Review: To Stand With Angels by CJ Gabriel

To Stand with Angels

by Caitlynn J. Gabriel
eBook ISBN: 9781615720934

Genre: Romance
Sub Genre: Paranormal
Plus-Novel of 112000 words
Heat rating: 2

Edited by Lea Schizas
Cover Artwork by Dawné Dominique
Print ISBN: 9781615720941

About the book:
For seven years she’s fought her demons, but now a stranger has arrived and the real battle is about to begin…

In the wild Wyoming Territory, controlled by an evil cattle baron and his outlaw’s guns, one woman is hiding from her horrific crime and one man is seeking revenge. But when a deadly stranger comes to town, Evil takes on a terrifying new face. Now hiding is no longer an option and a revolver cannot kill the supernatural presence that is waiting in the dark city to claim the souls of those foolish enough to stand against it....

The above information was obtained from Eternal Press

*I was asked to review this book by the author.*
*However, all thoughts and comments regarding this book are solely mine*

Before I start my review, let me let you in on a little secret... The author did her homework on me... she pre-warned me that her book was not up to my smutty reading habits (okay, I sound like a crack book wh*re ~ at least I can admit it). LOL. I thought that was funny. So, knowing what I read, she still asked me to review this book. I am always up for a reading challenge of stepping out of my comfort zone. And the fact that this author made a point to come to my place and check out my reading habits made me feel a little warm and fuzzy. Okay, so sue me; it is nice to be "checked" out every once in a while. LOL! Ha, get it.. okay okay.. Moving on.
So, with that being said... let's get to the review of this book....

I have figured out that recently I have a holy shit review system (lol)... and this one falls under it. I know, your eyes are popping out your head right now and you are shaking your head in disbelief. You are questioning yourself and me ~ this book is not smutty and Cecile is giving it a holy shit review. Yep, I sure am! This book has it all. Ms. CJ rocked my world with this book.

The first thing about this book is the time set. It is set around the 1878, in the wild Wyoming Territory. I have not read any western books and my historical rendezvous readings have been very few. But I knew enough to know that some can be steamy and some not. Now remember the warning I received from Ms. CJ. So, I knew there was no smexing going on or hot off the charts sex. But the concept of this book intrigued me to no end. A woman with a past she believes will consume her and a stranger to unravel it all.

I opened the books and started reading it... I was shocked when I was immense all the way into Chapter 5 before I realized that I had not put the book down once. (Starting off really good).
Ms. Gabriel threw me in world that she described so well, it made me feel as if I lived in Rian's home with her and her nephew. Her words so vivid, I could hear the horse's breathing, see the bluff up ahead, I could feel the rain when it poured. I could see the past hidden in the eyes of her characters. The world which she created, sucked me in. Then the men in the book, do not think I will not include them. They are just as dangerous as I would wish my outlaws to be.

Let's meet Rian, a woman with a dark past. A past that she believes will consume her one day. She just hopes that day is long after she is able to raise her nephew, Kendall. I will not say a woman on the run because back then, I am sure everyone was on the run for something. Rian is a woman hell bent on protecting her home, her nephew, her life and her heart and not particularly in that order. But that is all she had left in the world. A world that is unforgiven, a world that would turn its back to you in a split second. The dreams/nightmares that she has keeps plaguing her relentlessly. What those dreams meant, she had no idea, just that she was a part of them all. Rian is a strong woman, and towards the end of the book... well we learn just how strong she really is.

I also have to say that this is the first book I have read with a child/ren in it. I am not sure why, but I just steer clear of "family" type books. Doesn't go with the smut scene to well. So, I was very interested on my reaction to this book because of Kendall. He stole my heart with his inquisitive questions, he adorable gestures and his pure heart. In a sense, he stole the show when he would appear. But what is more apparent is the love that Rian has for her nephew. Her deceased brother's child. Or at least that is what she was told... Cliff hanger... Yep!

Bradyn, oh where do I start with this man... His past is about as black as some people take their coffee. But his heart, his heart is of another matter. He would like to think that he is damaged good, a no good fella; but I will have none of that. I believe that everyone is redeemable. Anyway... Bradyn shows up at Rian's ranch in pretty bad shape. How bad you may ask me... so bad he could hear death knocking on his back door. Bradyn proves nothing but bad news for Rian and for that he is truly sorry. Wanting to leave was what he should have done, but staying is what his heart told him he needed to do. But Bradyn was a hell bent man. Bent on revenge, hurt, pain, lost, and settling the score.

Ms. CJ wrote a very well written story. A story that took me a on journey I will never forget. This book started one way and ended a completely different way than I thought. I read this book in matter of two days (did I mention that I stayed up till 3 in the morning to finish it ~ *shrugs* what I had to know what happened). Yeah, it was that good. She took me on an adventure of good vs. evil. An adventure of the what if's, what should and all those other questions.

This is a wild wide in the wild west and a story of two people trying to over come their past and move on. But can they move on or will their past keep them there... in their past. Can you over come a deep, dark ugly past? Do you want to share your past with someone you barely know? What happens when you share your past? Do you fear what judgment they will pass on you? And what will their judgment be? But what do you do when your heart crashes into the other one? How can you love someone with a dark past? Can you love someone with a shady past? All these questions, do you get the answers..... Of course you do... You just have to read the book!

You will not regret reading this book. This is a wonderful world that captivate you, excite you, make you say "yep, I knew that would happen". The villains in her story are so well crafted that you will want to kill them yourself. Again, Ms. CJ did an awesome job of pulling the reading in her story and making them stay till the very last page. Oh believe me... it is good until the last drop... Now I am waiting for the next book!!!!! Oh yeah... She has another one coming.
Hats off to you Ms CJ for an awesome job at helping one reader step out of her comfort zone!


To read an excerpt, please click on this link ->> excerpt
To check out what she is doing and who is having over as guests, please go to her blog. Click on this link -->>blog
To visit her home place (her web site), please click on this link -->> web