A Lady in Defiance by Heather Blanton

Do you love westerns with gritty cowboys and feisty damsels?! I recommend A Lady in Defiance by Heather Blanton, Romance in the Rockies book 1!

about the book

A Lady in Defiance by Heather Blanton

 It’s his town and he dares God to step foot in it.

Charles McIntyre owns everything and everyone in the lawless, godless mining town of Defiance. When three good, Christian sisters from his beloved South show up stranded, alone, and offering to open a “nice” hotel, he is intrigued enough to let them stay…especially since he sees feisty middle sister Naomi as a possible conquest.

But Naomi, angry with God for widowing her, wants no part of Defiance or the saloon-owning, prostitute-keeping Mr. McIntyre. It would seem however, that God has gone to elaborate lengths to bring them together. The question is, “Why?” Does God really have a plan for each and every life?

For the rebellious residents of this remote mountain town, the answer will surely be astounding.

A Lady in Defiance, loosely based on true events, is set in the majestic San Juan Mountains of Colorado. While a romance, it is also an “ensemble” piece that weaves together the relationships of the three sisters and the rowdy residents of Defiance. With a nod to Pride and Prejudice, the story is filled with surprises, plot twists, and an ending you won’t be able to guess.

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my thoughts

What a great book! A Lady in Defiance is a fun and entertaining historical western romance. It also has a challenging and moving message of living out your faith and extending grace and forgiveness to others. I like the nod to Pride and Prejudice, McIntyre is very Darcy-esque and experiences all kinds of tension and attraction with Naomi.

Heather Blanton filled my senses with the rich backdrop of a rowdy, dirty, smelly, old west mining town. The characters were beautifully flawed and relatable. I appreciate her strong focus on faith and I am anxious to see what happens in the next book of the series!

I received a copy of this title from the author. The opinions expressed are my own. This review was originally posted on 4/2/16.

 

from the author

I love Christian Western Romance because this is the genre that lets me 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 my stories because it is such a beautiful gift from God, and a perfect reflection of how he loves us: sacrificially and lavishly. My stories aren’t preachy or cheesy, but I hope they are inspirational, 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 am a huge researcher, as well, and you will find hints of historical romances inspired by true stories in my novels!

I grew up in the mountains of Western North Carolina on a steady diet of Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and John Wayne Westerns. My most fond childhood memory is of sitting next to my daddy, munching on popcorn, and watching Lucas McCain unload that Winchester! I love exploring out West, especially ghost towns and museums. I’ve 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 my hand.

“I believe Christian fiction should be messy and gritty, because the human condition is … and God loves us anyway.” — Heather Blanton

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Romance in the Rockies series

 

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