A Book Review for The Resourceful Stockman

About the Resourceful Stockman

Gripping western romance and murder mystery set in Prescott, Arizona Territory in 1893.

Deacon Colter was happy in his job as the stockyard vet. But when his best friend asks him to work as a livestock inspector, he must confront his own obsessive-compulsive nature to support his friend. Even though he hopes for a family of his own one day, he believes that no woman will see past his quirks. Will he find a woman who can overlook his behavior to see his true heart?

Grady Thatcher waited six long years for justice for his parents’ murder. When a strange twist of fate puts him in a position to find the killers, he must decide if he will sacrifice his budding romance with one of the Harper sisters to pursue justice. Will he choose love over justice?

Lilian and Justine Harper were two sisters who moved to Prescott to escape the abusive men their father tried to pair them with. When Lilian meets Deacon Colter, she wonders if he could ever love someone with her past. Justine falls hard for Grady Thatcher. Yet she doubts if he truly loves her or if he befriended her only to get information about the men who killed his parents. Will Lilian and Justine find true happiness with the men they love?

My Thoughts

I really struggled with how to rate The Resourceful Stockman, so I purposefully broke this review into sections. I don’t delight in giving a less-than-perfect review, but here are my thoughts, in all honesty.

Characters: The story featured four viewpoints–Deacon and Lillian as a couple, and Grady and Justine as a couple. Deacon! He was so unconventional, yet in a way that only made him more endearing. He simply couldn’t keep himself from rearranging rooms when he was upset. Lillian was the perfect complement to him, and their romance felt genuine.

Grady and Justine–well, not so much. Justine was a flirt, and while Grady was pretty good, he had a couple flaws that didn’t settle well with me.

Romance: Too much kissing. Way too much. I love a very clean romance, and I didn’t feel clean after reading through all the kissing.

Faith Content: Some, but not much. I would have preferred more.

Plot: The plot moved forward nicely, and I do love a good bring-the-bad-guy-to-justice story. I enjoyed that aspect of the story.

Other Issues: I kept forgetting this was a historical. It had too much of a contemporary flavor to it–and for me, that’s a downside.

At one point, a main character got drunk–not on purpose, and at least he was sorry. At another time, another character got drunk on purpose. No repentance after that. It made me uncomfortable, to say the least.

So there you have it, and you can take my thoughts or leave them. I appreciate the work Karen put into this story, even if it’s not a book I would personally reread. And others may have a different opinion.

Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my review, but my thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Grab a copy of The Resourceful Stockman!

About the Author

Karen Baney is passionate about writing stories full of flawed characters. She enjoys weaving together stories of second chances, redemption, and overcoming personal trials. As a transplant to Arizona in the late 1990s, she loves researching the state’s history and finding ways to seamlessly incorporate real history and real settings into her novels. In addition to writing and speaking, Karen works as a Software Development Manager for a Christian ministry.

Her faith plays an important role both in her life and in her writing. Karen and her husband, Jim, make their home in Gilbert, Arizona, with their two dogs, Bella and Daisy. Both Jim and Karen are active at Rock Point Church in Queen Creek, Arizona.

Visit Karen on the web at: www.karenbaney.com

More From Karen

What was the inspiration behind the Colter Sons Series?

The Colters (Will and Hannah) are the central characters from my first series, the Prescott Pioneers. For years, I have wanted to write stories about their children. I love the idea of writing many series about several generations of the same family.

Nothing came of the idea until I brought back a character, Joshua, from the Prescott Pioneers who fancied Hannah before she married Will. Joshua’s unrequited love led me to write a scene where he meets Hannah and Will again after eight years. To hit home the point that Hannah had everything he always wanted, I spontaneously wrote that she had five sons. Only a few sentences sparked the idea for the entire Colter Sons Series. (Joshua’s story is in Joy for Mourning, Book 2 in the Desert Manna Series).

Before I mapped out a series outline or developed the characters, I wrote the introductory chapters in the first person from each of the son’s point of view. Their personalities came to life, and I eventually fine-tuned that writing exercise in Chapter 1 for each of the books in the series.

Where does Deacon Colter fit into the series?

Deacon Colter is the fourth Colter Son, and his book is the fourth in the series. Since he was a very minor character earlier in the series, I refined some of his character traits. (Don’t worry, I write each book in a series to stand on its own, so you won’t miss anything.)

Out of all the Colter Sons, Deacon is the most socially awkward. What made Deacon special for me was that behind his looming, large exterior lies a soft heart and fierce loyalty for those who he cares about. When under stress, his obsessive-compulsive tendencies become harder to control.

Do you normally write a story with over two points of view? Why write the four points of view in The Resourceful Stockman?

Other than my very first series, The Prescott Pioneers, I usually stick with two points of view in my novels: the hero and the heroine.

However, earlier in the Colter Sons Series, I wrote that Deacon Colter became fast friends with Grady Thatcher, the younger brother of the woman who married Deacon’s older brother Sam (The Reluctant Cattleman, Book 1). When it came time to outline the story, I knew Grady’s story had to be told along with Deacon’s. Doing anything else would disappoint fans and leave the story feeling incomplete.

Grady’s quest to solve his parents’ murder provided the perfect catalyst to force the routine-loving, obsessive-compulsive Deacon outside of his comfort zone. Because he is fiercely loyalty, he risked much to help his friend.

Where did the idea for livestock agents come from?

I initially wanted to make Deacon and Grady Arizona Rangers. However, during my research, the timing and even some duties didn’t fit either of these men. I like to stay true to history. Rarely do I take creative liberty because I want readers to learn about Arizona history. Deacon and Grady’s ages put them about a decade before the Arizona Rangers formed.

So, I continued with my research about brand-burning and rustling. When I stumbled on an Arizona Territorial statute to create a Livestock Commission, complete with details on what the duties entailed, I had my answer. The timing and duties fit. Many livestock agents started as veterinarians or ranchers. They had the authority to hunt down the rustlers and deal with disease outbreaks. All this fit with my characters.

And, yes, everything in the novel about their jobs and the livestock commission’s start is true to history, except for the names of real people.

Giveaway Opportunity

To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away the grand prize package a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of The Resourceful Stockman!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/282a5/the-resourceful-stockman-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tour Stops

Alena Mentink, September 28 (You are currently here)

Lakesidelivingsite, September 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 29

Texas Book-aholic, September 30

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 1

The Lit Lady, October 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 2

The Book Club Network, October 3

Connie’s History Classroom, October 4

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 5

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 6

Bizwings Book Blog, October 7

Cover Lover Book Review, October 8

Books You Can Feel Good About, October 9

Pause for Tales, October 9

For Him and My Family, October 10

Lily’s Book Reviews, October 11