FINAL DECISION: Just okay for me. The characters were nice, but the story was really, really slow to get into. Things ended up nicely and I enjoyed it overall, but not a book I would look to read again.

THE STORY: Violet Mitchell traveled from London to her family’s home in Philadelphia to find that her father has gone west to try and solve the family’s looming money problems. Violet follows and find that her father is dead and needing to find his mine to save the family. Morgan Callahan doesn’t believe the woman who has come snooping around is his deceased partner’s daughter. So he kidnaps her to find out what she is really doing.

OPINION: There wasn’t anything in particular that I didn’t like about this book. It just felt a little flat to me and it took a long time for me to get into the story. By the time the story picked up in the last half of the book, it was too late for this to be a great book for me.

The characters were nice and I liked reading about the western setting, however, I didn’t find the characters compelling and vibrant such that I would want to read their story again. I especially had a problem with Morgan who remains a mystery in his thoughts and motivations for almost the entire book. It made him feel too distant and indistinct to be a fascinating character.

I also really didn’t feel the connection between these characters for most of the book. They didn’t clash, it just didn’t feel like a deep passionate connection either.

Overall, I liked the book, and I liked the story in a general way — meaning that when I finished it I didn’t feel that I had wasted my time reading it, but I don’t think I’d pick this book up again wanting to revisit these characters or their story.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book explores mining in the west. For me this was the most interesting part of the book.

CONNECTED BOOKS: MARRY ME BY SUNDOWN is the third book in the Callahan-Warren series. Although there are some appearances by overlapping characters, this book operates as a complete standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 3 stars.

A Slow Start But Great Middle and End

THE STORY: Degan Grant is a gun for hire. When he agrees to do a favor for the US Marshall who saved his life, he finds himself searching out three wanted outlaws. When he starts his search looking for Max Dawson, wanted for murder and bank robbery, he is surprised to discover that Max is actually Maxine and that she claims to be innocent. He also discovers that his heart, that he believed immune, is taken by the sweet outlaw.

OPINION: I didn’t believe that I would like this book when I began it. I thought the story was slow to develop and I didn’t feel engaged with Degan, who felt distant and aloof. That changed once Max and Degan encounter one another. Their romance is sparkling and their journey funny and sweet and completely engaging.

Max is strong and yet intensely vulnerable. She is not damsel in distress. She has been taking care of herself in dangerous circumstances for years and yet has not become hard and jaded. She is smart and sneaky and a good match for Degan.

Degan was distant and difficult to like in the beginning…but that is precisely who he is. He has built walls around himself to protect himself from pain. A quiet man who does what needs to be done and is fair and honorable, Degan is not effusive about his emotions or his thoughts. He is a good man and I ended up liking him tremendously as the book progressed.

Once the story really started flowing, I was enthralled. The plot worked and everything felt balanced and proper. I especially liked how the romance was slowly developed and these two wary characters got to know one another and found out by the end that they were meant to be together.

WORTH MENTIONING: I am hoping for more stories about the Callaghan brothers.

FINAL DECISION: I ultimately really liked this book because I liked Degan who I found to be quiet and responsible and a good man. I also really liked how the relationship between Degan and Max developed. It felt natural and sweet.

CONNECTED BOOKS: WILDFIRE IN HIS ARMS is connected with ONE HEART TO WIN although it can be easily read as a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.25 stars.

One of the Least Angsty Heroes Ever

THE STORY: Tiffany Warren is being sent to the father that she doesn’t remember in order to marry her family’s enemies to finalize the peace between them. She doesn’t want to leave civilized New York for the wilds of the west. When she arrives in town, she is mistaken as the housekeeper coming to work for her family. As a result of the mistaken identity, Tiffany ends up working in the house of her fiance, Hunter Callahan. Tiffany believes that impersonating the housekeeper will allow her to find out the truth about her fiance’s character. Tiffany doesn’t intend on staying in the west, but she ends up liking Hunter more than she expected.

OPINION: This story was not what I expected primarily because the hero was so incredibly fully of humor and cheer and is a nice guy. Hunter is one of the nicest heroes I have ever read about. In the beginning, Tiffany was rather annoying. She appeared spoiled and self-centered. When she arrives at the Callahan ranch, however, and takes on being the housekeeper, she redeemed herself by working hard, being creative and open minded. Because everyone ended up being so nice, there was little drama between the couple and thus I didn’t feel that the romance worked as well here as I would have expected.

WORTH MENTIONING: I tend to prefer angsty heroes and therefore was initially attracted more to Degan Grant, the gunslinger, than to Hunter, the hero. Hunter, however, is such a nice guy that it is hard to hold out against him.

FINAL DECISION: What made this story for me was the smiling, friendly, nice hero who doesn’t really have problems and issues.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ONE HEART TO WIN is followed by WILDFIRE IN HIS ARMS but the books can be read independent of one another.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.