The Last Good Man [Hardcover]

Kathleen Eagle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2000

In her latest triumphant novel, Kathleen Eagle has created an unforgettable tale of a man and woman poised at one of life's great crossroads. Exquisitely capturing the magnificence of the human spirit, Eagle demonstrates all the qualities that have made her so beloved a storyteller, weaving a beautifully textured tapestry rich in laughter, tears, and desire -- and the power of love to work miracles.The Last Good Man

Savannah Stephens has finally come home to the purple hills of Sunbonnet, Wyoming, after years of living a life far different from the one she's known. But her return has set Sunbonnet's queen bees buzzing. Why has this successful woman returned home? And where is the unknown father of Claudia, the beautiful six-year-old daughter she brought with her?

But Savannah isn't talking. Not to her Aunt Billie who raised her, and not to the childhood friends she left behind. Savannah's been hurt deeply, and the worst scars of all --the ones she's sure will never heal -- are the ones that no one can see or touch. But one person refuses to let her retreat in isolation. When Savannah went east to find fame and fortune, strong, silent Clay stayed in Sunbonnet and tended his horses. But his steadfast love for Savannah never wavered, and he's not going to give up on her now.

Soon Savannah cannot help but yield to the force of a man with the heart, soul, and grit to persist. For her heart knows that she hides from the one thing that can heal the hurt consuming her body and soul.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The familiar "will she or won't she" theme is given a serious twist in Eagle's latest (after What The Heart Knows), combining a solid western/romance plot with more complex, contemporary issues. Salt of the earth Clay Keogh, rancher and farmer, has heard the smalltown whispers: gorgeous Savannah Stephens is back in Sunbonnet, Wyo. The famous model is surrounded by mystery, especially because her small daughter looks exactly like Savannah's first love, the romantic and dangerous Indian activist Kole Catches Crow. Clay, Savannah's childhood friend and Kole's half-brother, has always been in the shadow of his romantic and dangerous sibling, and he's also always carried a torch for Savannah. Desperate to break through her serious depression, he offers her a marriage of security. Though Savannah accepts those terms, she slowly realizes that she wants to forge a real marriage with Clay. That is, if she can deal with his ex-wife, Roxie, and her kids and Clay's tough mother, Patty. Savannah has happiness within her reach, but she harbors a painful secret that she's afraid to admit to her adoring husband, and he, in turn, remains afraid that she'll decide to take up her old life. Eagle draws her main characters with substance and her supporting characters with verve. Savannah's daughter, Claudia, is a charmer who plays a surprising role in the narrative, and while Kole is something of a red herring, he's an effective story facilitator. (Aug.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

When beautiful model Savannah Stephens comes back to Sunbonnet, WY, to care for the woman who raised her, she brings a six-year-old daughter, a brave if wounded spirit, and the need to heal. But Savannah's return also brings a mystery: who is the father of her daughter, and why has Savannah come home? The answers are slow in coming, but longtime friend Clay Keogh is determined to helpDand he is there with his love when Savannah needs him the most. In this hard-hitting, down-to-earth romance, Eagle turns her considerable skills to the very real issues of breast cancer, reconstructive surgery, and the emotional aftermath. Readers are given not just a poignant, satisfying romance but a realistic yet hopeful look at a situation that many women will face. Eagle (What the Heart Knows) is a highly regarded writer of emotionally involving romances who lives in the Minneapolis area.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company; 1st edition (August 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380978156
• ISBN-13: 978-0380978151
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,744,206 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Visit www.kathleeneagle.com for her latest news and http://ridingwiththetopdown.wordpress.com/ to blog with Kathleen and 8 fellow writers.

If you're a reviewer, visit NetGalley to request a digital galley for COWBOY, TAKE ME AWAY (4/19/11 release) from Harlequin.

Kathleen Eagle published her first book, a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award winner, with Silhouette Books in 1984. Since then she has published more than 40 books, including historical and contemporary, series and single title, earning her nearly every award in the industry. Her books have consistently appeared on regional and national bestseller lists, including the USA Today list and the New York Times extended bestseller list.

Born in Virginia and raised "on the road" as an Air Force brat, Ms Eagle earned degrees from Mount Holyoke College and Northern State University. She taught at Standing Rock High School in North Dakota for 17 years.

Eagle's work is often singled out by book reviewers for its exceptional quality and appeal. THE NIGHT REMEMBERS was a Chicago Tribune Notable Book. SUNRISE SONG, THE NIGHT REMEMBERS, THE LAST TRUE COWBOY, and WHAT THE HEART KNOWS made the Library Journal "Five Best Romances of the Year" list. BookPage listed WHAT THE HEART KNOWS among its "Top Six Romance Picks" for 1999. THE LAST GOOD MAN was a finalist for the 2000 Minnesota Book Award for Popular Fiction--the only Romance so honored thus far. YOU NEVER CAN TELL was named to RWA's "Top Ten Favorite Books of the Year" list. She is an RWA RITA award winner.

Kathleen Eagle lives in Minnesota with her husband, who is Lakota Sioux. The Eagles have three children and three grandchildren.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not one of her best, October 30, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Last Good Man (Hardcover)

I look forward to every new Kathleen Eagle Novel. Her writing is superb and her stories are always so captivating that I can't wait to find out what will happen next. One of the things I've loved best about her books is that her characters don't play mind games with each other. However, this book had the tone of a historical Harlequin romance. Both characters had to constantly guess about the other's feelings and actions. What will he/she think about this? How do they really feel? Does she care that I spent the night at my ex-wife's house? There wasn't enough love or emotion between the characters for my taste. Even at the end, after having been married for many months and coming to terms with their relationship Clay still was unsure whether his wife wanted to stay with him or return to her fast-paced New York life.

I much prefer the stories where the characters are both aware of their own feelings, and want to share them with the other. That they don't still have doubts about their relationship even when the story ends.

It's worth picking up from the library, but I don't recommend buying it. It's not like "This Time Forever," "Reason to Believe," "Sunrise Song," or even "What the Heart Knows" - it's not one I would care to read again.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Lovestory by A Wonderful Author, July 13, 2000

By 

avidbookreader "Keishon" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Last Good Man (Hardcover)

The Last Good Man by Kathleen Eagle is a beautiful lovestory that deals with a serious issue. Savannah and Clay Keogh will stay with me for a long time as I felt they were real people, living their lives along with mine in Sunbonnet! This book is excellent. Characters were well developed...I hated it for it to end. Ms. Eagle, you are simply wonderful!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you Mrs.Eagle, July 24, 2000

By 

libera bain - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Last Good Man (Hardcover)

In response to the reviewer who thinks Savanah is pitiful, fortunately you haven"t walked in her shoes. Kathleen Eagle has done it again. This story of Savanah, a beautiful model with breast canser will help us all to empathise with victims of cancer. It is also a great love story between Savanah and Clay. My description of the story will not do it justice. The varied relationships are handeled so well you feel as though you have visited with real people. Do yourself and every friend or sister you know and highly reccomend this book. The only problem with Kathleens books are they leave you wanting the same degree of talent and you find most other writers are lacking. If you haven"t read her other books, pick up "SUNRISE SONG" be ready to be higly entertained educated,(without preaching), and totally blown away.