DNF @ 50%

I think the bones of this story are good and I love the setting but I had two problems:

1. The book started to feel too preachy for my tastes
2. There was almost no romantic development until they snuggled one time and then the FMC was like "I think I love him". I just didn't get it, and ultimately decided this book is not for me

Marybeth is determined to find a way to raise her sister after her father's death. The day of the funeral, the local preacher comes to her with an arrangement for a wealthy couple to adopt her sister. Edward is convinced that he will never be willing to fall in love again after the death of his wife in childbirth. But, Marybeth was the best friend of his wife and he wants to help her keep her sister. So, they agree to marry in name only and move to Cheyenne where he's been offered a job in law enforcement for the frontier town. Neither of them have any idea of what to expect when they arrive. Their relationship slowly evolves from friendship to a partnership to them both falling for each other. As they both realize that their feelings have gone from a friendship type of love to a romantic type of love, it terrified them. This was such a fun, sweet story to read. It was interesting to read how hard life really was on the frontier and how things were so much rougher than they were in the established cities. People really had to be able to trust and rely on their neighbors to try and stay safe from the dangers around them, including people who were dishonorable and downright dangerous. From the very beginning, I truly liked Marybeth and Edward and wanted the best for them. I had to immediately start reading the next book because I can't wait to see what happens next!

A young couple, friends, come together over tragedy and loss. They marry out of convenience and move to wild Cheyenne to make a new life for themselves. A great deal awaits them there, with struggle and pain as well as great friendship and opportunity. Bittersweet.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#ALoveDiscovered #NetGalley #TraciePeterson #BethanyHousePublishers #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout

This is the first book of a new series from Tracie Peterson. In this book we find a marriage of convenience between Marybeth and Edward Vogel. Edward is heading to Cheyenne to be a lawman. Marybeth, caring for her orphaned, 2-year-old sister, needs a way out of Indiana where the pastor is pressuring her to put Carrie (the sister) up for adoption.
Cheyenne is a railroad town during the time (post Civil War) when roughnecks were travelling from town to town for railroad construction. That makes Cheyenne an overcrowded, hard-to-control town. Perhaps more than Edward expected when he took the assignment.
Since this is a marriage of convenience between long-time friends, Marybeth and Edward also struggle with their growing attraction to one another.

This is the first book in the Heart of Cheyenne series, so what a great place to start. If you like historical romantic fiction you will love this one, I look forward to reading more in this series. Edward Vogel and Marybeth Kruger find they could possibly be the answer to each others needs. So when they agree to a marriage in name only things really get interesting. I enjoyed getting to know the characters in Cheyenne and look forward to hearing more from them. This book has so many different things going on and it is a great read. The author does an amazing job of developing the characters and setting the stage.
I was given a copy of this novel for my honest opinion.

This is one of my favorite novels by this author. There’s a lot of loss but throughout you can see so much love and wanting to keep your remaining family together.

Loved the characters and the sweet marriage of convenience.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy of this book.

Marybeth Kruger has lost her mother, stepmother, and now her father. All she has left is the home she shared with her family and her baby sister Carrie. While trying to wrap her thoughts around her new situation, the local pastor initiates discussions with another family about adopting young Carrie. When Marybeth is told that she must give up custody of her baby sister to a local, wealthy family, she cannot believe what she has heard. While they may not have much or have everything figured out, she & Carrie are the remaining survivors of their little family. How dare the pastor try and force her to give up her own sister. She cannot - she will not.

Lost - that is how Edward Vogel feels. He has felt lost since the death of his brothers in the war, his own injury & discharge from the Union Army, and after the death of his wife & infant son in childbirth. He has been working as a law enforcement officer in Evansville but yearns for more opportunities that this little town can provide. When Edward receives a letter from his former commanding officer with the promise of a job on the Cheyenne Police Force a spark of excitement grows. But, there is one caveat - men with families are desired in Cheyenne to help bring a calmer, settling influence over the town. While Edward may no longer have a wife & child, he does have a dear friend & neighbor that needs support & protection: Marybeth & Carrie. But how can he marry again when he will not be the potential cause of another woman's demise? Will his protection & support as a friend be enough for Marybeth to enter into marriage and move from the only home she has ever known?

This was a really good story! It kept me interested from the first page and did not disappoint. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. I eagerly look forward to seeing who Ms. Peterson writes about next from Cheyenne or Evansville as they both have very interesting characters with great potential!

Thank you LibraryThing Early Reviewers for the advanced reading copy of this book! I will be on the lookout for Book 2! :)

Very sweet marriage of convenience love story. I read/listened to the audio book and found it quite enjoyable. I loved watching Edward and Marybeth grow closer and parent her little sister Carrie. Nice clean romance from a wonderful author!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 5 March 2024

Marybeth has just buried her father, when the local pastor and judge are trying to take away her baby sister! A close friend Edward steps in and proposes a marriage of convenience. He has been offered a job in Cheyenne, WY but is only available to a 'family man'. Determined to make a new future, they embark on a journey that tests their resolve to help settle a new territory and to remain only friends.

A great, rainy day romance. I live in Wyoming and love to read about books that happen in this state. The conditions in which the railroad people lived and endured is intense! I loved all the details and the character development. I recommend for anyone interested in Christian romance, wild west and new love.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for this e-galley; all opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

I have enjoyed this author's books in the past, so I was looking forward to digging in. As a caveat, I don't gravitate toward a marriage of convenience trope, but nonetheless, I did enjoy this story.

The two main characters are well-written and likable.

I admire how Peterson weaves faith elements throughout her stories. She is very adept at doing this in a very genuine way that does not impede the development of the story. I love seeing how each character grows in his/her faith.

This ends up being a story about how to communicate, which the author handles well.

The ending did not bother me like it did some other readers.

My one minor complaint is the dialogue. Especially in the beginning of the book, it's a bit clunky because it's trying to explain things to the reader versus sounding natural.

I look forward to more in this series.

Tracie Peterson always writes a heartfelt and engaging novel. The reader can expect romance, historical American history, and Christian themes. Truly not many writers blend these themes so well! Edward and Marybeth both are trying to simply survive in the dangers of Cheyenne. They engage in a marriage of convenience to help each other. As we the reader should expect it will not simply end there. Attraction becomes love but not without some tears and finding peace in their faith and welcoming God into their marriage and life.
Truly a great read!
I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Marybeth Kruger has been caring for her baby half-sister since her father passed away. She will do anything to keep her two-year-old sister. Edward Vogel is a good friend who is trying to get past the death of his wife and son. Edward decides to help Marybeth by marrying her so she can legally keep her sister. Marybeth must also agree to move since Edward has accepted a job in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
The journey to Cheyenne begins and a hard life waits for them in this growing railroad town. Tracie Peterson has been one of my favorite authors since discovering her books many years ago. She is a fabulous author who can really tell a great story! This first book in "The Heart of Cheyenne " series proves to be another fabulous historical trip into the beginnings of the American West.

Oh! How happy I have been to find this book! Thank you, Tracie! This is such a simple story but so full of teaching and preaching about the power of love, faith and prayer. Marybeth is one of the strongest characters I've read in a while and her road to love with Edward was written so beautifully. The story has an elegance and a finesse that touches hearts, speaks to the soul and transports you in Cheyenne during the railroad building period. If you are a fan of the prairie life, of strong heroines and stories about self discovery this book is surely for you. A true gem that will remain in my list for a long time.

A Love Discovered is a great romantic tale of two souls coming together in hardship. Marybeth has lost all her family, leaving her with no one but her baby sister to love. Edward, a widower, receives the chance to sheriff a growing town in Dakota territory. A marriage of convenience takes place and their journey begins. This first book in a new series by Tracie Peterson has it all: romance, action, adventure, faith. I especially loved how the two characters’ faith was displayed throughout the book and in every situation they went through. Their gentle and slow relationship towards love was also very beautiful! I highly recommend this book.

YouTube review to come: 04/03/24
YouTube Handle: KeenCat

I love these historical fiction stories that demonstrate such details of the way of life back in the day when the west was still being discovered and explored....together with all of the dangers this entails.. I love Tracie Peterson and her style of writing! She never disappoints!

This was a wonderful story born of such loss and despair that led to matching up two individuals in a match of need and convenience. This mutual need led to a strong relationship of respect and support that both sides needed. Marybeth and her sister were given a chance at a more secure life, and Edward was given the chance after such devastating loss to rebuild his life pretty much from scratch. I truly loved this book!

Thank you, NetGalley and Bethany House, for this gift of reading this book in exchange for an honest review.

Not a “marriage of convenience” story but a “marriage of necessity” — and no! Not that kind of necessity.

The characters are rich in this book. I’ll mention first the guy I would most like to kick in the backside and then wring his neck. Pastor Orton. Hiss!!! And you won’t like him either! A guy you will like, Major Henderson. The character I loved was Granny Taylor.

The story revolves around three people: Marybeth Kruger age 20, her little sister Carrie about 18 months old, and Edward Vogel, widower and husband of her best friend Janey who died in childbirth, a stillborn baby boy. Marybeth understands because her mother died birthing Carrie. Marybeth & Carrie’s father has just been buried. Edward and Klaus Kruger were good friends, and Klaus was a mentor to Edward.

Now Edward is her best friend. Marybeth’s father has just survived and *that* man, Pastor Orton thinks Carrie should be given to a childless couple. Edward is on Marybeth’s side when the (in my humble opinion) so-called pastor tries to intimidate her claiming the baby will starve, etc.

Edward receives a letter from his former commander, Major Henderson, who is the law in the new town of Cheyenne. He wants Edward to come West to be one of his deputies *but* he should be married. And so, this is how the “marriage of necessity” comes about.

The town of Cheyenne is just starting in this story. It’s the end of the railroad until winter passes and bored railroad workers are a rough crowd anytime. But when they aren’t laying track, boredom leads to violence of every kind. The couple starts life in a tent of all things despite winter. Edward and Henderson work the night shift which is the most dangerous since men get liquored up and have no common sense. Edward had a law enforcement background but found it was different in Cheyenne.

The reader will learn how a “railroad” town starts and becomes a law-abiding place to live. I’m sure the author researched a great deal before writing A Love Discovered. The story builds and grows as we see the couple grow to more than be “best friends”. And little Carrie delights in having other children to play with–something that is new to her.

Tracie Peterson is an excellent writer and prolific author. I felt compelled to come back to this book over and over again. I’d put it down and then find an excuse to pick up my Kindle again. The next two books in The Heart of Cheyenne series can be preordered. And yes, I highly recommend this book.

I received a complimentary DRC (digital review copy) of “A Love Discovered” via NetGalley from the publisher, Bethany House, Bethany House Publishers. A positive review was not required; the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Rating: 5 stars
Series: The Heart of Cheyenne, #1 of 3
Cover: Nice. Attractive. Gets a reader’s attention
Pages: 298
Publish Date: 5 Mar 2024
#ALoveDiscovered #NetGalley #TraciePeterson

If you like Christian romance stories - especially historical ones set in the west that include marriages of convenience and friends to lovers tropes, you may really like this one. This story centers around Marybeth who has just lost her father and desperately wants to keep her very much younger sister, since Marybeth is the only real mother her little sister has ever known, but there are those who want to take the little girl away from Marybeth and give her to another family to raise. Her friend’s widower, Edward, hasn’t gotten over losing his wife and child during childbirth, but he wants Marybeth to be able to keep her little sister and he also wants to move west, away from all of his difficult memories. The town is really looking for a family man to fill the job he wants as a lawman, so… the friends join forces, get married (in name only), and head west where the Union Pacific railroad is planning to go through Cheyenne. Will real love follow? And will Edward overcome his fears of losing another wife? What about the struggles and dangers of living in a new, untamed western town? The faith element is very strong in this novel and remind us all to trust God.

A Love Discovered is the first entry in an new series, The Heart of Cheyenne, which will leave fans of Tracie Peterson wanting more. New readers will find a satisfying, historical romance which is quick and hard to put down. Tracie Peterson is a master of historical romances and this reader always learns some new historical fact after reading her books. Characters are written with just enough depth to care about each major character and the romance is always sweet and believable. Highly recommended to any reader who likes historical fiction.

I received an ARC ebook from NetGalley and the publisher, Bethany House Publishers, in exchange for an honest review.

I was interested in reading, A Love Discovered,by Tracie Peterson, because of it’s historical fiction theme about America settlers moving out west in the 1800’s. I also knew it was a romance novel about an arranged marriage. This author writes Christian themed books.
The story was a nice escape into a world filled mostly with love and goodness. The story is sweet and predictable and that was fine with me. I did find that the ending left me a bit disappointed. I would have liked a little more closure to the story.

A Love Discovered by Tracie Peterson was a hard book to put down. This "marriage of convenience" story drew me right in and had me stomping mad that a woman would have to take such drastic measures to keep a baby she loves.

Marybeth Kruger is in danger of losing her two-year-old stepsister, whom she has raised from birth, all because of an interfering pastor who thinks he knows what's best for the child. I'm so glad I was not born before women had rights because I would have bopped that arrogant, self-righteous preacher right in the nose! 

When he accosts her at the funeral of her father and comes to her home with a judge who threatens to take the child away from her (without even bothering to see how she is loved and cared for), Marybeth immediately says yes to Edward Vogel when he proposes a marriage of convenience. 

They get out of Dodge quickly and trade one nightmare for another. The very rough and wild town of Cheyenne. With very little money, they try to find a way to coexist without truly being husband and wife. But, as with all marriages of convenience stories, they both fall in love with each other. Unfortunately, Edward is letting fear rule his life, and it will take a huge leap of faith in God to help him truly love again.

I loved seeing both characters grow in their faith in God as well as their love for each other, despite all the setbacks they had. If you like marriage of convenience stories, you will probably enjoy A Love Discovered.

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