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Summer Moon
RANCHER SEEKING WIFE. For Kate Whittington, the modest words of a newspaper ad are the answer to her desperate prayers. Daughter of a dockside harlot and raised in a bleak orphanage, she has no prospects in the unforgiving Maine village of her birth. Correspondence from the lonely Texas widower looking for a mail-order bride sparks tempting dreams of a house, a family, and a future in a land filled with possibilities.
Kate arrives at the magnificent Lone Star Ranch eager to meet her new husband. Instead she is greeted by the news that Reed Benton has been wounded during a raid on a Comanche village and has returned with a prisoner--a wild-looking young boy who may be his long lost son. Even more shattering, however, is the fact that Reed has never heard of Kate, never wrote the searing letters that charmed her heart.
Reed Benton doesn't want a wife. But he does need someone to look after the boy--a bitter reminder of a past ravaged by lies and betrayal. It will take a miracle to heal these two damaged souls . . . or the faith of one woman with nothing left to lose but her heart.
Summer Moon is a deeply moving story of broken promises and new beginnings, crafted by a true master of romantic fiction.
Kate arrives at the magnificent Lone Star Ranch eager to meet her new husband. Instead she is greeted by the news that Reed Benton has been wounded during a raid on a Comanche village and has returned with a prisoner--a wild-looking young boy who may be his long lost son. Even more shattering, however, is the fact that Reed has never heard of Kate, never wrote the searing letters that charmed her heart.
Reed Benton doesn't want a wife. But he does need someone to look after the boy--a bitter reminder of a past ravaged by lies and betrayal. It will take a miracle to heal these two damaged souls . . . or the faith of one woman with nothing left to lose but her heart.
Summer Moon is a deeply moving story of broken promises and new beginnings, crafted by a true master of romantic fiction.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
29 people are currently reading
320 people want to read
About the author
Jill Marie Landis
76 books251 followersJILL MARIE LANDIS is the bestselling author of nearly thirty novels which have appeared on the NYT bestseller list, USA Today and other national bestseller lists. She has won numerous awards for her heartfelt characters and sweeping emotional historical romances that include SUMMER MOON and MAGNOLIA CREEK and the Irish Angels Series; HEART OF STONE, HEART OF LIES, and HEART OF GLASS. All of her Historical Romances are available in eBook format.
She is currently writing The Tiki Goddess Mysteries series which includes MAI TAI ONE ON, TWO TO MANGO, THREE TO GET LEI'D, TOO HOT FOUR HULA and HAWAII FIVE UH-OH! from Bell Bridge Books.
Toes in the sand and head in the clouds, she is living the dream in Hawaii with her husband, Steve. Jill Marie loves to spend hours at the beach reading or writing and she also loves dancing the hula.
She is currently writing The Tiki Goddess Mysteries series which includes MAI TAI ONE ON, TWO TO MANGO, THREE TO GET LEI'D, TOO HOT FOUR HULA and HAWAII FIVE UH-OH! from Bell Bridge Books.
Toes in the sand and head in the clouds, she is living the dream in Hawaii with her husband, Steve. Jill Marie loves to spend hours at the beach reading or writing and she also loves dancing the hula.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
July 10, 2019
This author's historical books always impress me. It's not a light and fluffy story but realistic which is what I enjoy reading!
A young woman hasn't had the best start in life,she's lived with the nuns since being dropped off there as a young child. It's the best her mother could do for her.
Katherine, has never has what we take for granted, a family to call her own.
Reading an ad for a mail order bride she jumps on the chance to become a bride and have a family to call her own.
My heart ached for Katherine when she arrived at the ranch and soon found things were no where near what she was expecting
Reed Sr. tricked her into believing Reed Jr. sent the mail order bride ad but Reed Jr is not looking for a wife at all.
I can just imagine the devastation and humiliation she feels but what will she do, she has no home to return to.
Being married by proxy she is legally married to the younger Reed just as his father wanted.
This is where the trouble comes in. What is she to do when he doesn't want to be married to her?
He's not looking for another woman after what he went through with his first wife, she was just a money grubber.
Her sweet disposition is getting to Reed, can she crack the tough exterior shell of this hardened man?
Will she leave the ranch because she's not wanted there?
Loved this book and was holding my breath as I really didn't know how it was going to go all the way til the end.
Published April 4th 2019 by Bell Bridge Books .
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
A young woman hasn't had the best start in life,she's lived with the nuns since being dropped off there as a young child. It's the best her mother could do for her.
Katherine, has never has what we take for granted, a family to call her own.
Reading an ad for a mail order bride she jumps on the chance to become a bride and have a family to call her own.
My heart ached for Katherine when she arrived at the ranch and soon found things were no where near what she was expecting
Reed Sr. tricked her into believing Reed Jr. sent the mail order bride ad but Reed Jr is not looking for a wife at all.
I can just imagine the devastation and humiliation she feels but what will she do, she has no home to return to.
Being married by proxy she is legally married to the younger Reed just as his father wanted.
This is where the trouble comes in. What is she to do when he doesn't want to be married to her?
He's not looking for another woman after what he went through with his first wife, she was just a money grubber.
Her sweet disposition is getting to Reed, can she crack the tough exterior shell of this hardened man?
Will she leave the ranch because she's not wanted there?
Loved this book and was holding my breath as I really didn't know how it was going to go all the way til the end.
Published April 4th 2019 by Bell Bridge Books .
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
October 30, 2021
Kate Whittington reads an advertisement in the newspaper for a mail order bride, at twenty nine it’s a solution to her problems and she will finally have the family she’s always dreamed of. Her mother was a prostitute, she was raised in a Catholic orphanage by stern nuns and everyone in her home town of Maine knows her history. She writes to Reed Benton, a lonely Texas rancher and they marry by proxy. After a long journey she arrives at Lone Star Ranch eager to meet her new husband, he’s not happy to see her, he’s been injured fighting the Comanche and it was his father Reed Senior who’s been writing love letters to Kate.
When Texas Ranger Reed Benton rescues his long lost son Daniel from the Comanche village, the boy Fast Pony is wild, he doesn’t want to live in the white man’s house and he doesn’t understand why he’s been taken away from his people. Reed's furious with his father, he doesn’t want another wife, and after his traumatic past and he sees Kate as another problem he has to deal with. He needs a housekeeper, someone to look after Daniel and reluctantly he lets Kate stay. She loves children, she wants to help Daniel to learn English and adapt to his new life. But Daniel worries about his Comanche family, he knows their situation is precarious and he wants to save them.
Reed Benton is rather arrogant man, and I guess you can put his attitude down to the tragic loss of his wife and son during the Comanche raid. He soon takes notice when Reverend Preston Marshall is interested in Kate, he changes his tune and he’s very lucky she doesn't leave him. I first read Summer Moon way back in 2004, it was rather nostalgic to read it again, a classic western style historical romance by Jill Marie Landis, thanks to NetGalley for my copy and four stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
When Texas Ranger Reed Benton rescues his long lost son Daniel from the Comanche village, the boy Fast Pony is wild, he doesn’t want to live in the white man’s house and he doesn’t understand why he’s been taken away from his people. Reed's furious with his father, he doesn’t want another wife, and after his traumatic past and he sees Kate as another problem he has to deal with. He needs a housekeeper, someone to look after Daniel and reluctantly he lets Kate stay. She loves children, she wants to help Daniel to learn English and adapt to his new life. But Daniel worries about his Comanche family, he knows their situation is precarious and he wants to save them.
Reed Benton is rather arrogant man, and I guess you can put his attitude down to the tragic loss of his wife and son during the Comanche raid. He soon takes notice when Reverend Preston Marshall is interested in Kate, he changes his tune and he’s very lucky she doesn't leave him. I first read Summer Moon way back in 2004, it was rather nostalgic to read it again, a classic western style historical romance by Jill Marie Landis, thanks to NetGalley for my copy and four stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
November 20, 2019
Summer Moon is an amazing read from author Jill Marie Landis. I remember that I read one of her books, After All, around a decade ago when I found it for 10 PHP around 25 cents USD from my favorite book thriftshop.
This is a historical romance with angst, drama, and humor. It is a mail order bride story with a family dynamic. It talks about Kate's journey to meet Reed, a Texas ranger slash rancher.
Summer Moon is very well written and it showed a well-rounded story from various POVs that kept me interested the whole while. Jill Marie Landis truly has the skill in creating very likeable characters with endearing traits.
Though the attraction between the two leads was immediate in this story, the romance is actually a little slow burn and was not the central plot point for a good part of the book. It would have been nice if romance got a little more exposure in this book, but I still enjoyed the entire story.
☁ THE CRITERIA ☁
🌼 Blurb:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Main Character:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Significant Other: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Support Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Writing Style:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Character Development:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Romance: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Pacing: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Ending: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Unputdownability: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Book Cover:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
☁FINAL VERDICT: 3.72/5 ☁
Much thanks to NetGalley and Belle Books / Bell Bridge Books for this complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and opinions are fully my own.
📚📚 Blog ♡ Bookstagram ♡ Facebook ♡ Twitter 📚📚
This is a historical romance with angst, drama, and humor. It is a mail order bride story with a family dynamic. It talks about Kate's journey to meet Reed, a Texas ranger slash rancher.
Summer Moon is very well written and it showed a well-rounded story from various POVs that kept me interested the whole while. Jill Marie Landis truly has the skill in creating very likeable characters with endearing traits.
Though the attraction between the two leads was immediate in this story, the romance is actually a little slow burn and was not the central plot point for a good part of the book. It would have been nice if romance got a little more exposure in this book, but I still enjoyed the entire story.
☁ THE CRITERIA ☁
🌼 Blurb:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Main Character:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Significant Other: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Support Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Writing Style:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Character Development:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Romance: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Pacing: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Ending: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Unputdownability: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Book Cover:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
☁FINAL VERDICT: 3.72/5 ☁
Much thanks to NetGalley and Belle Books / Bell Bridge Books for this complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and opinions are fully my own.
📚📚 Blog ♡ Bookstagram ♡ Facebook ♡ Twitter 📚📚
April 30, 2014
This book was incredibly frustrating. There was zero chemistry between the heroine and her "supposed" hero. The hero was not nice - and I don't mean the damaged aloofness that some really good alpha heroes can be prone to suffer from - I mean this hero was kind of creepy and mean, and I could not for the life of me figure out why the heroine 'loved' him. I really got the feeling that she was making a rash decision based more on head-in-the-clouds naivety, actually, and also a bit of good old stupidity. I kept wondering why she would go back to the hero when the genuine, non-creepy minister was genuinely interested in and respected her.
Plus, the book was full of cheesy similes and cliches. There was way too much 'tell' and not enough 'show'.
Plus, the book was full of cheesy similes and cliches. There was way too much 'tell' and not enough 'show'.
June 4, 2015
Enjoyed this for the story, and for the characters whose circumstances had to be overcome.
May 2, 2019
I picked this book on a whim. It was a good read. Interesting plot and it kept you reading. I admired Kate in many ways. She was so daring to just pack up and leave and go on this adventure. She stayed strong too when it didn't turn out as great as she hoped. I liked that she stayed true to herself. Reed got on my nerves many times for just not thinking about his actions, but he is a man so we can't fault him for that. He was mean to Kate, but heck he was kinda mean to everyone. He was my reason I didn't give 4 stars, because I just wasn't feeling him. It is so sad the inhumanity shown to the Indians in the west and that was shown in the story. I am glad Reed's character was able to rise above. I also liked the point of view from Daniel and his take on the good attentions of the white people. That is something we all should take into considereation that our good deeds are not alwasy perceived as good deeds.
Good read, received a copy from the publisher for a honest review.
Good read, received a copy from the publisher for a honest review.
July 27, 2025
At 29 Kate Whittington finds herself married by proxy to a Texas rancher and on her way west. She was abandoned at 9 by her whore mother on the steps of a Catholic girls orphanage in Maine and then raised and trained there to be a teacher for the girls. When the orphanage closes she answers an ad and corresponds with the rancher, Reed Benton, who promises a home and family. But when she arrives it is the recently deceased Benton Senior who wrote the letters in his son’s name. Reed is estranged from his father and a Texas Ranger who has just returned home wounded from a mission where he found his son, Daniel, who had been kidnapped 5 years prior by Comanches. These three people have a complicated future to figure out.
Lots of angst surround these damaged characters. The author does a good job of getting into their heads and showing their perspectives. Nobody is without their faults in this story. But each needs a second chance to move forward. Well done.
Lots of angst surround these damaged characters. The author does a good job of getting into their heads and showing their perspectives. Nobody is without their faults in this story. But each needs a second chance to move forward. Well done.
May 29, 2019
2,5/5
J'ai beaucoup aimé l'héroïne, à la fois forte et naïve, et j'ai eu beaucoup de peine pour le petit garçon arraché par deux fois à tout ce qu'il connait. Par contre le héros est du genre fermé et je ne comprend pas comment l'héroïne en tombe amoureuse. j'aurais presque préféré qu'elle finisse avec le pasteur.
Avis complet https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
J'ai beaucoup aimé l'héroïne, à la fois forte et naïve, et j'ai eu beaucoup de peine pour le petit garçon arraché par deux fois à tout ce qu'il connait. Par contre le héros est du genre fermé et je ne comprend pas comment l'héroïne en tombe amoureuse. j'aurais presque préféré qu'elle finisse avec le pasteur.
Avis complet https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
September 28, 2008
The Pages Flew By!!
This is the first historical romance novel that I’ve read in years as I’ve been concentrating more on contemporary women’s fiction, but this story is quite different but it captured me and I enjoyed the author’s formal use of language to set the tone in this charming tale set during the Indian American war. I found myself thinking of the characters after I turned the last page and that’s always a sign of excellent writing and a great story.
Kate Whittington spent her early years as the daughter of the town whore – not very well taken care of and ostracized by “polite society”. When her mother realizes she can no longer take care of her, she abandons her on the steps of the local orphanage, where she grows to become an educated teacher, but trigger-shy about men, she remains unmarried but years for a family of her own but thinks that at almost 30, it may be too late. Then she spots an ad in a local newspaper placed by a man who lives far away in Texas, advertising for a mail-order bride.
This tale may have been told before but Jill Marie Landis creates a fine drama and enlivens this story with vivid characters and the wild frontier of Texas as a fine backdrop. There’s a twist to this story, the Texan that she thinks she’s been corresponding with doesn’t seem to know who she is and their first meeting is confusing but sets the stage for a battle of wills that neither is prepared for.
As in most romance novels, the attraction is almost immediate, but Landis takes the time to slowly build her characters so that you discover their personalities and their histories in such a way that you begin to understand how their lives have led them to each other.
We eventually learn that it was Reed, Sr. that wrote the letters to Kate, without his son knowing and her arrival comes at a bad time, or is it perfect timing? Reed, Jr. has recently discovered his son, Daniel, once abducted during an Indian raid on his property, where he wife was left injured and died shortly after. While embarking on another raid, he discovers that Daniel has been raised with the Indians and the boy does not wish to return to Lone Star with him, but Reed is not about to lose his son once again and forces him to return with him. Although sparks do fly between the two, the discovery of their marriage by proxy creates a difficult situation, but Kate decides to stay on as a housekeeper.
Her primary responsibility is to care for Daniel. Once Kate lays eyes on the adorable, but heart-broken little boy, she finds the stirrings of love that she has felt for students in the past. She starts trying to teach him English and cares for him, initially as a house keeper and later finds that she loves him with a mother’s heart.
Eventually Kate finds companionship with the local preacher and maybe her hopes of love and family aren’t lost when he professes his feelings for her. Can Kate put aside the feelings she has grown for Reed and instead plan a life with the minister? Will Reed let his second chance at love slip through his fingers? Jill Marie Landis keeps it very interesting as we find out the answer and we discover what love really means for all involved.
I was impressed with the breadth of this novel and Landis’ story telling talent. Once I got my head around the fact that this story is in a very specific genre, I was able to sustain my disbelief enough to get carried away in this story. I don’t know if I’m going to continue to read more historical romance, but I was intrigued to find that Jill Marie Landis has written some contemporary novels and I’m looking forward to reading Heat Wave to see how she handles a modern-day story.
This is the first historical romance novel that I’ve read in years as I’ve been concentrating more on contemporary women’s fiction, but this story is quite different but it captured me and I enjoyed the author’s formal use of language to set the tone in this charming tale set during the Indian American war. I found myself thinking of the characters after I turned the last page and that’s always a sign of excellent writing and a great story.
Kate Whittington spent her early years as the daughter of the town whore – not very well taken care of and ostracized by “polite society”. When her mother realizes she can no longer take care of her, she abandons her on the steps of the local orphanage, where she grows to become an educated teacher, but trigger-shy about men, she remains unmarried but years for a family of her own but thinks that at almost 30, it may be too late. Then she spots an ad in a local newspaper placed by a man who lives far away in Texas, advertising for a mail-order bride.
This tale may have been told before but Jill Marie Landis creates a fine drama and enlivens this story with vivid characters and the wild frontier of Texas as a fine backdrop. There’s a twist to this story, the Texan that she thinks she’s been corresponding with doesn’t seem to know who she is and their first meeting is confusing but sets the stage for a battle of wills that neither is prepared for.
As in most romance novels, the attraction is almost immediate, but Landis takes the time to slowly build her characters so that you discover their personalities and their histories in such a way that you begin to understand how their lives have led them to each other.
We eventually learn that it was Reed, Sr. that wrote the letters to Kate, without his son knowing and her arrival comes at a bad time, or is it perfect timing? Reed, Jr. has recently discovered his son, Daniel, once abducted during an Indian raid on his property, where he wife was left injured and died shortly after. While embarking on another raid, he discovers that Daniel has been raised with the Indians and the boy does not wish to return to Lone Star with him, but Reed is not about to lose his son once again and forces him to return with him. Although sparks do fly between the two, the discovery of their marriage by proxy creates a difficult situation, but Kate decides to stay on as a housekeeper.
Her primary responsibility is to care for Daniel. Once Kate lays eyes on the adorable, but heart-broken little boy, she finds the stirrings of love that she has felt for students in the past. She starts trying to teach him English and cares for him, initially as a house keeper and later finds that she loves him with a mother’s heart.
Eventually Kate finds companionship with the local preacher and maybe her hopes of love and family aren’t lost when he professes his feelings for her. Can Kate put aside the feelings she has grown for Reed and instead plan a life with the minister? Will Reed let his second chance at love slip through his fingers? Jill Marie Landis keeps it very interesting as we find out the answer and we discover what love really means for all involved.
I was impressed with the breadth of this novel and Landis’ story telling talent. Once I got my head around the fact that this story is in a very specific genre, I was able to sustain my disbelief enough to get carried away in this story. I don’t know if I’m going to continue to read more historical romance, but I was intrigued to find that Jill Marie Landis has written some contemporary novels and I’m looking forward to reading Heat Wave to see how she handles a modern-day story.
April 24, 2016
I like the premise, but not the execution here, mainly because the H is a bit hard to stomach. When you cannot even like the H much, there is a huge gap where you have to suspend your disbelief and can really make a love story credible.
The H is not really a bad or cruel man, per se, just pretty detached and cold. Which again isn't a problem as a lot of H's are like that, problem for me is it just takes him way too long to get out of the shell, even to the last scene, making him seem pretty indifferent and really doesn't care whether he ends up with our h or not. We see glimpses of his inner turmoil and understand why he acted the way he does, but for some reason I really am just impatient for him to get over it as his hangup really is quite common and he shouldn't really be walking around like a wounded animal for close to 80% of the book. Just get over yourself already! His behaviour halfway through is also so cowardly and mean to me that I just cannot like him.
The h on the other hand is simply quite brilliantly portrayed. She has backbone and will stand up for what she believes in, she also has a heart of gold, big enough to not only to care for others, but also to understand other's behavior and forgive their wrongdoings. She also uses her head and will not insist on doing silly things when the time calls for it.
There are just quite a bit of away time between these 2 and even if they're stuck in a place, there really isn't much interaction that will give credibility to their love story, so I just cannot get into it as I don't even understand why the h can love the H in the first place, given his surely attitude. I actually probably will feel happier if she ends up not being with him in this case...
The one factor I really enjoy is the other protagonists here though, especially the little boy. There is still some inconsistency regarding his behavior granted (at times he seems wise and mature for his years, yet at others he seems like a 4yr old...), but I still find the interactions adorable, especially when you are also given his pov.
All in all, I like everything BUT the H here, making this a huge problem to rate it higher given that this is a romance and I just cannot bring myself to ahh over him...
The H is not really a bad or cruel man, per se, just pretty detached and cold. Which again isn't a problem as a lot of H's are like that, problem for me is it just takes him way too long to get out of the shell, even to the last scene, making him seem pretty indifferent and really doesn't care whether he ends up with our h or not. We see glimpses of his inner turmoil and understand why he acted the way he does, but for some reason I really am just impatient for him to get over it as his hangup really is quite common and he shouldn't really be walking around like a wounded animal for close to 80% of the book. Just get over yourself already! His behaviour halfway through is also so cowardly and mean to me that I just cannot like him.
The h on the other hand is simply quite brilliantly portrayed. She has backbone and will stand up for what she believes in, she also has a heart of gold, big enough to not only to care for others, but also to understand other's behavior and forgive their wrongdoings. She also uses her head and will not insist on doing silly things when the time calls for it.
There are just quite a bit of away time between these 2 and even if they're stuck in a place, there really isn't much interaction that will give credibility to their love story, so I just cannot get into it as I don't even understand why the h can love the H in the first place, given his surely attitude. I actually probably will feel happier if she ends up not being with him in this case...
The one factor I really enjoy is the other protagonists here though, especially the little boy. There is still some inconsistency regarding his behavior granted (at times he seems wise and mature for his years, yet at others he seems like a 4yr old...), but I still find the interactions adorable, especially when you are also given his pov.
All in all, I like everything BUT the H here, making this a huge problem to rate it higher given that this is a romance and I just cannot bring myself to ahh over him...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2014
If all romances treated the common themes this well then I wouldn't have so many romances unfinished on my shelf. All the tropes that are normally done badly or just thrown in, are fleshed out beautifully here. The emotionally damaged man is believable, as is his less than sudden recovery. The mail order bride who wants a family - of course she does, and I too would travel across the country if I was her. The chemistry was great, and her emotional reaction to sleeping with her husband and then him (well never mind, I don't want to spoil it for you). To me it was very believable and quite lovely.
I even loved that there wasn't a happy ending for everybody. A little spark of wisdom from Sophia "...fight to save your dream, but not forever. Do not waste your life waiting for him to fall in love with you".
The way that the Comanche people were treated also rose above cliche, with the people being treated neither as demons or angels
I even loved that there wasn't a happy ending for everybody. A little spark of wisdom from Sophia "...fight to save your dream, but not forever. Do not waste your life waiting for him to fall in love with you".
The way that the Comanche people were treated also rose above cliche, with the people being treated neither as demons or angels
April 4, 2020
Unlikable hero. He didn't like his father. He didn't like his dead wife. For the first half of the book he didn't like his son. As if it was the son's fault he was captured by Indians at 3 and raised by the tribe. Whine ,whine,whine. Shut up already. Your wealthy. You can do whatever you want in your life and for some reason people bend over backwards to try and get you to like them.
Nice heroine. A bit of a Marysue which is amazing considering she never caught a break in life. The H not only walked all over her he walked all over her with cleats.
In the second half of the book the author tried to shine him up and make excuses for him but I'm not buying it. The heroine? Well she had spent her her life in a Catholic orphanage. First as an orphan then as a teacher. What she knew about men could be stuffed in a fleas navel. Plus you can't pick who you fall in love with. Unfortunately.
Two stars for the historical points which seemed plausible.
Nice heroine. A bit of a Marysue which is amazing considering she never caught a break in life. The H not only walked all over her he walked all over her with cleats.
In the second half of the book the author tried to shine him up and make excuses for him but I'm not buying it. The heroine? Well she had spent her her life in a Catholic orphanage. First as an orphan then as a teacher. What she knew about men could be stuffed in a fleas navel. Plus you can't pick who you fall in love with. Unfortunately.
Two stars for the historical points which seemed plausible.
May 25, 2016
I felt that this was a very, very well written love story. It had a very interesting story line that kept me interested the whole way thru. Another reviewer gave it only 2-stars for being 'too porny'.... I was going to say the opposite. Steam level on this book is not high at all, it focuses more on the falling in love, family dynamics, learning to get over past heartbreaks.... but definitely no descriptive Tessa Dare'esque steamy scenes.
November 27, 2015
I think this is Jill Marie Landis' best book to date. It is so nice to see an author who gets away from the 'formula' type romances with their ridiculous unbelievable villains. Jill Marie Landis is always original.
September 16, 2008
Great read for the beach. It has a good plot line, well developed charcters, some romance, some suspence, and drama. Truly an exceptional author.
October 23, 2008
I have a weakness for westerns!
March 27, 2016
Enjoyed it, but wished there was a bit more romance between Reed and Kate.
February 5, 2013
THis was a very enjoyable book when I read it but unfortunately, not memorable a year or two later.
May 29, 2019
Review posted on Les Romantiques – le forum du site
Reviewed by Rinou
Review copy by the publisher
2,5/5
Summer Moon is a republication of a book originally published in 2001, an historical romance situated in the Texas of the 19th century, talking about after an ad looking for a bride the spouses corresponded for several months before their wedding… except that everything is just a manipulation by an old man who conveniently dies shortly before the heroine’s arrival.
Kate is a strong heroine who knows what she wants in her life, but at the same time she naïve and idealistic, which is normal as she lived 20 years with nuns in an orphanage. When she discovers she was duped and that the man she wedded by proxy doesn’t even know she exists she feels like her dream falls apart, but she keep her chin up and she looks for a way to get through. Even if she’s conscious the hero is completely different in reality from the image she had created while reading the letters he didn’t write, she has a hard time getting rid of the feelings she had begun to develop.
Reed is a man adrift since his wife’s death and his 3 years old son’s disappearance, and he’s closed himself to any feeling. He hated his father after his mother’s suicide when he was young and a lot of his actions were decided only as a contradiction toward his genitor, in a kind of adolescence crisis dragging on – he’s about thirty. He has troubles thinking to anyone apart himself, wallowing in his misfortunes, but we see him evolve as he opens up little by little.
Their relationship is complicated by a fast attraction none of them want – after a wedding night consummated during a big fever for the hero just before they learn the truth -, by the resentment for the subterfuge bringing them together, and by the fact Reed doesn’t in fact spend a lot of time at the ranch as soon as the wound which had him bedridden for several days is healed he hasten to go back to his Rangers company. Frankly I don’t see how Kate ends up loving him seeing the little time they are together and his difficult behavior. His feelings are more understandable as he found Kate’s letters for the false Reed and he falls in love with the young woman who opened up in writing, even if he needs a lot of time to admit it.
The context is difficult: the war between white people and Comanche is quite violent, with lots of deaths on the native side. But it allows Reed to find his son amongst a tribe and to add some problems in the middle of the couple’s story. Frankly I felt sorry for the little boy, taken from his family two times, once when he was too young to remember and once when he thinks he’s a Comanche taken by a bad white man. There are a lot of scenes from his point of view, where he evaluates and judges the people surrounding him through the filter of his Comanche upraising, and I really liked these scenes.
Along the secondary characters we have a young prostitute from the local brothel that Kate takes under her wing after a violent aggression, and her cute but not very developed love story with the Ranger captain, and there’s also the pastor so much more nice and understanding that I wanted Kate to choose him instead of the hero.
The whole story is quite slow and a bit uneventful in spite of some real qualities. It’s the second book by this author that I read that doesn’t leave me with an ineffable feeling and I think I will avoid her from now on.
Reviewed by Rinou
Review copy by the publisher
2,5/5
Summer Moon is a republication of a book originally published in 2001, an historical romance situated in the Texas of the 19th century, talking about after an ad looking for a bride the spouses corresponded for several months before their wedding… except that everything is just a manipulation by an old man who conveniently dies shortly before the heroine’s arrival.
Kate is a strong heroine who knows what she wants in her life, but at the same time she naïve and idealistic, which is normal as she lived 20 years with nuns in an orphanage. When she discovers she was duped and that the man she wedded by proxy doesn’t even know she exists she feels like her dream falls apart, but she keep her chin up and she looks for a way to get through. Even if she’s conscious the hero is completely different in reality from the image she had created while reading the letters he didn’t write, she has a hard time getting rid of the feelings she had begun to develop.
Reed is a man adrift since his wife’s death and his 3 years old son’s disappearance, and he’s closed himself to any feeling. He hated his father after his mother’s suicide when he was young and a lot of his actions were decided only as a contradiction toward his genitor, in a kind of adolescence crisis dragging on – he’s about thirty. He has troubles thinking to anyone apart himself, wallowing in his misfortunes, but we see him evolve as he opens up little by little.
Their relationship is complicated by a fast attraction none of them want – after a wedding night consummated during a big fever for the hero just before they learn the truth -, by the resentment for the subterfuge bringing them together, and by the fact Reed doesn’t in fact spend a lot of time at the ranch as soon as the wound which had him bedridden for several days is healed he hasten to go back to his Rangers company. Frankly I don’t see how Kate ends up loving him seeing the little time they are together and his difficult behavior. His feelings are more understandable as he found Kate’s letters for the false Reed and he falls in love with the young woman who opened up in writing, even if he needs a lot of time to admit it.
The context is difficult: the war between white people and Comanche is quite violent, with lots of deaths on the native side. But it allows Reed to find his son amongst a tribe and to add some problems in the middle of the couple’s story. Frankly I felt sorry for the little boy, taken from his family two times, once when he was too young to remember and once when he thinks he’s a Comanche taken by a bad white man. There are a lot of scenes from his point of view, where he evaluates and judges the people surrounding him through the filter of his Comanche upraising, and I really liked these scenes.
Along the secondary characters we have a young prostitute from the local brothel that Kate takes under her wing after a violent aggression, and her cute but not very developed love story with the Ranger captain, and there’s also the pastor so much more nice and understanding that I wanted Kate to choose him instead of the hero.
The whole story is quite slow and a bit uneventful in spite of some real qualities. It’s the second book by this author that I read that doesn’t leave me with an ineffable feeling and I think I will avoid her from now on.
March 7, 2025
**MINOR SPOILERS**
This book can be read as a standalone.
Kate is the daughter of a prostitute who shared a one room shack with her mother. As a result, she saw sex as a child. When she turned 9, her mother brought her to an orphanage and left her there reluctantly. When she turned 18, Kate stayed at the orphanage as a teacher. When the orphanage is forced to close, she responds to an advertisement for a bride from Reed in Texas. She marries him by proxy before leaving Maine. This is both a desperate and a hopeful action as she hopes that she can have a good marriage and a family – a dream she had given up on.
Little did she know, the letters she exchanged were read and responded to by Reed’s father in a desperate attempt to get him to marry. When she arrives in Texas, both she and Reed finds out what happened just as his father dies. Reed’s father had tried to manipulate Reed his whole life. Reed resented his father’s indifferent treatment of his mother. His wife was killed by Comanches, and his son was kidnapped right after his wife tells him that his son was the result of an affair with his father. During the story, you do not find out whether this is true or whether she told an angry lie.
These two damaged people slowly develop a relationship. Reed’s son, Daniel, is found after years with the Comanche and Kate is asked to watch over him. Daniel is wild and misses his Comanche parents. He hurts his ankle and he and Kate develop a relationship while she cares for him, but he dreams of escaping and returning to his tribe.
Reed is rough at first as he does not want to care for anyone ever again. He feels betrayed by his father and his wife as well as a woman who was his caretaker. As a result, while he is attracted Kate, he does not want to be. To avoid the pain of being home with a son he thinks he can never have back and to fight his attraction for Kate, he leaves for weeks fighting the Comanches who are raiding ranches.
The author writes in an emotional style.
There is a secondary romance between Reed’s boss and a young woman who is rescued from a brothel. This story is a bit unlikely but adds a feel good dimension to the story. Their age difference was probably more acceptable then.
The history of this period of Texas is interesting. It is easy to feel for both sides in this story. The Comanches are slowly being forced onto reservations and many of them are killed in the mutual raids between the Rangers and the Comanches. The settlers want to be protected from the Comanche raids and enact retribution for the Comanche’s actions. Neither side is purely good or bad and you know in the end the settlers will win and the Comanches will be a conquered people.
I like the way Daniel’s story ended in the epilogue.
There were a few things that were overly dramatic and a few that were unlikely but the author draws you into the story. I will likely continue to read this author.
This book can be read as a standalone.
Kate is the daughter of a prostitute who shared a one room shack with her mother. As a result, she saw sex as a child. When she turned 9, her mother brought her to an orphanage and left her there reluctantly. When she turned 18, Kate stayed at the orphanage as a teacher. When the orphanage is forced to close, she responds to an advertisement for a bride from Reed in Texas. She marries him by proxy before leaving Maine. This is both a desperate and a hopeful action as she hopes that she can have a good marriage and a family – a dream she had given up on.
Little did she know, the letters she exchanged were read and responded to by Reed’s father in a desperate attempt to get him to marry. When she arrives in Texas, both she and Reed finds out what happened just as his father dies. Reed’s father had tried to manipulate Reed his whole life. Reed resented his father’s indifferent treatment of his mother. His wife was killed by Comanches, and his son was kidnapped right after his wife tells him that his son was the result of an affair with his father. During the story, you do not find out whether this is true or whether she told an angry lie.
These two damaged people slowly develop a relationship. Reed’s son, Daniel, is found after years with the Comanche and Kate is asked to watch over him. Daniel is wild and misses his Comanche parents. He hurts his ankle and he and Kate develop a relationship while she cares for him, but he dreams of escaping and returning to his tribe.
Reed is rough at first as he does not want to care for anyone ever again. He feels betrayed by his father and his wife as well as a woman who was his caretaker. As a result, while he is attracted Kate, he does not want to be. To avoid the pain of being home with a son he thinks he can never have back and to fight his attraction for Kate, he leaves for weeks fighting the Comanches who are raiding ranches.
The author writes in an emotional style.
There is a secondary romance between Reed’s boss and a young woman who is rescued from a brothel. This story is a bit unlikely but adds a feel good dimension to the story. Their age difference was probably more acceptable then.
The history of this period of Texas is interesting. It is easy to feel for both sides in this story. The Comanches are slowly being forced onto reservations and many of them are killed in the mutual raids between the Rangers and the Comanches. The settlers want to be protected from the Comanche raids and enact retribution for the Comanche’s actions. Neither side is purely good or bad and you know in the end the settlers will win and the Comanches will be a conquered people.
I like the way Daniel’s story ended in the epilogue.
There were a few things that were overly dramatic and a few that were unlikely but the author draws you into the story. I will likely continue to read this author.
June 30, 2025
Kate Whittington is left at an orphanage by her mother when she is a young child. Her mother was a prostitute and felt she had nothing to offer a child. Kate is now teaching at the orphanage when she is told that they are closing. Not know where to go or what to do, she answers an ad in the newspaper: RANCHER SEEKING WIFE. It comes at the perfect time and is an answer to her prayers. She dreams of a family, but when she arrives things are not what she expected. She arrives as her husband is being brought home injured in a raid and she helps to nurse him back to health. While he was delirious, the consummate their marriage. They had been married by proxy. When Reed becomes cognizant of what is happening, he denies knowing anything about Kate, and she finds out that it was all a ploy by his father for Reed to come home. Now what is she to do, she is a spoiled woman. She agrees to stay and help Reed with the young boy that was rescued from the Comanche, his son who had been stolen when he was only three years old, and his mother was killed. There is no place in Reed Benton’s heart for a woman, but can the faith of one woman with nothing left to lose heal two damaged souls?
I enjoyed Summer Moon and getting to know Kate, Reed and Daniel. Daniel's storyline broke my heart. He didn't remember his father, and resented being taken from his home and parents. He was hurt and although tried to run away was not able to with his injuries. He finally allowed Kate to get close to him, but he still wanted to run when he had the chance. Kate was a wonderful character. Not only was she willing to take care of Daniel, she refused to blame Reed for what his father did. She is smart, caring, and tough. She loves children and would love to have a family of her own. This is an historical fiction story that shows how the Texas Rangers almost annihilated the Comanche people, yet also showed one reason why they did this. I was rooting for Kate and Reed to become a family with Daniel, but you will have to read this one to see how it turns out.
I enjoyed Summer Moon and getting to know Kate, Reed and Daniel. Daniel's storyline broke my heart. He didn't remember his father, and resented being taken from his home and parents. He was hurt and although tried to run away was not able to with his injuries. He finally allowed Kate to get close to him, but he still wanted to run when he had the chance. Kate was a wonderful character. Not only was she willing to take care of Daniel, she refused to blame Reed for what his father did. She is smart, caring, and tough. She loves children and would love to have a family of her own. This is an historical fiction story that shows how the Texas Rangers almost annihilated the Comanche people, yet also showed one reason why they did this. I was rooting for Kate and Reed to become a family with Daniel, but you will have to read this one to see how it turns out.
November 18, 2020
Thanks to the author, Bell Bridge Books and Netgalley for an Advance Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am so glad I requested this book, even though it took me a while to get to it. I am a huge fan of historical romance and so I was expecting the usual formula and was pleasantly surprised when I realised this book was a little different.
Firstly, Kate, the heroine, is the daughter of a whore who abandons her at an orphanage aged 9 after she has already witnessed the seedy underbelly of life. When Kate's long career as a teacher of history and elocution at the orphanage comes to an abrupt end, she finds herself without options at age 29.
Having always wanted a family and with time running out for her she begins a correspondence with a rancher in Texas and falls in love with the person he proclaims himself to be in his letters. She marries him by proxy, leaved Maine and embarks for Texas, ready to start her new life. But when she gets there, Reed, her husband, has no idea who she is and that they are married.
He also has a son who has been living with the Comanche for many years and behaves like a hostile. There isn't much Kate can do but try to make the best of the situation by looking after the boy and the man as a housekeeper rather than a wife. But those pesky feelings start getting in the way and, well, you know the rest.
I have to say, though I am not American and I don't have a great understanding of First Nation history, I did think the author seemed sensitive to Comanche history in a way that appeared well-researched. This was a really good read and I am looking forward to more from this author.
Firstly, Kate, the heroine, is the daughter of a whore who abandons her at an orphanage aged 9 after she has already witnessed the seedy underbelly of life. When Kate's long career as a teacher of history and elocution at the orphanage comes to an abrupt end, she finds herself without options at age 29.
Having always wanted a family and with time running out for her she begins a correspondence with a rancher in Texas and falls in love with the person he proclaims himself to be in his letters. She marries him by proxy, leaved Maine and embarks for Texas, ready to start her new life. But when she gets there, Reed, her husband, has no idea who she is and that they are married.
He also has a son who has been living with the Comanche for many years and behaves like a hostile. There isn't much Kate can do but try to make the best of the situation by looking after the boy and the man as a housekeeper rather than a wife. But those pesky feelings start getting in the way and, well, you know the rest.
I have to say, though I am not American and I don't have a great understanding of First Nation history, I did think the author seemed sensitive to Comanche history in a way that appeared well-researched. This was a really good read and I am looking forward to more from this author.
July 24, 2019
After staying up entirely too late to finish this wonderful book, I can officially proclaim it to be binge-worthy. This was the first time I’ve read anything by this author as well as anything having to do with Texas Rangers or even set in Texas, but it won’t be the last. I loved the author’s writing style, the plot, and the characters most of all. Women in fiction are not always given the opportunity to be human, with both strengths and weaknesses, so I was pleased to see that the women in this book really felt like 3-dimensional people. That was actually the case for all the characters, aside from a couple we wouldn’t want to take the time to get to know better anyway. I also appreciated that the pages were filled with discussions, situations, and descriptions instead of mental monologues, and despite that this book’s premise was a giant case of miscommunication, deliberate refusal to communicate did not drive the plot. Additionally, the sexism was kept to a minimum, and the Commanche-Ranger skirmishes/battles weren’t at all black & white. Also it should be noted that the steamy moments included lots of delicious anticipation, which is not something most authors accomplish. I think anybody who enjoys historical fiction of any sort will love this book.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
May 31, 2020
I struggled a bit with rating this book. There were times during the book when I was thoroughly engaged and moved and others when I couldn’t wait to get through the scene it was so boring. After sleeping on it, I’ve come to the following conclusions.
1. I liked Kate, she was a naive, optimistic, sweet, a genuine person
2. I could’ve liked Reeds character, but it wasn’t explored enough. His back story was compelling, but quite frankly he wasn’t in the book enough and so his “growth” as a person feels rushed and not very realistic.
3. Charm, Jonah, and the preacher as secondary characters were very clichéd and didn’t add a whole lot to the book (though I did enjoy Scrappy)
4. The moving, and interesting parts in this story actually centre around Daniel\Fast Pony. His struggle to come to grips with what’s happened, the way he sees the world, his growing affection for Kate (that he doesn’t understand) all very sweet and compelling.
So did I enjoy the love story? Not so much. But Daniel’s story was heartbreakingly wonderful.
1. I liked Kate, she was a naive, optimistic, sweet, a genuine person
2. I could’ve liked Reeds character, but it wasn’t explored enough. His back story was compelling, but quite frankly he wasn’t in the book enough and so his “growth” as a person feels rushed and not very realistic.
3. Charm, Jonah, and the preacher as secondary characters were very clichéd and didn’t add a whole lot to the book (though I did enjoy Scrappy)
4. The moving, and interesting parts in this story actually centre around Daniel\Fast Pony. His struggle to come to grips with what’s happened, the way he sees the world, his growing affection for Kate (that he doesn’t understand) all very sweet and compelling.
So did I enjoy the love story? Not so much. But Daniel’s story was heartbreakingly wonderful.
July 16, 2023
This was a really good read and I can’t believe it doesn’t have a higher rating. I read a bunch of mail order bride stories, they’re one of my favorite tropes, two people thrown together only conversing through letters and trying to form a relationship. This story is one of the better ones. Each of the main characters had a past with so much hurt and loss. Kate came from a life of loneliness and dreamed of having a home of her own with a husband and children who loved her. Answering an add for a mail order bride for a rancher from Texas, through letters she begins to fall in love with the man she thinks is to be her husband and marries him through proxy only to find out that things aren’t as they should be once she finally meets her groom. Reed has suffered the loss of his wife and the capture of his young son to Indians and has vowed to never give his love to another again.
This story was about stubborn pride, forgiveness, second chances and learning to love again. For Kate it was about not settling and not giving up on her dreams.
This story was about stubborn pride, forgiveness, second chances and learning to love again. For Kate it was about not settling and not giving up on her dreams.
May 16, 2019
Kate Whittington was brought up in an orphanage and has never known a normal family life. Kate's mother was a prostitute and was unable to take care of Kate. After living in the orphanage and staying there to teach Kate must find a life on her own. Kate answers an ad from a lonely Texas Widower seeking a mail order bride. Unknown to Kate this ranchers's father had actually posted the ad and not the rancher himself. This is the old west and Indians are still on the warpath. Reed Benton lost his wife and son in a Comanche raid and now the young boy has been found but he truly is a wild Indian.Reed does not want a wife but Kate is a kind and loving person and takes the young boy under her wing.
May 26, 2019
Kate Whittington was a daughter of the town tramp. She was abandoned by her mother and left at a orphanage. When she lost her job she answered a newspaper ad to be a bride. She marries proxy and is happy to become a wife. When she gets there the man she thought she married denies that he wrote the ad. Reed is a Texas Ranger and has no plans on a wife after his was killed by the Comanche and his son was taken. Reed becomes injured by the Comanche trying to save a young man who happens to be his son. This is a beautiful story of forgiveness. It is a book i could not put down. Loved the story . Well written. This is my first book of Jill Marie Landis but will not be last. Thanks NetGalley for allowing me to give my opinion and finding another interesting Author.
May 6, 2018
I liked this book ... I confess to enjoying a good mail order bride story but it's difficult to find one that strays from the typical plot sequence along the way to HEA. I knew the direction this one was heading but I wouldn't call it predictable. It wasn't too spicy but it had a couple intimate scenes that were integral to the storyline rather than gratuitous. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy a spicy romance and I am not a fan of the 'sweet' and 'inspirational' versions that seem to be overrunning the western historical romance genre that I love. But, I don't really enjoy stories that seem to be structured around a plot that reads like 'insert bedroom scene here'.
May 29, 2020
This was a good fast read book. It takes place late 1800's. Kate grew to 9 with a harlot mother, then she was dropped at the orphanage. When she was old enough she taught there until they were moving and she would have to leave.
She answered an ad from Texas for a guy who was looking for a bride. She was chosen noy knowing it was a setup by a father to get his son to settle down before he died.
Reed was a Ranger who's wife had died and his son had been stolen ny the Cherokees. He found his son and returned home as his dad was in his coffin.
Read the book to see what happens. It is very good.
She answered an ad from Texas for a guy who was looking for a bride. She was chosen noy knowing it was a setup by a father to get his son to settle down before he died.
Reed was a Ranger who's wife had died and his son had been stolen ny the Cherokees. He found his son and returned home as his dad was in his coffin.
Read the book to see what happens. It is very good.
October 15, 2018
Westerns are not my favorite but this one is a winner! Orphan Kate left Maine to join her new husband she had married by proxy in Texas. When she arrives she discovers it was a wish of his father's for him to marry even though he knew nothing of the plan. The result is a journey through the Texas prairie with emotions billowing like a roller coaster. Great read
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