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Haven
Though it hadn't killed him, the gunshot wound to his chest was going to keep Sheriff Aaron McBain out of commission for a while. So he spent his days thinking about where he'd seen Susannah Carvel's face before.
By the time he'd recovered enough to recall that it had been on a WANTED poster, he couldn't believe that she was guilty of any crime, let alone murder!
Susannah claimed that she'd been framed, but he would need to buy some time to prove her innocence. Giving her his name was the only way Aaron could think of to keep her safe from harm and to silence the local tongues whose gossip might expose her. And he was beginning to realize that protecting Susannah had become the only thing in the world that truly mattered.
By the time he'd recovered enough to recall that it had been on a WANTED poster, he couldn't believe that she was guilty of any crime, let alone murder!
Susannah claimed that she'd been framed, but he would need to buy some time to prove her innocence. Giving her his name was the only way Aaron could think of to keep her safe from harm and to silence the local tongues whose gossip might expose her. And he was beginning to realize that protecting Susannah had become the only thing in the world that truly mattered.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
36 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Davidson
68 books90 followersCarolyn Davidson began writing in 1986, knowing absolutely nothing about the craft. Her first three books were rejected by Harlequin.
She met Dixie Browning at a Harlequin dinner in Charleston, South Carolina, and told Dixie she was writing, but that she feared she was too old to begin such an undertaking. Dixie's response spurred Carolyn to pursue her dream. Dixie said, in her own inimitable fashion, "Well, honey, you can't start any younger!" And she was right.
Having spent her life as a wife, mother, grandmother, and working woman, she's privileged to have a career that makes her dreams possible. Writing historical romance gives her the opportunity to travel, to visit all those places where our forefathers staked their claim on this country of ours. And then she goes home and writes their stories, maybe not exactly as they lived them, but as her imagination portrays them.
Carolyn lives in the South, where romance thrives, and where the sun shines almost every day of the year. In fact, some days it is difficult to stay glued to her computer, especially when the birds are singing and the flowers are in full bloom.
She lives not far from the ocean, close to Charleston, South Carolina, one of the most romantic cities in the world. Moreover, time at the beach is easy to come by. Does she enjoy her life? You bet! Harlequin allows her to write the books she loves, and her editor is patient with her quirks and foibles. Her family, though scattered in various states, is supportive, and her husband is a constant source of inspiration.
She met Dixie Browning at a Harlequin dinner in Charleston, South Carolina, and told Dixie she was writing, but that she feared she was too old to begin such an undertaking. Dixie's response spurred Carolyn to pursue her dream. Dixie said, in her own inimitable fashion, "Well, honey, you can't start any younger!" And she was right.
Having spent her life as a wife, mother, grandmother, and working woman, she's privileged to have a career that makes her dreams possible. Writing historical romance gives her the opportunity to travel, to visit all those places where our forefathers staked their claim on this country of ours. And then she goes home and writes their stories, maybe not exactly as they lived them, but as her imagination portrays them.
Carolyn lives in the South, where romance thrives, and where the sun shines almost every day of the year. In fact, some days it is difficult to stay glued to her computer, especially when the birds are singing and the flowers are in full bloom.
She lives not far from the ocean, close to Charleston, South Carolina, one of the most romantic cities in the world. Moreover, time at the beach is easy to come by. Does she enjoy her life? You bet! Harlequin allows her to write the books she loves, and her editor is patient with her quirks and foibles. Her family, though scattered in various states, is supportive, and her husband is a constant source of inspiration.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 19, 2022
Still working to make up ground on the reading challenge, eep not much time left; let's get the stack of romances chipped down, and start with a smaller pile of older harlequin historicals.
Won't get into it much, as my complaints -- what didn't connect or work for me -- are basically laid out for the immediately previous Davidson book I read.
Again, some promise in the pages, but it never quite made it for me. And the almost florid, dense prose with almost saccharine sentiment, still not quite gelling for me. A lot of tell over show. Repetitious actions and dialogue to the point of tedium, and I don't mind someone falling apart here and there, but Susannah had no grit and no wins. She and Aaron endlessly reassuring each other "my minor teasing the single paragraph above this one wasn't meant to hurt aww let's get past this" made me wonder if they'll ever manage a straightforward conversation.
Won't get into it much, as my complaints -- what didn't connect or work for me -- are basically laid out for the immediately previous Davidson book I read.
Again, some promise in the pages, but it never quite made it for me. And the almost florid, dense prose with almost saccharine sentiment, still not quite gelling for me. A lot of tell over show. Repetitious actions and dialogue to the point of tedium, and I don't mind someone falling apart here and there, but Susannah had no grit and no wins. She and Aaron endlessly reassuring each other "my minor teasing the single paragraph above this one wasn't meant to hurt aww let's get past this" made me wonder if they'll ever manage a straightforward conversation.
September 28, 2018
Not a believable story. She has to stay with him and give him round the clock nursing care and he is unable to walk unassisted yet he is strong enough to prevent her from leaving?
June 14, 2019
Sheriff Aaron McBain awakens to find that he’s survived a gunshot but is going to be sidelined for a while because of the severity of his wound. The reader realizes that the good sheriff is not used to being abed and being told what to do. It isn't long before he starts telling the doctor and his nurse how things are going to be.
When they try to thwart the sheriff, he decides to hire the nurse away from the hospital. She agrees but McBain is unsettled; he knows he has seen his nurse before under other circumstances.
When he figures it out, he offers an unusual deal to his nurse; marry him and he would protect her and find out the real killer of Susannah’s husband, Senator Carvel. Unfortunately, Susannah is the only suspect and no one seems to be looking for any other explanation.
For me, the story started to drag a bit in the middle and I found it hard to imagine that the folks after Susannah didn’t just shoot her, rather than give her multiple chances. I was unimpressed with the sheriff when he demanded Susannah marry him immediately – especially after finding out how awful her marriage was with the senator.
Then I got over it when I saw that he really loved Susannah and wanted to protect her and this was the only way he could see to do it. An interesting story!
When they try to thwart the sheriff, he decides to hire the nurse away from the hospital. She agrees but McBain is unsettled; he knows he has seen his nurse before under other circumstances.
When he figures it out, he offers an unusual deal to his nurse; marry him and he would protect her and find out the real killer of Susannah’s husband, Senator Carvel. Unfortunately, Susannah is the only suspect and no one seems to be looking for any other explanation.
For me, the story started to drag a bit in the middle and I found it hard to imagine that the folks after Susannah didn’t just shoot her, rather than give her multiple chances. I was unimpressed with the sheriff when he demanded Susannah marry him immediately – especially after finding out how awful her marriage was with the senator.
Then I got over it when I saw that he really loved Susannah and wanted to protect her and this was the only way he could see to do it. An interesting story!
September 28, 2009
I only gave this book a three although it is a romance of intrigue and danger........I could put it down when needed. (NOTE: I only give a five to the Bible.)
Carolyn Davidson is a very good author.........and some other books I am sure will be page turnes that I won't be able to turn down and earn four stars. She has a real feel for the historical situation. I like the fact that she writes about sex in a loving and not shock-thrill lewed fashion. Some authors make sex the whole book, where others can mention it without going to extremes.
Carolyn Davidson is a very good author.........and some other books I am sure will be page turnes that I won't be able to turn down and earn four stars. She has a real feel for the historical situation. I like the fact that she writes about sex in a loving and not shock-thrill lewed fashion. Some authors make sex the whole book, where others can mention it without going to extremes.
May 23, 2012
Unfortunately, I got to page 220 and had to stop reading it. It just wasn't doing it for me, which surprised me because the other books I've read by Carolyn Davidson, I LOVED. This one just didn't go anywhere, and was too much telling and not enough action. Too much of them going back and forth on how much they loved the other, basically. It kept being repeated. But this won't deter me from reading her other books.
May 11, 2015
Not in a league with some of her others. Did not like the heroine who either wept or was scared most of the book. McBain was one dimensional, a cardboard cut out. Hattie was the only character with some depth and she was minor. No lawman ever shoots to shoot a gun out of a villian's hand only in very bad spaghetti westerns. The only astounding thing about this book, is that I skimmed it to the end.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews