No Way Up 

The Cimarron Legacy #1

Paperback, ebook, hardcover, audio 

July 5, 2016

by Mary Connealy

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
• ISBN-13: 978-0764211812

New Western Romance Series from Bestselling Author Mary ConnealyWhen Cimarron ranch patriarch Chance Boden is caught in an avalanche, the quick actions of hired hand Heath Kincaid save him. Badly injured, Chance demands that his will be read and its conditions be enforced immediately. 

Without anyone else to serve as a witness, Heath is pressed into reading the will. If Justin, Sadie, and Cole Boden don't live and work at home for the entire year, the ranch will go to their low-down cousin Mike. 

Then Heath discovers the avalanche was a murder attempt, and more danger might follow. Deeply involved with the family, Heath's desire to protect Sadie goes far beyond friendship. The danger keeps them close together, and their feelings grow until being apart is the last thing on their minds.

My thoughts: NO WAY UP is classic Mary Connealy.   She uses strong verbs that really add a lot of punch to her scenes - "She erupted out of the chair." "He stormed across the room." You can feel the action and the tension!  Add in an unexpected avalanche of stones. loads of injuries to the key players, an unexpected clause in the will (which was read before the death) and siblings who don't get along -- oh, and then discover that the avalanche was really an attempted  murder!

A family saga, a historical, a western, and lots of mystery and suspense and you have a book that has pages that turn and turn and turn until you finish the book! You have to keep reading to discover what happens next or how they'll survive the attack or avalanche or whatever. 

Negatives: the story is a bit slow and did lack some of the sass I'm used to with her books. Also some of the events are a bit silly and far-fetched - but that does add to the humor that is trademark for this author.

NO WAY UP is the first book in Ms. Connealy's new series, The Cimarron Legacy about the two brothers and one sister in the family (and the family dynamics). Long time fans of Ms. Connealy will not want to miss NO WAY UP and those who like westerns, mystery, suspense, historicals, and maybe a touch of romance will likely enjoy Ms. Connealy's books.  Recommended. 4 stars.