Customer Reviews

Callie's Convict

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

 

 

Wade Mason is nearly unrecognizable as he lies wasting away in the filthy stall called a cell in the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville, accused of murder. Lily White, a well-known prostitute from Purgatory knows Wade isn't guilty, and she's going to make him an offer he can't refuse. Now, Wade hasn't seen a woman in longer than he cares to remember, so when Lily begins kissing and touching, the beast inside him is ready to rule. Believing she has him where she wants him, Lily tells Wade she witnessed the murder and can free him - if he will marry her. When Wade refuses, all the `sweetness' leaves with her. As far as Lily is concerned, he can rot right where he sits. Wade has other ideas, and determined to prove his innocence he breaks out of prison and heads for Purgatory.

Nathan Quinn is a dreamer who went to California and the gold mines to strike it rich, leaving his baby sister to take care of the farm. In addition to all of this, and unknown to Nathan, Callie couldn't refuse her dying friend Lily's plea to take her new baby, and she now has him to care for, too. With Matthew finally asleep and her chores all done, a weary, bedraggled Callie relaxes in a steamy bubble filled copper tub. Hearing a noise and believing she needs to quiet Matthew, she jumps up to reach for her robe beside her, but it isn't there ... neither is her shift that was beside it, nor the towel she left within her reach. As she wonders what in the world is going on, a deep voice speaks behind her, and with a squeak she drops back into the tub.

The filthy unkempt man standing three feet away in shackles sends shivers up her back. Callie fears for Matthew and begins to make plans to get her gun. Trying not to show her fear, she asks the stranger his name and a memory surfaces when he says Wade Mason. He was one of Nathan's friends, and her brother believes he's innocent. However, when Wade asks for his boy, Callie isn't sure she agrees with Nathan's verdict. No one is going to take Matthew away, father or not. And ... the battle of wills begins.

Heidi Betts continues her series of stories taking place in Purgatory, Texas. CALLIE'S CONVICT has similarities, yet differs from the first title in the series (WALKER'S WIDOW). While this story has humor, its main focus is on the relationship between Callie and Wade. In fact, most of the story is told right in the little farmhouse. Ms. Betts again presents a handsome, strong hero and an independent, feisty heroine. Callie is more than enough to keep up with the handsome Wade. She's beautiful and smart, and has a lot of ideas she's going to follow through on --- whether Wade likes it or not. You'll begin to wonder exactly who the hostage is. Former Texas Ranger, now the town sheriff, Clay Walker revisits to play a minor role to take care of the villains who surface.

CALLIE'S CONVICT contains a lot of sexual tension and often steams up as much as Callie's tub - which by the way has its own tantalizing story to tell. (Grinning here) Purgatory, Texas - a boiling, humid, Southern town - and the setting for another steamy story from Heidi Betts. I've enjoyed her first two in the series and look forward to reading the next one. CALLIE'S CONVICT is a romantic Western tale of one convict's story of redemption that also shares a message of just how incredible it is to find someone who trusts and believes in you. It's a read to leave you feeling great as you see good overcome evil, and it's one I recommend for some hours of fun.

Carol Carter, (As written for Romance Reviews Today)

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Wade Mason is in prison for a crime he did not commit. There is one witness to the real crime, Lily White, one of the local prostitutes, and she holds his freedom in the palm of her hand. But she is only willing to secure his freedom for a price, and when Wade refuses her offer, she leaves him there without a backward glance, but not before winding up pregnant. Wade swears he will prove his innocence, and later breaks out of prison.

Callie Quinn is a lone woman living on the outskirts of Purgatory, Texas. Her brother, Nathan, has gone off to California in the hopes of making his fortune in the gold mines. Her friend, Lily gave birth to a son, Matthew, and just before she died, entrusted him into Callie's care. Callie loves Matthew as her own and would do anything to protect the baby from harm. One night, as she is enjoying a brief respite in her bath from the baby's demands, she is startled to see the unkempt and frightening, in shackles no less, man standing in her cabin. Her first thought is to protect Matthew at any cost, even when the man reveals himself to be the father of that child.

Wade's plan had been to come to his friend Nathan Quinn for help in clearing his name, and to claim his baby. His plans take a side trip when he comes across Callie in her bath. Though his ultimate goals have not changed, his method of achieving them has. Callie is unsure of whether or not Wade is innocent of his alleged crime but one thing she is sure of is that no one is going to take Matthew away from her, even his very own father!

Wade and Callie form an unlikely alliance in the hopes of proving Wade's innocence, with one common goal, to do what is best for little Matthew. Unfortunately their views on that differ. But the more time they spend together, the more they realize Wade's salvation, and Callie's desires to protect herself and the baby, lie in each other. The only way to reach their seemingly unattainable goals is in freeing Wade of the stigma as murderer following him.

Ms. Betts has proven her growing talent for writing passionate tales of life and love in the Old West. Her characters are skillfully rendered, taking on a life and vigor all their own. Richly detailed, this story is one that is sure to delight old fans, and bring in new ones as well. Each successive book in this series, also adds a little more background on the town of Purgatory, making this world all the more believable.

Callie and Wade are a match made in heaven, or in this case, Purgatory. Callie has strength of her own, built from laboring to take care of a homestead and a baby, all by herself. Wade is a man of pride, stung by the life he has been forced into the past few years, bound to proving his innocence and his honor. Sparks and tempers fly from the moment these two meet, as they argue over what is best for Matthew. One thing is never in doubt throughout the story, and that is that both of them have what is best for the child they both love.

If a reader wants fascinating tales of life in the Old West, Ms. Betts books are the ones to read!

© Kelley A. Hartsell, March 2003. All rights reserved.

Wade Mason had been imprisoned for a murder he did not commit. Brady Young had shot his own father in the back, blamed it on Wade, and took over Wade's land in a search for gold. While in prison Lily, from a bordello, had visited. Lily later died, but not before Wade found out that they had created a son...

***** This book drew me into story on the first page. I read the entire book within one day. It is THAT good! The author made the feelings of both main characters clear when it came to the baby. I could actually FEEL the pain of each when they thought about losing custody of the baby to the other. Heidi Betts's writing talent burns as brightly as the sun! Highly recommended! *****

Brady Young killed his own father, but made sure that Wade Mason went to the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville for the dastardly crime. While in prison, Wade impregnates a hooker, who died but not before she gave birth to his son. Wade manages to escape with his plan to find his son and clear his name.

Callie Quinn promised Lily that she would raise little Matthew as if she was the biological mother. However, everything changes when the infant's father shows up demanding she hand over his son. Callie refuses, as she is willing to die to keep her beloved three-month-old charge safe from the filthy, leg locked dangerously looking father. In spite of that auspicious beginning Wade and Callie begin to fall in love and shockingly she believes his claim of innocence. Now all they have to do is find proof that Brady is the killer.

The sequel to WALKER'S WIDOW, CALLIE'S CONVICT, is an exciting western romance that stars two strong lead protagonists. Both heroes place the interest of Matthew ahead of their own needs, but at the same time readers feel the fear that Callie and Wade share of losing the baby to the other. The exciting story line focuses on the characters, as the heroine works to prove her beloved is not a killer over his objections, as he fears for her safety. Heidi Betts has given reader a sure bet to provide hours of solid romantic entertainment.

Harriet Klausner

This book was the most fabulous waste of time. I truly enjoyed the pointless plot, the unbelievable characters and circular arguments between Callie and Wade. "It's my child....no it's mine...no mine....you'll never get him..." This arguing becomes even more obnoxious when you consider the child was a bratt that "screamed the roof off." The only slightly compelling character was Lilly, and she died before the book actually started. There is very little romantic about a convict who impregnates a woman in prison and then proceeds to take another hostage upon his release. This book is a wonderful examination of how not to write (there is a typo on the first page and several other incongruities throughout.) It could be viewed as amusing if it wasn't such an insult to my intellegence. In short...buy your own copy, because the margin comments you can scribble into this book are much more amusing than the actual writing.

Wade Mason had been imprisoned for a murder he did not commit. Brady Young had shot his own father in the back, blamed it on Wade, and took over Wade's land in a search for gold. While in prison Lily, from a bordello, had visited. Lily later died, but not before Wade found out that they had created a son. After nearly a year and a half in the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville, Wade escaped. Before the law found him, Wade planned to take his son away from the woman caring for his child, clear his name, and get his land back.

Callie Quinn promised Lily to raise the baby as her own. Matthew was about three months old when Wade showed up, covered in filth and shackled. There was only one man alive who knew the truth of what happened that fateful night. Wade and Callie planned to find him, somehow. Callie cared for Wade so much, that she took it upon herself to help Wade since she could get to Brady without any suspicions popping up. She was determined to help clear Wade's name, even against his wishes!

***** This book drew me into story on the first page. I read the entire book within one day. It is THAT good! The author made the feelings of both main characters clear when it came to the baby. I could actually FEEL the pain of each when they thought about losing custody of the baby to the other. Heidi Betts's writing talent burns as brightly as the sun! Highly recommended! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

I enjoyed this book it offers a nice balance of tension between Callie and Wade. Usually the heroine is a delicate flower or a callous cold woman she wasn't any of those she lived on her own supporting a babe and keeping her head above water while still being a really caring person. Wade well for the suffering and deception he went through to me came across as an "old softie" in a sinewy rugged convict kinda way of course..while the plot isn't original for a historical romance this was engrossing and had appeal.

Callie's Convict, while not a complete insult to my intelligence, was quite possibly the most irksome reading experience of my lifetime. Heidi Betts writing style is juvenile, at best, and the characters were outlandish and trite. I did not buy the story for a minute, and found the plot to be hackneyed. Unless you ENJOY reading inane excuses for a book, pass on this one.

This book would not be recommended by me if a reader is looking for a brooding hero who has walls so high around him that it takes the whole book to break through for him to say, " Okay, I luv ya." Wade is a nice guy that any girl can look at and fall in love with. Most books seldom has the hero being simply a nice guy. He was accused of a crime he claims that he didn't commit and he wants to prove himself innocent. I love his scene where he takes Callie and Matthew hostage. Very well written

Callie is woman who is trying hard to make her life work by working her small farm, raising a baby that a whore gave birth to and simply surviving doing it all on her own. She is likable, confident and doesn't waste time doubting herself and her emotions. I liked this woman and think she could be found in the old west.

I liked the way the author worked Wade into acknowledging and then caring for his son and cooking breakfasts. It was a plausable plot. The book was well written with only a few lines the author should have taken time to rewrite and not be so obvious.

favorite scene with callie-
speaking with the sheriff about wade.

favorite scene with wade-
telling callie about that night and going over where everyone was standing.

together-
in young's study, finding the deed.