Original Review from December 2018: I finished this book two days ago, and I still don't know how to begin a review. All I can say really is that I'm Original Review from December 2018: I finished this book two days ago, and I still don't know how to begin a review. All I can say really is that I'm still so deeply feeling book agony from this tale that I'm dying! Dying to know what happens in the sequels! I need them translated from French, like, now!
Oh, this book transported me right into a completely mesmerizing fantasy universe. Characters live on "arks," or shards of the earth that have been split apart after some catastrophic event known as the Rupture, which occurred years before. Each person has some sort of unique power; some can walk through mirrors, sense the history of any item (along with the feelings any person who came in contact with that item had), mend broken china and torn paper with the touch of a hand, summon chairs to trot up to them from across the room, cloak drab rooms in the illusion of elegance and finery, and create clothing out of thin air. But there's also a dark side to this universe. Other not-so-nice characters torture people from a distance, plot political moves and murders, manipulate women, and treat servants worse than dirt. The best way I can describe this book is Alice in Wonderland meets a Grimm fairytale. I'm simultaneously absorbed and repulsed by the fantastical yet brutal universe Ophelia lives in.
Speaking of Ophelia, I adore her! Though she be but little, she is fierce! Small, soft-spoken, and constantly judged for her drab taste in clothes, I found her instantly likeable and highly relatable. I loved her museum on Anima as well as her relationship with her godfather and godmother, the undersung-herione Aunt Rosaline (gotta love her, too!). I also appreciated that Ophelia has faults and makes missteps, but she doesn't let that stop her (for example, she is very clumsy from getting stuck in a mirror for several hours when she first started learning how to mirror-travel). Though her family has agreed to hand her over in marriage to the forbidding "Mr. Thorn" from a neighboring ark known as the Pole, Ophelia doesn't spend her time whining and crying. Instead, she's subtly determined to spend the year of her engagement learning as much as she can about the Pole and its horrible politics so she can hopefully build her own life. I found Ophelia so refreshingly honest, especially since so many characters lie and keep such secrets from her. Ophelia also has this great animated scarf (I totally want one for myself!). And every time Ophelia was knocked down emotionally or mistreated, I couldn't help but feel myself caring for her even more. She had so few allies and friends that I wished I could volunteer to help her or at the very least hug her to bits! I am completely rooting for her to succeed at whatever is really going on at the Pole and for her to at last discover Thorn's true purposes for her.
And speaking of that, it's high time I talk about "Mr. Thorn." Can I get a first name or a last name with that please? Perhaps it's in book two? Or three? Or four! (Hildegarde Serle, please translate as fast as you can--I need to know more about this guy!) Well, whether it's his first or last name, Thorn is basically as cold as the Pole he takes Ophelia to, and he is about as pleasant as getting his namesake gouged into your flesh. I am so . . . torn about Thorn that I don't know what to really feel about him. I hoped for so long in the book that Thorn was just an iceberg on the outside and is hiding a compassionate and dreamy soul inside. But Thorn repeatedly lets Ophelia be freezing cold, miserable, abused, locked away, kept in the dark, etc. until his ultimate betrayal comes to light. He lets Ophelia think for so long that she is undesirable and insignificant and a burden that he often comes across as a haughty, condescending jerk more than a worthy potential husband. He also keeps trying to make Ophelia follow his orders without question, but Ophelia (Bless her!) fights for her own autonomy since it looks like he's not going to be someone she can truly rely on (Did I mention that I love her spirit yet?). Mostly, I am so angry at him for messing up with Ophelia and making her go through so much awfulness! In standard YA fare, the main guy and girl are supposed to develop an attraction and fall in love, but Thorn completely throws that plan out the window with his severe and forbidding attitude toward Ophelia, who was trying her best, by the way! But . . . I also feel about him what I felt about Snape when I first read the Harry Potter series--that he is hiding his true self for the greater good, which in this case I'm hoping means Ophelia's protection and saftey. However, since Thorn is such an iceberg and won't let ANYONE into his head, Ophelia (and I) continually don't understand him and what's truly at stake in this book series. He's just like the fantasy universe he lives in--multiple things at once. Cold, brutal, and perhaps illusory? I just want to throttle him! I can't help despising him for his treatment of Ophelia! And yet . . . I also can't give up my hope that he's not as terrible as he seems, that he still can turn into (or already is secretly) the guy Ophelia needs him to be, and that they'll be successful together when he FINALLY shares all his secrets with her and shows how much he really does care for her.
SIDE RANT: Also, I am DYING to have Ophelia "read" his pocket watch that he's always checking and clicking open-shut. Just think of the GOLDMINE of character info Dabos could have Ophelia gain from that little watch! (Again, translator-extraordinaire, please hurry to get the next books in English! I need them pronto!)
I do have a few reservations about this book, though. There are still a few things I don't really get: What on earth are those fragments at the beginning and ending referring to? And is there any symbolism to this? And what importance do Farouk and Artemis and their books have in this world? And why is it so important to find someone to read them? And what did Thorn deliver to Artemis from Farouk that was in that jewelled casket? And what was Artemis going to say to Ophelia about it before changing her mind? And why does Thorn think Archibald and Farouk are so dangerous when they've both come across so far as only highly disreputable? And there are also some things I would cut shorter to keep the plot moving more. (Berenilde just started to really annoy me--I despise her much more than I do Thorn, actually, for how she took advantage of Ophelia when she was disguised as a valet, so anything dealing with her I could stand to see cut shorter.)
But the tension and suspense and inventiveness and mystery and characters of this book had me continually staying up late to read "just one more chapter," so I can't deny this book's allure and powerful storytelling. When I finished, I couldn't even move on to a different book because my head was still agonizing over this one . . . so I reread it again within a week. What? I had to do something to keep myself sane until I can get my hands on the sequels. I saw someone in another review wondering what they will do with their life until they read the next book in this series. What indeed!? If anyone has any info about when the next books will be in English, please let me know! I saw something about March 2019? That means I have only three more months to go. *head hits table*
Updated January 2019: So, I just found out that the sequel is not coming out in March of 2019 . . . it will be released in May. *faints in desperation*
Updated April 21, 2019: Okay, so I just reread this one . . . again . . . because the sequel comes out in English in 16 days! But I am STILL in agony! Since December! Of last year!
Here's how I've been coping: rereading the book (three times total); poring over my favorite scenes and hardcore obsessing over the potential meanings behind significant lines; creating a super-fan board on Pinterest to save all kinds of awesome fan art of scenes from the series (nevermind that much of it is in French!); fangirling over adorable fan arts; obsessively translating the French captions from said fan art; raving about this book to my family, my book club, my colleagues, and anyone else who will listen; making my sisters read it and dying a little inside when they didn't quite love it as much as I did; creating a count down in my journal to the days 'til the sequel is released in English (did I mention? 16 days!); reading and rereading the (regrettably too short!) sneak peek of the sequel online; and updating this review!
Yes.
I. Am. Obsessed.
But it's okay. I'm totally dealing with it . . .
Who am I kidding?
May 7th, come as quickly as possible! I just need this sequel ASAP!
Updated November 2019: I still LOVE this book to bits. A fourth rereading within a year doesn't change that! If anything it reminded me just how much I adored this world. ...more
So I happened across this book on my Kindle App, and I remembered that I had seen and enjoyed the movie made back in the 1990s with Christopher Reeve.So I happened across this book on my Kindle App, and I remembered that I had seen and enjoyed the movie made back in the 1990s with Christopher Reeve. So I thought I'd give it a try.
And it follows the movie pretty closely, especially early on, just giving more info here and there to explain both Elly and Will Parker's situations. This novel, though, has Will actually go off to war and write Elly letters for quite a while before coming home an injured hero.
Honestly, the characters in the movie matched the ones in the book so well that I saw and heard them as I read. I also noticed how the movie cut out the war elements to condense the story a bit and keep the storyline tighter. I am curious, though, why the movie changed the culprit of the crime at the end of the novel. Though, the movie did give Elly more growth and strength as a character . . .
Anyway, I enjoyed it, especially having seen the movie beforehand....more
I found this free on my Kindle App and read it over my Thanksgiving break (when I should have been reading other books on my TBR list).
Anyway, it was I found this free on my Kindle App and read it over my Thanksgiving break (when I should have been reading other books on my TBR list).
Anyway, it was clearly written by an Austen and Victorian era fan--the author combined little nods to those two elements throughout her story. The hero was enticingly grim and steadfast while the heroine was just independent enough. Though I wasn't head over heels for all the characters in the ebook, I still enjoyed the MCs discovering more about themselves and finding a satisfying connection by the end.
It's a decent short read that taps into Austen, the Victorian era, and the holidays. What's not to like?...more
So I read this as I was rotting on the couch this past Thanksgiving. I needed something to entertain me, and this book did just that.
Linnea (and, yes,So I read this as I was rotting on the couch this past Thanksgiving. I needed something to entertain me, and this book did just that.
Linnea (and, yes, somehow I just read two books in 48 hours whose main heroines had this name) is a brand new teacher who headed west on her first teaching assignment. Only to encounter the grouchy Theodore, who expected a male teacher and is determined not to have a female unrelated to him living in his house. Except, his home is closest to the schoolhouse, so he ends up having little choice in the matter, especially when his mother, Nissa, welcomes Linnea with open arms.
Anyway, I found Linnea to be an interesting character. She is lighthearted and charming and sees the prettiness in most anything. However, some of her childishness can get wearying at times. Still, Linnea does a lot of growing up in this book, especially by the end of the novel, which includes a lot of heartache.
Teddy . . . hmm. . . well, I suppose I did like him as a character, mostly. But his penchant for lashing out at those he loves got old, as did his insistence that Linnea at 18 was too young to marry him, a 34-year-old. I feel that in the old west and even to some respects nowadays, that age gap wouldn't have been that much of a big deal. Still, Teddy's proposal to Linnea was perfect and probably my favorite moment of the book.
Anyway, reading this was a guilty pleasure, I'll admit. But, hey, it was entertaining enough...more
Let me just say that I had to, okay? I think of Hedlund's books as brain candy. The storylines draw me in, theMy sisters ask me why I buy these books.
Let me just say that I had to, okay? I think of Hedlund's books as brain candy. The storylines draw me in, the western aspect calls to me, and the reading is easy. Plus, this was part of a series, and I enjoyed the first book.
This one was okay. Just okay, though. I mean, I liked Linnea and Flynn sure enough, but I never really felt like I'd die if they didn't get together. I mean, I knew they would, so their romance seemed pretty straightforward to me.
However, the last chapter previewing the next book focusing on Brody seemed VERY powerful--he's a Civil War veteran recuperating after Andersonville and meeting his baby niece for the first time. For me that was the most compelling part of the whole book.
So will I be buying the next in the series? I'll give you one guess. ;)...more
This book was quite the surprise. I loved how it was simultaneously simple and profound. The scratchy-itchy pen drawings splashed with just the right This book was quite the surprise. I loved how it was simultaneously simple and profound. The scratchy-itchy pen drawings splashed with just the right amount of watercolor drew me in.
With only a few deft pen-strokes, Mackesy delineated characters with such depth and personality. Mole and his love of cake. Fox with his wariness of the fragility of connection. Horse with the gentleness to match his size. And the boy, seeking wisdom from all three to get through life.
This is a book for the young, the middle-aged, and the old. I definitely feel I can pick it up and start anywhere--just page through to absorb the pure simplicity of the drawings and sentiments. It's "Winnie-the-Pooh" meets "The Little Prince." And it's also timeless. Worth the read!...more
After my sisters told me about the marvelous author of this book and I watched some of her YouTube videos, I just had to read something she had writteAfter my sisters told me about the marvelous author of this book and I watched some of her YouTube videos, I just had to read something she had written.
I found this book to be full of love, affirmation, and inspiration for the tough times. She is open about her faith, but I didn't think it came across as preachy at all. More like accepting, genuine, and welcoming toward all women. EWH has lived the struggles she gives advice about. Her words are so powerful because she HAS been there and because she KNOWS how tough life can be.
I've already found myself remembering and repeating some of her mantras and little prayers. Though not all of the chapters applied to me, there is a wealth of great advice between the covers of this slim novel. An important book for young women, for sure!...more
So I read this one after enjoying the sequel, Diamond Bay.
While I liked finding out the background of Jane and Grant and enjoyed how Jane always surpaSo I read this one after enjoying the sequel, Diamond Bay.
While I liked finding out the background of Jane and Grant and enjoyed how Jane always surpassed Grant's low expectations of her, I also didn't feel as connected to their story as I did for the couple in Diamond Bay. This story just felt like a foregone conclusion since I knew they would stay together. When I read Diamond Bay, I thought the story had more tension, a thicker plot, and more action.
Still, it was fine. An escape for a few hours. Not my favorite Linda Howard but okay overall....more
So, I'll admit that I bought this only because I had read Jody Hedlund books before and enjoy how she does sweet romance combined with spirit3.5 Stars
So, I'll admit that I bought this only because I had read Jody Hedlund books before and enjoy how she does sweet romance combined with spiritual faith.
I also enjoyed this book 100% more than Outlander--that book's time travel made absolutely no sense to me (who says only women can time travel?), and the way Outlander disparaged Catholicism until it became a convenient tool to to justify Claire and Jamie's relationship always bothered me.
This book, on the other hand, took time to try pointing out how time travel could be suggested in the Bible and actually spent time trying to establish at least the possibility of the science of time travel. I say suggested and possibility because I still had to suspend my disbelief quite a bit to get into the spirit of this book.
That said, I kept WAITING for the time travel to finally happen--it took over 100 pages, which is a good third of this book. And THEN the story really took off for me. I will second what another reviewer has said--Jamie Fraser has nothing on Will Durham. The romance in this book--while still appropriate--definitely smolders. The way Will thinks of Marian is quite swoonworthy, so the ending of this one entirely satisfied me.
Anyway, if you can suspend your time-travel disbelief, wait for a third of the book before the story really takes off, and if you enjoy smoldering romance, this is a good book and a great escape for a few hours!...more
This was another Goodreads recommendation for me. And it was very strong!
I loved how Bret came to care for Hassie in this story. His attention toward This was another Goodreads recommendation for me. And it was very strong!
I loved how Bret came to care for Hassie in this story. His attention toward her--how he understands her vulnerabilities and seeks to free her from them--was very touching. When he learned sign language for her and they had their own secret language--swoon!
I do think Anne and Cord's relationship from Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold was deeper somehow, but I still really enjoyed this western. I recommend!...more
I picked it up on a whim after seeing it recommended to me on Goodreads--they sure got my tastes pegged, LOL.
Anne and Cord I really enjoyed this one!
I picked it up on a whim after seeing it recommended to me on Goodreads--they sure got my tastes pegged, LOL.
Anne and Cord grow to have such a beautifully realistic and developing romance. The flickers of interest from when they were kids blossom into an iron-clad relationship when they stumble into the crush of the town's hatred, spurred on by Anne's father, nonetheless.
This book did such a great job of keeping characters at odds in ways that moved the story forward but still kept the tension there--this allowed Anne and Cord to grow together while others constantly doubted them. The slow revelations their families and town members came to made my happiness in Anne and Cord even more satisfying.
If you like western romances, I recommend this one!...more
So, I've kinda been on an Ellen O'Connell kick lately. I happened across her name on Goodreads, and I have to say, I'm so impressed at her self-publisSo, I've kinda been on an Ellen O'Connell kick lately. I happened across her name on Goodreads, and I have to say, I'm so impressed at her self-published books and her writing skills. She never fails to create original, nuanced characters who really get to my western-romance-loving heart.
In this one, Gaetan and Katherine lead the cast. What I think I appreciated most is that their hate-to-love journey did not feel forced or unnatural or too predictable at all. Yes, having male and female leads does imply they'll become a couple, but O'Connell tells the story in such a way that you don't just take that for granted.
Gaetan is dealing with very real issues of being a Chiricahua warrior who is on the outside of his own tribe because he and his brother had been taken by one of the mission schools--which changed him. He is also living at a time when US-Native American relations were very tense and violent, and the future of the Native way of live was so greatly threatened. It's more than understandable why he detests all whites.
Katherine, though, is fighting battles of her own. Her sense of self-worth as a woman, her freedom, and her standing in her family are all what she's looking for after a fallout with her family for not marrying a man who ill-used her, hit her, and only wanted her to care for his children from a previous marriage. And so she's on a trip alone--and eventually encounters Gaetan.
Anyway, suffice it to say that I really had a good time with this one, even if I would have loved more to the ending. ...more
I was definitely excited for this one. The premise--Mary Frances, the oldest of her sisters, has decided to gThe last book in the saga of the 5 Marys!
I was definitely excited for this one. The premise--Mary Frances, the oldest of her sisters, has decided to give up her preparations to become a nun. Her mother is distraught at the news and begs her to reconsider, even as they travel west to visit more of her sisters and their husbands.
When they arrive at one of the forts along the way, Mary Frances hears tell of a young man she had met months ago--Ryder McKay. He stands convicted of attacking the daughter of one of the military higher-ups and thus allowing a shipment of gold to go missing. Mary Frances believes he is innocent, so she wears her nun habit to finagle her way in to see him. Shockingly, he then uses her as a shield to escape.
Though white, Ryder McKay was raised by a Native American family, so he uses his Apache skills to hide him and Mary Frances in the western wilderness. He, of course, has feelings for her. She feels for him as well, but still does her best to escape and get back to her family. Their connection blossoms, though, and they eventually marry according to his tribe's customs.
I absolutely loved the parts after this--when Ryder and Mary Frances teamed up to solve the mystery of the stolen gold, their teamwork and care for each other made me smile. Yes, Ryder can be alpha-male sometimes, but Mary Frances is feisty, too, and holds her own. Their connection and romance are very believable!
Overall, this was a fine end to the series. I think this one ended up beating out book 1 as my favorite, but it is a close call. Book 1 led me on this journey, but Book 5 pushed a lot of the right buttons for me. 4.7 stars overall, I think!...more
This book is easily the creepiest in the saga of the 5 Marys. And also the least western.
It focuses on Mary Schyler, Skye. Her father sends her undercThis book is easily the creepiest in the saga of the 5 Marys. And also the least western.
It focuses on Mary Schyler, Skye. Her father sends her undercover to an inventor's home to check the status of the top-secret combustion engine he's been funding. Having heard little, he wants a "man on the ground" he can trust to update him. Though Skye would rather an adventure like her sisters have had, she agrees to pose as a housekeeper in the place.
Except, it quickly becomes clear things are not as they seem. The inventor seems much more interested in her than in working on the engine, but repeated attempts on his life have made him wary. His bodyguard is very suspicious of Skye herself, and she tries to prove she's there on innocent terms.
But nights quickly come to plague Skye. It seems that someone visits her room, but she can't quite wake up to see who it is. But she can feel him there, touching her . . .
It was terrifying to imagine Skye's plight! She eventually teams up with the bodyguard, but the plot afoot is much more sinister than a lack of return on her father's investment. It was scary to imagine Skye in such a vulnerable position, so I was glad for the bodyguard, even if he kept things from her, too.
I had to keep going, but this story seemed to me the most tragic yet.
Mary Margaret, Maggie, wants to be a doctor. Book 3 in the series of the 5 Marys!
I had to keep going, but this story seemed to me the most tragic yet.
Mary Margaret, Maggie, wants to be a doctor. She's got the knack for it and waits only for word that she has gotten into medical school. But then, her life takes a sudden turn.
While fooling around with her sister, Maggie gets turned around and ends up in a sketchy part of the city. After getting accosted by some undesirables, the owner of a bordello helps Maggie, giving her a room for the night and sending for a doctor. Meanwhile, she gives her some laudanum to help her sleep.
But then Connor arrives at the bordello seeking a night to celebrate his ability to finally purchase his ranch and forget his troubles that led to his circumstances. An honest mistake leads him to Maggie's room. She thinks he's the doctor. He thinks she's willing. It's all a terrible misunderstanding, but it leaves its impact.
When Maggie wakes, still loopy from laudanum and alcohol, she panics, stuffs her nightgown into the nearest bag, dresses, and flees, determined to forget the entire night.
When Connor wakes, he's convinced Maggie stole his money from him. With bitter defeat, he goes to the man he wants to buy the ranch from--John Mackenzie Worth, Maggie's father.
When he sees Maggie again, he thinks she's one of Jay Mac's servants and is understandably angry about her thievery. He demands his money. But Maggie doesn't remember him or anything he claims she's done with him. She certainly doesn't remember their night together, but her family has suspected things have not been quite right with Maggie since that odd night. Then Maggie discovers--she's with child.
After getting a letter from medical school, Maggie also gets a proposition from Jay Mac and Connor: if she marries Connor, he can get his ranch from him as a wedding gift. Since Maggie feels bad about the money that she still has no memory of and since she needs to get out of town pronto, she lets her family know of her rejection from medical school and marries Connor quickly for her baby's sake. She lets him think she got rid of the baby, and he is doubly enraged at her now.
Oh, the heartache in this one got to me. Maggie had to suffer such trials and cruelty from Connor. It all finally starts looking up for her when she convinces Connor to leave her with a man in the mountains who helped her father in book 2.
The plot continues from there, but that's enough summary. This one, overall, was so tragic and took forever for the leads to work things out. Definitely a darker western romance, for sure. The first book in the series is still my favorite....more
The story of the five Marys continued in this tale, starring Rennie--Mary Renee Worth--and Jarret Sullivan, Ethan's friend from book 1.
This book contiThe story of the five Marys continued in this tale, starring Rennie--Mary Renee Worth--and Jarret Sullivan, Ethan's friend from book 1.
This book continued the series well, though the beginning of it repeated some of the chapters from the end of book 1, only from Jarret's and Rennie's POVs.
After Jarret stopped Rennie's marriage in book 1, she seeks him out again in book 2 for help. Her father has gone missing suspiciously, and she suspects some of the people in his railroad office are responsible. She seeks out the man who once entered her life before.
But he is changed now. After suffering a debilitating injury from Rennie's fiance, Jarret is now ferociously bitter. Still, Rennie has always been a draw for him, so he grouchily agrees to help her.
The story takes off from there with Goodman's characteristic blend of romance and blindsiding revelations. Even when I know to watch for them, she still catches me off guard.
A good story overall. First book is still my favorite, though....more
So I read this series back in May/June and am just catching up now with my Goodreads updates . . . oops!
Anyway, I really liked this book! It's a WesteSo I read this series back in May/June and am just catching up now with my Goodreads updates . . . oops!
Anyway, I really liked this book! It's a Western Romance, sure, but Jo Goodman writes with grit and cleverness. She hides what you don't expect in plain sight and doesn't shy away from the tough scenes.
I particularly loved the female lead of this book. Mary Michael Dennehy is one of five illegitimate sisters born to a prominent businessman and the love of his life . . . who happens to not be his wife. To lessen the scandal of it all, if only by a little bit, each sister is Mary something: Mary Michael, Mary Renee, Mary Frances, Mary Schyler, and Mary Margaret. Each sister goes by their second name except Mary Frances, who's the eldest.
Known as "Michael," Mary Michael forges her way as a journalist. Despite her father's connections, she works her way up on her own, fighting for recognition as the smart woman she is. That's how she comes to be on a train headed west with a team of journalists. When the train is held up and robbed, the outlaw, who has a grudge against journalists, quickly does away with most of her colleagues. Except Michael doesn't strike him as a journalist, and one of the outlaws, Ethan, quickly interferes, claiming Michael is his estranged wife who was about to remarry one of the journalists. To save her life, Michael goes along with it all, even though she thinks she sees Ethan kill her last living colleague. Ethan, however, has secrets of his own, and it's crucial that Michael doesn't reveal them. She's an added complication on his mission . . . and he yearns to keep her safe.
But the villain, Houston and his woman, Dee, have plans for Michael. Dee wants her to work in her saloon while Houston has designs on gaining Michael for himself. They're a formidable pair of baddies, that's for sure!
Lots of twists, turns, and revelations in this one while the romance slowly inches up the thermometer. Even when you think all the secrets have been revealed, more unfold. Ethan can be a bit crude at times (so I didn't completely swoon over him), I mostly forgave him since he was undercover and under a lot of pressure. Overall, this one really got my heart and mind racing.
So, I picked up this book after having read Ihle's The Bride Wore Spurs. That one, I liked. This one . . . not so much.
It seemed promising at first. JSo, I picked up this book after having read Ihle's The Bride Wore Spurs. That one, I liked. This one . . . not so much.
It seemed promising at first. Josie Baum is whisked away from her job as laundress at a saloon to care for a half-Cherokee man struggling with a broken leg in the mountains. But Josie wants freedom. She's already helped her mother deliver fourteen sons and had acted as surrogate mother to most of them. She wants to ranch and be outdoors, not to cook and clean ever again. But Daniel is drawn to her, even though he thinks she is diseased from "working" at the saloon.
Through a series of events, they end up married and their truths come out--Josie is bitter about her mother's past and never worked at the saloon as she led on, while Daniel owns up that he has twin sons on the reservation for her to help care for.
But even after they marry, they still don't get each other. In fact, while Daniel comes across as practical (he agreed to marry her for her help on the ranch, so of course he expects her to help raise his sons), Josie manages to come across as mostly selfish. She's got this one-track mindset that she ONLY will do ranching farm work, automatically excluding anything in the house. This didn't sit well with me. I am all for equality between men and women and definitely don't mean to say Josie should be stuck in the kitchen. Daniel definitely makes enough mistakes himself. But my issue with Josie is that she really seems to lack any sort of empathy for anyone since she's so consumed with herself and what she thinks she needs. Everyone else tries to see things from others' POVs at least a few times, while Josie constantly gets stuck on her own wants. I kept waiting for her and Daniel to truly SHARE all the chores--in the house and on the ranch.
She does redeem herself a little in my books by the end when she welcomes her own son into the world and finally seems to think about another human being's welfare, but a little more empathy from her would have helped me enjoy this book a lot more.
Overall, it's fine. But I'd rather reread The Bride Wore Spurs instead....more
I binge-read this ebook yesterday. Great way to spend a summer afternoon, even though I unintentionally started with the second book in the series.
I hI binge-read this ebook yesterday. Great way to spend a summer afternoon, even though I unintentionally started with the second book in the series.
I have read a couple other Linda Howard books--she does a good job with romance and suspense. This book was no exception.
After a near-fatal encounter with a team of bad guys when he was supposed to have been relaxing on his boat on a secret vacation, Kell Sabin manages to swim toward land, just in time to be cast up against the rocks by some rough waves.
Enter the pretty widow--Rachel Jones. She has lived alone in her little house at Diamond Bay after retiring from a stint as an investigative journalist that ultimately claimed the life of her former husband. She writes, gardens, and collects shells on the beach. Her only company is a skittish German Shepard that adopted her, though she has a few friends--a neighbor a few miles off and a veterinarian.
She sees him struggling in the water of Diamond Bay before going under the waves. Long story short, she saves him, but her journalist's instincts warn her that this is no ordinary guy. She resists calling 911 and contacts her convenient vet friend instead to patch up his bullet holes. And then she nurses him slowly back to health.
Anyway, enough summary. I definitely enjoy this type of tale--I'm a sucker for romance in the unlikeliest of places and scenarios. They've both been wounded in previous marriages--Kell because he doesn't want to risk a woman with his lifestyle again and Rachel because she feels at fault for her husband's death when she got too close to the truth as a journalist. But, me oh my, the sparks are definitely there, and predictably, they end up giving in to that spark.
As if their connection isn't heart-pounding enough, some agents show up to complicate matters. I won't give away too much, even though this is an older book already, but the hospital scene truly got me.
So, a great binge-read for sure. Summery, predictable, and romantic. Just what I was looking for. Now I guess I just have to find a copy of book one in the series . . . it's not on Google Play yet (rats!) . . . Guess I know my next mission!...more
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