There's A Way

Conway Collateral Duet #2

by Ember Hughes

After escaping captivity and saving his girl, my brother Colton is safe, happy, and they're both healthy. They're ready to move on from the Conway drama. The best revenge, he says, is a life well lived.

I say the best revenge is colored red and comes with words like "please".

But no one else seems to want Forrest Conway to pay up the way I do.

I'm drowning my desires in sticky-floored bar when a man catches my eye. A burly, strong, bearded cowboy who buys me a drink and offers to take me home. A one night stand won't end my desire for revenge, but it will distract me.

That is until we're getting undressed and I realize who I'm with.

Forrest Conway's right hand man.

The last thing I hear before I'm rendered unconscious?

Don't scream.

There's A Way is a dark cowboy romance dealing with heavy themes. Please check content warnings in book before reading.

There's A Way comes second in the Conway Collateral duet and cannot be read as a standalone.

Genres: Dark Romance

236 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 26, 2025

Reviews

[Lisa Conant · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶🌶

Captive Romance
He K1daps Her to Keep Her Safe
Age Gap (23, 43)
Enemies to Lovers
Violence & Crime
Instalust

I did enjoy learning about the mysterious Garrison and his "twist". I will say it felt instalust though and just didn't feel that chemistry. Certain decisions he made also made no logical sense for someone who should've known better. Choices felt forced simply to have the drama.

I guess this could've almost been a long novella instead with some tightening and it may have played better. I still enjoyed it as a way to know this side character, but not as much as the emotional journey that book one was...that one is a dark decent but also shows such bright humanity in Colton and Kinley. I didn't feel the deep connection in this couple.

I liked seeing the inner demons that Garrison has had to deal with, becoming something he loathes for a greater good. His psychology was my favorite part, the spice felt forced and just didn't jive as well for me in the context of the suspense/crime aspect that should be taking center stage in this story. The last quarter was amazing though! Great thrills and reckoning!

[Emily Johnston (Booked.Up.With.Emily) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where There's A Will is the first book in this duet and is absolutely necessary to read before this book. While this book follows a different couple than the first one, you cannot read one without the other.

In the last chapter of book 1, we see Carys's life get changed upside down and that is how the book starts, but we get it in the POV of the MMC.

I don't want to say too much, just in case someone reading this review has not read book 1. But these characters go through it. The push and pull is soooo tension filled and I am here for it!

I was uncomfortable in the beginning with the MMC and what he was doing, but as the book went on, I totally understood. And the book wraps up wonderfully for all of the characters involved!

I also really enjoyed that we got character POVs from non-MMC characters. That was a pleasant and welcome surprise.

[Nour 🇵🇸🍉 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the perfect closure for this series.

Garrison kidnaps Carsyn to keep her safe from Forrest but doesn’t let her know why he kidnapped her.
I loved the little Colton and Kinleigh snippets we got.
I actually was sad that Nash and Genevieve didn’t appear in the story, just barely mentioned.

I liked book 1 more but this was also a good book. Book 1 was more emotional and intense.

[ashlee ❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carsyn + Garrison

-captive romance
-black cat x grumpy
-secret identity
-age gap
-violence & crime

welllllll well wellll these two were super hot!! i never would have guessed from book one that we’d have this plot twist undercover like this but it was perfect!!

[Jenny Talbot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book two of in the Conway Collateral Duet by Ember Hughes. If you haven’t read book one, it is a must before diving into this one.

My favorite takeaway from this story is the soulmate connection these characters have unknowingly forged. Carsyn is Colton’s younger sister (his story is book one) and Garrison is not the man you think you know him as. Ember does an incredible job at revealing the other side of Garrison without explicitly revealing it; and she is also able to give Carsyn a believable connection to the man who is holding her captive.

This duet is a dark cowboy romance. Book one is a beautifully broken story of former childhood lovers, and I could still feel the pull of Colton and Kinleigh in this story as well.

What I loved about both of these stories, and especially this one, is that Ember writes these characters in a way in which they lead with their hearts and trust their core instincts. She explicitly gives Carsyn the ability to see beyond what some might consider “Stockholm Syndrome”. Carsyn has every reason to not fall for Garrison, yet there is something deep that she acknowledges that challenges her own belief system.

These stories will stick with me, and I have a special place in my heart for this duet. I am so hopeful that at some point these will become audiobooks, because these are powerfully written and deserving of an audience.

[Neena · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark cowboy romance continued…..

TROPES:
🚨Human Trafficking
‘Forrest Conway, who was outed to have been buying, storing and shipping human beings for profit under the guise of operating a cattle farm.’
🚨Captive FMC
‘Carsyn’s gonna hate me a little bit more before she doesn’t, but I’m okay with being her monster until the time is right.’
🚨Enemies to lovers
‘As confused as my body gets around Garrison, he is a bad man.’
🚨Rescue romance
🚨Secret Identity
🚨You are mine
🚨Violence and crime

The prologue of this book, is Garrison’s POV of the epilogue in Where’s There’s A Will, which was told by Carsyn. Same chapter, different POVs.

Garrison Conway (age 43) worked with Forrest in his illegal activities but we knew there was more to his story.
Carsyn Beckett (age 23) is Colton’s younger sister. She’s a spark plug, a tough cookie, and a wild card. But she’s a free soul. Carsyn has been on a quest to find Forrest. Her family has suffered with his actions and she wants Justice.

We learn more about Forrest illegal activities as well as other players in the game. You can feel Forrest’s anger and frustration and I was rooting for him to finally get his HEA. Carsyn’s insta lust with Garrison didn’t flow well with me but overall a good finish to the story.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've just read book 1 in this duet then reading this book right after will feel like taking the deep breath you didn't even know you were holding in. This book felt like closure, but in the best way possible. The pull between the FMC and MMC was so fucking strong. Their on page chemistry was palpable! I was rooting so hard for them through this book. I also was not expecting to feel as connected to Colton and Kinleigh as I did but I'm glad that they got the ending they deserved, too.

[Marie Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly way better than book one. Could not put it down!!!

[Sarah’s Shelves · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved it even more than the first one. love me a dark cowboy captor/captive situation 😏