Never Marry a Cowboy [Mass Market Paperback]

Lorraine Heath (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 6, 2001

In his arms she found the greatest joy she'd ever known . . . but his heart belonged to another. Can her love make their marriage real before their time together ends—forever?

Editorial Reviews

Review

"[She writes] the most powerfully moving love stories in romance today." -- Jill Barnett

About the Author

Lorraine Heath wrote her first story at seven, and it involved a fisherman who fell in love with a mermaid. She has since moved on to writing about sexy cowboys and dashing English lords (and sometimes, cleverly, in the same book!). Publishers Weekly says she is a "master of her craft." She is, indeed, and along with being a New York Times and USA Today bestseller, she has won the RITA^® Award, Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award, and a Career Achievement Award.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (February 6, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380803313
• ISBN-13: 978-0380803316
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #433,712 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lorraine Heath always dreamed of being a writer. After graduating from the University of Texas, she wrote training manuals, press releases for a publicist, articles, and computer code, but something was always missing. In 1990, she read a romance novel and became not only hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She's been writing about them ever since, for both adult and young adult readers (as Rachel Hawthorne). Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards including RWA's RITA(R), a HOLT medallion, a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award, three Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Awards, and several Texas Gold Awards. Her novels have appeared on bestseller lists, including USA Today, Waldenbooks, and most recently, the New York Times.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lorraine Heath always delivers!, September 10, 2001

By 

Freelance Reviewer "Carla" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Never Marry a Cowboy (Mass Market Paperback)

Fortune, Texas, 1870
Christian Montgomery is one of three Englishmen banished from their homeland who make their way to America. Having spent the last four years working beside his two friends and watching them fall in love and start families, Christian is resigned to bachelorhood. After making a decision and acting upon it while still in England, Christian has consigned himself to his own private hell. What better way to court death than to accept the position of
sheriff in Fortune? When his friend David Robertson comes to visit from Dallas begging an unusual favor, Christian is astounded and balks. The man wants him to give his ailing, possibly dying sister a chance at being a bride for a day. Christian's one true love died in his arms; he can never go through that devastation again. When he meets the ethereal Ashton Robertson, all of his misgivings fly out the window and his protective instincts rush to
the forefront. Knowing he is probably making the second biggest mistake of his life, Christian agrees to marry Ashton.
Ashton has faced death all of her young life. She is mortified to learn about her brother's request, but secretly thrilled when Christian Montgomery agrees to give her a wedding day. Ashton has admired and coveted Christian for her own since meeting him at her brother's home a few years before. Suffering from consumption, Ashton has no idea how much longer she has to live and can think of no better way to start facing a little bit of life than
with Christian, even if it is just for a day.
What transpires is a tender and beautiful story about one man's quest to atone for his sins by giving someone a brief glimpse at true happiness. Christian Montgomery is a true hero, strong on the outside, generous and giving on the inside. Ashton appears frail and sickly, but when faced with a frightening situation, surprises herself with an inner strength she never dreamed she possessed. The couple develops a strong bond of friendship while
trying to ignore deeper feelings that may never get the chance to blossom. It was delightful to visit with the characters from the first two books of the series, A ROGUE IN TEXAS and NEVER LOVE A COWBOY, characters that have grown and developed, and have helped to shape Christian into the man he will become. Christian also shares a poignant relationship with his twin brother, Christopher Montgomery, who finds his own happiness in this tale.
Lorraine Heath does for Texas what Nora Roberts does for Ireland. A powerful storyteller, Ms. Heath engages all of a reader's emotions and senses, immersing them thoroughly into this fast paced, gripping tale. I highly recommend NEVER MARRY A COWBOY as Lorraine Heath at her best.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting western romance, February 1, 2001

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Never Marry a Cowboy (Mass Market Paperback)

In 1865 England, Christian "Kit" Montgomery suffers through the death of his beloved Clarisse, his unrequited love, his brother's wife. Kit no longer cares about living and especially hates his time with the Ton. He travels to Fortune, Texas in order to escape his past.

In 1870, David Robertson tests the boundaries of Kit's friendship with a proposal. He wants Kit to marry his dying sister Ashton so she can have a beautiful wedding and the fond memory of man to cherish before she dies. He chooses Kit because his aristocratic English background allows room for marriages without love. However, the pain of Clarisse still lives inside Kit's gut. To his own surprise, he decides to do a far nobler thing than he ever did before and agrees to marry Ashton. As she helps him with closing the pain on his grief that he shared with no one, they fall in love. However, will he adapt to the fact that his beloved may never grow old with him or will he flee from a new set of demons?

NEVER MARRY A COWBOY is an exciting western romance that will enthrall fans of historical tales with its deep-rooted characters and powerfully descriptions of time and place. The story line is filled with action and angst as Kit adapts to going through what appears to be hell for a second time. Ashton is a warm heroine who readers will feel empathy towards and hope for the best. Sub-genre fans are most fortunate that Lorraine Heath continues to provide top-notch entertainment.

Harriet Klausner

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Faithful fan of Lorraine Heath, March 7, 2001

By 

Christine Holroyd (Pomona, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Never Marry a Cowboy (Mass Market Paperback)

I am a huge fan of Lorraine Heath and have been following the saga of the English gentlemen in Texas. So here's the skinny on this book. This is the final in a trilogy and is the story about Christian (Kit) Montgomery. In the previous two books ("A Rogue in Texas" and "Never Love a Cowboy") you learned that he was the second born son of an English nobleman, which means he will not take control of the estate when his father dies. He also was not allowed to marry the woman he loved who married his brother Christopher instead. Unfortunately Clarissa, the woman he was in love with in England, dies a painful death so Kit travels to America with his two friends (Grayson and Harry). Kits friends eventually find happiness and marry however Kit remains alone in his own grief over the death of Clarissa. Kit eventually becomes a Marshall of a small town and is approached by David Robinson, a friend, who asks him to marry his dying sister, Ahston. Kit eventually agrees to marry Ashton, whom he had met a few years earlier. Unknown to Kit, Ashton had been secretly in love with him all that time. As Kit and Ashton become closer Kit realizes he might not be able to deal with her impending death as easily as he thought. There is adventure during the story as they suffer through a stage coach accident and a shootout in their small town. Toward the end however Kit finally reveals what really happened to Clarissa and how she actually died (can't tell ya or it will spoil the story). Also, Christopher arrives from England with a little surprise of his own.

Now onto why I only gave this four stars. I was a little disappointed in Ashtons character. I was really looking forward to Kits story and expected the heroine to be stronger based upon the charachter development of Kit in the earlier stories. I also did not like how Ashton turned against Kit when he revealed his secret to her. He did what he had to, out of love for Clarissa and I was dissapointed that Ashton could not see this until she thought Kit was going to die in the shootout. I did like the secondary story involving Christopher and Elizabeth (whom you were introduced to in "A Rogue in Texas"). Other than that it was a good read and I look forward to Lorraine Heaths new book "The Outlaw and the Lady" coming in November of 2001. Heath always writes very emotional books that just make you want to cry.