When a mysterious stranger saves her life, this feisty frontier widow never expected he’d steal her heart.
Rutherford Mason is tired of his fast gun being the measure of his worth. Arriving in Splendor, Montana, to join his brother on Redemption’s Edge Ranch, Ford hopes to carve out a new life far away from his past as a range detective and hired gun. The work gives him renewed purpose and a belief his new life just might work.
Teresa Murton is desperate to provide for her two children after the murder of her husband. An excellent rider and experienced rancher, Tess believes a good living can be created on the small ranch she now controls. Her days consist of long hours, hard work, and never-ending challenges. None concerns her more than the threats from gunslingers hired to force her from her land.
Nothing angers Ford more than threats to women and children, which is what he finds when riding with his brother to meet neighboring ranchers. His skills may have saved the Murton woman, her son, and her daughter this time, but what will happen when the danger returns?
Hard choices are a way of life for Ford. Can he ride away and let the feisty woman face her battles alone?
Will Tess’s pride put her children in even more danger?
Renegade Woods, book twenty-six in the Redemption Mountain historical western romance series, is a full-length, clean and wholesome novel with an HEA and no cliffhanger.
MJ McLeod –
Another great book in a great series by one of my favorite authors. I’m really enjoyed returning to Redemption Edge and Splendor. I love Ford and Tess’s story. He’s an ex-gunslinger who is feeling the need to change his life. She’s a window being pushed to sell her ranch. Iso enjoyed watching these two discover love as they worked together to save her ranch. A captivating read that I read straight through.
Lisa Parker –
This is another story in the historical series Redemption Mountain. However since all of the books in this series are stand-alones, readers will have no problem enjoying this book without having read the others.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it is a very realistic view of life in the Montana Territory during the 1870s. Tess is a widow whose husband was murdered two years ago. She now spends long hours working hard on her ranch alone while taking care of her two young children. Unfortunately, she is also being constantly attacked and threatened by hired gunslingers who are attempting to force Tess and her family off of their land.
In spite of Tess’ expert riding and gun skills, and her accomplished ranching skills, she is extremely worried about her ability to keep her family, animals and ranch safe from her attackers. She is very aware that these gunslingers have no compassion or sympathy for anyone or anyone.
She meets Ford that has just moved to Montana to join his brother and family in order to change his life. When he was 16, Ford ran away and became a hired gun. It was the only thing Ford could at his age.
In spite of Ford’s occupation, he is wonderful, respectful, caring man who has made it a point to never kill someone who hasn’t done anything wrong. Instead, he used his gun help people like Tess, who needed help to save her life, family and homes.
Ford, Tess and her two children immediately bond with each other. Ford almost moves in as he helps keep Tess and her family safe from the hired gunslingers who are trying to kill them all. They work together, they have fun together, and they all become friends. This wonderful man with the killer job now wants to repent, marry, have children, and live a normal happily ever life.
Gail Kovach –
The mistakes haunting Ford’s memories made it hard to imagine that he’d ever find peace in 1 place, but had he finally found a place to build a life rather than always moving on? As a widow and her 2 children are threatened by a dangerous gang, Ford comes to their rescue. But what will happen the next time? And the time after that? He hated seeing innocent women and children threatened or hurt.
Tess is a strong woman, picking up the pieces of life after her husband’s murder, continuing to raise their 2 children while tirelessly working her ranch. When Ford visits her ranch with his brother and defends Tess and her family from a dangerous gang, can she trust the former range detective and hired gun? When Ford stays on to keep watch and offer his protection, can Tess see the man he was becoming or judge him only by his reputation and his past?
I enjoyed the clean, wholesome storyline with an old-time western setting, a damsel in distress, a reformed and tough gunslinger with a soft heart for the innocent–especially a woman and her children. There’s a few mysteries to solve as well, and this reader is left wondering who is the mysterious Lucien Hunt and will he have a part in an upcoming story?
I highly recommend “Renegade Woods” as well as this entire series. I received a complimentary ARC and have voluntarily given my honest opinion in this review.
Laura R –
Ford is a gunslinger who is ready for a change of pace and come to work at the Pelletier’s ranch with his brother while he makes some decisions regarding his future. Tess is struggling to raise her two children on her own since her husband was killed. Their days are filled with trying to keep up with chores on their ranch.
At first, Tess is leery being around a gunfighter. But when there are threats against her ranch and Ford comes to her rescue, she gets to know his true character. Theirs is a sweet romance as Ford’s protective side works against the injustice of the person threatening Tess and her children. He instilled responsibility, respect for firearms, and more in Thomas by his actions. Tess was willing to do whatever was necessary to protect her ranch and her children but learned that it was ok to accept help from others. The only question was whether they would be able to neutralize the threat before anyone was injured or killed.
Amanda –
Ford was a lawman until he ended up as a gunslinger, but he only was on the side of justice, and never intended to kill people, the perception of his reputation has changed. He’s now joined his brother, Bull, and is hoping to change his life with a change of county. He meets Tess, a widow whose husband was murdered, when he goes with his brother to visit. She has two children, a boy and a girl, and is trying to run the family ranch by herself, but there are some who are trying to take it away from her, are they the same people who killed her husband, and why do they want it?
Ford finds himself going to Tess’ ranch more and more, he has feelings that he’s not used to, he feels protective and supportive, trying to help her with her ranch and the troubles, also teaching her son how to shoot and hunt. He’s changing.
Tess’ husband was killed nearly two years ago, is it ok to start to have feelings for Ford? Has he changed enough to become a family man? What about the people who are after her ranch, who are they and why?
Another great romantic suspense in the series from Shirleen.
Cathy –
Ford with a reputation of a traveling fast gun decided to help protect a widow and her two children from a nasty gang. Theresa is determined to keep her ranch going and keep her children safe. The gang is working for a con man who wants her land an others. The gang keeps threatening Theresa and Ford is staying at her ranch helping with chores and the children while protecting her and the family. Together they face multiple challenges as a growing relationship occurs. Strong characters, action and love . Enjoyed the read. Thanks for the ARC.
Paula –
Renegade Woods by Shirleen Davies is my all-time favorite in the Redemption Mountain Historical Western Romance Series. That is saying a lot since it is book 26 in this series. I think I fell for Rutherford “Ford” Mason long before Tess Murton did. He is a man you can count on to do the right thing while also being fast on the draw. Tess is a strong brave character, being perfectly portrayed as many of the pioneer women must have been. Suspense, intrigue, tight-knit support group, bad guys to be stopped and caught, with a sweet love story of second chances while finding a place to belong, this book has it all
I kept trying to picture which of my favorite actors should play the part of Ford because this would make a wonderful clean movie for perhaps a station like Hallmark. Not nearly as sweet as some of their stories but realistic and wholesome and oh, so good. Perfect for all western historical story fans.
Liverpoolcathy –
Ford had changed his path and come to redemption edge to work the ranch with his brother leaving his guns behind. Or so he thought. Teresa was trying to build her ranch having lost her husband to murder, she worked all hours helped by her children. But when her livelihood is threatened the town comes together to protect the family and the ranch.
So Ford steps up but can he leave this time? Will love survive and grow? No spoilers get reading * and enjoy!
Anne Morrison –
What a fantastic return to the Redemption Mountain Series! Renegade Woods has it all, great characters, threats of danger, a community supporting each other and working together, and a couple, a widow and former hired gunman, finding love while working together against a criminal threat which could have forced her and her and her children off their ranch. Renegade Woods makes you realise just how hard life was for settlers in the small towns in the west and how the residents supported each other, working together at times of adversity and also celebrating happy times together. A really enjoyable addition to this series.
Joyce Fritz –
Coming to Splendor Montana, Ford Mason is hoping to settle down and start a new life. He is tired of being a detective and a hired gun. He never did anything illegal, but he has gotten a name for himself as being fast with the gun and men are tempted to test him. He is visiting his brother at the Redemption’s Edge Ranch but when he comes upon Tess Murton and her two children being threatened, he feels the need to protect them. Tess’s husband was murdered, and she is determined to protect her ranch. When she is determined not to give into threats that she is to sell her land or else, it is found out that others are being threatened also, Will Ford have found his place here in Redemption Mountain?
Bonnie Blackledge –
Ford has joined his brother to work on the Pelletier ranch. When outlaws threaten a widow living nearby, he stays there to watch over Tess and her children. As time passes, they develop a friendship as they work to stop the threats she and other nearby ranchers face. This book was non-stop action. As soon as one crisis was averted, something else would pop up. Davies is a master storyteller and this book is one of her best.