Mary Connealy's Swept Away ~ Reviewed

Swept Away

By Mary Connealy

Published by Revell

ISBN#978-0-7642-0914-7

318 Pages

Back Cover: 

Swept away when her wagon train attempts a difficult river crossing, Ruthy MacNeil isn't all that upset at being separated from the family who raised her. All they've ever done is work her to the bone. She prayed for a chance to get away, and then came the raging flood. Alive but disoriented, she's rescued by Luke Stone...so unfortunately, there are more chances to die in her immediate future.

Luke is heading home to reclaim the ranch stolen from his family. But the men who killed his father are working hard to ensure Luke doesn't make it alive. He has no choice but to keep moving. Still, he can't just abandon Ruthy, so she'll have to come along.

His friends--a ragtag group of former Civil War soldiers--take a fast interest in the pretty gal. Luke thinks that's rather rude--he's the one who found her. And the more time he spends around the hard-working young woman who is a mighty good cook, the more he finds himself thinking beyond revenge and toward a different future. For the first time in a long time, Luke is tempted to turn from his destructive path and be swept away by love.

Review: 

I’m thankful for a review copy of a book that reminded me of the movie Silverado. It has a great cast of characters mixed together with an action packed western just like the movie. Inside Swept Away you’ll see the good, the bad, and the ugly up-close and personal!

I enjoyed the leading man and woman in this story. They made me smile! I truly cared for their situations and enjoyed how Luke and Ruthy found each other. It was a definite divine appointment.

Luke Stone is on a mission to bring justice to his father’s death and reclaim the family ranch. Luke was prepared to do whatever it took to over-throw the people that stole his family’s inheritance- legacy.

Ruthy MacNeil has a mission of her own. She’s tried to escape a family that took her in after her parents died. She had thought they did this out of the kindness of their heart but she soon learned they had another agenda she didn’t want any part of. She often looked for ways to escape.

Luke literally stumbles upon Ruthy MacNeil! She was hurt bad. He couldn’t just leave her behind. He wasn’t raised that way. Helping her put a cramp into his plans but he’d make it work out some how.

Mary Connealy pens a suspenseful, page turning western that gives readers a climatic conclusion and an ending that satisfies your soul. If you love a good western you’ll enjoy this first book in the trouble in Texas series! Be sure to add this western to your summer reading list!

Reviewed by: Nora St.Laurent

TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!

Bonus Review:

Swept Away is about an orphaned woman who fell to the mercy of a pack of heartless folks looking to benefit from a tragedy. The novel begins with heroine Ruthy MacNeil manning a horse drawn wagon with her “family”. As they travel, her doing the work of two men but being treated like a lazy rat, she’s on the alert for possible escape routes. When the caravan reaches a river, she notices a storm on the horizon and attempts to warn her brutish “father”. She soon finds his dense stubbornness can become a blessing and that storm she feared? A chance at freedom…if it doesn’t kill her.

This novel has all the elements one would expect from a historical romance with an unexpectedly gripping depth that leaves one contemplating the characters and situations long after the book is read. I’ve always loved strong female characters, and the stubborn, determined, hard-working Ruthy MacNeil did not disappoint. Having been beaten down by a family of abusers, one might expect her to become fearful and docile, but Ruthy turned a painful and frightening past into a noble purpose that spurred within her a courageous and persistent strength.

The secondary characters woven throughout the novel are equally spunky, intriguing, and unique. Luke is a true hero in every sense of the word. Initially, he fights to reclaim his father’s ranch. But upon encountering a woman in desperate need of rescue, his fight is deepened, motivating him to lay everything—including his life—on the line so others might live.

Although he didn’t speak much, there was a child in the story—the son of a battered woman—that captured my heart. His fierce desire to protect his mother and sister, his childlike hope, and his selfless courage, made me want to snatch him up in a motherly hug! Of course, he’d be much too grown for that. ;) I also enjoyed his mother, a woman who initially seemed hateful but later turned out to be quite compassionate and tender.

I especially love Ms. Connealy’s ability to write a sweet, tender, and heart-stirring romance without feeling the need to add sensuality into the mix. Those who enjoy sweet and pure romances will love Swept Away. But even if you’re not a romance reader, I’d encourage you to give this novel a try, because it contains a depth of plot and characterization I believe will appeal to readers of all genres.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Slattery