Random, Colorado, is
just another stop on the road for solitary gunslinger Gabriel Valance.
Known for his drinking, gambling, and womanizing, he prefers to remain a
stranger to anyone who crosses his path. But when an upstart gunslinger
catches Gabe off guard and shoots him down, he regrets his empty,
lonely life with his dying breath....Golden-haired beauty Nancy Hoffman settled in Random after fleeing an abusive past. Caring for her younger sister and working in a hat shop help her to forge ahead, though she remains fearful and mistrustful of men—and marriage....
Their paths will cross when Gabe gets a second chance at life and a divine mission: to sweep Nancy off her feet, gain her trust, and convince her to believe in his love. And in doing so, the once-hardened cowboy may save himself....
Comment: This is the most recent book by ms Anderson, released in the beginning of the year. Usually a book by this author is certified to be enjoyable and that it was why I pre ordered but only this month I was able to get to it. How that happens is always a mystery to me...
This story features new characters, apparently the start of a new series. Gabriel Valance is a gunslinger and gets killed but two angels tell them how his soul can be saved if only he accomplishes a certain task by helping another person.
Nancy Hoffman run away from a past she feels guilty about and that drives her away from what she knew as a home, along with her younger sister, who she looks after. But despite Nancy's success with her hat shop, she is still a shy and reserved person, afraid of taking a chance on life. Gabriel Valance doesn't seem the kind of man she should trust but some things are a better surprise than anyone can imagine and Nancy will see it for herself.
Well, so far I've enjoyed a lot of the books I've read so far by the author. Only one or two seemed a bit weaker than those I like the most. Therefore, I was very curious over a new series but I have to say I ended up feeling this was only a meh story for me. I saw many readers loved it and gave it 5 starts and in a way I can understand why, but the thing I love the most in the author's writing wasn't here, at least not in a way that made me feel amazed by how good it was.
My favorite thing in ms Anderson's novels is how she deals with intimacy between the main characters. Her heroes and heroines usually have gone through very difficult experiences and they have some trouble dealing with their intimacy, mostly the women. I think it's already a trademark of this author how the heroines have to trust and accept the love of the man they fall for before intimacy - and sex - start to become more than a duty or a expectation. I love how usually romantic things happen until the couple's more in sync with each other.
In this book this wasn't so. Or, should I say, it wasn't as romantic and amazing as I imagined it would and despite Nancy having to trust Gabriel and he did wait for her and the relationship was slow and step by step, I still think this felt more like an automatic stage before the end. I didn't think this was as romantic as it could be, considering the details and the way the story took shape. It felt like something that had to happen, the path towards intimacy, not the sex itself which as bland, by the way, and it made the book feel a bit like a task done and not a romantic story developing.
Of course this is all me, obviously everyone things differently...
As for the rest of the elements in the book, everything seemed rather so so, from the characters which weren't as interesting as they looked in the beginning, going a bit plain and usual to the end. Even the secondary ones filled their roles well but weren't surprising as that.
Then there's the slightly tones paranormal element with the angels playing a part. I think their role could be achieved with a simple dream, sort of, or the story could have had a different take from the start because I wasn't convinced about the angels and the mission they had for Gabriel. The lesson is cute to learn, we should do our best in everything because our time is short in life, but the overall impression wasn't as special as that to me.
In the end, it was relatively good story, good elements not explored in their best outcome, in my opinion. Still, an average mark for an average story, with possibilities to be better but apparently the goal is as it was.
Grade: 6/10
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