In Honor's Defense (By: Karen Witemeyer)

In Honor's Defense
By: Karen Witemeyer

Story Line: 4 Stars
Depth: 4 Stars
Faith: 5 Stars
Love Story: 4 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars

In Honor's Defense is the final book in the Hanger's Horseman trilogy and it was a satisfying ending to the series! Luke Davenport is the only horseman who hasn't settled down and he has no intentions to. Always needing to be on the go, Luke constantly battles his past riddled with abuse and neglect and longs to protect others. Itching for another opportunity to fight for justice, he takes a job tracking down rustlers. 

Damaris Baxter leads a quiet and lonely life. She has always felt invisible and has come to terms with her plain life. However, when her older brother passes away and she is appointed guardianship of her nephew, she quickly packs up and moves to Texas, determined to be the family Nathaniel needs. She quickly learns parenting a boy who is not only grieving losing his dad, but is convinced his dad was murdered, is no easy feat. 

When Nathaniel gets into trouble and has a run in with Luke, he quickly becomes the protector of this sweet family of two. Damaris and Luke are determined to seek justice and find the truth, but can they do so with their hearts staying intact? The realness of these characters is beautiful and we could not help but fall in love with them. Karen did a fabulous job keeping us guessing with the mystery that was laced throughout the book while drawing us so fully into the lives of Luke and Damaris. We highly recommend this series as we thoroughly enjoyed it!

Note: We were given this book in exchange for our honest review.  

A Cowboy for Keeps (By: Jody Hedlund)

A Cowboy for Keeps
By: Jody Hedlund

Series: Colorado Cowboys (Book #1)

Story Line: 4 Stars
Depth: 4 Stars
Faith: 3 Stars
Love Story: 3 Stars
Overall: 3.5 Stars

These two chicks on lit were very excited when we came across A Cowboy for Keeps. Jody Hedlund is one of our favorite authors, we love mail order bride stories, and we were eager to see her write a western! While we found a lot we liked, we found this story lacking compared to many of her other books. 

Greta and her younger sister, Astrid, are heading to Colorado in hopes that the mountain air will help heal Astrid's consumption. Greta will do anything to help her sister, including marrying a man she has never met. Surprisingly after arriving, she learns her intended has died and she is penniless and out of options. 

Wyatt is having a rough go getting his cattle ranch up and going. He's going to prove to himself and his family back east that he won't fail. When the Mayor strikes a deal to invest in cattle if Wyatt will agree to marry Greta, he reluctantly agrees. Little does he know that he might be getting more than he bargained for - will he lose his heart in the process? 

One of the most refreshing parts of this read was Jody didn't hold back in writing of the harsh realities new settlers faced as they moved out west. In order to survive, they were better off sticking together. The love story is sweet and progressed slowly. However, the characters seemed to go around in circles with their emotions and it started to drag towards the end. All that to say, we are eager to see how the rest of the series plays out.


Note:  We were given this book in exchange for our honest review.  

A Life Once Dreamed (By: Rachel Fordham)

A Life Once Dreamed
By: Rachel Fordham

Story Line: 4 Stars
Depth: 3 Stars
Faith: 2 Stars
Love Story: 4 Stars
Overall: 3.5 Stars

Agnes Pratt's future is all planned out after being proposed to by her one true love. However, after learning a devastating secret from her past, she must flee Buffalo for a small mining town in the Dakota Territory. Leaving her fiance and the comforts of home, she must start over and keep the past in the past. 

James Harris has no idea why his childhood best friend and love of his life ran out on him six years ago. He promised her she was the only woman he would ever love. Where could she have gone? After receiving a letter from Agnes' mom detailing her whereabouts, he is determined to find out what happened and earn back her love. 

The new doctor in town has everyone talking, but one glimpse of him has Agnes shaking, speechless. How did he find her? Her heart still belongs to him, but she can't imagine getting involved again - he is the one person who cannot know her secret. When the truth is revealed, will they be able to work through the past or will they forfeit a future together? 

We enjoyed this lighthearted read and liked getting to know the characters. While a little slow at times, we were eager to see how the story would unfold. One area we would have loved to see more developed is the faith aspect. Overall we do enjoy Rachel's books and her ability to transport us back to frontier life in the 1880's.


Note:  We were given this book in exchange for our honest review.  

Love Without End (By: Robin Lee Hatcher)

Love Without End

By: Robin Lee Hatcher

We have many of Robin Lee Hatcher's books on our recommended reading list, but it's been awhile since we have picked one up a new one. Love Without End has been in our stack of "need to read" books and we are thrilled to find it was a beautiful story! Might we even suggest this story should be made into a satisfying, sigh-worthy Hallmark movie? Oh to live in a place like Kings Meadow!!!

 
Storyline
Two single parents, both tending to past hurts, and neither are looking for love. Yes, this book had a great storyline! Kimberly Welch lost her husband along with her wealthy lifestyle. Now she and her daughter are living with her old friend in Idaho and wondering what is next in life. She needs a job and plans to move back to Seattle as soon as she can. 

After Chet Leonard lost his teenage son in an accident, his wife abandoned him and their other two sons. Now, his boys and his ranch are all he has left. When Chet agrees to help tame Kimberly's daughter's horse, little does he know that this girl and her mother will soon win a place in his heart! But are they here to stay or just passing through for a short time? 84 year old Nana Anna also comes back to live at the ranch and with her she brings her spunk, love and well told stories

Depth

While being a lighthearted story, this read also held our attention throughout. Nana Anna, having grown up on the ranch, has a special place in the book: we get to travel back to the past and read her life story. We can all learn so much from Anna and her will to live life to the fullest, regardless of past hurts and trials. Kimberly and Chet are guarded, and with good reason; but it's such a sweet road to travel with them as they and their kids start to warm up to and love each other. Life can be hard, and will continue to be hard, but walking with those we love can make it worth it.

Faith

Faith is evident and real in this story. Chet and Kimberly both have faith, yet need to grow a little in their walks with the Lord and we see that as the story progresses. But Anna, especially, has a vibrant faith that radiates through all she is. We soaked up her journey and walk with Jesus. She knows her Savior and shows how she learned to trust Him through the valleys and mountaintops. Makes you long to have a Nana Anna in your own life!

Squeal Factor

Not sure we would use the term "squeal factor" in this book, but it was completely satisfying and sweet. Some scenes put a smile on our faces and had us cheering for these two characters, whose second chance at love was beautiful and heartwarming.

Overall

Soak up the western ranch life in beautiful Idaho and fall in love with these heartwarming characters! We cannot wait to visit Kings Meadow again in Robin's next book

Find it on Amazon: Love Without End