Lawfully Vindicated

The Lawkeepers - Kay

by Elle E. Kay

Fleeing an abusive fiancé, Katherine Bryan turns to a man who specializes in protecting people. Now, she just has to convince him to help by marrying her. That’s a tall order and a ticket to trouble when her wealthy father finds out. US Marshal David Neagle wants to make the marriage work, but he has little to offer a city socialite. Will class divide them forever or can love and faith create a real connection?

Genres: Historical Romance

155 pages, Paperback

Published January 7, 2020

About the author

Elle E. Kay is an Angel Award-winning Christian fiction author known for her gripping suspense and engaging romance novels. She lives on a hobby farm in Central Pennsylvania with her husband, three dogs, and a variety of farm animals. A devoted follower of Christ, Elle is actively involved in her church's youth ministry and shares her love of Jesus through music.

Her writing journey began with non-fiction, poetry, and children's books before she made her Christian fiction debut in 2016. Since then, she has written 24 novels in the genre.

Elle is the author of the Endless Mountain and Pennsylvania Parks series, both romantic suspense collections set in Pennsylvania’s scenic Appalachians.

In addition to her solo projects, she has contributed to several multi-author series, including the Lawkeeper series (three contemporary and four historical novellas), Blushing Brides (two novels), Heroes of Freedom Ridge (three novels), and Christmas in Redemption Ridge (two novels). In October 2024, she contributed Midnight Offensive to the Silent Night anthology, part of the Winter Shivers collection.

Her stories seamlessly weave faith, suspense, and romance, offering readers thrilling narratives grounded in Christian values.

For updates on her latest works and upcoming releases, visit her website at elleekay.com.

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lawfully Vindicated is a story that takes a different road to romance than most. When a woman starts following a U.S. Marshall and then asks him to marry her he is so taken back. He being a Christian knows she is being improper as a young single woman is to always be chaperoned. She has lost the people she was with and continued to follow the Marshall on each of his train rides back to Arizona. He decides she needs to be protected as he sees something in her eyes. He explained that a marriage would be a real marriage for life as he did not take his vows before God foolishly. But just getting married and going home is the least of his problems. She is keeping a very serious secret and he can tell it and tells her until she tells him they cannot enjoy their marriage fully. But little did they know her secrets would put their lives on a rollercoaster of a ride that will forever change the two. Another great addition to the Lawkeepers series!

[Elsa · Rating 3 out of 5]

US Marshal David is providing protection for the Judge when things go a bit sideways. He meets Katherine who keeps following him. She is determined to get him to marry her but she won't reveal her past. He finally agrees but can their marry be true if she won't trust him with her story?
It was pretty good but I found the him going on about her not trusting him and her unwilling to reela her past a bit too long. It worked ok in the end, though.

[Holly Moseley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lawfully Vindicated

I loved the setting of this book and the importance of having a godly marriage in a believer's life. It also told the importance of forgiveness. If Christ forgave us, we should forgive others.

[C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just couldn't read this book. It was too confusing.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lawfully Vindicated
I have enjoyed The Lawkeepers series, especially Elle E. Kay’s stories, and Lawfully Vindicated was no different. I love the concept of the series, and it has been entertaining and educational to read about various folks in law enforcement to get a behind-the-scenes look at their lives, who they are and what they do after hours (and how they are never really off duty). The story was a quick read, and I was able to finish it in one sitting. Starting off with a bang (literally!), Lawfully Vindicated kept me turning pages to see what would happen. The premise is a little bit of a stretch, but it’s fun nonetheless. The characters are well-developed. David Neagle is a U.S. Marshall who takes his job seriously. A man of integrity, he has a strict moral code he follows, and the temper he has flares in the face of injustice. Kitty Bryan is alternately sassy and timid because of her experiences, and David does a wonderful job of helping her heal. The plot moves quickly, but that is to be expected in a novella. Messages of faith and acceptance are expertly woven through the story.

[Hope W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lawfully Vindicated is well written and the story captivated my attention. Once I started I did not want to put the book down. The plot kept my attention and is filled with mystery, action, and love. David is a US Marshal who is strong, confident, loving, and a Godly man. Kitty is a bit of a mystery. She seems filled with uncertainty and is vulnerable, but filled with love and deep emotions. Watching their love unfold was beautiful! I liked that the story is a clean, Christian, historical fiction and the writer based the characters Godly people but also included the evil that is out in the world. Overall, I loved the story and look forward to reading more from this talented author. I highly recommend reading this book for a great nights read and give it a big 5 stars!! I voluntarily received an arc copy of this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[KL Cassanello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kitty convinces David (a US Marshall) to marry her. He knows she's terrified of something, and she's an attractive woman. They've been raised differently, and she comes from a family with money and social status. She's learning how to become a good wife, and getting used to her new life. David keeps her at arm's length until she can trust him enough to let him in on her secret. She finally trusts him enough, and he backs her up in every way possible. This was a really nice story - not terribly complicated, but just enough drama for the length of the book. I enjoyed reading it - fairly short, with a happy ending. And it has one of the best lines ever in a book - "I intend to fall in love with you every day for the rest of our lives."

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Valri Western · Rating 4 out of 5]

What would you do if a relative stranger asked to marry you the second time you met them?? That's what happened to US Marshal David Neagle! He's in the middle of guarding a Judge when Katharine (Kitty) Bryan crosses his path and the story she tells him seems a little suspicious but, like I said, he's working! The next time he sees her, she begs him to marry her! She eventually succeeds though and off they go to the wilds of Arizona - Tombstone, to be exact! Talk about a culture shock for a wealthy girl who has lived relatively sheltered in Missouri. I enjoyed seeing how she adapted (kind of!!) to that life and how David was so patient with her. Oh, by the way, there IS a reason why she asked David to marry her so quick!!! You'll have to read the story to find out :)

[Linda Fore · Rating 4 out of 5]

US Marshal, David Neagle, was happy with his single life of protecting the public from cheaters, swindlers, and murderers. While on bodyguard duty protecting Chief Justice Terry, his path crossed that of a feisty redhaired beauty named Katherine Bryan. After only three short encounters, Katherine was determined to become Mrs. Neagle – but why? David knew she was leaving something out of her explanation – but what? Would she decide to “come clean” so that they could marry, or would he remain alone and she be destined to a life of misery?
This was a delightful tale of two people who almost lost the chance of a lifetime to be happy.
I received a free copy of this book from the author and have written a review that is strictly my own thoughts and opinions.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Kitty has a secret.
Kitty has a secret staying with her family she meets David in a rather tense situation. Seeing he is a man whom Kitty believes would be able to take care of her and keep her safe she set out to marry him. Most of the story takes place with them getting to know each other but Kitty secret does pose problems for the couple. There are some other interesting twists and events in the story that were very enjoyable to read. The Lawkeepers series has been one of my favorite group of books. I like the historical ones the best, but the modern-day pieces are great too. I highly recommend this book and the series they are faith-based without the sugar. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Lori D · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable story start starts out fast with Chief Justice Terry being killed by US Marshall David Neagle as the man is going to kill the judge David is guarding. That definitely gets the story going and got my interest! He meets Katherine Bryan who had accompanied Mrs Terry along with her husband. Kitty talks to him about what happened and then she leaves.
But when he meets her again as he is on the train home to Toombstone, she asks David to marry her. You see she is running from a bad situation at home. Being the great guy he is, he eventually marries her. But what secret is she hiding?
A quick story that I enjoyed and a great addition to The Lawkeepers series!! I read this through Booksprout.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this fairly quick read. Lawfully Vindicated starts off with a bang literally. US Marshal David Neagle is protecting a judge and Katherine Bryan jumps into help. David is a man of faith, and Katherine (Kitty) is a very determined woman with good cause. I found both characters likable. One of my favorite lines, "I intend to fall in love with you every day for the rest of our lives." Now, how romantic is that? I recommend this book to historical romance readers, to readers of clean/wholesome romance, and to Christian romance readers. I enjoy The Lawkeepers series and Elle E Kay's writing. I plan to read more of both. I obtained a copy of this book through KU.

[💋Meme Chanell Book Corner💋 · Rating 4 out of 5]

David is a US Marshall who was arrested for capturing a fugitive. The fugitive’s cousin Katherine she is trying to help her cousin by helping her by not going to prison but an asylum or is she and Katherine is also promised to a man by her father in an arranged marriage.

Katherine not wanting this asks David to court her. One thing about Kitty was she was very persistent but David wants no wife. Even though Kitty used some manipulation and also Kitty hiding something lol this story was a real sweet romance. I loved reading every bit of it.
I voluntarily received an arc copy through Booksprout for my honest review

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is awesome. Kitty runs into David as she is traveling with her cousin and her husband but then he kills her cousin's husband and then she asks him to marry her but he said to go home, so she boards the train and waits for him to be heading home and then a she lets him see her. As they travel on the train they get to know each other and then he married her before he got on the stagecoach to the leg of his trip home. What a beautiful story and the characters are amazing.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Joyful · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katherine Bryan, a city socialite, flees an abusive fiancé and turns to a man who specializes in protecting people. Can she convince him to help by marrying her? What will happen when her wealthy father finds out? Will class divide them forever or can love and faith create a real connection? David Neagle, US Marshall, wants to make the marriage work, but he feels he has little to offer this city socialite.

I was given a copy of this novella by the author, however, I am giving my honest review of my own free will.

[Marie Bourgery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kitty ran away to escape a bad situation at home, but she kept forcing her presence on David trying to make him marry her. When he gives in and marries her, he feels that she doesn’t trust him and the secrets she holds are constantly upsetting her and keeping them apart. She kept saying that she’s afraid if she tells him the truth, he’ll send her away. There was a lot of drama between the two main characters in this romance.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of The Lawkeepers series a well written story that held my interest until the end. This is Katherine Bryan and US Marshal David Neagle's story of suspense, drama, danger, kidnapping, twists, turns, and a marriage between Katherine and David. What a Father she had! I enjoyed reading this book and I will be looking for more in this series. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[MaryEllen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a pretty simple story, pretty simply written. There's little character depth, but what is there is shown in their actions and not is descriptive text.

My only real complaint is in a passing conversation where there's talk of dating––that wasn't a thing until the 1900s and wasn't called dating until the 1920s.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katherine has to get out of Missouri before her father forces her into a marriage she does not want and marrying US Marshal David seems the best idea. He agrees to marry her but he will never give away his heart even to the woman he married.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great addition to the lawkeeper group. Katherine Or Kitty as friends call her does not want to return home to marry a creepy man her parents picked. She decides to ask Marshal David to marry her. David does not want marriage but what are you to do when Kitty won’t let you go? Enjoyable fast read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jeanne Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book I've read written by Elle Kay; she has done a great job at writing a good book; I can’t wait to read more of her books.

The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.

I loved the chemistry between the characters.

I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anne Rollin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall this was a decent story. I didnt give it a 5 star because it felt a bit rushed and there were places in the story that had holes in the plot line. It almost seemed like it was edited for length and parts were taken out. Its still definitely worth reading though...cute and sweet.

[Noma Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this book! She was running from her father because he was trying to make her marry a leach. She ran and met him on the train and started trying to get him to marry her! I recommend this book to anyone who likes romance.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book!

This is the first book by Elle E. Kay that I have read. I will definitely be reading more! She weaves her love for the Lord in with a very spell binding story. Awesome!

[SJ Garrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed getting to know Kitty and David as they embark on becoming husband and wife through unusual circumstances. I was up reading in the middle of the night because I had to see Kitties rescue. I highly recommend Lawfully Vindicated if you like clean stories with heart.

[Charmaine Nouwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lawfully Vindicated by Elle E. Kay is a wonderful read,sweet,lovely and inspiring western romance story of david and Katherine,greatstoryline,great characters with great chemistry,loved it! well done!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nethanja · Rating 4 out of 5]

What to do when a woman asks you to marry her? That’s what happened to David when he meets Kitty. After he spend a little time with her he accepts but before he can give his heart he needs her to be honest.
I enjoyed this short story.

[Heather W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this sweet western romance. It is a great addition to the Lawfully series. The characters are charming and likable. The storyline is very good and involved a lot of suspense and drama.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is great! The US Marshall is very likable, and I love his patience. Filled with drama and emotion.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.