Customer Reviews

Petticoat Ranch (Lassoed in Texas, Book 1)

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

are only three of the many, many words I could use to describe Mary Connealy's debut novel, Petticoat Ranch! Fun, unique, hilarious, and inspiring are other words that still fail to do the novel justice.

Mary has constructed a fantastic story that seems to breach all genres - who would have thought a suspenseful historical with a strong romance thread and a hilarious chick-lit voice would have been this great? This is one book that everyone can - and will! - read and enjoy.

A widow on the frontier, more daughters than she - or her new husband - can count, a dangerous surprise, and one stubborn cowboy make this story one you won't be able to put down!

I dare you to branch out today and pick up a copy of this fabulous book! You'll giggle, you'll sniffle, you'll constantly look over your shoulder...but most of all, you WON'T regret it!

Because a few horribly written books I have read in the past that were of the same genre (Christian Historical Fiction, set in the Frontier), I was leery of reading this novel. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that "Petticoat Ranch" is a lively, funny, sweet, & suspenseful book. It was filled with relatable, realistic, and multi-dimensional characters, which I find is often lacking in Christian fiction. Some bits are pretty cheesy, the relationships seem to progress rather quickly (and outside of the text), it is of course fairly predictable, and there's nothing terribly remarkable about the story, but overall it is still a well-written book that I was pleased to read, and couldn't put down!

Grade: A-

What does a seasoned cowboy, rasied by mountain men and toughened by the trail, do when confronted by a feisty vision of femininity? Throw in a passel of cute-as-bug girls with tears that flow a-plenty, and just watch this self-assured cowboy crumble. Clay McClellan has his hands full when he vows to serve and protect Sophie Edwards and her daughters, and regain control of the ranch his brother called home before being lynched by a vigilante. Love and laughter fill the pages of Connealy's debut novel bringing joy back into the old West. A must-read novel, Petticoat Ranch offers a great start to a long, successful future for a most talented author.

Mary Connealy's gripping opening chapter puts the reader face-to-face with Sophie McClellan, the tougher-than-nails heroine of Petticoat Ranch. In a book rife with humor that pokes good, honest fun at men and the vagaries of a marriage of convenience (or any marriage!!!), Connealy hits the mark time and again with her unstinting faith, her well-drawn characters and her ability to showcase honest family interaction between a "go-get-'em" new husband and father with no experience around little girls, and a mopheaded crew of rag-tag daughters with no small bit of sass and overactive tear ducts, led by a mother who has shown her willingness to do whatever proves necessary to keep her family safe. Told in quick, conversational prose, Connealy came out of the gate with a delightfully told story.

Petticoat Ranch is a hoot! Connealy is one of the best writers I've read in a long time. She expertly weaves humor, adventure and hard-hitting lessons together in one unforgettable story! Everyone MUST rush to order this book! You won't regret it. Connealy is an author you'll be hearing a lot about in the future. I can't WAIT to read her future works.

Petticoat Ranch is a fun book. The humor is relaxed and satisfying. It all starts when Sophie McClellan rescues a stranger from a flash flood, and he is the spitting image of her deceased husband. He turned out to be Clayton McClellan, Cliff's long lost twin brother. Grateful to her for saving his life, he decides to stay and take care of Sophie and her four young daughters. Clay hasn't been around women very much, but he doesn't figure that will be a problem. All you have to do is give the orders and they obey, right? The man has a lot to learn.

Sophie is a strong willed woman, not used to taking orders, and her four young daughters are all as sweet and as pretty as angels, except when they're fighting or crying, which is pretty well most of the time. It's enought to drive a man out of his ever-loving mind. Clay has his hands full, and as if he didn't have enough problems with Sophie and the girls, the men who hung Cliff want the ranch and they don't mind killing a woman in order to get it.

I read this book in one afternoon. Once I started it I couldn't put it down. I'm looking for more from this very talented writer.

The first book in the Lassoed in Texas series by Mary Conneally.

Sophie Edwards is a spunky widow raising 4 daughters alone in the Texas wilderness, after her husband, Cliff, was murdered by marauding outlaws. When his twin brother, Clay, shows up determined to do his Christian duty and marry his brother's widow, Sophie isn't sure she wants a man around. She's feisty and independent and doing just fine on her own.

The man who killed her husband still wants her ranch and has no qualms about killing her himself, in order to get it.

I read this mostly out of curiosity. I thought the characters were a bit more developed here than in Gingham Mountain, but I found the story fairly contrived and hokey. Especially that Sophie's old friend, Adam and Clay's friend, Luther, could "hear" Sophie's pleas to God for help, and then knew where to go to find her.

Like the third one, it's a light, Christian read and a nice diversion when you want something light. Nothing stellar about it. I don't think I'll bother with the second book, Calico Canyon, although the main character in that story, is introduced here.

Petticoat Ranch depicted women back in the days of cowboys and cattle ranches. Women worked hard back then, sometimes even harder to survive being defiled by the men back then. This story shows how one woman protected her girls and showed them how to fend for themselves.

When Clay McClellan discovers his brother has been murdered he is set on revenge. But first, he believes, his Christian duty demands he marry his sister in law. After all, Sophie needs someone to protect her right? He would do the right thing by his brother's family.

The men that killed Clay's brother are still out to kill his family. Will they succeed in finishing the job they started? Stay tuned. This book will make you laugh out loud in parts. I can't wait for the next book to come out by to come out. This would make a great movie.

Reviewed by Nora St.laurent
Life Way Book Club

Mary Connealy's debut novel, Petticoat Ranch is heartwarming, fast-paced and laugh out loud funny with a cast of larger-than-life characters you won't want to miss. I absolutely loved Petticoat Ranch and look forward to more books by Connealy.

I loved Petticoat Ranch. It was the ACFW Book Club book of the month for March, and I devoured it the minute it arrived! It was laugh-out-loud funny and poignantly serious at the same time. Only Mary Connealy could pull off such a feat in the same book.

Mary is a new author to watch!

Pam Hillman
ACFW Book Club Coordinator
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