Book Review: ‘Blue Devil Woman’ by Sloane Fletcher

I adored ‘Night Rider’, the first book in the ‘Hunt Ranch’ cowboy romance series back in January and I’ve been desperate for this ever since I finished book one.

I fell head over heels for the Hunt family, their history, the businesses they run, and the writing was so effortless to read and fall in love with. The hint that the first book gave us into our book two couple, Sierra and Benji, meant I knew that I’d love them too, and they’d also probably break my heart. They did. I cried.

Sierra and Benji’s never should have happened - he was her older brother’s best friend, taken in by her family, and several years her senior - but they both knew they were destined to be forever. And they were, until a tragedy that devastated them and their family tore them apart.

While they both work on the family ranch together, they struggle to be in the same room, but the events of book one force Benji to take control of the ranch with Sierra and they must confront their past and their future.

‘Night Rider’ had some really emotional moments, but ‘Blue Devil Woman’ is an absolute gut-punch. The novel deals with infant loss, postpartum depression and topics reaching around that, so please tread with care if you’re sensitive to these topics. It’s also not a spoiler as it’s a significant thread in book one.

I’m generally not really a fan of pregnancy and everything related to it in novels, though that does seem to be rather unavoidable in cowboy romance epilogues or finales, but this really touched my heart. Fletcher is so skilled at crafting characters that I care deeply about and incorporating real, gritty and intense topics with care and sensitivity. It’s so easy to be heavy-handed with topics like these, but though I have no experience of these events myself, ‘Blue Devil Woman’ felt very well handled. I do have experience with grief, however, and it nailed the non-linear journey of it.

I’m a total sucker for dual timeline and it was a much-needed balm to visit Sierra and Benji as they got together, started a life together, and then had their hearts broken and their lives shattered. The earlier flashbacks are a really necessary break from the heaviness of present day. Watching them weave together, pulling back together time and time again, was a joy is its raw messiness.

I will admit that there was something that stopped it reaching the height of ‘Night Rider’ for me, but I still loved it, and I really, really hope that there will be more books in this series.

Thank you to HQ and NetGalley for the review copy.

‘Blue Devil Woman’ will be released by HQ on 7 May.