The Accidental Guardian by Mary Connealy

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 ruins 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 a 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.

Publisher: Bethany House, 2017
Genre: historical romance


My Review

Mary Connealy brings readers another sweet, action-filled romance! As always, Ms. Connealy opens the novel right in the middle of the action. Readers are instantly grounded in the plot, rooting for the hero's and heroine's escape. Trace Riley's unique backstory makes him LOVABLE, and his journey intertwines perfectly with the novel's theme. Deborah Harkness's past makes her hesitance toward Trace understandable and makes her character journey all the more sweet. The ending is satisfying and had me looking forward to the next book in this series.


This story holds a more serious undertone than most of Ms. Connealy's stories, but I found this refreshing after her last spunky, fast-paced series (The Cimarron Legacy). I give this book four stars.

No Way Up by Mary Connealy

The fight for the Cimarron Ranch

HAS JUST BEGUN!

When Cimarron ranch patriarch Chance Boden is caught in an avalanche, the quick actions of hired hand Heath Kincaid save him. Badly injured, Chance demands that his will be read and its conditions be enforced immediately. 

Without anyone else to serve as a witness, Heath is pressed into reading the will. If Justin, Sadie, and Cole Boden don't live and work at home for the entire year, the ranch will go to their low-down cousin Mike. 
Then Heath discovers the avalanche was a murder attempt, and more danger might follow. Deeply involved with the family, Heath's desire to protect Sadie goes far beyond friendship. The danger keeps them close together, and their feelings grow until being apart is the last thing on their minds.

Publisher: Bethany House, 2016

Genre: Historical Romance

My Review

All three Boden children have established their own way of life and none of those paths fits their father's wishes. When Chance Boden gets injured in an avalanche, the terms of his will are put into action immediately. To keep the ranch from going to a greedy distant relative, the Boden children must live together and work the ranch for the next year. 

Sibling rivalry, clashing personalities, and a handsome--and very opinionated--ranch hand, Heath Kincaid, make living arrangements difficult for Sadie Boden. Then when Heath discovers the avalanche was a pre-planned attack, the hunt for the culprit, and their motive, take them all on a wild journey they never expected. 

With adventure, humor, and a sweet romance this book will not disappoint Connealy fans. 

I gave this book 4 stars!

With this Ring? Historical Romance Collection

Sometimes Love Is Found in

the Most Unexpected Places!

Four top historical romance novelists team up in this new collection to offer stories of love and romance with a twist of humor. In Karen Witemeyer's "The Husband Maneuver," Marietta Hawkins decides to grab the reins when the ranch foreman she loves seems to be leaving forever. Regina Jennings offers "Her Dearly Unintended," where friends stranded by a rising river pretend to be newlyweds when a dangerous stranger arrives.

Mary Connealy's "Runaway Bride" finds a Texas ranger getting more than he expected when he rescues a young woman fleeing a dangerous arranged marriage. And Melissa Jagears' "Engaging the Competition" finds a young woman forced to assist the man she's often sparred with after an accident leaves him helpless. Each tale is a fun blend of history and romance that will delight readers.


Publisher: Bethany House, 2016
Authors: Karen Witemeyer, Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings, and Melissa Jagears

Cover Design: Koechel Peterson & Associates, Inc./Gregory Rohm

My Review
I loved this historical romance collection of proposals gone awry. Four of my favorite Christian authors teamed up to provide four entertaining and realistic novellas that prove happily-ever-afters don't always play out the way we want them to. Full of conflict, unique set-ups, and the humor these authors are known for, I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fun, feel good romance with strong characters. I give this book 5 stars!

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.

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