Broken Deeds, Broken Hearts by Cindy A. Christiansen

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

This week has only just begun and already I'm running faster than a three-legged pup at a dog track!  I mean really, work has been crazy, life has been along the same lines, the books are stacking up (pun intended and not at the same time), and the weather just can't make up its mind.  Goodness gracious.  What's a girl to do?!  Run faster, jump higher, and READ READ READ.  Let's just say I'm enjoying that last part the most.  ^-^  As for the Southernism I opened with...

Today's featured title is toted as a Sweet Clean Romance but there's also a hint of twang, cowboy hats, and rough riding.  That's right.  A bit of Southern hospitality has crept into my reading but I'd say the hospitable part if rather questionable, at least for our leading lady.  Let's not put the horse in front of the wagon now.  We should give a proper introduction to today's title!  *ahem*  Ladies and gents, cowboys and cow...gals (?)...today's ebook of choice is...

Broken Deeds, Broken Hearts

by

Cindy A. Christiansen

Dragonfly Spirit Books

About the book...

At the age of fifteen, Carly Sue McCluskie ran away from the family farm to escape her abusive great uncle Ezra and the torment of her classmates only to end up homeless on the streets of Salt Lake City. Eight years later, she reluctantly returns to oversee Ezra’s estate and is not surprised to learn someone killed the old codger. What she didn’t expect is someone attempting to kill her.

Seth Wakely and his family have been feuding with the McCluskies for a lifetime, but that doesn’t stop him from helping a neighbor in need. Seth is as surprised as a pig laying an egg when he learns someone in their little country town might have killed Ezra and now Carly Sue’s life is in danger.

Seth finds himself torn between protecting her and the bitter memories of the past, including what he did to Carly Sue. Good thing he can send his Border collie, Jewel, over to protect her.

Will their Hatfield and McCoy relationship continue, or will Carly Sue and Seth be able to conquer the anger which corrals them and, instead, learn to love?

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First things first, when we opened with Carly Sue riding a pink motorcycle, I was thrown for a bit of a loop.  I mean, I'm not one to usually read Western tinged novels but I was expecting HORSES maybe, not HORSEPOWER.  That wasn't the only shock in this story, but you know what?  They all turned out to be for the best.

What begins as a long lost relative coming home to take care of the odds and ends that encompass a life that's now passed, turns into a journey of the heart in more ways than one.  Carly Sue got MUCH more than she bargained for returning to her hometown that never really felt like home.  How could it though?  One fine day, she became the responsibility of her uncle Ezra and the rest as they say is history.  The town turned against her.  Her friends were no longer her friends.  Her life was not something fairytales would have been written about before, but now nightmares would have seemed "happy" comparatively.  She found a way out that kept her sanity and prized a life from the world around her through sheer grit and gumption.  Returning "home" was never in the cards...for her sake though, I'm glad she did.  The act of kindness she performs leads her on a path to find truth in her past and a future she never expected...with perks that are rather kind to the eyes, if you know what I mean.  *ahem*  Enter, Seth McCluskie...

His family and her family have been at odds since before either was born and all because the earth around them couldn't see fit to give them enough water to ply their trades.  One thing led to another and tempers flared hotter than the summer sun, leaving more than hurt feelings on BOTH sides.  Some learned from the past, let go of the anger, and moved on...pretty much the WHOLE of the McCluskie's, except for one stubborn eldest son by the name of Seth.  He's got a good heart but until he loosens the reigns on it, the feelings from the past will continue to blind him from a VERY bright future.  The play back and forth between Seth and Carly is endearing but also frustrating.  For crying out loud, the older folks know more about what's going on than they do!

In the end, I finished this one faster than a flea calls a dog a home...or some other appropriate twangy Southernism...and though I had guessed who or what was behind it all from a fairly early page number, it didn't damper my enjoyment of the story in the least. I'd call it sweet with an edge and a bit of mystery...plus an ending you can't help but melt over (really, all that went into arranging that!). The friends and foes we meet along the way will keep you entertained.  You'll fall in love with the entire McCluskie clan, especially their fur-baby Jewel (such a sweetheart!), and pull from their fictional strength of heart to your own reality.  Recommended read for Contemporary Romance fans who like their stories clean and their hearts aflutter.

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About the author...

Cindy A. Christiansen writes sweet romance with humor, suspense...and dogs! She is a member of The League of Utah Writers and the American Night Writers Association. She is a former member of National Romance Writers of America and the on-line Kiss of Death chapter. She has served as both treasurer and membership coordinator in her local RWA Chapter. She has judged multiple writing contests, coordinated writing competitions, written extensive articles on writing and taught classes.

Cindy A. Christiansen grew up on a farm and had been active her whole life which made being bed-ridden very difficult. Although she had always enjoyed some form of writing, like plays, short stories, and magazine articles, she began writing her first manuscript in bed to keep her mind active.

Cindy A. Christiansen also wanted to write the kind of books she believes in. "I believe a book should put you through all the emotions, provide a happy escape, and also teach you a little something." When she's up to it, she also enjoys wildlife painting, scrapbooking, antique collecting and refinishing, and clock restoration.

Cindy A. Christiansen lives in West Jordan, Utah with her supportive husband, two very special boys who happen to be autistic, and all her rowdy dogs. All of her books include dogs because life wouldn't be life without them. She is currently working on another novel and hopes she can be an inspiration to other challenged writers to live their dreams. She donates both time and money to organizations that support abused and abandoned dogs.

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Special thanks to the author for the ebook for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, her other works, or those forthcoming, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is available now exclusively on Amazon (at the time of this post), so feel free to click through the link above to snag your copy today.

Until next time...happy reading!