In the mountains of Colorado, a small town called Angel’s End welcomes everyone with open arms—even a man fleeing his past…
Wounded and on the run, Cade Gentry stumbles into a kind man who’s on his way to become the new pastor of Angel’s End. But not long after Timothy Key takes him in, Cade’s enemies catch up with him, and the young pastor is killed in the crossfire. Cade survives, stealing Timothy’s identity to escape, and arrives in Angel’s End on the brink of death.
Leah Findley is the sheriff’s widow, trying to make ends meet for herself and her son. Having the new minister as a boarder will help, but she isn’t expecting him to be wounded when he arrives. And she definitely isn’t expecting the feelings that the new preacher stirs deep inside her.
The more time Cade spends with Leah, the deeper he falls in love. To Cade, she’s an angel who’s saved his life and given him the sense of hope he’s never known. But he’s not the man she thinks he is, and before he can find permanent shelter in Leah’s arms, he must learn to have faith and put his former sins to rest...
Type: Historical Romance, America/Western
Heat: 2.5 out of 5
Rating: 5 out of 5
I spent a good chunk of the last day finding anything I could around the house that would keep me busy so I could avoid finishing Angel's End. Oy, I know that sounds kinda bad but really it's so not what you're thinking because I absolutely loved this book. I kept stalling because I just didn't want my time with Leah and Cade to actually end.
The set up is pretty interesting with Cade taking on the identity of the town's pastor after his past catches up to him and the real man on the way to be Angel Rest's pastor ends in in the cross-hairs with deadly consequences. Arriving in town gravely injured they take him in, assuming he's Pastor Timothy, and everything just happens from there.
I loved both Cade and Leah, the woman who was providing housing for the town's new pastor. There are so many differences between the two but deep down just as many similarities. I really liked the two together as well. They just felt good together and I loved all of those casual intimacies that popped up between them because of the close quarters. And oooo things got a little steamier than I was expecting too!
Leah's an incredibly kind and giving woman and it gets her in trouble now and again. She's strong and passionate and doing everything she can to survive and keep her head up while she raises her son alone after the death of her husband years earlier. And Cade. He's one of those heroes that doesn't have a squeaky clean past. His soul is scarred and he really has no faith in God or himself. But no matter what he's done in his past he's a good man which comes cross wonderfully with how he is with animals and children *swoon* (not to mention Leah)
Something I really enjoyed about the book in general was just experiencing what they all went through daily and getting to see their lives. The dangers and hardship of life back then and the things Leah and Cade went through were heart stopping. From illnesses and outlaws to just dealing with the harsh elements of mother nature and living in a small town where not only did they not have a Pastor but no Sheriff or doctors. Where you did what you could and prayed for things to turn out. Where people cared about each other, were nosey, had heart and passion and got through things by shear determination and finding humor where they could. [like a town called Angel's End naming it's diner "the Devil's Table" and it's Salon "Heaven's Gate"]
I loved both Cade and Leah, the woman who was providing housing for the town's new pastor. There are so many differences between the two but deep down just as many similarities. I really liked the two together as well. They just felt good together and I loved all of those casual intimacies that popped up between them because of the close quarters. And oooo things got a little steamier than I was expecting too!
Leah's an incredibly kind and giving woman and it gets her in trouble now and again. She's strong and passionate and doing everything she can to survive and keep her head up while she raises her son alone after the death of her husband years earlier. And Cade. He's one of those heroes that doesn't have a squeaky clean past. His soul is scarred and he really has no faith in God or himself. But no matter what he's done in his past he's a good man which comes cross wonderfully with how he is with animals and children *swoon* (not to mention Leah)
Something I really enjoyed about the book in general was just experiencing what they all went through daily and getting to see their lives. The dangers and hardship of life back then and the things Leah and Cade went through were heart stopping. From illnesses and outlaws to just dealing with the harsh elements of mother nature and living in a small town where not only did they not have a Pastor but no Sheriff or doctors. Where you did what you could and prayed for things to turn out. Where people cared about each other, were nosey, had heart and passion and got through things by shear determination and finding humor where they could. [like a town called Angel's End naming it's diner "the Devil's Table" and it's Salon "Heaven's Gate"]
With characters that are passionate and caring, hidden identities and a look into life in the American West and all of the difficulties it brought with it Angel's End had me both captivated and charmed from page one. I'm really looking forward to reading more from Holby and getting to hear the stories of all the other townsfolk. From the Salon owner and his "soiled dove" to the local rancher that's been pining away fro Leah. They're an interesting lot and if the next book is anything like this one it's going to be amazing.
Cindy Holby first became published in 2002 with her historical western Chase The Wind. Since that time she has written eleven historicals, three sci/fi romances, one time travel, four young adult novels and two short stories. Some have even won awards.
Her latest release is Angels End, from Berkley, the first book in a new historical western series. This November, Ashes Of Twilight, the first book in her highly anticipated steampunk dystopian series will be released from SMP under the pen name Kassy Tayler.
Cindy lives in NC with her husband Rob, her doxie Cody and two cats, Cisco and Dax. She also works with the humane society and has a blog about rescue titled Authors For Animals.
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