Book Review, Comedy, Entangled Publishing, Historical, Romance, Series, Western Fiction

The Gunslinger’s Guide to Avoiding Matrimony (Gunslinger #2) by Michelle McLean

ABOUT THE BOOK

At the ripe old age of twenty-eight, desperate-to-retire gunslinger Adam Brady has exactly two rules. And one of them is never, ever get married. So he’ll be danged when his dreams of permanently avoiding the bounty hunter on his tail in Desolation, the only town where notorious men like him can find respite, comes with one helluva string attached. The town has a new rule: gunslingers welcome—if they get a job…or marry.

Without realizing it, Adam stumbles into a big town wedding and accidentally marries Nora Schumacher, a sassy-mouthed mountain of a woman with legs as long as his wanted poster. So what’s a gunslinger to do but get himself unhitched and find a job. Any job. Except Adam keeps getting fired, one odd circumstance after another. And he’s running out of options.

Desolation was supposed to be his safe haven. Except, he’s not only running from his past but from the irresistible woman he married. And worse, he’s finding that he rather likes the enticing, if damnably independent, wife of his. But some men just aren’t the marrying kind. Only, if he leaves, his own life won’t be worth living. If he stays, he puts the lives of his newfound family and the woman he loves on the line. So much for Desolation being the answer to all his problems.

MY REVIEW

I adore Michelle McLean’s hilarious Gunslinger series and couldn’t wait to read book #2. It didn’t disappoint. I laughed, I cried, and I fell in love with Adam and Nora.

Two strangers accidentally married in a mass town wedding. A charming gambler and gunslinger and a hard-working woman trying to make ends meet. Will she convince him to sign the papers and make it official to save her home, or will he choose a job over her?

Of all the rotten luck. Adam Brady finally found a place he could retire and hide out from the marshall who is hunting him down. However, his choice to stand out in the street during a mass town wedding unbeknownst to him and saying “I do” in a conversation with a beautiful trouser-clad woman, found him not only retired but hitched as well. Or did it? It appears they didn’t sign the papers to make it official and though she insists on calling him husband, he found another way to stay in town. Find a job in a month or he has to leave town. Unfortunately, the sheriff of the town has a bad history with Adam and he’s hoping his stay is short.

Nora Schumacher is living day by day as a seamstress and selling vegetables from her garden. Her father is the town drunk and has left everything to her to make ends meet. However, now he is threatening to sell off more of their land so he can gamble and drink the money away. She has to keep his hands off the deed to the house because knowing him he will take that from her as well. Her maternal grandparents left the house to her when they died. The stipulations require that she receive it when she turns thirty which is several years away or if she marries, whichever comes first. So when fate threw a gunslinger in her lap as a new husband she will stop at nothing to stay hitched. Even if that means asking all her friends for a favor to make his job opportunities less than ideal.

Adam and Nora are made for each other. They are not perfect by any means, but what they lack in grace, they make up for it in determination and charm. Their attraction is a slow build, but when they give in to their passion, it is a delight to watch. Adam’s sense of humor is hilarious as he takes on a town that is hell-bent on him staying married to Nora. Watching Adam tackle the various jobs he is given is priceless as he bungles each one of them but gives it his all doing it. As Adam grows to care for Nora it is endearing to watch as he helps her fix the things around her rundown homestead and is there for her when she needs some support. Something no one has done in the past. It’s sad that Nora is not considered attractive in some men’s eyes because she is so tall. She is considered just one of the guys with the other men in town until Adam sees her beauty inside and out. Nora is a force to be reckoned with and she works hard to make ends meet for her and her lazy-ass disrespectful father who eventually comes around when it is almost too late. There is also plenty of action in this book with Adam’s past catching up to him and an unforgettable showdown.

This book wouldn’t be as fun if it weren’t for the lovely townspeople of Desolation. They make the story roll along with laughter and love showing their caring nature and secretive and protective instincts. I can’t wait to read more in this series.

If you are a fan of romantic comedy, give this book a try. The characters are memorable and the romance is lovely. Please read my review for Hitched to the Gunslinger, book 1 in the Gunslinger series.

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The Gunslingers Guide to Avoiding Matrimony

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I love my historical romances with a bit of mystery, suspense, and humor, and of course, always with a happily ever after. And as I’m a bit of an eclectic nut, I also write  contemporary romantic comedies as Kira Archer. I am represented by Janna Bonikowski of The Knight Agency.

On my website you will find all the little tidbits you may wish to know about me and my books and what’s going on at the moment. I love to hear from readers so please check out my contact page or all the various ways to give me a shout out 🙂 Please also consider subscribing to my newsletter. I like to share exclusive excerpts and give stuff away over there 😉

In the meantime, hang out, take a peek at my bookshelf, and as always, happy reading!

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