Linda Lael Miller was one of my favorite authors during the late eighties/early nineties, and I decided to read some of her earliest novels again. The books in the Corbin Brothers series were some of my favorites of her early works, so I started this time with Banner O'Brien, the first in the series. I enjoyed rereading this book, but I didn't like it as much as I did twenty years ago. The hero and heroine and their interactions seemed dated, and not quite what you would find in a more recent historical romance. Banner O'Brien is a woman living in a man's world during 1886. She is a medical doctor who agrees to practice medicine in a small community in the Washington Territory when she suspects that she is being trailed by her vindictive exhusband. Banner O'Brien doesn't hardly know what to make of Dr. Adam Corbin when she meets him. They are instantly attracted, but he is a very overbearing and secretive man. When Banner and Adam marry after he has overimbibed, their lives become more complicated. Adam knows that Banner wasn't an innocent on their wedding night, but he doesn't remember what she told him about her history. He is very distrustful of Banner and she resents him for not retaining the information she shared. Adam refuses to reveal his reasons for trekking into the mountains faithfully every three weeks so Banner is convinced that he has another woman there. Their marriage is plagued by mistrust and disagreements, but they share a strong passion. As their feelings for one another grow, they must learn to trust one another and to share the secrets they hold.Both the hero and heroine of this book were annoying at times, but I still liked them. The hero repeatedly told the heroine that he loved her and had no other women, and it was frustrating when she continually doubted him. The hero had a secret that would shatter his family if revealed, so he kept it to himself and let his new wife believe the worst of him. I was a little bit diappointed that I didn't love this book as much as I did when I read it the first time, but I enjoyed revisiting these characters, and I plan to continue the series.
Banner O'Brien by Linda Lael MillerB+, blaze, no kink, historical, 310Linda Lael Miller takes us back to Washington Territory 1886 in a book that brought back many fond Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman memories with a large dose of hunky man doctor thrown in. What a delicious read!After divorcing her abusive and unfaithful husband, Banner O'Brien does an almost unheard of thing-she becomes a doctor. When she discovers that her ex is back in town, she takes the first offer she gets and heads to the Washington territory to take over for an injured doctor. One of the first people she meets is Adam Corbin, hunky, sexy doctor extrodinaire. This one is filled with all the romance I've come to expect from Linda Lael Miller and more. Adam has his own secrets that he's keeping and in the beginning they frustrated me. What were they and why couldn't he share? But when the big reveal happened...I understood and the book became all the better.This was the perfect book at the perfect time. If you liked Dr. Quinn but always wished her relationship with Sully was more steamy, this is the book for you.***10/11/14This one kept me up late into the night to finish. Great characters, great story!
What do You think about Banner O'Brien (1991)?
Might be my second favorite LLM book she is such a flawless writer. Right up there with Holt's book. I was totally smitten with Adam Corbin the minute he strutted onto the page. Banner O'Brien who in my eyes will forever be Jessica Chastain, stomped into my world. She flew off the page with each sarcastic barb thrown in Adam's direction. Both of them being frontier Doctors (DR.QUINN!) If you know me I am in love with that show own every season on DVD.. Anyway, they struggle & fight like an old married couple. Adam has secrets, but so does Banner. She disobey's him at every turn, but in certain situations appears utterly obedient. She falls into the lives of his rich, busy family, and Jeff Corbin falls madly in love with her. Adam seems to sit back, and let it happen, that drove me crazy for a few pages. Adam is prone to fits of rage, and they are hysterical. Jeff however is prone to six month long tantrums as Banner put it, you fall in love with the entire family the Corbins worm their way into your heart, and make you splurge on their entire series, because you have to know what happens to each and every one of them. I just love this woman she can write a freaking book.
—Katy Rustemeyer
I was dissapointed in this book. I usually really really enjoy Linda Lael Miller's books and I was excited to find this copy of one of her ealier novels that I had not read. The story seemed choppy to me without much development in the character's relationships. I also did not like the way the "hero" treated the heroine after they were married. And the heroine was kind of weak and silly, which was unexpected because she is a Doctor. And you would think, for a woman to be a Doctor in the 1880's, she would be fairly strong-willed.
—Linda
