Jack Sullivan has a runaway wife to return and a bounty to collect. A gunshot lands him at the feet of Annabelle Lawson and jeopardizes a promise he can’t afford to break. Can he set aside his heart and focus on what he came to do?Annabelle Lawson had finally picked up the fragments of her heart. Why did Jack have to crash back into her world? She may have to care for the injured bounty hunter, … bounty hunter, but she refuses to help him cash in on his professed ‘easy money’. Nor will there be a second chance at claiming her heart.
more
From start to finish I enjoyed my time within the pages of this newest story from Lucette Nel. A heartwarming story of love and forgiveness, with page-turning action and drama. I simply couldn’t put this story down. These dynamic characters soon felt like friends.
Annabelle is a strong, independent woman. She successfully runs her own business, and helps her community. She has a big heart! I felt like I was there in her kitchen, enjoying conversation, a cup of tea and fresh ginger snaps.
Jack is trying to put back the pieces of his life and make some money in order to be able to finally put down roots. He see’s this bounty as a critical component to meeting his goals, so much so that he has blinders on to what is going on behind the scenes. When things start to unravel will he figure out the truth in time to protect those that he cares most about?
This story has a few fun twist that kept me guessing and turning pages to find out what would happen next. If you enjoy inspirational western romance with a fun twist of adventure, then do yourself a favor and pick-up a copy to enjoy!
(I receive books from publishers, publicists and/or authors, including netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own.)
I enjoyed this novel (and some of the sayings)! Seventh in the Redemption Bluff series, The Bounty Hunter’s Bargain can easily be read as a standalone. The setting of 1869 Redemption Bluff sounds like an interesting western town, and the characters are well-defined by words and actions. We see points of view of the two main characters, which further defines them. The plot is complex, even though it appears deceptively simple in the beginning. There is a clear strand of faith throughout.
Annabelle had many reasons to sell the family’s boarding house in Calico and purchase one in Redemption Bluff. Sadly, the one she now is managing needs much work done. Her father, Gideon, came to see her shortly after she moved here to make amends to her. He had nowhere to go, so she allowed him to stay. To be fair, he tries hard to make repairs, but never was good with tools. At the end of 1868, Melissa Sinclair came in need of a room late one evening and passed out. The Lord reminded Annabelle of a scripture that convicted her to make sure this young woman has a place to stay. A Christian woman, one of the ways God leads Annabelle is through recalled verses of scripture.
Jack is a bounty hunter who has been hired by Jeremiah Sinclair to find his wife. Jeremiah, about twice her age, paid Melissa’s aunt to be able to marry her and take her to Colorado; his housekeeper kept guard over every move she made. Melissa was unable to go out and was locked in her bedroom at night, seeing Jack for only a few moments a day. She finally escaped and ended up at Annabelle’s boarding house after many miles and several train rides. Jack finally found her, quite by accident, when he is down to his last coins.
Annabelle and Jack grew up together and knew each other’s secrets and heartaches. He had not seen her since he left to go to war with a promise of coming back to marry her, and never returned. He never received her answer to a letter he sent her and assumed she had moved on with someone else. He is now a widower with a four-year-old daughter who is staying with his late wife’s sister. He desperately needs the exceptionally high bounty of $2,000 to make a new life for himself and little Emma. Annabelle stands in the way of that as she tries to protect Melissa from him based on why Melissa told her about her “marriage”.
Getting away from her then-alcoholic father Gideon and memories of Jack were two of the reasons she left Calico, and both have come back to her. Gideon no longer drinks and will spend the rest of his life making it up to Annabelle. Jack is another matter. If he tells Jeremiah where Melissa is, a very pregnant young woman will try to leave town, possibly causing harm to her and her baby.
The plot is unpredictable with twists and turns that kept me engaged, and I enjoyed the characters. I appreciate the faith demonstrated, especially by Annabelle. The crises were creative and the conclusion was more than satisfactory. I highly recommend this to women of any age who enjoy post-Civil War westerns with people of faith, true to life challenges, and an opportunity for romance.
From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary copy of this novel; a review was not required.
“He was too attractive for any sane woman’s good.”
What a great story! The Bounty Hunter’s Bargain has a little of everything – swoony romance, great characters, action, suspense, an adorable little girl, and a gentle faith thread.
Annabelle is a fabulous heroine, a strong woman with realistic vulnerabilities and a compassionate heart. She’s picked herself up by the bootstraps more than once and has established herself as a smart & savvy businesswoman who knows what to do with a shotgun if needed and still believes in second chances – even when she wisely guards her heart, she extends grace.
Jack definitely lacks a woman’s intuition, love his heart, but that doesn’t detract from his rugged good looks (“Goodness, why couldn’t the Lord have given him a face that resembled a horse?”) or his protective instincts when it comes to Annabelle & Emma (his super-cute little girl). Temporary cluelessness aside, Jack is a good guy where & when it really counts. He truly desires to do the right thing for the people he loves most, even if the path to do so gets a little tangled.
Bottom Line: I think we can all see glimpses of ourselves in both Jack and Annabelle, and this is part of what makes The Bounty Hunter’s Bargain such a good read. Throw in some equally excellent supporting characters (Gideon endeared himself to me right away & even more as I discovered bits & pieces of his story), a handful of heart-in-your-throat moments, many smile-inducing scenes, and the reminder that God is a God of second chances and making all things new … and you’ve got a quick read you shouldn’t miss!
(I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I borrowed via Kindle Unlimited.)
This is a book that grabs you on the first page and doesn’t let go. It has action, drama, suspense and romance. If you like good clean western romance, you will love this book. I highly recommend this book, it was so good I read it in one sitting. I received an ARC copy and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Enjoyed reading this sweet clean romance with bounty hunter Jack and Annabelle who owns a boarding house where he has been brought after getting injured. There is suspense and mystery along with the romance between Jack and Annabelle.
What a tale about second chances, redemption, and forgiveness. Once again Lucette Nel weaves another page-turning story. The Bounty Hunter’s Bargain is a warm cup of tea. It’s sweet, humorous, but not without a dash of action and mystery. The story also touches on friendship with characters like Melissa and the main character, Annabelle Lawson. How you treat another human tells me a lot about a person, and Annabelle had me from the start with her kindness and caring ways. But when she must care for bounty hunter Jack, old wounds return. Jack Sullivan is the bounty hunter not stopping for anything until he collects his bounty. He’s resourceful, a gentleman, but not without his faults. When Annabelle returns into Jack’s life his world flips inside out. From the start, I thought the chemistry between Annabelle and Jack was on point. It was hard not to adore the fun exchange between the two. The power couple really drove this story.
One more notable character. This sweet romance is not without its villain. The antagonist was not quite what I was expecting, yet I found myself loving/hating this horrible person, maybe because the author did such a great job on the character development. Completely engrossed me! I’m looking forward to more stories from the author.