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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A sweet romance wrapped in a compelling plot, March 4, 2007
This review is from: Sun Kissed (Mass Market Paperback)
This is not a book I would normally buy or even check out of the library because a) the cover did nothing for me and b) I'm not into "western saga" or inspirational types of romances. But I won this book in a contest, read it, and was pleasantly surprised.
Part of Anderson's Coulter family series, the stand-alone "Sun Kissed" deals with Tucker Coulter, a rising equine vet in Crystal Falls. Through some pretty unusual happenstance, he meets Samantha Harrigan over a battle with a mean drunk beating a horse. Though drawn to him, Samantha doesn't think she's going to see him again until a rash of horse poisonings on her ranch cause her to turn to him in desperation for help. As both work through the poisonings and other issues including insurance fraud and jealousy, attraction and affection grow.
Stereotyped plot? Yep. But Anderson made it work in many ways. First, I liked that the relationship between Tucker and Samantha was more about friendship and shared interests, with physical attraction thrown in for extra filip. This goes in direct contrast with a lot of romance authors today, who slap the attraction on the pages first and then remember that maybe it would be a good idea for the man and woman to have a couple of other things in common other than torrid sex (by the way, I say this as someone who writes steamy romance under a pseudonym).
Second, I was touched by Samantha's deep religious faith, and Tucker's respect for that faith. I didn't find it at odds that Samantha could be so attracted physically to Tucker, while adhering to old-fashioned values of waiting until matrimony, except for one very passionate scene -- again, kudos to Anderson for doing well on this issue.
Third, I appreciated that Samantha was far from the stereotyped "battered woman." Samantha, who underwent abuse from her first husband, could have ended up as someone who hated men and who shied away from any kind of physical relationship. While she was certainly skittish with Tucker, she didn't automatically fall into assuming he was cut from the same cloth as her ex. Spousal abuse issues aren't as black-and-white as the media makes them out to be, and Anderson demonstrated that very well through Samantha's character.
Fourth, Anderson's main characters were likeable. Samantha is an appealing blend of innocence and strength and the good news is, I didn't feel the need to shake her to face reality as I do with some heroines. Tucker, too, is a great guy -- though far from perfect. While restraint of his sensual urges might have seemed a little too good to be true, it isn't out of the ordinary on the part of many men.
And finally, I really appreciated that the reader didn't have to be familiar with Anderson's other books to read this one. One of my pet peeves is to HAVE to read a book to understand what's going on in a sequel. It never happened here -- a reader can pick up "Sun Kissed" and get a good, stand-alone story.
My one major gripe with this book was, as I mentioned above, the cover design. It did nothing to show a potential reader what might be inside. What the heck was going on with the white flowers on the pink background? And by the way, what's the deal with Samantha in a white, lacey dress and a straw hat on the sleeve? Samantha never put on a dress throughout the entire book, except at the very end. The visual depiction wasn't consistent with her character.
But if a reader doesn't judge this book by its cover, "Sun Kissed" is a good example of how a romance can focuse on aspects outside of the bedroom -- and still work very well.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Yet another solid read by Catherine Anderson, January 16, 2007
This review is from: Sun Kissed (Mass Market Paperback)
From the back cover:
When Samantha Harrigan attends the local rodeo, she doesn't expect to wind up in jail. But that's precisely what happens when she tries to stop a drunkard from abusing his horse. At least she isn't alone. Tucker Coulter, a handsome local veterinarian, comes to her defense--and is arrested too.
The charges are dropped, but Sam's troubles have only started. Her champion quarter horses are falling ill and the culprit is poison. As the insurance beneficiary, Sam is the prime suspect. Unswayed by the rumors floating around town, Tucker offers to help prove her innocence. Sam, though, is uneasy about accepting his assistance--and about the way he makes her feel. If only she could believe in him the way he seems to believe in her...
And my review:
Catherine Anderson is firmly on my auto-buy list. I've yet to read a book by her that I didn't like. SUN KISSED was no exception.
I was a little worried if I'd like this story, since I hadn't really liked Tucker in his previous appearances in other "Coulter" books, but Catherine Anderson made him loveable here. It should also be noted that you don't have to have read any of the other books in the series to enjoy SUN KISSED, although it does add a lot, of course. Other Coulter books are (in order): PHANTOM WALTZ, SWEET NOTHINGS, BLUE SKIES, BRIGHT EYES, MY SUNSHINE, and now SUN KISSED. (Also, BABY LOVE (a sort of prequel to phantom waltz) and the two historicals KEEGAN'S LADY and SUMMER BREEZE are linked to the Coulter family series--just to keep it confusing!) And this isn't the last of them! There are more books planned, and I look forward to reading them all.
I'm usually reluctant to read series of "family" books, since they often start to all sound the same. And while there are similarities (the heros are almost identical in appearance; the heroines always tiny), the stories are all enjoyable, and I recommend them all.
Being Catholic myself, I really liked how the heroine was Catholic. I, for one, felt that the religion issue was handled wonderfully, and that it wasn't over-the-top at all. But if you're easily offended by that sort of thing, maybe it will bother you. Still, it's not really an integral part of the story. The main themes are the romance and the mystery. Unfortunately, the mystery wasn't exactly groundbreaking. I had the whole thing figured out pretty quickly (even the twist at the end).
I only gave this book four stars, because I think that Catherine Anderson has done it better (especially the mystery part), so I expect a lot out of her. But I can still whole-heartedly recommend this book, especially if you're an animal lover. Also, check out her very best books, which are (in my humble opinion): ANNIE'S SONG, BABY LOVE, SEVENTH HEAVEN, PHANTOM WALTZ, COMANCHE MOON, and ONLY BY YOUR TOUCH. I've read this author's entire backlist (apart from her very early Harlequin Intrigue books) and every single story has been a keeper.
I recommend SUN KISSED to all romance readers, especially lovers of western romance, and animal lovers. The strong family-oriented theme of this book is truly heartwarming, as are the issues of a woman learning to trust again.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect!, January 5, 2007
This review is from: Sun Kissed (Mass Market Paperback)
This is the kind of heartwarming, funny, romantic, endearing story I have come to expect from one of my all time favorite authors - Catherine Anderson. Tucker was such a sweetie and Samantha was his perfect match. I was not bothered by the religious/Catholic aspect of the story. In fact, given Samantha's character, it was appropriate. Being Catholic myself, with family members who had stopped practicing and went back to it, I smiled and laughed when the Coulters were all being swayed to return by their mother. I think CA didn't shove it down the readers' throats, but instead treated it with just the right amount of humor and lightness, while keeping the integrity of Samantha's character's beliefs.
I also disagree with the reviewer who thought there wasn't enough other Coulters in the story. Jake was great at the beginning and there was a lot of fun interaction between Tucker and Isaiah. The scene with Tucker asking for advice of his parents was hilarious. And I can't forget the scene with Jake's daughter and Tucker. That was pure Catherine Anderson magic.
I am sorry the Coulters are done. They were all great. This one is not to be missed. Sun Kissed will go on my keeper shelf!
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