Thanks for providing a review copy, I was not able to read this one. So I will not be leaving a review on social media at this time.

After reading the first 4 or 5 chapters I found the story to be pretty predictable. I thought the the main characters only seemed to constantly thinking about their feelings for each other. This is supposed to be historical fiction but the characters seemed to talk like they are in modern day. I also thought the characters seemed to always find themselves in a variety of unrealistic situations. I got tired of having to constantly reading how Thomas's buddies during the war were the best men who had ever lived, mentioning it once or twice would have been enough but 20 times or more is just way to much. The story didn't flow very well since the story was always going back and forth between the current story line and Thomas's war flashbacks.

Yay for another compelling read from Ms Gray! As always, she well mixes the lighter romantic undertones with more meaty topics of the worth and (right) manhood and womanhood.

Laurel Tracey is overwhelmed with responsibilities of running a ranch, while her half-siblings are hurting her self-esteem with their sneers. But is freeing a prisoner for his ranch services for a year a good solution of her troubles?
It is, when we know this soldier is one of beloved 1865 Johnson’s Island prisoner brotherhood. Yet Thomas Baker does not believe himself being worthy of anything good, come beautiful, good woman like Laurel.

Yay for these guys! Sergeant Thomas Baker, Captain Monroe, Major Ethan Kelly, Lieutenant Robert Truax, and Lieutenant Phillip Markham are very fine guys and their promise stands the test of time again and again. And they are hot, to be honest. This is one of the appeals of this series - manly men, because they are rare to be seen these days (and I well know that literary "boyfriends" are unrealistic, because they are written by a woman for women, like we dream them to be). Yet, there is this very real charm about them and I enjoy reading about these guys much.
Hot-headed Thomas using his big mouth and fast fists too much for his own good might not see his place among these dandy, educated officers, yet they recognize the man's heart under his rough facade. As does Laurel with her good instincts and kind heart.

While this book seems a bit lighter than the other ones by Ms Gray (hence the 4 stars), still it is a very catchy novel full of swoonworthy guys, lovely romance and some interesting questions laying down in hearts of people of any times. Very pleasant read indeed!

I really enjoyed Thomas and Laurel's perspective in this book. There are some flashbacks to times when Thomas was in the POW camp with the other officers that became his brothers, which I appreciated as it solidified their bond and provided insight into Thomas' past and how he has changed over time. He's pretty matter of fact about the trials of his life and how they served him well by preparing him for the war. I was impressed by the way he turned to faith for a source of comfort in his turbulent life. Laurel is so sweet and a bit naive, but she also has grit and determination. I enjoyed reading as the two of them fight to save her ranch from the vandals. The villain was predictable and two-dimensional, and the climax with the take down was rather anti-climactic. The development of the story focused more on the relationship and chemistry between Thomas and Laurel, and I was just fine with that ;)

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

I have reviewed this book on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble and CBD but didn't realize I needed to do it here. In the future I will try to post links.

I loved reading “An Uncommon Protector” by Shelley Shepard Gray. Taking place after the Civil War, Laurel Tracey is trying to run her family’s ranch by herself, which is nearly impossible. Hearing that some men are prisoners because of unpaid debts, and are being sold on the auction block; Laurel decides that this is her salvation. One man in particular catches her eye. A former soldier, Thomas, is in trouble because he can’t come up with money to pay his fines and may end up in prison for quite a while. Against the advice of her attorney, the sheriff, and others, she decides that he is the one to help her.

Thomas is a very nice man in a bad situation. He is alone on the ranch with his boss, and the townspeople aren’t very accepting of that. He is trustworthy and honest and very solicitous of Laurel’s standing in the community. After attempts are made against her on the ranch, such as cattle missing, property damaged, he and she combine efforts to make sure that the ranch survives. What happens as a result may be inevitable, but the path to that result is attention-grabbing. I liked this story very much.

An Uncommon Protector by Shelley Shepard Gray is all about trust in the time of hardship. Laurel is a widow who needs help and protection on her ranch. Thomas is a prisoner who longs to be free. Desperate to save her ranch, Laurel uses the last of her money to pay Thomas’ fines and he agrees to work for her for one year. More trouble soon finds them and they must struggle against current issues as well as deal with past hurts – together.

I had the pleasure of reviewing book #1 in the “A Lone Star Hero’s Love Story” series as well and this just continues the wonderful story of a group of soldiers imprisoned together during the Civil War. I do love a good underdog story and Laurel and Thomas both qualify. Thomas is thrown into jail for fines he can’t pay but he is a good-hearted man who suffered greatly during the war. Laurel is fighting to save what she has left of her life and stop squatters determined to live on her land. This story is full of emotion and life-like characters, which made me feel invested in the story from start to finish.

I would recommend An Uncommon Protector to anyone who loves the post-war Reconstruction Era and a good love story! I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of giving an honest review.

Set in the time period following the Civil War, An Uncommon Protector is an imaginative and interesting story of a young woman trying to hold her ranch together. Laurel Tracey hires Thomas Baker, who has been in jail, to help her with the farm and protect her from squatters and others who are threatening her safety. The characters are interesting and engaging, and the story kept my interest throughout. Themes of trust and faith are woven into the story and add depth and inspiration to it. I will definitely be reading more of Shelley Shepard Gray’s books.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

An Uncommon Protector by Shelley Shepard Gray is a marvellous Christian historical romance, set in the aftermath of the American Civil war. I absolutely loved it.
War changes people - for better or for worse. Bonds of brothers formed in hardship, persist in peacetime, united by shared memories and promises. Women and children suffered. Men did unthinkable things. Some people still believed in goodness. "She still believed in goodness in the world, even though she had survived a war."
War can make or break people, freeing them from their past. In times of crisis, men turned to God. "I realise how much they have to be thankful for and they count their blessings.
Conflicts continue to rage even though war has ended. Greed drives men forwards, when really they should be thankful for all they have.
There is the theme of loss. Characters who have lost their whole families still have a drive to survive. God promises to repay the years the locusts have taken.
War leaves scars. Some are visible, others are hidden deep inside.
There is a wonderful air of love and care that pervades the novel. Whilst some will let us down, others will always have our backs.
Kindness is over the whole novel. The leading lady is kindness personified. If she can alleviate suffering with a kind word or action, she will. Shelley Shepard Gray has drawn wonderful characters once again. Her heroine is a mixture of strong yet vulnerable. In her kindness, she will not suffer fools gladly. Likewise, the leading man is a mixture too. His past has made him self reliant and reluctant to let others in. His past has also made him the caring man, the reader sees. The pair have a wonderful volley of dialogue backwards and forwards.
I always adore Shelley Shepard Gray's novels and An Uncommon Protector is one of her finest. For a real treat - buy it and read it today.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

What an intriguing story. The tension between the two characters is tight. There is an initial attraction that they both try to fight but you know they will give in eventually. The question is when and how will it happen?

This is the second book in this series but you will be able to read this as a stand-alone if you choose and not feel lost at all.

It was great to meet with Thomas and be reminded of characters from the previous book. I couldn't help but wonder whose story we would get to hear next.

I loved the romance, the post-war ear and the mystery surrounding this book. There is something on every page that will keep you turning until the end.

A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley.com. All opinions are my own.

Another great book by Shelley. Her writing will keep you wanting to read more.

This book is a second in a series, but can be read as a stand alone. I have not read the first, and completely enjoyed and understood this one. Now that I know some of the backstory and characters, I really want to read the first book.
This book takes place in Texas after the Civil War. Many women are widows and fatherless, Laurel falls into this category. She is trying to keep her family ranch up and running while finding a lot of opposition. Her step-siblings are leeches and want her to sell so they can have fund, there are other ranchers trying to get hold of the property. She is a strong and determined young lady who sees an opportunity to hire and ex-convict to help her run off the unsavory characters around her.

Fortunately for her, the ex-convict is a man of integrity. He hasn't lived a perfect life and has emotional as well as physical scars. From the moment they meet, there is a spark that neither is willing to act upon. Both care more about the other than they do themselves.

This book has some violence, and kissing.

Love the writings of Shelley Shepard Gray...this novel does not disappoint. A beautiful story.

“An Uncommon Protector” is the second book in Gray’s Lone Star Hero’s Love Story series. During their imprisonment in a Yankee camp on an island in Lake Erie, several Southern officers promised to always be there for each other. Since this volume features Thomas Baker, the second of those officers, I assume (and hope) that future installments will feature each of the other men.

Thus far, life has not been overly kind to Thomas Baker. In fact it has been a huge struggle. Poor choices after the war left him without money and even in jail. His only hope was for a local rancher to hire him for a year but he sure wasn’t expecting to be hired by the lovely Laurel Tracey who was attempting to run her family’s ranch on her own. Laurel’s kindness and determination quickly brings Thomas to the realization that he will do anything it takes to protect and help Laurel.

I absolutely loved this book, especially the way Thomas’ character was portrayed. His humility was endearing but also a bit sad. It was so difficult for him to believe what others saw in him – his integrity, his skill with horses, and the way he cared for others. It was wonderful to read about the emotional healing that he received through his relationships with Laurel and his officer friends. I liked Laurel also and admired her caring and forgiving spirit. I also enjoyed spending a little time with the men I met in “The Loyal Heart”. Flashbacks to Thomas’ time in the prison camp helped to add some insight into his character and the strong bond between the officers.

“An Uncommon Protector” can easily stand alone but I believe it was so much better after reading “The Loyal Heart”. Either way, if you enjoy historical fiction with a Texas setting, you cannot go wrong with this series.

Right off the bat I do want to admit that I haven’t read the first book in this series, but I wasn’t lost at all with this book.

But onto this book – I loved it. When I started reading it, I was worried that it would be a slow read for me, but I was so drawn into the story that I couldn’t put it down. I just had to find out what was going on at Laurel’s ranch, and how Thomas was going to help her solve those problems. Not only that but following along as the romance between Laurel and Thomas grew from a simple friendly gesture into something more was just amazing.

Shepard Gray did a great job at balancing the romance aspect and the drama/suspense aspects of the story throughout the whole book. I didn’t feel at all like the story was being moved by only one of those aspects, it was all of them together that made the story so great.

I would completely recommend this book to anyone who loves this genre and is looking for their next great read.

I am not a fan of historical fiction But this book was excellent. I loved how laurel stood up to her greedy step siblings and how she gave Thomas a chance.
This is a book you will not want to miss.

Sometimes a girl needs a sweet little love story that has no major drama but a little mystery.  An Uncommon Protector by Shelley Shepard Gray is that sweet little love story.

It has been a few years since the Civil War has ended and Laurel Tracey finds herself running her families ranch in Sweetwater, Texas on her own.  She is dealing with the loss of both her father and her brother, who died in battle, and squatters, who have started to take over part of her 200-acre property.

Thomas Baker is a former solder who has had a run of bad luck since the war and finds himself in Sweetwater's prison with no hope for the future.  Both Thomas and Laurel feel like their situations are hopeless until their paths cross and hope springs anew.  Laurel spends her entire savings to free Thomas and hire him for one year to help out at her ranch.  His main focus is to get rid of the squatters but they soon both realize that theirs is more than an employer/employee relationship.

An Uncommon Protector is a clean romance with a bit of mystery and drama.  The pace of the entire story is a little slow for my taste but I fell in love with both Thomas and Laurel and wanted to see how their story played out.  The story also being set just outside of Fort Worth, Texas (which is the area where I am from) also made the story a little sweeter for me.

All in all, I say it's a pretty good book.  If you're looking for something that is not too fast paced and has a clean story line with a little romance mixed in then An Uncommon Protector would be a good choice.

Isn't good always pitted against evil? Doesn't the good guy win, at least in the stories we all love? Isn't it easier to see the good in other before you can see it in yourself? Yes, in this novel, good battles evil, though the good guys aren't necessarily those seen by society as "good". Also, the good within a character must battle against that which is not good. In this novel, of course the good guys win in the end... and yes, in this novel, the characters can see the good in others more easily than they can see it in themselves.

What drew me in most was the camaraderie between Thomas Baker and the soldiers that he served with in the war. His band of brothers, as some might call it, respected him and saw the good in him when he couldn't see it in himself. They helped him to see the gentleman that he has become. This band of brothers also promised to be there for each other no matter what - this kind of commitment speaks volumes about the depth of their character and their care for one another. Their desire to serve and protect each other and those in need of help made my heart smile.

Though I believe in "like" at first sight, I thought the two main characters were drawn together way too quickly to be believable. In my opinion, their feelings for each other sped along at an incredibly quick pace, which made the book feel a little shallow.

Thank you to Net Galley and to Zondervan for an e-copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

An Uncommon Protector by Shelley Shepard Gray is the sequel to The Loyal Heart, which was number one on the list of My Top Ten Favorite Books of 2016. So needless to say, I was super excited for this book to release, and had very high expectations for it. An Uncommon Protector met and exceeded those hopes; I finished it in one sitting and absolutely loved it. I will admit, it was predictable and the plot wasn’t necessarily unique, but it was a fun read nonetheless–definitely with a lighter feel emotionally than the first, although the characters still have their struggles.
This works as a stand-alone, picking up with another faithful soldier from the group that we readers met in the first book, and tells his story. Set in the post-Civil War period, this book flashes back to the war and prison camp throughout the book so that we can get a bigger picture of Thomas Baker’s story. Thomas Baker can’t always hold his tongue when he should, and this gets him into trouble both in and after the war. When the story picks up after the war, we find that he’s imprisoned because he can’t pay off some gambling debt. Since he isn’t seen as a dangerous criminal, Thomas is part of a group that helps a local young lady with the ranch she inherited after both her parents died.
Laurel Tracey is grateful for the help on her ranch, but knows she needs more help than just an every-now-and-then help from the jail. Thus, she hires a local convict, paying his fees to get him out of the jail.
Like I mentioned at the beginning, this was a fun, lighthearted read. While the plot was predictable, the characters were unique, and I quickly grew to love them. I would definitely recommend this novel.
Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan’s BookLook Bloggers reviewing program for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own and were not required to be positive.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion – which I’ve done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and I regret to say that I can't give this book six or more stars.

Wow. What a ride. I have to admit this is my first Shelley Shepard Gray book but I must say that this will not be my last.

Thomas is a prisoner, one with no family and no future. He has two options. Get hired or go back to jail. Of course, who would hire a ex-confederate solider in prison for debt? Laurel, that's who. Laurel needs a protector. One to help her with the squatters on her land. Thomas must work for her for a year to pay off her debt. But a simple job of being a hired hand turns deadly when the cattle on Laurel's ranch is dying and other mysterious things begin happening. Thrown into a deadly game of cat and mouse, Laurel and Thomas must learn to trust each other if they are going to figure out who is trying to scare Laurel from her land.

This book had me since page one. I recommend this for everyone.