinkerton detective hired by Mr. Gentry to watch over and protect Eliza - and he'd do anything for her, except act on his feelings for her or tell her who he really is. She knows him as John Brady and doesn't recognize him as the childhood friend she thinks is dead. Wyatt and his men are looking for evidence of the criminal activity they believe Ben is involved in, but Wyatt is also determined to keep Eliza safe and keep his own promise to Mr. Gentry - a promise that he won't reveal his true identity.

As the dangers increase, and as Eliza finds herself trapped and manipulated by Ben, she turns to Wyatt for help for herself and for her family. How will Wyatt keep her from harm and bring Ben to justice, all while keeping his word? Or will Eliza figure it out on her own, as the two of them become closer?

I enjoyed this book and its characters right from the start. Eliza has a thirst for adventure and learning, but doesn't always make the best choices, so she is a realistic heroine. Wyatt's huge success as a detective at such a young age isn't quite as realistic, but he makes a great leading man. The blurb from the publisher is a little misleading, in my opinion, because it makes it sound like Mr Gentry sends a grown Eliza on the cattle drive along with Wyatt, In fact, the story begins on the Chisholm Trail when Eliza is just a young girl, and it does circle around to wrap up on the Trail as well.

From the publisher:

Stubborn Hearts Clash on a Cattle Drive

Eliza Gentry's pursuit of marriage to the son of her family's sworn enemy has cost her greatly. Furious at his daughter's choices, her father sends her off with the cattle drive heading toward Fort Worth and the Barnhart ranch, but under the watchful eye of Wyatt Creed, a Pinkertown man he has hired to see to her safety. With danger at every turn - not the least of which to his heart - can Wyatt Creed keep his focus with Eliza Gentry around? Is the Chisholm Trail a place for falling in love or a place to die at the hands of cattle thieves?

Join the adventure as the Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with The Chisholm Trail Bride by Kathleen Y'Barbo.

Other books in this series: The Mayflower Bride, The Pirate Bride, The Captured Bride, The Patriot Bride, The Cumberland Bride, The Liberty Bride, The Alamo Bride, The Golden Bride, The Express Bride, The Rebel Bride, The Blizzard Bride

Book Twelve in the Daughters of the Mayflower series.

By the same author: The Pirate Bride, The Alamo Bride

I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley for the purpose of this review.

©2008-2020 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

The Express Bride

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The Express Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse -  After her father's death, Jacqueline "Jack" Rivers took over management of his Pony Express station, thriving in her work but worried that the company will not allow her to continue in the position once they realize she's a woman. She is still grieving her dad when Elijah Johnson arrives looking for information about someone that may have passed through the area twenty-some years ago. Jackie and Elijah quickly strike up a friendship and Elijah decides to stay at the station for awhile, awaiting further instructions from his employer. Another guest at the same time is a government official who approaches both Jackie and Elijah about helping him gather information about counterfeiters operating in the Utah territory.

Elijah has been commissioned by his employer, Mr Vines, to follow the trail of the wife and daughter that left more than twenty years ago. Anna Vines had escaped her husband's abuse with her infant, and had covered her tracks very well, but Vines is a changed man and his failing health has motivated him to make one more attempt to reconnect with his daughter. Elijah doesn't have much information to go on - Anna had headed west, had traveled under different names, and had passed away when the daughter was about three - but some cryptic entries in the guestbook at Jackie's station seem to match up so he sticks around to find out more. As he puts the pieces together, he begins to suspect that Jackie may actually be the long-lost daughter and heir of his employer. And if she is, how will she take that news? Will she believe that Elijah is genuine in his growing affection for her, or will she think he is trying to get access to the fortune she could inherit?

The novel opens with the prologue of Anna Vines and her desperate bid to escape her drunken and abusive husband, and keep her infant daughter safe. So the reader has some inside information that Jackie is almost certainly the long-lost daughter of Charles Vines. Jackie and Elijah are both engaging sympathetic characters, and an older and wiser Mr Vines is as well. The historical detail and background of how the Pony Express station operates creates an intriguing backdrop for the whole story, and I quickly found myself hoping that Jackie and Elijah would discover the truth about her identity and looking forward to a joyful reunion with Jackie's biological father.

The subplot about the counterfeiting operation seemed disconnected from the main story right from the start, and I felt like it was there only as a device to add an element of danger. It also added some suspense when Elijah was gravely injured in a stagecoach attack and because he was unconscious for quite some time, he and Jackie were unable to exchange any information. But in my opinion, the storyline about the counterfeiting operation was an unrelated aside and purely coincidental.

From the publisher:

The Wilderness Is a Great Place to Hide

Jacqueline Rivers manages a Pony Express station in 1860 Utah territory after her father's death. There are daily stresses placed on her in this unconventional role - and now a government official is asking her to sniff out counterfeiters. When Elijah Johnson passes through on the stage while on an exhausting quest to find his boss's heir, he doesn't want to leave the beguiling station manager. In fact, he may never leave when caught in the crossfire of the territory's criminal activities. Jackie can't decide if Elijah is friend or foe. Can she remain strong when secrets of the past and present are finally unearthed?

Other books in this series: The Mayflower Bride, The Pirate Bride, The Captured Bride, The Patriot Bride, The Cumberland Bride, The Liberty Bride, The Alamo Bride, The Golden Bride

Book Nine in the Daughters of the Mayflower series.

By the same author: The Mayflower Bride, The Patriot Bride, The Alamo Bride, The Golden Bride

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

©2008-2019 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - The Express Bride

This post contains affiliate links.

The Express Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse -  After her father's death, Jacqueline "Jack" Rivers took over management of his Pony Express station, thriving in her work but worried that the company would not allow her to continue in the position once they realize she's a woman. She is still grieving her dad when Elijah Johnson arrives looking for information about someone that may have passed through the area twenty-some years ago. Jackie and Elijah quickly strike up a friendship and Elijah decides to stay at the station for awhile, awaiting further instructions from his employer. Another guest at the same time is a government official who approaches both Jackie and Elijah about helping him gather information about counterfeiters operating in the Utah territory.

Elijah has been commissioned by his employer, Mr Vines, to follow the trail of the wife and daughter that left more than twenty years ago. Anna Vines had escaped her husband's abuse with her infant, and had covered her tracks very well, but Vines is a changed man and his failing health has motivated him to make one more attempt to reconnect with his daughter. Elijah doesn't have much information to go on - Anna had headed west, had traveled under different names, and had passed away when the daughter was about three - but some cryptic entries in the guestbook at Jackie's station seem to match up so he sticks around to find out more. As he puts the pieces together, he begins to suspect that Jackie may actually be the long-lost daughter and heir of his employer. And if she is, how will she take that news? Will she believe that Elijah is genuine in his growing affection for her, or will she think he is trying to get access to the fortune she could inherit?

The novel opens with the prologue of Anna Vines and her desperate bid to escape her drunken and abusive husband, and keep her infant daughter safe. So the reader has some inside information that Jackie is almost certainly the long-lost daughter of Charles Vines. Jackie and Elijah are both engaging sympathetic characters, and an older and wiser Mr Vines is as well. The historical detail and background of how the Pony Express station operates creates an intriguing backdrop for the whole story, and I quickly found myself hoping that Jackie and Elijah would discover the truth about her identity and looking forward to a joyful reunion with Jackie's biological father.

The subplot about the counterfeiting operation seemed disconnected from the main story right from the start, and I felt like it was there only as a device to add an element of danger. It also added some suspense when Elijah was gravely injured in a stagecoach attack and because he was unconscious for quite some time, he and Jackie were unable to exchange any information. But in my opinion, the storyline about the counterfeiting operation was an unrelated aside and purely coincidental.

From the publisher:

The Wilderness Is a Great Place to Hide

Jacqueline Rivers manages a Pony Express station in 1860 Utah territory after her father's death. There are daily stresses placed on her in this unconventional role - and now a government official is asking her to sniff out counterfeiters. When Elijah Johnson passes through on the stage while on an exhausting quest to find his boss's heir, he doesn't want to leave the beguiling station manager. In fact, he may never leave when caught in the crossfire of the territory's criminal activities. Jackie can't decide if Elijah is friend or foe. Can she remain strong when secrets of the past and present are finally unearthed?

Other books in this series: The Mayflower Bride, The Pirate Bride, The Captured Bride, The Patriot Bride, The Cumberland Bride, The Liberty Bride, The Alamo Bride, The Golden Bride

Book Seven in the Daughters of the Mayflower series.

By the same author: The Mayflower Bride, The Patriot Bride, The Golden Bride

I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley for the purpose of this review.

©2008-2019 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - The Accidental Guardian

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The Accidental Guardian by Mary Connealy - It takes only a couple of paragraphs to get the action started in this story, and everything - including the inevitable romance - moves at quite a clip throughout! Deb Harkness and her younger sister Gwen have been caring for two small children in the small wagon train west, and it's fortunate that the four of them make an early morning trip away from the wagon circle. It's during those few minutes that outlaws attack and set the wagons on fire, leaving no survivors. Other than the Harkness sisters and their two small charges. Soon Trace Riley happens by, and Deb takes a huge chance that he's a decent man and will help them. Trace has taken on the responsibility of secretly guarding the trail since his own wagon train was attacked years ago, so despite his surprise he doesn't hesitate in taking the little band back to his ranch and providing shelter and protection for them.

Having just returned from a cattle drive, Trace and his two ranch hands are preparing for winter, so they spring into action building new and improved quarters so the newcomers can spend the winter in comfort. Trace is also determined to hunt down the men that attacked the wagon train and bring them to justice, and doesn't want to let too much time go by. Since Deb is the only survivor that has seen the men and can identify them, Trace is eventually convinced to take her along on a scouting trip to the nearest settlements and lawmen. And it's on this trip that they decide to get married. See? I said the story moved quickly!

Connealy's novels usually feature humorous situations and plenty of light banter between the love interests, and although some wry humor comes through in this one, it's a little more serious overall. The urgency of finding the outlaws before they strike again, and of building sturdy cabins before winter drives the story along, and even the attraction between Trace and Deb hurries from kind stranger to new friendship to marriage at an almost breakneck speed. The breathless pace certainly kept me turning pages, but everything felt a bit rushed - from the developing romantic storyline to the way all the characters settled so quickly into their 'new normal'. However, despite the grim circumstances at the beginning of the story, it wound up as a pretty good read, with a tone that was light yet not frivolous.

From the publisher:

She's the only witness to a wagon train attack.
Keeping her safe, though, means his world is about to be turned upside down.

When Trace Riley finds the smoldering remains of a small wagon train, he recognizes an attack by the same group who left him as sole survivor years ago. Living off the wilderness since then, he's finally carved out a home and started a herd--while serving as self-appointed guardian of the trail. He'd hoped the days of driving off dangerous men were over, but the latest attack shows otherwise.

Deborah Harkness saved her younger sister and two toddlers during the attack, and now finds herself at the mercy of her rescuer. Trace becomes an accidental guardian when he offers the only shelter for miles around and agrees to take them in until they can safely continue their journey. His simple bachelor existence never anticipated kids and women in the picture and their arrival is unsettling--yet enticing.

Trace and Deborah find themselves drawing ever closer as they work together to bring justice to the trail and help the group survive the winter--but every day closer to spring means a day closer to leaving the mountains forever.

By the same author: Over the Edge, Swept Away, The Boden Birthright, Out of Control, No Way Up, Fire and Ice, Now and Forever, Tried and True

Visit the Baker Publishing Group for info on where to buy.

©2008-2018 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Teaser Tuesday/First Chapter First Paragraph - The Accidental Guardian

This post contains affiliate links. 

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia at The Purple Booker. To play along, just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

She didn't want to make this one bit harder on him than it already was. The man was saving their lives plain and simple, and she'd do her best to make that as easy as possible.

~The Accidental Guardian by Mary Connealy, page 59

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros is a weekly link-up hosted by I'd Rather Be At The Beach. To participate, share the first paragraph (or two) of a book you're reading, or thinking about reading.

SOUTHWEST OF LAKE TAHOE, NEVADA

OCTOBER 1867

Deborah Harkness came awake with a snap, her hand already steady on the six-gun under her pillow.

Just as fast, she eased off the tension and the trigger. She knew that sound.

"Deb, I've got to go." Three-year-old Maddie Sue needed to make a predawn run into the tall grass.

It was almost encouraging that, after months of being awakened many mornings in just this way, Deb could still get nervous. A woman needed to be alert on a wagon train heading through the wilderness.

Here's the blurb:

She's the only witness to a wagon train attack.
Keeping her safe, though, means his world is about to be turned upside down.

When Trace Riley finds the smoldering remains of a small wagon train, he recognizes an attack by the same group who left him as sole survivor years ago. Living off the wilderness since then, he's finally carved out a home and started a herd--while serving as self-appointed guardian of the trail. He'd hoped the days of driving off dangerous men were over, but the latest attack shows otherwise.

Deborah Harkness saved her younger sister and two toddlers during the attack, and now finds herself at the mercy of her rescuer. Trace becomes an accidental guardian when he offers the only shelter for miles around and agrees to take them in until they can safely continue their journey. His simple bachelor existence never anticipated kids and women in the picture and their arrival is unsettling--yet enticing.

Trace and Deborah find themselves drawing ever closer as they work together to bring justice to the trail and help the group survive the winter--but every day closer to spring means a day closer to leaving the mountains forever.

What do you think? Would you continue reading?

©2008-2018 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - Over the Edge

This post contains affiliate links.

Over the Edge (The Kincaid Brides) (Volume 3) by Mary Connealy - It seems like a long time ago that I read the first two books in The Kincaid Brides series, but I finally picked up the third and read it during this past week. In this one, the youngest of the Kincaid brothers, Seth, is reunited with his wife but has to work at remembering her! And to his surprise, he also has a son, and apparently another brother too!

Seth has suffered from nightmares since the childhood accident in the caves near the Kincaid ranch that has scarred all three brothers' lives. But Seth bore the worst scars, and his injuries and experiences during the war only made the nightmares worse. In fact, there are gaping holes in Seth's memories of the war and what had happened since. When he receives word that his wife Callie is on her way to Colorado, he has only the vaguest memory of having married her. Callie's arrival is memorable, however, because the stagecoach she's riding in is attacked by outlaws, and Callie's courage and excellent shooting save the passengers' lives. She is injured though, and while recovering in town before Seth takes her and their baby home to the ranch, they are approached by a boy who claims that he is Seth's half-brother.

Seth takes his surprise family home to the ranch, and Callie makes it clear that he will have to earn her trust after he abandoned her - and then apparently forgot her - in his confusion and illness so many months ago. She and baby Connor are worth remembering, and Seth is determined to win her again and be steady and responsible. Of course, there are other challenges to be faced as well, including another danger to the Kincaids from a man who believes they've hidden a fortune that belongs to him in those caves.

By the same author: Swept Away, The Boden Birthright, Out of Control, No Way Up, Fire and Ice, Now and Forever, Tried and True

©2008-2017 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads - My Heart Belongs in Fort Bliss, Texas: Priscilla's Reveille

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My Heart Belongs in Fort Bliss, Texas: Priscilla’s Reveille by Erica Vetsch - Priscilla Hutchens arrives in Fort Bliss expecting a very short stay - just long enough to collect her orphaned niece and nephew and take them back to Cincinnati with her - and can find little about the army town to recommend it. She wants little to do with the army because of her childhood experiences and unhappy memories of a father that never returned from patrol, and a mother that remained bitter the rest of her life. And now army life has taken her brother and his wife, leaving their two young children alone in the world. Priscilla knows she can give the twins a safe and stable life, far away from the army.

But she had almost no contact with her brother since he joined the army, and had never even met his wife or the children. And she had no idea that the children's uncle, Major Elliot Ryder, already had an affectionate relationship with them and was caring for them, claiming that his sister's dying wish had been for him to take the twins. Priscilla insists that she can give the twins a better upbringing, and Elliot staunchly refuses to give them up to her . . . and although the children quickly warm to Priscilla, they don't want to leave Fort Bliss and the only life they've known. Priscilla extends her stay in Fort Bliss thinking that she will be able to convince Elliot to give the children to her. She finds that her artistic abilities are a great help to Elliot as he is compiling a detailed medicinal herb journal, and that she seems to have a natural affinity for nursing and assisting him in the surgery. And the two get along and work well together - and realize they are very attracted to each other as well - except when it comes to the subjects of army life and where the children will live.

When Elliot's duties take him out on an extended patrol, Priscilla has opportunity to spend more time with the wives at Fort Bliss and examines her own attitude about the army, allowing herself to wonder if she could let go of her prejudice against the army. Between a medical emergency that arises while Elliot is away, and her time spent worrying about Elliot and admitting her feelings for him, will Priscilla be willing to stay at Fort Bliss in order to be with her only remaining family? Even while she is considering this, Elliot is dealing with a crisis on patrol and is rethinking whether the children might be better off with Priscilla, and whether he can risk his own heart in a bid to ask her to stay.

This was a very enjoyable read, and a sweet romantic story, with a gentle underlying lesson about finding contentment and peace.

From the publisher:

Journey now to Fort Bliss in West Texas of 1874, where . . .

A Battle Is About to be Waged Between Two Hearts.

Fashion artist Priscilla Hutchens has a grudge against the army that has ruined her family and taken the people she hold most dear. When her twin niece and nephew are left orphaned at Fort Bliss, Texas, she swoops down on Fort Bliss to gain custody of them immediately.

There is just one thing standing in the way - Post surgeon Major Elliot Ryder, who is also the twins' uncle, also claims the children and thinks he knows what is best for them.

Priscilla and Elliot will cross swords, but each will have to lay down arms if they are to find a lasting peace on which to form the family both are longing for. Who will win the battle? Or will a truce be called for the sake of love and family?

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

©2008-2017 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads - Swept Away

This post contains affiliate links. 

Swept Away (Trouble in Texas) (Volume 1) by Mary Connealy - This humorous western romance and adventure starts out with Luke Stone being accused of robbing a stagecoach as he's passing through a small town on his way back to Broken Wheel; and with Ruthy MacNeil ready to ford a fast-moving stream with the rest of the wagon train west she's traveling with. Luke manages to get out of town and on his way, realizing that he was being framed, and rides hard for his home. The reason for his hurry? He needed to reclaim his family's ranch, which had been stolen by a ruthless land-grabber who had forged the sale document and killed Luke's father. Luke had friends in town that he had served with during the Civil War, and the small band of men was ready to stand with Luke in the battle for his property.

But Luke stumbles across a young woman who needs help - Ruthy was injured and nearly drowned when a flash flood struck her wagon train, and she is the only survivor, carried miles downstream. Since she has nowhere else to go, and Luke is in a hurry, he takes her along and the two develop a friendship. Ruthy makes Luke's cause her own after meeting his friends and learning about the situation at Broken Wheel.

Although there's humorous exchanges and situations, the story focuses on Luke and his friends risking everything to restore the ranch to Luke and to save the villain's wife and her children from his abuse. The odds are stacked against them, but of course justice wins the day, and Luke and Ruthy find true love along the way as well.

By the same author: The Boden Birthright, Out of Control, No Way Up, Fire and Ice, Now and Forever, Tried and True

©2008-2016 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads - Caught In the MIddle

This post contains affiliate links. 

Caught in the Middle by Regina Jennings - Isn't this a cute cover? It caught my eye as I was roving the bookshelves at the library a couple weeks ago so I picked it up and thought it would make a good light read. The story features Nicholas Lovelace, a successful businessman in a small town in Texas, who is building a flourishing career by supplying lumber and other supplies to a railroad. While on his way home, his train is held up and Anne Tillerton comes to the rescue. Nick remembered Anne, a friend of his sister's, from years ago in his hometown, but she is an unusual character. Anne has been working as a buffalo hunter in Indian territory, and dresses the part. In fact, she tries to stay as far away from civilized society as she can.

Anne has gone to look for the cook that had abandoned the camp, but once she tracks her down, the woman abandons her child to Anne's care. Since Nick is the only person in town Anne knows - and he offered to help her - she turns to him to team up with her in order to find the child's father. But Anne forms a great affection for the little boy, and when efforts to locate his family seem fruitless, she determines that she will provide a stable home for him. And Nick and Anne are forming an unlikely partnership and warm relationship as well, but will Anne be able to overcome her troubled past and be able to trust Nick with her hurts and secrets?

Although my initial impression that this would be a bit of a romantic comedy wasn't far off the mark, it's a story that also touches on the plight of a young woman who was abused and friendless, and rejected by society; so there's an emotional tug as well. I thought it struck a comfortable balance which made it a fairly light-hearted romance with characters that had serious troubles and decisions to deal with, making it cozy but not shallow.

©2008-2016 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Teaser Tuesday - Caught in the Middle

This post contains affiliate links. 

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jenn at Books and Beat. To play along, just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers! 

The woman's chin lifted. "My boarding-house serves only the finest clientele. Women dressed in men's clothing, toting around illegitimate children, are not welcome."
"He's not illegitimate." Anne stopped. "Well, actually he is, but he's not mine, and I had nothing to do with this mess. His mother left him --"

~Caught in the Middle by Regina Jennings, page 61



Here's the blurb:

The train to Garber, Texas, is supposed to bring Nicholas Lovelace to the next victory in his life and career. Instead, it's held up by robbers who are thwarted by the last person Nick ever expected -- Anne Tillerton from back home in Prairie Lea. Anne's been working as a buffalo hunter. She's only in town to talk their runaway cook into returning. But the woman flees -- and leaves Anne with her infant son. With Nick the only person Anne knows in town, the two form an unlikely team as they try to figure out what to do with the child.

©2008-2016 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads - The Boden Birthright

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The Boden Birthright: A Cimarron Legacy Novella by Mary Connealy - I came across this prequel novella after enjoying the first novel in the Cimarron Legacy series. It introduces the patriarch of the Boden family, Chance, and tells the story of how he and his oldest son, Cole, arrived in New Mexico Territory looking to stake a land claim and make it on his own. He finds more than just a temporary home at the Cimarron Ranch though, when Frank Chastain offers him a job and help in choosing some good neighboring land for himself. As Chance learns all he can about ranching from Frank, he's also grateful for the help Frank's daughter Veronica gives him in caring for young Cole, and Frank takes notice. Veronica suspects her father is planning some matchmaking - to which she isn't opposed - but his plans are hurried along unexpectedly when he is shot and begs Chance and Veronica to marry immediately in order to secure the inheritance of the land.

A good introduction to the Boden family, and a surprising amount of detail in a relatively short and engaging story.

By the same author: Out of Control, No Way Up, Fire and Ice, Now and Forever, Tried and True

©2008-2016 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads - Out Of Control

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Out of Control (The Kincaid Brides Book 1) by Mary Connealy - When I recently read No Way Up, I realized that the name of the male lead, Heath Kincaid, sounded familiar, and he did mention his three older half-brothers several times. Upon finishing that book, I scrolled through the other books on my Kindle and found that I did indeed have the first book in The Kincaid Brides series, but hadn't yet read it. My next move was pretty obvious - read this book!

When they were young boys, Rafe Kincaid and his two younger brothers had a terrifying experience while exploring a cave on their ranch. The experience left all three of them scarred physically and emotionally, and Rafe's way of dealing with it has been to stay in complete control of himself and his surroundings, especially distancing himself from any emotional involvement. His control and command of life is tested when he rescues a fiery young woman who has been trapped in the cave. Rafe wants nothing to do with the cave or the dangers it represents, but Julia is fascinated by the fossils she's found inside, and is relentless in her desire to keep exploring, despite the fact that someone purposely stranded her in the cave with intent to harm her.

Rafe's icy control is slipping as he falls in love with Julia and realizes that he will do just about anything to keep her safe and to allow her to follow her passionate interest in scientific discovery in the caves. He has to manage Julia, her family, and his brothers, all while trying to find the person who threatens their safety from within the caves. For her part, Julia is learning to love Rafe, but is desperate to know that he loves her in return, and she grows to realize that his attempts to boss everyone and control everything are partly a response to his childhood fear of the cave as well as his desire to protect her.

Lots of adventure - some of it improbable - and plenty of humorous exchanges between the fiery and flawed characters make for an exciting story, and a light-hearted romance developing through difficult and dangerous circumstances.

By the same author: No Way Up, Fire and Ice, Now and Forever, Tried and True

©2008-2016 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads - No Way Up

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No Way Up (The Cimarron Legacy Book 1) by Mary Connealy - When I selected this title to review, I knew I'd be in for an exciting ride somewhere out west, because I've read a previous series by Connealy. She specializes in romances set in the west with plenty of comedic twist. This was no exception.

Rancher Chance Boden is seriously injured in a rockslide, and when he and his wife head to the hospital in Denver, he insists that his three adult children come to the Cimarron Ranch and hear the terms of his will - which are to go into effect immediately. The two brothers, Justin and Cole, are at each other constantly, and are bossing everyone else around, especially their sister Sadie. And they especially object to Sadie spending time with ranch hand Heath Kincaid. But Heath was the man who acted quickly in the rockslide and may have saved their father's life. Not only that, but Heath noticed something suspicious - that rockslide may not have been an accident!

The title of the book comes from the reference made many times to the mesa where the rockslide happened. The Boden siblings have been trying since they were youngsters to climb that mesa, and they are sure there is "no way up". Yet Heath and Sadie are very sure they saw someone up there, so they are determined to make their own way to the top - and hope that will help them get to the bottom of the mystery of who plotted against their pa and why.

Lots of excitement, and humorous dialogue; and some romantic sparks fly between Heath and Sadie as they work to save the ranch and keep the Bodens safe from danger. There are a few hints dropped as to which Boden might be the focus of the next book in the series too. (By the way, Heath Kincaid is the younger brother from the family in The Kincaid Brides set of novels, which I haven't read yet, but now I may have to!)

By the same author: Fire and Ice, Now and Forever, Tried and True

From the publisher:

The Fight for the Cimarron Ranch Has Just Begun!

When Cimarron Ranch patriarch Chance Boden is caught in an avalanche, only the quick actions of hired hand Heath Kincaid save him. Before leaving by train to receive treatment to save his leg-- and possibly his life -- Chance demands that Heath read the patriarch's will and see its conditions enforced immediately. If Chance's three bickering adult children, Justin, Sadie, and Cole, don't live and work at the ranch for an entire year, ownership of the ranch will pass to a despised distant relative.

Before long, however, Heath discovers that the avalanche may have been intentionally set -- and that more danger lurks ominously. Finding his own future -- and a desired future with Sadie -- locked up in saving the Cimarron Ranch, Heath and the Boden siblings must work together against outside forces that threaten them all.

Visit the Baker Publishing Group for info on where to buy.

©2008-2016 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads - Fire and Ice

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Fire and Ice (Wild at Heart) by Mary Connealy - I had a lot of fun reading the first two books in this series that focuses on three sisters that homesteaded in the west following the Civil War - disguised as men! The Wilde sisters had all been bullied by their father into pretending to be boys and serving during the war. Then Pa moved them all out to the west where they could claim homesteads - still wearing britches and with their hair cut short. Younger sisters Kylie and Shannon left off their disguises and found husbands in the first two books, but big sister Bailey is determined to keep her britches and her independence on her homestead.

Trouble is, her homestead blocks the entrance to a prime grazing area in a canyon that belongs to her equally independent and stubborn neighbor, Gage Coulter, and during one of their confrontations, he discovers that Bailey is woman. And after a long and lonely winter, Bailey is even ready to consider Gage's crazy proposal for how they can share the canyon. Yes, it's a proposal of marriage, and Gage comes up with the idea because his over-protective mother is coming to visit! To complicate matters, they realize that some recent accidents are actually attempts on Gage's life - but who is behind the traps?

Bailey and Gage might even be able to trust each other and find love and happiness, but first they have to work together to stop their enemy and they'll also need to get Ma Coulter to go back to Texas before she drives them both crazy! This was another fun read from Mary Connealy, with quirky characters and wild adventures. And of course, a happy ending.

My only complaint is with the cover. That's gotta be Bailey on the cover, right? Great job on finding a model with the right sass and attitude. But the story is constantly mentioning Bailey's "golden" eyes and her curly hair, so why does the cover Bailey have blue eyes and straight hair?

By the same author: Now and Forever, Tried and True

From the publisher:

Saddle up for mysteries and laughs with the Wilde sisters!

Bailey Wilde is the oldest sister--and the one who takes care of everyone else in her family. But after her sisters marry and move away, her little homestead becomes bleak and lonely, especially during the long winter months. In a moment of weakness, Bailey agrees to a wild plan concocted by her neighbor, Gage Coulter.

Gage is an honest man, but he didn't make his fortune by being weak. He won't break the law, but he'll push as hard as he can within in. Five thousand acres of excellent grazing land is lost to him because Bailey's homestead is located right across the entrance to a canyon full of lush grass. Gage has to regain access to this land--and he's got to go through Bailey to do it. So he makes a proposal...

Can these two independent, life-toughened homesteaders finally loosen up enough to earn each other's respect--and maybe find love in the process?

Visit the Baker Publishing Group for info on where to buy.

©2008-2015 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Teaser Tuesdays/First Chapter First Paragraph - Fire and Ice

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm. To play along, just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

"I need a wife because . . ." He paused, knowing he sounded as weak as water. Then he shrugged and went on speaking because there was no avoiding it. "Because my mother's coming to visit."
 ~Fire and Ice (Wild at Heart) by Mary Connealy, page 112

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros is a weekly link-up hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea. To participate, share the first paragraph (or two) of a book you're reading, or thinking about reading soon.

OCTOBER 10, 1866
     The bullet spit dirt up in Gage Coulter's eyes, and he didn't even flinch.
     Wilde always missed him. Granted, he missed by inches.
     "Don't you ever sleep, Wilde?" Gage had come early, he'd come late. He'd come in peace, and now this was it--he was coming in war.
     "The only reason you'd ask that was if you wanted to sneak in here. Now get off my land." Another bullet, this one even closer to his toes.
     Gage ignored it. The shots were to keep him back. Trouble was, if he came closer, Wilde might stop trying to scare him and get serious.

Fire and Ice (Wild at Heart) by Mary Connealy

Here's the blurb:

Saddle up for mysteries and laughs with the Wilde sisters!

Bailey Wilde is the oldest sister--and the one who takes care of everyone else in her family. But after her sisters marry and move away, her little homestead becomes bleak and lonely, especially during the long winter months. In a moment of weakness, Bailey agrees to a wild plan concocted by her neighbor, Gage Coulter.

Gage is an honest man, but he didn't make his fortune by being weak. He won't break the law, but he'll push as hard as he can within in. Five thousand acres of excellent grazing land is lost to him because Bailey's homestead is located right across the entrance to a canyon full of lush grass. Gage has to regain access to this land--and he's got to go through Bailey to do it. So he makes a proposal...

Can these two independent, life-toughened homesteaders finally loosen up enough to earn each other's respect--and maybe find love in the process?

What do you think? Would you continue reading?

©2008-2015 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/