Heart of a Warrior [Large Print] [Paperback]

Johanna Lindsey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 24, 2001

Romantic fiction has a first name: Johanna! For years, the remarkable Johanna Lindsey has created love stories that rank among the most satisfying ever written. Her ability to seamlessly blend charm and wit with steamy passion and tender romance -- while casting uniquely memorable characters into bold original plots -- is unrivaled. And now, with thirty-seven national bestsellers already to her credit, Lindsey has brought the magic back in a wonderful new novel that proves once again how delightfully well she knows the intricate workings of the human heart.

At first, Brittany Callaghan thinks she's dreaming. Afer all, she's not used to seeing blond, nearly seven-feet-tall Nordic gods in her tiny California town. But when the spectacular-looking Viking turns up on her doorstep, Brittany knows her dream man is very real.

Though a stunning, statuesque beauty herself, intelligent and independent Brittany has struggled hard to cam respect in a man's world. So she is somewhat taken aback when her visitor -- whose name is Dalden -- informs her that he is, in fact, a barbarian warrior. But Dalden is a long way from home and needs her help -- and is willing to pay for it -- so if he fancies himself a savage, that's fine with her. Besides, he's had Brittany's blood running red-hot since the first time she saw him, and warrior or no, she'd like to get to know this gorgeous giant a lot better!

But the truth is a very rude awakening for the curvaceous West Coast lady. For Dalden is exactly what he claims to be. Where he comes from, brute strength is the law, men are all-powerful, and their women always obey. As bold and brash as she is beautiful, Brittany isn't going to be subservient to any man, even one who is everything she ever wanted in a lover, and whose very touch sets her senses afire. If she and her Norse god are ever going to get serious, something is definitely going to have to give.

Still, Dalden is a warrior to the depths of his soulproud, powerful, and brave -- a man who will fight fearlessly and relentlessly for what he wants. And now what he wants most of all is Brittany....

A deliciously enchanting and brilliantly imaginative addition to the Lindsey library, Heart of a Warrior is richly overflowing with the humor, surprise, sensuality, emotion -- and, of course, unparalleled love -- that have become the author's trademarks. When it comes to fictional affairs of the heart, the extraordinary Johanna Lindsey is truly one of a kind.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Setting: Seaview, USA, present day

Sensuality rating: 8

They say men are from Mars and women are from Venus, but according to perennial New York Times bestselling author Johanna Lindsey, men, especially huge hunks like Dalden Ly-San-Ter, are from the planet Sha-Ka'an, and women, especially strong-minded, statuesque beauties like carpenter Brittany Callaghan, are from right here on Earth! Lindsey's latest offering is out of this world--literally. Brittany meets the first man she's ever had to look up to when she sees Dalden at a political rally... like she could avoid noticing a 7-foot tall Hercules clad in form-fitting leather pants. When he disappears without a trace, Brittany is unaccountably put out. But when Dalden just as mysteriously reappears in her apartment the next day, her already piqued interest--and libido--goes into overdrive. Brittany thinks Dalden is just visiting from another country, never guessing that his home is actually in a whole different solar system. Dalden is hunting an unscrupulous enemy who has stolen a shipment of mind-altering weapons, a situation with potentially cataclysmic results. But the virginal Brittany is a distraction Dalden didn't count on. Add a smart-mouthed computer, the burgeoning passion between the oh-so-different protagonists, and Heart of a Warrior offers a wild romp that only Lindsey could write. Fasten your seat belts and relish the ride! --Alison Trinkle --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Lindsey revisits alien worlds in her latest (after Warrior's Woman; You Belong to Me; etc.), and the result seems cobbled from Star Trek and bad sitcoms. Six-foot-tall construction worker Brittany Callaghan has had trouble finding a man who doesn't mind her height; nearly 30 and still a virgin, she's used to taking care of herself in the small town of Seaview, Calif. At the local mall, she meets Dalden Ly-San-Ter, a seven-foot barbarian alien stud who tells her he's pursuing a troublemaker from his "country" and asks for her help. Of course, the two are wildly attracted to each other, and Dalden's hokey, wisecracking supercomputer, Martha, has to remind him the mission comes first: his quarry is an alien king who's looking for subjects and planning to use a stolen device called an Altering Rod to take over Earth. The two giants quickly fall in love and succeed in capturing the errant king. Dalden declares his intention to make Brittany his "lifemate," and he and Martha reveal the truth about his origins when they take Brittany aboard their ship. Her stubborn disbelief which she clings to even as they arrive on Dalden's planet, Sha-Ka'an tests the patience of her warrior beau and any readers who should get that far. It takes a near-fatal incident to finally make her accept the truth, and she inadvertently introduces a peculiar version of feminism to her new, barbarian-run home. Despite the derivative plot and excruciating dialogue the aliens say things like "I love you to pieces" and "hold on to your socks" it's doubtful that Lindsey's legions of fans will mind the book's shortcomings in the least. Everyone else will be more entertained by Earth Girls Are Easy.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: WmMorrow; Regular Print/Single Titl edition (April 24, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0066209595
• ISBN-13: 978-0066209593
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (166 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,868,509 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

johanna Lindsey is one of the most popular authors of romantic fiction, with more than sixty million copies of her novels sold. World renowned for her novels of "first-rate romance" (New York Daily News), Lindsey is the author of forty-three previous bestselling novels, many of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers. Lindsey lives in Maine with her family.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not her best, but I'm glad Dalden got a story, April 25, 2001

By 

Chrissy (Kentucky, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heart of a Warrior (Hardcover)

I had extremely high hopes when I heard that Dalden was getting his own story. Warrior's Woman and Keeper of the Heart are two of my favorite books by Johanna Lindsey. Though this book was good, I felt a bit disappointed. After experiencing the explosive passion of Tedra and Challen and Shanelle and Falon, these characters didn't strike the same spark..also I would highly recommend that anyone reading this book, read the first two beforehand, else some major confusion may set in.

Dalden heads to modern day earth in search of Jorran (a character from Keeper of the Heart) who has stolen mind altering rods from Sunder (also from Keeper of the Heart) in hopes that he can take over the planet. Brittany, a statuesque, construction working red head, first encounters Dalden at the local mall as he is attempting to speak with the mayor about Jorran's plan. His expression indicating that he is highly uncomfortable in the confined area, Brittany whisks him aside. Equally smitten, Dalden and Brittany converse with the help of his mother's Mock II computer, Martha (first introduced in (Warrior's Woman). Deciding that Brittany can be useful in the endeavor to capture Jorran, Dalden hires her to help him spot outsiders in her small town, while keeping his exact origins secert.

Jorran and his cronies are caught with little effort or time, and I am left wondering what I actually read that took up the first 200 pages. After the capture of Jorran, Martha transfers Brittany to the ship (as Dalden has claimed her for his lifemate earlier on). The next several chapters are of everyone, mainly Martha, doing their best to convince Brittany that the ship is real, Dalden is really from another planet, and everything isn't some elaborate hoax. Even landing on the moon doesn't budge Brittany, and her stubbornness is getting very frustrating at this point. Even upon arriving on his planet, Brittany is want to believe that it is some fantastical movie set in another country.

Dalden, frustrated with his lifemate's refusal to believe in his home, takes her out on what is basically a camping trip so they can be alone. Not obeying the rules to stay in the tent while he is away hunting, she is attacked by an animal. Tracking Brittany by her voice, Jorran (his home planet declared war on Sha-Ka-Ra for his mistreatment during his trip home) who is enamored, finds her and gets her to a meditech and she is fine. Dalden then finds himself having to administer a warrior's punishment (sexual frustration). Though this was a huge part of the story in the first 2 books, this one barely makes anything of it. They admit they love each other, he shows her the land where he wants her to build their house, all is well, the end.

As I mentioned before, it would be a very good idea to read the first two books before starting on this one. It will clear things up and probably make it a more enjoyable experience...it will also show you what kind of passion existed between Tedra and Challen (Dalden's parents) and Shanelle and Falon (his twin sister). I couldn't really find any reason that Brittany was drawn to Dalden other than he was taller than she was. All in all, it was a good book, it just seemed to lack her usual passion. Easily read and something anyone who has enjoyed the other books would like to read, however.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars WHAT A MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT ! ! !, May 8, 2001

By 

"jw5000000" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heart of a Warrior (Hardcover)

If you are a major Johanna Lindsey fan and have read Warrior's Woman & Keeper of the Heart, there is nothing I can say that will keep you from going out and spending your money & time on this book. I know, been there, done that!

The fact that the other reviews mostly agree that this book disappoints but then gives it three stars are more, will have you wondering if it just is not as good as the other two, but still a good read.

If this had not been a Johanna Lindsey book, this is one book most would have given no stars if possible. Save your money, save your time!

The begaining and ending of this book is it's only saving grace; however a Harlequin Romance could have done it better. Out of 368 pages, more than a 150 of them need to be rewritten. I found my self skipping pages just to get though it, and never did it occure to me to go back and pick some of thoes pages back up. I didn't miss a thing.

There are so many places she could have gone with this book but didn't, I just feel let down after years of waiting for Dalden's story. If you realy want to know how far she's come down read Warrior's Woman (5 stars) and Keeper of the Heart (4 stars) and cry for the waste she made out of this one.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Very Disappointed, June 2, 2001

By 

Tina "tinaellorascave" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heart of a Warrior (Hardcover)

Having waited years for the third installment in Lindsey's futuristic series, I was disappointed with this novel from start to finish. The successor to "Warrior's Woman" and "Keeper of the Heart" does not live up to the expectations of its predecessors.

To put a fine point on it, when a sci-fi fan opens up the third installment of an eagerly anticipated futuristic series, they expect it to actually take place in another time or dimension, they do not expect that the first 198 pages (of a 368 page novel) will happen on earth!

Another mark against the novel is the heroine herself. Brittany is, in a word, annoying. When the reader is finally transported from earth after 198 pages, their diligence for sticking with the book is then punished by a heroine who refuses to believe that she's on a spaceship (and then the planet Sha-Ka'an) for the next 150 pages. Instead, Brittany believes that everything around her is a great conspiracy and that her captors are merely trying to mess with her mind. And this for literally 150 pages!

As if that isn't bad enough, the freethinking computer Martha has more lines than either of the protagonists do. Martha does have her good moments and there are places in the novel where she is truly funny, but overall she is given far too much to say with Dalden being allocated not nearly enough.

The reason why Martha has too much to say in the first place brings me to yet another gripe with Heart of a Warrior, namely that in this installment Lindsey suffers from what I call "explanation-itis", or the need to over-explain things. Yes, it is necessary to give the non-initiated some background info to catch them up to speed, but the amount of information they are given basically recounts everything that happens in the first two books which is boring for people who have already read them.

My final complaint with this novel, and the one that broke the camel's back for me if you will, is that absolutely nothing new happens in this installment. In a futuristic, readers expect to be introduced to new worlds, new concepts, new plant and animal life, etc., but not one new experience is given to us in Heart of a Warrior. Everything we hear and see is rehashed from the first two novels which results in a predictability that is Boring with a capital B.

If you insist on buying it, I'd wait for it to come out in paperback!