14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
3rd and 4th in Hawk's Way Romance Series, December 19, 2006
This review is from: Hawk's Way: Faron & Garth: The Cowboy And The Princess\The Wrangler And The Rich Girl (Mass Market Paperback)
These two stories are part of the "Hawk's Way" series of romantic, modern day westerns and adventures by Joan Johnston.The core family, the Whitelaws(don't ya just love that name) are 3 brothers and 1 sister who have lost their parents, but have managed on their own and are a close knit group. The first 4 stories begin with them. If you havn't read them yet, the first in the series is
Honey and the Hired Hand(Middle brother Jessie's story)and 2nd is
The Rancher and the Runaway Bride (Silhouette Desire, No 779)(Tate, the beautiful little sister's story) - see my reviews for more info on those stories.
"The Cowboy and the Princess" is the 3rd in the Hawk's Way series. It is Faron's story the youngest of the brothers and quite the ladies man. Faron's story unfolds into a love like a fairy tale(but not for kids!).
Faron gets the news. A letter from a woman claiming to be his step-mother. Seems Mom Whitelaw had herself a little affair, and Faron was the result. This was the first he heard that he was not a full blooded Whitelaw. He is quite upset by the news, and takes off for Wyoming to confront his horrid stepmother who says he is in the will. He's not a happy camper. While scouting across the land he is to inherit, he runs into the most gorgeous creature he has ever seen. A beautiful blonde who looks like a princess.And By the way, Faron is no slouch in the looks department as well. Johnston doesn't make us wait too long for the first scene of passion. As these two find something in each other's arms they both needed. He calls her his Princess, she calls him "Cowboy". And of course, neither knew at the time, that he was the stepson of this young and beautiful princess(Belinda Prescott), but when they do find out, the friction between them only adds more heat to their passion. They try(really hard) to stay away from each other, but Faron is there to help his father's wife fix up the ranch for sale, and it's awfully hard to keep them apart.Other new and wonderful characters are introduced that we hope to see in some future stories. Faron's new grandmother, is some fun and feisty old lady!
The story of Belinda Prescott's marriage to Faron's father, and the description of the Wyoming Ranch,"King's Castle" and it surroundings adds greatly, but the romance is one of the best. These two were made for each other, and you know it. The passion heats up. There is even a ride on horseback(with both on the same horse), that is like no other ride. The book kept me turning the pages all the way through.
The Wrangler and The Rich Girl" is 4th in the Series(there are many more to follow). Oldest brother Garth finally finds love in this sizzling romance. Garth's story is the last of the core family, before the series moves on to more branches of this passionate family tree.
Garth has been raising up his brothers and sister, since the death of his parents. They are a close knit and raucous bunch, and their wildness only adds to their passionate and steamy relationships. Garth is very different than his younger siblings. He was old enough at the time it happened, to witness the demise of his parent's marriage due to his mother's infidelity, resulting in the birth of Faron, youngest of the brothers. Any woman would love to fall into the arms(and bed) of this rugged and gorgeous wrangler. But Garth has a problem with trust and commitment.He cannot get passed what his mother did, and the women he sees and beds are just there for his pleasure. And they are the type who don't ask for more then that. Enter Candy Baylor. A girl he had known through his business dealings with her very wealthy father. She was young,and spoiled when they first met, and practically threw herself at this hunk of a man, only to be violently kisses, then tossed aside by Garth. Three years later, she is a woman, but only in age. Her desire now is to breed and train cutting horses, that specialize in separating cows from the herd for the ranchers. She's always gotten her way with her rich father, and now she won't have less then the number one guy in the field, Garth, teach her.
Garth remembers(as does she), their little encounter, and plans to have his way with her now that she is a woman. But that's all he wants from this beautiful rich girl. As the lessons progress,he has his way often, something Candy enjoys for the first time in her life. But their feelings for each other are growing as well. They can hardly be in the same room without the sparks flying. Candy knows that Garth cannot express his feeling, in any other way then to make love to her quite demonstratively. The storyline parallels the lessons Garth is giving her on taming a stubborn, wild stallion to stud. Candy takes each step slowly, knowing that Garth has issues from his past, that prevent him from trusting a woman enough to marry her.
In the meantime, their passion sizzles in nearly every chapter(sometimes even a couple of times per chapter), and if you are thinking that it's a story where the man just has his way whenever he wants...think about how Rhett Butler forcefully carried Scarlett up to the bedroom one night, and how she was happily singing the next morning! The story will have you turning the pages, as there is much more substance to this romance then just the hot love scenes.
The story runs parallel to Faron's story, as this romance takes place, during the same timespan while Faron is in Wyoming having his own complications. There are a couple of scenes, near the end, that are the exact scenes from "The Cowboy and the Princess", but this time it is played out from Candy's view point.
It's probably a good idea but not necessary to read them in order.Each stands on it's own and Ms. Johnston gives a pretty good background of the other siblings and their stories, in each book. The series goes on to branch out to other family members and generations, and there are several that come 2 or 3 together in one book. "Hawks Way Rouges" and "Hawk"s Way Bachelors"(which includes these two plus The Runaway Bride(Tate) are a couple of the books that include 3 of the novellas together. So you may want to check before buying any of the individual books. It saves on shipping costs as well.
It's a great series, and you won't be able to stop at just one.
5th and 6th in the series can be found here:
Hawk's Way: Carter & Falcon: The Cowboy Takes A Wife\The Unforgiving Bride(see my reivew for story details)
Enjoy...Laurie
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