Fast paced historical western adventure with romance. A true picture of the wild West. The characters are all very interesting. Rose's brothers are evil to the core so it's hard to believe they all belong to the same family. Very enjoyable!

This is the first book in the Lantry sisters series which takes the reader to old west Colorado where Rose is returning back to run the home place and preserve the family. Enter Morgan who is a neighboring rancher that helps Rose and finds a future. Good book with western setting to settle into reading while in a comfortable chair.

Ebook from netgalley and publishers with thanks. Have print copy. Opinions are entirely my own.

Whispering Pines ~ The Langtry Sisters by Scarlett Dunn

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Story Notes

Scarlett Dunn’s first story in her new Langtry Sisters series is a great adventure in love and forgiveness.

Having read the description and an earlier novella by Miss Dunn, I was excited to read this adventure story. I loved the plot she presented and the theme of forgiveness that was woven throughout the entire book – both of which made me wish for such a growing romance in my life. Ms. Dunn begins her delightful story with a tragic necessity – the hanging of cattle rustlers – that is interrupted by the arrival of a stagecoach. Morgan LeMasters has been seeking these particular thieves for months especially since one of them is responsible for the near death of the Sioux healer, Joseph Longbow. He is not happy that they turn out to be Frankie Langtry, the grandson of his neighbor, and some drifters looking for easy money, but neither can he allow their crimes to go unpunished. However, before he can carry out the sentence on the deserving thieves, Frankie’s little sister Rose arrives on the scene on the stagecoach, fresh from school back East. Horrified that anyone could think her brother capable of such a crime, Rose demands that Morgan allow the accused men to stand trial before the circuit judge. Not wanting to make Rose watch her brother hang, Morgan agrees, albeit very reluctantly. As they make their way back to Whispering Pines, the axle on the stagecoach breaks and all the occupants are toss end over end until they stop at the bottom of the hill. Taking advantage of the chaos, Frankie grabs a gun and threatens to kill his unconscious sister unless Morgan lets him and his men go. Seeing no other choice, Morgan agrees, angry that Frankie would even consider harming Rose. After Frankie escapes, Morgan, his men, Rose and the rest of the passengers are stranded with only enough horses for two to ride. Sending two of the men to town for help and more horses, Morgan volunteers to wait with the others and help the injured bandage themselves with what’s on hand. Rose, it turns out has the worst injuries -all her ribs are broken – and needs the most care. She will have to decide if Morgan is the honorable man her grandmother always said he was or the cruel, hard man that Frankie told her he is. Now, with this start to a plot, how could anyone not turn out a good story? And to all this add the danger of Morgan going after Frankie’s gang, Rose’s other brother Stevie slacking in his work at the farm and getting into trouble, Frankie vowing to do all he can to take everything Morgan has before he kills him and Rose trying to be the negotiator for them all and Ms. Dunn has a great story with enough chilling adventure and romance for any avid reader. I loved how she showed that each person has to find the courage to fight for true justice in the face of desire for revenge; because we cannot call ourselves Christians if we seek vengeance that belongs to the Lord. Ms. Dunn also had each of her characters make an choice at some point in the story as to whether they would forgive those who had wronged them or go on wallowing in bitterness and hate. It made the story so much more than just another adventure/romance that anyone else could write. I further enjoyed her ability to let Rose grow up throughout the story. Rose came into the story totally naive to what her brothers were capable of and refused to listen to anyone speak against them. It was sad to read that she had to lose faith in them to see that God was the one she should have put her trust in; however it will be this journey of faith that Ms. Dunn will use to bring Rose to Morgan to find love. I loved everything about Morgan in this story – he was a man willing to trust God for his future, willing to protect Rose and others from Frankie, and willing to admit when he was wrong to seek vengeance for Frankie’s deeds. Ms. Dunn uses him to show Rose that love puts others needs and desires ahead of oneself and that trust should be given to those who have earned it. For Morgan, Rose becomes the love he never thought he would find – a love that will teach him that mercy, grace and forgiveness are the only way to be truly free of the bitterness he carries. I can hardly wait for the next book in this series and I’m hoping it will be as good or better than this first one. Ms. Dunn has definitely found a fan in me and I look forward to more from her in the near future. I will certainly recommend this book to others and will definitely be purchasing a few copies as Christmas presents.

I received this E-book free of charge from Kensington Books/Zebra Publishers via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation from either of these companies for this review.

Her brother is in trouble, the rancher she dislikes is actually not quite as bad as she thought, and her family is in need of a miracle... all this and an uneasy feeling that just might spell love...

Whispering Pines is a beautiful book that teaches forgiveness, the ability to see past outward appearances, and that sometimes what we need is very different that what we want. I found this to be a delightful journey into life on a ranch and the struggles all of us have with trusting God, even when it seems impossible.

WHISPERING PINES was the first novel that I read by Ms Dunn...but hopefully not the last. I loved the simplicity of this story...and I enjoyed Ms Dunn's writing style. I have shared this novel w/ all of my reading friends...and have recommended it to my local libraries. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

I really enjoyed this book! the cover caught my attention and the description drew me in.
The story was great, I loved the Characters!

Whispering Pines is a dangerous, suspenseful, mysterious, yet as far as being Christian I would really have a problem with saying so. You have the main character saying that that they have a caring heart but they were also scared of the other main character - then in the other situation she fell in love with him - I guess I am saying this book is one big dichotomy of Christianity - non-Christianity. - I guess we all have to learn and grow right? I guess it is up to you to decide on which side of they dichotomy you fall on....

Rose Langtry's trip home is anything but the expected. First, her brother is almost hung by her neighbor, Morgan LeMasters; then after securing her brother's safety, Rose is injured in a horrific stage coach accident.

Morgan LeMasters can't believe the injured beauty he rescues was once the little girl that feared him, nor that she so staunchly defends her cattle rustling thief of a brother.

I was instantly engrossed in Whispering Pines by Scarlett Dunn. The story doesn't follow the usual formula of romance and love. Instead, it is compelling and eventful.  There are scenes of suspense, intrigue and revenge and also scenes of faith, forgiveness and love. Some scenes are horribly disturbing and grisly. However, they perfectly illustrate the depravity of one character. Also, a few segments are borderline risque.

I fell in love with "Granny," Rose's grandmother, who raised her. She is tough and resilient and loves those around her mightily. Most of the main characters' love her too and call her Granny, even though they aren't related to her.

Whispering Pines is the first book in The Langtry Sisters collection. In this novel, we briefly glimpse the other two sisters, Adelaide and Emma, creating anticipation for the next two installments.

I received this book from NetGalley. However, I was under no obligation to post a review.
I posted reviews on Barnes and Noble, FB and those listed below.

Whispering Pines

by Scarlett Dunn

Kensington Books

Zebra
Christian , Romance

Pub Date 25 Jul 2017

I am voluntarily reviewing a copy of Whispering Pines through Kensington Books and Netgalley:

This book transports us back to Nineteenth Century Colorado:

As a young girl Rose Langtry feared her gruff but handsome rancher neighbor, but after five years away from Colorado she's utraged to find Morgan Le Masters ready to hang her brother for rustling and theft.

Rose knows her brothers are innocent but Morgan Le Masters refuses. Will Rose Langtry be able to prove her brothers innocence? Will they be able to forgive?

I give Whispering Pines five out of five stars.

Happy Reading!

Thoughts:

WHISPERING PINES (The Langtry Sisters) by Scarlett Dunn is a coming home tale. Inside the frontier life of Colorado, danger stakes a claim at the beginning and continues all the way through!

When family reunions come around, times may be good but sometimes not so much. No one could expect to find a man who frightened you as a child ready to dole out his own form of justice to your kin upon arrival. It’s true that Frank Langtry had behavioral issues throughout his young life, but five years must have matured him as it did his sister. Trying to convince this to the judge, jury, and executioner named Morgan LeMasters is not going to be easy. Fear grips her heart tighter as Rose Langtry dares the man to hand her brother over to the sheriff and let justice come the right way.

Readying to face death, her brother is swearing that he did not do these things, but Morgan claims his proof is back at the ranch. As she is refusing to leave, her brother is spinning a yarn of his lifetime.

In the meanwhile, the young woman standing before Morgan begs for her brother’s life. Although he is deputized and by law can exact justice upon this man of terror, he will not take this man’s life in front of family. He will not do it. Realizing this young woman loves the lad does not make things go down any easier. Because the way Morgan sees it, she will beg the next judge for leniency too. To see how her time away has matured this young woman of the past has him wonder if her good heart will not notice the monster that is her brother.

However, once his good deed goes awry, life is about to become so much more complicated in Whispering Pines.

Maybe she’ll have to choose blood over bond or maybe she’ll have to understand enough to choose love over her circumstances, but whatever way Rose Langtry could go, the pain will follow in one form or another.

Sometimes blood is thicker than water and sometimes that just isn’t the case. Could her prayers for Frankie have come to pass freeing him of his hard owned reputation or could her prayers cause her to realize when to let go and let God?

Will love find a way inside WHISPERING PINES?

***This opinion is my own.***

Preview:

Inside WHISPERING PINES (The Langtry Sisters) by Scarlett Dunn, Rose Langtry is the first sister to arrive home, but instead of a greeting party, hanging halts the stagecoach. She tries to keep herself together upon seeing her brother ready to die, but the man in charge is the one she has feared a long time. Deciding to fight for her brother, she implores Morgan LeMasters to move his vengeance aside and let the sheriff take his case.

While seeing the beautiful woman nearly coming unglued helped Frankie Langtry’s case in the short-term, his fate becomes more sealed after things go wrong on his way into freedom. He injures one and kills another, and he holds no worry over his sister’s life. Now, the woman who created this mess lies injured and their horses are gone.

To tend to Rose’s wounds and keep her alive isn’t hard because she is Frankie’s sister, but it is hard because she’s a good woman. Rose could just barrel through your defenses to create a bond that would leave any man wanting more.

Could Rose ever fall in love with the man who would have killed her brother?

However, Frankie is repaying revenge for the goodness that he received bringing more danger not only to Morgan but also to all involved. Morgan LeMaster’s keeps guard over Rose and nurses her to health, but all the while, he is worried about the rest of her family!

Will tensions create the need for a marriage of convenience while family bonds shatter? Will faith lead to a bond stronger than the storm?

Whispering Pines is the first book in the Langtry Sisters series. The three sisters went East to receive an education now one at a time they are returning home. This is Rose Langtry's story. As a young girl Rose feared her gruff,handsome neighbor Morgan LeMasters. Not anymore though, now she has noticed him in a whole new way. Sparks fly but she finds Morgan ready to hang her brother Frankie for rustling and theft. Her brother's grudge brings danger to Rose as she is injured in the resulting skirmish. When she is unconscious she doesn't hear her brother threaten to hurt her. Morgan does though and he vows to protect her and not let anything happen to her. As she recovers she begs Morgan to show mercy towards her brother not really believing the rumors that he is as bad as everyone says. That proves false as he continues to rob and do evil deeds even taking his brother's life in a purposely set fire. The date for the wedding approaches as some fast paced action goes down.
Fast paced and full of action I think you'll love this historical romance.
Pub Date 25 Jul 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

The story line is interesting though it feels like it drags in some places while goes too quickly in others. Her best characters seem to be more of the side ones, not as much the main characters. I do have one larger problem with the novel. It was found in the Christian category and contains many of those principles but I think there's an awful lot of sexual tension in the book that seems very unnecessary. Overall, it's enjoyable but I don't think I would recommend it.

This book is categorized as a Christian romance, however it is not Christian. The main character carries around a Bible and quotes Bible verses, yet she does not live a moral life and is extremely hypocritical.

Rose was "blessed with a warm, caring heart" yet she believed that Morgan LeMasters was Satan because her brother said so. She was also scared of him, even though her grandmother said he was a "very nice young man". Later in the book, she tells Morgan that she fell in love with him because all the women competed for him and he was so handsome.

In the beginning, Morgan is supposed to be protecting Rose and instead he spends the entire time hitting on her while she is most vulnerable. Rose is in a lot of pain, won't eat, and can hardly move due to broken ribs but she has no problem making out with Morgan. She makes out on a bed with a guy she has supposedly been afraid of her entire life and then is surprised at what she thinks are his intentions.
"I would not give myself to any man without the benefit of marriage. You of all people know how I was reared, and the beliefs my family hold clear. I can't fathom how you would think I would abandon my faith."

The hypocrisy of this quote really bothers me and set the tone for this book. She says these things, yet Morgan is the one who has to stop Rose from going as far as she wants to. And when he does stop them from going too far, Rose assumes he is cheating on her with another woman.

They only seem to be interested in each other physically and have no real conversations. Their topics include her injuries, her brothers, and how attractive they find each other. Later in the book, when they are worried for each other's lives, they still are only missing the physical aspects of one another. Everyone also thinks Rose is the most beautiful woman they have ever seen and all the men love her on sight and all the woman flirt with Morgan. It's incredibly unrealistic.

The hypocrisy continues when Rose decides she wants to go to church and says that she has never missed a Sunday. However, once she finds out that she could stay home alone with Morgan she decides that she no longer wants to go to church.

The story repeats itself many times and is dragged out. There are also a lot of cliché comments. Most of the book was not very interesting and I did not feel invested in the characters.

I would not recommend this book and I would rate it 1-2 stars. I received this book from Netgalley. This review is 100% my own opinion.

Instant love with no real connection of the characters.

Not my cup,of tea.

Whispering Pines is a well written historical romance. A great story with a Colorado setting and great characters. A grT beginning to a new Christian series.

This book had a lot of promise, but what ultimately killed it was the lackluster, cookie cutter characters that just seemed to be missing that spark that would make them come alive to the reader. Morgan was the closest to being engaging, but I didn't see why he was attracted to Rose, besides her beauty. She seemed like a weak-willed naive girl who clung a bit too tightly to her bible. I appreciate Christian romance, and in such a book, I would be okay with it. But this book couldn't decide if it wanted to be historical, Christian, or paranormal. The numerous references to church, God, and the bible seemed out of place. Also, the villains were not believable to me. Frank and Stevie had such animosity towards their own flesh and blood, and it seemed contrived for the most part. The author tried, and I can see potential in her writing, but this book missed the mark.