Getting over her had been impossible. A day hadn’t gone by that he hadn’t thought of her, yearned for her. Sometimes he felt as if he couldn’t breathe if he didn’t see her again. He’d had to come back to make things right no matter how it ended.

Renegade’s Pride is the first installment in B.J. Daniels' intriguing new Cahill Ranch series centering around the Cahill family in Gilt Edge, Montana. The Cahill family is certainly interesting. It consists of Ely, the family’s reclusive patriarch, who spends much of his time in the mountains panning for gold; It should be noted that Ely is famous for his claim of being abducted by aliens in 1967. Ely has five sons and one daughter. The oldest brother, Tucker, left home shortly after his high school graduation. The next brother, Flint, is the town’s sheriff. Two more brothers, Cyrus and Hawk, run the Cahill Ranch. Finally, twins Lillian and Darby own and run the Stagecoach Saloon, a pub/café which is housed in an historical old building restored from an original stagecoach stop. Much of the family is introduced in this first book.

The main story revolves around Lillian Cahill and Trask Beaumont. As the story opens, Lillian is bailing Ely out of jail … again. As she brings him back to The Stagecoach Saloon, she surprisingly sees Trask, her first and only love. Lillian and Trask had been a hot item nine years ago. Trask had been an arrogant, hot-headed cowboy from the other side of the tracks. But, when he started seeing Lillian, he’d changed. They had grandiose plans of building a life together. Then…Trask had an argument with his boss, Gordon Quinn, who was later found dead. Trask ran away rather than facing the music, leaving Lillian alone. Lillian hasn’t heard anything from him in all that time. Now, he’s back, a changed more mature man, to set things right. He wants to clear his name and reclaim the one woman he’s not been able to forget. But, will Lillian give their love a second-chance?

Both primary characters were genuine and likable. I found myself pulling for them against seemingly outlandish odds to solve the decade-long cold crime. Ely was a hoot and some of his fears put goosebumps on my arms while I read. We have to wait until the third book for Flint’s story, but I already want to send his manipulative ex packing.

As with many of the author's other books, there are multiple plot lines that B.J. seamlessly interweaves into the story. Interestingly enough, one of those narratives involves an aliens' subplot featuring Minuteman nuclear missile silos from the sixties. The silos were and are real – just under a half of the original thousand are still maintained by our government - so it will be interesting to see where the author takes this development. If you believe in extraterrestrials, it certainly wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine that they would be interested in these silos. Or is it in truth a government conspiracy to play on Ely’s fears? Or ???? I can’t wait to see this thread play out.

Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from Renegade’s Pride:

It was on a night like this in 1967 that he’d first seen them. The memory was too fresh. He cursed himself for letting his thoughts take that particular path.
“Don’t be a damned fool,” he said out loud, needing to hear something, even his own voice. “They aren’t out there.”
And yet every fiber of his being knew better. They were here again. It was his only thought as he turned and tried to run, knowing it was a fool thing to do in the dark …
---

As she reached the stairs, she made a quick detour and stepped outside.
A crescent moon hung in the midnight blue sky along with trillions of twinkling stars. Out here there were no streetlights to wash out the view. She loved being able to see the stars.
Tonight, the mountains were etched deep purple against the night sky. The white snowcapped tips gleamed silver. Nearer, silhouetted pine trees swayed in the breeze as if in a slow dance.
“You are such a romantic,” Trask had once told her. “Are you sure you want to open a bar? You should be writing poetry.”
She’d laughed. “How do you know I don’t?”
---

Lillie woke to darkness an instant before a large warm hand clamped down over her mouth…

I thoroughly enjoyed Renegade’s Pride though, at times, the story was burdened by the need to introduce all the characters and setup the multiple storylines in the series. Unfortunately, the series setup also slightly overwhelmed Lillian’s and Trask’s romance. That said, this series shows a lot of promise and has some really intriguing characters and story threads. I’m excited for the already-announced next two books which will be releasing this year: Outlaw’s Honor, Darby Cahill’s story, and Cowboy’s Legacy, Flint Cahill’s story!

I always learn something reading B.J.’s books. Besides refreshing my memory on the silos, thanks to B.J., I now know what ‘catfishing’ is, and, here’s a hint: it doesn’t involve water. Renegade’s Pride has a bit more romantic sizzle than I’m used to in B.J.’s books - I'm not complaining! I do enjoy some steamy with my suspense! However, the big question to be answered herein is will Lillian and Trask unravel the mystery of Gordon Quinn’s death before they also get caught in the killer’s net? Fans of heart-racing romantic suspense will want to check out B.J.’s new Cahill Ranch series to find out!


Suggested Reading Order:
Renegade’s Pride (Book #1) – Lillian Cahill & Trask
Outlaw’s Honor (Book #2) - Darby Cahill & Mariah – Coming June 2017!
Cowboy’s Legacy (Book #3) – Flint Cahill & Maggie – Coming Nov 2017!

Unable to review this title because whole pages of text are missing and I don't know what to do about this problem. If you can provide me with an uncorrupted file, I'd very much appreciate it. Thank you..

I’m a huge fan of Ms. Daniels’ books and I was very excited to have the opportunity to read the first book in her new Cahill Ranch series. Trask Beaumont left Montana and the woman he loved nine years ago, after being accused of a murder that he didn’t commit. Now that he has returned home, determined to clear his name and win back Lillie Cahill, he is on the hunt for answers about what really happened that fateful night. The truth may surprise them all and there is a killer on the loose that wants to keep their secrets hidden even if it means adding another name to their list of victims.

I loved Lillie and Trask’s story and I was hoping that they would find their way back to each other. These two had tried so hard to move on with their lives but that night had haunted them both for nine long years and they could only get through this together. I love Ms. Daniels’ writing style and Renegade’s Pride kept me reading well into the night trying to find the same answers that Trask did. I think that this is a great start to a new series and the members of the Cahill family are definitely a force to be reckoned with. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series and I’m hoping that Darby will finally find his own happy ending.

4.5 Stars

I've been in something of a reading slump lately but this book has sparked genuine enthusiasm in me and a renewed interest in reading, and I am really looking forward to reading more in this series.

RENEGADE’S PRIDE is an entertaining combination of romance, mystery and intrigue with multiple subplots that enhance the story and will leave you wanting more.

What do a missing woman, a psychotic ex-wife, an unsolved murder and an alien abduction have in common? The town of Gilt Edge, Montana.

Nine years after hightailing it out of town under a cloud of suspicion for murder and leaving his girlfriend behind, Trask Beaumont is back to clear his name and fight for his girl's affections again. But Lillie Cahill is determined not to give him another chance to hurt her again. A losing battle because she never stopped loving him and is now determined to clear his name. Trask is just as determined to win Lillie back and is willing to go to any lengths to clear his name.

Lillie's investigation stirs up things that have lay dormant for almost a decade, things that interested parties would prefer to keep buried and soon she finds herself a target of those who would prefer the truth remain hidden and those who want to capitalize on the situation for their own selfish benefits.

Lillie is stubborn and relentless, which are admirable qualities but in this case have put her in the cross-hairs and Trask will need all the help he can get to keep her alive for the future he wants to share with her.

This story is not limited to Lillie and Trask's exploits. We get a peek into the Cahill clan as a whole especially the sheriff, Flint whose attempt to move on from his divorce is being sabotaged by his ex-wife at every turn; the patriarch of the family, Ely who may or may not have been the victim of an alien abduction and who prefers his cabin in the woods to the streets of Gilt Edge. We also get to meet the rest of the town and of course no small town can be complete without a hair salon or a watering hole, which in this case is run by Lillie and her twin brother Darby.

The dark secrets and dirty underbelly of the town get a little exposure and it's obvious that something is going on in this town that hints at more trouble to come. I'll admit to being excited about what the author has planned for the next book.

Ms. Daniels writes a mean western and brings to mind old movies set in that time, and if you are new to her work this series is a great place to start.

Renegade's Pride is the first in a new series about the Cahill siblings. In this first one, the love of Lillie's life left 9 years before accused of murder. Now he is back to clear his name and win Lillie back. I admit to having a little bit of a hard time getting into this book, but in the end I enjoyed the mystery of who really killed Gordon, Trask's boss.

I thought the mystery was interesting. I didn't see the solution coming. I just wish there had been more of a prologue or background on the murder in the beginning of the book. In fact, the opening scene had nothing to do with the rest of the story. So, there were times when I felt like I was missing some back story even though this is a first book. As for the romance, it was a little underwhelming for me. Again, I felt like I needed more back story. Maybe some flashback scenes so I could see how much they had been in love 9 years before, instead of being told about it.

This is very much the beginning of a series. We are introduced to a lot of characters and there are some story lines that seem will be resolved in later books. Had the book focused more on Trask and Lillie's relationship, I would have enjoyed the romance more. I do want to read Darby's story. It should be interesting seeing him fall in love finally.

Look for some spice in this story. While the story line is about a murder committed 9 years ago Daniels has added some very different spice in this series. It seems that Lillian's father thinks he was abducted by aliens years ago and that they are still coming around. Look for hints to why he thinks that. I liked how Lillian had fulfilled some of her dreams while Trask was gone and how Trask had matured before he came back to prove he was innocent. There is a side romance featuring Lillian's older brother that looks like it will be a long running issue as the series progresses. A nice start to a new series that is set once again in Montana.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

New Series from B.J. Daniels!! This amazing and prolific writer has been a favorite of mine for a long time. This series is about the Cahill family from Montana. The oldest brother, Tucker, left home after high school graduation; next brother, Flint, is the sheriff; brothers Cyrus and Hawk, run the Cahill Ranch; twins Lillie and Darby own and run the Stagecoach Saloon; dad, Ely, is a recluse who spends a lot of time in the mountains panning for gold and also claims he was abducted by aliens in 1967. A very interesting family for this new series.

This book is about Lillie Cahill and Trask Beaumont. As young twenty somethings, Lillie and Trask were very much in love. Trask had an argument with his boss, Gordon Quinn, who was later found dead. Trash runs, leaving Lilie behind. After nine years he's back to clear his name and reclaim the woman he loves. Lillie isn't about to sit idly by while Trask tries to clear his name, she is going to be actively involved and that puts her in danger too. That's the main plot, but as in any good B.J. Daniels book, there are several other subplots going on that keep the reader on their toes.

FINAL DECISION: A perfectly adequate book that fails to be completely engrossing because of the number of characters and storylines introduced.

THE STORY: For nine years Lillian Cahill has thought about the man who left her. Trask Beaumont ran out on Lillian under suspicion of murder. He's now returned to clear his name and get back the only woman he has ever loved. But strange things are now happening in town with women disappearing and the question is whether these things are connected with Trask's reappearance or Trask himself.

OPINION: The story of a couple who gets a second chance at love, RENEGADE'S PRIDE introduces readers to a town where there are many secrets. During the book, we are introduced to many characters -- especially the Cahill's -- who have secrets which will be revealed in the series.

For me, this book spent a lot of time on introducing all the characters. As a result, the relationship of the main couple failed to be compelling. My first problem was that I just couldn't get over the nine year gap in their relationship. Because the building of the relationship of Trask and Lillian took place years ago, it is considered established as the book begins while I didn't really get the connection between them. While the relationship progresses as the book goes on, it takes a long time for these two to truly feel like they belong together.

The focus here in the mystery of what happened nine years ago. But with so much going on, the relationship got a little lost. That being said, the story as a whole was good enough to keep me interested and make me want to read more about the people in this town.

WORTH MENTIONING: There are many unfinished storylines as typical of Daniels series.

CONNECTED BOOKS: Renegade's Pride is the first book in the Cahill Ranch series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 3 stars.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to provide a review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

RENEGADE’S PRIDE – B.J. Daniels
A Cahill Ranch Novel, Book 1
HQN
ISBN: 978-0-373-78926-9
March 2017
Contemporary Romance

Gilt Edge, Montana – Present Day

Nine years ago, Lillie Cahill and Trask Beaumont were young and in love, until he became the prime suspect in a murder and fled. Lillie has tried to get over Trask, but still thinks of him nearly every day. Then, one night, he secretly shows up and tells her he wants to clear his name. With her help, they begin an investigation into who murdered a prominent businessman. But once Lillie and Trask start digging, they learn they’ve ruffled too many feathers. Will the road to the truth end in danger and death? Meanwhile, Lillie and Trask are discovering one inescapable truth: they’re still in love with each other.

As RENEGADE’S PRIDE opens, Lillie’s eccentric and lone wolf father returns from being in the mountains for weeks to declare that aliens had abducted him and then turned him loose. The family mostly laughs it off, but Eli’s account of what happened to him seems too real. Lillie’s brother (and sheriff), Flint, contacts the military about the secret missile silos outside town to see if the aliens report is connected to some secret mission they’re doing. However, no one is giving answers. Flint has his own issues to deal with, mainly a possessive ex-wife who seems to want to make sure he doesn’t date another woman.

Book one in the latest series by B.J. Daniels, RENEGADE’S PRIDE focuses on the Cahill family, led by Sheriff Flint Cahill. Their father would rather be in the mountains than run the family ranch or raise his children, but the kids are now well-adjusted adults. Lillie and her twin brother, Darby, run a successful bar. Lille has tried to date since Trask left, but nobody can replace the only man she loved. Everyone thinks that when Trask ran off it was an admission of guilt. He has returned to town but is lying low, afraid he’d be arrested and then be unable to investigate the murder and clear his name.

At first, Lillie tells herself that Trask can’t be trusted, but soon she’s jumping in and doing some investigating of her own. This leads her to believe Trask is telling the truth. But, who did kill the businessman and is the murderer still in town? Along the way, it’s clear someone doesn’t want them to find out the truth, and Lillie’s and Trask’s lives are put in danger. RENEGADE’S PRIDE is a thrilling adventure readers won’t want to miss.

Lillie’s reticence in not wanting to just take Trask back at first sets the tension between them in RENEGADE’S PRIDE. Yet, there is this sizzling attraction that won’t die. She has to be careful, because if one of her brothers learns that Trask is back in town and that she’s helping him, they’ll find and arrest him. Trask has his own issues with someone wanting to blackmail him by threatening to turn him in. Trask and Lillie are embroiled in a dangerous mission, but through it all they learn that their love has grown stronger.

A gripping tale filled with suspense and a romantic reunion, I highly recommend grabbing a copy of RENEGADE’S PRIDE.

Patti Fischer

Review will post at Romance Reviews Today in the coming weeks. http://romrevtoday.com/

A great book, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Engaging characters, interesting plot. This book has it all, suspense, intrigue, passion, romance, a well rounded story. I look forward to many more in this series.