Also in this series: Outlaw Hearts, Do Not Forsake Me, The Last Outlaw, Blaze of Glory
Series: Outlaw Hearts #3
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on September 6th 2016
Genres: Historical Romance, American West, Saga Romance
Pages: 512
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
ISBN: 1492631442
3rd book in Outlaw Hearts series.
Their Passion Shaped a Nation
Over the years, Jake and Miranda Harkner have endured all the dangers a wild and brutal West could throw at them. Now, settled on their ranch in the beautiful Colorado hill country, they’ve finally found peace. But for a man like Jake Harkner, danger is always lurking, and the world may not be ready for an infamous outlaw-turned-lawman-turned-legend to hang up his guns.
Threatened by cruel men in search of revenge, the Harkner clan must be stronger than ever before. Yet nothing can stop the coming storm. With the Old West dying around them and the rules of this new world ever-changing, Jake vows to end the threat to his family no matter what it takes…
Even if it means sacrificing himself so his beloved Miranda may live.
This review may contain some spoilers so be warned!! 🙂
Summary
Jake and Miranda Harkner have endured triumphs and sorrows, have stayed true to each other for almost thirty years. They have endured all the dangers that the wild west could have thrown at them. But their story is far from over. Jake and Miranda are on the brink of celebrating their thirtieth wedding anniversary. They are now settled in the Colorado Hill Country, Jake is working along side with his son Lloyd. Sharing every spare moment with his beloved wife, children and grandchildren. Despite his age, Jake doesn’t look or act his age especially when surrounded by his family. But Jake is still haunted by his past especially by the nightmares his father evokes. He still doubts himself and his worthiness to be part of this beautiful family he has. Enemies of Jake and Randy’s are going to come back and cause their peace to be disrupted in the worst of ways. But Jake and Miranda have the strongest love that can stand the tide of any storm.
Plot and Story Line
WHEW!!! I am still on a book hangover from this story….Rosanne Bittner has done it again and I can never get enough of these two together!! Their love is EPIC and different and so unique but both of these two will be challenged in ways they don’t expect to find. I read this in one sitting—it was so good!! Normally it takes me a couple of days to read a book from her, especially since they are longer in length than the average book however….I stayed up ALL night long to read this book and so worth it. It sets off with Jake and Miranda spending some quality alone time together in a small shack cabin that is their refuge.
Big and strong as you are on the outside, you’ve grown so much stronger on the inside”
He kissed her eyes “You keep me strong.”
Their lips meets again, their passion no different than it was nearly thirty years ago when he took her for the first time…when he was a lost soul…when she showed him everything he didn’t know about love.
Life soon interrupts them though. They receive word that one of the outlaws that was involved in their daugher Evie’s rape attack, has been released early from prison. Jake knows that he will be gunning for him and most especially his son Lloyd. But on the night of celebration in Denver, at a ball of dancing—the worst of the worst happens. Jake almost loses his son, and almost loses his mind in rage and pain.
My son is in so much pain–pain he shouldn’t be suffering! It rips my heart out every time I have to hold him down because of that pain. I can’t stand seeing him suffer! I failed him, Evie! I failed my Son! All those years we rode together and had each other’s backs…and then we go to a simple civilized affair, and he’s gunned down right in front of me! That man took my precious son in cold blood. The old old Jake came roaring back so now you know the man who fathered you, and you see why I can’t believe something as good and beautiful as you even came from my seed. I am what I am, Evie and everything I touch gets hurt. That young man lying in that bed is worth Ten of me—a hundred of me! His voice began to beak and he put his head in his hands.
“I do see that man, Daddy. I saw him when you pulled the trigger. But I refuse to recognize that man as my loving and gentle father. He’s not the man who is married to the most devoted and gracious woman I know–the man who has grandchildren who need to see their granpa come back home to the J&L, and when he does, they need him to be the only kind of man they’ve ever known as their grandfather.
Jake will soon have to face the music of the law, and the whole Harkner family will need to come together like never before to keep their family together and show Jake Harkner the power of love and family. But their anguishes do not end there…there is much more in store for Jake and Miranda and their whole family. A event that will prove them in ways they couldn’t ever imagine, where Jake will need to be the rock for Miranda.
Man these two could cause a heart attack…I swear I couldn’t stop the tears or the bursts of laughter. This family is so heartwarming and I love their close ties to each other. They are such a close knit family and even the sweet moments were so precious to read. We get all of our favorite family members and friends of course!!! We get more of Jeff our fellow journalist that followed Jake’s career in “Do Not Forsake Me” and also a friend of the family, Peter. Then the two kids Lloyd and Evie and their spouses with their charming kids and of course we have Mini Jake. Now this grandson of Jake and Miranda’s, the son of Evie’s is a riot!! He is exactly like adult Jake only mini sized. Then we also have some of the ranch hands that have followed Jake and Miranda over the years and stayed loyal. What really impressed me is how Bittner can keep this story of Jake and Miranda so vibrant and real. This is a couple that will stay with you for years to come, and she did a superb job in creating more dilemma’s for these two. Their love gets really tested, and it doesn’t end with this book!! It does leave a bit of a teaser for the fourth book. What I did enjoy was seeing that Jake and Miranda are both individually tested. And yes there are moments especially toward the end that just about breaks my heart and I honestly couldn’t stop the tears flowing in certain moments. I did like the turn that Jake had to be the strong one of the two. Over the years, Miranda is the one that has been his strength, his rock and has kept him from going insane. But we get a turn of events, where Miranda needs Jake more than ever, and despite how he feels he is forced to put it all aside to be what his wife needs him to be—-a rock for her to lean on through the storm.
Every time I touch you, it’s because I honor you and need you and adore you and love you more than my own life
This is a story for any romance lover, it doesn’t matter if you like historical romance or not—this is a MUST READ for any reader!!
The Cover
What a beautiful cover!!! Sourcebooks has done a brilliant job with this cover and it relates with the book so well. I love how they made these two look more mature but not OLD. I love the backdrop with the sunset, and the pose on the grass. I love her yellow dress (which she wears one in the book)
Overall View
Love’s Sweet Revenge is a tale that continues an epic love that is tested in bittersweet ways—a story that will entangle you through every emotion and make you fall in love like it was for the first time!! A love story that is epic and heart-stopping good!! TAKES YOUR BREATH AWAY!
Great review! I definitely need to catch up on this series after reading about this. Whew…it sounds like such an emotional story, and I love that the hero/heroine are a bit more mature. 🙂
oh you would love this couple Michele!! They are amazing and one of my top favorites to read. I love that this is a mature couple. Its been a blast seeing them in love in their 20’s till they are older, married with a family and still working out problems together!! So much more depth and growth than you see in most other stories. You definitely need to pick up this series and NOW woman!! hehe
I should read more Bittner, I did like the ones I read. Westerns are just nice
She is a great author, and writes the best westerns!!
Great review! I have actually been in the mood for something in this genre so I’m going to check out the rest of this series
Thanks Eva! You definitely need to pick this series up, if I were to recommend any group of books to you…it would be this one.
Ooh glad to see this is a 5 star read!! I have the first book and I’m excited to check this out! Great review!
Ooh glad to see this is a 5 star read!! I have the first book and I’m excited to check this out! Great review!
oh Cyn, you would really love this couple so much!!! I definitely recommend reading book one. Jake and Miranda are one of my top fav couples I have ever read.
You’re killing me! I have a widget for this book that I have been trying to resist. I know that I will be clicking it after reading this review. I picked up the second one in the series after reading your for review for that one. I might as well get the whole series ready to go. Great review!
haha!!! That is my job. You definitely need to read this series for sure. Bittner is on fire with this couple and you would love reading these books.
The first book in this series is on my wishlist and I got one of her books through netgalley, but haven’t gotten around to reading it yet. I know how much you enjoy this author her books, so I am glad to hear you loved this one. And you read a 500 pages book in one sitting, wow it must’ve been really good then. It sounds like and emotional and heartwarming book! Great review!
WOW! So much love for this book! I’m going to be honest – I hadn’t heard of this book before. It sounds incredible! I love historical romance, though I don’t seem to read enough from this time period. Wonderful review. =)
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!