Fire and Ice by Mary Connealy

Bailey Wilde is one of the best new ranchers in the West. She's been living disguised as a man for a while, but when Gage Coulter comes to drive her off her homestead, he quickly realizes he's dealing with a woman--a very tough, very intriguing woman at that.

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

Spending a winter alone has a way of making a person crave some human contact. In a moment of weakness, Bailey agrees to a wild plan Gage concocts. Can these two independent, life-toughened homesteaders loosen up enough to earn each other's respect--and maybe find love in
the process?




My Review
A fun marriage of convenience story to wrap up the Wilde at Heart Series. 

Bailey Wilde, the oldest of the Wilde sisters, is determined to homestead her ranch now that her sisters have married and moved away. Haunted by her time spent in the Civil War disguised as a man, she's reclusive and likes it that way. Then Gage Coulter appears at her door, claiming he owns the canyon she runs her cattle on and he wants it back. But in order for Gage to access the canyon, Bailey has to agree to let him cross her land. She refuses, of course, so Gage finds another way in, using dynamite to blast a path through to the canyon. During a long, snowed-in winter, Bailey's loneliness engulfs her. When Gage shows up at her door come spring, offering marriage to increase their ranches, Bailey gives in. The rest is a Wilde ride!

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical romances, especially ones with a twist. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars!

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Mary is the author of several award-winning novels. She's known for her witty dialogue and unique plots. For more on Mary, visit her website at www.maryconnealy.com.

The Methuselah Project by Rick Barry

Nazi scientists started many experiments. One never ended.

Roger Greene is a war hero. Raised in an orphanage, the only birthright he knows is the feeling that he was born to fly. Flying against the Axis Powers in World War II is everything he always dreamed--until the day he's shot down and lands in the hands of the enemy. 

When Allied bombs destroy both his prison and the mad genius experimenting on POWs, Roger survives. Within hours, his wounds miraculously heal, thanks to those experiments. The Methuselah Project is a success--but this ace is still not free. Seventy years later, Roger hasn't aged a day, but he has nearly gone insane. This isn't Captain America--just a lousy existence only made passable by a newfound faith. The Bible provides the only reliable anchor for Roger's sanity and his soul. When he finally escapes, there's no angelic promise or personal prophecy of deliverance, just confusion. It's 2015--and the world has become an unrecognizable place. 

Katherine Mueller--crack shot, genius, and real Southern Belle--offers to help him find his way home. Can he convince her of the truth of his crazy story? Can he continue to trust her when he finds out she works for the very organization he's trying to flee? 

Thrown right into pulse-pounding action from the first page, readers will find themselves transported back in time to a believable, full-colored past, and then catapulted into the present once more. The historical back-and-forth adds a constantly moving element of suspense to keep readers on the edge of their seats.




My Review
Unique, intriguing, captivating. This book snatched my attention from the first page and held it to the very end. Reminiscent of the Mel Gibson classic film Forever Young with the heart of Steve McQueen's The Great Escape, this author is the one to watch. 

Roger Greene loves two things: to fly and to serve his country. Those dreams end when his plane gets shot down over enemy territory and he's imprisoned by Nazi scientists experimenting on POWs. Roger quickly learns his part in the Methuselah Project is successful when he becomes the sole survivor of an air raid and his wounds heal within hours. The project's creator dies in the bombing and the scientists that take over must recreate the formula by studying still-imprisoned Roger--for years.

It's now 2015, and Roger has found a way to escape. He seizes the opportunity only to be thrust into a world remarkably different than the one he knew. With the help of new acquaintance Katherine Mueller, Roger attempts to remain incognito while starting a new life. He finally convinces her of his story, only to discover she works for the very organization he's hiding from.

This book had it all for me--action, suspense, romance--but it also spoke to my patriot heart. Roger was the perfect hero with a strong love for his country and his "old-fashioned" values that should still be valued in this modern world. The Methuselah Project was a great reminder of how tough the American spirit is when put to the test.

I gave this book 5 stars!

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By God’s grace, I’m the author of the novels The Methuselah Project, Gunner’s

Run, Kiriath’s Quest, and over 200 articles and fiction stories. In addition to being a writer and World War II buff, my main role is Director of Church Planting ministries at BIEM, a Christian ministry active in Eastern Europe. I hold a degree in foreign languages, speak Russian, and every summer I assist with children’s camps in Eastern Europe. I live near Indianapolis with my wonderful wife Pam. Visit me at facebook.com/AuthorRickBarry, on Twitter (@WriterRickBarry), and at www.rickcbarry.com.