Wrangling the Redhead (Silhouette Special Edition #1429) (The Calamity Janes #5) (Paperback)

by Sherryl Woods (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Silhouette (November 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373244290
• ISBN-13: 978-0373244294
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #721,096 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dazzling series finale -- Very highly recommended, November 28, 2001

By	C. Penn "WordWeaving" (Greenville, SC) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Sherryl Woods concludes this delightful miniseries, The Calamity Janes, with WRANGLING THE REDHEAD. Five friends share an enduring friendship, begun in high school, self-named for their penchant for broken hearts and troubles. Though their lives are widely divergent now, these women are still as close as sisters, despite their infrequent contact. Now with all her friends happily spoken for, Lauren Winters longs for the love and security her friends seem to share.

Following the ten year reunion of The Calamity Janes, Lauren grows increasingly disillusioned with the tinsel glamour of stardom, longing to be valued for herself rather than her looks and box office draw. Determined to earn her way, Lauren moves in with Grady and Karen Blackhawk, offering her skills with horses in exchange for room and board. For the first time, Lauren feels like she's where she belongs doing what she truly loves. And freedom from the camera frees her from the rigid self-control she's maintained for ten years.

Wrangler Wade Owens can't believe his eyes when he sees a woman he perceives to be a tenderfoot too close to the dangerous horse Midnight. Badly abused by a previous owner, Midnight doesn't allow anyone too close. Even when he realizes he's underestimates Lauren's skill with horses, Wade can't help thinking that she has "more sass than sense." Yet he finds her ability to take him by surprise intriguing. Although he suspects she still has ties to Los Angeles, Wade has no idea of Lauren's true identity.

Lauren enjoys Wade's gritty reality, as opposed the slick perfection that characterizes the men she knows from show business. She revels in the opportunity to be appreciated for her skills, and hesitates to reveal her Hollywood success or her hefty bank account, especially when she learns that Wade deeply despises the wealthy. Scars from the past prevent him from seeing past to the dollar signs to the potential goodness of those with wealth. But Lauren risks all to keep her identity a secret.

Sherryl Woods concludes The Calamity Janes miniseries with a fiery match in WRANGLING THE REDHEAD, a character driven romance with a marvelous cast. Wade doesn't fall into the trap of resenting a woman who earns more money than him; instead, he bears scars that leave a bitter memory of the damage that the privileged wealthy can inflict. Lauren knows she should come clean, but fears rejection, making her an endearing and sympathetic character. The Calamity Janes always hover in the background, fully prepared to meddle without ever inferring with the pace of the tale. After five installments, it saddens this reviewer to say goodbye to this marvelous cast of characters. With Wood's characteristic light-hearted touch, WRANGLING THE REDHEAD is a dazzling series finale, coming very highly recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Movie star goes back home to the ranch, November 23, 2001

By	"xenequ" (Atlanta, Georgia, USA) - See all my reviews

Lauren Winters is a Julia Roberts type actress who is too strong and successful for most men--until she meets Wade Owens. He's a horse rancher in her hometown in Wyoming who knows who he is and what he wants. And very soon after meeting her, he wants Lauren.

I love ranch stories and lean, sexy cowboys with great hands! <G> I like Lauren, who has a good heart. It is a lot of fun to see a powerful woman like her find a man who is a good match for her. I am a big fan of Sherryl Woods, and this book has her trademark humor and hot sex. Try it out for a great time!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun new addition to the Calamity Janes series!, November 13, 2001

By	Kate McMurry (United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

After two failed marriages, 28-year-old Lauren Winters feels like a failure, in spite of a red-hot acting career in a string of blockbuster romantic comedies and an Academy Award nomination. Needing to get her head back on straight, she escapes to her birthplace of Winding River, Wyoming, to visit friends and family.

Almost the moment Lauren arrives back at her home ranch in Wyoming, she butts heads with arrogant horse wrangler, Wade Owens. Wade didn't grow up with Lauren, and not being a fan of romantic comedies, he has never heard of her as an actress. He just knows she's rich, an interloper in his domain, and assumes she's snooty as sin.

Though she finds herself brangling right and left with Wade, Lauren comes away from their sparring sessions more stimulated than upset. What a refreshing change to interact with someone who isn't in awe of her! And as things heat up between her and Wade, Lauren is even more delighted knowing that whatever Wade feels for her, it is for her alone, not for her fame and prestige. But even as she rejoices in her good fortune, Lauren knows that sooner or later she's going to have to confess to Wade who she really is.

This book is an excellent addition to an exciting romance series. There are lots of sparks and sharp repartee between the hero and heroine. The story has plenty of conflict and tension, but (which is something I personally prefer), remains light drama without too much angsting, and with frequent touches of humor. The sexual relationship between Wade and Lauren is highly emotional, which makes it very hot. Also, if you are a fan of stories set on a ranch, you will like the way the ranch in this book is very authentically drawn.