Forged in Love is the first book in a new series by Mary Connealy and I have to say, it is a page turning, edge of your seat must read. It begins with an attack on a stagecoach with Mariah Stover being the lone survivor and the suspense builds as the Deadeye Gang knows she can identify one of the robbers and wants to silence her.

I admired Mariah, her dedication to keeping her father’s blacksmith business open and her resilience. I loved Clint Richards; he is in love with Mariah and will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. As usual the author added a lot of humor in the storyline most of it coming from Clint and the names of food he makes in his restaurant. That is another aspect I enjoyed, the female blacksmith and the male who opens a diner, something I didn’t expect given the time period but something that added a unique twist. That’s not to say that Clint served typical diner fare, he was a gourmet chef.

There are a lot of close calls for Mariah, but with Clint, her two best friends and a dog on loan to protect her she feels safer while trying to keep from encountering the man she can identify from the stage coach robbery

There is so much to love about this book, from the suspense to the sweet love story to the wonderful characters who will tug at your heart. If you love historical romance with a lot of action, you’ll want to pick up a copy of Forged in Love.

I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley. Opinions are my own

Set in Wyoming, at the edge of the Wind River Mountains, during the days of stagecoaches, we are told the story of a young woman blacksmith and the adventure to keep her alive. She’s strong and feisty. Though I enjoyed the story, I was disappointed that it ended. I wanted it to keep going. I’m looking forward to the next book. And since it is set in the area that I live, I enjoy picturing it the way it once was as well.

I was very excited when I seen this book that I just had to have it!
I was NOT disappointed at all!
I loved making friends with the characters!
I love how this book starts out with action and I felt my heart pounding throughout this story.
This is one of the many reasons I love Mary Connealy..
She's wonderful no matter what she writes including this new novel.
Humor is my favorite thing about her novels. I found this one a little more serious but I still enjoyed it.
Among my favorite things in this book are the many Christian messages that are throughout the book and I love the gentle reminder that we are never alone
God is always near and He has a plan for each and every one of us.
Moriah is perfect example for His plans.
I appreciated in more ways than one. She's brave, stalwart and knows what she wants!

I am always happy to see Mary Connealy has a new book out. I haven’t missed one if hers in many years. She is a huge favorite. She begins a new series here a d has a realky good plot. And I loved the dog so much. Connealy always entertains me and I love hee work so much. Her hero here was so great.
My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book.

Mariah along with her father(John) and brother (Theo) were returning from a funeral in Laramie when their stage coach was attacked. It was attacked by the Deadeye Gang. They were known to kill everyone in the stagecoaches they attacked so there were no witnesses to worry about. They thought they had killed everyone, but they counted Mariah dead because she was trapped under the stagecoach but she had survived.
Clint Roberts was waiting outside of his diner for stagecoach to arrive hoping to catch Mariah’s attention, when the stagecoach horses came flying in to town with no coach. He called for the sheriff and then jumped on his horse headed to find where the stagecoach would be. Praying all the way “Mariah. Mariah…Please God, let her be all right.”
They did find Mariah under the stage where Clint pulled her out of with aide of the Sheriff and the deputy pulling up the stage with their horses. He immediately began checking for injuries and road back in town to the doctor.
Nell came charging in with only eyes on Mariah, one of her best friends and said “‘Let me help.’”
They pretended Mariah was dead and buried a empty coffin in with her father and brother so that the Deadeye Gang would be convinced that they had killed everyone. The plan was to hide her in Pine Valley until she was well enough to be sent far away.
When she awoke she found Becky and Nell her two best friends by her side. Mariah was in a upstairs room above Clint’s diner, with no memory of what happened. So Nell told her what happened. Mariah was adamant that she was not going anywhere and just spread the word that she woke up with no memory of that day.
So that’s how it went. She would take over as the town blacksmith which would allow her to continue the job that her father,Theo, and her had done. This would also allow her to keep the house.
One of the Deadeye Gang recognized her and there’s where the adventure begins.

I love this book it’s my favorite kind of historical fiction. I often dream about being an independent woman working in a role considered to be a man’s job. I really relate to Becky as that’s what I daydream about running a ranch.

I was given this book as an advanced reader copy from the publisher and NetGalley and was not required to leave a review. My review is my own thoughts and opinions of what I read.

Stage coach robberies, snake bites, kidnapping, murder, and general mayhem. That about sums up this book. It is listed as historical romance sprinkled liberally with humor. I didn't find that many funny parts to the book. It wasn't a heavy read, in fact, it was rather light reading. It doesn't take a lot of brain power to keep up with the plot. It just didn't have any laugh-out-loud moments for me.

Mary Connealy writes historical romance that is pretty light-hearted, for the most part, but I did not find this book as compelling as others I've read by her. I will say this, it was a welcome read following a book I had just finished that was more engrossing and darker in theme.

Mariah is on her way back home from a funeral that she attended with her father and brother. When the Dead Eye Gang attacks the stage coach she is on, she alone survives the onslaught. Now she is the target for the Gang when they find out she is still alive. They have a habit of never leaving survivors of their assaults.

Clint is the owner of the diner whose culinary skills are beyond the simple palates of the residents of Pine Valley, Wyoming. Well, actually, they like the food, just not the high-falutin' sounding names. But Clint has a thing for Mariah and when danger comes her way, he wants to be her protector.

The women who populate this book as Mariah's friends are strong women in their own right, just like Mariah is. They provide some spark and some grit all at the same time.

Overall, I'd give this book four stars. Entertaining, not very deep, but that fills a need for a light read.

Bethany House provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Mary Connealy has conquered a place in my shelf since my first reading of one of her books last year. and I keep tinking that her stories needs to be known well by a lot of christian readers whose are always looking for christian fiction books. It was a quick and compelling period romance fueled by faith reflexions and action scenes. Looking foward to read the next one!
3,5 stars <3

Mariah Stover is left for dead in a stagecoach robbery by a notorious gang. She, her father and brother have run a blacksmith shop in town. Clint Roberts runs a cafe and has a small homestead where he grows vegetables and has cows and chickens to have staples for his cafe. He even makes his own cheese. When Mariah's father and brother are killed in the robbert and Mariah is left to recover, Clint appoints himself to watch over her -- something he wanted to do anyway. There are lots of twists and turns with the outlaws trying to get Mariah so there won't be any witnesses.

Mary Connealy is my favorite author and I've read all her books. This one is a refined version I think. Clint isn't the typical clueless hero that have graced the books in earlier series. There is not as much comedy but lot of heart in this one. Clint isn't the big masculine cowboy, but rather an average guy with a big heart. Perfect

You can depend on intelligent, strong and unique female and male characters from Mary Connealy's historical fiction. Each series is loaded with friendship, danger, suspense and humor combined to deliver enjoyment for hours.

I received a complimentary copy of the book without obligation. This review is my opinion.

This story was filled with romance, mystery and drama…there things that I love.

Moriah survives after her stagecoach is robbed. With people coming after her, she is forced to trust Clint.

I received a free copy from Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

Mary Connealy delivers non-stop danger and suspense in Forged in Love, the first book in her Wyoming Sunrise series. From the opening page, the author masterfully grabs the reader's attention and does not let go until the last page.

Mariah Stover is a no-nonsense young woman whose incredible losses do not deter her. She sets out to honour her father and brother by continuing as the town's blacksmith. Unfortunately, danger seems to be stalking her at every turn. Obviously, someone wants her dead. The only reason can be that she survived a deadly stagecoach attack and was the sole survivor. As her friends try to protect her, it becomes evident that one friend in particular, Clint Roberts, could become something more.

I loved the sweet developing romance of Mariah and Clint and how her friends were so protective of her as she faced one calamity after the other. Nell and Becky were incredible friends to her, and I look forward to hearing more about them in future books.

If you are looking for a new historical romance series, Forged in Love is a safe bet!

I received a review copy courtesy of Bethany House through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed how I was drawn into this western complete with robberies, mystery and some romance. It also drew my attention to how strong a woman had to be to continue her families blacksmith business after her dad and brother were killed. Definitely a clean romance and I will look for more books by this author. I was given a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher. All words and opinions are my own.

“She saw the Cirque of the Towers looming over the town. Standing guard.”

How ironic that in the town in which these mountain peaks beckoned people to settle, Mariah Stover could not find the peace and safety she craved. A very suspenseful opening scene sets the tone for this story, the first book in Ms. Connealy’s new Wyoming Sunrise series. Along with the hero and heroine, Clint Roberts and Mariah Stover, I enjoyed getting to meet (most of) the characters in Pine Valley, Wyoming. The slow-burn romance was very sweet and developed differently than typical boy-meets-girl romances, including Clint and Mariah having an eerily similar commonality despite their differences in professions. The danger and suspense kept me turning pages to see how events would resolve and the fear for Mariah’s safety seemed to leap from the pages. As gripping as the story was, my favorite character was not a person but the dog, Brutus, who was both sweet and heroic at the same time. Loved him! I also had to laugh at the humorous references to the names of dishes Clint prepared in his restaurant.
This series is set up well, as the reader is introduced to Mariah’s two closest friends, Nell and Becky, and I look forward to reading their stories as all three friends are quite different.

I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher and Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed here are my own.

I always have to suspend my disbelief a little when reading a Mary Connealy book, but I do love the wild situations her characters find themselves in.

When the stagecoach Mariah and her brother and father are travelling on is attacked, she is the only survivor. Slowly recovering from serious injuries and reeling from the deaths of her only family, she must also deal with a looming threat. The Deadeye Gang never leave survivors. Fortunately, she has her two best friends by her side and the very supportive restaurant owner, Clint Roberts. As Mariah and Clint spend more time together, they grow closer, but the threat to Mariah’s life is far from over.

I loved what a strong and determined character Mariah is. She is a female blacksmith, determined to continue her trade even in the face of losing her family and other changes to her life. The time she and Clint spend together allow them to develop a strong connection, which I though was developing nicely until they make a very hasty decision (hence my opening comment about suspending disbelief). Aside from that, Forged in Love has plenty of action that kept me flipping plages and enough romance for me to sit back and enjoy this fun read.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars
I am honestly not sure how I felt about this book. I have enjoyed Mary Connealy’s other books but this one was just not for me. Forged in Fire is the first book in Mary Connealy’s new series, Wyoming Sunrise.
So first of all, the story was really interesting. I was invested in finding out what would happen to Mariah after being left for dead with no memory by the Deadeye Gang. The Deadeye Gang don’t leave survivors so Mariah was lucky that she had no memory, but she was also trying to remember what happened. I was on the edge of my seat as things kept happening to Mariah that should have killed her. The plot was thrilling and kept me interested.
However the characters left a bit to be desired. Mariah was kind of wishy washy to me and I did not really connect with her. I understand that she went through a lot but honestly she was a bit annoying. Clint was a little better but he felt immature to me at times. He had been in love with Mariah for a bit but the romance felt a little rushed. However they were sweet together and they kind of grew on me.
I am a very character driven reader so when I don’t like the characters it is kind of hard for me. But I will say that I still want to read the other books in the series. I am hoping that the characters get better. I would still recommend Forged in Love if you enjoy plot driven books and if you liked her other books. Forged in Love is a clean western romance.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

Forged in Love is the first book in Mary Connealy's Wyoming Sunrise series. The author has a gift for creating strong female characters that are ahead of their time but still fit seamlessly into the fabric of the period. Mariah and her love interest Clint are endearing and I became immersed in their story from the first page. A Christian, historical, western fiction that could easily transfer from book to screen.

Forged in Love
By Mary Connealy
Pub date Feb 28, 2023
Wyoming Sunrise #1

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. Connealy is one of my favorite authors and she did not disappoint! I highly recommend this title. Mary Connealy steals you away to the American West with an adventure-filled , charming nineteenth century tale.
5 stars

Beginning with a stage coach robbery, this book is action-packed, with a lot of history and a little romance on the side. Parts of it require a suspension of reality on behalf of the reader, and you can tell that both of the other girls in the friendship trio are probably going to get their own books as well. Also, there seems to be an emphasis on the feminism movement, which really wasn't that big of a thing at this time. The history isn't necessarily 'true history.' It was entertaining and enjoyable read, however, with a semi-satisfying ending. There was definitely a cliffhanger that will need to be resolved in a later book.

FORGED IN LOVE by MARY CONNEALY is an historical romance novel that takes place in 1870 in Pine Valley Wyoming. The story is well told and exciting with interesting characters and a good Christian message. It is the first book in the Wyoming Sunrise series, and it will be great to see how things develop in the rest of the novels.
Mariah Stover is afraid of becoming the Deadeye gang’s next victim, having escaped when they kiled her father and brother. I like the way she bravely stays on in Pine Valley, taking over her father’s forge, instead of running away from the gang. She has good friends who are determined to keep her safe, one of whom is Clint Roberts, fancy chef and owner of the diner he calls Le Grande Restaurante…….
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed this book. There was a lot of action, mystery, romance and friends bonding.
I didn’t care for the feminism part. The women were doing their jobs without anyone complaining so why bring feminism into the story.
Just my opinion.