Book Review: Forged in Love by Mary Connealy

 

Forged in Love - Mary Connealy - 5 Stars - Great Western Romance! (Book 1 in the Wyoming Sunrise Series)

Ya'll, what a SURPRISE! I really enjoyed this book! Such an engaging, "keep you on your toes" plot and a very precious and sweet romance. I don't read a lot of Western settings but I am starting to really come to LOVE them! I listened to the audio and felt like the narrator has a great "western historical fiction" voice so that is probably another reason I really liked it! The book is fast paced in the plot but also has several beautiful chapters of Clint and Mariah together that I LOVED. I also laughed out loud at several points throughout the story and LOVED the loyal dog friend.

Set in 1870, Mariah Stover is left for dead with no memory when the Deadeye Gang robs the stagecoach she's on, killing her father and brother. Clint Roberts and others rush to check out the scene when their horses chaotically show back up into town. Clint has had an interest on Mariah for 2 years since he got to town so when he sees Mariah hurt, he makes sure to get her back to town for healing. The leaders of the town want to keep Mariah hidden in secret and sent away to hide from the Deadeye Gang but she is a strong woman so she isn't about to leave her town or her father's blacksmithing business she works in. Since she doesn't remember anything from the attack by the gang, they decide to let her stick around in town and stick to the story of she doesn't remember what happened - hoping the Deadeye Gang doesn't come back looking for her as they never leave any surviving witnesses.....but things start happening to Mariah that make everything think someone is after her.....and Clint will do anything to protect the woman he loves.

Overall, such a great start to this series. I really liked the characters and how Mariah was a strong woman in the blacksmithing business - with Clint being all into cooking and his restaurant. There was some emphasis that appear as "feminism" in the story, but I didn't feel like it was too much. It makes sense for the time period and our character is such a strong willed woman who is making her way after losing her father and brother, so to me, it was understandable.

Some reviews have mentioned they didn't like the open-door fade to black romance in this, but there really wasn't anything I saw that was bad. They were a married couple and it was not detailed in any way to me. I wouldn't even really call it "open" door in my opinion. I actually loved seeing how they were very open and honest in their marriage and talked through how to handle things in an respectable way as a newly married couple. They were just a very refreshing couple to see.

Excited for book 2 that comes out soon! Grabbed it on NetGalley because I really want to read Nell's story as she was one of my favorite side characters.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5613988442
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Nj3s6n
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/465104

YouTube Review Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F0tuWJiWKg&t=