Tag: marriage

295 pages Bethany House Publishers March 2,2022 publish date

About the Book

She mixed danger, desperation, and deception together. Love was not the expected outcome.

With their sharp engineering minds, Laura Stiles and her two sisters have been able to deal with their mother’s unfortunate choice in husband until they discovered his plans to marry each of them off to his lecherous friends. Now they must run away–far and fast–to find better matches to legally claim their portion of their father’s lumber dynasty and seize control from their stepfather.

During their escape, Laura befriends a mission group heading to serve the poor in California. She quickly volunteers herself and her sisters to join their efforts. Despite the settlement being in miserable condition, the sisters are excited by the opportunity to put their skills to good use. Laura also sees potential in Caleb, the mission’s parson, to help with gaining her inheritance. But when secrets buried in Caleb’s past and in the land around them come to light, it’ll take all the smarts the sisters have to keep trouble at bay.

My Thoughts

I haven’t read a Mary Connealy book in several years and I’m glad to be back into it. Her books are always so inspirational with such a faith filled message in them. I found this story to be unique. I enjoyed the plot and the pacing. There are three sister’s living with their mother and stepfather. There was great love in their house with their mother and father who had respect for women and taught the girls how to run his lumber business and they would have taken it over but upon his death it all changes. The mother remarries too quickly, and the stepfather reveals his true evil self after the wedding when it’s too late. He wants to marry them off and benefit from payoffs for doing so. Plotting to run away the sisters and mother leave but the mother goes home as she cannot travel on. The sisters wander until exhausted and hungry they find a find an encampment in California serving the poor and downtrodden led by a preacher man. I found it refreshing that the girls are so smart and are not afraid to show it. Intelligence looks good on you, girls! People wander in and out of this camp, some good people, some just looking for a handout and bringing trouble with them. As the preacher man sees how helpful and kind the oldest sister is he falls in love with her kind heart, and they decide to marry. On the eve of their wedding wanting no secrets between them she tells him about her past life. The preacher man is hiding secrets of his own but found his calling and became a man of God. When trouble comes a calling from his past life will she think she married the wrong man hastily like her mother has? I enjoyed this inspirational book so much and look forward to reading the stories of the two other sisters now.

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About The Author

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys. She is independently publishing a contemporary romantic suspense series called Garrison’s Law, book one is Loving the Texas Lawman. Her new historical series, High Sierra Sweethearts begins with The Accidental Guardian. She is also the author of these series: Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Wild at Heart, Cimarron Legacy, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages and Sophie’s daughters, and has man other books.

She is a two-time Carol Award winner and has been a finalist for the Rita and Christy Awards. She’s a lifelong Nebraskan and lives with her very own romantic cowboy hero. She’s got four grown daughters and four spectacular grandchildren.

Find Mary online at:

Her website: maryconnealy.com

Her blog for aspiring writers: Seekerville

Her blog for lovers of western romance: Petticoats & Pistols

Sign up for her newsletter at maryconnealy.com/newsletter

Mary is on Facebook at facebook.com/maryconnealy

And Twitter at twitter.com/maryconnealy

I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend. Thanks for stopping in.