Rosa's Land

Western Justice #1

by Gilbert Morris

Book by Morris, Gilbert

Genres: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Christian, Westerns, Romance, Historical, Ebooks

419 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2013

About the author

also published under the name Gilbert L. Morris

Gilbert Morris was one of today's best-known Christian novelists. He lived in Gulf Shores, Alabama, with his wife, Johnnie. He is the father to Lynn Morris and Alan Morris

Series:
* Adventures of Kerrigan Kids
* American Century
* Appomattox Saga
* Barney Buck
* Bonnets and Bugles
* Cheney Duvall, M.D. (with Lynn Morris)
* Cheney and Shiloh: The Inheritance (with Lynn Morris)
* Chronicles of the Golden Frontier
* The Creole (with Lynn Morris)
* Danielle Ross Mystery
* Daystar Voyages
* Dixie Morris Animal Adventures
* Far Fields (with Robert Funderburk)
* House of Winslow
* Jacques and Cleo: Cat Detectives
* Katy Steele Adventures (with Alan Morris)
* Lady Trent Mystery
* Liberty Bell
* Lions of Judah
* Lone Star Legacy
* Omega (with Lynn Morris and Alan Morris)
* The Price of Liberty (with Robert Funderburk)
* Reno Western Saga
* Seven Sleepers
* Seven Sleepers: The Lost Chronicles
* Singing River
* Spirit of Appalachia (with Aaron McCarver)
* Too Smart Jones
*

Reviews

[Iola · Rating 2 out of 5]

Twenty-year-old artist Lafayette Riordan, known as Faye, decides to leave New York and become a marshal in Indian territory after a failed love affair. The Amazon blurb then says, “When faced with the opportunity to realize his dream, can he summon the courage to hunt down the outlaws? Or will one headstrong female rancher capture his heart first?”. Well, this is Christian historical romance, so you can probably work out the answers yourself.

I found Rosa’s Land very hard to get in to, which was a surprise as I’ve never had a problem with other books from Gilbert Morris. The opening scene focused on Faye’s father and brothers, yet Faye is supposed to be the main character. Rosa, the titular character, didn’t even appear until one-quarter of the way through the book, and she didn’t meet Faye until a lot later. The writing style felt as though it was targeting young readers, not adults. I also thought there was too much back story and repetition (particularly in the first half), and there were a number of distracting continuity errors.

On the plus side, the second half of the book was much better than the first, because it was here that we finally got into the story, where Faye finally gets a chance to prove to himself that he is a man. And the spelling and grammar were excellent throughout.

If this were a first novel by a self-published author, I might find it easier to overlook consistency errors, distant point of view, repetition, telling-not-showing, all of which are symptoms of an old-fashioned writing style. After all, I’d reason, a new author is still learning the craft. If they have the basic foundations of plot and character, their writing will improve in time. But Gilbert Morris isn’t a new author, which is why I expected better. According to Wikipedia, he’s been publishing since 1984 and has close to 230 published novels to his credit, including forty in his House of Winslow series, and more than eighty youth novels.

Perhaps that’s just the problem: with an average of over eight books published each year, that’s six weeks to write each book, which is an impressive output for anyone, let alone a man in his eighties. It just doesn’t allow time for revising and editing, for making sure that the facts are correct and the story hangs together logically.

And, in this book, it shows. One comment on his website describes his work as having ‘an old-fashioned flair’. Well, his writing style is certainly stuck in the 1990’s, but personally, I didn’t see the flair. Expected better.

Thanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

[Dianne Ragland · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible book of the difference knowing Jesus as personal Saviour and trusting Him in the seeming impossible situations. Mr. Morris entertains the wild west with it's beauty and danger into a story of survival and answered prayer. I recommend this book to ay who enjoy reading about this brave and strong peel of the early West who truly depended o. God for their very lives.Gilbert Morris also uses scripture to comfort and encourage the characters in this book.

This book is educational , entertaining, easy reading, along with spiritually encouraging.Gilbert Morris is one of my favorite authors. Enjoy !

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is about a young man, Lafayette Riordan, living the good life in New York City in 1886. His father, Caleb, and two older brothers are rough, tough businessmen and when the he was born, Eileen, told her husband "...this son is going to be mine. I'll make all the decisions about his school, his clothes. I'll raise him to be a gentleman. You got our two other sons, and you've made them hard, callous men." So, you see that young "Faye" as she started calling him had no chance but to be a born and bred "mama's boy".

Eventually, he did get some backbone in him and learn to ride a horse (a very old, gentle horse) and shoot a gun (small enough for him to handle) and he even took off on an outdoor adventure for a month to see if he could survive in the woods all by himself. And he did just that. He finally decides he wants to go out west and become a US Marshal, of all things, and he does go with his mom's blessings, ha!. Little did he know that she wrote to Judge Isaac Parker, who was over the marshall's, asking him "When my son comes to ask you to make him part of your force, agree to take him but give him the most humiliating, dirtiest job you can possibly think of. Keep him at it, and I'm sure in a short time he'll become discouraged and change his mind." But Faye didn't. But I'll tell you, Faye, was just a little bit too good. He was happy and never complained and did all the dirty work and it was just unbelievable. Finally, in Chapter 7, we finally meet Rosa, from Mexico, and she moved to Texas to help her uncle and extranged father with their ranch. Eventually, Faye and Rosa meet and not to give too many "spoilers" I won't say anything else.

I was very disappointed in this book and really could not believe Gilbert Morris wrote it. I have not read any of his most current books, but he was one of the first Christian authors I read when I switched from secular to Christian fiction. I loved his House of Winslow series and Cheney Duvall, M.D. series, and have always wanted to go back and read them again. But the characters in Rosa's Land were not developed well, the storyline left me feeling a little dizzy, and the narrative and dialogue was very choppy. One Amazon reviewer noticed that Faye was in an art gallery making mention of a painting that President Roosevelt liked, but did not buy and with the story line set in 1886 the President was Grover Cleveland. And I noticed that one of the "outlaws" referred to his nasty cabin "Well, it's not the Waldorf". For one thing I can't imagine that he would even know anything about such a high society place, and the other thing is that the Waldorf wasn't opened until 1893. So unless the time period in this book was not detailed for us, the Waldorf was seven years in the future.

The best thing about this book and the best writing in it, was in Chapter 19 when they were in church listening to one of the best little sermons I've read written in a book. It's too long to quote, but if you do read this book you'll be in for a treat by reading this sermon. Maybe Mr. Morris should write a book of sermons, because he's obviously very good at it.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley.com for my honest review

[Reet Champion]

Rosa Ramirez can't wait for the day when circumstances will change. She hates working at the cantina but with her parents and siblings just one step away from a life of intense poverty she sally forths despite the dangers she encounters on a daily basis. Then one day news comes. Her grandfather, who she has never known, has invited the Ramirez family to live with him at his expansive ranch. The catch? The ranch is located in bandit territory and if Rosa aims to keep the ranch she is going to have to fight off outlaws. Enter Lafayette Riordan.

Faye's mother had grander plans for her boy. He was to become a famous artist and live out the life of ease as he was accustomed to - not go traipsing out West to get himself killed. And to be honest Faye is more cut out for the canvas and sketchbook. But unsatisfied with his life, Faye pulls up stakes and becomes a marshal in bandit territory. As he battles outlaws he is thrown together with temperamental Rosa. Will she ever stop butting heads with him over her sure-of-herself way so they can overcome their common enemy?

I've been hearing a lot about Gilbert Morris' new series Western Justice and not all of it good, which is surprising considering the caliber of his other stories. At the time I thought it might be a matter of taste that was the reason for the poor ratings. I soon found it to be otherwise. The very first page of Rosa's Land made me want to cry. Why? The reader is immediately confronted with a barrage of information and description; it isn't spread evenly through the story - it's all lumped together! The writing style is very amateurish and I have wondered if perhaps this series is an earlier work of Mr. Morris'. The dialogue was cringe-worthy. For example, Faye is a 20-year-old man yet he behaves like a toddler or young child. "Well I wish I could be an artist and a tough man." Yikes! And after that he throws something akin to a temper tantrum. Rosa's speaking abilities are about the same. In fact "tough men" is a word combination often encountered in the book. Then there's the repetition. It's just not repetition here and there - the characters and narrative repeat and repeat and repeat (can you tell?!). And you would think the reader was a numbskull given the explanations encountered for trivial facts (I won't even get into the historical inaccuracies). I am still puzzling over some mindless characters and thoughts that came into the story. They didn't impact the book in any way. I am fairly sure that is a proper assessment although I quit after 120 pages into the book. If one were to clean up some crude references and tweak the characters a bit this might have been a good story for older children.

DISCLAIMER: In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising” we would like to note that we received no material compensation for this book review of “Rosa's Land”.

[Clara Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like Louis L'Amour western novels (I do like his novels)you will like this novel. This book could be classified as a western novel, Christian romance or just lite reading. I found it relaing reading.

[Sarah Swanson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I forgot I read this before. A simple easy read. The writing style is very elementary and choppy. Not a favorite. But still sweet story

[Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read series by this author and loved them (Dani Ross mysteries and Cheney & Shiloh series come to mind), but this book just wasn’t my favorite. There were a ton of perspectives and while those perspectives focused on Faye and Rosa, it still didn’t seem focused. It almost seemed scattered. Like we are going to see what this person thinks and this person. And this is what this person is doing, we part of what they are doing because the other part it secret. And they can’t stand each other actual surprise they are getting married now, even though we are sure how well that’s going to work in the long run, because rich people tend to be jerks. The characters seemed flighty and that made the story seem that way too.

[Danielle Turko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Faye lived a pampered life at home learning to be a painter. His mom spoiled him, bringing him up to be slightly more feminine than his rough around the edges father raised his older brothers. Then Faye meets someone, and when she leaves him for not being manly enough, he decides to prove everyone wrong and make himself a mans man. He teaches himself to be a sharp shooter, and learns how to box, discovering his fast hands makes him a natural. All of this isn't enough though, so he heads out to the wild west to help settle the land and arrest some outlaws. Its there he meets Rosa, and swears to keep her family safe from the murderous horse thieves, no matter what the cost.

[Bekka Garner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only got to part 2 of the book. I just couldn’t get into it. To me the story seems forced. Like he couldn’t find a good plot and I haven’t even read about the second main character of the book. I just couldn’t go any further in the book. And I love westerns!!!

[Jane Culbertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book with lots of adventure. Gilbert Morris is a very talented writer.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read a Gilbert Morris book in a long time. It took me right back to his writing style. A good, exciting, thought provoking story.

[Terry Yaceyko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different plot that I liked. The female character seemed pretty difficult - very hard to please.

[Mary Ann]

July 2020

[Dee Renee Chesnut · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Christian proselytizing at the end of the book was too heavy-handed at the end of the book.

[Victor Gentile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gilbert Morris in his new book, “Rosa’s Land” Book One in the Western Justice series published by Barbour Publishing takes us into the life of Lafayette Riordan.

From the back cover: His dream awaits…

Lafayette Riordan longs for an adventurous life against the West’s worst outlaws. But his gentle upbringing has prepared him for a life as a scholar and artist, not a lawman. Unwilling to give up, Riordan secretly learns to handle firearms and eventually gains a coveted spot with Judge Isaac Parker’s famous marshals even though it involves doing the worst jobs in the territory.

Rosa Ramirez left the sordid conditions of her home near Amarillo, Texas, for the promise of a new life on her grandfather’s ranch. But she quickly learns that safety is just as precarious on the ranch after a band of outlaws steals her grandfather’s horses and kills one of his men. Rosa rides to Judge Parker and demands protection, but she is livid when she learns that Riordan-the stable boy and dish washer-is the only man available. Far from being the marshal Rosa wanted, Riordan doesn’t even look like he can handle a pistol.

It’s up to Riordan to convince Rosa otherwise..and take hold of his dream of honor and love.

Before Gilbert Morris became the prolific writer that he is he was a history professor. So teaching us about history in a very entertaining manner is second nature to him. He was also a pastor so teaching us Christian principles is also second nature to him. In “Rosa’s Land” both second natures become one. I think this is historical fiction at its finest.

Gilbert Morris is an incredible storyteller. Mr. Morris can write about anything, in any time period, and it always comes out wonderful. However when Mr. Morris writes a Western I think that is when he enjoys it the most. I have been reading everything by Gilbert Morris for a long time and I have to say that this may be his finest work. This is also just plain fun and exciting as well. It is a book of the romance between Riordan and Rosa. Then there are the themes of destiny and dream fulfillment. Gilbert Morris is an expert at bringing historical events to life while weaving in the fictional aspects of the story in a seamless flowing pattern. He makes you care for all the people involved and takes you along for the journey.

If, like me, you have read everything ever written by Gilbert Morris then you are going to love this book. If this is your first reading of anything by Gilbert Morris you are going to love this book. “Rosa’s Land” is a very fulfilling read and a wonderful beginning to this series.

If you missed the interview for “Honor In The Dust”, a different series from Gilbert Morris, and would like to listen to it and/or interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.

To listen to 24 hours non-stop, commercial free Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Barbour Publishing . I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

I think the title does not really fit for the book. Rosa we don't meet until quarter of the way into the book. Plus she does not own any land herself.
I like Rosa's Land. It is a western novel. A Christian novel, and even romance novel all in one. This is a clean read too.

Lafayette is the the youngest of three sons. His mother does not like how her husband raised her first two sons so when Lafayette was born she told her husband that she intended to raise him more gentlemanly. She taught him the arts,to be gentle and thought he would make his lively hood as a painter.
Fay came to the aid of a woman and was beat up badly. After he healed he wanted to learn to fight. He had really fast hands.
His father did not think much of Fay and told his two brothers to watch out for him. He had a man watch out for him.
Fay decided he wanted to be tougher and become a man his father would be proud of. Plus he lost a girl because she was afraid he was too good for him. Lafayette
decided he would be a marshall for out west. He bought a gun only a .36 so he had to be accurate. a rifle, and went into the woods for a month to survive by what he could feed himself.

I love westerns. I loved how Lafayette decided on a goal and worked hard to get it. He would put up with a lot to make his goal.
He took the worst jobs that the other marshalls would not do.

Rosa worked hard to help her family but she had a temper and treated Lafayette terrible when they met. Because she wanted a marshall with more experience and one that looked more western.

This is the first Gilbert Morris novel that I have read but I hope it won't be the last.
His discriptions of the paintings and drawings Lafayette made me want to see the real pictures he did a great job of the discriptions of the art and landscapes.

Thier was talk of a couple of bible stories, a little talk of God but it fit into the story well.
I was given this ebook to read and asked to give honest review of it by Netgalley.

Published February 1st 2013 by Barbour Books 320 pages ISBN: 1616267585

Discription below taken off of Goodreads

Join Lafayette Riordan as he chases his dream of becoming a Wild West marshal. Young Faye longs for an adventurous life protecting the frontier alongside Judge Isaac Parker’s famous marshals. But his upbringing has left him more prepared for a life as scholar and artist. When faced with the opportunity to realize his dream, can he summon the courage to hunt down the outlaws? Or will one headstrong female rancher capture his heart first?

[Tamara Tilley · Rating 3 out of 5]

ROSA’S LAND is the first installment in the Western Justice series by Gilbert Morris. If you enjoy the old west coupled with romance, this is a series for you. Though the cadence in Gilbert Morris’ writing is a bit unique, with the book broken up into four different sections, it was a quirk I was willing to overlook because the characters drew me in.

Lafayette Riordan is a consummate momma’s boy. Raised by his mother to be an artist and student, he is nothing like his tough and ready brother’s. Though Lafayette shows no outward signs of discontent, inwardly he longs to handle a pistol and work alongside the marshals under Judge Isaac Parker’s leadership. His family is shocked when he strikes out on his own to accomplish his dream. Though Lafayette does join up with Judge Parker’s marshals, his only jobs entail shoveling stalls, washing dishes, and cooking. But Lafayette knows one day he will get his chance.

Rosa Ramirez and her family have left Texas behind hoping for an easier life on the Oklahoma ranch of her grandfather’s. But Rosa finds out life is just as hazardous among horse thieves and renegades. When the ranch is ambushed by outlaws and a ranch hand is killed, Rosa asks Judge Isaac Parker for assistance. Rosa is livid when the only help Parker is willing to offer is a fragile looking stable hand.

Rosa does little to hide her disdain for Riordan. But it doesn’t take long for Riordan to prove there is more to him than meets the eye. Quietly, he establishes himself as quite a gunman and slowly earns not only the respect of the Ramirez clan but more importantly Rosa’s admiration. When an outlaw Riordan has bested decides to take revenge, Rosa becomes the pawn he uses against
Riordan. It’s up to Riordan to save her, even if it means walking into a trap no man can survive.

I was a little frustrated at first by the way Gilbert writes in sections. There are four distinct parts to this book and Riordan and Rosa don’t meet up until the end of part two. To me it seemed like glorified backstory. But once our hero and heroine met, I was hooked. Riordan is the strong silent type while Rosa is a firecracker. As these two learn how to interact with each other, a slow, thoughtful romance develops. I loved the way Gilbert created such an unassuming character in Riordan, and grew in him all the elements of a true hero. It was a refreshing twist. It’s easy to make a heroine and readers fall in love with tall, dark, and handsome, but it takes talent to make us fall for the qualities that make up a true man.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Faye Riordan has always been his mother's child, a sensitive painter ridiculed by his father and brothers who are cold businessmen. After getting his heart bruised by his first love, Riordan wants to show his mettle as a US Marshal. But Riordan has little experience and much to prove, will he be able to rise to the challenge and bring in the most infamous outlaws of all?


I've been reading Gilbert Morris books since I was about eleven years old, and no matter how old I get I don't think that I'll ever not enjoy his books. There's just something special about his books even though many of them are rather straightforward in style.


This story in particular is not so much a romance -- he doesn't meet Rosa until literally halfway into the story-- but rather the tale of Riordan's journey into becoming a man, and finding his path.


When I first started reading this book I did a double take, because it certainly wasn't how I expected a western book to begin, but as I kept reading it all became clear and I settled in for an adventure. I immediately liked Riordan, for his determination and good nature.


Overall this was a great western read, with plenty of bad guys, and great supporting characters. Like Hannah the Moravian missionary, who played a huge role in encouraging both Riordan and Rosa in their faith. While this wasn't my favorite by Gilbert Morris, it was definitely a enjoyable read and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.




Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

[Larik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosa's Land

Ok!!! Its an awesome story line, well developed characters and enough emotion to blow you off!!

When I started reading it a few weeks ago, I was desappointed with the book. I honestly thought that this guy - Fayete - is such a ninny that for sure poor Rosa will have to save him and the land all by herself, but i'm a stubborn person so I made myself keep reading it on side, while i read other books as well.
Here is the deal though- once you get to the part where he decides to become a man and experiment things out -ninny Fayete becomes such a hero that has enough wit and quickness about him that he doesn't need muscles to deal with some of the most notorious outlaws. I hated his mom for writing that letter to the judge, esspecialy because i knew i'm so protective of my son that I would have hurt his reputation in the same way thinking that I'm protecting him. I loved their story with Rosa and their dedication to God. Usually in books its one of the characters that is guiding the other to God but in this one they discover God through a third party - Hannah. I really liked it. When two unbelievers come to God at the same time and learn to follow Him holding hands in their uncertainty each step of the way- its just too sweet.

There is a saying- "behind each man hides a boy that wants to come out and play" this story is the opposite of that- " behind each boy hides a man that is looking for an opportunity to come out and prove himself".

I defenetly recommend this book especially to those who have sons!!! Because even though this is a romance its much more then just that- it holds a lot of wisdom between the lines. It is only fitting that an author that has eighty-some years in his back pocket wrote it. Thank you Gilbert Morris.
Disclaimer: I got a free copy from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have heard good things about Gilbert Morris’s books and when I got the chance to read and review Rosa’s Land, I was excited to see what his writing was like. Unfortunately, this was not a good introduction to his writing.

Rosa’s Land tells the story of Lafayette, better known as Faye. Faye has grown up hardly knowing a hard day of work. He is better at scholarly things and art. When he is snubbed by a woman, he believes he must become a man and so he heads west to become a Marshall.
Rosa and her family have just moved to her grandfather’s ranch and are now having trouble with outlaws. When they request a Marshall, Faye is the Marshall that shows up to help protect their ranch.

The storyline was ok. Westerns are not my favorite genre so perhaps that was part of the reason I didn’t like this book. But despite a book’s genre, I still have things that I like or don’t like about every story. This book had a lot that I didn’t like. Rosa was annoying. I didn’t feel like the characters were developed well. A lot of the time, characters can become my friends, but these characters were not like that at all and I was only glad to say goodbye to them. I found myself rushing through this book so I could be done with it.
While I may try a few other books from Gilbert Morris, I will not be reading any more of this series.

I received a free ecopy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I received no compensation for this review, but was only required to share my honest opinion. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own.

Leah B.
Must Love Books
mustlovereading.wordpress.com

[Traci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosa's Land is a Christian Novel set in the Old West and Indian Territory. Lafayette "Faye" Riordan is the youngest of three boys who was raised to be a gentle man who didn't fight. His two brothers and father were tough, hard, ruthless businessmen and they made fun of Faye for being an artistic painter. After a short courtship with a woman, she tells Faye she doesn't want to ruin him and tells him to forget her. This sets in motion Faye's determination to prove that he is a man and sets off to teach himself how to take care of himself so he can join Judge Parkers Marshals.

In his quest to prove he's a man he joins the Marshal Service doing nasty jobs because of a letter his mother wrote the Judge before Faye left. Then one day a woman rides up looking for a Posse after an attack on her land that resulted in a hired hand being murdered and horses stolen. The only one there was Faye and in the beginning Rosa thought very little of Faye. Faye proves himself to her and her family and risks his life more than once to save Rosa becomes the love of his life.

Both Rosa and Faye invite God into their lives and experience the peace and love that He can provide. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good Marshal/ Outlaw Christain novel. This book is very well written and when reading this book you can see the land and houses that the Author speaks of because of how well it's detailed.

[Tima · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lafayette is the last son and not at all like his father and brothers. Deciding to make a name for himself he heads out west to become a marshal. What he encounters is hardly what he expected, but it could just change his life.

Rosa joins her family in a move to her grandfather's ranch. His health is failing and he hopes his family can save his ailing ranch. Rosa takes his request seriously and begins to learn everything she can about the ranch.

It has been a long time since I've read anything by Morris. I remember really liking his books so was looking forward to this one. The plot was interesting. The characters had some unique traits. But for some reason the story felt forced. It wasn't really something I could put my finger on and left me wondering if my memory of his other books was a bit faulty. I enjoyed the story, but this wasn't his best work. I'm willing to check out the next one in hopes for a bit of improvement.

I received this story free of charge from Goodreads in exchange for my honest review.

[IrenesBookReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author of this book is well known. I thought because he is a best seller that I would love the book and not want to put it down. I was so disappointed! I gave this book 4/5 stars. I thought the story was very slow, had too many descriptions and the characters were not very likable. I did enjoy the setting of the book and thought some of the minor characters were actually very interesting. On the other hand, the main characters of Lafayette and Rosa where just not that fascinating. Their interactions were not entertaining at all. All that said, you may enjoy it more than me so don’t let my opinion stop you from reading it!

I would like to thank the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.

[Rebekah Haynes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Faye feels like the outsider in his family. His brothers seem to be tougher than him and while he is a talented artist , he feels like something is missing . He finally believes that he has found is answer.... To become a Marshall in the west. Little does he known that this choice is destined to change his life forever.

Rosa's hard experiences with men have left a bitter taste in her mouth . She is very suspicious of Riordan when he is assigned to protect her family from a band of outlaws, however their tense relationship quickly turns to romance as danger lurks at every turn.

Rosa's Land is an intriguing read you won't want to put down.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. But I found it plodding, mechanical, with far too much explanation to help the "clueless" reader along. It felt very amateur to me, so I was surprised when I glanced at the description again and saw that the author is experienced and award winning. That did not come across in this book.

The characters were flat and often illogical. Faye's skills were unrealistic and I just couldn't swallow them. I'm going to stop there and not list all the things that bugged me. If I didn't have the flu, I doubt I would have pressed through. I'm giving it 2 stars because it was clean, but I wouldn't recommend it. Waste of time.

[Debora Wilder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful Christian western novel!

It has been a number of years since I’ve read anything by Gilbert Morris. I had forgotten what a fantastic writer he is. He has created wonderful characters in Lafayette Riordan and Rosa Ramirez. I thoroughly enjoyed his development and presentation of each of them. He also created a fairly large group of supporting characters that were equally well developed. I was quickly drawn into the story and found that I needed to finish the book to find out what happened in their lives. I’m looking forward to reading the other books in this series.

[Myrna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rosa's Land is the first book I've read by Gilbert Morris. The story is set mostly in the west where there is fighting between the native Indians and the white man. Lafayette Riordon leaves his comfortable life in the east in search of adventure. The story is well written and easy to read. My only complaint is that it contains a lot of religion and I didn't enjoy this aspect. But I recommend it for its good story.

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very interested in this book when I read the synopsis, because it looked like the story had a bit of everything: adventure, romance, wild west... Unfortunately, the story fell flat. It has it all, but not in a good way. Stilted dialogue, one-dimensional characters, and a choppy style ruined for me a plot that had some really promising (and unfortunately undeveloped) aspects. This book could have been so much better. Very disappointed.

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had writing bad reviews, but I'm pretty sure that this one deserves one. It was an awkward book to read where the author doesn't know how to use any descriptive words other than "he said, she said". I think the story line was acceptable, but the writing as a novelist needed the most help. And I'm going to keep that review short for sake of not wanting to be too harsh.

[Bekah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was my first Morris novel. I was a little disappointed. I expected a little more drama and a little more love story. She doesn't know me or my son or that he rgularly naps for 3 hours and that this is a stubbornness issue not an issue of wether or not he needs sleep. And there was too much back story. I'll try one more of his novels but after that, I won't waste my time.