AUTHOR: Mary Connealy
DATE: 2023
PUBLISHER: Revell
STARS: *****
From the back cover:
In 1870, Mariah Stover is left for dead and with no memory when the Deadeye Gang robs the stagecoach she's on, killing her father and brother. As she takes over her father's blacksmith business and attempts to move forward, the old-fashioned townspeople meet her new occupation with disdain.
Handsome and polished Clint Roberts escaped to Western Wyoming from the painful memories he left back east. In the hope of a new life, he opens a diner where he creates fine dishes, but is met with a harsh welcome from the townsfolk who prefer to stick to their old ways.
Clint and Mariah are drawn together by the similar trials they face in a new town, and Clint is determined to protect Mariah at all costs when danger descends upon her home. As threats pursue them from every side, will they survive to build a life forged in love?
My review:
What a unique tale, with the heroine a blacksmith and the hero a chef. Mariah’s profession isn’t the only compelling aspect to this heroine; her determination to continue her father’s blacksmithing business shows her responsibility and courage. But danger stalks her, as the gang who killed her brother and father never leave a witness alive.
Clint’s fancy French dishes with unpronounceable names (for the townspeople) bring folks back again and again to his diner because their taste buds overcome their aversion to new things. But will he ever feel welcomed in the small town?
There was one little error in the story, regarding the timing of an expected birth, but the rest of the story overcame this mistake. I loved the growing relationship, complete with misunderstandings and stubborn independence, between Mariah and Clint. I also enjoyed getting acquainted with Mariah’s dear friends, Becky and Nell and trust they will tell their own stories soon.
I think the back cover copy is overstated, as only one or two people treated Mariah and Clint poorly. Most seem eager to support both in their unusual occupations, bringing work to Mariah and hungry bellies to Clint.
Forged in Love grabbed me from the beginning, and this tension-filled romance earns five stars. I was given a copy of this book by Graf-Martin Communications and Baker Publishing.