Book Review: Love By Pony Express by Kelly F. Barr

Posted July 27, 2024

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Please be sure to visit Carrie’s website and read more of her reviews.

About the Book: LOVE BY PONY EXPRESS by Kelly F. Barr
SERIES: The Stars Into Horses #1
GENRE: Historical Western Romance (Christian)
PUBLISHER: Kelly F. Barr Publishing
RELEASE DATE: June 6, 2024
PAGES: 433

Johnny Reason notices a woman with a long red braid swaying in the middle of her back as she steps from the train before him in St. Joseph, Missouri, where his life as a Pony Express Rider will begin. But as he settles into his new life, Erin, a bold young woman seeking a husband, sets her sights on him. He soon wonders which is more dangerous–riding for the Pony Express or being pursued by Erin Byrne.

And why do thoughts of the young lady with the long red braid continue to invade his mind?

Since her mother’s death, Maggie Carter has struggled to get out from under her oldest sister’s thumb to live her own life. Sparks of romance stir within her from the first moment she sees the handsome Pony Express rider, Johnny, but her overbearing sister has determined that Maggie needs to find someone more fitting for her social standing.

Will Maggie win Johnny’s heart, or will her sister put an end to the relationship before it starts?

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Carrie’s Thoughts

Even though it only lasted for 18 months, there’s something about the Pony Express that still captivates us over 150 years later. In Love By Pony Express, debut author Kelly F. Barr builds on this fascinating history with a mix of fact and fiction – and romance!

The hero of the story, Johnny Reason, may be a figment of Barr’s imagination but he’s based on various Pony Express riders, including the very first – the role that Johnny takes in this book. I enjoyed the fanfare surrounding the inaugural ride (some of it, like the mayor’s rather lofty speech, taken verbatim from historical accounts) and learning more about the expectations for the riders and the potential dangers they faced. From riding at night (where you can’t see potential harm/pitfalls to the horse or rider) to tribal attacks, dust storms, and blizzards, these Pony Express riders like Johnny were much braver, more daring – and a lot dustier (lol) – than I realized.

Historical representation notwithstanding, Johnny is a sweet character with a good heart, integrity, and a strong sense of morality. His background is tragic and heartbreaking but he’s allowed it to shape him into a stronger person and I enjoyed getting to know him on these pages. The main love interest in Love By Pony Express – Maggie – is equally likeable and kindhearted, despite her overbearing sister who (thankfully) is Maggie’s opposite. Johnny and Maggie’s relationship is gentle and warm, with attraction growing from its initial spark to something deeper through simple-but-meaningful time spent together.

Bottom Line: Love By Pony Express by Kelly F. Barr captures an intriguing time in ‘Old West’ history, giving readers a well-researched glimpse into the adventure of being a rider for this groundbreaking mail service. Johnny Reason and Maggie Carter are easy characters to like, and you will smile as their romance grows from a sweet courtship to gentle passion over the course of the book. I do admit to feeling disconnected from the story overall, I suspect because some scenes didn’t really advance the plot and therefore the pace meanders a bit. But I was engaged enough that I want to see where Barr takes the series and, in particular, if a certain saloon waitress gets her own story. Kelly Barr is an author to watch for sure, and I think fans of Tracie Peterson and Lauraine Snelling will enjoy this book too!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4 stars / liked it!

KissingBook Level: 3+ / will forget to breathe on occasion

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