The Texan [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Joan Johnston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2001

In this breathtaking novel, New York Times bestselling author Joan Johnston weaves a beguiling tale of two feuding families—the Blackthornes and the Creeds—and of two extraordinary people: loner Owen Blackthorne and beautiful, headstrong Bayleigh Creed, irresistibly drawn to each other despite the desperate odds against their love.
 
Owen Blackthorne is a lone wolf, a man who doesn’t need anyone. Then Bayleigh Creed appears on his doorstep, demanding his help in locating her missing brother. Together they head into the desolate West Texas wilderness, a Blackthorne and a Creed, mortal enemies obliged to join forces to survive. Neither counts on the unwanted attraction that draws them together, or the bitter truths that will force them apart—until the ruthless wilderness compels them to make life-and-death choices between family and duty and love.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The second in Johnston's Bitter Creek contemporary romance series (following The Cowboy, 2000) is full of adventure as Texas Ranger Owen Blackthorne and veterinarian Bayleigh Creed team up to save their brothers, who seem to be involved in the theft of some deadly VX nerve agent mines. Bay's younger brother Luke accuses Owen's brother, Clay, the state attorney general, of being involved in the highjacking of the mines, then disappears into the vast desert of the Big Bend wilderness. Bay goes after him, accompanying the man whose family was responsible for the murder of her father. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Bay's widowed mother and Owen's dad are in love, so he has to divorce the wife who cheated on him and orchestrated the murder of Bay's father. And Owen's younger sister is also involved in a problematic love affair. This sprawling, sensuous romance will keep readers avidly reading as Johnston's characters struggle against seriously deranged foes and face seemingly insurmountable obstacles to true love. Diana Tixier Herald
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Review

"Joan Johnston continually gives us everything we want ... fabulous details and atmosphere, memorable characters, a story that you wish would never end, and lots of tension and sensuality."— Romantic Times --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 423 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Press (November 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0783895607
• ISBN-13: 978-0783895604
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,328,748 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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:

4.0 out of 5 stars 2nd in the "Bitter Creek" series...Danger and Romance Abound, May 31, 2005

By 

L. Shirley "Laurie's Boomer Views" (Huntington Beach,CA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Texan (Mass Market Paperback)

The Bitter Creek Series, are modern day Western Romance/Adventure stories, by Joan Johnston. In this the second of the series, "The Texan", Bayleigh Creed and Owen Blackthorne are thrown together to try and find their brothers, who are both someway involved in an intriguing and tense mystery concerning the theft of some deadly VX nerve gas. The Creeds and Blackthornes have been bitter enemies for generations, and although the romance that blosoms between the two is predictable(their siblings fell for each other in the first of the series,The Cowboy), there are several other stories going on that will keep you from putting this book down. The hunt for the brothers and the stolen XV nerve gas, puts them in danger at every turn, and the mystery of finding out who the bad guys are, is captivating. Other family members have various sagas going on as well. The young Summer Blacthorne, and "Bad' Billy Coburn start becoming more then friends, and their story heats up with complications. The older generation doesn't get left out either, as the parents story goes back to long before the children were even born. Joan Johnston puts some great finishing touches on the end, but as always, leaves you wanting more. The third in the series,The Loner, picks up the unfinished stories.

Miss Johnston adds just enough of the previous story to fill you in on the background of the characters and the families, so if you haven't read the first one, you will not be lost. She also gives you a good taste of the prequel series, "Sisters of the Lone Star", so that not only will you get an idea of the family history dating back to before Texas was a State, but will leave you wanting to read about the predecessors as well. Those books are (in order), Frontier Woman, Comanche Woman and Texas Woman (Sistersof the Lone Star, #1). All full of fabulous Western adventure,intriguing family sagas, and the steamy romance that Miss Johnston always brings us.The characters are always strong and interesting, and the stories seem well reasearched and they bring realism and sometimes a bit of a history or current event lesson to the story.

If you have not read any of the books mentioned above, and are interested in those as well, please see my reviews for details.
I am looking foward to reading "The Loner", as well as to start in on some of the other series in the Joan Johnston collection.

Enjoy the read...Laurie

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great contemporary romance, February 15, 2001

By 

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

This review is from: The Texan (Mass Market Paperback)

In Amarillo, still hurting from the murder of his father at the hands of a Blackthorne, teenager Luke Creed accuses Clay Blackthorne of stealing deadly VX-nerve gas mines. Besides the potential danger of the gas, Clay's twin brother, Texas Ranger Owen, has an added incentive to finding the culprit who murdered a peer.

Not long after his public condemnation of Clay, Luke vanishes. Owen wonders if Luke knows more about the missing VX-nerve gas than he said during his mouthy accusations. Luke's older sister Bayleigh refuses to help her family's enemy when Owen turns to her. Instead, she offers a deal in which she accompanies him as he searches for her sibling. On the road, they fall in love, but besides the family feud to contend with, it appears as if law enforcement types from the National, Guard, Texas Rangers, or the Feds may be behind the theft.

As with THE COWBOY and "The Captive Hearts" series, the acrimonious feud between the Blackthorne and Creed clans serve as the impetus for the fast-moving novel THE TEXAN. The story line is filled with action, adventure, and an exciting contemporary romance. Luke and Bayleigh have a lot to overcome besides family problems including the danger of an unknown assailant before they can forge a lasting relationship. The characters remain strong and Joan Johnston's myriad of fans will feel fully entertained and want to read the next feuding novel, THE LONER.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not bad at all, October 26, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Texan (Mass Market Paperback)

I enjoyed the book even though it didn't get me hooked compleatly. There are too many stories going on with the other caracters that messes up with the flow of the story. I gave it 4 stars since the author is a favorite of mine, but I will stick to her historical books rather then contemporary. All in all it was a very good read if not excellent.