"The Accidental Guardian," by Mary Connealy

"The Accidental Guardian," by Mary Connealy

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.

This is the first book in the "High Sierra Sweethearts" series and what a good start.  Loved all the characters and and the story line for this book.  How Trace and Deborah met had you rooting for them right from the start.  The small details that Mary added just made the story even more believable.  At times you felt as though you were right with them going through what they were going through.

There were a number of ups and downs and a couple of little surprises interspersed in among it all.  I learned a little about the Lake Tahoe, Nevada area; an area I am not at all familiar with.  One thing I really enjoyed was Trace's total bewilderment with all things female.  Made for a number of rolling your eyes moments.

Stars out of 5 : 5 Really enjoyed this book, managed to read it in one day, when I had set aside to read, it was that good.  The second in the series will be released in October of 2018 and I for one will be reading it.  Great book and well worth reading; and funnily enough I am not a huge Western/Cowboy fan.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".