Heat Factor: Once they start, they can’t keep their hands off each other, but the writing isn’t super explicit

Character Chemistry: They are low-key obsessed with each other

Plot: Izzy convinces Elle to kidnap her in order to avoid being a mail order bride, but Elle’s only in it for the ransom money…or is she?

Overall: This ticks all the Sapphic Western boxes

Who loves a good Western? Holly does. (It’s probably all that cowboy music my dad played when I was growing up.) Who loves a good sapphic romance? Holly does. Those two things together? Sign me up. And this one was excellent. It’s got all the cowboy shenanigans (stagecoaches, gunfights, wild horses, etc). It’s got a slow burn with a ton of angst due to some dishonest beginnings. It’s got a great found family. And it’s got a multiweek grovel, and boy was it needed.

Elle is an outlaw. After her parents were murdered (her daddy stole something from someone he shouldn’t have) she was raised by the Madam of the main brothel and saloon in a New Mexico outlaw town. Elle and her crew rob stagecoaches, plus Elle does some enforcement for said Madam (gotta make sure folks pay their protection money). She’s got a regular girl she visits at the brothel, but no feelings are involved. (Sidenote for romance readers: Elle does continue to have sex with Miriam for about half the book, long after she meets Izzy.) She’s the fastest draw in the state. In short: Elle hits all the boxes for the cowboy archetype.

Izzy is an impetuous young woman living in Boston who has refused every suitor who comes to call. Her father, a banker, is fed up with her nonsense, and after she’s caught kissing another woman, she is unceremoniously shipped to New Mexico to marry an old friend of his. When she ends up with Elle, she does things like learn to ride astride and generally embraces cowboy life…but she also is bubbly and friendly and entertains everyone in the saloon with her on-key singing when she’s supposed to be laying low. She buys curtains for Elle’s shack. She gets into scrapes. She tames a wild horse with her charisma. She’s an aggressive snuggler. In short: Izzy hits all of the boxes for the eastern greenhorn ends up out West archetype.

The two meet when a rival outlaw holds up Izzy’s stagecoach, and is planning on raping and kidnapping Izzy. Elle intervenes because she’s a romance hero, even if she’s rough around the edges. But instead of getting back into the coach, Izzy begs Elle to kidnap her instead—which Elle reluctantly agrees to, thanks to the thought of the ransom money. What follows is just a delightful mix of the two familiar archetypes coming together—Elle shows Izzy how to survive; Izzy shows Elle how to smile—plus the impending dread that Izzy’s groom is going to come looking for her.

I hope it’s not a spoiler to say that yup, Elle betrays Izzy in a big way. For Izzy’s own good of course, because, like I said, Elle is a romance hero. Luckily, unlike many romance heroes, Elle really works hard for forgiveness. I was so happy for these two when they rode off into the sunset.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bella Books for this copy in exchange for my review.

I always love a good sapphic western and Outlaw Hearts delivers. It brings two very different women together, outlaw Elle and socialite Izzy. Both are stubborn and have their own baggage they deal with. This is a slow burn that shows them working together to survive and fight for their happy ending that neither was expecting.

What a story and what characters! This is a book about two very independent (and stubborn!) women who are throw together by chance. Elle is an outlaw who has cut off any access to her heart and Izzy is just opening hers as she begins to realize what she really wants.

The story is a slow burn, but definitely worth the action packed trip to get to the end. I knew where the story was headed and I still couldn’t stop reading. I also really enjoyed the last half of the book. I’ve read my fair share of sapphic happy endings, but this one was different. Elle and Izzy have to work through a lot to get their happy ending. The story expertly shows the actual work that goes into relationships and how a couple can overcome their past (individual and together) to make something new and lasting.

Oh…and the last line of the book…absolutely perfect.

Isabella (Izzy) Collins, lives a charmed life with her family in Boston, until something unfortunate happens (according to her family). Izzy is sent west to marry an older man. On the way there, she meets Elle Barstow when a stage coach robbery goes wring. Elle the outlaw has a plan but the captivating Izzy has her rethinking her plan. With a beautiful background, lovely horses and danger abound, the reader is brought into the challenging adventures of living in the open country where rules are limited and fighting is the norm. This is an entertaining read for those that enjoy romance and the wild, wild west.

What a fantastic trip to the old west! Every now and then I just need to read a western to get back into the groove of genre fiction. Kudos to Lori G. Matthews for reestablishing my love for a down and dirty western romance. Thoroughly enjoyed!

Thank you to Bella Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

This is a story about Elle Barstow whose parents are murdered in front of her as a child.in the 1870s. She grows up in a small New Mexico desert town that is a criminal hangout. Elle and her gang rob stagecoaches and turn over the proceeds to the town boss Rose. One day Elle finds Izzy Collins about to be taken prisoner by another gang and rescues her. Izzy is on her way from Boston to marry an older rich man in the area. Elle plans to hold Izzy for ransom.

Even though this was fairly predictable I enjoyed the writing style and storytelling of Lori Mathew’s. There was a lot of banter and great well developed side characters. Izzy finds herself being attracted to women while in Boston and her family is shocked and sends her away. So when she meets Elle she becomes attracted to her as time goes on. Elle teaches her to ride a horse and shoot a gun. Elle is constantly trying to deny her attraction to Izzy.

Highly recommended to those who enjoy a good western story.
ARC received from Net Galley for an honest and voluntary review.

An enjoyable wild western with a great, strong and attractive cowgirl. The were well written and quite entertaining. Definitely recommend you won't be disappointed.

Thanks to the Publisher Bella Books and NetGalley

Isabella (Izzy) Collins, an outspoken suffragette, is shipped out west by her family as a mail order bride. She is used to the finer things of Boston. Her stagecoach is robbed and she ends up being rescued by the Outlaw Elle Barstow and her small gang. Izzy sees this as a chance to get away from an arranged marriage to an older widow. Elle sees Izzy as a way to get a ransom from her family or the intended.

Izzy is determined to learn to shoot and ride and Elle is willing to teach her, keeping her close. There are of course gunfights and western mayhem but there is a lot of humor too. Matthew writes very funny dialogues. (Her comedic banter is something that stands out to me from reading her previous books.) The camaraderie in the gang is tight, like a found family. And each character adds some extra to the story.

The story is told from both MC’s POVs. I like that Izzy, while inexperienced, is not unaware that she is drawn to women. There are sparks, and yearning. I wished the intimate scenes were more descriptive and maybe add more. But I caught the feelings between the pair. And I love the beautiful cover for the book. If you enjoy romances set in the wild west this is a very fun one to read. (4.5 Stars)

A fun, outlaw, western, action romance. With a little "Saturday afternoon matinee" mixed in for color.
The characters are interesting, the action descriptive and the romance warm.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I highly enjoyed this book! A very Wild West with a great cowgirl. I couldn’t put it down once I picked it up,
Thank you for the opportunity to read this

I've never been drawn towards books form the Old West but I thought I give Outlaw Hearts a go.....I am so glad I did.

This is a cracking book thoroughly enjoyed the whole story, I really couldn't put it down once I started it.

The main characters Elle and Izzy along with secondary characters all of which have well written roles through out the story.

Would I recommend: Yes, Yes, if you're looking for sweet, nasty and a cowgirl then this is the one for you

This was a really good book. I liked everything about this old west tale. The main characters were well written and very entertaining, The secondary characters were a real joy to read about, these characters actually made this story even better. There was plenty of angst, but not enough to bog the story down to an extreme, Overall this it was a very sweet and enjoyable read with a great ending. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family and I look forward to what's next from this author.

Outlaw Hearts is a captivating read, filled with vivid descriptions, engaging dialogue, dynamic characters, and a constant undercurrent of suspense. I found it difficult to put down, eager to see how everything would unfold. When Elle and her crew rescue Izzy from a stagecoach robbery, it sets off a chain of events that will forever change their lives. The amusing moments of teaching Izzy how to survive the unforgiving terrain are matched by her inability to maintain a low profile. Despite Elle’s tough exterior and Izzy’s inexperience with love, the two women find it increasingly difficult to stay away from one another. It’s a tale of trust, loyalty, and compassion amidst adversity. Get your copy now!

Historical fiction is not normally my first choice of reading but this sounded like an interesting storyline. Thankfully it proved to be exactly that. Set in the Wild West of North America at a time when highway robbery was robbing stage coaches, and the law was thin on the ground. With the suffragette movement in its infancy, a young Boston woman Isabella(Izzy) is trying to find her way in a man’s world and it’s proving to be troublesome for her. She is shipped off to marry a much older man out “West” against her will, but finds herself a victim of a stage coach robbery.

When things are looking to take an even nastier turn, enter outlaw Elle and her gang to the rescue, or so Izzy thinks. Elle sees an opportunity to make some money from what will surely be a large amount of money for her return to one of the richest men in the state. All they have to do is keep Izzy out of the lime light, which proves harder than they think.

There is some wonderful chemistry between these very different women and some interesting side storylines. It was a nice quick read and I liked the way it slowly developed. Enjoyable.

This was a fun western lesbian romance. Elle is an outlaw. Izzy does not want to be a wife. When Elle and her small gang rescue Izzy, she begs them to take her with them to their little outlaw town in the New Mexico territory. Of course they get closer, but, they have really big hurdles to get over for a Happily Ever After ending.

I really liked it, there were really no hanging storylines, and, all the questions I had at the beginning were answered by the end. And the secondary characters. Holy crap they were astoundingly awesome. I know that most of the romance I read is lesbian romance, but, I want a Willy/Perlie story so badly. I mean, Elle and Izzy and all the characters at the end were good too, but, the L gang characters were just amazing.

I love historical western romance and this didn’t disappoint. Izzy is shipped off to be married after getting caught kissing an another woman while traveling her stagecoach gets held up by a ruthless outlaw. Izzy is recuse by Ellie who is outlaw herself when she learns she can ransom a small fortune for her. Izzy convinces Ellie and her crew to teach her how to survive and in the process starts to respect the woman who proven herself with determination and starts to wonder should they continue with their plans. Ellie didn’t plan to fall for Izzy who opens her heart. I love every character and how they slowly starts to care for Izzy and I like how the author shows the harsh reality of living in western era.


I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

I really enjoyed this! I am always a sucker for a lesbian historical cowboy story and this was an enjoyable one! It was well-written, and the characters had good chemistry. A few more sex scenes would've been fun but what we got was still nice! I did think the historical aspect was well handled, there wasn't any significant focus on race but the few bits here and there were decent. I would like to check out more from this author!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bella books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was a wonderful read. I enjoy stories depicting the Old West. The MC’s were well written, as well as the secondary characters. There was plenty of angst, but not to an extreme, thankfully. Overall it was a sweet and enjoyable read with a HEA ending.

Outlaw Hearts is a historical western romance with plenty of action and intrigue, Izzy, a progressive suffragette, is shipped off by her embarrassed father to marry an older man after she is caught kissing another woman. On the way to meet her new espoused her stagecoach is held up by a ruthless outlaw, and Izzy finds her safety and virtue threatened at his hands, Elle, an outlaw herself rescues Izzy from his clutches, and in doing so realises she can make a small fortune from Izzy's ransom.

While held captive by Elle and her gang, Izzy coerces them into teaching her how to survive in the wild west. Izzy proves herself with her fortitude and determination and slowly, each member of the gang develops a deep respect for the plucky young woman.

The dynamics between Izzy and Elle soon develop into something more meaningful and leaves Elle and the gang questioning their decision to ransom Izzy.

The author has created a host of varied and lovable characters that bring depth and validity to the story. Each one has a purpose in progressing the plot and defining the quandry Elle finds herself in. Strong women play an important part in the story from Elle's best friend and ally, Raven, to the matriarchal Rose, whose intentions appear to be anything but pure.

The writing style is precise and purposeful, creating a world that acknowledges the harsh realities of the wild west while celebrating the simple beauty to be found such as in Izzy's relationship with Luna and her unfolding romance with Elle..

A thoroughly enjoyable read.