Journey into the Wild West: The Accidental Guardian by Mary Connealy

Wednesday, June 06, 2018

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: Four out of five hearts ♥♥♥♥

Book one in the High Sierra Sweethearts series

About:

Trace Riley is the self-appointed watchdog for a wilderness trail, having been the lone survivor of an attack years before. Deborah Harkness now finds herself in a similar position, having been able to rescue only herself, her younger sister, and two small children from a slaughter. With winter just around the corner, they must depend on Trace, whose bachelor cabin is the only shelter around. Together they brave weather, marauders…and face mixed feelings about the day the ladies will leave.

Description from Christianbook.com

My Review:

I'll admit it- the adorable cover is a big reason why I read this book. It's just so irresistibly cute! I love the evening light, the little girl's smiling face, and the fact that the guy's face is turned away from the camera (it seems to add a bit of mystery to him and the way his head is tilted it looks as if he's watching out for her). And when I say the cover was a big reason I read this, I'm serious- I wasn't a fan of Mary Connealy's last Cimarron Legacy series, so I was leery about trying another Mary Connealy book. Suffice it to say, the cover does the story justice. I was not really disappointed in how it all turned out- the characters were funny at times without seeming cheesy, the wild west was shown with perfection (it's been too long since I've read a good western!), there was enough action and adventure, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the rest of the series will progress (and yes, I'm also really, really looking forward to seeing the next book cover...). Trace was probably my favorite of Mary Connealy's heroes, blending rough western man with sweetness and wanting to protect Deb and her little family. For some reason, however, I wasn't able to get into the characters and situations quite as much as I would have liked to, but oh well.

And I did find the bad guys a little cheesy at times; I wasn't quite in "fear" of them as I'd like to have been. There wasn't really anything that stood them apart from the average villain, and they didn't have much of a motive or backstory for their badness, but I don't mind that once in a while in a book, I suppose.

I also would have liked it if there had been more "Trace and children" scenes, or perhaps even just more "children and ranch hands" parts, but on the whole I was pleasantly pleased with this western tale (despite all the misgivings I had to begin with, and despite all the problems I keep mentioning). Trace's survival tactics and instincts, his love of the outdoors, the Lake Tahoe setting (which I've never seen in person, but we have pictures of my parents there), Deb and her sister's care of their little charges- it all combined to create a tale I can relate to as well as enjoy.

Note: I got this book from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.