Dear Reader:Willow is a novel from early in my career, and it was originally shorter than many of my other historical romances. Now, I’m delighted to be able to share this brand-new edition with you. I’ve taken the opportunity to expand Willow to include the subplots, love scenes, and deeper characterization that are possible with a longer book. I hope you enjoy reading this retelling as much as I have enjoyed visiting these characters and this story once again.In 1883, the railroad had only recently come to Montana Territory, and outlaws still lurked in the hills. Willow Gallagher, who spent her early childhood in an outlaw camp until her father finally found her, is torn by divided loyalties. Newly married to handsome railroad baron Gideon Marshall, she finds fiery passion in Gideon’s embrace, until she discovers he is on a mission . . . a mission to capture Willow’s outlaw brother, Steven. Now Willow must choose—betray her brother, or risk the love she has found with Gideon, the love she has dreamed of all her life, to save Steven. It is a choice that could break her heart. . . .
Linda Lael Miller is the author of seventy historical and contemporary romance novels, many of which are set in the American West. She was awarded the Romance Writers of America's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.
--This text refers to the
Mass Market Paperback
edition.
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.'
Willow is not one of my favorite books by Linda Lael Miller, but I enjoyed it.Willow was a very strong willed young woman torn between love for her husband Gideon, who is a US Marshall and her outlaw brother, Stephen. However, in the end , love does conquer all and everyone has a happy ending.
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Willow is a remake or redo or rewrite - wish she would have just left it alone. I think it was much better as a shorter story. What's up with the heroines lately? Is it just me or do they make others want to toss the book across the room in frustration. She is, to me, the most immature, foolish & unthinking character. She goes ahead and does things that bring great hurt to others, e.g. like her father, then does the equivalent of "oops" guess that was the wrong thing to do. Hard for me to imagine how anyone could have found her that lovable to put up with such infantile behavior. Just bought it at the store & it will go up for sale. Linda Lael Miller can do so much better which makes this even more of a shame.
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I saw that this was originally a much shorter story, which was lengthened by Ms. Miller. Like the bandaid being ripped off quickly, she should have left it alone. Shorter would have been much less painful for this reader.
Authors should leave their earlier publications alone. Even if it was not a good book, it's just embarrassing when the author tries to fix it -- and inevitably makes it worse.
This one doesn't even rate one star. Come on, Ms. Miller, we all know you are capable of much better.
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