An Uncommon Protector by Shelley Shepard Gray

As I began reading An Uncommon Protector by Shelley Shepard Gray, I was immediately reminded of the  1978 Western, Goin' South, starring Mary Steenburgen and Jack Nicholson.  Both the movie and the book focused on strong single women who, after the Civil War, found themselves alone and in need of help.  At that time, it was possible to secure penal laborers for a fee.  Similarities end there.

In the movie, Ms. Steenburgen, needing someone to work in her mine, saved a horse thief, Mr. Nicholson, from hanging by agreeing to marry him.  In the book, An Uncommon Protector, there was no marriage requirement. The convict, Sergeant Thomas Baker, in jail for his inability to pay gambling debts, was released into the custody of Miss Laurel Tracey, becoming an indentured servant, receiving room and board for one year in exchange for his labor on her thousand acre cattle ranch near Sweetwater, Texas.   Laurel had inherited the ranch and was desperate for ranch help, especially when she noticed squatters on her property.  And, although a neighboring rancher had attempted to court Miss Tracey, she was not interested in his solution to her problem. 

Sgt. Baker was not exactly a hardened criminal.  Through flashbacks to the Sergeant's stay in a Confederate Officers' POW camp, the reader gets to know this man and the bonds he formed with fellow officers imprisoned there.  It is this man who becomes not just a ranch hand but a protector when trouble, literally, arrives on Miss Tracey's doorstep and only escalates from there. 

The book, described as Historical Christian Fiction, was quite enjoyable.  Although, I thought it was very predictable. The author has a gift for wonderful descriptions and well-developed, believable characters.  This an independent second book in a series of three.  The Kindle version I read included discussion questions, making it a good book group selection, but also giving the reader pause for thought.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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As promised, today I am posting a card for the final challenge at 

A Day For Daisies blog.  

Not to worry, they are only closing the blog NOT the shop.

And they are currently having a hop to showcase some of their

 DT members' favorite ADFD images.

 The digi image is Pet Lamb for Easter.

Challenges:

A Day for Daisies Challenge #160 - A Celebration of Favorites

Little Red Wagon Challenge #382 - Down on the Farm 

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #41 - Cards 4 Teenz 

Aud Sentiments Challenge #174 - Animals + Sentiment

Glitter n Sparkle Challenge #228 - Anything Goes