Customer Reviews

The Mavericks

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

 

 

Setting - Arizona Territory 1888 --- Adopted brothers Zeke and Hawk Maxwell were driving their latest acquisition of broodmares to their newly purchased run-down ranch near Tombstone when they were shot at. They might have expected horse thieves, but what Zeke never expected to find holding the end of the rifle was one of the most beautiful black women he'd ever seen - with an attitude bigger than the state of Texas!

Along with Josie, three other women had been stranded when their wagon had lost a wheel. Suzette, the blonde seemed much more open to accept their help in repairing their wagon, and in gratitude, reluctantly offered to share supper with them. With Zeke being black and Hawk, part Indian, it was difficult to believe that they were brothers. Their explanation of being adopted helped in easing the tension between the men and woman.

Zeke and Hawk thought they'd just be on their way the next day, never to cross paths with the bristly females again, but they realized that to leave the women alone in the desert was not a gentlemanly thing to do. Suzette and Josie protested that they could take care of themselves, though they grudgingly admitted to themselves that the men's escort was comforting. Along the way they discovered that stubborn pride was easier to let go of when sharing the dangers along the trail, especially when love and compassion entered the equation.

*** I truly enjoyed this wildly entertaining and sensitive entry in Leigh Greenwood's `Cowboy' series, but would have entitled it differently - rather than The Mavericks, more appropriately - The Misfits! The lead characters were all so terribly wounded! Each bore childhood betrayals and self-esteem issues that it seemed as though they'd need a miracle, or a bunch of them, to ever get up the gumption to take a chance in accepting one another and the love that blossomed. Greenwood masterfully built relationships and situations that helped to bridge these wonderfully strong characters into would be partners. Additionally, lively dialogs and illuminating descriptions of trudging through the western landscapes pointing out both the beauty and dangers along their journey were great! It is certainly easy to see why Leigh holds his place as a leader in the historical romance genre for his compassionate and sensitive storytelling. I would suggest this as highly recommended reading for all lovers of historical American West romance!

Marilyn, [...]

Zeke and Hawk are returning to the ranch with their broodmares and stumble on a wagon with four ladies of the night. They cannot leave the ladies out there on the trail. This is an interesting and entertaining situation. Greenwood takes you on a trip with all these ladies through the wilds of the old west. Are there some attachments made along the way? Read it and find out what happens. By Ruth Thompson author of "The Bluegrass Dream" and "Natchez Above The River"

MAVERICKS IS A PAGE TURNER IN THE SENSE THAT YOU NEVER WANT IT TO END. THE CHARACTERS ARE MULTI DIMENSIONAL AND THE BOOK FIGHTS STEREOTYPES. BROTHERS HAWK (HALFBREED0 AND ZEKE (HALF BLACK) ARE AS CLOSE AS ANY BROTHERS ADOPTED OR NOT CAN BE. THEY HAD HORRENDOUS CHILDHOODS UNTIL THEY WERE TAKEN IN UNDER THE WINGS OF ADOPTIVE PARENTS OF 11 KIDS. THEY ARE BUILDING A HORSE BREEDING PROGRAQM ON THEIR SMALL RANCH AND ARE TAKING THEIR PRIZED MARES HOME TO FOAL. THEY RUN INTO STRANDED TRAVELLERS LED BY JOSEY (HALF BLACK WOMAN WHO HATES MEN) AND FRENCH CANADIAN JOSETTE WHO WAS A VICTIM OF FAMILY ABUSE. THESE GALS ARE SALOON DANCERS BUT HANDLE A RIFLE AND PISTOL JUST AS WELL AS ANY MAN. FOR VARIOUS REASONS BAD GUYS ARE AFTER THEM AND SO THEY AGREE, RELUCTANTLY, TO TRAVEL TOGETHER.. IT'S A DIFFERENT STORY THAN ANYTHING I'VE EVER READ AND PERHAPS THAT IS WHY I LOVED IT. HOW DO MEN AND WOMEN WITH INGRAINED BIASES LEARN TO WORK TOGETHER TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR GOALS. GREAT DIALOGUE, LOTS OF 'ISSUES', AND JUST PLAIN DELIGHTFUL. INCREDIBLE EVOLUTION OF PEOPLE AND HOW THEY GROW WITH THE HELP OF THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.....GREAT JOB LEIGH.!! YOU ARE ALWAYS ON MY BUY LIST AND THIS ONE IS GREAT.

At the end of the Civil War the Maxwells adopted eleven orphans whom they showered with love and raised to respect others. Though all in this loving brood cherish one another, the two non-white children became best friends. For years, former slave Zeke and half Indian Hawk rode together with neither of them thinking of settling down, but now in their late thirties, they decide to end their wanderlust and raise quality horses to sell to ranchers.

As the Maxwell brothers escort mares in foal to their ranch, Josie, a black female, fires at Hawk. Zeke persuades Josie and her dance girl companions Suzette, Anna, and the ailing Laurie to stop shooting. Their wagon lost its linchpin stranding the helpless females until the siblings showed up. When Ben Norman arrives to take Anna with him as his wife, the ladies lose their driver and with the help of the guys take Laurie to her parents' spread. As Suzette and Hawk fall in love over horses, Zeke and Josie fall in love between jabs. However, while in loving denial, they deal with horse thieves, kidnappers, and an idiot sheriff.

Leigh Greenwood, known for his terrific western romances, returns to the Cowboys' saddle with a fantastic double love story. The character driven tale lassoes in readers from the moment Josie fires a shot at Hawk and never slows down until the final confrontation between her and Zeke. The story line focuses on the dual romances, but is enhanced by the rustlers and a sheriff who applies racial profiling (Suzette is French Canadian) to decide that the four heroes are liars and thieves. Fans will cherish the return to one of the best sub-genre series.

Harriet Klausner

Two couples that don't want love find each other on the lonely plains of the Old West. Zeke and Hawk both felt too outcast because of their heritages to ever find a woman who could look past that to love them; and Josie and Suzette were dancehall girls. Their past was not one that made for wives. Yet, once the two groups meet, neither can get the other out of their minds. They try, but when trouble forces them to reunite, they find love leading them home.

** There is actually very little coherent or cohesive plot here to engage one's attention. The narrative seesaws from one to the other jaggedly, focusing mostly on angst, not romance. The friendships portrayed are noteworthy and heartwarming, but that is not enough to commend this tale as readable. **

Amanda Killgore, Freelance Reviewer

Favorite scene with Suzette-
Nicely telling the mother of her friend off for her prejudice towards
Zeke and Hawk.

Favorite scene with Hawk-
Hawk and Suzette becoming engaged. Suzette wants to be with Hawk, and
tells him she wants her sister to come live with them on the ranch,
society be damned. Hawk's willing to give up Suzette so she will be
happy, and gets a great reward in return.

Together-
Hawk and Suzette becoming engaged. Suzette wants to be with Hawk, and
tells him she wants her sister to come live with them on the ranch,
society be damned.

What did you like about Suzette-
Her loyalty towards Josie and wanting to protect her sister.

What didn't you like about Suzette-
She's willing to give up Hawk because of her sister. Yes, she's only
trying to protect her sister, but it seems she's more concerned that
Hawk's being an Indian will ruin her sister's chances at marriage.

What did you like about Hawk-
His loyalty towards his brother. Not ashamed of who and what he is.

What didn't you like about Hawk-
He doesn't see the beauty of things around him. He's built a wall
around his heart.

If I had to cast Hawk, I'd cast Michael Greyeyes.
If I had to cast Suzette, I'd cast Reese Witherspoon.

Favorite scene with Josie-
Getting the theater owner to give her and Suzette half the earnings
the night of the brawl, and then nicely telling Gardner off after he
threatens Hawk and Zeke, and still expects the girls to come work for him.

Favorite scene with Zeke-
Standing up to Gardner and the sheriff, and still winning even when
they tied him up and slapped him around.

Together-
Josie leaving Zeke the day after they make love. My heart went out to
Zeke.

What did you like about Josie-
Her toughness. Her loyalty towards Suzette.

What didn't you like about Josie-
Her attitude got tiring. Although I understood why she had attitude,
it could be a real turn off. She and Suzette kept thinking about
going to Tombstone, even with Gardner there. She couldn't decide till
the very end how she felt about Zeke.

What did you like about Zeke-
His loyalty towards Hawk. He never gave up on Josie. He fought
harder because of his race.

What didn't you like about Zeke-
Both he and Hawk didn't care about the condition of their home.

If I had to cast Zeke, I'd cast Taye Diggs.
If I had to cast Josie, I'd cast Halle Berry.

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