The Vigilante's Bride by Yvonne Harris

Emily McCarthy thinks she has had all she can take when the orphanage she lives in sells her to a rancher who wants a wife. With no income and no family, Emily can not refuse the wishes of the orphanage and the rancher. At least this way, she will have a roof over her head. When she is kidnapped during a stagecoach robbery on Christmas Eve, things surely can not get any worse. Her kidnapper, Luke Sullivan, despises her future husband, Bart Axel, and brings Emily to the New Hope Orphanage. For the first time in the ordeal, Emily is given a choice. She may not like Luke Sullivan, but she definitely is not going to marry Bart Axel if she does not have to. Living at the New Hope Orphanage brings many new experiences to this city girl – including a chance for true love.

The Vigilante's Bride by Yvonne Harris is a good read for anyone who likes historical romances. Quite honestly, I did not want to put it down. I read it in two sittings. The character of Luke Sullivan was intriguing and very likeable. I enjoyed the humorous parts of the book, especially during the first half when Emily strongly disliked Luke.

My only complaint is that I wish the book had been longer. I would have loved to see more development of Luke Sullivan's spiritual relationship with God. There were tidbits mentioned about it all the way through, but it seemed like they were side notes to the plot. It was one of those books that is marketed to the Christian market and it mentions God occasionally, but if you took out all the times God was mentioned, the main plot could have stood on its own as a secular fiction book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."