We jump straight in2 fam. probs. Her brother might not mak it&she was a blubbering baby&he seemed like a jerk.Case in point: “Wut the hell is wrong, Callie?”Is that wut u say wen sum1s shaken up? &she’s all, “There’s b-been an accident.” “He b-broke his neck.” It’s annoying&pathetic. Callie proceeds 2 stutter&sob her way thru it. “ur brother Owen was the 1 who tackled Sam. ur brother Owen is the 1 who broke his nek.”Idt u had 2 specify that Owen is his brother. He nos who his brother is. &saying it twice in a row is annoying.This wasn’t a good feud. She was letting the accident,&that was all it was, get in the wa. Ther wasn’t a concrete reason 2 leave Trace bhind. Ther he was wanting 2 b ther 4 her&finally hav ther luv out in the open&she duznt let him cumHe says he needs her&wants 2 spend the rest of his life w/her&she says “I can’t. I’m sry. It’s over.”The reason was so flimsy. She just dint want 2 try. We find out rite after she’s pregnant&it was stupid that she dint tell him. Callie marries sum1 just wks after Trace left, sum1 who’s 20 yrs older than her. Ew. This ain’t the 1800s wher u gotta marry sum1 2 cover up a pregnancy. “If ur so interested in breeding sumthin, how about mrrying the eldest Creed girl&breeding me a few grandsons,” Blackjack retorted. “She’s ben a widow dam near a yr. Cant bleve u havnt rushed her 2 the altar.”We’re in the 21st century, not the 17th. I knew it was gonna be a boy. This story has ben dun plenty of times b4&4 sum reason all authors mak the boy lanky. Callie had a 4 yr old girl w/Nolan? WTH is up with that?! I almost slammed the dang book down in disgust. The kids were so annoying. Little “defiant” Eli&annoying Hannah who repeated everything everybody sed.Wen Trace c’s her w/them he feels pain&says she shud hav ben his wife&they shud hav ben his kids. It wudve made it better had they both been his. it ruined it that she had a kid w/sum1 else.It was so confusing rmbrng every1s names. I had 2 think hard 2 rmbr every1 2 keep straight who was doing wut. She threw out names like garbage&I had 2 struggle 2 keep up. It was tragic how Callie’s mom Ren&Trace’s dad Jackson had luvd each other b4 they each married sum1 else&still luvd each other. Trace had abandoned her. He had refused 2 wait, even a little while, 2 c if they cud work things out. No, she was the 1 that had broken it off. Wen I read the next thing tho, I thought she was a little justified in marrying sum1 else:&he made sure she knew how easily she cud b replaced. She had herd stories in Bitter Creek about the women who had cum&gone from his bed. The first she had ben told w/in 3 wks of ther separation. “&he gav u a son,” Trace accused, “that shud hav ben mine. Mine, Callie. Not his.”y did he say it like that? Y did he mention only the boy¬ the girl? She has 2 kids, not 1. So y wud the author hav him say it like that? Oh, that’s right. It’s convenient.It was so disgusting wen he asked w/hevy lidded eyes if Nolan was good in bed. It made Trace look bad that he imm. started pursuing her. &it made her look bad cuz she went along w/it. She danced w/him after he bought up the horses he new she wanted. He new her family needed those horses 2 replace the 1s that were stolen&he bought them neway. A hole!He says 2 sav her a dance at the party&of course she dances w/him. He makes it clear he wants her, she says she duznt luv him, agin, he says who sed nething about luv, agin&they’re kissing rite after it. Who gets w/sum1 after they just sed it isn’t about luv?A fight breaks up the kiss&Trace stops it&Callie’s like how can I thank u? &he says she can go out w/him 2 the art museum&she just smiles&goes rite along w/it, the only hesitation being she duznt hav an outfit 2 wear 2 it. She says won’t stay in his parent’s penthouse w/him, but agrees 2 it neway, bcuz “it was foolish 2 spend $ 4 a room wen she had the offer of a place 2 stay 4 free.”I luv how authors mak ther characters contradict themselves just 2 throw them 2gether. Don’t make the characters say they’re not gonna do sumthing&then a split sec later do it.The whole buying a dress&shoes, sending a hair stylist&a manicurist 4 her just seemed insulting, like he thought she wasn’t goin 2 look good on her own. It was supposed 2 b romantic, but it wasn’t. Callie goes&feeds him a strawberry after everything. Wth is goin on here?It was SO annoying how she went along w/the whol date&sed they had no future. That’s wut she sed b4 she danced w/him, that’s what she sed agin b4 she kissed him&it’s what she sed agin b4 feeding him, nibbling his earlobe&tuching his crotch. Either quit saying it or stick 2 ur guns. Her parents r missing&whil her&Trace r looking 4 them she’s worried&they just hav sex. Just like that. Ther in the front seat of the jeep wen they’re searching 4 her parents&she imm. regrets it. She’s talking like nothing happ, like she dint use him 4 comfort, commenting on the sunrise. Okayy. Was that rly the best time 2 hav sex? &after all those yrs that isn’t the way ther supposed 2 hav sex.Trace sed that if he just had sex w/her he wud get it out of his system, but, predictably, after he has sex w/her it didn’t get her out of his system&he wants her agin. How many times has that line ben used by romance authors? Her dad gets shot&killed. I thought the author wud kill off Ren’s husband&Jackson’s wife, or at least hav them divorce, so the 2 luv birds cud get 2gether.Callie was a little bitchy, saying she wudnt b w/him, but letting him buy her things&letting him help in the serch. The guy used his jeep, called all his cowhands 2 go out looking&had his helicopter out scanning the area&she tells him it isn’t a good idea 2 drive her hom.Callie wanted 2 refuse him, but on the spur of the moment, she culdnt think of ne other way 2 get hom. There was no such thing as cab service in Bitter Creek. She cud call Luke&hav him cum get her, but then he’d hav 2 no wher she was. She cud call Lou Ann Simpson, but she dint want 2 deal w/Lou Ann’s concern or her ?s rite now.Ther we go agin. Another run-thru of a list of flimsy excuses y the characters hav 2 b 2gether. &she says “all right. u can take me home. But Idw u coming inside.”How nice. Use him 4 a ride after he helped u. Then 2 top it all off, she says he won’t b invited 2 the funeral. Wut a bitch! she’s such a bad mom. She lets her kids cuss, disrespect people&even let Eli punch&kick Jackson. She shudve took him aside&at least given him a stern talkin 2, if not a slap w/a hickory switch. She wud hear them cussing, badmouthing the Blackthornes&wud barely say nething&these r 10 &4 yr old. Teach ur kids sum manners 4 the luv of god. &for gods sake, tell Hannah 2 quit echoing everything Eli says. The cussing in front of the kids was ridiculous. Callie’s dad had a runaway mouth&Sam, who was drunk, said gd in front of the kids. &Callie says noting, like maybe “hey, I’d appreciate it if u dint cuss in front of my kids” wudnt hav helped.I dint think Blackjack was evil, but wen Trace had 2 ask if he’d shot Jesse or had sum1 else 2 do it I was shocked. Wen Trace told him Jesse had ben shot Jackson smiles. Wtf?“Wher wud u get that kind of $—that didn’t cum out of ur father’s pocket?”“I hav $ of my own,” he sed quietly.Her laughter stopped abruptly. “Ur serious.”He nodded.“I don’t understand. What do u get out of this?”“U.”She shud hav known ther wud b a fly in the ointment. She dint ask wut he ment. She cud ges wut he had in mind. “That maks me a pretty expensive whor.”“If that’s the way u want to look at it.”“Ther isn’t ne other way of looking at it,” Callie sed bluntly. “Ur asking me 2 hav sex w/u 4 $.”His expression hardened as he waited 4 her answer.“How much will I b paid 4 my services? How many times—” “Till I’m tired of u,” he sed brusquely. Wut a charming man. Offer $ 4 sex&treat her like a whor. I hav ab. no respect 4 this man&I hav even less respect 4 her bcuz she’ll take him up on it.Having the whol relationship b filled w/$ probs&2 sav her from financial ruin . . . yeah, not so romantic.“I’m not saying I’d evr agree 2 such an outrageous proposal, but if I did, wher wud these interludes take place?”“My father has a huntin cabin. We can go ther.”“Oh, god,” Callie laughed. “This is absurd. I can’t bleve I’m even discussing this w/u.”“It’s a fer trade,” Trace sed.Callie stopped&stared at him. “I ges Idk u as well as I thought. The Trace I new wud’t hav tried 2 buy love w/$.”“I’m not interested in luv. Just sex.”Suddenly, Callie realized how she cud tak Trace’s $ &stil keep her self-respect. If he wanted sex, that’s wut he wud get, w/o the warmth&affection that normally accompanied such an intimate joining.Yeah…let him treat u like a whore, just don’t cuddle w/him. That’ll teach him. &she won’t do that. She’ll still hav feelings 4 him.“My father’s wanted me 2 marry u 4 a long time. It’ll please him 2 think he’ll b getting 3 Oaks w/o having 2 do mor than pay inheritance taxes.”“I c.” He’d hinted as much 3 her on the plane, then told her they’d met at UT entirely by accident. Wut if they hadn’t? It wud b punishment enuf 2 open her body 2 a man who no longer wanted her luv. It wud b another 2 mak luv 2 sum1 who’d nvr seen her as nething other than a means 2 an end.“2morrow,” she sed. “I’ll c u 2morrow.” She forced herself 2 walk awy. u nvr ran from a predator. It only made him hungrier 4 the kill.Don’t run tho. Make it easy 4 him 2 hav his way w/u.&who has sex w/sum1 they suspect mite hav only ben w/them 4 a secret agenda? Eli duznt like Trace at the farm&wen Callie asks him 2 get the gate 4 Trace wen he’s letting in a horse, he lets it slam shut on the horse’s rear just 2 spite Trace. &this is wut happens:Callie met Trace’s furious gaze&sed in a voice she mite use 2 calm an excitable horse, “I can handle my own. U can let him go now.”Yeah, we’ve seen how well u can handle him. &her big “handling” involves this: “Eli, I think u’d better tak sum time out 2 think about wut u’ve dun. u can go help Henry finish mucking out stalls.”That’s her big punishment?“uve got 2 set some limits, Callie, or the kid’s going 2 turn in2 a bully.”Callie was stung by Trace’s criticism. She mite agree w/him, but he had no rites wher Eli was concerned.I’m so sick of that jaded opinion. Hannah gets up in the loft&is hanging out the door, so 3 pgs of that ensues, wher Trace rushes 2 help&both of them climb the ladder, insted of 1 staying on the ground in case she fell. Cassie knew that was a possibility bcuz she told Trace “Don’t frighten her. She mite fall.”Well . . . wudnt u want 2 b ther 2 catch her in case she duznt fall? Wen Trace gets her Hannah wraps her arms around his neck&snuggles into him. Of course.Eli leaves from shoveling crap&insted of going 2 get him&making him do it, she just says “he’ll be bak soon.” WTH is wrong w/her?Had Sam perhaps taken his own life? They hadn’t herd ne gunshots, but that didn’t mean Sam hadn’t slit his wrists or taken sum pills, even if that wasn’t the way most men wud hav chosen 2 kill themselves.Those compassionate words r from Trace. Like, is that a good time 2 insinuate that taking pills or slitting ur wrists is cowardly? It turns out Sam drank 2 much&is on the verge of deth, just 1 mor disaster in this book.&Hannah chatters all the way 2 the hospital, aggravating me further. &she dint even sound like a 4 yr old. She sed “I had 2 wer my black velvet Sunday school dress w/the white collar&mommy bought me a brand-new pair of white socks w/lace on them. &I got a brand-new per of black patent leather shoes w/buckles.do u expect me 2 bleve that a 4 yr old is using words like patent?At the hospital Callie finds out they owe $20,000, 1 mor outrageous debt&she passes out bcuz she’s overworked. Just wen I thought the author cudnt cram ne mor crap in2 this book, she duz.The kids go missing, bcuz they left the truck aginst orders. Callie’s all panicked&Trace is in protective mode&I am at my wit’s end w/this monstrosity of a romance novel.As Callie’s taking a bath at his cabin, she stands up 2 get soap&everything, realizing she’s 4gotten it&that’s wen Trace opens the dor. &all of a sudden she’s self-conscious of her body, cuz she’s had kids &has stretch marks, except this isn’t the 1st time he’s seen her naked since then&ther was no mention of ne of this. &rmbrd the deal she had w/Trace. Sex 4 $. Trace dint rly want her. Well, he did. But only 4 1 purpose&it had nothing 2 do w/luv.After coming 2 that realization, she says she can wash herself. He insists he wants 2&she says “give me 1 good reason y I shud let u,” &he says “Bcuz I nvr got 2 do it 11 yrs ago,” just like that, she’s like: “All rite. Go ahed.”Y hav her show ne signs of resistance if she’s gonna cav the 1st thing &wen she thinks he only wants her 4 sex but goes ther neway it makes her look like a whor.They have sex&the author completely brushes over it. It’s a romance book, we want details!Trace invites her back 2 his parent’s house; she sed she isn’t going 2 go&cam up w/the excuse of goin back 2 Hannah so she cud stay ther¬ go. &then, RIGHT AFTER SAYING THAT, she says I’ll be glad 2 cum w/u. WHAT THE HELL IS UP W/THIS DUMB BROAD? She says she’s not gonna do sumthin&then a split sec later just duz the exact opp. u can’t hav a character w/no willpower&who changes ther mind like the wether.It was the last quarter of the book, pg. 263&Trace still dint no Eli was his&he still wudnt say wher he had ben living. Is that rly this big mystery that u hav 2 keep dragging out 4 almost 300 pgs?On pg. 269 we find out he’s ben in Australia. He’s planning on leaving&wants 2 tak Callie ther.They’re arguing about it&he’s got her up aginst the wall. She says it’s 2 late 4 them&he’s like “the hell it is!” &then he just has sex w/her, rite ther in the middle of a fight they needed 2 finish. They shudve spoken about the past&gotten over it.He finds out Eli is on pg. 300. thats about 200+ pgs 2 long 2 drag that out. It mite hav ben worth it if the big reveal had ben good. But it was so totally disappointing. He’s havin a short convo w/Eli&just duz the math in a split sec. It went like this: “Every yr on my bday he’d tell me the story of how he drov like a bat out of hell&ran 4 stoplights 2 get my mom 2 the hospital, ‘cuz I cam 3 whol wks erly.”“I only weighed 5 lbs&12 oz,” Eli sed. “&look at me now!” He held his arms out like Arnold Schwarzenegger&waited 4 Trace 2 feel his muscles. “Pretty strong, all rite,” Trace sed, dutifully testing each bicep.Mentally, Trace was doin the math, trying 2 fig. out wen Callie shud hav delivered. If 2day was Oct 22, that ment Callie shudnt hav delivered until mid-Nov. Which ment Callie had conceived on or about . . . Valentine’s Day. On Valentine’s Day 11 yrs ago, he&Callie had left the dance at the UT Student Union&driven up in2 the hill country, wher they’d found a spot in the cool grass along the banks of the Colorado&made luv the rest of the nite.&created a child 2gether.He put that 2gether in like half a sec. It maks me wonder y the author didn’t hav him fig it out sooner.This dumb broad keeps throwing out the fact that he left her, which is hypocritical&just plain wrong, bcuz she sed it was over&that she wasn’t goin 2 mary him. It’s her fault, so she can’t keep saying things like “if y’d rly cared about me u wud nvr hav left in the 1st place! How do u think I felt! Alone&pregnant.”“&u cudnt hav missed me 2 much. I herd about all the women, Trace.”“Wut women?”“The women u took up w/the min I was gon.”“I was trying 2 mak u jelous, Callie. I wanted u 2 care.”That was completely disgusting. I’d held out the hope that he hadn’t rly slept w/all those women.“Think about it, Callie. All the power of Bitter Creek aimed at the destruction of 3 Oaks.”“u’d nvr sink that low.”“I’d hand my father the sledgehammer.”He says that, which is horrible&then: “I’ll fight u 4 him in court. &wen I get custody—& in this part of Texas, that’s a 4gon conclusion, u’ll nvr c him agin.”Which was un4givable. &Callie’s like “All rite. I’ll marry u. But I want sumthing in return.”Wth is wrong w/her? She asks him 2 pay the inheritance taxes on 3 Oaks, but agrees 2 marry him&he says “Done. Now get the hell out of my sight.”what a bastard. &she’s no mor than a whore, bartering 4 things 2 get&having him pay off all her debts. Wut a classless lowlife.“I think we shud giv it 2 ur mother,” Trace sed, taking it from Hannah& holding it out 2 Callie. “As I recall, she likes 2 suck off all the pickle juice b4 she eats it.”Callie cudnt look at the pickle. Or at Trace 4 that matter.“Hey, mom, y’s ur face so red?” Eli asked.Callie shot 1 mortified look at Trace, grabbed the pickle&took a large bite, chewing furiously&nearly choking wen she swallowed 2 fast.“That’s not how I rmbrou eating a pickle,” Trace sed in a husky voice.Callie met his eyes 4 an instant&saw the passion lurking ther, just as it had wen she’d teased him by sucking salaciously on a pickle in the college caf. a lifetime ago. Unfortunately, he’d had a test rite after lunch&cudnt skip class. Wen they’d finally gotten 2gether in her room, the sex had been frenzied&wild.While normally that wud hav sum effect on me, it didn’t. I was sick of the flashbacks 2 college days &the brushing over the sex.He tells her he’s always luvd her&wants her 2 cum 2 Australia w/him&bring the kids. &she’s still holding fast 2 her responsibility 2 her family. Gee, we’re only 320 pgs in. U think she wudv gotten over that by now…&after that he says “I just realized we nvr had a wedding nite. Wudnt want the wedding annulled 4 failure 2 consummate,” he sed. “Expect me after the children r tucked in.”this bastard just reached new heights of bastardness. I am SO sick of them having sex w/each other wen they’re mad &shud stay away. y wud he force sex w/her? He says he’s gonna take wut he wants so it’ll last him while he’s gon, like that makes it rite. I don’t c how ther’s gonna be a satisfying ending 4 these 2. We find out that Russel Handy, Jackson’s right-hand man, was hired 2 steal ther horses&that he had ben with Jacson’s wife. So she’s the 1 that hired him 2 hav Ren killed, except Jesse was killed by accident. It was almost 2 pg. 370 &Callie still wudnt budge in her decision not 2 go 2 Australia. Eli overhears the truth&leaves on horseback, &Hannah follows him. &the pasture they rode in is being burned. If u can’t cum up w/a plot just string 2gether a bunch of random accidents. Readers luv that stuff.Thers a chance that Hannah mite b burning in the fire, &Callie patiently answers Eli’s ?’s about her&Trace like she hasn’t a care in the world. Ur kid cud be dying&ur gonna play 20 ?s? Tell him u’ll talk later help Trace in the serch. I mean, jeeze. Trace is unconscious. Another trip 2 the hospital is in order. &just like that, Callie realizes she luvs him&needs him&can’t live w/o him. I wondered how the author wud pull it off, considering she’s ben having Callie hold stedfast 2 her beliefs the entire book. This sudden realization of she felt was unbelievable.&Eli was just gung-ho about moving 2 Australia, bcuz of the “kangaroos&platypuses&crocodles&neat stuff like that.”I’m finding myself doubting that he is so accepting of leaving his home&family 2 muv 2 a new continent.It was the pg b4 the last, &she was still having reservations about leaving. She didn’t mak up her mind until the last page. WTF?! She’s all gushing like “ok, let’s go 2 Australia!” wen the page b4 she was moaning about her family. She went along w/everything Trace had planned 4 her. If he wudve told her 2 drive out to a secluded place bcuz he was going 2 shoot her, she’d go over ther&b waiting 4 him.
Blackthornes and Creeds have a long standing family feud. Although at one point, generations in the past, they were related through a marriage of a Creed to a Blackthorne. However this doesn't matter as the feud is long standing and very strong with the current generation. Trace and Callie, who are 4 years apart, have liked each other from a distance. Once they get to college they date and fall in love. A tragedy strikes and it tears them apart leaving one of them with a major secret that the other doesn't know about. They each do their best and what they have to, to move forward with their lives. Eleven years after being gone from his home in Texas, Trace reappears. Callie has been married and widowed with two children at this point. They both have never gotten over each other but Callie feels so tied to her ranch Tree Oak's that it will be hard to convince her to let her family take care of life on the Ranch and move forward with Trace, as of course he will do anything to win her back. This book takes us through young love, tragedy more than once, secrets, a murder mystery, ranch sabotaging, lots of hate from one family to the other, finding love again, broken hearts, anger, jealousy, learning to trust your heart again, learning to trust others, and learning to finally get what you want and learning to let others take control of their own lives as they should have many moons ago. What I LOVED about this book:1. The ENDING2. Hannah (so adorable)3. What Trace does for Callie's family4. The Love Trace has for Callie AND her children5. Figuring out the big mystery way early on in the book. :)
What do You think about The Cowboy (2000)?
The cowboy by joan johnstone2 families have a feud, The main from one hooks up with a girl from the other.11 yrs later they are brought back together again.Lot of things that happened in the past are brought to the forefront and the ones involved nowfind out the truth of what really transpired and why things happened the way they did.A lot of misunderstandings along with her and he finding out about their parents misgivings takes its toll.She packs a picnic lunch and sends her parents out to the meadow so they can light a spark in their marriage.Problem is it's after dinner and they've not returned. Between murder and horse thieves and just plain backstabbing, bar brawls and going behind others back, this book has that and more.Like the details of becoming a cutter-never knew that occupation existed and like finding out about horses as I am terrified to become closer to them.Even though there are a bunch of characters they are easy to keep straight and what's going on with each of their lives. Like how things are brought up and the problem things are dealt with and how. Being disabed it's good to know others will light a spark under your butt to get you moving and functioning to be self sustaining and not have to rely on others for everything.Secrets are enough to break up a marriage but it never happened and she married another. The things that come out 11 years later-I don't know if I'd be able to forgive one for withholding the information that finally comes to the surface.Love the structure of the family and those in charge. Love and remoance was just enough to make this an enjoyable novel.
—Julie Barrett
This is my first Joan Johnston book, and I am pleased. I felt I knew and understood the feelings of each player in the story.The Creeds and Blackthornes are the modern day Hatfield’s and McCoy’s. The families have been feuding for years over land, love, money… you name it. The Blackthornes are very wealthy, while the Creeds struggle on a daily basis just to survive.Callie Creed and Trace Blackthorne fell in love while in college and kept their relationship secret. Then a tragic accident happened which tore them apart. Callie’s brother was paralyzed by a tackle playing high school football. The tackler was Trace’s brother. Callie cuts off all ties to Trace and heads home to take care of her family and run their ranch. Trace is heartbroken, and leaves the country.Eleven years later, Trace comes home to help his ailing father run their ranch. He meets up with Callie again and is surprised at how much he still loves her. She is now a widow with two children. He is determined to win her back.There is love, mystery, murder, and strong families in this story. I am certainly going to continue with this series.
—Miss Kim
Okay, let me just say if you don't have time to read, don't even open up this book. Why, because you won't be able to put it down!!!I love Joan Johnston's books, and this one was no exception. Right from the very first page I was hooked, and every page after, right to the very last.I zipped though this book in only a few short days, and I'm not a fast reader, have three young kids, work part time, etc., otherwise I probably would have read it in one sitting. I had a very hard time doing anything after I started it, and could not stop thinking about the heart gripping characters long after I'd finished it.Now I have to run out and buy the others from this series. I can't wait to read about the other characters in the stories.
—Kym McNabney
