Here's a description of the book from Bethany House Publishers:"Is Her Kidnapper the Only Man Who Can Keep Her Safe?
Robbing a stagecoach on Christmas Eve and abducting a woman passenger is the last thing Luke Sullivan expected to do. He just wanted to reclaim the money stolen from his pa, but instead ended up rescuing a feisty copper-haired woman who was on her way to marry Sullivan's dangerous enemy.
Emily McCarthy doesn't take kindly to her so-called rescue. Still, she's hoping Providence will turn her situation for good, especially when it seems Luke Sullivan may just be the man of her dreams. But Luke has crossed a vicious man, a powerful rancher not used to losing, and Emily is the prize he's unwilling to sacrifice."
My Rating: Fall/Spring
My Review:
The beginning of this book really drew me in! There is some great imagery--some lines that really made me feel like I was there, experiencing the haunting and wild aspects of the West. And the anticipation, along with the action, made me power through the first half of the book, eager to keep on reading.
However, I must say that I was disappointed with some parts of this book. There were some great set-ups at the very beginning for some deep digging into emotional turmoil, but I sensed a loss of that toward the end, like the plot took precedence over characterization. The ending didn't really satisfy me, and the romance that seemed so prevalent at the beginning slipped to the back burner until some quick decisions were made in the last few pages.
Also, I was confused with some of the attitudes and actions of certain characters, like Bart Axel and the Sheriff. The last line of the back cover description seems to suggest that Axel would be more concerned and forceful when it came to Emily McCarthy, but she seemed to be only one minor detail in Axel's mind. And as for the Sheriff, I didn't understand his anger. At times I suppose he was humorous, but I don't know where his impatience came from. After all, he was the one who took the job, so why would he get mad if he had to actually work?
Overall, this book was entertaining. I enjoyed reading it, especially the first half, even though the book didn't quite seem to reach its full potential in my opinion.
*With thanks to Jim Hart from Bethany House Publishers for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*
4 comments:
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this book, Amber! It sounds like a good read, I'm just sorry it was all you hope it to be, or what it could have been. I've read a couple of books that have started strong and lay out so many possibilities, only to have them fall flat or be nothing how you imagined toward the end. I was drawn to this book from the moment I saw the beautiful cover, and thought the name was really cool and sounded interesting, so I think I'll still give it a shot. But, thanks again for your review, it was very helpful :)
Blessings,
Amanda Stanley
Amanda,
You're welcome. :) It really was a good read, and it certainly held my attention enough to have me read it in one weekend while I have so many books waiting for me to read them! ;)
The cover truly is beautiful--even more so when it's held in your hands (just take a look at the back cover, too, when you get it!). The name and the premise definitely drew me, as well, and while I had hoped for a different, deeper ending, I still enjoyed reading the book, and I hope you do, as well! :)
~Amber
Hey Amber,
I'm actually reading this book right now, and completely agree with you about both Bart and the Sheriff. They seem under developed as characters, and almost as if the writer couldn't quite work them into the story and still have them be very deep and compelling.
Overall IMO, it's an OK book, but not the best.
Have a great weekend, Amber!
Love Ya,
Ashley
Ashley,
I read a review recently on another blog ("Book Ponderings") that also mentioned Bart and the Sheriff. It was disappointing to have those characters not be what we would expect/hope for. :(
I agree that it was indeed a good book, just not all the I thought it could be. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and I hope you still enjoy the rest of the book. :)
~Amber
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