Always You [Paperback]

Jill Gregory (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1996

She was an innocent beauty about to be wed...when a vengeful outlaw stole her heart.

She was asleep when the stranger's hand clamped down hard across her mouth.  Melora Deane struggled wildly, but she was no match for the kidnapper who dragged her away from her beloved ranch into Wyoming's wilderness on the eve of her wedding.  He said his name was Cal.  He had a score to settle with Wyatt Holden, her wealthy, powerful fiancé, and she was the bait. Melora tried to keep her distance, but his touch was fire in her blood.  And when they became the targets of a violent ambush, Cal's first reaction was to protect her.  Then she knew she would do anything to save them both...

Cal had planned his revenge with meticulous care.  First, take the girl.  Then lure Wyatt Holden to his death.  But he hadn't counted on Melora.  She was a distraction of the most dangerous kind, his enemy's woman, a woman he'd vowed to hate--a captive, who disarmed him with her beauty, igniting a flash-fire passion and a reckless disregard for fate...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set in 19th-century Wyoming, Gregory's implausible tale concerns Melora Deane, kidnapped by a man going under the name of her betrothed. Former friend Rafe Campbell framed Wyatt Holden ("Cal") and then stole both his ranch and his name. Now he's after Melora's adjoining spread, the Weeping Willow Ranch. As is to be expected, the real Cal is out to reclaim his ranch and restore his family's honor. There are some good lines ("her thoughts whirling like the grounds in the bottom of the coffee pot") and some bad ones ("As the sun shot up over the mountains, Cal helped her into the saddle, mounted behind her, and off they rode"). Formula romance aficionados may enjoy Gregory's latest (after When the Heart Beckons). Others will find the plot and characters as dry and stale as year-old crumb cake.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

She was an innocent beauty about to be wed...when a vengeful outlaw stole her heart.

She was asleep when the stranger's hand clamped down hard across her mouth.  Melora Deane struggled wildly, but she was no match for the kidnapper who dragged her away from her beloved ranch into Wyoming's wilderness on the eve of her wedding.  He said his name was Cal.  He had a score to settle with Wyatt Holden, her wealthy, powerful fiancé, and she was the bait. Melora tried to keep her distance, but his touch was fire in her blood.  And when they became the targets of a violent ambush, Cal's first reaction was to protect her.  Then she knew she would do anything to save them both...

Cal had planned his revenge with meticulous care.  First, take the girl.  Then lure Wyatt Holden to his death.  But he hadn't counted on Melora.  She was a distraction of the most dangerous kind, his enemy's woman, a woman he'd vowed to hate--a captive, who disarmed him with her beauty, igniting a flash-fire passion and a reckless disregard for fate...

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Dell (March 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440221838
• ISBN-13: 978-0440221838
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #642,603 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm an avid reader and book lover who has written over thirty books since my first historical romance was published in 1980. I grew up in Chicago and have a degree in English Education from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, and now live in Michigan. In addition to historical romance and contemporary romantic suspense, I've written thrillers with my best friend, Karen Tintori. My books have been translated and published in more than 24 languages.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Loved this book!, September 28, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Always You (Paperback)

This was a wonderful book. Once I started to read it, I just couldn't put it down! I have only read 3 of Jill Gregory's books,and have enjoyed them all. "Always you" was full of Loyalty, Courage, and finding that One True Love. If you are looking for a GREAT western romance, read this book!!!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorite historical romances!, April 25, 2003

By 

"megan_1599" (Bloomington, IN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Always You (Paperback)

It has been several months since I read this book. But it is one of those stories that stays with you forever. The hero character was so "dreamy". He was tough and rugged, but also sensitive and kind. One of the few good guys, Cal took my breath away so many times. I am not sure how they the reviewer could say the characters were stale as well as a the plot. I guess we didn't read the same book. Perhaps, the reviewer is one of the many who enjoy the man treating the woman with disrespect. I do not. Read this, and you won't regret it!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as some of her other books, April 10, 2006

By 

Gemma "bookworm" (Alberta, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Always You (Paperback)

From the back cover:

She was an innocent beauty about to be wed...when a vengeful outlaw stole her heart.

She was asleep when the stranger's hand clamped down hard across her mouth. Melora Deane struggled wildly, but she was no match for her kidnapper who dragged her away from her beloved ranch into Wyoming's wilderness on the eve of her wedding. He said his name was Cal. He had a score to settle with Wyatt Holden, her wealthy, powerful fiance, and she was the bait. Melora tried to keep her distance, but his touch was fire in her blood. And when they became targets of a violent ambush, Cal's first reaction was to protect her. Then she knew she would do anything to save them both...

Cal had planned his revenge with meticulous care. First, take the girl. Then lure Wyatt Holden to his death. But he hadn't counted on Melora. She was a distraction of the most dangerous kind, his enemy's woman, a woman he'd vowed to hate--a captive who disarmed him with her beauty, ignighting a flash-fire passion and a reckless disregared for fate...

And my review:

I really enjoyed this author's book "Rough Wrangler, Tender Kisses", so maybe I expected too much from "Always You". It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't wonderful either.

The first half of the book was really enjoyable, and I blazed right through it. The action was non-stop, and the change from enemies to lovers was well-handled, never feeling contrived or weak. This author didn't rely on just lust to pull the characters together. Their sexual attraction was secondary to their growing feelings of love, which is just as it should be.

But after the halfway mark, the book started to lose steam. I couldn't really put my finger on the problem. There was nothing specifically glaringly wrong with it, it just didn't have the "oomph" of the first half of the book. There was still action (more than in the first half), but it wasn't the kind that keeps the reader on the edge of her seat. The romance started to drag as well, as a "big misunderstanding" was all that was keeping the lovers apart. This got old pretty fast. By the time I got to the last 100 pages, I was really pushing myself to finish the book, and ended up skimming through the last 50 pages. A good book should hold your interest right up until the last word, but that wasn't the case here.

This book reminded me of one of Joan Johnston's historical western romances. Fairly enjoyable, but nothing to write home about. If you really want to read this book, I would suggest borrowing it from the library, as it's not on par with Jill Gregory's other books.