Long Time Gone


Long Time Gone is the second book in Mary Connealy's The Cimmaron Legacy series. I'd previously read and reviewed the first book in the series, No Way Up, on my blog. I didn't really like the first book too much (I believe I gave it 2 stars), but since it was the first book by Mary Connealy that I'd ever read, and part of a series to boot, I definitely wanted to give the second book in the series a shot as well. The Cimmaron Legacy is a Western action/romantic comedy/historical romance series which is quite unique, especially in the Christian genre and honestly a blend I'd never read before picking up the first book. Long Time Gone continues the drama of the Bodens and the Cimmaron Ranch and picks up right where No Way Up left off. The back cover says:

"Connealy Combines Western Action and Charming Historical Romance

The Boden clan thought their problems had ended with the death of a dangerous enemy, but have they truly uncovered the real plot to take their New Mexico ranch? Rancher Justin Boden is now in charge. He is normally an unshakable and rugged man, but with his brother, Cole, shot and in mortal danger, even a tough man faces doubts. And it doesn't help that Angie DuPree, the assistant to the doctor trying to save Cole, is as distracting a woman as Justin ever laid eyes on.

With her and the doc's timely skills, Cole looks to be on the mend, and Justin and the rest of the Bodens can turn their attention back to the dangers facing them. It's clear now that everything that's occurred is part of a much bigger plot that could date back to a decades-old secret. Can they uncover all the pieces before danger closes in on them, or is the threat to the ranch even bigger than any of the Bodens could imagine?"

I liked No Way Up better than I liked the first book in the series. The brothers weren't punching each other in every single chapter (they did a few times, but it wasn't as ridiculous as the first book). The plot was also more interesting. The beginning of No Way Up was a little confusing at first because it had been quite a few months since I read the first book, and it jumped right into the action and picked up right where the first book left off. After the first couple chapters it got more into the plot and storyline and I recalled the backstory much better as the next chapters unfolded. The action and plot really picked up in the middle and got a lot more interested. The story ended right on a cliffhanger, so we won't know the conclusion of the story until book three comes out later this year. The love story here was a bit rushed, much more so than Heath and Sadie's love story. This book was more focused on the plot and less focused on the love story, and I felt the first book was the opposite. One thing that continued in this book that I really didn't like from the first book was the undercurrents of racism. The characters still refer to the Hispanic people as "speaking Mexican". Mexican people speak Spanish. There's no such thing as "speaking Mexican". I mentioned that in my review of the first book as well, but it's worth mentioning here again. However, this book was an improvement over the first so I give it 3 stars instead of 2 stars. I'll be crossing my fingers that book 3, the conclusion to the Boden's tale, will be a 4 star book!

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House in order to provide an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

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