Book review: Trading Horse by Darrel Sparkman

Blurb:
Range detective Jim Murphy digs in his heels to keep from falling in love with beautiful Connie Pinder, a rancher's daughter who's involved in the case Jim is investigating, right up to her pretty little neck. Following the trail of a stolen horse, Jim discovers it's actually a trail of murder, as well as a ruse by a ruthless gunfighter with his sights set on kidnapping Connie. Jim knows he can't let that happen, so that's when the bullets fly! TRADING HORSE by Darrel Sparkman is an action packed adventure full of gun smoke, and unforgettable characters.

My review: 
Trading Horse is a fun story that made me feel like I had my grandpa sitting here regaling the story of how he met and fell in love with my grandma.

You kinda get a feeling there's more to Jim than what needs the eye, but as the story goes on, you become more convinced that appearances are truly deceiving and there's definitely more to the man - even a fancy suit can't hide. Connie is a great match for Jim. Her attitude, charm, and fight keeps him on his toes and keeps her from being boring to him.

It's cute watching them figure the other out and how the meddling of folks around them help to push them along. When you realize just what trading horse means and how it comes into  play, you'll find yourself chuckling and shaking your head.

This is a easy-to-read winsome little story to be lost in for an hour or so.

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Book review: Harper's Rescue by Sean K. Gabhann

Harper's Rescue is book 2 in the Shiloh Trilogy. Click here to see my review on book 1, Harper's Donelson. 

Blurb:

Disgraced Federal officer James Harper must redeem his honor and face down his enemies if he intends to stay in the Union Army and avoid his scheduled court martial. Recruited by General Grant’s spymaster, Harper must prove that whore monger Franklin Bosley is a Confederate conspirator—a man who has no scruples, and will do anything it takes to see to his own “cause” above all else.

Harper realizes that Bosley and his men are a threat to the Union Army—but that’s not all. Maggie, the woman who has broken through Harper’s emotional walls, is also in immediate danger. Harper has to act fast or there will be more deaths on his conscience—and Maggie’s is one he couldn’t bear.

Meanwhile, indentured saloon girl Katie Malloy must find her own way to escape Bosley—or die. Finding solace in the arms of one of Harper’s men whom she has come to love, she realizes in one terrible moment that she cannot depend on him to rescue her—she must do that herself, even if it means murder.

Once at odds with Lieutenant Harper, Corporal Gustav Magnusson begins to understand that Harper will see this mission through or die trying. He’s going to need Magnusson’s help—but who can they trust? There may be just one way out alive—if they can both survive long enough to put their daring plan into action for HARPER’S RESCUE…

My review:

Picking up right where Harper's Donelson, book 1, left off, we find Harper and his men figuring out how to fill their time being stuck in Paducah KY while they wait to be able to get back to active duty. Gus starts to realize the burden of leading men, making decisions, and learning who he is to become. Katie, the saloon girl, is still trying to find her place while she struggles with protecting herself.

While there are still some rough and tough moments, and some spy-games at play, I think this 2nd part of the trilogy is my favorite (well, so far, seeing there's only book 1 and 2 out). Seeing how everyone's stories intertwine and everyone acts and reacts to events... you find yourself mixed up between cheering the characters on, and on edge wondering what's going to happen next and who might find a little reprieve from their trials.... and just how twisted evil can be.

This is a great continuation of Harper's Donelson and I'm looking forward to an amazing (I have faith!!) conclusion with the last part of the trilogy.

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Book review: Rescue Trail by Darrel Sparkman

Blurb:

Jake Rawlings was broken. One senseless killing and the loss of his wife left him without an anchor. Guilt and bitterness pushed him to turn in his badge. When he decides to follow the trail of a lone woman on the prairie, he’s led to a feisty widow and her daughter fighting for their lives. Saving them was easy. Can he save himself?

My Review:
I quickly fell in love with this story from first page to last!! Rescue Trail is a charming little escape that gives you heart, laughter, and a touch of bad@ss excitement.

Jake is kinda lost and wandering around after losing his wife years ago and hasn't really figured out what to do next. Then he runs into a lady who needs a bit of help, but there's some sparks and attitude she's dishing out. Watching them play off the other and breathe some life back into Jake is a charming hoot.

If you want a quick little story to set up some fun daydreams (because really, I'd've loved to see this become a longer novella or even a full length novel.. Seeing Lady and Jake partner up and take on the world together would be awesome!!) or just to fully entertain when you don't got alot of time for an escape, this story would be perfect!

This part made me giggle probably more than it should have, but it's still so true.

“Lady, there’s only one rule in a gunfight.”
She looked at him with moist eyes. “Which is?”
He leaned toward her. “Don’t get shot.” 


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Book review: The Last Warrant by Darrel Sparkman

Blurb:

When U.S. Deputy Marshal Luke Randall trails outlaw Johnny Ruskin across Indian Territory to Joplin, Missouri, he knows what he’ll find—a wide-open and boisterous mining town full of crooked gamblers, outlaws, lawmen dispensing justice for money, and more whorehouses than outhouses.

He plans to find the killer and put him on a train to Fort Smith—or bury him. Ruskin is as ruthless as they come, and Luke has been doing some thinking on this assignment—does he want to spend the rest of his life wondering if every warrant he serves will be his last? When he meets Sarah McBride, she brings more to the table than a good meal—the offer of the kind of life he’s always dreamed of.

Luke has to finish what he started with Johnny Ruskin, but death is all around him. Can he and Sarah get out of Joplin alive? No matter what, he must serve THE LAST WARRANT…

My Review:

What happens when you get a disillusioned US Marshal trying to figure out what he truly wants out of life -- to keep going till an outlaw bullet gets him finally, or take a chance at having a peaceful, good life back home on his ranch? But what's really waiting back at the ranch but an empty house and some cows?

Luke, while being a tough as nails marshal, also had some quirks that made him a bit softer on the inside, and more human. (I still giggle with some consequences of his job and some injuries that come with it.) He had a sense of honor and forgiveness.... of mercy and respect, for both law-abiding citizens and outlaws (but ya know, the more evil of an outlaw you are, the more ruthlessly he's gonna react and deal with you... just sayin'. haha). But he also didn't let others run roughshod over him. I adored when he first met Sarah and the eyes they made at each other and their connection.

Sarah proved very quickly she was the missing piece Luke'd been looking for -- the perfect woman to handle and fit in with his life, whatever he decided to do. She had a strength and cute sassy attitude that complimented him well.

Oh, and I enjoyed the little cross over with Rawlings from Rescue Trail. :) (I *love* that story!)

This is an excellent short novella that gives you all the goodness of a gritty western with a sweet helping of a love story all wrapped up in an easy to read package. Definitely not a story to skip over when you're looking for a short little somethin' to tide ya over.

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Book review: Harper's Donelson by Sean K. Gabhann

Blurb:

The first book of this Civil War trilogy begins in the winter of 1862, as the nation is being ripped apart, with both Federals and Rebels seeing no end in sight and hoping for victory.

Lieutenant James Harper, a junior officer in the Union army, aspires to command a company—but faces his dismal future at the hands of an officer who will vindictively do whatever he must to keep Harper at the bottom of the heap.

Katie Malloy, a young girl who has been sold by her father to the wily owner of a whorehouse, has settled into her new life as a saloon-girl—for the time being. She’s got big plans to get herself out of this predicament, and vows one day she’ll be more than the soldiers’ whore.

Corporal Gustav Magnusson, a young Quaker in Harper’s company, butts heads with Harper from the very beginning. But capture by the enemy forces them to work together to protect their men from sadistic Rebel Captain Bell—who wants nothing more than to see his Yankee prisoners dead.

Will General Grant’s campaign against Fort Donelson open the door for an ex-Federal Marshal, a Quaker farmer, and a soiled dove from Iowa to make their mark in the world—if they live through it?

Three lives intertwine against the backdrop of the battle which made Ulysses S. Grant’s reputation—a living hell where everything familiar fades, and the only thing that matters is surviving—however they can.


My Review:

When you crack open this book, you're immediately sucked back into a living and breathing history lesson.

This book takes you on a journey following several characters as they live and survive through the Civil War - and as it's part one of a trilogy, I'm definitely hooked and excited to see what happens next.

James Harper wants so desperately to prove he's leadership material, but ego-driven superiors and some questionable decisions lead to more struggles and trials to prove himself capable.  He isn't the "perfect" hero in that he does make mistakes, or he seems more "real" or "regular" - we can identify with him more.  But at the same time, his sense of honor and determination shines through when it's needed most, and you can respect that.  He also can back up what he says (as far as skills and gumption to proceed).  He definitely got into more scrapes and situations that what I think I could put up with! ha!

Katie has to learn how to adjust being sold to a whorehouse and just what it will take to survive and become more than what it seems life fated her with.  I enjoyed seeing her still cling to some innocence, and my heart ached with the hardships she faced.

There's several other characters you get to experience life through that make you think, or give you heartburn... Once you get settled in and have the setting grow around you and learn who all the characters are, you are hooked into seeing how everyone interacts and what will happen next.

I can't help but believe that if we as a society went back to a truth-filled story-telling way of passing down history, more people would be intrigued and want to discover more about our past, and maybe even learn some invaluable lessons.  Thank goodness for authors who have a story to tell and weave in historical events, breathing life into dry textbook narrative.

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