Book review: Gunslinger by Cynthia Breeding

Blurb: 

Ex con-artist Abigail Clayton Sayer arrives in San Francisco as a mail-order bride, ready to make a fresh start. Putting her criminal life on the streets of New York behind her is what she intends—and marrying Mr. Travis Sayer was the answer to her prayers—until she learns he has been murdered by a fast gun!

Gunslinger Luke Cameron hadn’t meant to kill Sayer, but he couldn’t let the store owner drag a prostitute down the street by her hair. He’d only meant to wound Sayer, but someone had jostled Luke’s arm as he’d pulled the trigger. Now, here was Mrs. Travis Sayer, the married-by-proxy widow of the man he’d killed, newly arrived in San Francisco and wondering which end was up.

Or was she? Could it be that beautiful Abigail Clayton Sayer is already involved in her dead husband’s illegal activities—his partner in crime? Luke intends to find out—Even if it means exposing Abigail and her brother as the con-artists they were before they came to California—and losing her for good.

Someone else wants Abigail dead, but why? In a race against time, Luke must discover the truth about Travis Sayer’s business dealings and why someone is trying to murder his widow. Her only chance of survival now is to depend on the man who killed her husband…the GUNSLINGER.

My Review:

This was a fun twist on the usual gunslinger stories. Mixing a bit of insta-connection/attraction with slow burn, and a bit of mystery with intrigue, the Gunslinger provides a light-hearted but attention grabbing story.

I enjoyed getting to be in both Luke and Abigail's heads at they tried to figure the other out, keep secrets hidden, fight their attraction, and find their new place in life. Luke, while having a pretty tragic event in his past, didn't seem overly wounded or hardened (which is what you kinda expect for a gunslinger, or maybe what I've been conditioned to expect) - in fact, he proved himself to be quite put together and teasingly charming. I loved the moments where his protective instincts overflowed and he didn't back down - and the other moments where he refused to give in and kept pursuing what he (and Abigail) needed. Abigail was endearing in her street-smarts, her determination to leave her past and turn over a new leaf, and her sweet (but at times surprisingly confident) innocence despite her past. There was a moment of deja vu in the story, and I loved how the actions played out organically provided the confirmation Luke and Abigail needed in their relationship.

If you're looking for a easy to read story that provides some spice and mystery with a sweet love story, this would work!

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New Release - Gunslinger: A Six Guns and Prairie Roses Novel by Cynthia Breeding

Ex con-artist Abigail Clayton Sayer arrives in San Francisco as a mail-order bride, ready to make a fresh start. Putting her criminal life on the streets of New York behind her is what she intends—and marrying Mr. Travis Sayer was the answer to her prayers—until she learns he has been murdered by a fast gun!

Gunslinger Luke Cameron hadn’t meant to kill Sayer, but he couldn’t let the store owner drag a prostitute down the street by her hair. He’d only meant to wound Sayer, but someone had jostled Luke’s arm as he’d pulled the trigger. Now, here was Mrs. Travis Sayer, the married-by-proxy widow of the man he’d killed, newly arrived in San Francisco and wondering which end was up.

Or was she? Could it be that beautiful Abigail Clayton Sayer is already involved in her dead husband’s illegal activities—his partner in crime? Luke intends to find out—Even if it means exposing Abigail and her brother as the con-artists they were before they came to California—and losing her for good.

Someone else wants Abigail dead, but why? In a race against time, Luke must discover the truth about Travis Sayer’s business dealings and why someone is trying to murder his widow. Her only chance of survival now is to depend on the man who killed her husband…the GUNSLINGER.

EXCERPT:

San Francisco, 1869

     Abigail Clayton stepped onto the Long Wharf platform and brushed flecks of cinder off the shoulder of her pelisse as she tried not to choke on the sooty smoke spewing from the locomotive’s stack.

     Criminy. The train journey from New York had been an exhausting eight days even though the conductors bragged about the speed of the latest engine. Her bones had been rattled by the clanking of iron wheels on metal tracks, her teeth practically jarred loose, and every muscle ached. All Abby wanted was a hot bath and a real bed instead of a hard bench for a berth.

     But first, she needed to find her husband…if only she knew what he looked like.

     

Book review: Den of Thieves by Patti Sherry-Crews

Blurb:

When his identical twin brother is arrested, the Pinkerton Detective Agency enlists Wynne Palmatier to go undercover and impersonate his outlaw brother, Ennis. His mission is to infiltrate his brother’s gang. Ennis tells Wynne everything he needs to know. Except for one thing: there are two women with the outlaws, and one of them is his wife.

 Lucy House is still paying for the day she strayed away from decency. Now the handsome outlaw she ran away with has lost his appeal and she longs to get away from this life. As the danger mounts, can Wynne and Lucy escape this den of thieves?

My Review:

So...... I thought I knew what this book was about. I've seen the research Patti Sherry-Crews had been sharing on the PRP blog, I've read the blurb, I had gotten little teases/hints in some side conversations.... and yet.... I wasn't truly prepared for the mind games and twists and surprises that weaved the story together!

If you're into the sort of thing where you thrive on not knowing anything about a story... just dive right on into the story and stop reading here.  Otherwise here's just a little more for you - besides the encouragement to just keep turning the pages, be prepared, there's some drama and twists and curious moments ahead!

Wynne is not the usual kind of hero I'm drawn to... he's quieter, a little hesitant, a bit more unsure of himself.  Then again, going undercover as your estranged brother into a outlaw gang where you're on your own, totally out of your element, and dependent upon your outlaw brother telling the truth about everything... and then you encounter some pretty major surprises, one has every right to feel off-kilter.  And while overall his personality is on the quieter, gentler side, there's moments where he digs deep and finds an inner strength that I think surprised even him at first.  I enjoyed watching his character growth and how he built his confidence in himself.  I think he was the perfect kind of man Lucy was needing in her life.

Lucy.... oh my, that girl!  She was an unexpected sweet surprise!  Her mix of soft and strong drew me to her, even as my heart was breaking for her and cheering her on at the same time.  She made some choices that set her on a very tough path, and despite the heavy struggles, she found ways to thrive and survive.   When it all was said and done, she definitely needed a man like Wynne in her life to fully bloom.

I was delightfully surprised at how empathetic I felt and attached I became to some side characters... I don't want to spoil anything, just know you may also find yourself rootin' for some of them as well!  Maybe it's because I like a bit of a bad boy.... ;)

Anyways, this was another awesome story by Patti Sherry-Crews that I enjoyed opening the cover and falling into.

*leaves the room whistling an old Alan Jackson song...
still you wonder...
who's cheatin' who
and who's bein' true
and who don't even care anymore
makes you wonder
who's doin' right
with someone tonight...
who's horse is stabled next door.

;)

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