"No Way Up" by Mary Connealy

No Way Up (July 5, 2016) by Mary Connealy.*

The way the Boden siblings see it, their pa was not in his right mind when he made out his will, put into effect, not by dying, but immediately after leaving by train to receive treatment for his leg. Cole, Justin and Sadie are to live at Cimarron Ranch (CR) for an entire year, effective immediately. This is no problem for middle-child Justin, as he already lives there, but it means a move for Cole and Sadie. Cole oversees the mine and has a college degree at his back; he’s much more city than country, and he’s day and night different from Justin. Meanwhile, Sadie has to give up her work at the Safe Haven Orphanage, a place she feels is her calling to be at. But if the siblings do not all reside at the CR for a full year, they forfeit the ranch to a despised third-cousin-to-their-mother.

            Their father and CR patriarch Chance Boden was caught in an avalanche, and without the quick thinking and Army-medic skill of hired hand Heath Kincaid, there’d probably be no chance that Chance would keep his leg. But with his involvement in assisting Chance, Heath finds himself embroiled in the Boden family drama. He makes the discovery that the avalanche may have been intentional, and that; therefore, is not the end of the danger. Though he’s ready to move forward with his future – and preferably one with Sadie in it – he won’t leave the Boden siblings alone to fight for themselves or amongst each other.

            “No Way Up” was another novel I chose because I’d read a short story by the author in a novella collection. Hers was my favorite story in that collection, and I enjoyed this novel of hers as well. This one is the first in The Cimarron Legacy, which I plan to continue. Mary Connealy’s Christian, historical fiction novel never makes me feel as though I’m sitting through a history lesson (it takes place in late 1880). On the contrary, the book was a swift read. Her characters are compelling; you root for them but then shake your head when an argument ensues, for they can bicker like anyone from any era. Connealy’s world-building feels authentic; I could practically feel the dust and grime from a day on the ranch. It is also apparent that the author did her research. There’s a budding romance, and there’s intrigue, issues to resolve and danger lurking, a ranch to protect and sibling rivalries to overcome. And also faith. Sadie says it well, “No matter what you’ve done in this life, all God asks is that you believe in Him. God loves you …” That’s the truth. Always. Highly recommend!

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. 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.”