Customer Reviews

Tears Of The Renegade

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Why shouldn't he come back? This was his home. He even owned part of the land. He was ready to put down roots and what better place for that than his home. That was the excuse he gave to his Aunt Imogene and cousin, Preston. They were leary of him and rightfully so because his real reason for returning was revenge. He was considered the renegade, the black sheep of the family and he fully expected to exact his revenge on the family who scorned him for so many years. But he hadn't counted on Susan Blackstone, widow of his cousin Vance. Love became the wild card in the battle for control of the family company and Cord Blackstone realized it was too soon to know who held the winning hand.

Susan first laid eyes on Cord when he appreared in the open French doors at her party. He looked self-assured, the type of man who was willing to take risks. She thought he looked like a pirate, a man no one would cross. As a hostile silence began to fall over the room, she sensed trouble and decided to diffuse the situation. Slowly she went to him. She didn't know who he was but she would welcome this guest into her home. She would befriend this man everyone seemed to dislike.

This story was written by LH in 1985 and published as a Silhouette Intimate Moments series romance. I think Susan Blackstone was Linda's first strong heroine. Susan was faced with the danger that someone wanted to financially ruin her family. She fought back with everything she had to prevent this disaster and in the process showed Cord that he deserved love and there was a place for him with his family.

If you are a LH fan, as I am, you won't want to miss this one. An excellent story!!

Black sheep Cord Blackstone has returned to his family for revenge against his cousin, Preston, and Preston's mother. He doesn't plan to fall in love with Preston's widowed sister-in-law, Susan Blackstone. Susan loves Cord, but she has to help the family who was there for her after her husband's death, even if it tears her from Cord.

Howard's books wring your emotions dry, from laughter to tears. TEARS OF THE RENEGADE is no exception. By the end of the book, you feel deep satisfaction by the way every is tied up and the hero and heroine are united. You are also exhausted by the adventure, emotionally and physically. I have rarely seen an author whose every book is a keeper. Linda Howard is one of those rare individuals.

This book, is by far, one of the best stories I have ever read. It will send you on a roller coaster ride of emotions, especially if you have ever been in a "difficult" relationship. You'll be laughing and crying up until the very last page. Hats off to Linda Howard and may all of you enjoy this wonderful novel!

You have to remember that this book is one of Linda Howards earlier works and she was just staring out. The story does lack drama. But the main characters hold your attention. The plot is predictable. It's a good book to read on lazy afternoon. I think you will like it. P.S. Linda Howard other books are fantastic, she really grew into her work. Read all her books old and new ones if you want really great books.

The hero, Cord Blackstone is rough around the edges, trusts no one, and is out for revenge. Aunt Imogene and cousin Preston have stolen his birthrite and driven him from his home. Now he's back and wants it all. Will Cord bankrupt the family company as he forces payment or else? Blindsided by his attraction to the very likable Susan Blackstone, widow of his cousin Vance, Cord inadvertantly drags down her fortunes too as she fights to keep the family business alive. Great romance, exciting love scenes, a quick read - keeps you turning the pages to the end. Loved it!

I really love all of Howard's most recent works, and many of her earlier works as well ("White Lies," "Diamond Bay," "Midnight Rainbow," even "Against the Rules"). This, however is not one of the ones I like.

Howard has always written about very Alpha Male heroes. In some of her earlier work, including this one, she takes that portrayal to an extreme. The "hero" in this work seems lacking in emotion and even leaning towards the emotionally abusive.

The "heroine," on the other hand, is written as an emotional wimp. It's written that she's "strong," but she lets the "hero" walk all over her, making herself totally emotionally available to a man who, quite frankly, seems unworthy of it.

I love most of Howard's work, but this is not a book I'm going to keep in my personal collection.

OK, this is an OLD story by Linda Howards ( nothing at all like her more recent books), nevertheless, its STILL one of the MOST annoying love stories out there. If you can take 250pgs worth of seeing a weak, spineless goodie-goodie heroine getting walked all over for the sake of " showing what love is all about to the man who abuses me in every way" , then DO read this.

Hero walks into town to get revenge from his family after years of being away. Heroine sees the hero, she falls for him, he abuses her constantly, but she cant help falling in love, the MORE abusive and spiteful he gets the MORE she loves him... Hero back stabs her and her whole family, she falls into bed because she LOVES him, and MUST show him she loves him... riiiight...... *rolls eyes*

Ahem, so this is what this book is like.....truthfully, is THIS is a romance novel?

This story is about Cord, who is honestly kind of a jerk, and Susan who seems to nice to put up with him.
Cord wants revenge on his Aunt and Cousin for being mean to him in his youth. Susan wants to protect her Mother and Brother-in-law (she is widowed). Cord is trying to enact a hostile takeover on the family company and destroy his aunt and cousin financially. There are a few good points to this book, I like that Susan was actually very happy with her husband, physically and mentally. It is rare that the widowed wife is completely happy with her husband in romance novels.
However, I really had an issue with the way Cord treated Susan throughout the novel, he was dismissive of her as an honest and capable person, inconsiderate, and there was one seen that really freaked me out how she was saying "no" and he was not listening. I think these issues are somewhat typical of romances from the '80's. SUsan is also stupidly loyal to MIL and BIL, despite evidence of their underhand business dealings, and puts her well being in the line fro two people who don't really deserve it and would likely not do the same for her. I like Howard's newer stuff better, i would recommend sticking with that.

Back cover reads:
A battle of wills
Wealthy, powerful, proud and arrogant, the Mississippi Blackstone put family above all else. But those bonds are tested when black sheep Cord Blackstone returns for a long-overdue showdown against the family who robbed him of his birthright.
A blaze of passion
Susan Blackstone married into the powerful family, a woman who had loved and then lost the Blackstones' favorite son. But Susan held her own, running a business empire and winning the affection and support of her dead husband's family. Now she must choose between loyalty...and emotions that cut her to the heart, between her husband's memory...and Cord, a reckless interloper wreaking havoc with the town, the family and her very soul.

I have read many of Linda Howard's books. This one was a major disappointment. I almost did not finish it. It was awkwardly written. But then I realized that Ms. Howard was still in early stages of novel writing. This book was written in 1985 and boy, what a difference 12 years has made. I say 12 because I refer to "Son of the Morning" which was written by Ms. Howard in 1997 and was one of best books I have ever read. So don't judge Linda Howard by this book. You have lots of treats ahead if you stick with the later-written books.