Customer Reviews

Samantha and the Cowboy

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

With Avon's eyes set on young teen girls, they are sure to attract some new fans, especially when they have wonderfully talented writers like Lorraine Heath in their court. Ms. Heath knows how to work a story, flesh out characters and bring together the right mix of romance and conflict. With SAMANTHA AND THE COWBOY, young Samantha has to take on the burdensome task of earning some money, but the only job she can find is that of a cattle drive hand - and they only will accept boys. Chopping her hair and shortening her name, Sam gets the job and begins to learn how to drive cattle from fellow rider Matt. You see the usual coming of age insecurities most girls face with their looks, their confusion about their feelings toward a boy and Heath does this remarkably well considering this book is set post-Civil War. I enjoyed this book and think it's quite reasonable young girls pre-16 would enjoy it if they enjoy historicals. And with this one, I'm sure Ms. Heath has just garnered herself new fans that will enjoy her all her books in the years to come.

Samantha Jane Reynolds knows it's her only chance to help her family survive the brutal years after the American Civil War. Even though it means sacrificing her hair and pretending to be a boy, she determines to join a cattle drive from Texas to Kansas, and Samantha becomes Sam. The hundred dollars pay could get them through the winter. Of course, if anyone finds out she's a girl in disguise, she'll be in serious trouble. Matthew Hart survived the Civil War, but many of the boys he led did not. He swears he'll never make a friend again, take responsibility for another again. Yet there's something sympathetic about the new kid, Sam. Sam can't help falling for the handsome cowboy, but she knows that when he discovers her lie, he'll never forgive her.

Bestselling and RITA winning author Lorraine Heath has written a charming young adult romance. 16-year-old Samantha comes of age and discovers feelings of attraction toward that special boy. Matthew is a convincingly damaged hero, aged beyond his 18 years by his wartime experience, and afraid to develop feelings again. Sam's mixed feelings about being a boy lighten the novel's touch. The adventure of the cattle drive and the dangers that Sam finds herself in, add spice to the sweet sensual tension between the two characters (especially once Matthew discovers Sam's secret).

It's 1866 in the small town of Faithful, Texas, and sixteen-year-old Samantha Reynolds is desperate. Every since her father died, the family has struggled to keep their farm running. They've fallen into debt, and her older brother, still bitter over the loss of an arm in the Civil War, refuses to find a job to help out the family. Samantha is determined to help her overburdened mother, but the scheme she comes up with is risky. She cuts her hair and disguises herself as a young boy, "Sam," and is hired for a cattle drive. She is put under the responsibility of Matthew Hart, who is supposed to show her the ropes. Like Samantha's brother, Matt fought in the war, and is haunted by his experiences. Samantha finds herself falling in love with Matt, but he thinks she's just a scruffy little boy. When Matt discovers the truth about what Samantha really is, he's furious, but he also finds himself falling in love with her. Can Samantha persuade Matt to keep her secret so she can help her family, and can she convince him not to despise her for her deception? I highly recommend this book, and the other Avon True Romances, to teenagers who enjoy historical romances. This book was a really sweet love story that I truly enjoyed.

Samantha and the Cowboy is an okay book. It may not be the best, but it is good enough. It seems that this is in a sort-of series, with three other books that I know of (Belle and the Beau, Anna and the Duke, and ?Gwyneth and the Thief? (I think)). B and the B is about a runaway slave. A and D is about an english girl in perhaps the 1800's. G and T is set in medievel times.

Samantha is a normal girl. She lives Out West with her family, which consists of an older brother, a younger brother, a younger sister, and a mother. Samantha is sixteen. When she sees an advertisement for cowhands, her life changes. Samantha's family needs the hundred dollar paycheck, but her younger siblings are too young and her older one doesn't want to go. (The story is set in the post-Civil War times, in the western south) Samantha has always wanted an adventure, so she cuts her hair and gets a little 'interview' with the boss. He doesn't want to hire her at first but she ends up on the trail as a cowhand, disguised as a boy. She learns about cattle from Matthew, a handsome, eighteen-year-old cowhand. Gradually, Samantha(under the name of Sam) falls in love with him. There's one big problem. Matt thinks she's a boy. But when he finds out that she is really a girl, can she win back his trust and convince him not to tell anyone her secret?

As I said, it's an okay book, not the best, but still entertaining. Written for young adults(girls), it's a fun read. For those who've already read it, I suggest Seven Daughters and Seven Sons or the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce.

Samatha and the Cowboy is my probably my favorite Avon True Romance so far; I've read 9 of the 10 published and ordered the 10 and pre-ordered the 11 and 12.

Samatha Reynolds is an capable and intelligent girl of 16 whose family is in debt like other families after the war. When she sees an add for boys 14 an older to work on a cattle drive, she chops her hair and trades in her dress for a pair of trousers. Sam knows she can handle anything the drive throws at her as well as any boy could, well with the exception of Matthew Hart.
Matt is an attractive 18 year old with an unreachable heart that was closed during the war after the death of many friends. After Matt hires Sam onto the drive without the permission of Jake the trailboss,Sam becomes Matt's responsibility. The last thing Matt needs is the only person he can't help but like playing his shadow.
As the drive goes along Sam and Matt start to get closer, but after a swimming accident he learns the truth about "Sam." Will Matt reveal Sam's identity to the trail boss? Read this book to find out!!!!

This book was not the least bit boring. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down until I had read the entire book. From this book, I was able to taste the real flavor of the south, and the life of a cowboy on the prairie. Something about that wide open expanse of land and that bright sun shining in the blue sky, with dozens of hot cowboys riding their horses just does it for me.

I'm not going to give a summary of the book, because plenty of other reviews already have, but I will tell you what I loved about this book.

It was so fun to see how the main character convinced the cowhands that she was a boy. And when the boys stripped down in front of "Sam" to take a dip in the river--not knowing she was a girl...now that was priceless!

And when Matt found out that Sam was a girl after he saved her from the river...and suddenly began noticing her soft "girlish" features, such as her beautiful green eyes, delicate hands, and of course her curves. He was furious of course, because she had lied to him, but he was instantly attracted to her and couldn't stop thinking about how much he wanted to hold her. This made it extremely difficult for Matt to decide whether or not he would give Samantha's secret away, which would cause her to be kicked off the cattle drive and destroy her chances for earning the lifesaving $100 dollars for her struggling family.

Well, I don't want to give the whole book away, so I'll let you read it yourself, and leave you by telling you that this was a funny, colorful, romantic story set against the backdrop of the South after the Civil War.

And if you love this book, you will probably also love Lorraine Heath's other Avon True Romance Novel for Teens, called Amelia and the Outlaw.

When forced to masquerade as a boy on a cattle drive to earn money for her family, Samantha befriends and starts to harbor feelings for lonely cattle hand Matt. After finding out that she's a girl, Matt struggles with his own feelings that have developed and whether he should turn her in to save her from getting hurt on the drive or allowing her to continue with her disguise. After a climatic stampede and some expected declarations of love, Samantha and her cowboy live happily ever after.

While it's pretty ordinary fare for a young adult romance, this novel has some interesting insight into the Civil War, though brief. It's also a fun adventure of cattle driving and there is of course the precursory romance. While it is rather unbelievable that a teenage girl could convince a group of cowboys that she's a he and the cowboy lifestyle is a great deal cleaned up from what it actually was, this book is still good for teenage girls looking for something with adventure and romance.

A few years after the Civil War in a cowboy town of Texas Samantha is desperate to find a way to keep her family alive. The family farm is in danger of collapsing since her father died and they've fallen in debt. Her brother is no use for he is still bitter over his time in the Civil War and refuses to do anything at all to help out the family in the hard times. Samantha suddenly finds herself having to be disguised as a boy just to keep her family alive as she goes to work as a cowboy. There she meets Matthew Hart who is in charge of showing her the ropes. She gets to know Matt and finds that he too has suffered tragedies like her own brother by the war and wants nothing more than to reclaim his life before the incident. She learns his closed mind and hardened heart are territory best left unexplored. However Samantha finds herself falling in love with him and when he finds out that she is actruly a girl he is of course furious but somehow finding himself falling in love with her too. This was a great book in a great new series. I really really enjoyed it!

Samantha Jane and her family are living on debt. Matthew Hart is a cowboy just come back from war. When Samantha impersonates a boy to join his cattle drive, havic has began. Matt has to look out for "Sam's" every move, and when she gets hurt in the river, he finds out who she/he really is. He feels an obligation to tell Jake, but he has also started to like her. Will he tell Jake or will he remain true to Samantha? Read the book to find out.

I love the avon true romance series. It is great! Samantha and the Cowboy is my favorite so far. I wish it had and epliouge so i could find out exactly what happened instead of having to guess. I can't wait until the next book in the series comes out. You will absolutely LOVE this book. BUY IT NOW!