First Chapter Review: A FALLACIOUS SEDUCTION by Virginia Barlow @virgini35142126 #historical #western #romance #firstchapterreview

Thanks for visiting Literarily Speaking! Today's post is a first chapter review of A FALLACIOUS SEDUCTION. First, a little about the book....

Title: A FALLACIOUS SEDUCTION
Author: Virginia Barlow
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Pages: 282
Genre: Historical Western Romance

When the train US Marshal Reese Calhan is riding on explodes, he is one of two survivors. Trouble is, the other survivor is the woman who betrayed him years ago. A woman he thought was dead. This time he will not fall prey to her wiles. He’ll see the vixen jailed for her crimes if it kills him.

Recovering from a recent jilting and now a train explosion, Shanna Johnston has no idea why the handsome stranger insists he knows her and calls her by another woman’s name. His heated looks and knowing kisses spark a fire in her she cannot ignore–even as her own mysterious past is closing in.

FAVORITE QUOTE FROM FIRST CHAPTER:

"Shanna threw an arm over her eyes to protect them from the sudden glare of the sun. Did she know a man with a husky drawl? She didn’t think so. She moved her arm to get a peek at him and winced. She caught sight of a bulky figure before the sun blinded her, and her eyes watered. Hastily, she covered them again. She didn’t want to move. She listened. Everything was quiet. Did the man go? She decided she didn’t care. She was hot as all get out, and sticky. Her head throbbed. Every part of her body ached. Shanna wrinkled her brow. Where the hell am I? She blinked and reached tentative fingers to the sore spot on her head. She wasn’t bleeding. A movement above her caught her eye. So, the man hadn’t gone away. She could hear him moving in the grass beside her. She heard a metallic click as the hammer of a gun was pulled back right above her. Shanna moved her arm and looked up. She gazed into the barrel of a pistol. It loomed in front of her face. It looked about ten feet long and six feet wide with a gaping black center. Her heart stopped. Funny how guns looked bigger than life when they were pointed at you. Shanna’s mouth went dry. Who the hell would want to shoot me? Cautiously, she moved her arm away from her face and gazed past the gun at the giant man holding it. She met the ice blue stare of a scruffy, blond-haired man. He knelt by her side frowning ferociously. He must be the owner of the smooth, husky drawl. "

BOOK COVER:

Fantastic, fantastic cover! We have a picture of Shanna and I'm presuming the mysterious man who finds her at the train wreck? Or is this someone she meets later? Another reason I love the cover is that it gives a hint as to the setting. I would read this book just from the book cover!

FIRST CHAPTER REVIEW:

Somewhere in Wyoming Territory, July 1870. This is where this captivating first chapter starts. We have Shanna Marie Johnston riding the train going back home to Pine Bluffs. There is a train wreck. Before I go on, I loved the way the author didn't go into what a train wreck sounded like, looked like, and instead it's in Shanna's voice that we come to the conclusion there is a train wreck. Very very good writing. So we have Shanna coming to in the middle of a train wreck and a stranger confronts her calling her by another name. She is reaaal confused. She tries to explain she's not the woman he is looking for and it doesn't help he has a gun pointed to her head. We do switch to his voice in which he can't figure out why this 'Jenna' as he remembered her is saying she's not Jenna but is Shanna. He starts saying things like, 'Tell me where your men are.' And she's like clueless. But she does wonder if this has anything to do with Mama's secret - the secret that forced Shanna as a young child to stay with Joseph and Sara in Rock Creek because Pine Bluff with Mama was too dangerous. Shanna is a spitfire, though, which I'm sure we'll hear more about in later chapters.

KEEP READING?

Definitely. I want to know the secret. I want to know why this man is calling her Jenna and not Shanna. Weird, isn't it? Sounds like he's confused but man he is so convincing. And this is the main reason I would keep reading. While this is a historical western romance, it's taking on a mystery feel. Kudos to the author for such an interesting read!

Pick up your copy!

Amazon → https://amzn.to/37enrOC

Barnes & Noble → https://bit.ly/2HEjNoF

Walmart → https://bit.ly/3fAhiAh

Meet The Author

Virginia Barlow has a zest for life. She has accomplished many goals including raising a large family. She has been a bookkeeper, a hostess, an EMT-I, a lieutenant in the local fire department, a manager and an author. She likes to knit, crochet, quilt and sew. She is funny, talented and very creative. Virginia looks at life through rose colored glasses and owns it. She is happiest when is at her computer immersed in her current novel. She loves to sip coffee or wine while she contemplates whether to kill off characters in her book or not. Virginia is a good friend and has an endless supply of love for friends and family.