Tried and True by Mary Connealy

I am definitely excited to see where this series is going to go! I really enjoyed Book One in the new series, Wild at Heart. I like Mary Connealy. She writes with humor and some unexpected twists. I wouldn't say the twists are earth-shattering and change the direction of the story, but it keeps the story interesting and the reader engaged. I thought I had it figured out a few chapters from the end, but was a little surprised that I was wrong!

 

The Wilde sisters are each interesting in their own ways. Their father has definitely not treated them like girls so they almost don't even remember how to live like one. My favorite sister would have to be Shannon, with her dear love for sheep. The things she does for them were quite funny.

 

Kylie had a desire for what most girls do..... to live in civilization and not cut wood or do what was considered "man's work" in the West. She wanted someone else to repair her roof and build her cabin. I liked her determined attitude to make the best of a situation she hated, though.

 

Bailey was the one that I had to grow to like. She had a tougher personality and wasn't one that is liked at the beginning. I'm hoping her complete story gets told. I'm sure some of it has to do with what she saw in the war.

 

Some of my favorite moments included Aaron and the 3 sisters. They roped him into things he thought he'd never agree to. It was funny to imagine his interactions with the Wilde sister and how much enjoyment he received out of simply calling them "girls."

 

I look forward to see Matt Tucker and Shannon Wilde discover what's in the future for both of them! Now and Forever is due out in June of 2015.

Read more reviews on this book at http://litfusegroup.com/author/mconnealy.

_______________

About the Book

                       Tried and True, Book One in the Wilde at Heart series.
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?
Learn more and purchase a copy at Mary’s website.

Mary Connealy

Mary Connealy writes fun and lively "romantic comedy with cowboys" for the inspirational market. She is the author of the successful Kincaid Brides, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages, and Sophie's Daughters series, and she has been a finalist for a Rita and Christy Award and a two time winner of the Carol Award. She lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her husband, Ivan, and has four grown daughters.

_______________

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers and Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Fired Up by Mary Connealy

I have absolutely enjoyed this series.  Mary Connealy keeps me interested in every one of her books.  I love the humor, the story line, and the setting.  The covers are beautifully done and are eye-catching.  That honestly attracted me to the first book I read by her.  They show just enough of the story to pique my interest.

This book is the 2nd book in the Trouble in Texas series.  It picks up where Swept Away left off.  Glynna Greer has been freed from her mean, nasty husband and a budding romance just may be starting to surface between her and the doctor (who helped free her, by the way).  However, not all of her three children are thrilled about this.  Her son, in particular, is not exactly happy.  After her past marriage that was full of abuse, Glynna has to come to a place where she is ready to have romance in her life again.

Dare has risked his life several times in the past for Glynna and it appears that his life still is in danger.  Since he doesn't know who wants him dead, he is having to balance keeping Glynna and her family safe...again...while dealing with this mystery person who has issues with him.

The books in this series can't seem to come out quick enough for me!  I finish one and want to dive into the next one right away.  Patience isn't my virtue, so she's helping me grow!

To see more opinions on this book, go to http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/fired-up-by-mary-connealy.

_______________

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers and Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer

Who seriously can't enjoy a good novel that is set in the west?!  I'm a sucker for those settings for some reason.  I love going back in time to see how they roughed it and learned to live with outlaws and so much more.

Karen Witemeyer is an author that I will be reading every single book by from now on.  They are light-hearted books and in some ways, they remind me of Janette Oke's Wild West series.  Those don't have as much humor, but they still left me with the feeling that I wanted to read them over and over again.  She adds so much reality to her stories through her characters.  Even the situations are very real.  I appreciated one situation, which I won't spoil it for you, but that I think many people end up finding themselves in.  I liked how she showed the temptations and the solutions.

Another thing that I like about Karen is all of the intricate characters she puts in her books.  I learn so much about even the minor characters.  I feel like I have a connection with whoever has come across the pages, which helps me connect the dots later when I see that name come up. 

I'm a huge Karen Witemeyer fan and can't wait to see what's next.  I know I'll be sure to get it!
___________
I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

A Place to Belong by Lauraine Snelling

This is the first book I have read by Lauraine Snelling and I was very impressed with her knowledge of the Wild West.  It was obvious she had done her research, right down to the terms that were used for "mother" and "father."  I don't read a lot of western books, even though I like them when I come across them, so that may be common knowledge to many readers.  To me, it was new.

Having not read any of the books in this series, it was a bit difficult for me to keep up with the characters and what their job was and the relationship to Cassie.  I think I finally got it all straightened out towards the end, but for some reason I kept having to go back and figure it out.

I like the air of mystery and romance in this book.  I was a little surprised by which man won Cassie's heart.  I was totally sold on one man until his heart starts to stray from Cassie and back towards a former lover.  But the man whose heart turned towards Cassie was the one I didn't even foresee in the beginning.

I liked the whole setting of the ranch and the Wild West show.  That is new to me, too, so it was quite refreshing to read a book that was set in a completely different setting and time period.  I liked picturing sharpshooting Cassie in my head....the same girl that lacked a few of the homemaking skills that would help her be a fit wife.

I think I'm going to start this series from book 1 and put all the pieces together.  It seems like a fascinating series and one that I would really enjoy.  If you're a fan of westerns and romance, this books is one to add to your list.

________

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Swept Away by Mary Connealy

I like this western-themed book so much.  It's a great start to Mary Connealy's new series, Trouble in Texas.  Connealy's characters stay true to her typical style of writing that I very much enjoy.  Rosie (I mean, Ruthy) and Luciano (ah....Luke) are two very different people but they also share some of the same qualities.  

I love the spunk of Ruthy and the stubbornness of Luke.  I like how Ruthy holds her own with Luke and is actually pretty good at tracking in the woods.  I like how Luke rescues Ruthy but then doesn't know what to do with her!  I find it funny that Ruthy could clean the rooms so well with no one hearing her.  She had a pretty good plan in place so her footsteps and sounds would go undetected.

Greer was a disgusting man and one that I truly did not like.  He was mean, dirty, and scary.  I disliked his temper and how he hurt his poor wife and threatened her children.  I'm hoping Dare plays a bigger part in Glynna's life in the next book.  She needs something happy to happen to her!

I am really looking forward to the next book in this series.  I will definitely be looking for it.  It looks like I won't have to wait too long, since it's scheduled to come out in August!

_______________

For more reviews on this book, go to http://litfusegroup.com/author/mconnealy 

______________

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers and from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

A Plain & Simple Heart by Lori Copeland and Virginia Smith

I have wanted to read this series since the first book in the series came out.  The cover of the first book made me want to read it.  I just couldn't put the Amish world with the western world and didn't know how that even came to pass.  However, time went by and I forgot about the book.  When I saw the second book in the series, I was reminded that this was on my to-read list. 

I love how this book looks and I love the storyline.  I never would have put these two very different worlds together, but it made for a great story.  Since I still haven't read the first book (I do own it now, though, and plan to read it), I was not attached to Jesse at all.  That probably made Colin very endearing to me and I really was hoping that Rebecca would not find Jesse and would like Colin instead.

I laughed at the predicament that Rebekah found herself in as she started her journey to find Jesse.  I loved her temper coming out, as well.  And though I didn't like the older ladies in the temperance movement, I began to like them and their quirky ways. 

I'm excited to go back and finish the first book now and read all about Emma and Luke and how Rebekah came to live in Apple Grove.  I am very much looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

__________________

I received this book free from Harvest House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Incovenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck by Kathleen Y'Barbo

This book is apparently a part of a series, in which I hadn't read the first books.  That said, there was the typical introduction of characters that I wasn't for sure what their story was since I had not read the earlier books.  That didn't deter me from this book.  Instead it made me want to read the books before this since I was more intrigued about the characters.  I would recommend that this series be read in order so that you can have a complete picture of what is going on and who is involved.

This book did have me laughing at a few points, like when they were "proposing" their marriage.  Their proposal wasn't your typical one.  In fact, it was one that was a deal....between Alex and Charlotte's father.  Or maybe Charlotte's father saw something that neither of them could.  Charlotte has a very strong personality and ends up in things that a typical woman wouldn't encounter.  And there's only one man who stands his ground and doesn't get afraid when he has to deal with Charlotte. 

Charlotte and Alex decide to go along with the plan, but they've devised a plan of their own.  Once they are married, they will both work quickly to have their marriage annulled.  That's their plan.  Their father's plan is for them to stay married.  Which plan happens and what situations will they have to endure during this crazy engagement and marriage?!

________________

I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.