"claiming mariah" by pam hillman

About the book: After her father's death, Mariah Malone sends a letter that will forever alter the lives of her family. When Slade Donovan, strong willed and eager for vengeance, shows up on her front porch, Mariah is not ready to hear his truths: her father's farm, the only home she's ever known, was bought with stolen gold. With Slade ready to collect his father's rightful claim and force Mariah and her family out on the streets, Mariah must turn to God for guidance. Though Mr. Frederick Cooper, a local landowner, promises to answer her financial woes if she agrees to be his bride, Mariah finds herself drawn instead to the angry young man demanding her home.

With the ranch now under Slade's careful eye, he unearths more than he ever imagined as a devious plot of thievery, betrayal, and murder threatens the well-being of the ranch, endangering those who hold it dear. As the days dwindle until the rest of the Donovan clan arrives at the Lazy M ranch, Mariah and Slade must rise above the resentment of their fathers and see their true feelings before greed changes their futures forever.

My take: A touching story about truth and forgiveness, Claiming Mariah is a very enjoyable historical romance. I enjoyed getting to know both Slade and Mariah and watching their relationship develop throughout the novel. But my favorite character was Buck, Slade's younger brother. He was such a gentile, wounded soul, and I would have loved to spend more time with him.

There was a fitting villain in Mariah's would-be suitor Cooper, and the plot had a few twists I wasn't expecting. I did think that the truth about Mariah's sister's schooling remained a secret for far longer than seemed credible, and the suggestion of who might fall in love with Buck seemed a bit too ... convenient. (Sorry, I don't want to spoil it—but if you read the book, you'll know what I mean!) That said, I would very much enjoy reading Buck's love story, even if it does go in the direction hinted at in Claiming Mariah. I hope Hillman writes that story next!

My rating: 4 stars

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Read my review of Hillman's Stealing Jake.

About the author: Pam Hillman was born and raised on a dairy farm in Mississippi and spent her teenage years perched on the seat of a tractor raking hay. In those days, her daddy couldn't afford two cab tractors with air conditioning and a radio, so Pam drove the Allis Chalmers 110. Even when her daddy asked her if she wanted to bale hay, she told him she didn't mind raking. Raking hay doesn't take much thought so Pam spent her time working on her tan and making up stories in her head. Now, that's the kind of life every girl should dream of!

Learn more about Pam at http://www.pamhillman.com.

About the giveaway: 

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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."