Customer Reviews

Honey and the Hired Hand

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

 

 

Although not directly related to the series, this book is a wonderful addition to the "Hawk's Way" series. The characters seem to start off a bit slow, much like the plot. However, once you've started reading this novel, it's hard to put it down. The lead romantic interests, Honey Farrell and Jesse Whitelaw, keep the sparks flying whether they're fighting each other or fighting the temptation of love.

If you are already a fan of Joan Johnston's Romance, Western Adventure and Historical novels, you are probably aware that there are several different series of stories to get caught up in, featuring different families,their adventures, their romances and sometimes feuds. "Honey and The Hired Hand" is the first in the "Hawk's Way Series" Modern day western romance/adventure stories centering on the Whitelaw family. And if you weren't a fan before, you will be after the read of this one, especially if you love a steamy romance! The story of Honey Farrell and Jessie Whitelaw is a fabulous romance and promises a great series to follow.

Honey is the widow of a Texas Ranger. Trying to run her ranch, and raise two boys, one already a teen, on her own, is too much for her to handle alone. Enter Jessie Whitelaw, who talks his way into the job of helping her run the Flying Diamond. Although the beautiful Honey is hesitant, there is something about the rugged cowhand that draws her to him. He's Hired! Each trying to keep their distance for their own reasons, Honey, not wanting to get involved with a drifter, knowing she will be hurt when he moves on, and Jessie has ulterior motives for being there, know he will be moving on and knows he can't get involved with the luscious Honey.But of course, we know these two will fall into each other's arms eventually. Johnston keeps the anticipation going with tantalizing circumstances between the two, and when they finally can't resist each other anymore, the romance sizzles with steamy scenes.

As always in a Joan Johnston novel, there is much more to the story. There is always some sort of adventure, mystery or conspiracy going on. Honey has been losing her cattle to rustlers. She hopes her new hired hand can help her stop the thieves. But when her prize bull turns up missing, along with her 13 year old son(who wasn't all too happy about Jessie being there in the first place., the evidence points towards Jessie. Can he be the culprit? Or has he hired on for another reason. Will her son turn up safe and sound? Can Honey resist Jessie even when she thinks he's the bad guy?

There was only one part of the story, I found a little hard to swallow. As a mother, there is no way, even if involved in a passionate affair, you would wait 24 hours to check on your 13 year old child, who is supposedly staying at a friends. But hey, as the reader, I wouldn't have wanted that delicious love scene cut short though!

This is a fairly short novel, and Johnston keep the pace moving right along. And the reader keeps turning the page to see what happens.I thought it was a great start to the Hawks Way series, and have already started the next one up, "The Rancher and The Runaway Bride", which has another Whitelaw, the young, beautiful,virginal sister of the Whitelaw brothers(all of the "Hawks Way" spread) on the run and looking for Romance. In "Honey and the Hired Man", there were a couple of secondary characters, who's stories were left to wonder about, but One is already a major character in the Runaway bride story. Johnston is real good at having one story flow to the next in all the series.

"Honey and the Hired Hand" is also sold in the 'Hawk's Way Rogues" collection. It is a book with 2 other short novels from the series: 'The Cowboy Takes A`Wife"(#5 in the series) and "The Temporary Groom"(#9). Probably the most economic way to go. The "Rouges" collection book , also has a family tree on the first page and the order the books were written. So you'll know who is related to who, who had affairs, who married who and which book you want to read next!..Very Helpful in sorting through this series, with at least a dozen stories.

So, as soon as I finish "The Rancher and The Runaway Bride", I'll review it. Until then...enjoy this great romance.....Laurie

This is an early Joan Johnston book. It is just GREAT. Sparks fly between Jesse and Honey. A thoroughly enjoyable romantic story.

I loved this book. My only problem with it was that it was too short. It kept me wanting to read it straight through. I don't think there was a boring spot in this book what so ever. Lot's of action and drama on top of emotional romance. I liked the fact that Honey was a strong woman raising two boys and trying to hold onto a ranch and a home! Jesse is the perfect match for her.

I really enjoy the Hawk's way books. Especially since the character's come up in different books. It is a light fun read with a little suspense. A good way to get away from life for awhile and absorb yourself into Honey's romance and problems. I surely recommend this book to those of you looking for an easy to read western romance, with a male lead character that we can all fall in love with.

At a used bookstore, I recently picked up Sisters Found by Joan Johnston and found out it wasn't a stand alone book but the twelfth in the Hawk's Way Family series, so I'm now going back and starting at the beginning with Honey and the Hired Hand. This series is a bit out of my usual genre of romantic chick lit and is in the straight romance category so perhaps I'm not quite the intended audience but here is my review regardless.

Honey Farrell is a widow when her husband Cale, a Texas Ranger, is killed on duty. When drifter Jesse Whitelaw shows up at her ranch looking for work, she is wary as she doesn't know his background and also wary because she is highly attracted to him and doesn't need that complication in her life. While predictable, this was a sweet book filled with nice Western imagery. It was short though, and contained one strange paragraph in which one character was mentioned as a time traveler as though this was a normal occurrence and then never mentioned again...odd. Overall, an afternoon's entertainment but not a novel that stuck in my mind. I am going to continue with this series though.