Romance Is Sweeter With Hearts Entwined

Settle back and enjoy a little historical fiction with a spark of romance in Hearts Entwined...

Notes from the back cover nestled with a few thoughts of my own....

The ways of love can be complex. Sometimes a relationship full of unexpected twists and unlikely turns leads to a bond that's strong and secure. Join Karen Witemeyer, Mary Connealy,Regina Jennings, and Melissa Jagears for novellas that follow the winding path of romance in stories that celebrate a love that lasts forever.

The Love Knot - When Claire Nevin's troubled younger sibling sends her an unexpected package by rail, the gift and the man who delivers it--an unexpected face from the past--threaten to upend Claire's life forever. Fighting to hold on to all she has built, will she lose what matters most?

My thoughts...I enjoyed Claire and Pieter's story, a test of how far one man would go to prove his forever love. Sometimes what we see may cause heartbreak but if we run away before learning all the facts, we may never know pure joy.  Karen Witemeyer's town of Harper's Station, Texas, a town run by women, is the setting once again for a heartwarming romance that will leave you smiling.   

The Tangled Ties that Bind - Connor Kincaid returns home determined to win the hand of the woman he was too young for when he left. But Maggie is training to be a doctor in a distant town, while Connor's about to settle on a ranch. Will either be willing to give up their dream? Or will they both have to give up the love of a lifetime?

My thoughts....When Connor didn't return, Maggie made the decision to create her own life without him.  Connor was amazed that she wasn't pining at home for him.  Her courage to forge a new life in uncharted waters surprised him. The events that unfolded in this story kept me turning the pages. Mary Connealy wrapped this up as neat as any bow and I was surprised by the outcome!  

Bound and Determined - As punishment for his recklessness, Private Bradley Willis is sent on an errand to help a retired cavalry officer move a herd across Indian Territory. No one told him the herd would be camels instead of cattle, nor that the officer's headstrong daughter, Ambrosia Herald, would seem to be trying to undermine the whole enterprise. He's definitely been saddled with more than he's bargained for.

My Thoughts.... I thought Regina Jennings had a wonderful imagination using camels in the cavalry until I did a little research to the contrary! There was indeed a U.S. Army Camel Corps. The romance between Bradley and Ambrosia began rather testily and I wondered how these two would ever get along when she was determined to undermine his mission and her father's desire to bring home the camels. I enjoyed their banter and how the mission changed them all. 

Tied and True - Wealthy Marianne Lister is in love with business assistant Calvin Hochstetler, but he can't see past the difference in their social status. When Marianne takes a job to prove that she is prepared for a life of hard work alongside the man of her dreams, will it be enough to convince Calvin to risk it all for love? 

My thoughts...Melissa Jagears' Marianne, is one determined woman. This story is a twist of romantic tales of the poor young beauty captivating the wealthy bachelor.  She  fell for Calvin the moment she met him.  He thought she was destined to marry David, the boss' son.  His one desire was to keep his job and avoid any entanglement that would threaten his security.  Playing it safe was his mantra. 

Marianne and David, friends since childhood seem destined to marry in the eyes of their parents but to each other, not so much. She is not your average spoiled socialite.  I enjoyed the development of  her character from the beginning of the story.  Her determination is admirable and would be a welcome change to many in our society today.

The authors of this novella collection put together an entertaining group of stories that I believe any fan of historical romances would enjoy. I appreciate their creativity and the research they did to make this book a reality. I am happy that I was able to receive a copy of this book from Bethany House Publishing in exchange for an honest review. 

Get Ready for this Book in 2018!

I am excited to read this upcoming collection  by some of my favorite authors!  Historical Fiction is a genre that has been near and dear to my heart.  

From Amazon's Description:  

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 Love Knot," Claire Nevin gets the surprise of her life awaiting her sister's arrival by train. Mary Connealy's "The Tangled Ties That Bind" offers the story of two former best friends who are reunited while escaping a stampede. Regina Jennings offers "Bound and Determined," where a most unusual trip across barren Oklahoma plains is filled with adventure, romance, and . . . camels? And Melissa Jagears' "Tied and True" entertains with a tale of two hearts from different social classes who become entwined at a cotton thread factory. 

Pick up your copy when it is released in January and add it to your reading list.

Long Time Gone Has a Plot With a Twist!

I recently finished reading Mary Connealy's Long Time Gone for review.  Book 2 in the Cimarron Legacy the book will take you back on a trip back to the wild west days of New Mexico ranching.  The Boden family has been beset with troubles as they fight to keep their ranch from rustlers who will stop at nothing to bring the family down.

The story unfolds after a trap left Cole, the oldest Boden son nearly dead.  That leaves Justin to manage the ranch while frantically searching for the reason behind this shooting and an avalanche meant to kill their father Chance.  Only the quick thinking and training from ranch hand Heath Kincaid gave their father a fighting chance.  Secreted away to a Denver hospital Chance and his wife are unwillingly apart from the fight being fought at home.

The book is full of the usual rugged cowboys but what sets it apart are the strong women who know their way around the west.  Sadie Boden is a crack shot and fearless in a fight. Newly married to Heath, they are a force to be reckoned with.  Not content to sit around and become bait, she places herself in the middle of the whole fight.

Enter Angie DuPree with the doc to nurse Cole. Winsome and wan, she is seemingly out of place in the novel but the west definitely had some strange bedfellows when it came to surviving ranch life without the finer things in life.

If you crave tales of the old west, this book is for you. I think it only fair, however, to let you know that this is not a stand alone novel. Had I known this I would have read No Way Up, book one in the series first.  For series followers, this will make a good set. Book three is sure to follow!  Many thanks to Bethany House for an opportunity to try a new author.