Sweetwater Seduction [Mass Market Paperback]

Joan Johnston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 3, 1990

Schoolmarm Eden Devlin was too tall and too doggone smart. Most men in Sweetwater wouldn't tangle with her. Until Burke Kerrigan rode into town. Big, hard, and handsome, he wore a pair of six-guns and a bold, lazy smile. He came to settle the war between the nesters and the ranchers, but soon had another challenge on his hands. Both sides in Sweetwater's violent dispute wanted the meddling Miss Devlin taught a thing or two. Simple seduction seemed the perfect lesson. But Kerrigan didnt' count on the fire beneath the brains and innocence. And Miss Devlin? She found a blazing passion that promised happiness beyond her wildest expectations - and a love that might break her heart.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Johnston's ( Comanche Woman ) version of an Old West romance between a prissy schoolmarm and a jaded gunslinger is well paced and seldom takes itself seriously, the result being a palatable if unoriginal tale. It's 1880 in the Wyoming Territory, and the little town of Sweetwater is up in arms: the ranchers claim the farmers are rustling cattle and the farmers say the ranchers are destroying farm fences. Exasperated by these apparently insoluble problems, the town's ladies--prompted by the schoolteacher, Eden Devlin--adopt a scheme from the ancient Greek play Lysistrata: until the men abandon the hostilities, the women will abandon their husbands' beds. The ranchers bring in hired gun Burke Kerrigan to nab the rustlers. Irked by their wives' blackmail, they offer Burke an additional thousand dollars to seduce the meddling Miss Devlin. Burke's investigations ultimately reveal that appearances can deceive: a handful of Sweetwater's inhabitants aren't quite what they seem. Burke turns out to be more of a gentleman than he himself suspected, and Eden isn't nearly as starchy as she lets on.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Joan Johnston is the bestselling, award-winning author of fourteen historical romances and twenty contemporary romance novels. She received a Master of Arts degree in Theater from the University of Illinois and was graduated with honors from the University of Texas School of Law at Austin. She is currently a full-time writer who lives in South Florida.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Dell (December 3, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440205611
• ISBN-13: 978-0440205616
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.8 x 7.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #205,270 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #12 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Romance > Authors, A-Z > ( J ) > Johnston, Joan

More About the Author

Joan Johnston, the New York Times bestselling author of the Bitter Creek novels A STRANGER'S GAME, THE NEXT MRS. BLACKTHORNE, THE RIVALS, THE PRICE, THE LONER, THE TEXAN, THE COWBOY, and the historicals NO LONGER A STRANGER and COLTER'S WIFE, has written more than forty award-winning historical and contemporary romance novels. She received a master of arts degree in theater from the University of Illinois and graduated with honors from the University of Texas School of Law at Austin. Joan Johnston lives in Colorado and South Florida.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HUMOROUS - WITTY - MIXED-UP EMOTIONS!, September 18, 2006

By 

M. Hartmann "abayyan" (Milan, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sweetwater Seduction (Mass Market Paperback)

Took quite a while to understand Eden Devlin's angst about her father, Sundance, apparently also a hired gun.

Burke Kerrigan agreed to seduce Eden before he even got to know her. Yup! a thousand dollars would come in handy.

The Sweetwater Stock Growers Association, headed by Oak Westbrook had brought in the gunfighter, Kerrigan to settle the nesters hash. They wanted the rustling stopped.

The Sweetwater Ladies Social Club was headed by Persia Davis, wife of Big Ben Davis of the nesters section. The ladies kept a division between them when they met as they sure couldn't agree on much until Eden came up with the idea of using the conjugal rights to weild a bit of power.

And wouldn't you know a couple of kids, Bliss Davis and Hadley Westbrook had to fall in love and complicate the matter. Were they old enough to marry?

Every time Kerrigan approached Eden, a too-tall, kind of plain-jane, red-head he found more and more to like about her but no, he was not going to even consider marriage. Not after what he had been through.

They slung out witty, humorous jibes at each other which just powered the attraction. But Eden was a 29 year old spinster and wanted marriage and children. She was seriously considering Sheriff Reeves Felton if he ever decided to pop the question. So was Kerrigan's seduction successful? Ha!

The characters were great - the secondary romances add more to the plot - the gang of rustlers was a hoot! - The buckshot hurt, whoaa! - the shootout action was a bit smudged - Would have liked to find out if Eden was a crack shot. Would have like to learn more about the dangerous Sundance.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED -- M - have enjoyed her other books.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Western Read!!!, November 28, 2004

By 

The Black Pearl "Professional DayDreamer" (Raeford, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sweetwater Seduction (Mass Market Paperback)

I love historical romances but I normally don't favor those with a "western" theme. However, "Sweetwater Seduction" is definitely a KEEPER!!!

The heroine, spinster schoolteacher Eden Devlin, is smart and spunky and provided a number of laughs.

Burke Kerrigan is a gunslinger with a heart of gold. Ruggedly handsome yet boyishly charming, I couldn't help but picture him as Jack Hughman.

The chemistry between these two was only slightly overshadowed by the battle of sharp wits that ensued between them throughout the book.

Laughs, likeable secondary characters, and a few tugs on the heartstrings (I cried at the end *blush) - I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, December 7, 2002

By 

Cindy Fegan (Plymouth MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sweetwater Seduction (Mass Market Paperback)

I found this book to be fun, sweet and even exciting. Took a while for the passion to heat up, but that okay. I enjoyed it. I like sizzling page turners like Lindsey and Cynthia Simmons "Anything, My Love"