by Crystal Caudill | Mar 6, 2018 | Book Reviews
Seven Brides for Seven Texas Rangers Romance Collection
Stories by: Erica Vetsch, Amanda Barratt, Susan Page Davis, Vickie McDonough, Gabrielle Meyer, Lorna Seilstad, and Kathleen Y’Barbo
I will admit, I have been waiting on pins and needles to read this collection of novellas. I absolutely LOVED the first collection, Seven Brides for Seven Texans, which I have just realized I did not review and will have to go back and do!
Collections always take me longer to read than just a normal book, just because it is broken up in to separate stories, but this one took me way less time than normal. Why? Because I thoroughly enjoyed how connected the stories were. I won’t dive into the details until below, but you really, really need to check out this collection.
Genre:Â Historical Romance, Texas Rangers, 1886
Plot Overview:Â A whole company of Texas Rangers is stationed in Hartville to round up and put an end to the notorious Markham Gang. Ruthless and far-reaching, this gang is no easy task to round up. Danger and trouble are guaranteed, but who would have guessed love?
What I loved:Â My favorite part of this type of collections is the deep connection between each story. Instead of seven completely different stories, it feels like one overarching story when you get a peek at each swoon-worthy hero. And who doesn’t swoon over men whose duty in life is to protect and serve? Each hero is depicted with his own quirks and individual personality, but they all have the common thread of a commitment that goes beyond the standard citizen.
I also LOVED how this book was set in the same place as Seven Brides for Seven Texans. Characters from past books reappeared and you got to see bits and pieces of the Hart brothers all over again. Books that connect and series that connect in this way are my absolute favorite.
Favorite Story: While all seven stories are good, my absolute favorite was The Countess and the Cowboy by Kathleen Y’Barbo. (And actually I have changed this at least twice, so you know the stories are good.) I loved how the heroine was a determined spitfire and not one to just standby… which also leads to heaps of trouble. Ezra is a great hero with a soft heart.
Who would like this:Â Anyone who loves historical stories with strong heroes, heroes whose profession is a lawman, heroines who range from stubborn to docile, and dangerous situations that bring couples together. Those who especially like connected storylines will love this.
Rating and Why: I give this story 5 stars. If you haven’t figured it out, the connectedness of all the stories really bumps the rating up. However, the action, dialogue, and characters are all excellent. Some stories are better than others, but I can’t think of one that I did not enjoy, and usually, in a collection, there is one that I am meh on.
Disclaimer:Â I received a free copy of this story on #netgalley through the publisher for review purposes. The opinions above are completely my own and not influenced in any way.
Join the Discussion: If you have read this collection, which Texas Ranger was your favorite? If you have not read it, what makes about a Texas Ranger makes you swoon?Â
Funny add in… Every time I write Texas Ranger the theme song of Walker, Texas Ranger plays through my head. Who doesn’t love Chuck Norris?
by Crystal Caudill | May 24, 2016 | Book Reviews
The Seafaring Women of the Vera B. – Book 1 in the Hearts of Oak Series
Susan Davis and her son, James Davis, work together to bring a story unlike any I have read before. The Seafaring Women of the Vera B is truly a unique piece of work which carries you off to sea. The amount of research that must have been conducted to create this novel is astounding and fascinating, and the plot is intriguing and believable.
This book is not your typical romance from Susan Davis. While there is a possible hint at future love interests, the focus falls solidly in the adventure category. In some sense, it reminds me of the classic adventure stories from my youth like Treasure Island, The Three Musketeers, and Swiss Family Robison. I am just not sure there are any contemporary books I can compare it to. The richness of detail, the characters, and adventure, they all work together to create a magnificent story that reflects back to an era of storytelling which is severely lacking in today’s world of novels.
The first ten chapters really lay the groundwork for the story. It is a little slower paced than many books in the beginning, but it is out of necessity. The number of characters introduced and the necessary foundation of ship terminology would be too overwhelming otherwise. I encourage you to push through even if that is not your cup of tea. It is well worth it.
I struggle with books that follow the viewpoint of more than two characters, but while this story followed the viewpoints of a handful of characters, it is done naturally and not so abruptly as to make you toss aside the book. Believe me when I say I am exceptionally picky about this. I was very impressed with the authors’ mastery of that particular skill for this novel.
Once past the first ten chapters the pace of the story picks up and continues to grow in intensity and speed. How can it not with a mischievous little boy, a stow-away man on a ship full of women, pirates, and all the true struggles that come from that many women together learning to do a dangerous and difficult job? There is fighting and there is death, but the details of it are not gruesome, unrealistic, or overwhelming.
Seafaring Women of the Vera B is a swashbuckling adventure I would highly recommend to men and women alike who love adventure and attention to detail. It is truly a rare breed of book, especially in Christian fiction.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion, which you have read above.*
With the ship’s captain dead in Melbourne, Australia, Alice Packard thinks the worst has happened, until she learns the crew has deserted her husband’s ship in favor of the goldfields. Only one old man, Gypsy Deak, sticks by her, but Gypsy alone can’t raise a crew from the depleted population. In desperation, Alice turns to the only source of plentiful workers: the women of Melbourne. In a bold move, she and Gypsy empty a brothel, promising the escaped women a new life. Her all-woman (save one) crew put their backs and hearts into the voyage, but Alice finds training her sailors much harder than she expected. Her faith is tested to the limit. With a cargo to sell, angry bordello and tavern owners in pursuit, pirates to evade, and a mysterious stowaway, the seafaring women of the Vera B. find their escape in question.
– Blurb from Amazon.com