Wanting You [Mass Market Paperback]

Nan Ryan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1999

From a bestselling romance author, whose work has been called "incomparable" by "The Literary Guild, " comes this tale of greed, passion and love. A young woman returns to take what many believe is her rightful place as heir to a sprawling ranch in Texas. But is she the lost heiress? And does everyone truly welcome her home?

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Mira; Regular Print/Single Titl edition (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551665212
• ISBN-13: 978-1551665214
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,390,321 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb retelling of Anastasia in 1890 Texas, May 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Wanting You (Mass Market Paperback)

In 1885, Texas Ranger Captain Russell takes a young white girl he found living among the Apaches to dwell at the Border Convent in Nogales, Arizona. All she owns is a locket with the initials M.S.H. engraved on it. Over the next five years, Mary as the nuns call her tries unsuccessfully to escape several times. In 1890, a dying Father Fitzgerald visits the convent to say his good-byes to the sisters. When he sees Mary, he recognizes her as looking identical to the Regent family, extremely wealthy members of his flock in Texas.

The Regent matriarch, eighty-one years old LaDextra is ecstatic that her long lost granddaughter, Anna Regent Wright, has been found. Everyone welcomes Anna, who stands to inherit a million prime acres and fifty thousand heads of cattle. That is everyone except LaDextra's step-grandson Britton Caruth, who runs the ranch. Even though Anna seems to have insider information, he believes she is a fraud.

Nan Ryan has consistently been one of the best writers of Americana romances in this decade. Her story lines are classic, spellbinding tales that leave her audience desiring more from this incredible talent. Ms. Ryan's latest tale, WANTING YOU, will provide sub-genre fans with immense pleasure from wondering along with Brit whether Anna is the missing heiress or a brilliant con artist? Brit is a typical late nineteenth century Texas rancher; in other words, he is a hunk. This novel is historical romance at its award winning best.

Harriet Klausner

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Favorite Ryan book to date and it's HOT!, November 23, 2003

By 

"readinganddreaming" (Green Country, Oklahoma) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wanting You (Mass Market Paperback)

Nan Ryan can write one mean romance story and I mean that both as a compliment as well as a literal description of many of her books. I have only read four Ryan books to date but believe she majors in dominant, cruel heroes and shy, quiet yet eventually vindictive heroines. Her books, despite this familiar line can be rather diversified in the story line. In Wanting You, I discovered an intriguing and spicy western romance that I didn't want to put down. The hero only simmers at the rude level and the heroine doesn't go too far in imagining her revenge.

The Regents are a wealthy family who own a million acre Texas ranch. They have suffered from the loss of many of the family members and only the matriarch, LaDextra, and her step-grandson, Bret remain. Bret skillfully manages the huge ranching empire and possesses many qualities we desire in a romance hero - he is physically fit, popular, unbelievably handsome, desirable, and alpha extreme. He is good at what he does and loves the life of a rancher. That is - until life at the Regent ranch is disrupted by the return of LaDextra's granddaughter, Anna, who was believed to have been killed by the Apache when she was a small child. LaDextra is overjoyed at the return of her long lost granddaughter and immediately accepts her into the family. Bret however, is not so accepting. He rather suspects that Anna is an imposter looking for a large inheritance and he intends to expose her.

Anna is a likable heroine and although we really don't know if she is an imposter for the majority of the book, we still believe in her. After many horrible, tortured years with the Apache, she had spent her last five years in a convent. A priest at the convent believes she is the lost Regent heir and enables her reintroduction to the family. Anna has little memory before her life with the Apache. Now Anna lives at the Regent ranch, accepted as a family member, and is totally satisfied with her new life. She is happier than she ever thought possible. Until, much to her dismay, she finds herself extremely attracted to Brit. For some reason, he seems too interested in her while all his attentions towards her seem laced with sarcasm and derision. Brit resents Anna's presence mostly because he fears the grief his grandmother will inevitably suffer once Anna's pretence is uncovered.

And of course, in the background of it all, Anna and Brit's attraction to one another only grows stronger. Anna fights it with all her might because she wants nothing to upset her new life and she senses Brit would prefer her gone from Regent ranch. Brit, on the other hand, is becoming almost obsessed with the thought of having Anna. He is thinking that same old stupid hero line (will these heroes ever learn?) that if he can only have her once then he will have her out of his system. Secondary characters occasionally add a touch of humor and the repartee between the leads is quite entertaining at times. However, the overall tone of the book remains serious throughout. Things get quite hot and heavy between Brit and Anna and these sensual scenes rate a high 4.5 out of 5.0 (see More About Me for rating guidelines). Nan Ryan knows well how to write these moments and infuses true emotion in Wanting You - providing sincere romance rather than just sensual scenes.

I highly recommend Wanting You. It is a fun read despite its serious overtones. Anna's acceptance into the family is heartwarming and the entire story is well rounded. This is a romance - that is the main emphasis - and that is the way I like it best. It is currently out of publication but is easily available online through sites such as this. I am still eagerly reading through Ryan's backlist. Of her four books I have read, I have given two five star ratings and two are essentially three star ratings. I think there is a lot of undiscovered great reading yet to come from her backlist.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great, but where's the originality?, October 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Wanting You (Mass Market Paperback)

I just finished the book about an hour ago. It took me three days, and I love the book . No reason to not buy it unless you hated Burning Love. Simply since it's plot is practically identical to Burning Love-only w/ a different atmospere.Happy Reading!PS-can anyone tell me how to get a copy of Burning Love? lost mine.