Celebrate Lit / February 20, 2026

Ambush of the Heart

About the Book Ambush of the Heart

Book: Ambush of the Heart

Author: Mary Connealy

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: February 3, 2026

When bandits strike in the wilderness, can love and faith overcome the shadows of danger?

As Owen Riley and his fellow Marshals escort Delaney Bridger, her brother, and an escaped prisoner to Fort Russell, a gang of outlaws ambushes them, bringing death and devastation to their party. With their lives on the line and the outlaws in pursuit, Owen directs the rest of his battered group to temporarily seek hiding at a remote ranch.

After the attack leaves her brother seriously injured, Delaney helps Owen, nursing him and a wounded Marshal back to health while danger looms ever closer. Despite the threat at their heels, romance sparks between Owen and Delaney as they fight for survival on their perilous trek to the fort.

Can they overcome the obstacles and find a future together?

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My Thoughts on Ambush of the Heart

What a fun read! This is the first book in a new series that you’re going to want to read! I can’t wait for the next book to come out. This is one of those great authors who does historical fiction so well that you truly feel like you’ve stepped back in time. The characters are also always amazing and fun.

On a mission to protect Marshal Owen Riley is escorting Delaney, her brother, and an escaped prisoner. But then they’re ambushed by a gang of outlaws. They’ve got wounded who need care. So they hole up and care for them.

This wonderful novel lives up to the cover. Did you see the cover? It’s amazing! It definitely drew me in and made me want to read it. The epitome of a dark and broody US Marshal.

Our author writes wonderful Christian fiction. The faith element is there, and it pours forth on every page.

You’re going to love meeting all the characters. I can’t wait for the rest of the series to dive into the stories of the other characters more!

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

About the Author of Ambush of the Heart

Mary Connealy writes “romantic comedies with cowboys” and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has sold more than 1.5 million books and is the author of the popular series A Western Light, Wyoming Sunrise, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero.

More from Mary

Two things drove my interest in The Rocky Mountain Marshals Series. In book #1, Ambush of the Heart, I got to begin that adventure.

The first thing: U.S. Marshals. I did a bit of research and just began discovering how much I didn’t know. I mean…what are U.S. Marshals? The only one I could think of was Rooster Cogburn in True Grit. But my research was confusing. Yes, there were lawmen out hunting for outlaws. But a lot of that was because the Oklahoma Territory back then was Indian territory and thus had no law beyond tribal law. And, because of that, outlaws had gotten to running into Oklahoma and treating it like they’d reached base in a game of tag.

Because it was federal, the government came up with a federal solution.

The U.S. Marshals Service already existed. But chasing outlaws into a place with no law…that was new. I went to Fort Smith, Arkansas, known back in the past as the gateway to Indian territory. So many outlaws passed through there that a part of my research led me to the brand-new U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith.

I could write an entire series about Bass Reeves alone, a former slave who became a U.S. Marshal. Some of my reading suggests he was in part the inspiration for the Lone Ranger, and it’s said in his 32-year career as a marshal, he arrested 3000 outlaws. He has a TV Series on Paramount+ TV. A network I don’t have.

I found so much of this out because I went on a research trip. (I don’t do that often)

Very fun and I learned a LOT.

My second driving interest was…just how lost could someone get in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains? I’ve read so much about Pathfinders…Kit Carson, John Colter, James Beckwourth, John Mullen (a guy I’d never heard of who is so interesting he deserves his own book!). I definitely count Sacagawea among them. These bold, adventurous explorers went out in the wilderness and found their way through. It was NOT easy.

One thing I found really interesting (all those pathfinders are interesting!) was talking about The Donner Party. The Donner Pass cut 400 miles off the trip to California on the California Trail. That might sound ridiculous to us, but back then, in a wagon train, especially in rugged country, those 400 miles were a huge lure.

Of course, they tried it.

People were always trying to find a shorter way through those treacherous mountains.

So, my hero Owen is transporting a federal prisoner who escaped jail, from Denver to Fort Russell near Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he’s due to hang.

An attempt to break him free by his gang drives the escorts and those with them—including beautiful Delaney- into the Rockies and whoa…they didn’t know how to get out…especially one pair who got separated from the main party.

One other twist is, my three heroes…the guys (the women are heroes, too of course) but the men, Owen, Morgan and Tex, all appeared in the book Marshaling Her Heart, book three in my Wyoming Sunrise series. Writing that book awakened my interest in U.S. Marshals. And I loved those tough men and wanted to … ahem … well, maybe tame them just a little.

So come and join me as my travelers, including the bold and brave Owen Riley and the beautiful and trail-savvy Delaney Bridger, are chased from behind and more lost with every step they take ahead. They fight the outlaws, the Rockies and their growing attraction to find their way home.