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WORK TITLE: Christmas at Dove Creek
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://scarlettdunn.com/
CITY:
STATE: KY
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
Interview: Scarlett Dunn, author of ‘Last Promise’
RESEARCHER NOTES:LC control no.: n 2015055948
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/n2015055948
HEADING: Dunn, Scarlett
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PERSONAL
Female.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer.
AVOCATIONS:Animals.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Scarlett Dunn is an American author of inspirational historical romance novels. An avid interest in history led this Kentucky resident to write romance novels set in the Old West. As noted on Dunn’s Website, her novels “feature regular people with flaws, but they also have the strength to face the challenges of the time, and come out stronger.” As Dunn further notes, it is vital for her characters “to have imperfections, like all people, and they make many mistakes along the way.” Dunn is the author of the “McBride Brothers” series, as well as the stand-alone novels, Christmas at Dove Creek and Whispering Pines.
Speaking with Happy Ever After website contributor Joyce Lamb, Dunn remarked on the inspiration for her work: “I love history, and whenever I read accounts of the pioneers in the 1800s, I always have so many unanswered questions that it inspires me to write my stories and answer those questions through my characters and the situations they face. I want to know what motivated people to go West. … That one word — why — is the bane and blessing of my existence.” In the same interview, Dunn noted that she plans her novels and characterizations carefully in advance: “Before I detail the chapters, I focus on my characters. I want to know everything about them; their hopes, their dreams; their idiosyncrasies; their favorite food, everything! I’m living with them for a while, so I want to know them well.”
Promises Kept
Dunn launched her “McBride Brothers” series with the 2015 novel, Promises Kept. This initial installment focuses on Colt McBride, a rancher in Promise, Wyoming. A committed bachelor, Colt is also known for his hard work and business savvy. But when he confronts his new neighbor, Victoria Eastman, he is not quite sure what to make of her. Outwardly she seems a gentle person and is clearly beautiful, but she also seems to be hiding a secret from her past. Colt is right; Victoria is hiding a secret. She grew up in a saloon in Abilene, and this made her tough and desperate to create a new life. Thus, when she was old enough, she placed an ad in a Western newspaper, offering herself as a bride. She came to Promise hoping to wed; when she arrived she discovered her intended husband has just died. Now she is left to fend for herself again, but her neighbor, Colt McBride, makes her wonder if they could actually create a new life together.
Reviewing Promises Kept on the RT Book Reviews website, Carrie Townsend felt that “occasional cursing, rampant sexual innuendo and an unlikable hero will stop typical inspirational readers of this novel nearly before they start.” A similar sentiment was voiced by an online Labor Not in Vain reviewer who noted: “This is a very busy book, and has a lot going for it, but personally I just couldn’t get over how much Colt swears and how he didn’t see anything wrong with his rather loose lifestyle.” Others had a higher assessment of this debut novel. A contributor in Vic’s Media Room Wwebsite commented: “This is a very nice romance. There are secrets that come to light, pasts that are exposed and a faith that needs to be reignited. Victoria and Colt are interesting characters that capture your attention and bring you into their world.”
Finding Promise
The series continues with Finding Promise, which features another McBride brother, Jake, a U.S. Marshal, who finds his match in Parker Promise Sinclair. Promise is an heiress, but that does not stop her from wanting a life of adventure. When she joins a wagon train going west, she finds more than she bargained for, surviving a massacre only to lose her memory of the incident. Those responsible for the massacre are now after Promise and Jake sees that the only way to keep her safe is to take her along on a high-stakes cattle drive. When danger strikes, Promise proves she is as good with a gun and horse as Jake would want, and the connection between them deepens and strengthens.
A Publishers Weekly reviewer was unimpressed with this second installment, commenting: “No amount of vivid descriptions of the landscape or daily life on a cattle ranch can rescue this slow and tepid 19th-century western.” Booklist writer Shelley Mosley, however, found more to like, terming Finding Promise a “subtly inspirational western romance.” Similarly, writing in the online RT Book Reviews, Patsy Glans called Finding Promise an “enjoyable historical romance with charming characters.” Glans added: “Dunn is a talented author who gives fans what they expect in historical romance.”
Last Promise
The “McBride Brothers” series concludes with Last Promise, in which bronc-busting brother Luke finds an unlikely mate in British heiress Mary Ann Hardwicke. One thing these two share is a desire for independence. Mary Ann has fled an arranged marriage in England and is busy creating a new life in the American West and has no time for a free-spirit cowboy like Luke. But he sees something in this strong-willed woman that makes him want to show her he can be the sort of man she deserves.
Writing on the RT Book Reviews website, Glans noted of this series finale and the series in general, “Dunn is a talented author who has brought new and refreshing ideas to the historical romance genre.” A Faithfully Bookish Web site reviewer also had praise, commenting: “Last Promise had an exciting storyline with mystery, romance, and complex characters …. If you are just looking for a clean romance, this story is good.” Similarly, an online Reviews from the Heart contributor concluded: “I love the chemistry between [Mary Ann] and Luke and find myself relating to her quite a bit. … This is like a western fairy tale and I loved it.”
Christmas at Dove Creek
Dunn writes a stand-alone historical romance with the 2016 title, Christmas at Dove Creek, set in the 1800s on the trail from Missouri to Wyoming. The novel features Lily Star who is guiding a group of outcasts to safety for Christmas. Among those in the group is a pregnant woman about to give birth. Lily is happy to meet up with tough Thorpe Turlow along the way, even though he is badly wounded by an arrow. She nurses him as the group continues westward, and slowly Thorpe’s old emotional wounds are healed, as well.
“This uplifting novel will keep readers warm all winter,” noted a Publishers Weekly reviewer of Christmas at Dove Creek. Similarly, online RT Book Reviews contributor Jenny Falcone observed: “This book will stay with you long after it is over. Recommended for all.” Likewise, a Romance Junkie website writer commented: “I love this story of hardship, romance and happy endings. I enjoy learning how people survived in the 1800s in the Wyoming territory and the heartaches that have brought them all together.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, November 15, 2015, Shelley Mosley, review of Finding Promise, p. 16.
Publishers Weekly, November 9, 2015, review of Finding Promise, p. 43; September 12, 2016, review of Christmas at Dove Creek, p. 41.
ONLINE
Faithfully Yours, http://www.faithfullybookish.com/ (June 28, 2017), review of Last Promise.
Happy Every After, http://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/ (April 25, 2016), Joyce Lamb, “Interview: Scarlett Dunn, Author of Last Promise.”
Labor Not in Vain, http://labornotinvain.blogspot.com/ (August 20, 2015), review of Promises Kept.
Reviews from the Heart, http://reviewsfromtheheart.blogspot.com/ (April 4, 2016), review of Last Promise.
Romance Junkies, http://romancejunkies.com/ (June 28, 2017), review of Christmas at Dove Creek.
RT Book Reviews, https://www.rtbookreviews.com/ (June 28, 2017), Carrie Townsend, review of Promises Kept; Patsy Glans, review of Finding Promise and Last Promise; Jenny Falcone, review of Christmas at Dove Creek.
Scarlett Dunn Website, http://scarlettdunn.com (may 23, 2017).
Vic’s Media Room, https://vicsmediaroom.wordpress.com/ (August 28, 2015), review of Promises Kept.*
QUOTE:
er novels feature regular people with flaws, but they also have the strength to face the challenges of the time, and come out stronger. It is important to her for her characters to have imperfections, like all people, and they make many mistakes along the way.
SCARLETT DUNN is an author of historical inspirational romance novels. She has always loved the history of the American West, and the men and women brave enough to accept the challenge to venture to the untamed territories. Once Scarlett ended her entrepreneurial pursuits, she decided it was time to write the stories she always knew she would write. Her interest in history led her to write novels set in the old west.
Her novels feature regular people with flaws, but they also have the strength to face the challenges of the time, and come out stronger. It is important to her for her characters to have imperfections, like all people, and they make many mistakes along the way. As she writes, she is always reminded of her favorite biblical character: King David. He was a man with many, many flaws, yet he was described as a man after God’s own heart. Like King David, Scarlett’s heroes have good hearts with a desire to do what is right, but sometimes do the wrong thing as they are trying to figure out this thing called life. In the end, they are better men, and have won the hearts of the right women.
Scarlett lives in Kentucky, the bluegrass land of beautiful horses. An avid animal lover, she is surrounded by various four-legged creatures.
QUOTE:
I love history, and whenever I read accounts of the pioneers in the 1800s, I always have so many unanswered questions that it inspires me to write my stories and answer those questions through my characters and the situations they face. I want to know what motivated people to go West. That one word — why — is the bane and blessing of my existence.
Before I detail the chapters, I focus on my characters. I want to know everything about them; their hopes, their dreams; their idiosyncrasies; their favorite food, everything! I’m living with them for a while, so I want to know them well.
Interview: Scarlett Dunn, author of ‘Last Promise’
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By: Joyce Lamb | April 25, 2016 12:00 am
Last Promise by Scarlett DunnJoyce: Welcome to HEA, Scarlett! Please tell us a bit about your new release, Last Promise.
Scarlett: Last Promise is the final book in the McBride Brothers trilogy. The youngest brother, Luke, is the wildest brother and the one most determined to never settle down. He loves women and having fun … why change what is working for him?
When the stagecoach rolls into town one Saturday morning transporting Mary Ann Hardwicke, wearing a pink hat and an attitude that would discourage lesser men, Luke’s carefree life is turned upside down. Mary Ann is running from a man she refuses to marry and a domineering father. She is not looking for a husband, but rather a way to start a productive life on her own. When she steps off the stagecoach, Luke sees another challenge. Mary Ann sees a scoundrel.
Joyce: What inspires your book ideas?
Scarlett: Almost everything! Sometimes, I wish my brain would take a breather! A few months ago, someone sent me a greeting card and the picture on the front inspired a title for a new book. The story is lurking in my head.
I love history, and whenever I read accounts of the pioneers in the 1800s, I always have so many unanswered questions that it inspires me to write my stories and answer those questions through my characters and the situations they face. I want to know what motivated people to go West. Why did Tamsen Donner agree to trek across country at age 44 with small children and a 62-year-old husband, when, by all accounts, they had a nice life in Illinois? That one word — why — is the bane and blessing of my existence.
Joyce: Is there an idea out there that you wish you’d thought of?
Scarlett: Just about a bazillion! Where do I begin? Lonesome Dove, Dances With Wolves, Twilight — so creative! On and on!
Joyce: What do you do when you get stuck?
Scarlett: I go for a walk to get my body moving. I tell myself it’s helpful to get blood flowing to the brain.
Joyce: What distracts you the most when you’re trying to write?
Scarlett: The thing that distracts me the most has also been my greatest blessing. Sunny days. I love to be outdoors and that is where I want to be on beautiful days. I am more creative in the morning, so I walk every morning. I call them my God walks. That is my time to commune with God; I give thanks for my beautiful surroundings, I pray, and I ask for help. Yes, I ask for help with my stories! And I can tell you all the credit goes to Him for blessing me with creative answers, particularly when I’m stuck. When my walk has ended, I always have a solution to my dilemma. It seems counterintuitive, but I’m more productive in the summer even though I’m outside most of the time. I really, really dislike cold weather. I think it freezes my brain.
Joyce: Do you write by the seat of your pants (pantser), or do you carefully plot your stories (plotter)? Has that changed at any point in your career or maybe it changes depending on the book?
Scarlett: Initially, I start with a general outline of my story. I know the title, the beginning and the end. If it is a trilogy, I already know how I will end the third book. Before I detail the chapters, I focus on my characters. I want to know everything about them; their hopes, their dreams; their idiosyncrasies; their favorite food, everything! I’m living with them for a while, so I want to know them well. I outline the chapters on index cards and tape them to my wall. It is a convenient way for me to see what is happening in each chapter, and if I’m having a plot problem, I can easily track where I need to reorganize.
… if that fails, I’m a pantser!
Joyce: Is there a TV show that you’ve recently binge-watched?
Scarlett: I don’t even want to know when the Property Brothers are on TV, or I’m hooked. Love those guys!
Joyce: What’s your favorite snack and/or beverage while you’re writing?
Scarlett: Oh, so you’ve heard my grocer say over the speaker, “Step away from the Cheetos shelf!” Annoying, isn’t it?
Joyce: I hate it when that happens.
What TV show or other activity interferes with your writing schedule?
Scarlett: I’m quite self-disciplined, but there are times it’s tempting to go to lunch with friends when they call. Most people think you have a lot of free time if you work from home.
Joyce: Do you have a pet that hangs out with you while you’re working?
Scarlett Dunn and Hercules.
Scarlett Dunn and Hercules.
Scarlett: I lost my 188-pound best buddy, Hercules, (in photo with me), so I’m solo right now. I’m missing the slobber on my keyboard.
Joyce: What’s your ideal scenery while you’re writing?
Scarlett: My office overlooks a lake and I enjoy watching the ducks, geese and swans. It’s the perfect serene setting.
Joyce: Do you listen to music while you write?
Scarlett: Some of the time. There are times I want complete silence.
Joyce: What are some tunes on your playlist?
Scarlett: It’s eclectic — Imagine Dragons, Bocelli, Iron and Wine, Tchaikovsky, The Lumineers, Blake Shelton, Lady Antebellum, Bach –– I know I’m weird!
Joyce: What would be your dream vacation?
Scarlett: Australia.
Joyce: I don’t suppose you’d want to share a picture of you with your ’80s or ’90s hair or perhaps a prom picture?
Scarlett: Was I supposed to change my hairstyle?
Joyce: LOL!
What do you do in your spare time?
Scarlett: Hike, garden, cook, make jewelry, read … the list is long and not enough time.
Joyce: What’s coming next?
Scarlett: Christmas at Dove Creek will be released in October. I’m excited for my readers to meet Lily Starr and Thorpe Turlow in an inspiring Christmas story.
I’m presently working on another historical inspirational romance trilogy, Whispering Pines, for Kensington.
Joyce: Thanks, Scarlett!
About Last Promise:
The heart always finds a home …
For British heiress Mary Ann Hardwicke, the Wild West is the perfect place to make her own life and escape the stifling privilege of an arranged marriage. Hard at work proving her independence, it’s little wonder she has no time for handsome cowboy Luke McBride. No matter that he somehow understands the freedom she so badly needs—how could she trust such a wild spirit, much less find a way to love him?
Like the broncs he busts, Luke doesn’t see himself settling down in one place, let alone with one woman. So at first, Mary Ann is just an intriguing challenge. But her determination and bravery are sparking a longing to prove he can be the truly good man she deserves. Now as their enemies work to separate them, they will take a dangerous gamble on faith to claim an enduring love …
Find out more about Scarlett and her books at www.scarlettdunn.com.
QUOTE:
This uplifting novel will keep readers warm all winter.
Christmas at Dove Creek
Publishers Weekly.
263.37 (Sept. 12, 2016): p41.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
* Christmas at Dove Creek
Scarlett Dunn. Zebra, $7.99 mass market (364p) ISBN 978-1-4201-4223-5
This historical western, set along the trail from Missouri to Wyoming, combines devastation with redemption in a well-written tale packed with strong characterizations and deep emotions. After taking an arrow in the back, Thorpe
Turlow thinks he's done for, but beautiful sharpshooter Lily Starr doesn't hesitate to nurse Thorpe back to health and add him to her group of outcasts. With a gang of thieves and a band of Natives on their trail, and a Christmas deadline
for reaching Wyoming before a member of the group gives birth, they need all the backup they can get. More travelers join them along the way, and everyone gets a lesson in trust while braving the elements and rationing resources.
Lily's innocence is perfectly balanced by her mature reactions and demure behavior. Dunn intersperses enough action and love in this faith-filled inspirational to soften the hardest hearts. Weaknesses are revealed, temptations are strong,
tough lessons are learned, and forgiveness is earned. This uplifting novel will keep readers warm all winter. Agent: Nicole Resciniti, Seymour Agency. (Nov.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Christmas at Dove Creek." Publishers Weekly, 12 Sept. 2016, p. 41. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA464046267&it=r&asid=f247aaa23a474c9edead674f096c405d.
Accessed 29 May 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A464046267
---
QUOTE:
No amount of vivid descriptions of the landscape or daily life on a cattle ranch can rescue this slow and tepid 19th-century western.
5/29/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1496086449520 2/3
Finding Promise
Publishers Weekly.
262.45 (Nov. 9, 2015): p43.
COPYRIGHT 2015 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Finding Promise
Scarlett Dunn. Kensington/Zebra Inspirational, $7.99 mass market (352p) ISBN 978-1-4201-3891-7
No amount of vivid descriptions of the landscape or daily life on a cattle ranch can rescue this slow and tepid 19th-century western. When Promise Sinclair left Charleston, S.C., with a wagon train, she was looking for adventure in
Colorado. What she found was a gang of thieves, who massacred her fellow travelers and left her for dead. Rancher and ex-U.S. Marshal Jake McBride, on his way to Wyoming, is sickened by the destruction; not only does he get a
doctor for Promise, he detours to Colorado to find her relatives and track down the murderers. Jake is the quintessential romance hero: strong, fiercely loyal to his family, and dedicated to justice. It's no surprise that Promise falls in love
with him, especially since he saved her life. But readers will yawn as the supposedly willful Promise waits dutifully on the McBride ranch for the killers to be caught and for Jake to realize he loves her. Jake crisscrosses the west until he
admits he wants Promise, and then he heads home for the requisite marriage proposal. There are no moments of the lovers learning about each other and falling in love together, making the ending unsatisfying. Agent: Mary Sue
Seymour, Seymour Agency. (Jan.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Finding Promise." Publishers Weekly, 9 Nov. 2015, p. 43+. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA434792785&it=r&asid=265d887823971ce30ceeeef424091d17. Accessed
29 May 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A434792785
---
QUOTE:
subtly inspirational western romance.
5/29/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1496086449520 3/3
Finding Promise
Shelley Mosley
Booklist.
112.6 (Nov. 15, 2015): p16.
COPYRIGHT 2015 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Finding Promise. By Scarlett Dunn. Jan. 2016.352p. Zebra, paper, $7.99 (9781420138917); e-book (9781420138924).
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Former U.S. marshal Jake McBride's life changes forever when he runs across a small wagon train in which everyone has been massacred except for one of the most beautiful women he's ever seen. The men on his cattle drive help this
mystery lady left for dead regain her health, but she can't remember a thing about herself. Jake learns that the bandits who attacked her wagon train won't be happy until she's dead, too. Wealthy artist Parker Promise Sinclair has come to
the West for more than the sheer adventure of it; she wants to meet real cowboys and paint their likenesses. But after the massacre, she doesn't even know who she is. Promise is a brave, resilient heroine of faith, who doesn't always wait
for someone else to save her, something that sometimes clashes with Jake's desire to protect her. The tension created by the tenacious outlaws who will go to any lengths to find and kill Promise adds a strong element of suspense to
Dunn's subtly inspirational western romance. Finding Promise follows Promises Kept (2015) in Dunn's McBride Brothers series; libraries will want both and those to follow.--Shelley Mosley
YA: Teen romance fans will be taken with this young woman in danger who never acts like a victim. SM.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Mosley, Shelley. "Finding Promise." Booklist, 15 Nov. 2015, p. 16+. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA436233040&it=r&asid=6213e864bd14933fec8d70975154777a.
Accessed 29 May 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A436233040
QUOTE:
This book will stay with you long after it is over. Recommended for all.
CHRISTMAS AT DOVE CREEK
Author(s): Scarlett Dunn
Dunn sets up an amazing historical tale with a resourceful, crack-shot lead woman. With short, to-the-point sentences, there are no extra filler to take away from the action, this gives this book a fast-to-moderate pace. Written in the third person omniscient point of view, we fall in love with the wonderfully portrayed characters as they travel and experience many twists and turns. This book will stay with you long after it is over. Recommended for all.
Thorpe Turlow is left at the altar when his fiancée leaves town with a man she claims is the father of her unborn baby. Thorpe seeks her out to get answers and is relieved she left him. On his way back home, he encounters the native population and their arrows. Lily Starr comes to his aid and patches him back up. Together they finish their journey to Wyoming. Will they arrive safely or encounter more danger? (ZEBRA, Nov., 352 pp, $7.99)
Reviewed by:
Jenny Falcone
ORDER THIS BOOK N
QUOTE:
Dunn is a talented author who has brought new and refreshing ideas to the historical romance genre.
LAST PROMISE
Image of Last Promise (The McBride Brothers)
Author(s):
Scarlett Dunn
It is bittersweet when a series ends; questions are answered, readers are reunited with beloved characters. Mary Ann was a favorite; she defied her family and society to explore the Wild West and to prove she could take care of herself. Dunn is a talented author who has brought new and refreshing ideas to the historical romance genre.
Mary Ann Hardwicke doesn’t want the conventional life of marriage; she wants adventures and her independence. She doesn’t have time for Luke McBride, even if he does understand the freedom she craves. Luke is too busy with his cattle ranch; settling down is the furthest thing from his mind — until Mary Ann crosses his path. She intrigues him, and he understands her needs, and the thrill of the chase has him all twisted up inside. They both have enemies who will try to separate them by any means necessary, so they will need to take a gamble on faith to win the love they both crave. (ZEBRA, May, 352 pp., $7.99)
Reviewed by:
Patsy Glans
QUOTE:
enjoyable historical romance with charming characters.
Dunn is a talented author who gives fans what they expect in historical romance.
FINDING PROMISE
Image of Finding Promise (The McBride Brothers)
Author(s):
Scarlett Dunn
An enjoyable historical romance with charming characters. While some of the characters have more grit than grins, it’s interesting to see them interact. The storyline is believable and flows smoothly, with nice twists and turns. Dunn is a talented author who gives fans what they expect in historical romance.
Parker Promise Sinclair knows she is an heiress, but she wants an adventure more than a suitable husband. She joins a wagon train and gets more than she bargained for. She survives a massacre, but she has no memory of it, and the people responsible are gunning for her. U.S. Marshal Jake McBride realizes the only way to keep Promise safe is for her to join him on his high-stakes cattle drive, and she surprises him with her riding and shooting skills. They both try to keep their feelings professional, but when danger comes, they both will be tested down to the cores of their souls. (ZEBRA, Jan., 355 pp., $7.99)
Reviewed by:
Patsy Glans
QUOTE:
Occasional cursing, rampant sexual innuendo and an unlikable hero will stop typical inspirational readers of this novel nearly before they start.
PROMISES KEPT
Image of Promises Kept (The McBride Brothers)
Author(s):
Scarlett Dunn
Occasional cursing, rampant sexual innuendo and an unlikable hero will stop typical inspirational readers of this novel nearly before they start. Debuting both the author and the series, the book is light on spiritual inspiration and heavy on demeaning come-ons. The hero’s thoughts are often lewd, and the majority of his actions show a lack of respect for the heroine. The remaining characters and the plot are clichéd at best.
Victoria Eastman, a young woman raising two boys, advertises for a husband in a gentleman’s newspaper and accepts the offer of a man in Promise, Wyo. When she travels there to meet him, she’s too late. He’s just been killed by a man who wants his land and will stop at nothing to get it. But no one was counting on what Victoria’s would-be fiancé had arranged before his death, a surprise that would keep her in Promise with hunky rancher Colt McBride as her neighbor, protector and maybe more. (ZEBRA, Aug., 352 pp., $7.99)
Reviewed by:
Carrie Townsend
QUOTE:
This is a very nice romance. There are secrets that come to light, pasts that are exposed and a faith that needs to be reignited. Victoria and Colt are interesting characters that capture your attention and bring you into their world.
Book Review: “Promises Kept” by Scarlett Dunn
August 28, 2015 at 1:20 pm | Posted in Books | Leave a comment
Tags: Book Review, Fiction, Romance Fiction
Scarlett Dunn in her new book, “promises kept book coverPromises Kept” Book One in The McBride Brothers series published by Zebra introduces us to Victoria Eastman.
From the back cover: Lady of marriageable age with two young boys, in need of husband.
I am a good cook and hard worker.
Victoria Eastman grew up in a Texas saloon—an experience that made her tough, resourceful, and determined to forge a new life. So she places an ad in a gentleman’s newspaper… and soon finds herself a suitable arrangement on a farm in Promise, Wyoming. Only problem is that her would-be husband turns up dead the day she arrives.
Rancher Colt McBride is known for his true grit and business smarts. Yet when it comes to his new neighbor, Victoria, he’s stumped: Who is she, really? She’s lovely to look at, of course, and has proven herself a gentle soul. She’s even causing him to question his staunch bachelorhood. But any kind of future may be shattered when a stranger reveals a secret about Victoria’s past—one that could destroy them both. Unless, together, they can take a leap of faith—right into each other’s arms…
Don’t you just love the name of the town in Wyoming: Promise? I think this is a great way to begin a series. She travels all the way to Wyoming to meet this potential future husband and finds him dead. However she does meet Colt whom she had met previously. Their relationship develops and that is what the book is about. This is a very nice romance. There are secrets that come to light, pasts that are exposed and a faith that needs to be reignited. Victoria and Colt are interesting characters that capture your attention and bring you into their world. I am glad I found this talented author and am looking forward to the next book in this series.
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QUOTE:
This is a very busy book, and has a lot going for it, but personally I just couldn't get over how much Colt swears and how he didn't see anything wrong with his rather loose lifestyle
8.20.2015
Promises Kept by Scarlett Dunn ~ Review
Promises Kept (The McBride Brothers, #1)
Lucie's Review:
Victoria wants to give her adopted twin sons the best that she can, and having grown up in a saloon, she knows she want to give them more than she had. So she finds what seems to be an agreeable situation, in Promise Wyoming. The only problem is that when she arrives her intended husband is dead when she arrives in Promise.
I loved how Mrs. Wellington takes Victoria and the boys in, and even plays matchmaker when handsome men come into her boardinghouse. Even though Victoria's intended dies before she arrives, he is a good man and keeps his promise to her to take care of her and the boys, by leaving everything of his to her in his will.
Victoria and the boys find new friends, one of them is an old timer named Bartholomew who tries watch out for them, especially against Mr. Wallace, a man who has his eye on the Barlow Homestead.
Colt McBride is Victoria's new neighbor and he is shocked to hear about her situation,and sends his men out to help her. He get's concerned when Victoria starts going out with Mr. Wallace as he suspects he is behind all of the mysterious fires, shootings, and missing cattle. He is great with the twins and really takes time to get to know them.
This is a very busy book, and has a lot going for it, but personally I just couldn't get over how much Colt swears and how he didn't see anything wrong with his rather loose lifestyle (which includes going upstairs with a working girl). Victoria is a strong and compassionate heroine, but Colt has clay feet, though he does try to change for her and her boys.
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POSTED BY FAITH AT 3:08 PM
QUOTE:
Last Promise had an exciting storyline with mystery, romance, and complex characters but that one glaring issue really held the book back in my opinion. If you are just looking for a clean romance, this story is good
Last Promise by Scarlett Dunn
HISTORICAL FICTION, REVIEW
Last Promise by Scarlett Dunn - Faithfully Bookish review
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For British heiress Mary Ann Hardwicke, the Wild West is the perfect place to make her own life and escape the stifling privilege of an arranged marriage. Hard at work proving her independence, it’s little wonder she has no time for handsome cowboy Luke McBride. No matter that he somehow understands the freedom she so badly needs—how could she trust such a wild spirit, much less find a way to love him?
Like the broncs he busts, Luke doesn’t see himself settling down in one place, let alone with one woman. So at first, Mary Ann is just an intriguing challenge. But her determination and bravery are sparking a longing to prove he can be the truly good man she deserves. Now as their enemies work to separate them, they will take a dangerous gamble on faith to claim an enduring love.
My Thoughts
Scarlett Dunn is a new author to me. The cover drew me in and I was intrigued by the story teaser. Mary Ann Hardwicke is a brave lady for traveling so far to protect herself. I loved the way she dove into hard work for the first time in her life, Wyoming was a giant leap from her luxurious life in England.
Luke McBride certainly likes the ladies yet he’s opposed to following the trend his brothers have set, marriage. So, here’s the issue that kept me from really enjoying this story, Luke’s habits regarding the second floor of the saloon are overwhelmingly justified within the book since he isn’t married and the women who work there need to earn a living.
While I understand that this attitude was likely the norm during this time period, I expected the book to mention redemption or repentance because of its classification as a Christian title. Luke did not seem repentant, he only apologizes to one woman he had dated and doesn’t say anything about regretting his visits to the working women.
Last Promise had an exciting storyline with mystery, romance, and complex characters but that one glaring issue really held the book back in my opinion. If you are just looking for a clean romance, this story is good but it falls short for me in the Christian genre.
QUOTE:
I love the chemistry between her and Luke and find myself relating to her quite a bit. I had hoped she might have more ground to stand on when her father discovers her instead of being forced back to England, but it doesn't end there. This is like a western fairy tale and I loved it.
Monday, April 4, 2016
Last Promise
Perhaps my favorite novels are those that combine two different genres into one unforgettable story as Last Promise by Scarlett Dunn. This is the last novel in the McBride Brothers trilogy and highlights the final romance of Luke McBride, one of three brothers running the McBride Cattle Ranch. While his other brothers have found true love on the frontier, the last thing on Luke's mind is marriage. He loves the wild and single lifestyle and being graced with great looks and charisma, he has no problem finding suitable companionship in Promise, Wyoming especially with the soiled doves at the saloon in town. He only problem is convincing them, he is not ready to settle down and get married. He loves his life just fine.
Mary Ann Hardwicke is leaving her life behind in England where her father has all but made up his mind about her. He believes that her recent encounter with Edmund Stafford has left her compromised and thus the need for her to wed. But that isn't what happened, she was trying to get away from him and her dressed ripped when he wouldn't release her. Now her only hope to get some much need perspective from her controlling father is to leave west and stay with her Uncle George who owns a hotel in Promise, Wyoming. She just never expected to see such differences in cultures between being a future heiress in England and learning to make her own way out West.
When the two collide, Mary Ann's opinion of Luke is just what she sees, a man who is what she has read about, a pistolier, and she has made her mind, she isn't going to have anything to do with him, especially when he makes promises to the women he escorts around time to show them a good time. Luke is about to lose his senses when a beautiful woman arrives from the stage and literally takes his breath away with her beauty and poise. He just never expected a fight to happen right in front of her as one of the drunken men stumbled out of the saloon and right into one the women he was escorting to lunch. He just never expected to defend his own honor as well as hers. Now he will stop at nothing to turn her head and make her see a side of him that no one else but his family does or die trying.
I received Last Promise by Scarlett Dunn compliments of Zebra Publishing and Net Galley for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free eBook in exchange for my honest and personal evaluation of the book. What I love most about Mary Ann is that she is strong and determined. She is never the victim even though technically she is in regards to the situation with Edmund. She forms opinions quickly and is surprised to learn that she is not as effective in her character judgment as she thought. This make the story believable and had me inhale it one sitting. I love the chemistry between her and Luke and find myself relating to her quite a bit. I had hoped she might have more ground to stand on when her father discovers her instead of being forced back to England, but it doesn't end there. This is like a western fairy tale and I loved it. Well worth every single 5 out of 5 stars.
For more information about Last Promise, Scarlett Dunn or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:
QUOTE:
I love this story of hardship, romance and happy endings. I enjoy learning how people survived in the 1800s in the Wyoming territory and the heartaches that have brought them all together.
CHRISTMAS AT DOVE CREEK
Christmas at Dove Creek by Scarlett Dunn
AUTHOR Scarlett Dunn
RELEASE DATE October 25, 2016
PUBLISHER Zebra/Kensington
ISBN/ASIN 9781420142235
OUR RATING
REVIEWED BY Diana S
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OUR REVIEW
CHRISTMAS AT DOVE CREEK is a book written about the Wyoming territory in the 1800s at Christmastime.
Lily Starr is a single woman determined to take a helpless group of misfits from Texas to Wyoming. Lily and her wolf Blue are all that stands between her charges and the wild frontier. Lily is an expert markswoman and knows her way around animals. Lily aids Thorpe Turlow in fighting off some Indians and saves his life by removing an arrow from his shoulder. Thorpe can’t figure out why four wagons, three women and a man are traveling alone, but he vows to help them get to their destination.
Thorpe Turlow is on his way home to Dove Creek Ranch in Wyoming territory. He is attacked by a band of Indians in Missouri and saved by an angel on horseback. Thorpe is returning from Kansas City, where he found his ex-fiancé with her new man. She left Thorpe standing at the altar and he needed to find out why. Realizing she wasn’t forced to leave with the new man, Thorpe is heading home where he swears he will never be entangled with a woman again.
Lily is looking for her grandfather because her folks had been killed by Indians. Lily has a pregnant woman with her who is trying to get to the baby’s father by Christmas, a soiled dove who wants to find a husband in the wilds of Wyoming. A blacksmith who wants to find his brother is also in the party. The three were banned from traveling with a wagon train they had paid to travel with, for one reason or another. Lily took it upon herself to help them find their way and with Thorpe’s help she figures they have a good chance. Lily nursed Thorpe through his wound and finds she likes touching him. When the sparks start flying between the two, Thorpe states he will never marry. One of the women told Lily that since she saved Thorpe’s life, they would be together forever and Lily hopes so. Lily won’t be with a man who won’t marry her though.
After the trip is over and they are all at Thorpe’s ranch by Christmas, things happen that can only be described as miracles.
I love this story of hardship, romance and happy endings. I enjoy learning how people survived in the 1800s in the Wyoming territory and the heartaches that have brought them all together. If you are looking for a Christmas themed inspirational historical romance novel then I recommend CHRISTMAS AT DOVE CREEK. In the traditional style of Jodi Thomas, Scarlett Dunn has brought us a story to remember.