Dark of the Moon [Mass Market Paperback]

Evelyn Rogers (Author)

Book Description

Series: Half-Moon Ranch | Publication Date: September 2003

Book

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Leisure Books; First Thus edition (September 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0843952148
• ISBN-13: 978-0843952148
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #216,118 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Evelyn Rogers's first job was selling women's underwear in a downtown Houston department store.  She's since hawked candy at Sears, worked the switchboard at a commercial laundry, planned programs at an Air Force service club, taught English and was a librarian, the last two for 25 years in middle schools.
Each had its rewards and challenges, but no more so than her final chosen profession:  writer.  The award-winning author of 31 books and 8 novellas, she found great satisfaction not only in her craft but also in meeting readers across the U.S.
She and her husband live in San Antonio, frequently visited,  energized, and, yes, exhausted by their five grandsons.  But she still misses those up-close-and-personal visits with her readers.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Evelyn Rogers has proven that she is one of the best!, September 5, 2003

By 

Detra Fitch (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dark of the Moon (Mass Market Paperback)

Matt Hunter was the youngest son on the Half-Moon Ranch in Diablo, Texas. He traveled to England and purchased Dark Champion, a thoroughbred racer with the reputation of being a killer. When Matt arrived home he learned that his siblings were all wed and his father was home, having finished his ten year prison sentence. Being known as the wildest of the bunch, Matt wanted to prove himself to everyone by racing DC and earning enough money to help pay the mortgage.

Juliana Rains was a lovely widow who returned to Diablo for answers to how her mother, Iona, died. Juliana believed her stepfather, Edmund Montgomery, somehow put Iona in an early grave, but could not prove it. But Juliana never expected to run into Matt again.

***** Once again, Evelyn Rogers has proven that when it comes to writing Historical Romance, she is one of the best! When you begin reading you will not want to stop. It is overflowing in action and romance. Oh, and of course the story comes complete with a greedy villain that is so well written you just want to throttle the life out of him! Fantastic!

This book concludes the HALF-MOON RANCH series that began in July 2003. The others in this series are "Hunter's Moon" by Bobbi Smith (July), "Renegade Moon" by Elaine Barbieri (July), and "Moon Racer" by Constance O'Banyon (Aug). *****

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Deliciously sexy page turner, September 8, 2003

By 

M. Rondeau (West Springfield, MA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dark of the Moon (Mass Market Paperback)

DARK OF THE MOON is the fourth book of the Half-Moon Ranch series. It is a full length Texas historical of the last and youngest of the Hunter children, Matthew -- the wildest, the youngest and also the most troubled. It begins with Matthew coming home with a champion race horse with killer instincts, he bought in England. He feels that if he can curb the killer instinct, this horse, Dark Champion, can save the siblings ranch. When Matt returns home he finds that his father Jack has been released from a 10-year prison sentence for killing the children's beloved mother. Also coming home is the widow, Juliana Rains. She left home at the age of eight to be brought up by her grandparents when her mother re-married a man who didn't want her around. She has come home when the last letter from her deceased mother didn't jive with the communication she had received from her step-father reporting her mothers brief(?) illness and death.

Hearing a stallion, assaulting the precious blood mare that Juliana brought back with her to Texas, Juliana does her best to shoo him away but Dark Champion turns her precious `pet' mare into a harlot - or so she thought. Matt, chasing after his stallion and coming upon the scene was actually quite pleased. First that his horse could prove himself a stud and also that he recognized and remembered Juliana. On the other hand, Juliana remembered Matt quite well ---- as the wild, gangly troublemaker from her youth but secretly admired the way he'd filled out over the years. The sparks and the attraction began from that moment but subsequent events would have their paths crossing again and again as accidents began to plague the ranch and they both came to face their troubled pasts to realize that there was a common villain in their lives.

This was a fast-page turner with plenty of action, good and vivid descriptive detail, snappy dialog, and a very good supporting cast of secondary characters. I particularly loved the male housekeeper! The sexual encounters were written so vividly that I even enjoyed the horse breeding! This was hot and deliciously done with the right amount of action to keep you up all night long!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars strong conclusion to the HALF-MOON RANCH tales, September 18, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dark of the Moon (Mass Market Paperback)

Matt Hunter leaves his family's Half-Moon Ranch to journey to England to buy a thoroughbred racehorse known as a killer, Dark Champion. By the time he returns to Diablo, Texas, his three siblings are married (see HUNTER'S MOON by Bobbi Smith, RENEGADE MOON by Elaine Barbieri and MOON RACER by Constance O'Banyon) and his father freed from prison, having completed a ten year prison sentence for murdering his wife.

Widow Juliana Rains returns to her hometown of Diablo seeking to learn how her mother died. In her gut she believes that her stepfather killed her mother, but lacks evidence. Besides finding the proof, she sees Matt. Juliana has never forgotten Matt nor he her. As they fall in love, her inquires may prove deadly. Besides which love may not be enough for these two individuals with plenty to demonstrate to others without the trouble of a relationship to impinge on their respective efforts.

This reviewer could not wait for the final story in a strong quartet of novels to learn the truth of ten years ago (clever writing by three authors hooked me to wait for the finale). Following up with the climax on three well-written western romances released over the last couple of months by other authors is not easy. However, Evelyn Rogers makes it look effortless. The author succeeds because of two superb lead characters, the personality consistency of the repeat support cast especially Matt's siblings and father, and the clever close-out of what happened a decade ago. Though the villain lacks anything redeeming, readers will appreciate the final the HALF-MOON RANCH tale that completes a wonderful foursome.

Harriet Klausner