Mary Cardwell Savage never meant to send that letter to her ex, Chase Steele.

How could she know her words would bring the gorgeous cowboy back to Big Sky, Montana—with an unstable and dangerous stalker following close behind?

Now Chase wants to prove that their love deserves a second chance. And this time, nothing will keep him from his heart’s desire…not even a killer.

Titles in the Cardwell Ranch: Montana Legacy series include – Steel Resolve – Iron Will –

*note – there are connected series including Montana Mystique (first Cardwell Ranch) and the Cardwell Cousins series.  Do you “have” to have read the earlier titles?  No, of course not.  But you will find background and some amazing stories should you decide to go back to the very beginning of the Cardwell stories.

Title:  Steel Resolve
Series:  Cardwell Ranch: Montana Legacy #1
Author:  B.J. Daniels
Genre:  Romantic Suspense, Modern Western Romance
Published:  June 18, 2019
Publisher:  Harlequin Intrigue
My Rating:  4 stars

I, personally, love when authors revisit their earlier series with additional stories, new family members or take us into the next generation.  So picking up STEEL RESOLVE was a given for me as I’ve enjoyed Dana and Hud’s story in an earlier series and cameo appearances in others.  To see their daughter finding love and facing danger was like coming home to family treat for me.

Once, Mary and Chase had a future together ahead of them – until one event changed everything and they went their separate ways in hurt and anger.  Now, simply by writing out her true feelings for Chase and leaving the letter where she shouldn’t have she has brought Chase home — and more trouble than anyone bargained for as well.

STEEL RESOLVE is told in several points of view, the most unique one (to me) was the voice of one deranged woman as she planned and executed her evil doings.  Hud is also heard as he tracks down cattle thieves, and he has a very good idea of who to blame he just needs proof.  And then there are Mary’s and Chase’s voices as we hear the story from their point of view.  Admittedly, there is a lot going on in this story, but I didn’t find it difficult to keep the stories straight while reading.  Even with an established Cardwell universe, there is still some world building for this new series, which I expected.

I enjoyed my time in STEEL RESOLVE, there is the second chance romance for Chase and Mary, a real danger to Mary on a few different fronts, a mystery to solve and old friends to catch up with.  If you’ve followed the Cardwell series then you’ll enjoy going back for a visit – if this is your first Cardwell story then anything you really need to know about the characters is given to you in this story.  I had fun, and that’s the entire point of reading Romantic Suspense.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story.  It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Available in paperback and for the Kindle