Monday, July 9, 2018

The Accidental Guardian

GIVEAWAY
CONNEALY, MARY
THE ACCIDENTAL GUARDIAN

She's the only witness to a wagon train attack. Keeping her safe, though, means his world is about to be turned upside down.

When Trace Riley finds the smoldering ruins of a small wagon train, he recognizes an attack by the same group who left him as sole survivor years ago. Living off the wilderness since then, he's finally carved out a home and started a herd -- while serving as a self-appointed guardian of the trail. He'd hoped the days of driving off dangerous men were over, but the latest attack shows otherwise.

Deborah Harkness saved her younger sister and two toddlers during the attack, and now finds herself at the mercy of her rescuer. Trace becomes an accidental guardian when he offers the only shelter for miles around and agrees to take them in until they can safely continue their journey. His simple bachelor existence never anticipated kids and women in the picture and their arrival is unsettling -- yet enticing.

Trace and Deborah find themselves drawing ever closer as they work together to bring justice to the trail and help the group survive the winter -- but every day closer to spring means a day closer to leaving the mountains forever.

My Review:

Sometimes nothing else will do but a Mary Connealy Western. Her subtle humour crops up in the most unexpected places and I love that! It can be in the midst of dangerous action or a quiet reflective moment or even a tender romantic one and suddenly I find myself laughing out loud. Makes reading a Connealy a real adventure...as if there isn't enough of that in her stories already!

From the heart-in-throat opening scene to the domestic chaos of the last chapter, The Accidental Guardian kept me turning pages faster than  the quick draw of a wild west villain! And there are some bad 'uns in this story. And when they find out Deb is a witness to their dastardly deeds...shudder.

Luckily she has Trace on her side. The self-appointed guardian of the trail suddenly finds himself in charge of women and children -- both foreign entities to him! Love Trace -- a bear of a mountain man who is decent and kind and totally out of his element when it comes to interacting with his unexpected charges. The romance that develops is tender and sweet -- and totally awkward. I'm grinning just thinking about Trace and Deb.

The author has managed to leave some story threads dangling -- not enough to cause severe cliff-hanging reader anxiety but enough to make me anxious for the next book in the series which is coming out in October (and has the most awesome cover!)

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Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Accidental Guardian, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday July 15 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

55 comments:

  1. This book is gonna be a start to a great series, I can tell!

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    1. Yes it is!!!! And she sets the whole series up perfectly in this one. Good luck, Elly.

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  2. Looks 👍 Great 😍
    Very nice cover also 💖
    Thank You for the chance 😊
    iamabho AT gmail DOT com

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    1. Really lovely covers in this series. Don't they just make you want to grab 'em up and start reading? Good luck, Linda.

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  3. I love Mary's books! mauback55 at gmail dot com

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    1. They are so much fun! Good luck, Melanie.

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  4. Sounds like a good read
    marcus802001(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  5. Mary's books are always a joy to read. cheetahthecat1986@gmail.com

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  6. Gotta love her westerns! Her humor is so great!
    pocoauthorATgmailDOTcom

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    1. She's a not to be missed author. Good luck, Nicole.

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  7. I love Mary's books and what a great cover. Thank you for the chance to win a copy.

    wfnren at aol dot com

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  8. I always love the humor in her stories!

    pattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  9. I agree. Mary's books are the best!
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

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    1. We all seem to be in agreement! :-) Good luck, rubynreba.

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  10. Looks like we are all in agreement in regard to Mary's books. She is definitely one of my overall favorites, too. Good characters and plots with a bit of dry humor thrown in. The covers for this series are excellent, too, and I think they would certainly inspire someone who hadn't read any of her books to pick one up. Thanks!

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    1. Absolutely -- and these covers are different from her other books. A little softer and lighter colours. Good luck, CC.

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  11. The cover of this book melts your heart.
    Can't wait to see what's inside.
    Janet E.
    von1janet(at)gmail(dot)com

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  12. Thank you for your review. This sounds wonderful. I love books, especially westerns, that have laughter in it. Makes it more real.
    quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

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    1. Always fun to have a dash of humour sprinkled into the action. Good luck, Lori.

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  13. I’m not entering the drawing because I’ve already read this book. Loved it and can’t wait for the next book in the series. My goodness, that cover! I would have bought the book for the cover alone and the next book has an amazing cover as well.

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    1. I know -- there's something so...ahhhhhh....about that big tough cowboy holding the hand of that wee little girl. Glad you enjoyed it too, Pam. The next one is up Oct 2...I can almost wish these hot days away so fall can come sooner along with a bushel full of new autumn reads.

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  14. I would enjoy this one. Thank you for the chance.
    leliamae54(at)aol(dot)com

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  15. Thank you for your review on "THE ACCIDENTAL GUARDIAN". I really enjoy Mary Connealy's books. Adore this cover and the next book's cover looks awesome too. I would love the chance to read this book that is on my TBR list. Thanks for the opportunity!
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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    1. You're welcome, Kay. Isn't Mary awesome? Good luck.

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  16. I just love Mary’s books!!! This series is going to be fantastic. And those covers...❤️

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    1. Forgot my email ttmom42 at gmail dot com

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    2. I know -- the perfect package and lots to look forward too. Good luck, Terressa.

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  17. This looks so good. I’ll add it to myto be read list. Thanks for the chance to win. Ktw8292atgmaildotcom

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    1. Definitely belongs on that list! Good luck, Kerri.

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  18. The covers on this series of Mary's are the best yet. If I hadn't already been a longtime fan, I would have wanted to read The Accidental Guardian for the cover alone. The story was just as fantastic. No need to enter me in the drawing for this one since I already own it.

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    1. Amazing how a cover can sell a book. Glad you enjoyed it too.

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  19. Just finished a series my Mary. Can’t wait to start another one. Tkayroseatyahoodotcom

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    1. I love the way the books in her series blend together. She's a master storyteller. Good luck, Teresa Rose.

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  20. Oh I do like reading stories with children have to be kept safe. And I just love the cover.
    Thank You for this chance to win.
    kekillgallonataoldotcom

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    1. Nothing as heartmelting as a discombobulated hero on protection duty. :-) Good luck, Kathleen.

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  21. I love your reviews. They are so fresh and enticing. How can I say "No, I don't want to read that immediately." I'm hooked.

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  22. Woo Hoo! A new series from Mary Connealy!

    psalm103and138atgmaildotcom

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    1. Yep, definitely something to cheer about. Good luck, Caryl.

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  23. Would love to read this!
    nelstammy76atgmaildotcom

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  24. This has been one of my favorite book covers from this year, so far. I like all her book covers, though.

    tlhcoupon(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. I do too -- they are a little bit different from what else is out there. Good luck, Terrill.

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  25. What a fun review! I'm so glad you finally got to read The Accidental Guardian, Mary Connealy is an outstanding author...but we both already knew that didn't we? ;-)

    I certainly can't wait until October for Cameron & Gwen's story in The Reluctant Warrior!

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    1. I know -- love how she left some story threads dangling out there for us to follow in the next two books.

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  26. Sounds like a great book!
    susanlulu@yahoo.com

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  27. I just love Mary Connealy and seriously, what a precious cover! Please include me Kav!

    kellyblackwellwrites(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. I know, that cover just melts my heart. Good luck, Kelly.

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