Customer Reviews

Hawk's Way: Callen & Zach: The Headstrong Bride\The Disobedient Bride (Hqn)

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

 

 

If you've been following the romantic/modern day westerns in the Hawk's Way series by Joan Johnston, these two novellas are #'s 7, and 8 in the series. "The Headstrong Bride", and "The Disobedient Bride" follow the stories of Garth and Candy Whitelaw's children, known as 'The Whitelaw Brats", now adults. Although, the stories all seem to follow a theme; marrying for the wrong reasons, and are somewhat formulized, Johnston manages to keep each story enjoyable, fresh, and the characters unique from the others. Also, these stories stand on their own from the last generation of Whitelaws in the first 5 books, but it is nice to know the background(which we get a little of in these stories as well). The first 5 if you are interested in all the Hawk's Way stories(they are all a pretty nice way to get lost for a while) are:"Honey and the Hired Hand","The Rancher and The Runaway Bride",""the Cowboy and the Princess","The Wrangler and The Rich Girl"(this one is the story of the parents of the Hawk's way Brides trio), and 'The Cowboy Takes a Wife".


So here are two of the next generation of Whitelaw love stories:

"The Headstrong Bride"...Youngest sister Callen Whitelaw has been engaged twice. Both times to men her father disapproved of. Each time, she was determined to marry despite her father's disapproval, but both times, she came around and saw the men for who they really were and broke it off. But this third time,really has Garth,and her older brother Zach protesting. She is about to marry her father's enemy,Sam Longstreet. Sam is the most caring man she has ever met and is determined to make her life with him, despite her family's possible estrangement. Sam may not be the man she thinks he is either, and has ulterior motives for his new bride..revenge on the Whitelaws! The passion between them is great, but Sam can never say 'I love You", knowing that when his mission is accomplished he will dump her. Can Callen tame this lone stallion, and will the Whitelaws and Longstreets be able to live in peace?

"The Disobedient Bride"...Although I think the term "disobedient bride", does not quite fit the story of oldest brother Zach's marriage to the wife he actually advertised for - she is more of a woman with her own mind - it was my favorite of the three(info about middle sibling Faron's book at bottom of review). Zach has some deep rooted emotional problems when it comes to love. His first love died in an airplane crash two days before they were to be married. But that was 7 years earlier, and there is more to that story that Zach lets on. He just can't seem to get past it. But he wants heirs to his ranch "Hawk's Pride",land given to him by his father. When Rebecca Littlewolf sees the ad,she knows it was meant to be. After all, she lived on the ranch as a child while her father worked for Zach,and has been in love with him to this day. But Zach makes it clear right from the get-go that he only wants a mother for his children, and Rebecca lets him know that all she wants from him in return is to open a camp for children in remission of Cancer.Their passion heats up the pages while trying for a child, but Zach has given Rebecca 1 year to get pregnant. Can he keep from getting emotionally involved with this woman who heart is opened to everybody that needs a helping hand? Their story is a good one to get totally involved in.

Middle sibling Faron's story - #6 in the Hawk's Way series - is told in The Unforgiving BrideThe 3 stories of these siblings are also sold together here:Hawk's Way Brides: The Unforgiving Bride\The Headstrong Bride\The Disobedient Bride. Johnston has several other series to get involved with. One of my favorites was the 'Sisters of the Lone Star" series. Full length novels of romance and adventure in the old west, with a bit of history in each one. They are"Frontier Woman,Comanche Woman and Texas Woman - in that order. All great adventures, and sizzling romances.

Get lost in a romance for a while and enjoy the read....Laurie

Love this book... Zach was my favorite. I actually read it again today. Can not seem to get enough of this series... love it...love it....love it...
Did not actually read them in order, but have enjoyed reading all of them anyway.

The guys all start out as nice guys and the story ends with nice guys. Fantasy but I love it. A "feel good" story.

Callen and Zach contains two Hawk's Way stories, The Headstrong Bride and The Disobedient Bride.

The Headstrong Bride, Callen Whitelaw is tricked into marriage by Sam Longstreet who wants revenge on the Whitelaws for his father's death. Sam figures the best way to get this revenge is to steal a Whitelaw. The only problem is, what if the Whitelaw in question, Callen, steals his heart instead?

The Disobedient Bride is Rebecca Littlewolf who answered Zach Whitelaw's newspaper ad for a wife. Zach wants a wife purely to bear his children and raise them, and Rebecca is not having any luck becoming pregnant...therefore being disobedient (really? this doesn't offend anyone?).

I am beginning to wish that I had never bought the last book in this series and now have to read the first eleven to catch up (I know I don't have to, but I wanted the background for Sisters Found and now that I've come this far, I'm going to keep going). I know that these novels mainly have glowing reviews, but I find them very sexist and outdated (despite being written recently). I thought they were getting a bit better and meatier with Carter and Falcon, but this is a step back. We'll see what Hawk's Way Rebels brings, the stories seem a bit longer so hopefully more Western plot and stories about the ranches and horses will be included as well as the love story, as the setting is great.

I am an avid romance reader, but there are times when one of my fave authors comes out with a book I've either missed out on, or don't have. As is the case with this one, and J. Johnston is a big favorite of mine.