Customer Reviews

Brothers of the Outlaw Trail: The Peacemaker/A Gamble on Love/Outlaw Sheriff/Reuben's Atonement (Heartsong Novella Collection)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I really wanted to LOVE this book. I grabbed it and sat down with great anticipation. And I continued anticipating throughout the book. Only during the second story of the Peacemaker did I actually feel a little gripped.

If what you are seeking is a great adventure you might be disappointed by this book. Reuben's Atonement was a 3 star, Outlaw Sheriff was a 3 star- it coud have been good but the love story part felt rushed. The Peacemaker was a 5-star. (Although the blurb on the back of the book is incorrect. It states that he is seeking the bounty hunter who caught him but this is not the case.) This book was exciting. A gamble on Love- 4 star- the author really let you meet the characters.

I think the largest problem is that the novels are so short that it was hard for the author to effecively develop the characters AND their romance (although in The Peacemaker, both were developed).

It was a decent book and I'm glad that I read it for the one story alone... The rest, while not "boring," lacked excitement. I just didn't really care much whether the hero and heroine found love with each other because I never really felt they truly wanted to.

REUBEN'S ATONEMENT by Lynette Sowell

The Wilson boys are in trouble and on the run. Reuben and Colt have the law after them, and it's just bad luck that Caleb and Benjamin, their younger brothers, have trailed them all the way from Wyoming. There's no way they can travel together and avoid the law. The boys have to split up, even if it goes against the grain to leave six-year old Benjamin behind with Sadie, a good-hearted saloon owner. They plan to meet again in one year. But that was before Reuben spent a spell in prison. Now, he just wants to find his brothers and make sure they're all right. He also wants to win Charlotte Jeffers love, but that might be a bit difficult, considering his past.

Lynette Sowell has spun a good romantic tail of love and redemption, grace and forgiveness, and a love too strong to die.

THE PEACEMAKER by DiAnn Mills

Colt Wilson is out of prison and he has something to take care of. He was raised to do right, and now that he has a second chance, he plans to abide by the law. Will Langley owes him some money from a robbery they did together, and he figures it's time he got his share. But Will is dead and his widow Anne is running the ranch. She has two daughters to raise and has just fired two hands, so she hires Colt. Anne expects her employees to attend church, even if Colt snores through the sermon. Colt's not interested in religion and he's not interested in a bossy female like Anne Langley either. Or at least, not much.

The Peacemaker is a delightful blend of romance, humor, and suspense.

OUTLAW SHERIFF by Kathleen Miller Y'Barbo

Caleb Wilson, the third brother, has a clean heart and a new start, and he's going to live right. He rides into Dime Box with his head high, hoping he's left his past behind. Then the mayor mistakes him for Cal Wilson, the town's new sheriff. Caleb tries to set him straight, but the mayor is in no mood to listen. Caleb has another problem. Lydia Bertrand, spoiled, self-willed, and pure trouble, has arrived in Dime Box as a mail order bride. Her intended is none other than Cal Wilson, whom Caleb is impersonating. The entire town expects them to marry, but that wasn't part of Caleb's plan.

Outlaw Sheriff is a fast-paced, fun story with a nice twist at the end that will catch the reader by surprise.

A GAMBLE ON LOVE by Tamela Hancock Murray

Benjamin, the youngest of the Wilson brothers, has grown up to be a professional gambler. He's still at Sadie's, where his brothers left him, but now he feels right at home on the wild side of life. A beautiful saloon girl, named Pearl, is his partner in cheating at cards. Then Pearl leaves Sadie's to take care of her mother. Benjamin goes after her, but Pearl's mother isn't happy with her wayward daughter and she's not very fond of Pearl's card shark side kick. She doesn't want to hear any talk about love either, until Benjamin is ready to put a ring on Pearl's finger.

A Gamble in Love is a tantalizing tale of the wild west with plenty of romance and humor. It will keep you smiling to the end.

All four of these writers fill their stories with memorable characters caught in intriguing situations. This collection is a winner. You can't miss with Brothers of the Outlaw Trail.

"Brothers of the Outlaw Trail" is a collection of four mildly entertaining novellas about four brothers who all find relationship with Jesus after living a less-than-wholesome life away from their loving family. The stories end too abruptly, and the development of the characters' relationships with Christ is lacking in most cases.

****"Reuben's Atonement" by Lynette Sowell is the story of Reuben, who returns home to the town that knows of his outlaw past, and won't necessarily let him forget it. But Charlotte, his childhood sweetheart, has never found a replacement for him all these years. Will they find their happily ever after? Or will Reuben's past catch up with him. I enjoyed this moderately suspenseful tale.

****In DiAnn Mills' "The Peacemaker", Cole Wilson is released from prison, and rides to find the man who's responsible for putting him there. But he finds the man is dead and his beautiful widow and two daughters are running the family's ranch operation. Will Cole pursue getting what he considers to be rightfully his? Or will he allow his growing love for Anne to tame his wild heart. Another enjoyable tale of mystery.

***** - 10 stars - "Outlaw Sheriff" was absolutely hysterical! In this case of mistaken identity, Kathleen Miller Y'Barbo tells the story of Caleb Wilson. When this outlaw Wilson brother is mistaken for the new sheriff in town, he believes he's being arrested. But wait until his mail-order bride shows up!

****The story of youngest Wilson brother, Benjamin, who was left with a madame when the older boys took off as teenagers on their crime trail, is told in Tamela Hancock Murray's "A Gamble On Love". Benjamin has become a successful card player, and he's in love with Pearl. When Pearl returns home to her dying mother's ranch, Benjamin follows. But can he tame his wicked ways and embrace life on the ranch with Pearl? I LOVED the end of this story that reunites the Wilson boys!

Three outlaw brothers find themselves in a mess a trouble and instead of letting their mother and younger brother get caught in the middle of it they decide to part ways and split up, planning to meet again in one year. Thirteen years has passed by and none of the brothers have been reunited with each other. Did they run into problems with law? Or did they find God out on the trail and decide to follow Him?

The premise of this book sounded wonderful, I love historical romances, I love historical romances that take place in the Old West, where life is simpler and after a hard day's work you spend your evenings around the fire reading the family Bible. (How I would love to live like this!) Unfortunately this book was not as fulfilling and inspiring as others I have read. There are four novellas in this book (one about each brother) and averaging around 80-90 pages for each story.

My main complaint is that the love stories between the hero and heroine seemed hurried and contrived. It seems as if the characters meet, have one or two conversations, and then declare their love for each other. In other inspirational romances that I have read, I have enjoyed the courtship between characters and I took pleasure in watching the characters fall in love with each other. I wish I could say that about this book. These characters were lacking depth and a plot with outlaws was surprising not as exciting as I thought it would. I thought there would be more adventure, danger, or intrigue involved. On a positive note, the stories did have good morals and provided an excellent portrayal of people establishing faith in God and letting him have control of their lives.

As an avid reader of these novellas and inspirational romances, it is unusual that I did not find this book as enjoyable as others I have had in the past. I typically love these books and I frequently give them five stars instead of three. For readers who enjoy reading historical inspirational romances and perhaps enjoy the Old West, I recommend Bride for a Bit: From Pride to Bride/From Halter to Altar/From Alarming to Charming/From Carriage to Marriage (Inspirational Romance Collection) or Wildflower Brides: The Wedding Wagon/A Bride for the Preacher/Murder or Matrimony/Bride in the Valley (Inspirational Romance Collection) instead.

Reviewed by Kim Peterson for Reader Views (9/06)

In this collection of novellas about the Wilson brothers, the former outlaws turn from their lives of crime. Each finds God's grace and true love where He leads him.

In "Reuben's Atonement," Reuben Wilson goes home to Raider's Crossing, Wyoming. Long ago he broke Charlotte Jeffers heart, and left town leading his brothers into treachery and crime. In Raider's Crossing he begins to reestablish a moral life and prove his worth as an honest man. Charlotte befriends him again, but proceeds with caution. He is accused of stealing again and, although she wants to believe he's different now, their future is threatened until Rueben can prove his innocence. Although Reuben admirably tries to repair his past, he must learn that his efforts do not bring atonement. He must see that God's grace and forgiveness make the difference.

In "Outlaw Sheriff," Caleb Wilson arrives in Dime Box, Arizona. The former outlaw now serves God and abides by the law. When local citizens want to take him to the jail, he thinks they want to lock him up for his past crimes. In a humorous twist, he soon realizes they think he is the long-awaited sheriff. Caleb goes along with what he thinks is God providing a way for him. But when the real sheriff's mail-order bride arrives, Caleb realizes he may be settling in for good.

In "The Peacemaker," Colt Wilson departs Huntsville prison determined to find some money and rebuild his life. When he seeks out his ex-partner, he finds the man's widow, Anne Langley. Anne and her daughters labor to make their ranch successful. Colt learns that his quest for revenge isn't worth the joy he might find if he chooses God and Anne's love.

In "A Gamble on Love," Benjamin Wilson earns his keep as a cheating gambler with the help of pretty Pearl. But his swindling schemes fall apart when Pearl returns home to clean up her life and care for her mother. Benjamin follows her hoping to pursue their friendship and winning ways. Instead he finds God's love and hope for a lifetime with Pearl.

The premise for these stories is good. Many a bad man has been redeemed by God's love and a loving woman. The western setting makes that premise feel even more authentic. Good novellas that feel like a complete story are hard to create, so some of these stories are stronger offerings than others. I favored "Outlaw Sheriff" because Kathleen Miller, as usual, spins a good tale. She builds suspense well and creates a likeable main character. Women seeking romantic stories with a shorter read time will like these redemptive novellas in "Brothers of Outlaw Trail."

Received book free of charge.

I enjoyed this book. It was one of those that you couldn't put down.