Series: Colter Sons, Book 5
Written by Karen Baney
Published by Desert Life Media
Release Date: 03.08.23
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
4 Stars!
Arizona Territory, 1894. A place of grit, dust, and the occasional miracle. The Restless Wrangler by Karen Baney delivers a love story wrapped in redemption, set against the raw and rugged backdrop of Ash Fork. This is the kind of tale that entertains as it stirs the soul!
Preston Colter knows what it means to be lost. Drifting through life, drowning in bad choices, he nearly lets his reckless ways take him straight to the grave. Yet sometimes, God sends a wake-up call loud enough to shake a man to his senses. For Preston, that moment shifts the course of his life.
Hetty Clark has built a life from the wreckage of regret. She made her peace, found her purpose, and wasn’t expecting her past to come riding back into town. Yet, here he is—the man who once held her heart, standing on her doorstep with a new kind of fire in his eyes. Can a heart once shattered truly trust again?
This story breathes the air of the Prodigal Son, but not in a way that feels like a retelling. It’s deeper, personal—bringing to life the struggle of choosing forgiveness when wounds still sting. The beauty of this book is in the faith woven through each chapter. It’s in the way these characters wrestle with grace, second chances, and the kind of love that costs something.
Baney’s writing rolls in as smooth as a desert sunrise—steady, immersive, and steeped in frontier grit. The Christian faith content is a treasure—not just sprinkled in but deeply lived out in the characters’ journeys. There’s something about seeing faith worked out in the everyday struggles of life that makes it all the more real.
This was one of those stories I didn’t just read; I felt it. The love, the heartache, the weight of past choices, and the beauty of a future redeemed. I’m officially hooked on the Colter Sons series, and if this book is anything to go by, I can’t wait to see what the rest hold.
If you love historical Christian fiction that speaks to the grit of redemption and the power of love forged in fire, then The Restless Wrangler is one you won’t want to miss.
I received a paperback copy of this book from JustRead Publicity Tours, LLC. I am not required to write a positive review nor paid to do so. This is my honest and unbiased review. My thoughts and opinions expressed in this book review are my own. My review focuses on the writing and the story’s content, ensuring transparency and reliability.
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