At Love's Command by Karen Witemeyer

HE'S FOUGHT THROUGH RUTHLESS OUTLAWS AND INJURY,

BUT WITH HER, HE'S TEMPTED TO SURRENDER

Ex-cavalry officer Matthew Hanger leads a band of mercenaries who defend the innocent, but when a rustler's bullet leaves one of them at death's door, they seek out help from Dr. Josephine Burkett. When Josephine's brother is abducted and she is caught in the crossfire, Matthew may have to sacrifice everything--even his team--to save her.


Publisher: Bethany House, 2020
Genre: Historical Romance
Setting: Texas, 1893
Series: Hanger's Horsemen, book one



My Review
At Love’s Command is a smashing start to a great new series. The book opens with gripping action and solidifies the relationships between Hanger’s Horsemen. The hero and heroine are lovable, noble, and flawed, and their attraction sizzles from the moment they meet. A gripping plot drives the story forward, blending perfectly with the setting. The last two chapters made this romantic’s heart sing! I cannot wait for book two in this series.

Tried & True by Mary Connealy

Aspen Ridge
Idaho Territory, July 1866

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 for her future?


Bethany House Publishers, 2014


My Review
What a wilde ride! 
As with all of Mary's books, Tried & True opens with page-turning action. The most unqualified of the three Wilde sisters to repair a leaky roof, Kylie braves it as a storm rolls in--wearing her skirt to boot. The one thing the Wilde sisters don't do is act feminine, especially after serving in the war as boys per their father's request. He's lost his only son and is determined to replace him by pretending he has three more. But Kylie's tired of denying her femininity and rebels against her father's wishes at every turn. Soaking wet, clinging to the eaves to keep from dying, and shouting for help in the middle of nowhere, Kylie has no choice but to fall into the arms of her rescuer Aaron Masterson, a handsome land agent who's not going to be happy when he finds out Kylie is homesteading as a man. 

This story had great conflict, humor, and a beautiful message. In a society where people are denying who God made them to be, I found this story refreshing. The cover is gorgeous, and I can't wait to see who comes along to tame the rest of the Wilde sisters. I gave this book 5 stars!

*I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review. 


Mary Connealy writes romantic comedies about cowboys. She's the author of the

acclaimed Trouble in Texas and The Kincaid Brides series, as well as several other stories. Mary has been nominated for a Christy Award, was a finalist for a RITA Award, and is a two-time winner of the Carol Award. She lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. They have four grown daughters and a bevy of grandchildren. Learn more about Mary and her books at:
maryconnealy.com
mconnealy.blogspot.com
seekerville.blogspot.com
petticoatsandpistols.com

Unforgettable Heroes with Becky Wade

Today, I'm talking cowboys and unforgettable heroes with author Becky Wade.
                               _______

Becky, the all-American cowboy--rancher, horse trainer, bull rider--has been drawing romance readers for years and continues to do so. What do you think it is about men like Bo Porter (Undeniably Yours) and Ty Porter (Meant to Be Mine) that readers can't get enough of? 

I think readers can't get enough of the cowboy's masculinity.  These guys are MEN.  They're independent, strong, capable, brave.  The cowboy makes a great hero type for a romance novel, in particular, because the idea of a rugged man developing a soft spot as big as Texas for one particular woman makes all of us sigh.


Agreed. Cowboy romances are my favorite. 
What captivated me most about Meant to Be Mine--and everyone else according to the reviews--is how charming and lovable Ty was even though his actions were irredeemable. How did you create this balance to make him an unforgettable hero?

Excellent question.  I'll confess that finding the right balance between Ty's flaws and virtues was tricky.  I knew before I even started writing Meant to Be Mine that I wanted forgiveness to be the novel's theme.  Thus, right at the beginning of the story, I had Ty make a big mistake. 

When I first turned in the manuscript to my agent and editors, they all let me know that I hadn't made Ty's mistake grave enough in that initial version of the book.  He'd seemed too kind and reasonable to them.  Thus, Celia had become unlikable because my editors couldn't relate to her inability to forgive him. 

So... I actually made Ty even MORE irredeemable at the beginning. 

I truly did worry that some readers might read the first two chapters, hate my hero, and throw the book against the wall.  (There may well be some readers who are doing exactly that as I type.) 

But again, this is a story about forgiveness.  If Ty's actions had been easy to forgive my conflict would have been weak and God's message of grace would have been lessened.  In the final version of the book, Ty's actions give Celia valid reasons not to forgive him and they give God room to work in a mighty way. 
How did I make Ty charming and lovable despite his flaws?  
1) He was sorry for what he'd done.  As the book unfolds, we (and Celia) gradually learn just how sorry.  Most of us are tender-hearted enough to feel compassion toward someone who's hounded by regret.  
2) I gave him several wonderful qualities.  He's funny, he loves his child, he's over-the-top generous.  
3) Just like all my heroes, he really, truly deeply loves his heroine.  
4) I gave him a genuine desire to be a better man. 


Thanks for talking with me today, Becky!



Becky is a graduate of Baylor University. As a newlywed, she lived for three years in a home overlooking the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, as well as in Australia, before returning to the States. A mom of three young children, Becky and her family now live in Dallas, Texas. For more information on Becky and her books, please visit her website at www.beckywade.com

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If you're not familiar with Meant to Be Mine, see my book review by clicking here!

Meant to Be Mine can be purchased through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and your local Christian bookstore.