Showing posts with label western. Show all posts
Showing posts with label western. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Montana Creeds: DYLAN by Linda Lael Miller
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Review: Hitched by BJ Daniels
by BJ Daniels
Genre: Contemporary Series Romantic Suspense (Western)
Publisher: Harlequin (Intrigue)
Cost: $4.12 (although I bought mine for $3.67 at WalMart)
What I Liked:
I had never read a BJ Daniels book before, and I think I might be the only person on the planet. With 50 books to her credit and several USA Today Bestsellers under her belt, BJ Daniels is a well-known and successful author. She even lives near me. And for some reason, I've never read a book.
I was in Wal-Mart picking up a different Harlequin book and I spied BJ's Hitched on the shelf and I thought, why not. It's only three and a half dollars.
Well, let me tell you, I wish I'd listened to the hype earlier. This book was fantastic. She has a new Winchester Ranch book out and I'm definitely going to pick that up as well. It was a real page-turner, and I haven't read one of those for a long time. Too long.
Generally, I try to steer clear of the romance novels that take place in Montana. After reading Nora Roberts' Montana romances and a few others, I just got sick of people writing about Montana like it's some kind of fairytale covered-wagon-y place where everyone still rides horses to work. Somehow, people get it in their heads that the whole state wears Stetsons, Wranglers, and Carhart. No, we do not. And I was even more skeptical of reading something that takes place in the North of MT, because that's where I grew up. And that's probably the place it bugs me the most when people get wrong.
And while there were plenty of cowboy hats and horses in this book, somehow, it didn't bother me. Could be because I know she's from Montana, and I know she knows what she's talking about. Could be her good writing. Could be a lot of stuff. I couldn't quite figure it out. But I loved it.
Her hero was just perfect, and I even didn't hate the heroine. If you've read any of my reviews, you know that I almost always hate the heroine. But this time, she was at least tolerable. It could have helped that this was a suspense book, so there was more going on than just the romance. And it was a very interesting story. Perhaps a little soap-opera-y. But let's face it. That's part of why we read romance novels, eh? I know it's part of why I do. I just can't help it.
Anyway, a well-crafted story, interesting characters, good setting, and lots of suspenseful moments. All-in-all, a pleasure to read. And this book definitely turned me into a BJ Daniels fan. I hope her backlist is available... :-)
(Oh, and by the way... this book was one of her USA Today bestsellers.)
Book Blurb:
Following a trail of secrets back to his family ranch, Jack Winchester needed a cover to solve a decades-old mystery. And Josey Smith offered him the perfect one—if she would agree to pose as his wife for a week. The gorgeous redhead was up to her neck in trouble, and Jack protected what was his, pretend marriage or not.
On the run from a killer, Josey had no choice but to accept Jack's proposal. She no longer trusted herself to tell the good guys from the bad, but the handsome, blue-eyed cowboy made her feel safe. Yet it soon became apparent that the sparks that flew between them were anything but fake, and the danger they faced was all too real…
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Review: The Rancher's Promise by Jillian Hart
by Jillian Hart
Genre: Inspirational Romance (Contemporary)
Publisher: Harlequin
Cost: $4.40
What I Liked:
I've been on a Love Inspired kick recently and have pretty much enjoyed everything I've read. Or I thought I had, until I read The Rancher's Promise. Because if that's what it is to enjoy a book, then everything else has just been time wasters.
Okay, maybe that was a bit dramatic. But this was just such a fantastic book.
I'm always a little skeptical when I see "Recommended Read" stickered on the cover of a book. To me, that means "please buy this", and I'm very uninterested in marketing. But I loved the picture. It reminded me of home. And I've been on an LI kick, so I figured, "why not?"
So thankful I bought this book in the end. By the time I got to the "please subscribe" postcard in the middle, I was in can't-put-this-down mode. And I finished it all right there (but not before stopping to fill out the please-subscribe card, haha). I thought, "if this is the indication of the quality of Love Inspired books now, I need to subscribe immediately." And I did.
The story. Aaah, the story. Well, first of all, Jillian Hart created a superb story here. The characters felt real, they had real things at stake. Their relationship made sense to me, but also the reasons they couldn't be together made a lot of sense. It was very interesting to see two strong Christians in a story together for once, and in a way that wasn't annoying or preachy. I really enjoyed it.
But the best part, by far, was the hero. He was fantastic. He's the kind of guy we all hope is really out there somewhere. A guy with standards, a strong constitution, (a great body, hello, but that's not even really important when the rest of it is there with this guy), a soft heart, and a little bit of woundedness. Oh, boy. This one is a keeper. No library shelf for this one. I'm gonna read this again someday, and I want to have it around to inspire me later.
Book Blurb:
Rancher Justin Granger hasn't seen his high school sweetheart since she rode out of town with his heart. Now, "too good for this small town" Rori Cornell stands on his doorstep, seeking a job as his cook and housekeeper. He can't turn her away, not with the sadness and worry in her cornflower-blue eyes. He'll just have to avoid her between meals. But when Justin discovers that Rori's big dream has always been him, he finds his heart softening. And an old promise yearning to be kept.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Review: Dangerous by Diana Palmer
by Diana Palmer
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Western)
Release Date: May 25, 2010
Publisher: HQN Books
Price: $14.58
What I Liked:
I just adored this hero. I am a sucker for the wounded, tragic hero. So I loved this guy. He's sarcastic (and very funny), protective, dark and (surprise) dangerous. But not as dangerous as what is about to happen to them.
And that is a great adventure.
I've never been a big fan of western romances. In fact, I generally steer clear of anything with a cowboy hat/boot or a cactus on the front. But I just read BJ Daniels' recent release. And I read this Diana Palmer book, and I might just be a cowboy convert.
I thought the plot was interesting, the characters were engaing, the writing was good, there was plenty of humor, and the ending was satisfying. All in all, I'd say a great read. If you're interested in Western romances (not historical, but alive in today's world), I'd definitely check this out. Also, if you like contemporary romances (but not Westerns), it's not so cowboy-focused that you won't still enjoy it. I'll be interested to hear, if you've read this or if you buy it and read it, what you think of it.
Book Blurb:
Tall, lean and headstrong, FBI agent Kilraven lives by his own rules. And one of those rules includes keeping his hands off Jacobsville's resident sweetheart, Winnie Sinclair, no matter the temptation. Shy and innocent, Winnie couldn't handle a man like him--a merciless man with a haunted past. And this small town may hold not only the woman he fights to resist, but the answers to a cold case that is very personal to Kilraven.
Winnie has had her own share of sorrow and senses Kilraven's pain. Even though she tries to deny it, the gentle 911 operator feels a connection with the darkly handsome agent. When he makes the disturbing discovery that her family's unsavory past might have a bearing in his case, Winnie is determined to help him crack it... and the ice around his heart.
As they combine forces in a dangerous investigation, the stakes rise ever higher. WInnie's life is on the line, and she'll need Kilraven more than ever. But if they are to have a future together, her ruthless Texan will need to confront his past and risk it all for their love.
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