Customer Reviews

The Barefoot Bride

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is one of my favorite of Joan's books, and i have read many. I'm definately in love with her Hawk's Way series and can't wait for more. This was the first historical of hers that i read and i absolutely loved it. I am a big fan of historical novels and but this one was one of the best. I love the western themes and i thought the family situation in this novel was great i laughed so much i was in tears. Patch was definately a favorite character and i loved the novel about her also. I wish i could give such high recomendations about some of joan's other historicals but i can't stand the ones about Earls and Dukes, i guess they're just not my thing. But this book is great for anyone who loves historicals, the old west,or joan johnston, or all of the above, Happy reading

This was my first western by Joan Johnston. It was good reading. The characters were so real. You could not help but feel Patches pain at the new family. She was a great charcter I can not wait for pay day so I can buy her story. Joan is now one of my top five authors.

Although, the story is a good romance and has good character layout, I think Seth's daughter, Patch stole the center stage! I was more interested in learning about Patch and Ethan - The Outlaw, then the main characters. I think I'll pick up The Outlaw's Bride and find out what happens between the two...wink.

Michelle Harris, Author of Moonlight Midnight Glory, ISBN: 0595000355

DECENT - no premarital sex [PMS]
As has been said, Patch stole the show. She sure was determined to defend her father, Seth Kendrick, against anyone who considered him a coward. <g>

Seth soon realized that his daughter needs the influence of a woman to help tame her down.
The mystery behind Ethan Hawk, who had shown up about 6 months ago, his friendship with Seth, and the advent of the Masked Marauder teased Patch. Was Hawk the Masked Marauder?
Where did he disappear to at times in the night? Where did he keep the big Black Stallion.

And when Seth found out Patch's knowledge of his visits to Dora at the Medicine Bow Saloon "to satisfy his manly lusts" that was too much, he knew she needed to be taken in hand.

Molly Gallagher has a son, Whit and a daughter, Nessie that she fails to tell Seth about. Of course Seth failed to tell Molly about Patch.
She needed a home for herself and her children - but what a hoot! Patch, 12 and Whit, 10 were bound and determined to hate each other and their parents marrying. There was trouble in the offing. And boots in the river.

Pike Hardesty was mean as a rattlesnake on a hot skillet and the reason that there was no law in Fort Benton. [hey, I could find that place on an old map] Learned a bit more about the Missouri River - didn't know it ended up in Montana.

Pike had it in for Seth and his daughter. He was also the hired killer for Drake Bassett, the man that was selling rotgut to the Indians. The Masked Marauder was working at putting Bassett out of business. Pike's job was to kill the Marauder.

This is a great plot all the way around - plenty of action - plenty of passion - loving or otherwise - keeps you in thralled with the characters - We need more authors with this quality.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED with no reservations -

Seth needs a mother for his delightful daughter Patch. Molly needs a husband to take care of her and her children. They failed to mention their children and married. This situation produces a very humorous family life. Ethan Hawk becomes a friend of Seth's. "The Masked Marauder" is trying to stop the sale of rotgut to the Indians. Could Ethan's friendship with Seth put Seth and his family in jeopardy? Read this cute Western you will enjoy it. By Ruth Thompson author of "Natchez Above The River" and "The Bluegrass Dream"

I loved this book and couldn't put it down. (read it in just in evening!!!) I can't wait to read the Outlaw's Bride.

Hard to believe that I read the same book as the other reviewers. I was excited to read it, but found the book to be so contrived in such an unbelievable way that I couldn't finish it.

This story held onto my interest long enough for me to see it to the end, but there were some aspects I found wanting. My biggest issue is how the relationship between Seth and his daughter, Patch, was handled. It was very understandable for Patch to feel apprehensive about her father's impending new marriage and for her to disguise her fear behind her bad behavior. I would therefore have liked to see Seth realize this at some point. Instead, he never seems to figure out that his daughter is terrified about being replaced in his life, and he keeps on showering attention on the stepchildren and Molly all the way until the end of the book, without ever quite making it up to Patch. He does keep scolding her and demanding her become a lady, however. Maybe Johnston was trying to stay true to the mores of those times, but I found this forcing a girl to be someone she is not a distasteful plot arc. My other main issue is that no characters or plot points seem to be well-developed, except, ironically, the very inconvenient baggage, Patch. Hero and heroine feel lust for each other on first sight. A thinly disguised mystery and Seth's unconvincing, somewhat haphazardly put-together tortured past complete the plot. I am someone who likes to see love actually develop throughout the book, not be suddenly announced by each character in the last twenty pages. And as in every medical romance I pick up (you will see that I've been amassing them in my listmania), I hope for good medicine if the hero or heroine is a doctor--in this case, it is barely touched upon and is very much just a convenient plot device. He doesn't even manage to figure out Molly is pregnant!

Surprisingly for me, Patch and Whit came across as the main strengths of this book. I generally don't like children in the romances I read, but this one was an exception.

Thought I would be disappointed when I got this... I thought this was one of the Hawks way series, (i am seriously addicted to them...and thinking about seeking help for this ...LOL) Anyway, found out this was totally different, and loved it... I think I finished it is two days with a couple of very long nights... as soon as I was reading it, I thought...This has to have a sequel...it just has to...so on into the book I realized it must...I went searching and sure enough it does...Outlaws Bride!!! You must get it too...it is just as good... Joan Rocks!!! Nora Roberts used to be my favorite, and still like her, but Joan has taken the lead!!!! Hope you enjoy!!

This is one of my favorite books by Joan Johnston. I loved the Bitter Creek Series and Hawks Way...however this one was very well written and I didn't put it down till the end! This is a got to have book.