Lily and the Lawman by author Erica Vetsch is Book Two in the Idaho Brides series. This is a Christian, historical, western, romance with a lot of adventure. Even though I did not read Book One, I did not have any difficulty following the story. It is a quick, sweet read with characters that are engaging.

It takes place in Money Creek, Idaho, in 1883. Lily works in a diner and gets a room for not just herself, but her sister, Violet and infant niece, Rose. It is also about temporary lawman, Trace. He was

chosen as the town’s temporary sheriff when something happen to their regular one.

He is calm, steady and devoted even though he is just a temporary lawman. Trace really wants to be an US Marshal. However, the town is skeptical because his father is the town drunk. Lily is sweet, determined, and only wants to keep her sister and niece safe. without the help of a man. Something happens that put both Trace and Lily together where they must work together and trust God in orders to get answers.

I really enjoyed the author’s style of writing. There were many twists and turns to keep readers on their toes. It was an exciting read that kept me turning pages until the end. There is a faith element in the story.

I highly recommend Lily and the Lawman. It receives a 4 out of 5 star rating. I received a complimentary copy from CelebrateLit, but these are my honest thoughts.

About the Book

Book: Lily and the Lawman

Author: Erica Vetsch

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Release Date: October 13, 2025

A desperate aunt and a duty-bound sheriff—thrown into marriage by necessity, driven by danger, and risking everything to rescue a child…and their hearts.

All Lily Whitman wants is to open her bakery and provide a good life for her sister and infant niece. But when her niece is kidnapped by a ruthless gang, Lily is frantic to get her back. The only one who can help is the new acting sheriff, Trace McConnell. Though she’s sworn never to trust a man again, she finds herself forced to rely on this quiet lawman—worse, she’s forced to marry him to protect her reputation during the search.

Trace McConnell, a man who sees the world in black and white, does everything by the book, and keeps his feelings to himself. He’s dreamed of being a real lawman his whole life, not just a temporary replacement. When a U.S. Marshal arrives with news of a child kidnapping ring, Trace sees his chance to prove himself worthy of the badge. But his new “wife” keeps throwing his carefully laid plans into chaos with her determination to help—and his growing feelings for her threaten to compromise his focus on justice.

Can two people burned by past betrayals learn to trust again in time to save an innocent child? Or will their fears cost them not only their chance at love, but the life of the baby they’re desperate to rescue?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

More from Erica

Lily and the Lawman has one of my favorite opening lines that I’ve ever written.

No man should have to arrest his own father—at least not more than once a month.

And so begins Trace McConnell’s adventure to lasting happiness. Trace is a lawman, and his father is the town drunk. He heads out on the trail of some bad men who have kidnapped a baby girl. He doesn’t go alone, the child’s aunt goes with him. Mayhem, danger, and love along the way happen, hopefully leading to a satisfying conclusion for everyone but the bad guy.

But I wanted to talk about first lines in fiction. First lines have to do some heavy lifting! So much responsibility! If you are a writer, you have to consider so many things when writing that first line. Does it set the tone of the book? Does it reveal something up front about the character? Does it make the reader ask a question? Does it make the reader want to continue on to see what happens next?

When I’m writing a new story, I often put in all capital letters in the first draft: WRITE A GREAT FIRST LINE HERE. Then I go on with the opening scene.

You see, there is something intimidating in starting a new story, seeing all the blank, white space where words need to go. And it’s worse when you know how important a first line can be. So I put in a place holder. Often I don’t know what the first line should be until I’m into the story a ways. Only rarely do I know what the first line will be, and even then I often change it later.

When I need inspiration, I peruse my bookshelves to read first lines. Here are two of my favorites, both from the late secular writer, Dick Francis

From To the Hilt: I don’t think my stepfather much minded dying. That he almost took me with him wasn’t really his fault.

From Longshot: I accepted a commission that had been turned down by four other writers, but I was hungry at the time.

Do you have a favorite first line?

Blog Stops

Pens Pages & Pulses, October 28

Texas Book-aholic, October 28

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 29

Life on Chickadee Lane, October 30

For Him and My Family, October 30

Vicky Sluiter, October 31

Sydney Schmied Books, October 31

lakesidelivingsite, November 1

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 2

Alyssa Madjeski, November 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 3

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, November 4

Book Looks by Lisa, November 4

Devoted Steps, November 5

Devoted To Hope, November 5

Simple Harvest Reads, November 6 (Guest Review from Mindy)

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 6

Melissa’s Bookshelf, November 7

The Mommies Reviews, November 7

Books Less Travelled, November 8

Mary Hake, November 8

Blossoms and Blessings, November 9

Holly’s Book Corner, November 9

Pause for Tales, November 10

Bizwings Blog, November 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Erica is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

The Bartered Bride begins the series Brides of the West by author Erica Vetsch. This is a Christian historical marriage of convenience novel. I really enjoyed this book and will be watching for the next one.

This is a very different and interesting tale. It is the story of Melissa Brook and Jonathan. Her parents and his grandfather have decided that they should marry for the financial gain of both families. Neither one is keen on an arranged marriage, but after a little bit they begin to change their minds.

The author has done an excellent job with the story. There is romance, mystery, history, and twists. I was invested in the characters and their stories from the beginning. For me, this was a page turner. The story rolled along at a nice pace. Characters were realistic, and conversations sounded true to the time period.

I appreciated the faith element and message in this novel. There are lessons on forgiveness, trust, faith, and love. This would make a nice book club selection. I highly recommend it. It receives a 5 star rating from me.

A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit, but these are my honest words.

About the Book

Book: The Bartered Bride

Author: Erica Vetsch

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 8, 2025

A rebellious suffragette and a steadfast sailor—tied by duty, divided by secrets, and tempted by a love that changes everything.

A born sailor, Jonathan Kennebrae thrives in his role running his grandfather’s shipping enterprise. That is until his grandfather delivers a crippling ultimatum—Jonathan will marry Melissa Brooke or lose his inheritance and everything he’s worked for. Though Jonathan finds himself drawn to Melissa, he can’t help feeling his intended may not be who she appears to be.

Melissa Brooke is tired of being voiceless. She’s been the perfect daughter all her life, doing what she’s told for the good of the family. Except she has a secret. Melissa lives a double life, teaching literacy to struggling immigrant women and fighting for the suffragette movement. If she goes through with the wedding, she’ll be forced to abandon her life’s work. Yet refusing the union could cost her any chance at an inheritance to fund her cause. To make matters worse, she can’t deny the tender feelings blooming between her and her fiancé.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Best-selling, award-winning author of The Debutante’s Code, first in the Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery Series, Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum. You can connect with her at her website where you can learn about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online where she spends way too much time!

More from Erica

Do you ever wish you could turn back time? That’s what I recently got to do, as I read through my very first published novel, The Bartered Bride, that is now being re-released by Wild Heart Books.

What a blast from the past. I was amazed at all the feelings that rushed back in as I revisited Duluth, MN in the last century. Melissa and Jonathan hadn’t changed a bit in sixteen years.

The story idea first came to me as I sat in church awaiting the start of the service. There I was, a not-yet-published-author, minding my own business when the plot sort of burst into my head. An arranged marriage set in Duluth, and using the “Gales of November” and the wreck of the Mataafa…

I jotted down a few notes, because face it, the best idea for a novel could pop into my head, and if I don’t write down the gist, I will forget it in two minutes.

I wrote The Bartered Bride in about six weeks, and I sent it through my critique group of the time. Then my agent submitted it to the publisher in the spring of 2008.

And we waited.

And waited.

We heard nothing for months. My agent sent word that the publisher was still considering it, and I was to be patient. It wasn’t a no, but it also wasn’t a resounding yes!

I had already started the sequel to The Bartered Bride, a story called Marriage Masquerade, so I finished that one, and then with summer upon me, I wrote a new story, Clara and the Cowboy, about an heiress to a ranch and one of the cowboys who rode for her father. Maybe the publisher would like that series better. I heard nothing all summer on either of the two series I had proposed and submitted.

Then in September of that year, I went to the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference. The conference was being held in Minnesota, just a hop up the road from where I live. I ferried agents and editors from the airport to the hotel, I met people, I sat in workshops, all the time wondering if I would ever be a published author. Would my writing ever be ‘good enough’? Was I wasting my time?

Imagine my surprise when the publisher to whom I had submitted The Bartered Bride took the stage at a general session and announced that they were offering a contract to me for that book! Not only that, but when I had an appointment with the editor later, she offered not only a three-book contract on the The North Star Brides, but an additional three-book contract for the Brides of Money Creek of which Clara and the Cowboy was book one!

I had sold six books! The rest of the conference, you could have bought me for a dollar.

Melissa and Jonathan will always have a special place in my heart. They were the couple that started it all. I’m so glad they are getting a new start, and hopefully they will touch readers’ hearts as much as they have mine.