Book Review: Forged in Love by Mary Connealy

FORGED IN LOVE by Mary Connealy
SERIES: Wyoming Sunrise #1
GENRE: Inspirational Historical/Western Romance
PUBLISHER: Bethany House
RELEASE DATE: February 28, 2023
PAGES: 297

When sparks begin to fly, can a friendship cast in iron be shaped into something more?

Mariah Stover is left for dead and with no memory when the Deadeye Gang robs the stagecoach she’s riding in, killing both her father and brother. As she takes over her father’s blacksmith shop and tries to move forward, she soon finds herself in jeopardy and wondering–does someone know she witnessed the robbery and is still alive?

Handsome and polished Clint Roberts escaped to western Wyoming, leaving his painful memories behind. Hoping for a fresh start, he opens a diner where he creates fine dishes, but is met with harsh resistance from the townsfolk, who prefer to stick to their old ways.

Clint and Mariah are drawn together by the trials they face in town, and Clint is determined to protect Mariah at all costs when danger descends upon her home. As threats pursue them from every side, will they survive to build a life forged in love?

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A female blacksmith? A male gourmet chef? A guard dog named Brutus? A gang of stagecoach robbers who never leave a witness alive? Women’s rights? Plus swoony romance and delightfully dry humor? Well, of course… this is a Mary Connealy story, after all!

Mariah and Clint may be prime examples of successful role reversal in fiction, but they are also charming characters outside of their chosen careers. Right from the beginning, you’ll be rooting for Mariah to survive, for Clint to declare his feelings, and for them to live happily ever after. There are, of course, some obstacles to all of those things, and Connealy handles them with witty aplomb, revealing deeper layers to these two protagonists in the process as well as setting the stage for future books. The star of Forged in Love for me, though, is Brutus – the ‘on loan’ guard dog who proves himself a hero as well as an old softie more than once. I loved the way the author captured his personality and made this sweet-and-ferocious beast almost human while still being very much a dog.

Bottom Line: Forged in Love by Mary Connealy made me grin and swoon and grin some more as Mariah & Clint’s story came alive on the pages of this western romance. The author’s trademark dry humor drew several chuckles from me (particularly when it came to Mariah’s puzzlement over all the fancy names Clint gave his food … sauce from Holland, cocoa chicken, and more LOL), and the sweet romance is *chef’s kiss*. I’m also intrigued by Mariah’s best friends & I look forward to reading their stories as the series progresses.

(I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I purchased for my own collection. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4 stars / loved it!

KissingBook Level: 3+ / will forget to breathe on occasion

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Mary Connealy writes “romantic comedies with cowboys” and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action–packed style. She has sold more than 1.5 million books. She is the author of the popular series BROTHERS IN ARMS, BRIDES OF HOPE MOUNTAIN, HIGH SIERRA SWEETHEARTS, KINCAID BRIDES, TROUBLE IN TEXAS, LASSOED IN TEXAS, SOPHIE’S DAUGHTERS, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. Learn more at maryconnealy.com.

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