ARC Review: Beautiful Lawman by Sophie Jordan

I’ve read a few of Sophie Jordan’s historical romances and really enjoyed them. I’ve had “Beautiful Lawman” on my Kindle app for a while to read but hadn’t gotten around to it. I saw a little blurb about this book and I was intrigued by the enemies to lovers’ storyline. Although this is the fourth book in the “Devil’s Rock” series it is easily a standalone. I especially liked that in this story the heroine, Piper Walsh was the outcast. The hero, Hale Walters is not only the “good” guy but the sheriff of a very small town. A town where Hale and Piper both grew up and where they both experienced very different childhoods.

Piper’s last name “Walsh” has been like a noose around her neck. People judge her because of her family’s short comings. Even though she has not ever had any problems with the law, her family members have. Piper is the guardian of her little sister and she is determined to give her a good childhood and the chance to go to college. She wants for her little sister what she could never have for herself. Piper is working at a strip club as a waitress when she gets an alarming phone call-her younger sister has been arrested. With her older brother in jail for murder, this is a nightmare come true for Piper. When she runs to find her sister she loses her job as her scumbag boss gives her an ultimatum “leave and you lose your job.” Although Piper is the bread winner for her family, her choice is clear-get her sister out of jail. When She goes to pick up her sister she runs into the good Sheriff-Hale. Hale is immediately interested in Piper and her problems with her little sister and is ready to offer up some advice. Piper is not having any of it. Her and Hale have run into each other before and it was clear to Piper that Hale was passing judgement on her like everyone else. Hale has very clear rules about not getting into long-term relationships and also about not getting involved with anyone that he works with. When Piper is in trouble Hale steps in to help her and ends up breaking all of his own rules.

Ok, so first I LOVED the chemistry between these two! For me, once I am invested in a couple I want to know what happens and yes, there were some elements of the story that were a little off but for me where not a big deal. So Hale has been carrying around a big secret her entire life. When her past comes back to hunt her she is forced to come clean even if it means losing everything she has now, which includes her freedom. I thought that this element of the story was really squeezed in there and for most of the story it was Hale and Piper bickering and fending off their attraction for one another. However, I do think that the little element will be very interesting in the upcoming book which is about Pipe’s in jail brother- Cruz. The characters from the previous book also make an appearance and it was fun to see how their stories were all connected. So despite the plot holes or plot squeezes, I gave this four star because I loved the chemistry between Piper and Hale and once I started reading I couldn’t put the book down. Bring on Cruz!

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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