"The Inheritance" by Tamera Alexander

McKenna Ashford has traveled to Colorado for a fresh start for herself and the 14-year-old brother she is raising. Instead of the expected warm welcome from her cousin's family, McKenna arrives to unexpected loss. On her deathbed her cousin leaves McKenna everything: the house, the ranch, and her 5-year-old daughter. McKenna is used to responsibility but this is beyond anything she has ever experienced before. Already struggling with a brother who is testing his limits, she fears she is going to be a complete failure at fulfilling Janie's last wishes.

U.S. Marshal Wyatt Caradon met McKenna on her first day in town and is drawn to the strong young woman. While a life on the trail has helped him cope with tragedy in his past, he's beginning to long for quieter days and someone to share them with. He becomes concerned that McKenna's brother Robert is finding himself drifting towards the wrong side of the law, but his cautions to McKenna about how the situation are not well received.

Helping McKenna along the way are a kind doctor, a businessman who sells her beautiful handcrafted saddles, and a Chinese woman who soon becomes a dear friend. I especially enjoyed Chin Mei and the ways her conversation and talents blessed McKenna's life.

Although this was more of a romance than I usually care to read, I enjoyed the western setting and I must say that this author certainly knows how to keep you turning pages. The end of each chapter did not seem like a break in the action but rather a place where the plot accelerated! The faith element was done well, as was McKenna's emotional struggle with raising two youngsters who were not her own.

I'd heard many people recommend this book since its release in 2009 and I am glad I had the chance to read it. If you are looking for a quick and entertaining read, this might be one for you!