Heart of the Frontier is a collection of novellas written by four authors. Each story is about people or families from different places traveling to the west.

There are a few stories that would make a great full-length novel. Particularly, “The Gamble”, the first book in the collection was one I really wanted the story expanded on. The story has a great premise and plot. All of the stories in the book is wonderful and enjoyable to read. I truly didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did.

I appreciate the authors clean romance approach and their focus to the struggles of western frontier life.

I don’t typical read in the western romance genre but the book cover caught my eye, which lead me to find out about the stories. I’m delighted I chose this book and will be adding a physical copy to my book stack.

The Gamble by Brittany Larsen // British Aristocrat and younger son, Thomas Clayborne gets more than he bargained for when he decides to invest in a ranching venture in Wyoming.

Thomas finds a friend and ally in Ella. I admired her quick thinking and grit, she didn't give up quickly. It was a solid read, set on the Wyoming plain.

Her Frontier Bandit by Jen Geigle Johnson // Rebecca and her father move out west for a fresh start, while there she comes face to face with a man she thought she'd never see again.

A wonderful western read with plenty of action, in a twisting plot that kept me guessing. There was good character interaction, and I enjoyed this entertaining second chance romance.

Sagebrush Sally by Jennie Hansen // Sally and her father come out west from England, to join their extended family in Idaho, but starting over is rough with a rash of livestock thieving. But a handsome cowboy may help make the transition a little easier.

A sweet romance, Sally has a lot to learn about life in the west. I liked the interaction between her and Gabe, and there was plenty going on. A very enjoyable read.

Celebration for Celia by Carolyn Twede Frank // Celia's family has moved to a new place and she is feeling homesick. She meets a new friend, Bruce who works to help her adjust to her new home.

Bruce is such a nice guy, I really liked how he quickly befriends Celia and her family. He is a great listener and encourager. This was a great read, with a great romance. An engaging read with great characters.

A lovely collection of romances set out west, filled with dashing cowboys and new beginnings out west.


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A wonderful collection of four separate stories by some of the best authors in sweet romance.

The challenges and strength are shown in settling in the west and the the men and women who come together to make a life. Really enjoyed

This wasn't what I expected. It is actually 4 small stories in one book, but I enjoyed it because sometimes you just need a short story.

Four stories are all set in the west but all very different. All four are strong, well-written stories that will pull you in and keep you reading.

The first is a tale of an English aristocrat heading to the American West to make his fortune and those that would use his naivete against him and the young woman who has the education to help not only him but others around her. It is charming with a strong female lead.

The second is of a doctor heading to the West with his daughter to help those in need. The daughter has been pining for her lost love who had left and not been in touch. When he appears in a strange and surprising way, she needs to decide where her heart and future lie.

The third is of a girl Sally who is unhappy with her father and her forced move from green England to her uncle’s ranch in the west where everything appears gray and barren. Soon she discovers that things are different but not necessarily bad. The people there are ready to not only accept her and her father but welcome and include them.

The last is about Celia. She and her family have moved west while her fiancée, Wesley, completes medical school. Now it has been three years and Celia wonders if the engagement is still in place especially when a handsome, caring stranger is injured and needs to heal at the family home.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this read.

I was so excited to see an anthology of stories with a western setting. I believe I've read stories by each of these authors before. They were all enjoyable, but I felt like they were a bit surface-level. I didn't find myself connecting with the characters or experiencing their emotions with them. I would say that these novellas were more plot-focused, and there is good variety between them.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Heart of the Frontier is a collection of four stories. These stories include:
The Gamble by Brittany Larsen
Her Frontier Bandit by Jen Geigle Johnson
Sagebrush Sally by Jennie Hansen
Celebration for Celia by Carolyn Twede Frank
I enjoyed every one of them and was happy to be introduced to some new to me authors. Four stars.

Thank you to Netgalley for an opportunity to read and review this ARC. I am a huge American historical book lover and this one did not disappoint! All four authors are new to me so this gave me an idea of what writing style they have and I look forward to reading more from them all!

This was a fun book! All four stories swept me to earlier days in the western United States.

I especially enjoyed the two stories set in my home state of Idaho. I listened to the audiobook while travelling through the Craters of the Moon area which was the setting for "Sagebrush Sally". The descriptions of the area captured the setting perfectly. I'm excited to visit City of Rocks National Park and will probably listen to "Celebration for Celia" when I do so.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4075850435

Nice fefrwshing end of summer read
I did enjoyed the stories being more partisan to the 1st 3rd and fourth
I love and I am a glutton for a well written we stern romance this collection was good and I did enjoyed reading it
Celia and Vrice story was my favourite
These are clean PG romances and I lo like a little action not much but a little to find a flaw . #HeartoftheFrontier #NetGalley

I loved the variety of scenarios that played out in each of these novellas. The settings and characters were well established and entertaining. Each story was just the right length to draw you in and tell you the story in just the right amount of time.

I always love a good collection. It’s easy to read the novellas in it quickly. I’m not sure why but something about that is satisfying to me. This collection was so fun. I haven’t read something like this in a while, so that was nice.

Brittany Larsen’s The Gamble starts out the book very well. I enjoyed Thomas and Ella as characters. One of my favorite parts of this one is the way Thomas looks out for Ella. Even going so far as to sleep in front of her door to protect her. I liked that Ella was not one to be swayed by money or power. She knew what she wanted from life and she was going to get it.

Next up is Jen Geigle Johnson’s Her Frontier Bandit. This might have been my favorite one. I have a hard time with favorites though. I loved the way Rebecca was willing to go west with her father. Having no idea how their experience would be. And it was crazy with bandits and bullets whizzing every where. I loved how things turned out for her in this one.

Then we have Jennie Hansen’s Sagebrush Sally. I really liked Sally. It was fun to see the sights and sounds of the west through her eyes. I loved that she was a young woman not afraid of hard work and getting dirty when she needed to. She also kept a cool head during a dangerous time. And that was a necessary thing.

Last up is Carolyn Twede Frank’s Celebration for Celia. I really liked Celia in this one. She is a young woman who wants color and fun in her life in Idaho. I loved that she was willing to help with a hurt young man when she needed to. And she learns to listen to her heart as well. It was really fun to see City of Rocks in Idaho make an appearance in this one.

I loved reading the novellas in this book! It’s always fun to travel through a book to the old west.

Heart of the Frontier: A Western Romance Collection is a set of four stories that take place in the late 1800's out in the wild west. I love western books and this one also has sweet romances too. The stories are written by four great authors with many books under their belts. So, in other words, this is a great collection of enjoyable short stories. They all show the adventure and struggles that accompany moving to the West and leaving their former lives behind. I liked all of them from the aristocratic Englishman falling for a stranger, to the bandit still in love with his former girl, to the lonely Sally who has two handsome men to choose from, and then the sweet Celia who unexpectedly finds love with a drifter. Each story was told well in short novellas that feel complete. In fact, I didn't want some of them to end. Readers that love romances set in the wild west will truly enjoy this collection, Heart of The Frontier.

A collection of four sweet romances set out west. Each can be read in less than a couple of hours, depending on how fast you read. All of these are wonderful stories and it's a great way to find new authors.

The Gamble by Brittany Larsen
Thomas Clayborne is reformed gambler moving from Britain to Wyoming. He's been asked by the young woman he intends to court to escort a Miss Ella Merriweather out to Wyoming. This was a great story to start off this book. I really liked Thomas and Ella and thought they suited each other perfected. Thomas was such a gentleman and took great care of her on the long trip from NY to WY. My favorite part was Ella at the Howe's party. I won't spoil it for everyone but I LOVED it!!

Her Frontier Bandit by Jen Geigle Johnson
Rebecca Bailey and her father move from Boston to Grant's Landing because they needed another doctor. Rebecca hopes moving far away from Boston will help mend the heart that Ray Harrison broke when he suddenly disappeared. She's in for a big surprise to find Ray in the same town! This was one of my favorites in this collection. I don't want to give anything away, but I thought Rebecca and her father were brave moving out to the frontier with bandits and such, although the townspeople were very welcoming.

Sagebrush Sally by Jennie Hansen
Sally and her father move move from England to Idaho when the landowner decided to raise sheep instead of allowing tenant farmers to continue to raise crops. With no place to live it was either go to the city and look for work or emigrate to America. Sally's life in Idaho living on her uncle's farm is much different than in England, but she works hard, despite her homesickness, to start a new life. On the bright side she has two men vying for her attention. I really liked the mystery surrounding the cattle rustling in this story.

Celebration for Celia by Carolyn Twede Frank
Celia loves the 4th of July but her father, once a happy man, hasn't celebrated it for the past several years, and he won't explain why. While out exploring with a younger sister, a young man, Bruce, is injured warning them of a rock slide. While at their home recuperating from his injury he develops feelings for Celia, but she's practically engaged to a young man attending medical school. I really liked Bruce--he found ways to help despite his injury. I was glad the reader finds out why Celia's father's attitude about the 4th of July had changed.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher Covenant Communications via NetGalley. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own.

This was such a fabulous collection of stories from wonderfully talented authors. It was such a fun read - I loved it! I look forward to reading more from each of them.

Great collection of four Western romances. I loved how each of these stories were different but they all took us on a journey to the west. I liked how each of the characters weren’t looking for love but they found it anyways. I loved how clean and uplifting they were. They made me smile while I read them. Each story was well done.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

Four popular romance authors are featured in The Heart of the Frontier, a collection of charming western romances that you won’t want to miss!

The first story, The Gamble, by Brittany Larsen, introduces us to Ella Merriweather, a spunky heroine who is determined to confront the man who swindled her relative out of all of her savings. Along the way Ella meets Thomas Clayborne, a man whom she is sure is also being swindled by Mr. Howe. Ella has her work cut out for her convincing Thomas that Mr. Howe is dishonest, however. Can Thomas and Ella overcome the past and the circumstances surrounding them to take a gamble on love? Readers will enjoy their interactions as they come to know each other and feel the first stirrings of something more than friendship. Ella does her best in the circumstances she finds herself in and her strength in the face of adversity makes it easy to love her. Thomas isn’t sure how to handle the mess he now finds himself in, but he does recognize the gem he’s found in Ella. A delightful romance!

Jen Geigle Johnson’s story, Her Frontier Bandit, is a second chance romance set in a small western town that is struggling with crime. Rebecca’s father is the new town physician and she has come to assist him. She’s hiding a broken heart, but her old flame, Ray, appears—and seems to now be a bandit! Her feelings for him are stronger than ever, but there are still secrets that keep them apart. Rebecca is so unsure of herself and readers will relate to her as a character in how she deals with the consequences of poor decisions and grows through her own mistakes. Ray is a complicated hero who is trying to balance a life he never thought he wanted. This story has several twists that will keep readers turning pages to see how it ends after all the secrets are revealed!

In Sagebrush Sally by Jennie Hansen, Sally has moved from England to America with her father, so they can join her uncle on his ranch. But from the moment of their arrival, they are asked to help her uncle and surrounding ranchers find the cattle rustlers who are stealing their livestock. Sally meets Marvin and Gabe, two cowboys who have a lot to recommend them. But just as Sally comes to know her heart, danger finds her. Readers will enjoy seeing the growth in Sally as she comes to appreciate her new surroundings and the people who are trying to tame the wildness of the land and build a new future—and envision a future for herself. The setting is particularly well done and adds a depth to this suspenseful romance. Sagebrush Sally is a tale that will steal your heart!

The last story, Celebration for Celia by Carolyn Twede Frank is a tightly woven tale of a man who wants a second chance at life. He does a good deed in trying to warn a young woman of danger, but is hurt himself in the process. The young woman’s family takes him in and while he’s recovering at their ranch, he finds so much more than he expected, but is it more than he deserves? Bruce has faced so much hardship in his life and overcome much of it, but his lingering feelings of inadequacy are very relatable in any time period. His blossoming relationship with Celia is tender and sweet, though they do face some difficult obstacles. Bruce’s attempt to make a wish come true for Celia is endearing and readers will be rooting for them to get their happily-ever-after.

Though novellas are notorious for leaving readers wanting more, each story in this collection is well-developed, highlighting differing aspects of the western frontier, and bringing them to life with vibrant settings, relatable characters, and sigh-worthy endings. The Heart of the Frontier is the perfect summer beach read with bite-sized romances that are full of hope and determination.

I love a chance to read a set of novellas as it gives me a chance to get to know a new author's writing style and see if my reading preferences match. I particularly enjoy reading books set in the west during the late nineteenth century, so this was a good set for me to read. I'm always amazed by the stories authors can tell in a short amount of time. I didn't particularly enjoy the writing style of a few of the authors in this set. but I still read to the end of each story to find out how they resolved. Would I recommend these books? Yes, if you haven't read these authors before. Would I reread this set? Probably not.

This was a fantastic collection of stories. All four authors were new to me and it was a great way of finding new storytellers. I enjoyed the range of characters and each Novella had beautiful imagery that made the reader feel like they were immersed in the story. I will definitely be looking for more reads from these authors.

I really like collections. Just like every story, I am always sad when a story ends. With a collection you don't have to worry about looking at your TBR. The next story is right there. With some novellas I struggle because I want more and finish the story wishing there was more or wanting a full novel of the story. Some novellas leave me wanting more because it felt like some was missing. But overall, this collection left me satisfied. I have been loving this era in American history, lately as well. My family roots are in this area and time period so I have a deep connection to these kinds of stories.

My favorite of the stories would have to be rather The Gambler or Sagebrush Sally. I think it is interesting that those are the two that had English characters, and they were the two I enjoyed the most.

The Gambler by Brittany Larsen: I really liked Ella. She was strong character. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind and let others know the truth. I liked that she was smart with numbers too. That wasn't really something that was acceptable until quite recently, truly, so I liked that there was that strong female character. I also loved Thomas, and that he didn't just shut Ella down. He may have been prideful at times, but he was pretty quick to see her and value her and her blunt honesty. I liked that he took the time to take her advice and ask questions after he had found himself in a hard situation. It was a sweet story. I finished it feeling like I was okay for it to end there because there was enough given to me, although a full book would have been magnificent as well.

Her Frontier Bandit by Jen Geigle Johnson: I fell in love with the father in this story. As a parent to three young daughters myself, I can only hope that I have the same kind of insight and understanding he had towards his daughter. This was one novella that I wish had been a full length book. I felt like there was some details about Ray that were missing. I liked was was there, but desperately wanted more. I liked that Rebecca knew him the moment she saw him, even after all the time apart. There are often times in a book where a lack of trust can make a person put themselves in danger. In this book, I didn't see that. Rebecca trusted Ray, although she had no reason to after he just left. I loved the ending. It was satisfying and sweet.

Sagebrush Sally by Jennie Hansen: I haven't read much of Jennie Hansen, but what I have read, I have enjoyed a lot. It makes me want to go look for her titles more. In Sagebrush Sally I was kept up late trying to finish this one. There was a suspense that you didn't know who the rustlers were. I was constantly trying to figure out who it could be. I was off twice, and I am glad I was. I would have loved this to be a full novel to read more into the story. I loved how Sally was put into a world that was so far removed from where she had grown up, but she dealt with it with grace. In situations that are unknown there is fear and anxiety that comes with it (at least for me). And then add real danger on top of that? This novella was jam packed with adventure. I liked Gabe a lot. He had a calming presence in this for me. I also like that he cared for Sally and her young cousin, even putting himself in peril so they could be safe. I enjoyed this one a lot.

Celebration for Celia by Carolyn Twede Frank: I adore Carolyn's westerns so I was excited to get to her story. I felt like this was paced well. I enjoyed the talk between Bruce and Celia's father. I liked that we got to see the reason behind her father's demeanor and change she finds in him. I like that Bruce is respectful of her and although he wants to be around her and with her, he respects what she claims to have with Wesley. It was a great time to read this story since Independence Day hit a few days after I finished this collection. I only wish the story had gone past that night and had been lengthened, but I loved how it ended.

Overall, I loved this collection of western novellas. I am enjoying this genre so much and can't wait to get my hands on future releases by the authors.
4 Stars
Thank you NetGalley for the book.

The Gamble by Brittany Larsen - Thomas and Ella come from different worlds, yet they fit. I really liked Ella's character. She was strong and spunky and I liked that. Thomas had his moments where he wasn't my favorite, but he came around in the end. I wish this story had an epilogue, because I would love to know what happened to certain unsavory characters.

Her Frontier Bandit by Jen Geigle Johnson - Wow, Rebecca and Ray have quite the story. I wasn't sure how Rebecca would handle the West, especially right after they arrived, but she showed her spunk and determination. Ray was an interesting character with a lot of secrets. This was a sweet suspenseful romance.

Sagebrush Sally by Jennie Hansen - Every time I read this title I get the song Mustang Sally stuck in my head. This story had plenty of the suspense and mystery you'd expect from the Old West. I'm impressed with Sally. She was really unhappy when she arrived, but she quickly put that behind her and got to work helping her aunt. There wasn't much of a relationship or interaction between her and Gabe, but I was still rooting for him.

Celebration for Celia by Carolyn Twede Frank - This was my favorite out of this collection. I felt it had the most relationship development between the main characters. Also, who wouldn't love Bruce? He was so thoughtful and kind, even if he didn't have the best upbringing. I loved him and Celia together. My only complaint was I wish there had been a little more to the resolution of the conflicts at the dance.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley, but this is my honest review.