Customer Reviews

A Wanted Man

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

From the inside front:

An outlaw passion...

The pampered daughter of a wealthy tycoon, Laura Hamilton has never been allowed to spread her wings...until now. Embarking on a transcontinental railroad, the sheltered young lady intends to enjoy her grand tour and her new freedom. But her adventure only truly begins when a dangerous man boards her train...

The ravages of war hardened Sam Duncan, and now the only person he cares about has vanished behind the heavily guarded gates of the Silver Spur Ranch. Claiming to be a bodyguard hired by her father, Sam intends to stick close to Laura only long enough to gain entrance to the fabled spread where Laura plans to visit a powerful family friend. But the handsome gunslinger is getting too close. And it's getting harder by the mile to keep his mind--and his hands--off the surprisingly passionate young heiress. Yet how long can he let this sweet madness continue when the only thing they have in common is this overwhelming need for each other?

And my review:

Argh! What's happening to Susan Kay Law? After reading the delightful MARRY ME and the enjoyable THE BAD MAN'S BRIDE, I put her firmly on my auto-buy list. Even after A WEDDING STORY, the rather disappointing conclusion to the "Marrying Miss Bright" series, I continued to buy her books, expecting an enjoyable, witty read with well-drawn characters. Well, with each additional book I read, I've become more and more disappointed, and she's fast falling off that auto-buy list!

At first, A WANTED MAN was just lovely. I enjoyed the slower pace, with the great attention to character development. I felt that I was really getting to know who these people were. Sure, there was an intrigue storyline, but it was in the background, more alluded to than really developed.

But then the author decided to change horses midstream. She tossed the romance plot on to the back burner (far, far back there) and developed only the intrigue/suspense. All character development pretty much ceased at this point. Unfortunately, since the missing man that the hero is looking for is never met by the reader (and his character only very briefly sketched), I had a hard time caring what happened to him. He was just such a non-person to me that I was really annoyed that his story was overwhelming the romance.

I read romance for the struggles of a developing romantic relationship. While I enjoy suspence and action in romance, I like the main focus of the novel to be on the love story. That's why I liked MARRY ME and THE BAD MAN'S BRIDE so much. They had secondary plot lines, but they were just that: secondary. The second half of the book felt pretty much devoid of romance (yes, even with the requisite love scenes). After such an enjoyable beginning, the ending was a real let-down.

I still have one more book by Susan Kay Law on my "to be read" bookshelf, but if she doesn't redeem herself there, I won't be buying any more of her books. Since the enjoyable MARRY ME, her quality has started to go downhill--I'm not about to spend my money taking the trip with her.

I would not recommend this, not unless you're a hard-core fan of this author. And even if you are, I would still recommend that you consider borrowing this one from the library before you spend your money.

Laura Hamilton is a pampered sheltered girl. Finally, at the age of 25, she is given permission to travel. While on a train to her destination she comes across the dark, dangerous, and oh so dashing Sam Duncan. Together Laura and Sam go on a wild journey and wind up falling in love along the way.
"A Wanted Man" started out very slowly and I wasnt sure if I was going to be able to read it to its finish, but it eventually picked up its pace and its characters became more enjoyable and well fleshed out as the story deepened. This is by no means a book that I would consider a keeper, but it was a fun book that I am glad I read.

A WANTED MAN won the 2004 Rita for Short Historical Romance and after you read this book you'll know why. Laura Hamilton is the only child and pampered daughter of a wealthy businessman. Her childhood was marked with continual illness and, until now, she has never been able to spread her wings. With two bodyguards and a chaperone in tow she starts a journey on a train trip across America. Her aim is to paint landscapes of her 'true' young nation. Even though she is 25 years old she is naive because of her protected upbringing. Little does she know that her adventure is just beginning and nothing like she had intended.

Sam Duncan was both a soldier and prisoner of the Civil War. Hardened from being held as a POW, he becomes a man for hire when the war ends. Now, at 37, he has no ties except the one soldier, Griff Judah, who was with him in captivity. Griff has has been captured under mysterious circumstances by an associate of Laura's father.

Sam tries to find out what is going on only to be thwarted at the first chance. He realizes that he must come up with another plan. Claiming to be a bodyguard hired by her father, Sam intends to be near Laura only long enough to visit the Silver Spur ranch where his friend is being held. Sam soon finds out how much protection Laura's caretakers bestow on her.

A heartwarming romance, A WANTED MAN is the story of one man's journey to redeem himself. A secondary story between one of the bodyguards and Laura's guardian only adds to the plot. In each of their own ways, Sam and Laura have had a hard life. The give and take struggle between our hero and heroine empowers them to grow closer. They deserve love and finally find it with each other.

This one was a RITA winner in 2004.

I almost gave it 5 stars, since the writing was very good, but the story develops a little slow and the ending is rushed.

It was still a very good book, and the romantic tension is so enjoyable. You will be glad you held on for the time when Laura and Sam finally let go....Wow!

Laura Hamilton almost died in her youth. Now 25, she is a sheltered but spunky young lady leading a dreary and lackluster life. Then she meets the oh-so-dangerous Sam Duncan.

Sam plans to use Laura to find out what happened to his ex-cellmate and friend, Griff, who has disappeared. Along the way, Laura concludes that she doesn't want the "appropriate" man chosen by her father, she wants Sam, "a man who seemed made for the darkness, or been created from it."

This is my first book by Susan Kay Law. I'm eagerly looking forward to reading more of her books!

A WANTED MAN is good western, but it perishes from exhaustion. Sigh, at first I had such high hopes, but by the end, the story's majesty was gone. Susan Kay Law is a very good author. She has the ability to sculpt a scene. She has the talent to develop likeable characters and she has the skill to unfold romance . . .

Laura Hamilton is a wonderful heroine. She is spunky, she is straightforward, she is trustworthy, and when she falls in love -- it is forever. Sam Duncan is Laura's forbidden dream. He is ruggedly handsome, he is rough around the edges, he is not the man her father would choose, but he is the man Laura Hamilton loves.

Sam Duncan has chosen to enter Laura's pristine world. He sees her as an end to his present problem. What he doesn't see is falling hopelessly in love with this delightful eastern heiress.

Yes, Susan Kay Law pens a good story. The primary romance develops brilliantly. The amorous affair unfolds gently and attractively. So what happened? The ending! This is where Law kicked the story into high gear. It became rushed and with this acceleration the romance slipped away. What a shame, for this book had such potential.

Effectively, the author even teased her reader with a wonderful budding secondary romance. Oh, how Ms. Law titillated with this overlapping fanciful love story . . . but regrettably she decided to toss this additional romance onto the back burner. Shamefully, the reader was left hanging, gasping, wondering what happened? Nevertheless, at the end, the author neatly ties up this loose end, by inserting two OBVIOUSLY arranged sentences. Yes, two brief sentences! How very unsatisfying! What a shame! But then the whole ending was awkward. Grade: B-

Grace Atkinson, Ontario - Canada.

In 1884, the pampered daughter of a tycoon Laura Hamilton has finally escaped her gilded cage as she crosses the country by train to paint a panorama of the impact of the Union-Pacific on the nation. Although her father reluctantly allowed her to go, he provides her with an escort and bodyguards.

During a train robbery, Sam Duncan rescues Laura. Later he tells her that her father hired him as a bodyguard. Sam plans to use Laura to gain access to the heavily guarded Silver Spur Ranch in Utah where his only friend Haw Croaker is either dead or in trouble. However, as they journey west, the silver spooned heiress and the infamous gunslinger for hire fall in love. His quest comes first besides which he knows her father would never accept someone like him as a son-in-law even if he disavows the inheritance.

This western romance starring seemingly opposites is a solid tale that readers will appreciate. Laura is a delightful person though she seems too independent during her first breath of freedom (perhaps a reaction like the tune "how you're going to keep them down on the farm ..."). Sam is an enigmatic hero who at first brush would seem more like a villain as a gun for hire, but his ethical system makes him heroic. Fans will enjoy this twosome's impossible ride to love.

Harriet Klausner