By: Christena
Books, , ,

Utterly Realistic and Unforgettable – My Book Review

WINNING MAURA’S HEART
The Hangman’s Daughters Series, Book # 1
by
LINDA BRODAY
Western Romance / Clean & Wholesome / Historical Fiction
Publisher: Severn House
Date of Publication: March 7, 2023
Number of Pages: 256 pages
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The Calhoun brothers are identical twins but on opposite sides of the law. Cutter is a deputy Marshal, Jonas an outlaw. When Cutter attempts to break his brother out of a notorious gang, they are shot, and Maura finds one of them wounded, close to the mission – but which brother is it?
Maura Taggart is an outcast, the daughter of a hangman and tainted by association – no reputable man wants her as his wife. And now she is homeless, along with her sister and the group of children in their care. Armed with pure grit, she finds a nearby mission where the nuns agree to take them in and set up an orphanage. But trouble is just around the corner . . .
As the stranger regains his strength under Maura’s care an attraction between them grows, yet how far can she trust him? And why has he brought trouble to their door? With the orphanage under threat can Maura trust this handsome stranger both with their safety and with her heart?
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Well, well! This! This is a story I did not anticipate in any way. I honestly was expecting a highly romantic novel. While some might say Winning Maura’s Heart, (The Hangman’s Daughters Book 1)is a romance novel; it is really not. Yes, there is romance. But this book is so much more…  

Encased between the pages of the beautiful cover is a story about the aftereffects of Yellow Fever when parents die. It is a story about orphans needing someone to look after them. It is a story about people needing redemption. It is definitely a story about loss. It is also a story about how human nature fears what it does not understand. It is a story about outlaw gangs of the old West. 

Author Linda Broday enveloped all these storylines encapsulating them into one fantabulous story Winning Maura’s Heart. At its core, Winning Maura’s Heart is about doing good and having faith that in the end, a higher power is watching out for everyone.  The characters are utterly realistic and unforgettable, and you get completely immersed in their lives.

Maura and her sister Emma are the Hangman’s daughters. They are run out of town and in tow, they take all the kids who have been orphaned. Nearly every single character in this book has had a hard life and most are searching for redemption. There is romance but not like you think – meaning you do not have tons of kissing and flowery language. Soon into the book it became unputdownable and engrossing because underneath all that I have mentioned is a mystery of who really was saved by Maura. 

I love it when an author introduces me to something I have never known before. Spiderwebs! Thank you, Linda, for introducing me to the folk, historical remedy of using spiderwebs as bandages for wounds.  

Winning Maura’s Heart reminds me of the movie Once Upon a Time in the West only told with Linda’s fantabulous storytelling. I’m looking forward to Book 2 in this series. This book delivers a fresh, unputdownable experience to devour in a weekend and transports you back in time to the Texas old West, puts smiles on your face, and gives you hope.  

I’m a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of western romance novels and short stories. Watching TV westerns during my youth fed my love of cowboys and the old West and they still do. On a still day, I can often hear the voices of American Indians, Comancheros, and early cowboys whispering in the breeze here on the high West Texas plains. We refer to this land as “cowboy” country and men here still ride the range just as cowboys of old. My stories focus on family life and almost all have children.
 
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GIVEAWAY!  
THREE WINNERS:
GRAND PRIZE: tote including signed copy of Winning Maura’s Heart, strawberry & chocolate tea, Cowgirl hand lotion, bath bombs, personalized cup;
2nd Prize: eBook copy Winning Maura’s Heart;
3rd Prize: $15 Amazon gift card
(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 4/14/23)
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