The Outlaw Noble Salt is expertly written, grounded in stunning landscapes with memorable dialogue and narrative, and just enough playfulness woven throughout, the story feels as real and true as its dynamic characters, diverse setting, and life lessons.

Yes it's fictional... but I admit I don't want it to be. I've found when reading Amy's books, that it's often her "why" that I connect to most deeply. The questions she's seeking to answer through her characters - how an outlaw can transform on the page into not only someone we care for and understand, but as someone we are grateful to have journeyed with. Amy takes a historical figure and place in time and breathes life, love, and even redemption into their tale.

Though the central love story revolves around around Noble and Jane, I was drawn to and moved most by the relationship between Noble and Gus, and Noble, Harry, and Van, hanging on to every exchange of wisdom and tenderness, brotherly and fatherly love.

Made me think about the way heroes show up in our lives, and it's often in the smallest, gentlest ways, that they make an impact, showing us our greatest potential. Who has been a Noble Salt in your life?

We don't always get enough time with our heroes, but their impression lasts forever. And when we don't get to know the ending and the whole truth, we are lucky to rely on the imagination of talented writers who provide a retreat for second-chances and hope.

If you enjoy Amy's writing, this will be your next favorite read. If you're new to her storytelling, saddle up! You're in for a ride!

Amy has the most beautiful writing! This was a great story, maybe not my favorite of her books but still powerful and wonderfully told!

I love Amy's books and The Outlaw Noble Salt was such an enjoyable book to read. I can't wait for more from Amy!

Amy Harmon can truly do no wrong. She has such a beautiful, evocative way of writing and her historical romances really make those bygone time periods come to life. I first fell in love with her works when I read What the Wind Knows and I loved her last novel A Girl Called Samson, an alternate version of the real life story of Revolutionary War soldier Deborah Sampson. The Outlaw Noble Salt is another one of her alternative history novels, this time focusing on Butch Cassidy.

Through her eyes, we see one of America’s most notorious criminals in a new, complex light and experience the redeeming power of love. That said, I can understand how it bothers some readers that the book is basically historical fan fiction with a romance focus.

Amy Harmon does such a great job at painting a picture and enveloping you in a story. Butch Cassidy and the Wild West? Love that! I’m a historical girl so much, but I don’t read this genre as much as I would like.

I felt weird that this wasn’t a true love story. Like he was real but everything around this was fake. I also was bored for a majority of the book. Just in the way of pacing and how slow I thought it was. The writing was gorgeous I just couldn’t keep myself in the story for long.

I am all in for a historical fiction book with a strong, moving romance element to it. That is what Amy Harmon gave us. While the story can be slow to get into at first but it's worth pushing through.

The Outlaw Noble Salt by Amy Harmon was a beautiful sweeping book! I loved getting to immerse myself in the world and story she crafted!

"The Outlaw Noble Salt" by Amy Harmon is an engaging historical romance that deftly weaves a passionate love tale with the stunning landscape of the American West. Full of vivid imagery and deep emotion, the novel examines themes of loyalty, redemption, and the sacrifices of freedom, showcasing memorable characters and profound emotional resonance.

I love AH’s writing, this book was no exception. I loved the story and learning about the history behind these characters.

I really wanted to like this book. I enjoy historical fiction, and the writing flowed so well. Ultimately, I couldn't get over that this was a not true story about a real person.

Amy Harmon really outdid herself with this book! She is usually an auto buy author for me but I was a little disappointed by her las book. She more than makes up for it with this newest book. Impeccable writing and storytelling with engaging characters!

I've always had a soft spot for the Wild West and the outlaws that ran it, but I'll be the first to admit that my knowledge of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is lacking. If nothing else, I'm grateful to this book for putting them in front of me, although this book is sort of their retirement era, after being train robbers and cowhands. It's nice. It made them more human, somehow.

That's really what this book did: it humanized legends, and I really loved that about it. Butch (ahem, Noble) was incredibly likeable, I was rooting for him from the first page. He wants to lay it all down and have some peace, and life is continually showing him that it's not possible. And yet, he hopes, and I love him for it. And then there's Jane, who's also been beaten down by circumstances, but continues to choose the love of her son (and eventually Noble). The romance is SO SWEET I love them so much ;-;

I could not put it down, I read the majority in a day when I definitely should've been doing dishes because I was far too invested. I had to stop for dinner and I thought about it the whole time. It's been awhile since something absorbed me so thoroughly, and I'm thrilled.

So yes, I loved it, thank you to the friends who keep telling me to read Amy Harmon. 5 stars from me!

*Content warnings for profanity, violence (including suicide), miscarriage, sexual assault, and some steamy/suggestive scenes between a married couple that were a bit more blush-inducing than I prefer

**I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**

Amy Harmon is such a beautiful writer and I have loved every book of hers I’ve read. I read The Outlaw Noble Salt months ago (sorry I’m just now getting around to reviewing) and I still think of it fondly. She has such a special way of weaving beautiful tales of real life people and bringing them to life. I definitely recommend any of her books, but this one was especially sweet. Seeing the softer side of Butch Cassidy was so beautiful.

I love stories about the Wild West and outlaws, and couldn’t wait to read this one - Amy Harmon’s latest historical fiction novel.
In this fictionalized account, Butch Cassidy is less a violent outlaw and more of a misunderstood Robin Hood type figure. When he meets opera singer Jane Touissant, it’s love at first sight. And when they meet again years later, when he’s hiding in France, he agrees to be her and her son’s bodyguard on her tour back to the U.S., despite his qualms on being caught.

There were some elements of this book I enjoyed, like Butch Cassidy’s back story and some of the tales of his exploits, but unfortunately, not all of it worked for me. While I enjoy historical romance, the romance in this one just fell flat for me.

I'm not sure what to feel about this book. I really wanted to like it, but it just didn't work overall for me.

What did work for me:
-Amy Harmon's beautiful writing. She can paint a picture with words that I feel like I can step into.
-The draw between Butch and Jane. They just fit together.
-The character of Augustus. I loved him. He was plucky and dear and the perfect addition to this story.

What didn't work for me:
-The fact that this love story of Butch Cassidy's wasn't real. The whole time the fact that I didn't really happen just niggled at my brain.
-The pacing. This book was too slow for me. I was always impatient fort the next thing.

Book Elements: 3 POVs, Opera Singer, Outlaw, Wild West, NYC, Paris

Content Note: This is a fade to black historical romance. There are vague descriptions of sexual assault, mentions of suicide, and gun violence.

Available on Kindle Unlimited

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing for a digital copy. All opinions are my own.

This book is why Amy Harmon is one of my favorite authors. She crafts historical fiction in remarkable ways. Butch Cassidy, a real life wild west outlaw, is portrayed in the story as a fallible person, more than just the myth or the legend. This is a fictional account of the famous outlaw falling in love, and risking it all for what matters most. The characters were genuine and I was sucked into the story of love, loss, crime, and redemption.

The following review was posted on Goodreads on 8.6.24:

THE OUTLAW NOBLE SALT has an intriguing premise. Butch Cassidy, the infamous outlaw, trying to go straight? I'm in! With so much potential for an exciting, interesting story, I couldn't wait to read the novel. Especially with Amy Harmon steering the tale.

Even though the book centers around a very colorful figure from American history, it actually moves along very slowly. I liked Butch, Jane, and especially Gus, so I stuck with it even though the tale dragged quite a bit. Part of the problem (for me, anyway) is that THE OUTLAW NOBLE SALT is more of a romance than anything else. I was expecting something with a bit more complexity, depth, and well, plot. But, honestly, not a lot happens in the novel. It got boring for me. As much as I liked the main characters and wanted happiness for them, I also wanted there to be more adventure, more risk, more suspense, and more oomph to their story. Butch Cassidy is a fascinating historical figure; I wanted to see more of that in this book.

I did enjoy this novel. It's an easy read with appealing characters and some thought-provoking questions to it. I was just a bit disappointed with the slow pace of the novel, its simplistic plot, and the dullness of Butch Cassidy's character. The book kept me turning pages, but in the end, it was just an average read for me. Bummer.

🌟Five Star Friday 🌟

I have read over 200 books so far this year, not counting rereads like this one, I just finished it for the 6th time! Yes, it’s that good! Yes, I want everyone to read it! Yes, I want us all to find a love like this. Yes, I want us all to believe we can be better, do better, and change the trajectory of our lives. Because we can! We are all deserving of the life we want!!

📖 📱 🎧 The Outlaw Noble Salt
✍🏻 Amy Harmon @amy.harmon.author
🗣️ by Rob Shapiro
🗓️ Released in all formats April 9, 2024

Honestly, I do not have the words to explain to you the impact this book has on my heart & soul. I have always been the girl infatuated with the bad boy who has a backstory & deserves to be loved. I’ve always been the person to seek out the whole story & learn more about the how’s & why’s people become who they are, what happened to them and who influenced their lives.

Well this novel gives us all of that, so perfectly. Robert Leroy Parker aka Butch Cassidy aka Noble Salt has waited since 1908, 116 years for Amy Harmon to give him a written redemption story. Growing up in Utah we heard of the Wild Bunch, told campfire stories & tall tales of Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, but this is about the years we never heard about. Amy gives him & us a gift. One I’m sure the he’s proud of, he couldn’t have asked for better!

Now go read this historical fiction that based on the time we don’t have record of and the way it may have played out! If only. . .

Some of the things you’ll find within this novel
• 1900’s historical fiction/romance
• Criminal/Bad Boy with a kind heart
• Famous singer Female MC
• Redemption Story
• Romance with Depth
• Found Family
• He’s her bodyguard
* Single parent
• Lyrical Writing - Poetry/Haiku
• He Falls First
• Marriage of Convenience
• The American Wild West
• 🤠😊🫣😍😭🤠

I’ll add, for me this was perfect pacing and I have been pressing this book to everyone, I’ve heard some say it starts slow, should they continue - YES, please do! It’s really written to be savored and when you’re finished you’ll want more ♥️

Amy Harmon can do no wrong.

I've read so many books by this author and genuinely adore them all!

This story had me completely enraptured. Full of rich historical details, just enough fiction to keep me guessing what was real and what wasn't, a timeless love that stopped my heart and made my chest ache, and stunning character depth that had me yearning to hug, hold, put back together, and know these characters intimately! Amy is a master at what she does and this story of Noble Salt was a beautiful second chance redemptive story and was an absolute honor to read!

Amy Harmon has done it again.

Butch Cassidy.

Lawless cowboy. Thief. Liar. Troublemaker.

But what if he decided to make a turn to the straight and narrow and, on the way, fell in love? Harmon takes the legend of Butch Cassidy and reimagines it in just such a way. Cassidy turning over a new leaf but still chased by the powerful men he has run into along the way. And so he remakes himself. Takes on a new name and forges a new path.

And then he meets Jane who is not without her own dangerous secrets. Knowing his history, Jane enlists Cassidy as her body guard for the US leg of her musical tour. As their stories, and their lives, tangle together, theirs becomes a journey of redemption, risk and love beyond logic.

This is a story that has stuck with me long past finishing reading it. At the risk of sounding trite, it is just so, so good. The way that Harmon weaves their love story through the legend of Butch Cassidy was artfully done. The risks they took and the decisions they made were forged in heart and emotion. She managed to make the love story such a rich component of the book while still keeping the individuality of the characters. Their own personal struggles were still real and raw. The struggle of morality - questioning what is right and wrong - felt real; Butch was a truly likeable character.

I love this quote in Amy's author note. She says he 'was a fascinating character, full of the contradictions that make humans remarkable and faillible. He was good even though he did bad things. he was honest even though he was a thief. He was foolish even though he was wise. If it's possible to channel characters - and research starts to feel like channeling after a while - the overwhelming feeling I got from Butch was genuine regret. He knew he'd gotten it wrong and chased false happiness, and like his father says in the book, there are so few second chances....Everyone deserves a love story, even an outlaw, and I hope he (and you) liked this alternative ending to an American legend."

I sure did, Ms. Harmon. Thank you.