Author Mary Connealy continues her fast-paced, plot-driven family saga in A Man with a Past book 2 in her brand new Brothers in Arms series. Oldest brother Falcon Hunt's story is told. Having suffered a severe head injury that caused him to have amnesia. He can't recall his past, his name or anything. The Hunt clan bands together to aid Falcon to try to regain his fragmented memories of who he is. Attempting to assist Flacon in remembering who he is is challenging because to the family Falcon is virtually a stranger to them. Biologically, Falcon like Kevin is family yet they know very little about him. Although this doesn't stop them from endeavoring to try through keen observations and patience. Ms. Connealy's theme of family first carries over seamlessly into the 2nd book.
Even though Falcon can't recall his past he feels a sense of rightness with his brothers and their siblings. ""Falcon found himself enjoying the way the family ate and talked and squabbled...Family, it was an interesting business. He found it suited him." (Connealy, 134-135).
Falcon can't help, but be intrigued and captivated by Cheyenne Brewster. "He thought she was about the prettiest woman he'd ever seen." (Connealy, 62).
Cheyenne for her part struggles with how much Falcon looks like her no-account, swindling, step-father Clovis Hunt who stole her inheritance and divided it up among her step-brother Wyatt and his two half brothers Falcon and Kevin.
One trait I appreciate about Falcon was he was a man of honor. When he has flashbacks of a woman named Patsy not knowing if she's his wife or what relation she is to him he tells Cheyenne that..."from this day forward, I intend to be a better man than my pa, and that means nothing passing betwixt the two of us until I know for certain I am free." (Connealy, 138). I don't know of any trait more attractive in a character than honor!
Cheyenne had several qualities I appreciated about her. She's a hard working on the ranch and can brand cattle faster than most men. She's feisty and headstrong at times and tends to charge ahead without always thinking. Clovis Hunt's will splitting the RHR into 3 sections puts her in a difficult spot. Everything she's even know is called into question. She still struggles at times with excepting the will, but rather than complain she prays. "She'd prayed about it. She really had. Prayed and prayed and prayed to accept what she could not change." (Connealy, 33.) Cheyenne is the perfect foil for Falcon.
Will Falcon be able to piece together his past soon enough for he and Cheyenne to have a future together?
The theme that resonated with me most was family first. Despite the fact the Hunt clan was unusual for all of the half siblings they still presented a united front helping one another when one of their own was attacked...doing everything they could to help solve the mystery.
The style of Ms. Connealy's Brothers in Arms series is reminiscent of her Cimmaron Legacy series in the fact that she presents a mystery in the first book and slowly unfolds it through the course of the series, which makes you want to continue diving into the series. Each book she drops more hints and clues, but we'll have to wait till book 3 to find out who is really after the Hunt clan.
Ms. Connealy writes solid plot driven books, however, I do find myself wanting to be able to connect to the characters more in the books as sometimes they stay static as people without much character growth or change because of the strong focus on moving the plot forward with many points of view.
Unique Observation: If you take the first book in the Brothers in Arms series(Braced for Love) and lay it cover up and then place A Man with a Past next to it you'll find it fits perfectly to reveal a picture of the three brothers once again enforcing the theme of family first. I thought this was so clever and unique marking on behalf of the publisher and author.
~~A Man with a Past was provided to me by the author and Bethany House in return for my honest review. I received a complimentary copy of the book. All opinions expressed are my own, I was not required to write a positive review. All viewpoints expressed are my own.~~
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