Love Inspired Historical February 2017 Box Set: An Anthology

If this Duncan McKenna is what a good christian man is like, you can keep them. I cannot finish it. He is unbearable. I'm not into Stockholm Syndrome stories where women fall for captors/control freaks.

I have read only Stacy Henrie's book, and it's a 5 stars! Even though her family is disappointed in her career choice, Essie Vanderfair is determined to be a successful dime novelist, but she needs a story her publisher will love. Little did she know that she would get her inspiration on a train ride. Instead of being scared, when the train she is on is attacked by outlaws, Essie rejoices because she will be able to get real outlaws’ stories, and her bestselling book; an added bonus is that the infamous Texas Titan is among them. And ambitious, optimistic Essie offers to tag along in her quest for success. What she didn’t realise is that her name is also synonymous with ransom; she is the granddaughter of a wealthy man, and Fletcher, the gang’s leader made the connection. From the start, Essie is intrigued by the good looking Texas Titan who doesn’t quite seem to fit her idea of a train robber, but he does have a secret: Tate Beckett is a Pinkerton agent and the real outlaw’s twin brother. Tate is torn: he wishes Essie would go away, as she could ruin his undercover mission, yet he could so easily fall in love with her, if things were different… It dawned on me when I started the book, that I had not even read the blurb! To me, a new book by Stacy Henrie guarantees a great read, and again I was not disappointed. This time around, Ms. Henrie offers us an exciting story set in 1892 America. While the book begins in rather hilarious fashion, with wide-eyed Essie and her idea of adventures and the perplexed outlaws whose hearts she melts, almost everyone’s, when Fletcher shows his true colours, things take a dangerous turn. I loved those characters, even if at first Essie seems a bit of an airhead, she is true to herself and simply adorable. Tate is a fascinating character, who grew quite a bit along the way. THE OUTLAW’S SECRET goes from frivolous fun at the beginning and subsequently turns into a nail biter, and Ms. Henrie is equally at ease in the sunny parts as well as in the dark passages, and naturally with this rather unusual romance. I found interesting how Faith played a real part in the story, that God may not grant you what you’re praying for, because you’re praying for the wrong thing. Tate realised where he had erred when he opened up his heart and really heard what Essie was saying. Essie and Tate’s is a wonderful romance, built on trust and honesty, but they had me worried for many pages! I devoured THE OUTLAW’S SECRET, and I am thrilled at what Ms. Henrie has in store for us later on this year with more adventures from the Old West! I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.