MY REVIEW:
Heather Blanton has become a new favorite author of mine because of her down-to-earth western romances that have just the right amount of mystery and suspense and are often sprinkled with witty dialogue and situations that keep me laughing. In no way does that detract from her great stories and romance.
“Mail Order Deception” has a brilliant plot of mistaken identities. Reporter Ellie Blair accepts an assignment in which she must pose as a mail order bride, hoping to make a name for herself. Little does she know that her “husband” is not who he claims to be either. Despite their suspicions, Ellie and Jim West find themselves more and more attracted to each other but will true love win when all their secrets are revealed?
This was such a fun book with plenty of action, danger, humor, and romance to keep me turning those pages. I loved Jim and Ellie’s characters and their determination to see justice done. Even though as an avid reader, I pretty much knew how things would turn out, Blanton managed to keep me wondering a few times along the way.
If you have not read any books by Heather Blanton, do yourself a favor and try one or three. “Mail Order Deception” might just be a good place to start.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by the author. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Secret identities lead to stolen hearts. Can love survive the truth? Intrepid reporter Ellie Blair wants a story–the one story–that will make her name bigger than Nellie Bly’s. She’ll do anything to get it. Lie, masquerade as someone else … even walk away from a man she could love. Treasury Agent Jim West has to break the back of the Irish Mob and will do anything to make it happen–lie, masquerade as someone else, even sacrifice his heart to see justice done. Blinded by ambition, these two stumble into each other on a Wyoming ranch…so what will it take for them to see past the masks they’re wearing and discover true love?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A former journalist, Heather is an avid researcher and skillfully weaves truth in among fictional story lines. She loves exploring the American West, especially ghost towns and museums. She has walked parts of the Oregon Trail, ridden horses through the Rockies, climbed to the top of Independence Rock, and even held an outlaw’s note in her hand. You can learn more about her and her work at https://ladiesindefiance.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/heatherfreyblanton. Sign up for Heather’s email newsletter to receive the latest book release updates, as well as info about contests and giveaways (https://ladiesindefiance.com/).
Heather is the independent bestselling author of several Christian Westerns, including the Romance in the Rockies series, which has sold over 40,000 copies. Intrigued by the concept of three good sisters stranded in a lawless Colorado mining town, a few notable Hollywood producers have requested the script for her first book in that series, A Lady in Defiance. Heather’s writing is gritty and realistic. In fact, her books have been compared to AMC’s Hell on Wheels series, as well as the legendary Francine Rivers book, Redeeming Love.
She writes Westerns because she grew up on a steady diet of Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and John Wayne movies. Her most fond childhood memory is of sitting next to her father, munching on popcorn, and watching Lucas McCain unload that Winchester!
She can be reached several different ways:
https://www.facebook.com/authorheatherblanton/?ref=hl
https://www.pinterest.com/heatherfblanton/
Christian Westerns is the genre that lets her write about strong pioneer women and men who struggle to find God and then live out their faith in real ways. Romance is always a strong element in her stories because it is such a beautiful gift from God, and a perfect reflection of how he loves His children: sacrificially and lavishly. Heather’s stories aren’t preachy or cheesy, but she hopes they are heart-warming, realistic, illuminating, and glorifying to God. Like good old fashioned Westerns, there is always justice, a moral message, American values, lots of high adventure, unexpected plot twists, and more than a touch of suspense.
“I believe Christian fiction should be messy and gritty, because the human condition is … and God loves us anyway.” — Heather Blanton
