Enjoy!
Into the Sunset by Mary Connealy
#3 Western Light
Western Romance, Inspirational Fiction
Publisher: Bethany House
Published: 10.15.24
Pages: 277
Rating: 4.5 stars
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Sellers: Amazon
ADD TO: GoodReads
GoodReads Synopsis:
To finally escape the clutches of her
controlling husband and the threat of being recommitted to an asylum, Ginny
Rutledge enlists the help of her friends, Maeve O'Toole and Dakota Harlan.
Fleeing their own tumultuous pasts, the group embarks on a journey to prove
Ginny's sanity. However, as they confront the shadows they wish they could
forget, danger looms from unexpected places.
Maeve grapples with her mother's impending remarriage and
seizes a rare chance to escape her homestead--but that means reuniting with
Dakota, the man she holds responsible for her father's death, who is caught in
the crosshairs of a vengeful family. As the two of them navigate their shared
history and a dangerous mission, Dakota is forced to confront his deepest fears
and fight for the woman who has unwittingly captured his heart.
In this action-packed series finale, Mary Connealy
delivers a riveting tale of danger, romance, and second chances on the Western
frontier.
Sophia Rose's Review:
Matters have come to a head with this
suspenseful finale in the Western Light series.
What began it all when a woman escaped the miserable insane asylum in
which her husband placed her and took the wagon train into the west has decided
that it is time to face her demons and finish it once and for all. Mary Connealy captivated me from the opening
lines of the first book in the series, Chasing
the Horizon, and continues to do it again with Into the Light.
Into
the Sunset is the final book in the Western Light trilogy. The story began in book one and so this
doesn’t make a good standalone choice.
Ginny Rutledge has come so far. She and a few other women, with the help of
her daughter and former family staff escaped the horrible asylum her greedy
husband placed her in back in Chicago, joined a wagon train, and settled in a
hidden valley in Idaho where her ruthless husband and his hirelings couldn’t
touch her. Her daughter, Beth is settled
with her family, she has her friends on their claims nearby, and all is well. However, she finally feels strong enough to
go to court and get herself declared legally sane and end her husband’s
attempts to recapture her and bring her back to that asylum so he can get his
hands on her money. Court means heading
to Cheyenne, the Wyoming territorial capital and standing before a judge with
her husband and his legal team across the aisle. This also means a dangerous journey,
especially if her husband finds her first, so she needs an escort.
Ginny’s decision turns out to be good
for both Dakota and Maeve for two different reasons. Maeve’s mother announced she plans to marry a
good man, but Maeve is still holding strong to her grief over losing her pa during
the wagon train journey west so she is vocal in resistance and unsettled. She needs to get away with time to
think. Unfortunately for her, the man
she wrongfully holds responsible for her pa’s death because she needs to be
angry at someone for the loss is the other person coming along to protect
Ginny.
Dakota liked Maeve on the journey, but
knew her grief and anger would mean he was the last man she would consider
being with and she’s still angry when they start this journey. However, he needs a change in scenery when he
finds out a bankrobber he was involved in killing has feuding relatives who are
all gunning for him. He’d already had to
plant two out on a ridge when they didn’t get him.
Into
the Sunset isn’t skimpy on the western action and western historical
backdrop. In fact, I enjoyed learning
fascinating things like Wyoming being so progressive as to have women judges at
the time. Yes, for those who are long
time Mary Connealy fans this means a certain couple from the Wyoming Sunrise
series make a guest appearance.
This was a grand finale indeed with
all the previous couples and most of the whole cast of characters come into
play in this one and there is lots of action and suspense as well as personal
and relationship growth going on.
Inspirational themes are present and are integrated well into the
plot. The pace stays stead and the
tension was good. This read fast for me
and the climax held me in its clinches.
I wasn’t surprised by anything, but still enjoyed seeing it all roll out
nicely. Those who enjoy a smidge of grit
and godliness to a western historical romance, with action and sweet romance
should definitely give this series a try.
Author Bio:
Mary Connealy writes romantic comedies with cowboys and is
celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She is a two time Carol
Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.
Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys always with a strong suspense
thread. She is a two-time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and
Inspirational Reader's Choice finalist. She is the bestselling author of 75
books and novellas. She has over a million and a half books in print.
Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy
hero. Visit her website or find her at Petticoats & Pistols!
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/maryconnealyfanpage/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/maryconnealy/
Sophia’s Bio:
Sophia
is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing,
piano-playing, and gardening. Road trips and campouts, museums and monuments,
restaurants and theaters are her jam. Encouraged and supported by an incredible
man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes
Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and
Chocolate.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that
Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing. Sophia is a
prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many
wonderful books, authors, and narrators. Few genres are outside her reading
tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and
romance. Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophia.rose.7587
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sophiarose1816
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13418187.Sophia_Rose
Women judges at that time? now that would be fascinating. I love books that teach me too
ReplyDeleteThat really had me sitting up and taking notice, too. Love learning these historical tidbits.
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