I enjoyed this story with all the characters within. The main characters were Matt Taggert and Ellie-May. Also Ellie- May husband.

Ellie-May is a widow and has two children. She also an outlaw's daughter. When a Texas Ranger show up on her homestead she want to know why.

Matt Taggert is a Texas Ranger. He on the trail of a wanted man. The wanted man robbery a stagecoach and Matt is trying to find him. It leaves him to a town and then a farm were he meets Ellie-May and her kids.

This was a fun story to read. It had action, adventure, and suspense throughout. It had a few giggles within.

I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. This is my honest unbiased opinions.

The Outlaw’s Daughter (The Haywire Brides #3). By Margaret Brownley. 2020. Sourcebooks Casablanca (ARC eBook).

Texas Ranger Matt Taggert comes to the town of Haywire to close a stage robbery case. His investigation turns to the town’s hero, the late Neal Blackwell, who lost his life saving children from a burning building. His widow, Ellie-May, is the daughter of an outlaw father who was hung when she was a child. She has carried the stigma of who her father was and what he did for her whole life. Now, a Texas Ranger is suggesting that her dead husband committed a crime—risking her children’s future.

Matt Taggert finds himself challenged in balancing doing his job and wanting to protect his suspect’s widow and children as well as a wayward boy named Jesse James who is hell-bent on joining the Rangers. Matt himself struggles with his own brother being an outlaw and wonders what he could have down different growing up to have prevented that outcome for his brother.

The theme of The Outlaw’s Daughter is how people are often judged for things they have no control of. Ellie-May, Matt and Jesse are all possess strength of character will have you rooting for them. Ellie-May and Matt’s budding romance is sweet and the mystery of whether or not Neal Blackwell had committed the robbery is engaging.

This is Ellie-May and Texas Ranger, Matt Taggert’s story, book 3 in The Haywire Brides series; a standalone, happily ever after, no cheating, historical western romance with some heat.
This well written western romance kept my interest throughout, the characters are well rounded with great interplay between the hero and heroine. Ellie-May kept her faith in her husband’s innocents against all the odds against him. Nice build to the romance.
Now, I am going to read the first two books in the series.
I received an electronic copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

I don’t read a ton of romances, but when I do I always enjoy the vicarious thrill of that first meeting between characters you know are destined for a fantastic journey together, and in Margaret Brownley’s third installment in her Haywire Brides series, The Outlaw’s Daughter, we get that, and more.

In Matt Taggert, we get the rugged hero every woman secretly dreams about – he’s handsome, he’s stable, and he’s got a strong moral code that sometimes brings him into conflict with his own family. That’s the kind of dilemma that really intrigues me because it’s typically internal – the character has to work it through on their own, or with the help of one close friend.

In Ellie-May, we are given a strong woman who is smart, compassionate, and kind, but also lives in the real world. She’s a fiercely protective mother, and also a good friend, as her relationship with Anvil demonstrates really well. Sure, he’s an employee, but she never treats him as a lesser being.

The plot was a carefully crafted balance of family drama (the truth about Ellie-May’s dead husband and later, the truth about Matt’s brother) romance (Ellie-May and Matt are a perfectly executed example of the classic will-they/won’t-they dance), leavened by moments of warm humor and cozy homespun scenes.

While this is an historical novel, author Brownley makes the language feel fresh and accessible, and makes her characters jump off the page. They are vivid and dimensional and you can almost smell the saddle oil and the heady aromas of home cooking.

While I haven’t read a lot of westerns, this spring I’ve made myself be more open to the genre, and one of the things I’m finding is that these “period” novels are full of strong women characters who are the kinds of people I’d love to have as friends. In The Outlaw’s Daughter, Margaret Brownley has given us not just a great story, but a heroine worthy of being a friend. Read this book.

Goes well with beef stew and homemade bread.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this Western Historical Romance. The flavor of the west and how hard it was to have a successful farm was very vivid in the story, and my heart ached for Ellie May as she tried to keep her little farm going after her husband died. And I even learned a new old saying, “Too poor to paint and too proud to whitewash.” Apparently using whitewash was just an advertisement of how poor a person was and folks were reluctant to make that so obvious. I didn’t know that.

The relationship between Matt and Jesse that brought out Matt’s paternal instincts was touching, yet not sappy, which fit the two characters so well. It also fit men of that time, men who were even more reluctant to talk about emotional things than men today. That made Matt and Jesse very real and believable and I really enjoyed the parts they played in this story.

Some of the plotting was a little thin, and I had to suspend disbelief in a couple of places to accept some of the things that characters did, but it was worth it. I really did want to find out whether Ellie May’s dead husband, Neal, had been the stagecoach robber. Being a robber was in stark contrast to the man who charged into a burning building to save the children, but yet, there were all those clues, and the bag of money. And I certainly wanted to see Roberts, who had purported to be a friend of her late husband but was really part of the stagecoach hold up, get his comeuppance. Unless that involved him telling everyone that Neal had been his partner in the robbery.

I invite you to read this terrific historical novel and meet all these people and find out whether Neal was a good guy or not.

Anyone who reads my book blog knows that I am a sucker for the romance genre. It is simply just the most fantastic genre and I absolutely love it. Everyone who reads my blog also knows that I am not a fan of westerns - I can't describe it really. But, let me tell you reader, that apparently all I need to like a western, is to have some romance mixed in with my western.

The Outlaw's Daughter is an incredibly sweet western romance that mixes in some all around goodness with a bit of something extra in the way of mystery.

Ellie-May is a sweet and strong character that has had to go through so much hardship in her life. She's so strong in standing behind what she believes in and knows. I truly appreciated Margaret Brownley's take on this woman's character. I love strong women in fiction (and frankly, non fiction), so Ellie-May is the kind of character I love to read about.

Brownley's way of writing her "side" characters, namely Anvil and Jesse, is also fantastic! Any story that gets you to care about the supporting characters is a well-rounded story told by an author that knows what she is doing. The winner here folks, and which makes me extremely happy, is the care and detail that has gone into these characters. I am a character-driving read, so this is definitely a major plus for me.

Apparently The Outlaw's Daughter is the third in the series! I wouldn't have guessed it because it was a seamless story that didn't make me feel like I was missing out on anything. And this also means there's two other books to go out there to enjoy!

“The Outlaw’s Daughter” is the third, and it seems the final story in ‘The Haywire Brides’ series. I’ve read all three and enjoyed each one, but this is a series that doesn’t need to be strictly read in order so if you’ve missed any don’t worry you’ll feel right at home – but I’m betting you’ll want to go back to the earlier books when you can.

Ellie-May certainly hasn’t had an easy life, being the daughter of an outlaw sort of made that an impossibility from the start. But she’s found peace, formed a family and life was turning around when her husband died leaving her and her children in dire straits. She’s proud, determined, and stubborn – she and her children will survive on their farm if it’s the last thing she does. When Matt comes to town seeking Ellie-May’s husband as a suspect in a cold case robbery he will destroy every little bit of normalcy and respect that Ellie-May has gained. Unfortunately, for them both in many ways, sparks fly between them quickly but neither want to acknowledge that attraction since they’re on opposite sides right now. Watching them bicker, banter, and fall in love… and deal with the ramifications of that love was a delightful, amusing, and at times, frustrating journey. Two more stubborn people for different reasons would be very hard to find.

“The Outlaw’s Daughter” is rich with interesting secondary characters, a story that feels so natural and realistic, and a couple to root for in finding their happy ending… eventually. I had fun with Matt and Ellie-May’s story, met lots of great characters, and I’m sorry to see this series close. But then, there is always the next series to look forward to. If you love a good Western Historical Romance with lively characters and a story to get caught up in then you should give ‘The Haywire Brides’ series a try. I’m betting you’d enjoy yourself.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from Sourcebooks Casablanca 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.*

“What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know. It’s what we know for sure that just ain’t so.”
– Attributed to Mark Twain
Straight up – romance novels are not my favorite, but I was introduced to author Margaret Brownley last year in a Christmas story compilation. I immediately fell in love with her writing style which makes reading her romances a pleasurable venture. Margaret’s writing has a conversational tone that made me not want to put down her Christmas story or this current book, The Outlaw’s Daughter, which is the third in the series of, The Haywire Brides.

Matt Taggert, Texas Ranger is seeking information and the stolen loot on an unsolved bank robbery and that leads him to Ellie-May and her children. What entails is an interlaced story with exceptionally developed characters that you come to like and love, especially the boy Jesse James. You could almost say this is more mystery with touches of romance. Because not everything is what it seems in Haywire or with the characters, especially Ellie-May.

The historical and Western authentic touches are seamless and picture-perfect. For example, Margaret mentions, alienist, which was the proper term back then for professional people who dealt with individuals experiencing mental illness.

This story is crafted with such finesse where I did not lose the flow of the story from page to page. In fact, I saw myself getting antsy to get back to my reading of this story because it captivated my attention. I wanted to know just as much as Matt who stole all that money.

Hands down – Margaret’s gift of writing is magnificent. This book is an ideal stand-alone story. If your heart is always set against romance novels like mine is – give this one a chance. Heck just give one of Margaret’s books a chance. Like with The Outlaw’s Daughter you’ll be on edge and in love in no time with Matt and Jesse.

Do pay attention to Margaret’s Author’s Note at the end.

The Outlaw’s Daughter by Margaret Brownley is a sweet historical/western romance. She always works a bit of magic in that she can create light, easy reads that are really well developed in story and characters, with a clean romance.

I have a lot of admiration for Ellie-May, our heroine. She’s tough as nails and fiercely protective of her children – and over the course of the book, her character grows, learns to trust, and finds love.

Texas Ranger Matt Taggert is another interesting, complicated character, trying to redeem himself, and has to temper his growing attraction to Ellie-May with the fact that he’s investigating her heroic husband for robbery.
The supporting characters are a delight as well, from the loyal old farmhand Anvil to the straight-talking, men’s clothes wearing Mr. Buttonwood (whose interest in and interactions with Anvil are a hoot), and feisty young Jesse James (not the outlaw), an improbable name for a wannabe Texas Ranger.

There’s a subtle lesson here about not assigning the sins of the father to the child. Ellie-May grew up being punished for her father’s crimes, branded untrustworthy for no other reason than her birthright. She regains some respectability in the eyes of the town simply due to her marriage, but we see the ugliness that she’s endured at the hands of some of her townfolk even as an adult.

This is a story of redemption and of self-forgiveness. Ellie-May sees her husband’s reputation redeemed (even if she and her ranch hand, Anvil, were the only ones who knew it was at risk.) Jesse James is found not to be the storyteller that the Sheriff makes him out to be. And then there's Jesse's father and Matt who both need to find forgiveness for themselves.

If you’re used to bodice-ripping western romances, well, you won’t find it here. Brownley does a good job developing chemistry and tension between Matt and Ellie-May, but the relationship manifests in the sweet, innocent way befitting of the era.

Honestly, this book was perfect in every way. It has a strong plot, well-developed characters, conflicts that feel natural to the period, and was just an engaging read. Five stars from me! I’m very sorry to see this series end.

Whenever I read a book by Margaret Brownley, it’s always exactly what I needed at the time. Cowboy Charm School provided a humorous break from the controversies in the fall of 2018. In 2020, when there is widespread distrust against those who work in law enforcement, The Outlaw’s Daughter allows the readers to visit a time when people in the profession were like Texas Ranger Matt Taggert — honest, honorable, determined to fulfill his sworn duty while caring deeply for the innocent family members whose lives will be affected adversely by the justice he seeks.

From the first chapter, the stakes were set high for Matt and Ellie-May. Matt was investigating her husband for a possible connection to a crime. Ellie-May was resolute in trying to keep her children’s father’s reputation sterling. She didn’t want them to suffer as she did from society’s ill-treatment because of who her father was.

The two main characters were at cross purposes for most of the book, I wasn’t sure how the author would bring about their happily ever after. Of course she did and it was a satisfactory resolution as far as I’m concerned. Such is Ms. Brownley’s writing prowess that my belief regarding Neal’s innocence closely matched Ellie-May’s in that there was a point that it wavered slightly.

There’s a lot to love in this book. The characters, including secondary ones like Lionel and Alicia, Anvil, and Jesse James, are sympathetic, the storytelling is topnotch, the romance is sweet and natural. If not for some repetitive elements that lengthened the story unnecessarily, a bit of an ineffectual villain, and parroting of oppressive gender roles Ellie-May had to adhere to, I’d have given this the full marks.

Content advisory: six-year old child in peril and handled firearm, alcoholism, child neglect

I’m always in for a historic romance of the western variety, especially one with great characters, some gun slinging, and a lovely romance.

Both the primary and secondary characters in The Outlaw’s Daughter are well-developed, multi-dimensional, and authentic. Ellie-May Blackwell is our heroine. She’s a widow of the town hero, trying to eke out a living on the family farm while raising her two children, Lionel and Alicia. To say that Ellie-May is in dire straits is an understatement. Money is in very short supply but love for her children is not. She’ll do whatever she must to protect them. Strong and self-reliant, Ellie-May is certainly a woman worth loving. Our hero is Matt Taggert, Texas Ranger. He is trying to solve a cold case stage robbery and his main suspect is Ellie-May’s late husband (the town hero). Matt has a strong moral code and is always trying to do what is right. He even tries to impart his rules for being a Ranger to Jesse, a teenager who wants to be a Ranger himself. In addition to Jesse, Matt also forms a quick bond with Ellie-May’s children, proving he is also gentle and caring towards others. The secondary characters in The Outlaw’s Daughter are also enjoyable to read. From Anvil the ranch hand, to Jesse the (teenage) Ranger, to the children, even to the local doctor, all are clearly written with purpose in the novel. Let’s hope we can read more about these characters in the rest of the series.

Ms. Brownley’s writing style is easy to read and descriptive. Her detailed writing brings the characters and setting alive. For example, here is our first glimpse at Ellie-May:
"Her sinewy body looked like it had been shaped by hard work and even harder times. … her dress had enough patches to shingle a roof."
I just love that description! Now we know that Ellie-May has seen difficulties in her life, but that she’s still getting up every day and surviving. Here’s Matt describing himself:
"Don’t feel bad. I’m like the tax man. People hate seeing me come and love seeing me leave."
This made me chuckle and think about cowboys walking away. What can I say! I do like a good cowboy walk! 😍

The Outlaw’s Daughter is a clean\wholesome romance. (If you are looking for romance that is more explicit, this isn’t the place.) The subtle nods to the growing love between Matt and Ellie-May are evident in the small touches throughout the novel. Matt returns Ellie-May’s lost glove; she brings him coffee and a blanket while he’s on a stakeout. These touches make the romance come alive throughout the novel. Another way Matt and Ellie-May show their growing feelings for each other is in sharing their childhood traumas. Opening up emotionally brings Matt and Ellie-May closer together, shows their vulnerability and reluctance to take a chance on love. Luckily for readers, Matt and Ellie-May get the happily ever after that they deserve.

The Outlaw’s Daughter is the third in the series, but it can be read as a stand-alone novel. I loved the first novel (read my review here), but I somehow missed reading the second book. Not sure what happened there, but I need to rectify that situation!

Overall, I recommend The Outlaw’s Daughter to any reader who loves historic western romance with great characters and descriptive writing.

Set in 1887 in the Wild West Texas Ranger Matt comes searching for the man who held up a stagecoach. Ellie-Mae is attending a memorial service for her hero, now decreased, husband. But circumstantial evidence is pointing to Ellie-Mae”s husband having been the criminal. Can Matt fall in love with the wife of a criminal he is investigating? Can Ellie-Mae fall for the lawman who will ruin her and her children’s present and future?
This was a fun, innocent romp of a book with well drawn main characters. The supporting characters were wonderful as well, especially the gruff and loving Anvil, men’s clothing wearing Mrs. Buttonwood and young Jesse James who idolizes Matt and wants to be a Texas Ranger as well. There were no big surprises in the plot but there didn’t need to be. It was a fun romance.
I would recommend this book to my patrons.

Haywire, Texas 1887
"Hold it right there mister! Matt Tagger froze in place. The woman's voice sounded serious, as did the metallic click announcing she was armed."
"You can put your shotgun down, ma'am, he said. I mean you no harm."
"Name's Taggert. Matt Taggert, Texas Ranger, he said."
Their first meeting was at gunpoint. Ella-May Blackwell's gun that is... He was looking for her husband in relation to a crime. Then she told him he was dead.
Matt was searching for proof that Neal Blackwell had committed a crime but the town had deemed him a hero from helping getting children out of a fire and dying himself.
Ella was the daughter of an outlaw so life with Neal had been good but she was still looked down on.
I have fallen in love with western historical romance and Margaret Brownley always guarantees a page turner with her wonderful stories. Follow to see if Matt and Ella-May find love and if Neal was really guilty. You will love it! I read this through Netgallery and the publisher.

While this is my first time reading a book from this author, it will certainly not be my last! Wow! This was an absolutely fantastic introduction to the author's long list of previous works that I can't wait to pick up! Don't let the cover fool you into thinking this is just another typical romance with a hunky cowboy! I was so surprised by the level of depth in both the story and the character development which takes what is seemingly a light, easy read to a whole new level!

A year after the death of Ellie May's husband Neal, Texas Ranger Matt shows up on her property to investigate Neal's possible involvement in a stagecoach robbery shortly before his death. The stolen money is still missing along with heirloom jewelry, and Matt is determined to find out what happened to it. Believing her husband is nothing but a good, decent, and honest man, she sets out to prove the Ranger wrong even if that means she must lie to protect Neal's reputation.

Complicating this situation is the fact that Ellie May's father was an outlaw and the town has never let her forget that she is just as guilty as her father simply for being his daughter. Ellie May's strength of character shines throughout the story. She never feels like she quite belongs, and now being the widow of a "hero" only heightens that sense of being a fraud. Faced with the prospect that her husband may have been involved in heinous events, she doubles down to protect not just his character, but the lasting legacy that type of accusation will have on her children's future. Choices have ramifications to the generations hopefully to come, and Ellie May will do whatever it takes to ensure her children are given a better shot at life than she received.

As much as these types of stories tend to become more about the good guy versus the bad guy, I loved the story's exploration of living within the shades of gray. Matt's work with the Texas Rangers has no doubt largely shaped his outlook on life in terms of right and wrong. For him and the other men representing and enforcing the law there can be no in-between. And as much as he tries to adhere to that ideal, he begins to realize that it isn't that easy given that his family shares a complex relationship with the law just as much as Ellie May's does. Getting to know her more and the story of her life, he begins to question his fidelity to the Rangers and the work that he can adequately offer. Watching the internal struggle these characters face within themselves was moving, compelling, and truly heartwarming, especially once enough trust was built between them to confide in one another.

Though this is the third and final book in the series, it is a complete stand alone and can be read without fear of missing anything from the previous books. I look forward to picking up the previous titles as time allows and returning to this wild Texas frontier.

The Outlaws Daughter is the third book in the Haywire Brides Series by Margaret Brownley. It can be read as a standalone (I haven’t read the other in this series yet and got along just fine); I will be going back and reading the rest of the books in this series though.

     I loved Texas Ranger Matt Taggert in this book! Matt’s balance between doing his job and his feelings for Ellie-May was interesting to see. It is getting rarer to see that sort of balance anywhere in life. There was good chemistry between the two main characters and that Matt showed respect for everyone involved, he looked at all the different sides of the issue. Ellie-May is a great Southern Momma (at night when she hears a noise, her first thought is to reach for her shotgun under her pillow!), she is a well-behaved lady who takes care of those around her, and she loves her kids. She is someone I would love to meet in real life. Both main characters had some great character traits, further emphasized by the themes of forgiveness, honesty, and trust that are prevalent throughout the book.

     The plot of this story was interesting. It had fast-paced scenes and slower-paced scenes, and I liked the western feel to the town. The plot kept me engaged throughout the story. I enjoyed Margaret Brownley’s perspective on the mystery and her attention to detail with the secondary characters (especially Ellie-May’s kids), it added to the story bringing depth to the other characters. I liked the small town where everyone knew everyone (which is not always a good thing), but it was cool to see the town’s people interacting with the characters. I thought that Margaret Brownley did a great job describing the tension between the characters and bringing a small western town to life. Readers who enjoy historical clean romance with a touch of mystery will love this new addition to the Haywire Brides series.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars for the fun characters, the cool western town, and the storyline 😊. I thought that the story moved a bit slow at the beginning, but it did pick up pace as the story continued.

*I volunteered to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.

This is the third installment of the Haywire Brides series by author, Margaret Brownley. Though I had not read any of her other works, I can tell from the finely crafted prose that Margaret is a fantastic author! Romance is not my genre of choice, but this novel combines history, Texas Spirit, a little bit of mystery, and a healthy dose of elegantly written romance that made my heart soar! This novel can be read as a standalone, though I would recommend reading the other two novels because this was so well done!

The first few chapters set up the narrative: a widowed mother, struggling to get by after the death of her husband and a Texas Ranger asking about her late husband around town, attempting to implicate him in a stage coach robbery. Brownley includes the little details that shaped their lives until this point, from the death of parents when they were young, to personal tragedy, or accusations of crimes that were never committed. These details are woven into the narrative with such ease that the reader is already engrossed in the story while picking up these small pieces of information. I enjoyed Ellie-May's character development and I felt I could really see the world through her eyes throughout the book. Each of the characters, even those who appear briefly, have a depth to them that I so appreciated as a reader! Ranger Taggert is not just a tough cowboy seeking justice, he's also a caring, respectful man who wants to do his job and ensure the safety of Ellie-May and her children. Each character has a similar range of depth and I thoroughly enjoyed them!

Another thing I enjoyed was the conflict. The struggle in this story always feels organic, from snake bites to allegations of criminal activity to raids on the plains. Some historical romances include conflict that feels forced or out of place, but not this novel! The author combines well written conflict with beautifully laid out plot to create a narrative that is smooth, interesting, and kept me hooked from start to finish! At one point, I'd forgotten I was reading a romance novel!

Having studied this time period in history, I didn't expect the author to include so many historically accurate details for Texas in 1887. The author describes the hardships of owning a farm and ranch so accurately. The Outlaw's Daughter reads like an old western film, full of grit and surrounded by relics of the wild west!

This novel is a great introduction to Margaret Brownley's writing and it is a fun read for the long time fan! I would recommend this book to any fans of historical romance, particularly western romance! I really enjoyed this book and will be patiently awaiting the next book in the series ( I do hope there is another)! In the meantime, I'll be picking up the previous two books and I would encourage you to grab all three from your favorite retailer!

I received a galley copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third book in the series. It was another wonderful story with endearing characters. It had action, mystery and humor. Overall, it was a delightful story and I would definitely recommend it.

Look no further for a sweet western romance that will bring joy to your heart but has a small element of danger and mystery.

This may be the third in the series but the stories do not overlap and you can read these in any order.  This story focuses on Ellie-May who has lost her husband. Neal, to heroic events.  However, Texas Ranger Matt Taggert has different ideas about Neal and thinks that he might have robbed a stagecoach and is trying to get to the truth about the events that happened that day and where the stolen money has gone.  To top things off, Ellie-May's father was a criminal and she has been branded by the local citizens that she must be just as bad as her father.  This is sad but not uncommon thinking for people, even today.

While reading this story, I could not help but admire Ellie-May for all that she has endured during her life.  She is not afraid to stand up for what is right or to protect her family.  She is like most single parents, doing what she can to keep the family safe, clothed, and fed.  Don't mess with her family if you value your life!  Matt may be a tough Texas Ranger, but he is running from demons of his own, and could the answer lie with Ellie-May?  Only time will tell.

There is a variety of supporting characters and two that grabbed my heart were Anvil and Jesse.  Anvil was a down and out homeless person that Neal befriended and brought home to join their family.  That kindness has made Anvil a part of their family for life and he would do anything to protect them.  I admired his character and there are even some humorous parts regarding the neighbor, Mrs. Butterwood.  Jesse is a teenager that wants to be a Texas Ranger like Matt.  Matt takes him under his wing since Jesse's father has his own issues.  If you have sons or know teenage boys, you know that they can inhale food like there is no tomorrow.  This is a sense of amazement for Matt and perhaps he just doesn't remember his childhood.  But the bond that grows between these two is special and will warm your heart.

Sadly this is the last in this series according to the author's notes.  I enjoyed the time in Haywire and I hope you do too.  Make sure to read the author's notes at the end for a few other interesting tidbits.

We give this book 5 paws up.

Matt Taggert is a Texas Ranger bent on finding out the truth behind a stage-coach robbery. At the same time, he thoughts are never far away from his brother, who is a man running from the law. When he heads to a small town and meets a woman named Ellie-May, he does his best to prove that her now deceased husband was responsible for the robbery.

Meanwhile Ellie-May has never had it easy. For starters, as the title suggests, her father was an outlaw, thus leaving her to a lifetime of taunts and disrespect from others. Something happened in her life that took that nasty opinion of Ellie-May and her children away. In fact, now the town shows more than a little appreciation for her. With the Texas lawman in town, asking questions that might prove her husband was a thief, is about to destroy any sense of comfort Ellie-May has.

Meanwhile, Matt does not let up in his investigation, even though he is rather drawn to Ellie-May. She herself finds Matt to be appealing. However, with the questions and the accusations that Ellie-May has to contend with, it is hardly likely that any feelings the pair have towards one another will lead to anything more promising.

The Outlaw's Daughter was a wonderful read. The conflicts were apparent as the dilemma always was front and center. It was very easy to be drawn to Ellie-May and her children. Also, Matt was just the perfect hero in this book, especially as he was bound by duty, all while he proved to be a genuinely kind and caring man. I loved this book, as well as the first two books in this series and hope to read much more by Ms. Brownley.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Margaret Brownley's Haywire Brides books are delightful, sweet Historical Romance reads that include a mystery and humor. While The Outlaw's Daughter is no exception, it also has a new depth to the story. The plot and the circumstances of the characters carry more sober gravity than the previous entries in the series.

The mystery plot-line that threatens the reputation of Ellie-May's deceased spouse is interesting and, along with her lonely childhood as the outcast daughter of an outlaw, creates the tension between her and Matt Taggert, the Texas Ranger determined to restore his own reputation by resolving it.

There are moments of amusement, and widow Ellie-May's young children are a delight - her young son is particularly endearing. While some aspects felt a little repetitive, I couldn't help rooting for Ellie-May and her Texas Ranger.

If you enjoy clean, sweet Historical Romance/Mystery, then Margaret Brownley's Haywire Brides will tick those boxes. Characters do re-occur, so this series may be best enjoyed in order. While not as light-hearted as the previous entries, The Outlaw's Daughter is quite possibly my favorite of the series so far.

This review is based on a digital e-galley I voluntarily read through NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.