The past has a way of catching up with folks in Stone Creek, Arizona. So schoolmarm Lark Morgan and Marshal Rowdy Rhodes are determined to hide their secrets--and deny their instant attraction. That shouldn't be too hard, since each suspects the other of living a lie.
Her too-fancy clothes and big-city ways inspire gossip all over town; his blond good looks and impudent grin belong to a man sporting a gunfighter's coat.
But Rowdy and Lark have one truth in common: the very real dangers they face. Like the gang of robbers wreaking havoc on the railroad heading toward Stone Creek--the men Ranger Sam O'Ballivan expects Rowdy to nab. And as past and current troubles collide, Rowdy and Lark must surrender their stubborn pride to the greatest power of all--an undying love.
Arizona ranger Sam O'Ballivan, from The Man from Stone Creek (2006), sends for Rowdy Rhodes to help hunt down a gang robbing trains. Now a lawman, Rowdy shows up in Stone Creek with his old dog, Pardner, even though he has a price on his head due to his family's train-robbery business. Rowdy finds his pa running a saloon and making plans for his youngest son, who never knew his family were notorious outlaws, to go to college. Lark, Stone Creek's new schoolteacher, is terrified when Rowdy turns up because she is hiding out from her ex, an abusive railway baron. Following the heartwarming formula she used in the previous novel, Miller once again provides an entertaining western romance featuring admirable characters, community, kindness, and a little hot sex. Tixier Herald, Diana
In January of 2006, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Linda Lael Miller left the Arizona horse property she's called home for the past five years and listened to the call of her heart. Packing up her work-in-progress for HQN Books; her dogs, Sadie and Bernice, and her four horses, the author of more than 70 novels bid farewell to her home in the desert and returned to the place of her birth, Spokane, Washington. The daughter of a town marshal, Linda grew up in Northport, WA, a community of 500 on the Columbia River, 120 miles north of Spokane. Her childhood remembrances include riding horses and playing cowgirl on her grandparents' nearby farm. Her grandparents' spread was so rustic that in the early days it lacked electricity and running water.
As delightful as this childhood was, Linda longed to see the world. After graduating as valedictorian of her high school class, she left to pursue her dream. Because of the success of her author career, Linda was able to live part-time in London for several years, spend time in Italy and travel to such far-off destinations as Russia, Hong Kong and Israel. Now, Linda says, the wanderlust is (mostly) out of her blood, and she's come full circle, back to the people and the places she knows and loves.
Before Linda begins her writing day, she takes her first cup of coffee while enjoying the scenic view of the wooded draw behind her new home. The first morning there, a snowfall blanketed the pine trees, something she had missed in the desert outside Scottsdale. Still enamored with the people she came to love in Arizona, she says she will still set books in that starkly beautiful area, and, of course, in other stories the action will take place in Washington.
Devoted to helping others pursue their dreams, the author will launch her sixth round of Linda Lael Miller Scholarships for Women in May of this year. A talented speaker, she donates all her speaking honoraria to her scholarship fund. The stipends are awarded to women who seek to better their lot in life through education.
It's no wonder the protagonists in Miller's novels are women her readers admire for their honor, courage, trustworthiness, valor and determination to succeed, despite overwhelming odds. 'These qualities make them excellent role models for young women,' Miller explains. 'The male leads possess equally noble traits that today's woman would be delighted to find in her life's mate.'
The author traces the birth of her writing career to the day when a Northport teacher told her that the stories she was writing were good, that she just might have a future in writing. Later, when she decided to write novels, she endured her share of rejection before she made her first sale.
Although Linda has written successfully in other genres, she is best known for stories set in the West'stories like McKETTRICK'S CHOICE (HQN Books March 2006 paperback); THE MAN FROM STONE CREEK (HQN, June 2006 hardcover) and that very first novel, FLETCHER'S WOMAN, which is being reissued in 2006. Her stories, set in yesterday's world, and today's, are historical romances, romantic thrillers, and other contemporary tales. They consistently score on prestigious national bestseller lists.
Linda has come a long way since leaving her sheltered life in Northport at age 18 to experience the world. 'Growing up in that time and place, in a family grounded in Western values, served me well,' she allows. 'And I'm happy to be back home.'
This review is from: A Wanted Man (Stone Creek, Book 2) (Hardcover)
The past has a way of catching up with folks in Stone Creek, Arizona. Schoolmarm Lark Morgan and Marshal Rowdy Rhodes are determined to hide their secrets--and deny their instant attraction. This shouldn't be too hard, since each suspects the other of living a lie. Lark's too-fancy clothes and big-city ways inspire gossip all over town; Rowdy's blond good looks and impudent grin belong to a man sporting a gunfighter's coat.
Rowdy and Lark have one truth in common: the very real dangers they face, like the gang of robbers wreaking havoc on the railroad heading toward Stone Creek--the men Ranger Sam O'Ballivan expects Rowdy to nab. As past and current troubles collide, Rowdy and Lark must surrender their stubborn pride to the greatest power of all--an undying love.
A Wanted Man is a very enjoyable historical romance. Linda Lael Miller has written both Lark and Rowdy as strong, brave, yet human heroes. All the characters in this book fit in well with the story and at times they made me want to shake them and then hug them. A Wanted Man is a book I found myself not wanting to put down. As I read, I found myself wanting to be seduced by someone like Rowdy. I will most definitely be reading A Wanted Man again as well as looking out for more Stone Creek titles.
Barb reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
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This review is from: A Wanted Man (Stone Creek, Book 2) (Hardcover)
I loved this book. It is a richly told story with great characters, both main & secondary. The plot is great. The tempo and complex storyline makes it worthy of buying a hardcover book. (Which I usually do not.) It is built slightly off of The Man from Stone Creek, but it isn't necessary to have read that one first, as each book can stand on it's own. I really cared for the characters and the trials they go through. Of course, love prevails in the end! I do hope that Linda Lael Miller continues the Stone Creek series and allows us to enjoy new characters and catch up with those we are already acquainted with.
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This review is from: A Wanted Man (Stone Creek, Book 2) (Hardcover)
Lark Morgan is a schoolmarm with a secret she can't afford for anyone to learn. New to Stone Creek, Arizona, she teaches in a one-roon schoolhouse in clothing more befitting a woman of wealth and stature than a poorly paid single woman.
Rowdy Rhodes is the new marshall of Stone Creek and new to town as well. He's been hired by a fedeal ranger to keep peace in a small town, as well as help find the gang of train robbers who are disrupting rail sesvice and scaring passengers away. Rowdy has a secret of his own and being found out could mean the end of his freedom.
When Rowdy's father and younger brother show up, it spells trouble for the new marshall. Lark has trouble of her own on the horizon when the owner of the railway gets held up by the train robbers, one who has eyes the same deep blue as Rowdy's. Rowdy needs to put a stop to the robberies, and Lark needs to find a way out of town before the train's owner finds her. And both of them might be better off if they weren't so darned attracted to each other. But, who can they trust?
Throw in an elderly landlandy with secrets of her own, a little girl left to fend for herself, a 20-year-old third grader, and a Chinese doctor and his wife--and you have an ensemble sure to make for an entertaining story.
You can expect to laugh, sigh, and feel the pull of your heartstrings with this one. A well-written tale from an author who knows her way around a horse and a dog. Highly entertaining read.
Armchair Interviews says: Once you read a Linda Lael Miller book, you'll look for others.
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