I've only read a few westerns, but I did enjoy this one more than the others. I'm not much for atmosphere, but this one felt similar enough to other historicals that I've read that it wasn't too crazy.
I did enjoy how Malcolm and Alex came together, and it felt like a sweet romance with a good resolution.

Part of my foray into trying western historical romance. This was slower & sweeter than I expected but I really enjoyed it overall.

I can't help but feel like me ending 2018 with a "meh" read is some kind of metaphor. Ask any reader what their definition of a "C" (or a meh) read is and the answers you get will vary. For me, it's usually "I liked some stuff, thought other stuff wasn't so good, and it all came out in the wash." That's how I felt about The Gunslinger's Vow by Amy Sandas, her first historical western with Sourcebooks and the first book in a new series. What's good here is very good, but the rest of it? Meh.

Born and raised in Montana by a widower father, Alexandra Brighton has spent the last five years in Boston getting schooled on how to be a proper young lady by her Aunt Judith. The hard work has just culminated in a marriage proposal from an eligible bachelor with political ambitions. In a moment of panic, Alexandra agrees - quickly realizes what she's done and can only think to run. She doesn't know who she is anymore. Is she the girl she left behind in Montana? Is she the girl her aunt has molded into a society princess? One thing is for sure, she can't marry anyone until she finds out. So she packs a bag, sneaks away, and heads home to Montana to reunite with her father - who, naturally, has no clue she's coming.

So we all know what happens next. Alexandra survives the train ride west intact, but a broken down stagecoach and vagaries of travel means she's now stranded. But never fear - she's gotten wind of a bounty hunter in town who just so happens to be heading towards Helena, Montana on business. Surely he can be hired to take her the rest of the way.

Malcolm Kincaid is hunting the man who murdered his brother, and his latest intel suggests The Belt-Buckle Kid (seriously?!) is holed up north of Helena. This is vengeance a long time coming, so needless to say taking a pampered looking Bostonian princess along for the ride is not high on his list. He turns Alexandra down flat. However looks are deceiving and the Eastern lady is made of sterner stuff than Malcolm gives her credit for. After a series of misadventures, they do end up traveling together.

I have to be honest - the pampered Eastern lady who finds herself out west is not a plot device I'm wild about, but the fact that Alexandra was born and raised in Montana, plus I'm always looking for new western writers, sold me on giving this one a whirl. Unfortunately it never solidified for me, in large part because of Alexandra's uneven characterization and pacing issues.

Here's the thing: I'm supposed to believe that Alexandra is smart, resourceful, and prepared for the trials that an uncivilized western landscape can throw at her. And, at times, she is. But then she does boneheaded stupid stuff where I'm like, "Seriously, girl?!" Oh, like not packing any practical clothing for the trip out west (this is explained away by her wanting to show her father what a "lady" she had become). When Malcolm turns her down flat, and even though she has reservations, she hitches a ride with another party heading north who quickly rob her and leave her stranded in the wilderness (although to the girl's credit, she stays alive and doesn't panic). And while her fiance' is no prize (typical guy with political ambitions who sees the heroine as a means to an end) - the fact is she accepted his proposal and immediately runs off - never mind she doesn't give her Aunt Judith a second thought. We never meet Aunt Judith on page, and while she sounds like a positive snore, she also doesn't sound like a cruel witch. In other words, the woman deserved some consideration.

To be frank, a lot of this nagging stuff smacked of convenient plot devices not terribly well executed. It didn't feel authentic or natural to the characters.

Alexandra's character isn't done much favors by the pacing of the story. I was 30% through the book before the story started to go anywhere. Then, after "stuff" happens and our couple has to spend a couple of weeks holed up in a cabin, the author sets about having the characters fall in love and succumb to their passions - which, great...but it drags on so long that by the time we get to the finish, the Big Moments of Alexandra reuniting with her father and the final showdown between Malcolm and The Big Bads isn't given nearly enough page count to spin out. It feels terribly rushed.

Which makes it sound like there was nothing I liked about this book. Au contraire! As uneven as I found Alexandra's character at times, the author does a good job with her "self-discovery" arc and there were moments of insight that stopped me cold.
It was long past time that she stopped trying to please everyone else and finally accepted all of who she was. There would always be someone to find fault, but at least she would be real. She would be free.
++++
He wanted to keep his distance today? Pretend he wasn't passionately involved in what had occurred between them? Then fine. That was his choice. She didn't want to doubt herself anymore.
When we talk about romance being a genre where women "win?" I basically want to wallow in those above two passages for a couple of days. So even if I found her an uneven character, by the time I rolled on to these moments in the story I was all about Queen Alexandra living her best damn life.

I'm not sure I'll read the next two books in this series (two more Eastern ladies heading west? Jury's still out), there's enough on the page here that I would read a Sandas western in the future. Not a blazing success, but there were moments that carried me through.

Final Grade = C+

I am so sorry. My grandma suddenly had stage 4 cancer and I picked up my family to go take care of here. I am no longer able to access this title on my kindle and, while it was read, I don't remember it well enough to leave an accurate review. Again, I am so very sorry and hope you will allow me to review future titles - I just needed to make the last months with my grandma the center of my attention.

Faith

This was a good historical romance I have to admit I have not read anything from Amy previously but I will be checking out more from her in the future. This was a really good book I was pulled right in from the very start and just could not stop reading.It is a really sweet read with great characters well worth a read I cannot wait to read the next book in the series

Gunslinger's Vow is the first book in Amy Sandas' new series "Runaway Brides" and boy was I surprised to see that she ventured out from regency romance and to historical westerns...because I rarely see that happen anymore. And for those fans of westerns...I can tell you right now she CONQUERED this genre....I never felt like anything was missing or that there was a lack of research, it flowed so smoothly and I was fascinated with this "on the road adventure" trope she ventured out with.

Our delicious tale begins with our heroine, Alexandra Brighton. Alexandra grew up being raised in Montana, and traveling the wild west with her father. But when she was fifteen, an event occurred that terrified her and pushed her father to send her to Boston to live with her aunt. And now its been five years, and Alexandra has changed into a woman she barely recognizes anymore. When she finds herself engaged to a man that she barely knows, she can't continue with the facade anymore. So she leaves everything in Boston, to go find her father in Montana.

Malcolm Kincaid, is on the hunt for his brother's murderer. He has been hunting for them for eight long years, and he is down to one man left, who has evaded his searches but now he has a clue onto his whereabouts and nothing and no one will stop him from having his revenge. What Malcolm doesn't count on is a determined young woman who makes him wish for more than he can have.Alexandra's stagecoach, breaks down and she finds herself stranded in Wyoming with no funds and no people she knows. She is told of a bounty hunter who is traveling to Montana and could help her out. So she enters the saloon of Rock Springs, and finds herself in a more dangerous situation that she ever planned on. She finds Malcolm, and he has no desire to help her out, and even though she senses how dangerous he could be, she knows he would be the best man for the job and she refuses to give up. But then she receives another offer and soon she finds out how dangerous and manipulative people can be and finds herself in the wilderness....alone with nothing but the clothes on her back. But then she stumbles across Malcolm and his fire and somehow convinces him to allow her to travel with him.

Malcolm has no idea how this woman has convinced him....a bad boy bounty hunter, to let her travel with him. But Malcolm does have a sense of honor and it doesn't allow him to let an innocent woman to be stranded in the middle of no where. As they travel to Montana together, the danger increases to them, and Malcolm's enemies are hunting him just as he is hunting them. But what he doesn't expect is that the woman he is supposed to be protecting is just as capable as he is and doesn't back down from a fight and has more courage and spirit than you would expect from a Boston woman. Will the road that Malcolm and Alexandra are on lead them in unexpected way including....love?

This story was packed with so much fantastic goodness that I couldn't help but be swept away in this romance...and man I LOVED everything about this book. The characters...the setting....the romance, this blew my mind in ways I didn't expect. This is one of those books that you can stay up late reading, because I know I stayed up way too late reading this one here and boy I just went through this story SO QUICKLY...I didn't expect that. I have really enjoyed reading Amy Sandas over the past few years, however, this was the first time I was so engaged that I couldn't put it down. I feel like this is one of her best works and its a WESTERN...so this makes my heart happy in more ways that just one.

The characters in this book are phenomenal, there is so much depth to them and I loved seeing the hidden qualities that we don't see at first. With each new adventure, we get a new layer of their personalities revealed. The heroine especially, I feel, is the center of this story. She goes through so much here and she is on a quest of finding herself, of reconnecting with her past and seeing what she is made of. We do see her deal with a past trauma, of defending herself and how that has haunted her. We see her courage and strength and man she can KICK BOOTY y'all. She is just wonderful, and anyone that can fight off a mountain lion with just a stick and attitude goes up a notch?

The hero is wonderful, but we don't see quite as much of him as I would have liked. We see a strong man, that is just surviving on his vengeance and nothing else and discovers that there is more to life than just surviving and Alexandra teaches him about the "more" that you can live for and that its worth fighting for. Malcolm and Alexandra make such a great fighting team, they are both good people who have lost their way and finding themselves along the way of finding each other. The hero is really closes off at times, but there is chemistry and true emotion that builds gradually and we see this slow burn romance take a fiery turn in such a delicious way.

Overall I found A Gunslinger's Vow to be a story that sweeps you off your feet in adventure, fighting for your life and finding love in the most unexpected ways. A tale of redemption, healing and discovery and most of all LOVE!! A ROMANTIC TALE TO WIN YOUR HEART!!

The Gunslinger’s Vow is the first book in the Runaway Brides series. The book is set in the late 1800’s and takes us from Boston, MA to the Colorado and Wyoming Territories as well as Montana. The bar is set high for the next two books in the series since it’s a five star read with lots of action and adventure mixed in with lots of loving and love.

Alexandra has lived with her aunt and cousin in Boston for five years after being sent there by her father from Montana after an incident. She didn’t realize at the time that it could be a permanent move for her and she still has a longing to go back even if it’s just to say goodbye to her father. Alexandra has a lot of spunk and doesn’t seem to fit society’s mold for young women who live in the city. It doesn’t help that she says yes to an engagement and then wishes she wasn’t so fast to respond. Will Peter be man enough for her and will she follow society’s dictates on thoughts and actions? When she meets Malcolm it’s with the intent to hire him to take her to Montana. He’s a bounty hunter headed that way but has no desire to be her guide. When she entrusts her lives to others will she get through the wilderness safely? When their paths unexpectedly cross again things heat up in so many ways!

There are family and friends, secrets, outlaws, anger, tears, sadness, hurt, gunfire, injuries and wounds, horses and other animals, camping out, unexpected surprises, happiness, heat up the sheets moments, lots of loving and love. The descriptions throughout of the lands, the homes and businesses, the shootouts and the preparations needed to survive made me feel that I was there. The story flowed smoothly and Alexandra and Malcolm had a depth to them that I wasn’t expecting. There is some closure and a happily-ever-after in the offing but an epilogue would have been the icing on the cake. I loved the cover which was sensuous with the backdrop of the mountains and gave a hint of what was to come since Alexandra was not dressed for the wilderness at all.

Sandas is a new to me author and I look forward to reading more of her books not just in this series.

Review will post on 6/19/18
I cut my romance teeth on American West Historical Romances. Authors like Catharine Hart, Johanna Lindsey, Jude Deveraux, and so many more I can't remember. What I do remember however was loving reading stories about people who were settling the American West at the same time my family was. When it comes to romance trends this is one that I've waiting to come back.

Alexandra is a great heroine. In fact she's one of my favorite heroines of the year. She knows who she is, and what she wants. The only problem is that the men in her life like to make decisions for her. I loved watching her journey and school Malcolm on what a woman who was raised in the West can really do. Her backstory and the main issue for her was realistic and one that she had to overcome but not in the way you'd think.

Malcolm is a typical American West hero, at least in my opinion.  He's like a lot of men who became lawmen during that time. One of the things that I loved about him, was that once he realized just how strong and capable Alex was, he let her be her.

Their love story is fantastic to watch unfold.

I'm excited to see what happens with this series and I hope I have the other Runaway Brides figured out right.

If you love reading romances about the American West you HAVE to read this one. If you've never read one, than this is the perfect book to start with.

Grade A

After living in Boston for the last five years after her father sent her away from her Montana home, Alexandra Brighton must decide if she is ready to leave her adventureous side for good. She is determined to see her father and the life she was removed from, before settling for a marriage based on political ambitions alone. Alexandra seeks a guide to get her home and boldly approaches bounty hunter, Malcolm Kinkaid.

Malcolm is on a mission of revenge and he has no time to babysit a upperclass woman from Boston, no matter how beautiful she may be. He turns her down flat but fate has other plans and the meet again, both on their way to Montana.

After days on the trail, Alexandra proves more capable than Malcolm gave her credit for. Now the real danger on their travels is trying not to succumb to their growing attraction to one another.

When they reach their destination will Malcolm be able to turn away from his life’s goal of revenge to keep Alex forever? Will he have a choice if she is already engaged to someone else?

I am not a fan of Western romances but I am a fan of Amy Sandas so I thought to give this book a try. I was not disappointed and once again Sandas came through with gripping characters, an intense storyline and the right amount of angst and heartache. The self discovery of both Alex and Malcolm was the most enjoyable part of the book. Since there wasn’t an epilogue I hope to get a glimpse of them again as the series continues.

4.5 Stars

Alexandra Brighton was raised in Montana, where she learned to hunt, shoot, and live off the land. Then at age fifteen, she was attacked, and her retaliation caused repercussions that forced her father to send her away to Boston to live with her aunt. For the last five years, she has learned to be a proper lady, and now she has received a proposal that should have her overjoyed.....only, it doesn't. Though she requested many times that her father let her return home, he has never agreed. Now Alex knows that she can never settle into a marriage until she returns to Montana to determine which place is truly her home. She sneaks away and boards a train west, anxious to see her father again, and to sort out her feelings.

Bounty hunter Malcolm Kincaid has had only one goal in life for the past eight years - find the man who killed his younger brother, or die trying. Every time he gets close to Walter Dunstan, it seems that he is warned and manages to elude Kincaid. Now Kincaid finally has a solid lead, and plans to start his quest the next day, when he is approached by a beautiful, well dressed lady, who requests that he escort her the rest of the way to Montana. Kincaid is a loner, and has no desire to play nursemaid to Alexandra. Though he initially firmly refuses her, he encounters her later, finding her abandoned by the party she had subsequently agreed to travel with. He reluctantly agrees to take her as far as the next town, only to find the formerly bustling city has now dwindled down to a tenth of its former size.

It seems that fate is determined to foist Alex on Kincaid. Despite his gruff manner, he can't abandon her, so he agrees to escort her to her father's home. Initially, Kincaid is annoyed by Alex's chatting and her questions. He's the epitome of the grumpy, surly, anti-social gunslinger. (Think of the old Clint Eastwood westerns.) But he's also handsome, protective, a good hunter, and a man so wracked with guilt that he's given up all hope of a life and happiness of his own. Though he finds Alex desirable, he's honorable enough to keep his distance, as he's a man with no future. Each day, Alex slips more into her "Montana" skin and shows that she's no helpless lady from back east. She does her share of the work, and proves to Kincaid that she knows how to hunt, shoot better than he does, and takes care of him when he is injured.

When Kincaid's injury forces them to seek shelter in a secluded cabin, they give in to the simmering attraction that both have been feeling. Kincaid is quick to affirm that he has no future to promise, and Alex is content to accept their passion as something they'll share only for now. Up until then, the unspoken lust between them was like a bubbling cauldron that kept building and building, only to have Kincaid turn away. The sexual tension was truly palpable, and showcased Kincaid's unbelievable willpower and determination to not take advantage of Alex, though she gave every indication of being willing.

I don't read many westerns, but Amy Sandas is an author whose historical regencies I've enjoyed, and I found myself loving THE GUNSLINGER'S VOW. Both Kincaid and Alex are strong, determined, and focused on their goals. I liked and admired them, and couldn't wait for them to finally succumb to their overwhelming desire for each other. I loved how well this book flowed, and how it turned out they had another connection in their pasts to link them. The conclusion to this well written and passionate story was exciting and very satisfying. I'm looking forward to the upcoming stories in the RUNAWAY BRIDES series.

This is definitely a book for all those out there who like their heroines tough and capable. Alexandra Brighton, a socialite from Boston...well, okay, let's go meet Alex, the former frontier girl who rediscovers the life that she loved and who may even find someone to love along the way. Right, we don't talk about her fiancé, this perfect specimen of a member of Boston's high society but rather about the rough and tough guy that she meets out there in the wilderness, the bounty hunter who never expected to end up as an escort to a young lady from society but, yeah, life has a strange humor. Or maybe fate had a hand in there as well because this might turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to both of them. At least - if they survive.

I loved reading this story, that kept me entertained and just hoping for the HEA for both of them. Their trip was rough but you can feel how they grow together, how their mutual attraction turns into something...more...and when they finally arrive? Yup, that was something else.
This is not the first book by Amy Sandas that I've read and it won't be the last because I really enjoyed reading her books. The characters are interesting and strong and the story had many twists and turns that kept me glued to my reader.

Thanks SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca and netgalley for this ARC.

This was a totally new and cool setting for Sandas- loved that.. Danger, resistant man, and amazonian lady. This HEA is fun to read and leaves you wanting more from the series.

I have enjoyed Amy Sandas’ Regency Romance series, especially her Fallen Ladies series, so I was definitely excited to see that she is moving into another genre that I enjoy Western Historical Romance. And just as a note of interest, there is a short introduction to the series story entitled A Christmas Reunion in the 2017 Christmas Anthology Christmas in a Cowboy’s Arms… if like me, you enjoy knowing all the details.

Alexandra has been set back East by her father to live with her Aunt. It’s been five years since Alex left home, with the freedoms she loved and where her heart seems to still live. She’s accepted a marriage proposal from a prominent, wealthy man who would be a prize for any woman except for her. Almost immediately she realizes that she’s made a mistake, a passionate marriage is what she truly wants not some imitation of one… so with the help of two friends she steals away to head back to Montana for answers. What she finds is far more than she ever expected.

Malcolm is a bounty hunter with an agenda of his own as he tracks down his prey. The last thing he wants to do is babysit a clueless, fancy Eastern woman as she makes her way to Montana. But circumstances and Alex eventually wear him down as he allows her to follow along. Malcolm has had one goal, find the murderer of his younger brother. That has consumed him for years. Now he’s falling for a woman who is not at all what he expected, and maybe they could have a future but he will not, cannot give up his goal. His brother will have justice, even if Malcolm has to sacrifice his own happiness with Alex.

I love a couple that can verbally spar with each other without the relationship falling apart. Malcolm and Alex do a lot of word battles, mainly about how stubborn the other one is. I liked this couple very much and rooted for them to find a way to their own happiness. There are a few twists along the way, secondary characters to get a few chuckles from and enjoyable scenes, a vile villain and secrets to be revealed. In all, I completely enjoyed myself in this world, and I’m really looking forward to the next story. If you love Western Historical Romance then you’d enjoy The Gunslinger’s Vow. I’d definitely recommend this one to any Western Historical Romance reader who loves a good romance, a lot of bantering between the couple, some danger, some sexy moments and at the base a really good love story.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

The Gunslinger's Vow is the first book in the Runaway Brides series by Amy Sandas. After reading it I know that I will definitely be reading the future books as well.

Alexandra Brighton was brought up in the West, but circumstances saw her father sending her East to Boston where her aunt taught her to hide her unladylike ways, and during 5 years made her into a lady that society would love. The problem was that Alex didn't know if she wanted to be that lady, or if she should just go back West to her father. After a betrothal to a prominent man in Boston, Alex decides she can't decide if she has done the right thing or not, and in a panic, she packs a bag and runs away only leaving a letter. She is going back west so that she can finally decide who she really is and where she wants to live.

Malcolm Kincaid is a bounty hunter, but over the years he has also had his own agenda, that of searching for and killing the man who put a bullet through his brother's heart. The fugitive has managed to stay elusive, but finally, Malcolm finds out the real name of the killer and knows that he lives in Montana. He is in a saloon having a drink before heading out. The same saloon that Alex walks into with every intention of finding the bounty hunter she heard was in there. Realising what a dangerous journey she was taking upon herself, travelling alone, she wants to hire him to see her safely cross-country to her father. It's just fortunate that they are heading in the same direction.

At first, he doesn't agree, but the pair are destined to take the journey together and it isn't long before Alex realises that he has no choice but to take her to Montana. They both have secrets and agendas and although they don't get along well, to begin with, they soon find that so much time spent together has them not only lusting after each other but also thinking of their future, a future that neither are sure is possible. One, in fact, that Malcolm just can't see happening, not when it would put Alex in danger from the men seeking vengeance from the family and friends of people he has either killed or put in jail.

The attraction between the couple was almost palpable, the build-up that the author portrayed of them fighting the attraction then to finally give in to that first hot passionate kiss was amazing. I felt like doing a happy dance at that wonderful moment. I thought it would never happen!

Their budding romance, the doubt of their future together, coupled with the excitement of them trying to reach Montana safely captured me from the very first pages of this book. I couldn't read quickly enough to see how our couple could work things out so that they would have a believable happy ending. I am pleased to say that the ending was perfect and left me with a smile on my face.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book

This was my first western by Amy Sandas and I absolutely loved it!
I loved how the whole story just grabbed you and pulled you in to Alexandra and Malcolm’s lives, their turmoil and struggles with finding their strength and how they just grew as a couple but also as individuals. The chemistry between the characters was palpable i loved their witty banter. I can’t wait to read the next one.
I recieved a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest unbiased opinion.

I personally believe there isn’t enough western historical romance being published right now. I miss the days of Johanna Lindsey characters exploring a young American west. Ms. Sandas is filling a huge void with her new series and I could not be happier with the results.

The pros: Ms. Sandas is really good at writing truly heroic heroes. Allow me to explain. Malcom was a single man and a gunslinger at that but at his heart, he was a good man. In my opinion, he went above and beyond for Alexandra. After his initial crustiness, Malcom is unconditional in his support of Alexandra. Alex is bold, fun, and confident. She followed her heart back to Montana and I was with her the whole way.

The cons: Alexandra did have some TSTL moments (too stupid to live) which are off putting. I realize we needed some of those plot points to move the story forward and create a situation Malcom couldn’t grouch his way out of. But honestly, running away without telling her fiance? Getting stranded without any money or clothes? She should have probably been a little more concerned than she was. Luckily, Alexandra more than made up for it in other ways.

Overall, this is everything you want in a western. It was light enough to read easily, but had heart and soul. I wish we had learned more about her friends! I’m excited to read more about their stories heading west.

I have been waiting for Mrs. Sandas to publish another book and this was SO worth waiting for. Malcolm is so dark, brooding and protective while Alex is stubborn, willful and unrelenting. I like the ease in which the adventure, longing, and triumph are woven together in story you don’t want to put down. I can’t wait for the next book!

Alexandra Brighton suddenly finds herself living a life she isn't sure she wants. She is engaged to a man she does not have feelings for. Alexandra misses the father she left behind in Montana when she went to Boston. The solution to all her problems seems easy enough... surely once she returns home, Alexandra will regain some sense of herself there. First, she must find herself an escort.

Malcolm does not need any distractions. He is closer to getting justice for his brother's death, now more than ever. Malcolm does not want Alexandra tagging along, but he cannot deny she's an easy target on her own. Malcolm agrees to help her reach his destination and then he'll be on his way. Easy as that, right?

Author Amy Sandas has just made me a lover of historical/western romances. This is not a genre I usually enjoy, but hats off to Ms. Sandas for making it so enjoyable. THE GUNSLINGER'S VOW is absolutely compelling. I would definitely give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars! Really close to a 5 star book for me... it is that good. The heroine, Alexandra, is discovering herself and learning what she wants in life. Her soon-to-be counterpart, Malcolm, is a man after justice. Fireworks go off the minute these two cross paths. Watching their relationship develop was the highlight of my day. Do not miss Ms. Sandas's first novel in her RUNAWAY BRIDES series, THE GUNSLINGER'S VOW.

4.5 stars

Alexandra has been trying to keep herself from going back home, returning to a life style that she was pushed away from. Learning to cover up her carefully crafted skills to attend balls and prove herself to be a good potential wife. Her past life has never been discussed or dealt with, causing Alex an extreme amount of discomfort and pain. Facing a new fear Alex decides to tackle her past and she does it very well.

Life has harden Malcolm in a way that makes him believe he has no right no happiness or no love to give. Being a bounty hunter is all he knows, learning to track down the people responsible for turn his life upside down will lead Malcolm to trust and love someone. Fate delivered another cruel twist before his thirst for revenge could be satisfied.

Malcolm and Alex have a very sparky relationship, they both love a good sparing and will never back down to anyone or each other. Once she proved to be stubborn and relentless in her pursuits Malcolm had no choice to provide what she needed. They truly had to battle, hunters to survive and themselves to form the relationship they both wanted so badly. Ms. Sandas’ novel had me reading at all hours of the day and night, wanting to see how it all unfolded; she did not disappoint. The primary focus was Malcolm and Alex while the secondary characters added their elements of anger and distrust, hope and love to the story. Gunslinger’s Vow will be one of my top reads for 2018, I cannot wait to read about the two remaining brides.

Alexandra Brighton has just accepted a marriage proposal from Peter Shaw, a member of one of the most prominent families in Boston. This proposal is everything her aunt has hoped for her since she came to live with her 5 years ago. But the instead of being overjoyed, she feels like she has made a horrible mistake and suddenly longs to go home to Montana. She askes her two dearest friends for help and sets out alone.

Malcolm Kincaid is a bounty hunter, but he has only one true goal in life - to hunt down and kill the man that murdered his younger brother. So when a fancy dressed woman enters the saloon in Wyoming asking for help - he has no problem saying no.

But fate isn't done with these two, when Alex is robbed and abandoned in the wilderness, she happens upon Malcolm. He agrees to take her as far as the next town - period. She uses their time together to try and change his mind and eventually succeeds.

As they travel together, their mutual attraction builds and Alex knows that she cannot marry Peter and plans to send him a letter once she reaches her father's home. When men hunting Malcolm attack, Alex saves him, but not before he is shot. She tends his wounds and nurses him back to health. He is shocked at how resourceful and competent she is and askes about her past. Slowly they learn each other's secrets (well most of them) and Malcolm makes it clear that he has no place in his life for a wife until he avenges his brother. Finally their attraction can no longer be denied and Alex pushes when Malcolm tries to be honorable. They both acknowledge their feelings to themselves and know that their time together is ending.

When they finally reach her father's home - Alex is shocked and hurt to learn how much her father has kept from her the last five years and Malcolm learns that he and Alex have more in common than he thought. On their last night together, he tells her he loves her, because if he doesn't make it back from his quest, he wants her to know. Alex is fuming when she learns that Malcolm left and refuses to be left behind. But will she arrive in time??


This was an entertaining read, the book is well written and is chocked full of action, adventure, gun fights, sexual tension and lots and lots of secrets. I did feel like it dragged a bit in the middle and the ending felt a little rushed, but overall I enjoyed the book and would be happy to recommend!