Here's a description of the book from Barbour Publishing:"Aim for hours of reading pleasure with award-winning author Mary Connealy’s last book in the Sophie’s Daughters series. Mandy Gray, a wealthy sharpshooting widow, is content living in her mountain home and raising her young-uns alone. But how long can she protect herself when thieving outlaws have her surrounded? Rancher Tom Linscott can’t bear to see a defenseless woman in danger. Yet his rescue efforts end up bringing trouble right to her door. Now that they’re both trapped on Mandy’s Mountain, can they learn to live together—or will they die alone?"
My Rating: Spring
My Review:
One thing is for sure--Mary Connealy knows how to write a fast-paced and exciting Western romance! I sped through this book faster than if I was the one being chased by a group of ornery outlaws. And what a race to the finish it was!
After having read the second book in this series, Wrangler in Petticoats, I confess that I did enjoy that one better. (I did not read the first book in the series.) I found that Sharpshooter in Petticoats was rather convoluted, which was both a good and bad thing. I loved getting to see so many of Connealy's other characters return to play a part and show support for their family and friends. But I also found that the situations were a little far-fetched, especially getting so many people together in so short an amount of time, with very little or any communication/planning amongst themselves. (Not that it wasn't fun, though!)
This was quite a hard journey to read about, as Mandy's story was very sad and full of pain. And I didn't really feel that I gained as much from this story as I did from Wrangler in Petticoats. The ending to this series was resolved rather interestingly, but it made me happy and I was glad I was able to see how Connealy dealt with all the crazy things going on in this family. This book might not have felt as moving to me nor quite as enjoyable as her other books I have read, but it was definitely an engaging read and one that answered a lot of questions raised in the second book in the series.
*With thanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.*
Note: This book will be released January 2011.
6 comments:
Wow, you read that book fast! Thanks for the review, great to know! :)
Casey,
I did! I think I surprised myself, too. ;) But with all my reading and such I kind of built up a sleep debt, so I'm glad I was able to sleep in this morning!
Glad you enjoyed the review!
~Amber
Hi Amber:
I was so hoping that Mandy’s rich (but worthless) husband would be rehabilitated. Alas, I guess his ‘arc’ ends in the grave. Poor boy. He must have had one quirk too many. : )
Vince
When did this one come out???????? I was just in the store a week and a half ago and I didn't see it there. Argh! I'm behind in my reading just when I thought I was getting ahead!
Vince,
I know. It's hard, because he was drawn as such an unlikeable person--we never saw his POV and we only heard bad things about him. But it still would have been nice to see a few redeeming qualities. Alas is right, though, because the book begins with the man dead and gone. He certainly did have some quirks!
~Amber
Kav,
Don't panic! It doesn't officially come out until January. I was able to read a PDF version of the book through NetGalley in order to review it. I'm sure you could join NetGalley as a reviewer, too, if you wanted. :)
~Amber
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