A Heart’s Disguise (Journey of the Heart #1)

 

Title:  A Heart’s Disguise (Journey of the Heart #1)

Author:  Colleen Coble

Pages:  128

Year:  2015

Publisher:  Thomas Nelson

My rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Rand Campbell is a Union soldier who was captured behind enemy lines and taken to Andersonville Prison Camp where he almost died from starvation and dysentery. His best friend, Ben, was one of the Union soldiers who liberate the camp upon the end of the War Between the States. Rand entrusts him with a letter to his fiancée, Sarah. Rand continues to heal. He writes letters to his family and Sarah but never receives any letters in return. He thought for sure someone from his family would come to visit him as he recuperates but no one appears. He is finally well enough to travel home and is determined to discover what is going on.

Sarah Montgomery is a young, 16-year-old when the love of her life, Rand, leaves to serve in the Union Army. Three years later, her heart is broken as she has been told that Rand didn’t survive the war. Her father has a bad heart and has been given a year or less to live. Her older brother, who she lives with, is an arrogant bully. She is depressed and angry with God. Rand’s best friend has been pressuring her to marry him, but Sarah has put him off in the past because her heart will always belong to Rand. However, since her father is dying, he wants her married before he dies. She doesn’t love Ben, but he could give her a good life. It would make her father and brother happy, so she finally agrees. Before the wedding takes place, however, Sara and Ben are in for a big surprise.

This is a great start to this 6-part series! I was drawn into the story immediately and couldn’t put the book down until finished. I have part two on the top of my TBR pile and can’t wait to get to it! The characters are easy to get to know and become involved with. Rand, who has endured the horrific trials of the Andersonville Prison Camp, has continued to lean on the Lord for survival. However, Sara has been struggling with her faith and blames God for her grief and heartache. What will happen in the future for these two lovebirds?

Note:  The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.

The Devils Crossing (A Preacher & MacCallister Western #4)

 

Title:  The Devils Crossing (A Preacher & MacCallister Western #4)

Author:  William W. Johnstone and J. A. Johnstone

Pages:  352

Year:  2022

Publisher:  Pinnacle

My rating:  5 out of 5 stars.

Be prepared for an exciting tale that brings two beloved characters together once again to face the dangers of the wild west. Preacher and Jamie Ian MacCallister meet to help protect a wagon train on the Oregon Trail. There is one pass on the trail that is notoriously dangerous, Devil’s Pass, where an outlaw band attacks the wagon trains when the path narrows, leaving no avenue of escape.

Tom Linford is the scout on a trip with wagon master Ethan Prescott when the wagons are attacked. He alone survives and makes it back to civilization. When the next group of settlers are gathered to travel the Oregon Trail the wagon master, Simon Lash, wants to bring along some extra help. Joining the train to help deter any gangs from attacking, Preacher travels with the settlers heading west, while Jamie stays hidden as the rear guard. Only a few know of Jamie’s presence, and the community of travelers doesn’t know the man they are calling “Arthur” is really Preacher.

In a spell-binding story, readers will be entertained for hours. Preacher is one of the most well-known characters whose exploits in the mountains can be enjoyed by reading the series’ First Mountain Man. Jamie Ian MacCallister is the focus in the first couple books of the Eagles series. Putting these two tough frontier men together to battle a gang of at least 40 villains leads to tense and heart-stopping moments.

Whether you have read all the books in the series or not, this one is one of the most enjoyable. If you would like to read the Preacher & MacCallister series in order start with the following:  Frontier America, They Came to Kill, and When All Hell Broke Loose. These two men are prairie smart, and both have fought to stay alive in some unbelievable situations. The ending of The Devil’s Crossing was very touching and left me wanting more of Preacher and Jamie. I hope the Johnstones plan to bring them together for another adventure soon!

Visit the authors’ website to see all the exciting stories available at https://williamjohnstonebooks.com

Note:  The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.

Forever Texas

 

Title:  Forever Texas

Author: William W Johnstone & J. A. Johnstone

Pages: 400

Year: 2020

Publisher: Kensington

My rating:  4 out of 5 stars.

New characters in a bold and captivating new series set in south Texas beginning in the year 1852!  The main male character is currently part owner and steam ship captain Regis Royal.  There is some mystery to this man as his personal history isn’t fully revealed in the tale.  We do learn he has a younger brother named Shepley and recently lost his mother.  His partner in the shipping business educated him with books and by working on the boats.  Now Regis wants to own land that currently is under Spanish domain, or is it?

The adversary in the tale is Tomasina Valdez, and she is as ruthless as they come.  She rules her gang without mercy.  She can wield a gun better than most, and she will fight for the land Regis wants to own and build a ranch on.  We are given snippets into her past but there is more to this character than readers will learn.  Tomasina brings an air of danger, gun smoke and tension to the power struggle for the land in south Texas.

In the novel, readers will enjoy the run-in of these two players along with other supporting characters, though I suspect a couple may grow in importance as the series grows.  There is the land dispute that plays the central part in the plot, but there is other action going on in the background at times too.  The fight for survival against those who wish to take what others have kept had me turning pages for hours.  The way danger is faced head on such as a fight with Apaches or Tomasina’s vaqueros is wild!  I got pulled into the tale and at times could envision what was happening as I read.

I anticipate that this new series will become one of the most sought after in the Johnstone world of tales.  I liked how not everything was solved by the end of the story, leaving it to the readers imagination or perhaps to be picked up by the next installment in the series.  So, bring on more of Regis Royal and his men who are out to tame the land and build a future!

Note:  The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.