Guest Review: Pieces of Sky by Kaki Warner

Kati‘s review of Pieces of Sky (Blood Rose Trilogy, Book 1) by Kaki Warner

Fall in love with the first book in the Blood Rose trilogy-a romance of the Old West by a phenomenal new talent

On a stagecoach traveling through New Mexico Territory, Jessica Thornton is a long way from the cool mists and lush gardens of her native England. An authoress and milliner, she carries the weight of a scandalous secret-a horrible shame that has brought her to the West on a desperate search for the only family she can trust: her brother.

No one prepared Jessica for the heat and the hardships. And no one prepared her for a man like Brady Wilkins. For, despite the rancher’s rough-hewn appearance and her own misgivings, Jessica must put her life in his hands after their stagecoach crashes. And she begins to see the man behind the callused hands and caustic wit. A man strong enough to carve out a home in the wilderness, brave enough to fight for his own, and passionate enough to restore her faith in herself-and in her heart.

Jessica Thornton is on the run. An authoress and milliner, she has escaped England to the West in search of her brother, George. She believes that George will help her with her horrible burden. You see, Jessica is pregnant after being raped. En route to her brother, her stagecoach crashes, and several of the passengers perish. Already adrift in a country where the men seem uncivilized and crass, she is horrified to have to accept the assistance of Brady Wilkins. Brady is the proprietor of RosaRoja, a struggling, if beautiful ranch. Brady and his two brothers, Jack and Hank, work together to keep RosaRoja on its feet and to protect it against a criminal named Sancho, who believes that Brady’s father stole the ranch, and therefore his heritage from him.

Brady is a good, if difficult man. He’s cranky and obstreperous. But he takes care of those under his watch, and Jessica most certainly falls into that category. Especially after arriving at RosaRoja and being told that she’s not just pregnant, but carrying twins. As Brady forces Jessica to accept the limitations set by the doctor, he realizes that he is falling in love with her. For Jessica’s part, she is intrigued by the plainspoken man who can be so bossy, and yet take such tender care of her. Brady realizes that the stakes in his fight against Sancho have been raised. Can he protect both the land and the woman he holds so dear?

I requested this book from Holly because I wanted to try another Western. Boy am I glad I did! Pieces of Sky is an emotional, gripping story of two vastly different people who care deeply for each other, but have burdens and responsibilities that are barriers to their love. In particular, I loved Jessica, who is possessed of a very sharp and extremely witty tongue. I laughed out loud several times reading her interactions with Brady and others. Her initial bewilderment at the crassness of the West turns into a deep appreciation of the people and the land.

Brady is one of my favorite hero-types, the care giving alpha. He never seems too good to be true, but he’s a likeable and engaging hero. The story is lovely, but also portrays the West the way I imagine it was: harsh and difficult. The characters suffer losses, some of them awful. But the redemptive nature of the love story and the strong foundation Kaki Warner has built in both their characterization and supporting cast make this book a delight to read.

Pieces of Sky gets a high recommendation from me for lovers not just of the Western romance, but for those who prefer romances with a more epic feel. Kaki Warner is absolutely an author to watch.

4.5 of 5 stars

This book is available from Berkley. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

You can read more from Kati at Katidom.

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