Mary Connealy’s novel Forged in Love is the story of Mariah Stover who is left for dead when the Deadeye Gang robs her stagecoach. Mariah meets Clint Roberts, a man with painful memories. Can the two forge a relationship and move forward in their lives? I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this well-written novel second chances, memories, and love.

I'm always taken back to the vibe of my dad's old Louis L'Amour books when I start a new Western series by Mary Connealy. Granted, I enjoy that her heroines play a more central role and romance is a key component, but the setting, adventure, suspense, dry humor, and strong characters full of grit make these books impossible to resist. I love that Mariah keeps running her father's blacksmith shop, and Clint is a gourmet chef bringing flavor to the small town. There is some unrequited love, some forced proximity, and plenty of intrigue as they try to protect themselves against unknown villains. Not all answers are found, which continues part of the plot throughout the series, connecting the books.

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.

When the Deadeye Gang robs the stagecoach she's riding in, killing both her father and brother... She has to take over the family business and soon finds that she may be in danger. Did the robbers recognize her and realize she is still alive? Clint has his cafe to run but finds he can't let her face this danger alone. Danger, outlaws and romance... great combination! Loved it!

I LOVED this book! From beginning to end, it was fantastic. Perfect setting, well developed characters, great characters. Thank you for allowing me to read and review this book! Beautiful cover as well!

It seems to me that I am always starting my reviews of the latest series from Mary Connealy in the same route. I read this book exactly when I needed such a story. Secrets, murder, attempted murder, mystery, villains, stage coach, old west, an eastern chef running a diner, and a female blacksmith... excellent. The pages kept turning as I stole away moments to be able to continue the story while my children and husband snoozed away in the dead of night. The cover image made me thirst for the wind across the fields in the west and the smell of horseflesh and a howl of a friendly, or not so friendly dog. Characters of wit and humor make me smile and each time I learn a new character, I wonder if I could be blessed enough to learn their story next.

I am very blessed to have received a copy from Bethany House Publishers and love to continue to collect Mary's novels in every format, digital and paperback.

Western Historical Fiction is such a great change of pace in my reads, and Forged in Love was a great choice. It's quick, fun and light.

I have always loved westerns but haven't read much in the genre. This played out well in my head while reading which is a huge plus for me. I love the interaction between Mariah and Clint as well as her friendship with Nell and Becky. Almost makes me want to go back to that time period .. almost 😂

I was actually surprised how fast I got into this one and finished it. Such an enjoyable way to spend a few hours. I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I love Mary Connealy stories about the west and the women and men who forged their way through trials and major tribulations. In this story we read about Mariah and her family who own the blacksmith shop in town and are dealing with a funeral of a family member. On the way home they are ambushed by the Deadeye gang and to everyone's horror they kill everyone on the stagecoach. Well they thought they killed everyone, but low and behold during the raid the coach flipped over trapping Mariah underneath it. Because they assume she is dead they leave.
In the meantime, the horses from the coach come running into town and the townspeople realize there has been another holdup. They mount up but not before the cook of the restaurant heads out at a gallop to see what happened and to go after Mariah who he loves but has never divulged it to her.
Clint gets to the carnage and with the sheriff and others they realize that everyone is gone. Then when they get quiet they hear the soft calls of Mariah from under the coach. Clint rushes her to the doctor in hopes of being able to save her. Her best friend Nell and Becky arrive fearing the worst but discover that she has survived.
Now the town knows it will have to not only take care of Mariah but figure out how to prevent the gang from coming back to kill her. Clint just wants to prove to her his love and wishes to have her as his wife. Exciting story with many ups and downs and true friendship and love.

Mary Connealy is an author who never disappoints me! Is it because she writes western stories that remind me of the TV westerns that I watched with my Daddy? Could it be that I usually end up laughing out loud at some of the antics, or is it the swoon-worthy romance that finds its way into these stories? How about the subtle, thought-provoking messages of hope, faith, and trust that are always woven into her plots? All of these reasons make Connealy a favorite and all of them are in her newest book!

A female blacksmith and a male chef are two of the unforgettable characters but don't forget the Deadeye Gang of robbers and the upright citizens of Pine Valley. This gang of robbers may be searching for the only witness to one of their crimes, and the townspeople are determined to protect that witness any way they can! There's laughter galore, action unlimited, and a romance that had me hoping for more. Best of all, this is the first book in the new Wyoming Sunrise series so I know there will be more exciting adventures with Mariah and her best friends, Nell and Becky.

Do yourself a favor and grab a copy of Forged in Love. You can't go wrong with this addition to Connealy's "romantic comedies with cowboys"!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher. There was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own thoughts.

Classic Connealy historical romance.. I enjoyed the story. The hero and the heroine have atypical careers for for the time and setting. That mixes things up a bit. Set in Wyoming where women had the vote long before other places in the nation did. That sets things up for an early feminist agenda as part of the story and part of the conflict. It has nicely set up two more novels to complete the series.

Forged in Love is a great beginning to Mary Connealy’s Wyoming Sunrise series. It is just what I would expect from her books. I admired the bravery, courage and determination of the character of Mariah. It was a delight to see her and Clint interact with one another. Overall, it was a fun and entertaining read and among my favorites I have read for the year so far.

Forged in Love is getting a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading clean historical fiction. I am eagerly awaiting the second book from the Wyoming Sunrise series, The Laws of Attraction, to see what adventure Mary Connealy will take her readers to next.

I received a paperback copy of Forged in Love from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

I enjoyed Mariah and Clint story a lot. Mariah is left for dead in the robbery of the stage coach. Mariah brother and father are killed in the robbery. Mariah is so brave and stubborn. After healing from her injuries she is determined to make it on her own. Will she be able to? Clint is determined to do his best to keep her safe. I loved the dog in the story too. I definitely recommend reading this book.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and also brought my own copy. This book review is my own opinion.

Forged in Love by Mary Connelly is the first book in the Wyoming Sunrise Series. The setting is the late 1800’s during the Wyoming territory expansion as well the early days of the early grass roots of the Women’s Suffragette movement.

This clean romance story is delightful, engaging and full of faith, love and friendship. The characters are well developed and the plot is excellent! - 5 Stars! I can't wait to read the next 2 books in this series!

I received this book for free. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are my own. Thank you to Bethany House Publishers and Ms. Connealy for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book!

Overall, this was an entertaining read. The setting was well described and fit with the events of the story itself. The characters' conversations and interactions were believable. The only negative I had about it was the storyline itself. The author has both of the main characters take on jobs not normally done. The female lead takes on a "mans" job and the male lead takes on a "female" job. I like to read for relaxation and no controversy. This story had the main characters fighting against the norm. This just made the story less entertaining, still a fun read, just not a really relaxing read.

Mary Connealy is always a joy to read. While this story starts with the tragedy of Mariah losing her father and brother in a stage coach robbery, it doesn’t end there. Connealy has a talent of mixing just the right amount of suspense with romance and she did it again in Forged in Love. Mariah arrives back in town missing her family and her memory. Luckily she is surrounded by other people that deeply care about her. When weird things start happening around her, everyone starts to wonder if there is a dangerous stranger in their midst. Clint will stop at nothing to protect Mariah, and keeping her safe isn’t turning out to be the easiest of tasks. Will they survive long enough to realize they are meant for each other?

I loved watching Clint and Mariah get to know each other despite the danger seeming to surround them. I was taken by surprise several times, and couldn’t seem to put the book down. Mariah has some great friends and I can’t wait to see what happens in their stories to come! Connealy always writes the most unique characters and I love getting to see what she comes up with next. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Historical Romance with a little bit of suspense mixed in. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers and was in no way forced to post a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

*I received an ARC copy from the publisher. This does not affect my review. This review is voluntary.*

I...I can't believe this one took me nearly a month to read. I admit I struggled to find it in me to pick it up after only a few chapters in. I just wasn't connecting with the characters, the story was okay but fell flat, and I didn't even really care for the romance or the mystery in this one.

I knew this wasn't my favorite genre, but I've loved other similar works, and seeing that I'd heard good things about Mary Connealy's books, and seeing this was the beginning of her latest series. I thought the blurb sounded interesting, and I'd hoped to at least find it an easy and enjoyable read. That didn't happen...

The blurb mentioned that the town wasn't in favor of Mariah and Clint's relationship, or her career choice as a blacksmith. I didn't see that at all. In fact, they seemed right pleased with both! The only exception might have been Joshua Pruitt, and well...the guy's just a bundle of joy, so that's not really any big surprise.

The characters were all flat and shallow, the only one with a real issue with Mariah's job was herself, and Clint a bit, but not in the ways she's prone to think. Their individual characters felt overly cliché and their personality just seemed to be whatever was needed to keep the story going, there was nothing special or personal about either or them, and she could have easily been paired with any of the other eligible male characters and it wouldn't have changed a thing in the story...

I was greatly underwhelmed by this one, and don't think I'll be reading any more of Mary Connealy's books. The suffragette themes were also heavy handed and I didn't enjoy the constant feminism overtones throughout. I'm disappointed that things didn't work out, but I can't honestly recommend this one to anyone.

I always enjoy reading this author. This was a great book that had a very unique opening. Definitely would recommend this as your next book.

This was a fun western romance story set in Wyoming in the 1870s. The plot was interesting and kept my interest from beginning to end. I loved the two main characters Clint and Mariah as they help each other with their respected jobs and work hard to make a living in their small town.

Clint and others are trying to figure out who attacked Mariah and left her for dead after the stagecoach robbery. Meanwhile strange mishaps keep happening to Mariah who has no memory of the attack. Is she being targeted by the gang?

I liked seeing Clint and Mariah get to know each other better in their time of need and to see their friendship blossom.

I hope to read more books set in this town and include other characters mentioned in this book. I really enjoyed reading this clean western romance!

I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

One of the things I love most about Ms Connealy’s books is that you jump right into action. It’s always well explained and I rarely if ever felt lost but there is action from word one. I couldn’t ask for a better way to start a book.

Forged in Love starts with a stage robbery and gun fight. As you read it’s obvious that there is a past between the characters but the current relationship is developed so well that you don’t feel like you’re missing out by not knowing them previously.

I can’t even imagine how Mariah felt knowing that she lost her father and brother and that her friends and community were hiding her to save her life. It would be such a profound mix of devastation and love.

I loved laughing out loud at the snarkiness in this book. It warms my heart to see the good-natured teasing and the loving way that they laugh at each other and themselves. Several times my husband looked at me like I was nuts because I was laughing so hard.

I loved guessing the perpetrators, some were given and others you just know are going to be found out in future novels. I can’t wait for the next book in the Wyoming Sunrise series, it’s so exciting to see if I’m right! ;D

This is a must read new series, that’s going to make you want to read everything she’s ever written! Fabulous!

A story featuring a female blacksmith? Yes please! I was very excited when I realized Mariah was going to be taking over the family business, although the circumstances were sorrowful. Her work was well played throughout the story, and this truly was the highlight for me.

I liked that there was an amnesia angle. That is a favorite trope of mine, and I love seeing how different authors handle it. This tale was a superb example of the amnesia trope done right. I couldn’t get enough of that angle.

The plot was solid with an entertaining journey for the leading characters. The plot twists and challenges were superb. Nearly everything about this book was top notch.

The one disappointment for me was that sheltering women from coarse language was shown to be a negative thing. The lack of respect of using coarse language in front of women and children is a key reason why such atrocious words are so prevalent today. I personally take my instruction on this topic directly from Ephesians 4:29 (HCSB), which says, in part, “No foul language is to come from your mouth.” Because of that verse, I hold the opinion that every human should be shielded from all foul language—not just the women and children.

I love Mary Connealy’s books. She allows us to get to know her characters well. There’s action and humor in her books and she gently points the reader back to the pathway of faith.

From the first sentence, we join the action immediately with a stagecoach robbery in progress. From that point, the heroine of the book, Mariah Stover, is never out of danger. The author tells Mariah’s story very well as we follow her through the danger, sorrow, and blessings that come her way.

I appreciated that the hero of the book, Clint Roberts, was not your typical cowboy but a talented chef. However, Mariah was also not the typical western woman as she was the town’s blacksmith. They almost seemed as if they would be total opposites, but the sweet romance that developed between them was believable. Both Clint and Mariah showed great courage and faith during desperate times.

This is the first book of a new series and I’m looking forward to reading more stories from Pine Valley, Wyoming.

I voluntarily received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to post a review. All opinions are my own.