When her father dies, Katherine Levinson discovers her parents have kept secrets that render her happy childhood a farce. She and her gravely ill mother face eviction, and she has no choice but to appeal to the brother she’s never seen, the famous cattle baron, Rhyan Cason. Over her gravely ill mother’s objections, they move to Nebraska and the sprawling cattle ranch, Sollano. Instead of the warm … of the warm welcome Katherine expects, she and her mother are met with whispers and scorn in the little prairie town near Sollano. Gradually, the sins of her parents’ past surface, and Katherine begins to doubt her very identify. With her brother busy with cattle rustlers and her mother too ill to be bothered, Katherine turns to Colt Holliman, a soft-spoken neighboring rancher, for comfort.
Tired of waiting for the right woman to come along, Colt has promised to wait for Charley Ryder, an acclaimed female sharp shooter and equestrian acrobat with the Wild West Show, but it’s becoming clear Charley loves the show more than him. As his attraction to Katherine grows, he finds himself spiritually conflicted. How can he break from past commitments and follow his heart?
Then unexpected danger strikes, testing Katherine’s and Colt’s faith in God—and each other.
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If you are looking for a really good Christian Western to escape into, then I highly recommend Revealed by Elaine Manders. I had not read a novel by Manders before, so I wasn’t really sure what I was getting into. Boy, am I glad I read this book. The characters are well written, the plot is engaging, the pacing is quick, the romance is super sweet, and the suspense is just enough to keep the reader turning pages well past bedtime!
Manders does a fantastic job of weaving very important and timely messages throughout her novel. One such issue dealt with in this book is gossip. Gossiping is one of the easiest habits to slip into. There is an exceptionally fine line between relating information to someone and gossiping about someone. Even the best of us at times falls on the wrong side of this line. Katherine, the heroine of Revealed, through no fault of her own, is a victim of gossip. It is unfair and hurtful, and all she wants to do is scream in anger. At one point, Katherine begins to doubt her self-worth. She begins to worry about what others are saying about her. Instead of putting her trust in God and believing His promises, she begins to care about what other people think.
At just the right time, Katherine is reminded of whom she needs to focus on, and it isn’t the people spreading mean, hurtful lies about her. Katherine is reminded that she is made in the image of God, which makes her equal to all people. As long as we know where we stand in God’s eyes, it doesn’t matter what people say about us. Yes, it’s hurtful. Yes, it can make us angry. But as long as we are sure in our relationship with God, nothing else matters. This reminds me of Romans 8:35, 37: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. It’s easier said than done, but if we can remember that we are conquerors through Jesus, we can turn untrue, hurtful words into nothing. We can lean into Jesus and let the hurt roll off our backs and into His hands.
There’s so much more to this delightful story, but I will stop here for now. I don’t want to accidentally spoil anything in my excitement. Suffice it to say, if you are looking for a thoroughly enjoyable Christian Western filled with action, a bit of suspense, timely messages, and a sweet romance then Revealed is the book for you.
I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the author via Celebrate Lit. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Loved this book!!! I knew I didn’t want Colt to marry Charley; however, who knew that Rhyan had a sister!!! Wow!! All of the intrigue was amazing!! I finally figured out who was doing what when they did, so that was great!!! Loved Kathy and Colt’s story, and look forward to finding out what happens next in Westfield and at Sollano!!
Revealed
I really enjoyed the story of Katherine and Colt. Has mystery, suspense, excitement to keep you on the edge of your seat. It is part of a series but a stand alone book. So if you haven’t read the other books you will still enjoy it even though the whole series is good. It is like watching an western movie, has good guys and bad and a lot of family. I really enjoyed the closeness of the family and friends. Also involved an circus show that was enjoyable. I cannot think of anything I did not like about the book. It was very interesting from start to finish. At times I just wanted to talk to the characters like they were real. I received an complementary copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write an positive review.
I love reading western stories and this one is filled with such great history that 1885 came to life. I loved learning about Katherine and how her life was going to change forever when she travels with her mother to Nebraska. It’s not every day you find out you have a brother who just happens to be a very rich cattle rancher. Her mother is quite ill so hopefully she can get some medical attention when they arrive. I loved the mystery surrounding who Katherine’s real father is. What secret did her mother keep from her that may cause friction when they arrive into town?
It was so interesting to read about the Wild West Show. I can remember watching shows like that when I was younger. The stunts that were done by the people on the horses were death defying. I couldn’t believe how precise they were. The horses were obedient and beautiful. Charley fascinated me with her skills not only on a horse but with a gun. She was definitely a good shot and I would feel safe around when it is discovered that there is a thief trying to steal cattle and horses.
One of the most beautiful things said in the story was by Colt as he was consoling Katherine. He said, “Your name doesn’t define you. Your parents don’t define you. Your past doesn’t define you. You’re made in the image of God, and that makes you equal with everyone else. Never forget that.” If only we could remember that when we feel shame or unworthy. It was a moment for me to realize that my insecurity needs to disappear and to hold my head up.
Katherine is surrounded by secrets from her past and the town is sure doing a good job of gossiping abut her. I loved the story between Colt and Katherine. Katherine is hesitant in showing her feelings to Colt. Will she learn to trust him? I loved the intrigue in the story and the author caught me by surprise with the story line. I began to wonder who could be trusted when a baby is kidnapped. The story has plenty of action and a lesson in trust, jealousy and believing in yourself and God.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
This book does not have a dull moment, and just when you think things are calming down, nope!
This is the third book in this series, and the first that I have read, now I want to read the others, but although there were a few instances where things were mention, I did not feel lost.
The author has given us Katherine, a young woman that was torn from the world she knows when her beloved father dies, and then she finds out that her life was a lie, wow! What a tangled web, and the bombshells kept dropping.
This is just a taste of what happens here, and yes, she is rescued by a brother she doesn’t know, but that is just the beginning, and we see how these people wear their faith, and share their love of God.
Don’t get too comfortable, because the author keeps us on the edge of our seat, for a great read!
I received this book through Celebrate Lit Book Tours, and was not required to give a positive review.
This is book 3 in the “Intrigue Under Western Skies” series, but I had no problem reading as a stand-alone. I would like to go back and read the first two, as I enjoyed all the characters so much. This book has a lot going on from the get go and has several plot twists to keep you guessing. It is well written and flows easily. It is true to life with the gossip and hurts that are a result, but with God it is possible to forgive. I loved the faith elements woven throughout and the decisions made. I had empathy for Charley and how she let the world and pride rob her. I’m afraid to say to much and spoil the story for others, therefore I will say grab a copy and snuggle down for the ride. Interesting piece of history recaptured with the Wild West Show.
I received a complimentary copy from the author/CelebrateLit. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
Revealed by Elaine Manders is the third novel in Intrigue Under Western Skies series. It is 1885 in Charleston, South Carolina where Katherine Levinson is running out of options. Since her father’s death, Katherine has been responsible for her ill mother, Arabella and they are out of funds. Despite her mother’s objections, Katherine writes to the brother she has never known, Rhyan Cason. Rhyan and his wife, Carianne quickly arrive and bustle the pair off to their ranch, Sollano in Westerfield, Nebraska. The townspeople have long memories and they have not forgotten Arabella’s treatment of Rhyan’s father and her scandalous behavior. A couple of the ladies are welcoming to Katherine and Arabella, but many of them are discourteous and help fuel the flames with rumor and innuendo. Colt Holliman own the ranch next to the Cason’s and is Rhyan’s best friend. He is engaged to Charley Ryder, a trick rider and sharp shooter with Carianne’s Wild West Show. However, Charley is reluctant to set a wedding date as she enjoys all the attention and acclaim. Colt is taken with Katherine’s gentle personality and they find themselves drawn to each other. The ranchers are having trouble with rustlers taking off with their cows and horses. But what happens when the culprits up their game by taking something very dear and valuable?
While Revealed is the third novel in Intrigue Under Western Skies, I had no trouble reading it. I do think, though, that I would have known more about the characters if I had read the previous two books in this series. I thought the book was well-written, had a steady pace throughout, and smooth transitions. I rarely read books set in the west, I admit to enjoying this one. I liked reading about the Wild West Show and Charley’s tricks. Can you imagine doing acrobatics on top of a horse while wearing a fancy costume? I found the characters to be well-developed and realistic. It was nice to see how Arabella changed after reuniting with her son. The Christian elements are woven throughout the story. It is prevalent, but it does not dominate. It can be hard to keep your faith during times of strife. We need to remember that God is there for us always and we need to pray for His assistance as well as His guidance. We also see our characters struggle with forgiveness and not being judgmental. I had a little trouble getting into the story, but it did not take long for my attention to be grabbed. I am glad that the author had the mystery and suspense elements into the book. They added depth and made for a complex story. While I knew who was behind the crimes, I kept reading to find out what would happen next (I stayed up very late). My rating for Revealed is 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). This was the first book I have read by Elaine Manders, but it will not be my last.
Grab a snack and plan on setting for a spell as Revealed will capture your attention from the start. Elaine Manders created a lovely conclusion to her Intrigue Under Western Skies series. This story had multiple plots going with characters that were flawed but well developed with the primary ones being very caring Christian individuals. I enjoyed the way Rhyan and Carianne Cason welcomed his mother and unknown sister, Katherine, to the ranch after the unexpected death of her husband. There were moments of great pain, over hearing unpleasant gossip, the excitement of a Wild West Show, fun barn dances, along with plenty of action that turned into unexpected twists and turns. Revealed held a family mystery, ranch life, romance, adventure, faith in God and caring for loved ones. Manders did a beautiful job in creating all the elements of a book that is entertaining but also providing a strong faith message with Biblical passages and thoughts from characters. This book can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading Pursued and Surrendered to appreciate the characters and depth of the research in the western world during the late 1800’s. I look forward to reading more books by Elaine Manders, as she has become one of my favorite Christian historical romance authors.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through the author for Celebrate Lit tour. I was not required to write a positive review but have shared my honest thoughts.
Revealed is the third book in the Intrigue Under Western Skies series by Elaine Manders. When Katherine Levinson’s father dies, she loses her home and wealth. Now, destitute she must find a way to take care of her mother who is sick. Contacting the brother she’s never met, Katherine faces new challenges ahead as family secrets, long-buried, surface. How will these challenges affect her feelings for neighboring rancher Colt Holliman? When an unexpected danger arises will Colt and Katherine’s love survive? This story was a very easy read, almost too easy. I enjoyed getting to know the different characters throughout the book. The overall love of God shines through the whole story without being too preachy. Even though the characters had flaws they overcame them and came out even stronger because of them. A very entertaining read.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit in exchange for my honest review.