Laws of Attraction is the second novel in the Wyoming Sunrise series by Mary Connealy. It follows Nell and her experiences living in Pine Valley, Wyoming. Nell is a seamstress who desires nothing more than to make dresses but has become wealthy by making chaps for cowboys. Her life seemed peaceful and mundane, but then Brand and his three beautiful girls enter her life like a whirlwind bringing much more joy into her life than she ever expected. On top of this, the Deadeye Gang have come to cause trouble in their peaceful land. How will Nell handle all that comes her way?

I liked that Nell was a strong woman. She was especially passionate about woman’s rights and the suffrage movement. It seemed that nothing could get in her way in the book. Though this was somewhat nice, it was a bit over the top. I would have liked to see Nell face situations that rattled her a bit and showed that she could be vulnerable. Another aspect that I liked was the romance between Nell and Brand. I was rooting for them from the beginning of the book. Unfortunately, their development of their relationship was incredibly rushed. I could not really see how they fell in love as the interaction between them wasn’t focused on much. The love that blossomed seemed to come out of nowhere.
I really enjoyed the complication added by the Deadeye Gang. That to me was the most interesting aspect of the book. I would have liked to see more action-based complications involving the gang in the book.

Overall, I was a bit underwhelmed by the book. I wouldn’t have minded the book being a bit longer in order to flesh out the relationship between Brand and Nell, and see Nell grow more in her different roles in the book. Perhaps I did not enjoy it that much as I do not usually read this genre. This book is for you if you enjoy reading about strong women who can take on anything, if you enjoy romance and a focus on family, and if you are looking for a touch of mystery and action.

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House through NetGalley and Interviews & Reviews. All views and opinions are my own.

The Laws of Attraction by Mary Connealy is book two in her historical romance series Wyoming Sunrise.

This was a wonderful story that I have been looking forward to since reading the first book in the series. I loved Nell and couldn’t wait to learn more about her, her past, and how she’d get her happily ever after.

It was fun to learn the history the author included in this story, too, especially about the first female judges in Wyoming. And Brand’s reaction to Nell’s strength and knowledge was perfect, and made him a wonderful father of girls, too. I enjoyed how every one of the characters interacted. And now I can’t wait for Becky’s story.

If you enjoy western romances with humor and suspense built in, then give this series a read. I’m enjoying it!

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I received a complimentary copy of this book.
I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this under FTC guidelines.

Mary Connealy continues her Wyoming Sunrise series with The Laws of Attraction featuring widowed seamstress Nell Armstrong who is stuck making chaps for the men of Pine Valley, Wyoming, when she longs to make beautiful dresses and feminine things. When Brand Nolte and his three daughters happen into her shop, she sees her chance and offers to make some dresses for the girls in exchange for their help in her shop. Connealy is an expert at creating appealing and interesting characters and finding the perfect situation for them to shine. I enjoyed seeing Nell and Brand get better acquainted and seeing the town people come together to help each other.

When Nell shows her knowledge in law and investigations, the town leaders ask for her help in solving the crimes occurring in their area. With plenty of action, suspense, and a big dollop of romance, this book kept me turning pages to see what would happen next. I’m enjoying this author’s depictions of strong, capable, and independent women surviving the hardships in the wilds of Wyoming in the 1870s. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Bethany House Publishing. All opinions are my own.

In this 2nd book in the Wyoming Sunrise series, we get to know Nell a lot better. Nell has been f interest to me since we met her in the 1st book, and I absolutely loved her story. A talented seamstress who has been pressed into making chaps for the heavily male populated town, while her she longs to make frilly dresses. Her dreams are about to come true when she meets the three young daughters of widower, Brand Nolte.

Nell would love to help Brand and his girls by making dresses for them, of course he must be stubborn and believe its charity which he will not accept. I loved the pairing of Nell and Brand and rooted for them have a loving relationship; and make a home as a family The storyline has the perfect blend of clever dialog, mystery, strong female characters and moves at a great pace.

I am looking to the next book in the series since I know its going to be as good as the first two.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

“Would it kill someone in this town to want a few yards of lace?”

Poor Nell, resigned to make boring chaps over and over again when what she really wants to make is dresses. But no matter how much she charges or how long her turnaround time is, the cowboys around Pine Valley keep ordering her chaps. And yes, she makes more than a decent living at it, but I chuckled more than once in The Laws of Attraction at her obvious exasperation over the situation. Much to Nell’s delight – and mine – she doesn’t have to wait beyond this book’s first chapter for the opportunity to make dresses for three young girls. Motherless girls, to be specific, who have a sincere & goodhearted dad whose only real flaw is being somewhat clueless about what girls need.

I’m sure you fellow romance fans can see where this is going to lead, but I’m equally sure that you won’t predict exactly how it gets there. Connealy’s trademark dry wit lends itself perfectly to western romance, and the no-nonsense practicality she gives her characters means the strong women and steady men on these pages are good at getting themselves – and others – out of tight situations. The exact kind of situations that abound in The Laws of Attraction, as a matter of fact. Menacing monsters – of the two and four-legged varieties – show their claws in various ways throughout the story, and I found myself not wanting to put it down until I knew everyone was safe. And since romance is usually not practical or no-nonsense, it was fun (and swoony) to watch Nell and Brand stumble into love too!

Bottom Line: The Laws of Attraction by Mary Connealy offers a little something for every reader: romance, women’s rights, history, mountains, endearing dogs, shootouts, and all the adventure (and cowboys) of the wild, wild West. Before starting this series, I had no idea that Wyoming was so progressive when it came to women, particularly when it came to the right to vote and the right to hold positions typically reserved for men. I’ve really enjoyed learning more about that in the context of these Mary Connealy historic western romcoms, with the little tidbits of info the author tucks away into the entertaining story. And most of all, I loved these engaging characters, and I loved watching them grow to love each other, too. Already eager for Becky’s story in book three!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

This is book two in the Wyoming Sunrise series, however, I feel it is somewhat of a stand alone novel. You will miss history of most of the characters and town, but you will have no problem knowing what is going on. I love the writing style of Mary Connealy. Her books are always full of laughter, sparks, history, romance and so much more. We met Nell Armstrong, in book one, being a widow she is happy to remain single. Yet she longs to do more than make chaps all day, and she is somewhat lonely. So when the handsome widow Brand Nolte finds his way into her shop with his daughters, she is loving the possibilities of making dresses and not chaps. But Brand and Nell find they must work together to help find the elusive deadeye gang, whom we also met in book one.

Another book that pulls you right into the story! We are back in this small town of Pine Valley in 1871 Wyoming and the dead eye gang continues to reek havoc!

In book 2 of the Wyoming Sunrise series, we follow Nell, the widowed seamstress we met in book 1, Forged in Love. I was so interested in Nell's story as in book 1 she was a fantastic, and a bit mysterious, side character. The book opens in Nell's shop where she primarily makes chaps for westerners. A young girl runs into her shop to hide when her father comes in looking for her. The young girl is embarrassed about her father having her wear breeches instead of a dress to town. When the girl explains this to her father, Brand, Nell overhears how she and her 2 sisters wish they could wear dresses - but Brand can't afford to buy them. Nell offers a proposition to Brand and the girls that if they will work in her store for a dime a day, she will make the girls dresses. Nell truly loves making dresses but no one ever needs to buy them from her so she sees this as the perfect opportunity to make dresses and have some nice company in her shop working with her. She also doesn't want to appear as giving Brand charity so she offers the work trade. The girls are ecstatic, their father agrees and so the girls start to come after school and work for the dresses, while learning how to sew. But things get crazy quickly as the dead eye gang make their way back to town, men end up killed and injured, danger is lurking everywhere, leaving Brand, the girls, and Nell in trouble. Things take off from here as we see Nell take a leadership role in town, Brand try to protect his family and a romance begin to form between the two of them.

Brand and Nell are both widows so I knew I would love this story from the beginning because I am always here for a second chance at love story when they never expected it. Especially a single Dad with children just trying to do the best he can. And Brand was just that. I loved his character as he was a great guy just trying to provide for his family after the death of his wife in childbirth. When he meets Nell he starts to wonder if he could find love again. Nell is a bit of a broken character as she has a history of arguments with her husband, but its not explained in detail. We know she is very on guard about getting into a new relationship and makes it clear her next husband will never raise their voice to her in any way as her previous one did. Seeing them get to know each other and seeing Nell help Brand's daughters was beautiful.

We have some nice mentions of prayers, going to church and asking God for protection that I really appreciated seeing too.

Nell is a strong woman and we have a lot of discussion centered around women's rights and the women's suffrage movement that was going on during that time. I did really like some of this detail and showing how a woman can do anything just a man - but sometimes it was a bit overdone for me personally and I wanted to get back to the story to develop more of Nell and Brand's romance together, instead of so much of those details. But it was still nice to see that representation and history aspect as Nell was the first Justice of the Peace there in town - and that was a big deal for women during that time.

Overall, I did really like the story and will be continuing on in the series. My favorite parts in this story were surrounding the 3 daughters - they were great and it was nice to see Nell get to know them and Brand learn how to help them in ways he couldn't before.

I think if you love a good western story, a strong female lead, widowers finding love again and great family vibes - you will enjoy this! Thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley for a copy to honestly read and review.

This is a fun western saga, in the Saturday Serial style, not the serious historical fiction style. Seamstress Nell is so enchanted by the three young Nolte girls, in dire need of pretty dresses, that she barely notices their father. But eventually they certainly do notice each other. The plot quickly moves to danger from the Dead Eye outlaw gang, which is a carry-over plot from the first book in this series. Things advance swiftly at this point. It's very enjoyable, and the characters are appealing, but I could easily have done with more of the family interactions and less of the desperados. Still, a definite thumbs up for a light good time.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest opinion.

This new book by Mary Connealy will appeal to so many readers! Romance lovers will enjoy it, historical fiction fans will be thrilled, and anyone who's ever enjoyed a Western movie or TV show will be in their element. The Laws of Attraction is the second book in the Wyoming Sunrise and it offers us a chance to get to discover the real Nell Armstrong. A seamstress who's become wealthy by making chaps for the cowboys in Pine Valley, Wyoming, but secretly longs to make dresses with frills and lace. A childless widow who finds more than she bargained for when she befriends three young girls and their widowed father!

Nell and Brand Nolte are the primary focus in The Laws of Attraction but there's also a reunion with Nell's friends Mariah and Becky. These three women aren't your typical Wild West females and they're proud of it! The Women's Suffrage Movement is on the rise, Nell becomes a Justice of the Peace, and the Deadeye Gang continues their deadly rampage of robbing the stages coming into Pine Valley. Will the new Justice of the Peace become their target?

If you're looking for exciting, shoot-'em-up western action, suspenseful plot twists, and Connealy's trademark humor, grab a copy of this book. You won't be disappointed, and you'll be as eager as I am to read Marshaling Her Heart, the last book in the Wyoming Sunrise series!

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

Nell Armstrong is a frustrated seamstress who really just wants to make women’s clothing, but finds it almost impossible living in a western town whose population is nearly all men! When a young lady and her sisters come into her life, she couldn’t be happier because now she has someone to clothe. Nell is one resourceful woman. She takes what opportunities she has and gives it her very best. On any given day should could be a seamstress, a nurse, a teacher, an investigator, a newlywed, an instant mother, and even a judge! Her resiliency and adaptability make her the perfect frontier woman.

The dangerous Dead Eye Gang continue to rob, terrorize, and kill those living in the Pine Valley area. The confrontation between Nell and her new family was very exciting. It leaves you wondering if the gang is vanquished or will others replace members of the group.

I highly recommend reading this western romance of Nell and Brand. Brand, and now Nell’s daughters, are delightful. I hope we will see more of them in future stories. This is a continuation of the first book in the series, so reading the first book would give you the background to this story and a richer reading experience.

I received this book through the publisher as well as NetGalley and Celebrate Lit. A positive review was not expected. All opinions are my own.

I loved this tale of romance and survival in West! This small community on the Wyoming frontier provides a delightful cast of characters reminiscent of Mayberry or Walnut Grove. This story reminds me of the value of Christian community and friendship, and it is my favorite part of this story! Wyoming was the first place to allow women to vote and hold public offices like Justice of the Peace, and it makes a fascinating premise for the series. I also adore the romance in this book! Nell and Brand go through fire together and forge a wonderful bond of love, respect, and sacrifice. A romance forged in the midst of mystery, adventure, and danger always makes for excellent reading— and Mary Connealy does this incredibly well! I highly recommend you read this series in order of release, starting with “Forged in Love.” A mystery launches in book one that continues through the rest of the series. Best of all, the first book introduces you to a cast of characters that you will love revisiting in all of the books! Be sure to grab your own copies of the Wyoming Sunrise series and join this fantastic Western adventure! I can’t wait to see what happens next!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes. My thoughts are my own. I really did love it!

Yes - read it!

Second in the series, first book was good, this one was lovely & looking forward to the next one!

It's nothing spectacular just a regular, good old fashioned romantic read! Characters you like and want good things to happen for them, a wee bit of a mystery and HEA ending. I can't think of what would have made this better.

I received an ARC from Netgalley to help me prepare my honest review.

I love returning to little towns where I know some of the characters already. It's like checking in on old friends. I enjoyed the focus on Nell and Brand. Nell is a wonderful, strong woman who knows a lot about the law from her marriage to a lawman, now deceased. The Sheriff is only too happy to ask for her help when the Deadeye Gang strikes and brings death to their town once again.

Brand is a widower raising three girls and finds himself in over his head. I appreciated his belief that it was good for women to be in positions of power in the state. He wasn't threatened by Nell and her influence on his girls. He embraced it.

I enjoyed the mystery, the camaraderie, the way folks took care of each other. It was an interesting read and I found it hard to put down.

Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I love the cover of this book. I had read the previous one in this series so it was nice to follow up. This is Nell’s story.
I liked Nell, she’s strong, outspoken and all about women’s equality. It’s a fast moving book with plenty of action and some light romance. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

"They certainly grew them tough in Wyoming."
Another fun, fast-paced story in the Wyoming Sunrise series! This time it's Nell's turn to shine, and she is definitely a star.
Pine Valley's seamstress finally gets a chance to sew some dresses and get to know some new young ladies, becoming more involved in their lives. I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between their father, Brandon, and Nell. She surprises him at every turn. She is a tough gal underneath the feminine surface. I liked how he honored and respected her as a person, humbly accepting her help and supporting her in all her roles. He is a wonderful father too.
Nell's backstory is revealed at last, and the Deadeye Gang continues to cause trouble, adding more action and some suspense. Mentions of prayers, going to church, and looking to God for guidance and protection, added spiritual depth to the story in meaningful ways.

Recommend reading these in order to get a better picture and avoid spoilers. Looking forward to reading Becky's story. 4.5 stars

(An ebook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley, as part of a LibrayThing giveaway. All opinions expressed are my own.)

This was such an enjoyable read. The heroine is a strong, independent woman who has created a life on her own but finds a family that needs what she can give. The hero has made a life for his daughters in the wilds of Wyoming, but finds that there are things they need he hadn’t considered. Add in a mystery, romance, and great supporting characters. I loved it!

This story is sure to have you laughing out loud at times and biting your nails at other times. There is plenty of action and mystery to keep you trying to figure out how the Deadeye Gang seems to know what is happening in the small town of Pine Valley, WY. Does someone from this murdering group actually live in this lovely place nestled in view of the Wind River Mountains?

Nell is the local dress shop owner who seems to specialize in making chaps, much to her chagrin. However, her past has given her a great deal of knowledge regarding the law. Has suffrage reached all the way to Pine Valley, allowing her to take a role other than dressmaking? Scary things happen, a little romance and a great deal of adventure will keep your attention wondering what could possibly come next.

An early copy of this second book in the Wyoming Sunrise series was received through Baker House Publishing, Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley. These impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.

Such a cute story!
I have loved this author's books since the Husband Tree. She's an excellent writer with a sense of humor added to her stories.
The 1st scene in this book definitely made me laugh and smile.
Can't blame Samantha and her sisters at all. I'd get tired of it too.
I liked Nell from the beginning and I loved that she got her own story.
Nell is a good woman and I love how she thinks and then puts into action!
That's why she's my favorite character.
Samantha and her sisters were a joy in getting to know!
Sam was my favorite! I love her outgoing personality! How she looked out for her younger sisters while Brand was doing his job too!
There's much action in this book that I just simply loved! I believe this one is her best yet!
A great story that I couldn't put down until I finished!
5 stars for a job well done! I highly recommend!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book is great. I don't recall reading a fiction or factual book about women serving as a justice of the peace in "the old West", but this was great. It was a different role for me to imagine what it must have been like--the pressures and expectations. Nell thinks outside the box and she surprises men around her with her exceptional skills. Most people would assume that she's nothing more than a seamstress, but she sounds like a woman who is better acquainted with the harsh realities of life than most of her peers.
Brand is a widow. He struck me as a little dull in the beginning. He's a good father to his girls, but yes, he had to understand that his daughters needed the gentle influence of a woman and Nell fit the bill perfectly. No surprise at all that the two ended up together.

A very good read and I'm glad that I was selected to read and review it. I look forward to more works by Mary Connealy.

I’m loving this series of Wyoming Sunrise and book 2 didn’t disappoint as the saga continues with Nell, Mariah, Becky, Clint and the Deadeye Gang in Pine Valley, Wyoming. In this story Nell, a widow, is still making cowboy chaps,which she hates, as she rather make women’s dresses but the chaps do bring in a very nice income. However, Nell catches a break when what she thought was a little boy come running into her shop asking Nell to hide him. It turns out that the boy was really a girl who helps her widower dad, Brand Nolte,work on their ranch and she’s tired of looking like a boy and wants a dress! Poor Brand has no idea to dress the girls properly and fails to realize that they want to wear dresses to town,church and school as the boys clothes were embarrassing to wear off the ranch. He had 3 girls Samantha, who had run into the store to hide, Cassandra, and Michaela which he all had boy’s nicknames that he used for each girl (Sam, Cassie, and Mick). Since it had been a hard year he didn’t have the funds or ability to make dresses and he didn’t want any charity! So Nell worked out a deal with him that the girls would come after school and help her in the shop in exchange for the dresses and then she would also teach them how to sew and make clothes for themselves. So Brand agreed to the arrangement.

Meanwhile the Deadeye gang had robbed another stage and where sloppy and left another survivor which was not the norm for the gang. The town set up a rotating squad of townspeople to guard the lone survivor all was well until one of the gang slipped in and killed him anyway and now danger was once again in Pine Valley.

Nell’s husband had been a lawman and had used Nell as his sounding board for his cases yet never allowed her to talk to him about it, so Nell offers to help Sheriff Joe with his investigation. The sheriff listens to her and even listens to her advice. This leads the town council to appoint Nell to replace the outgoing Justice of the Peace position. This is a significant step forward as she is now the second woman to serve in this position in all the US.
The Mayor Wainwright brother comes over and confronts Brand that Nell might be in a lot of trouble coming Nell’s way soon.

Trouble does come but not where it is expected or to Nell. Can Nell, the sheriff and Becky(the single lady rancher with Brutus her tracking dog) help find the killer trying to kill the witness who saw him kill the victim from the stage coach?

There are two weddings one of convenience and one of love but you’ll need to read for yourself to find out who gets married and if the gang member gets caught?

This story is filled with humor, danger, love, mystery and faith in God! So pick up a copy and enjoy this delightful story! I picked it up and read it in one sitting!!

Thank you Bethany Publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. I wasn’t required to leave a review. The review is totally my own opinion and thoughts of the book.