“Sandas will leave you breathless.” —LINDA BRODAY, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author for The Gunslinger’s VowThree runaway bridesDetermined to escape their fatesFlee West to find freedom that can only be hadin a cowboy’s arms…Desperate to escape an unhappy marriage, Boston socialite Evelyn Perkins flees west in hopes of losing herself to the dusty frontier. But when her train is … Perkins flees west in hopes of losing herself to the dusty frontier. But when her train is boarded by outlaws, Evelyn is taken for ransom. Despite her terror, Evelyn fears being returned to her husband more. Refusing to co-operate, she becomes the responsibility of a man whose steady gaze threatens to pierce her brave façade and reach the wounded heart within.
Gabriel Sloan has his orders, but the haunting shadows in the pretty young woman’s eyes spark an intense protective instinct he can’t deny. Every look, every touch brings them closer together. He would do anything to protect her, but dangerous men are on their trail, and soon the two must face Evelyn’s darkest nightmare—or risk losing the unexpected joy they’ve found forever…
Runaway Brides Series:
The Gunslinger’s Vow (Book 1)
The Cowboy’s Honor (Book 2)
The Outlaw’s Heart (Book 3)
Praise for Amy Sandas:
“[B]eautifully written romance that’s full of adventure—electric and absorbing.”—Kirkus for Lord of Lies
“Pure perfection.”—Romancing the Book for The Untouchable Earl
“Smart and Sexy.”—Booklist for Luck is No Lady
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This is one of the best historical western romances I’ve read. Desperate to escape her husband before he kills her, Evelyn Perkins goes on the run. The tension of the chase is heart pounding and thrilling. Ms Sandas created the perfect protector in Gabriel Sloan. The outlaw is tough, tender, and more than capable of keeping her safe. She finds there are honorable men still left in the world. This is a great love story full of twists and turns and tension stretched to the breaking point. Excellent writing.
3.5 rounded up
On the surface, it would appear that Evelyn “Evie” Perkins married well, her husband Matthew is rich, attentive and handsome. But the reality is far different, Evelyn’s husband is abusive and beats her without mercy, he controls every aspect of her life and has successfully separated her from her friends and family. Finally at the end of her rope, Evie forms a plan and escapes.
She heads west, but knows better than to go to her brother or her friends, as she is sure that is the first place Matt will check. Instead she plans to go to California and disappear into one of the large cities – but that plan is out the window when her train is stopped and boarded by outlaws clearly looking for someone – when asked her name, she lies and gives another passenger’s name and as luck would have it – that is the person they are kidnapping! She is taken without her possessions and knocked out. When she wakes, she is at the outlaw’s camp and they realize that they have taken the wrong woman. Unable to risk taking her back, they will take her to their leader, Luke and let him decide how to handle it.
One of the men, Gabe, is kind to her and sees to her comfort and is assigned to taking her to Luke. She is surprised at her attraction to him and finds that while she is wary of him, she isn’t afraid. Gabriel “Gabe” Sloane is a Cheyenne Indian who has been riding with Like for years but still feels out of place. He was taken as a boy and raised by missionaries, but when he was older and escaped, found that he no longer fit in with his family. That is when he met Luke and began “working” with him. Gabe is a quiet man of few words, he is also surprised at his immediate attraction to Evie, who tells him her name is Eve. He protects her on the trail and when he learns the extent of the abuse she endured at Matt’s hands – he knows he would lay down his life for her.
This was a very emotional story with strong abuse triggers as well as adultery that may be upsetting for some readers. I personally thought Ms. Sandas handled the physical abuse as tactfully as possible and wasn’t overly graphic in her descriptions, but nevertheless, be warned if that sort of thing is difficult for you to read. I loved Gabe and Evie, but I did have a problem with the adultery – I hated her husband and wished him a painful and slow death – but she was married to him while she was will Gabe and that sort of thing bothers ME. I also felt like the end was a whirlwind and ended too abruptly – Since this is the last book in the series, I really feel like this book should have had an epilogue to get some closure with Evie and Gabe as well as Courtney, Dean, Alex and Malcolm.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher*
Powerful and intense, The Outlaw’s Heart delivers a heart-wrenchingly beautiful tale of healing, strength, and love.
Eve and Gabriel are perfect matches for each other – their histories and personalities created adults who desperately needed what the other had to give, as well as needed to give what the other needed. I loved how connected they were from the moment they were in the other’s presence – their silent communication showing the depth of that bond, providing a quiet, a peace, and a safe place. They truly were the other’s soulmate – and getting to experience both Eve and Gabriel recognize and then believe in, and then chase down to fully embrace their connection, melted me. My heart felt all their struggles and triumphs, fears and desires, right along side them. The pacing and rhythm of the story and their relationship flowed flawlessly for me.
This is the kind of story I didn’t know I needed until I experienced it.
While I am sad that the series is over, I love knowing that I can revisit them at any time. The Runaway Brides series as a whole quickly found a treasured favorite place on my bookshelves, and is definitely not one to pass over if you’re a fan of historical western romance and love being captured by a talented storyteller’s world.
An emotional and heart pounding second chance romance that follows Evelyn and Gabe on a journey of hope and healing.
Evelyn was running from her abusive spouse. She was desperate and her only hope was to go far away and try to make a new life. But fate stepped in and landed he in the hands of outlaws who boarded her train and thought she was someone else, because she gave her seatmates name. Exactly who they were looking for!
She meets Gabe, one of the outlaws who she is sent ahead with to meet the rest of the gang at their place. He is such a gentle soul, and seems hard to believe because he is running with this gang. But he has a sad story himself and it all comes out as they get to know each other.
Amy Sandas has created a magical story of two people who desperately needed each other and their journey to find that love.
I wondered how Evelyn getting married in Boston might work out for a third book in this series and I found out, the hard way. This is the most heart-wrenching story from the beginning. Cruelty was forced upon women who could not defend themselves. Eve found a way out even if the journey was edge of your seat and nail-biting suspense. The Gabriel came into her life. A hero worthy of the name HERO. Their slow learning of each other made a beautiful read. You cannot root for a better couple. Some books stick with you because of their content. I read one a while back that to this day I still think about the story and this one will be the same but both have with fantastic endings.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
The Outlaw’s Heart is the third book in the Amy Sandas Runaway Brides series. I really enjoyed the first two books and found this one to be just as lovely. I’m thinking it may be the last of the series, though I can’t say for sure. If it is, it was a great way to conclude the adventures of the runaway brides. I will warn you that this book may be a trigger for some, as it deals with spousal abuse.
Evelyn Perkins is a socialite living in Boston with her husband Matthew. To say he isn’t a very nice man would be a gross understatement. He severely abuses his wife, and basically cuts her off from her family and friends. She reaches the point that she believes Matthew will go too far and kill her, so she plots her escape and boards a train to travel West. The train is boarded by outlaws; afraid they were sent by her husband to capture her, she gives the outlaws her seatmate’s (who was in another car at the time) name. Unfortunately, it was her seatmate that they were intending to kidnap! She refuses to tell them who she is. At their camp she meets quiet, hulking, handsome Gabriel, a Native American who has his own sad past. The two of them travel alone to meet the outlaws back at their bunkhouse, and they begin to forge a bond.
This was truly a touching romance between two almost broken, but ultimately strong people. Gabriel was taken from his tribe as a child and given to “missionaries” who mistreated him. When he went back to his tribe years later, he didn’t feel like he belonged there anymore. He kept to himself and didn’t let anyone really get to know him, until he felt a special connection with Eve. Though severely abused, Eve showed that she actually had a backbone of steel. There isn’t much talking between our hero and heroine as they mainly communicated with looks. There is a lot of internal introspection here. If that’s not your thing, you may be a little disappointed. Stick with it, however, as it leads to a wonderful conclusion.
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Lyrical–not a word normally associated with a Western, and certainly not with outlaws, but it is apt for this simmering, slow building sizzler of a romance. Amy Sandas beautifully depicts the delicate dance of attraction between two people who have deep-seated reasons to avoid intimacy. Gabriel Sloan straddles two worlds and feels as if he fits in neither. Eve has plunged into the unknown West to escape a brutal husband and a society that supports him, not her. She trusts no one–until she’s kidnapped for ransom and forced to deal with the one man among outlaws who promises she’ll be safe with him. Safe from the outlaws, safe from her husband, safe from physical harm. Their solitary journey, two wounded souls forging a fragile alliance of tentative overtures and responses subtly hooks the reader as no shoot-em-up Western could ever do. This is a beautiful love story, lyrically portrayed.
Oh so good! I was so emotionally invested in Evelyn and Gabriel’s story I could not put it down. Evelyn captured my heart from our first meeting. Her strength and resolve were tested and she continued to thrive despite what she had to endure. Gabriel is amazing and you cannot help but fall in love with him. His peace and acceptance are the balm Evelyn’s soul needs to heal. I love this series.
I have read all the books in this series and this is my favorite. The topic at the heart of the story is physical and emotional abuse by a spouse. Evelyn has had enough of being at the mercy of her husband and decides to leave. Her journey is interrupted when she is kidnapped. She meets the most compassionate man in Gabriel. He sees deep inside her and they are intimately attracted to each other. Gabriel exhibits compassion and understanding that is the balm to Eve’s soul. She is able to heal, fall in love and start a better future reunited with the people who mean the most to her. This is a wonderfully written story that will speak to your heart.
I tried to enjoy this but I found it a little slow for me, I like things to move and I kept finding myself stopping and starting over.. I was happy that Eve’ was able to runaway from her horrible abusive husband, I always root for someone like this that had the strength and willingness to get away from that situation. She ends up being kidnapped by some outlaws who had nothing on her tyrannical husband and were better than him..
rcvd an ARc at no cost to author..(netgalley) Voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions
A beautifully moving story about 2 lost souls finding each other. This is the third book in a series, but I did not feel I missed anything since this is my first book by this author. Filled with adventure and romance, it had me hooked from page 1. Even though there is not a lot of dialogue between the H and h, (a meaningful glance, a heartfelt touch …) the story is told in dual POV which I loved since you don’t get a lot of verbal cues of their thoughts and feelings otherwise. I would have liked an epilogue since the ending as is felt rushed but it has definitely hooked me into wanting to read more from this author!
I received a free copy from Netgalley. This review was posted voluntarily.