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High Stakes
People do strange things when they're hurting, and Jamie Logan was at the end of her rope. Lonely, despairing, and angered by the taunting of a society friend, she impulsively agreed to a childish bet.
The dare was seduction--woo a "backwoods" man--and shy, solid Ren Garrett, a farmer far from Jamie's elite world, was the pawn.
But what began as a cool, calculated means to an end fast became something warm and wonderful, and the stakes soon pierced Jamie's conscience ... and her heart
The dare was seduction--woo a "backwoods" man--and shy, solid Ren Garrett, a farmer far from Jamie's elite world, was the pawn.
But what began as a cool, calculated means to an end fast became something warm and wonderful, and the stakes soon pierced Jamie's conscience ... and her heart
252 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 1989
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 11, 2019
3.5 stars
I will be upfront and say that this features a really immature, spoilt heroine at first who thoughtlessly made a cruel bet and comes across as one of those conniving HP heroes we love to hate yet the book did keep me engaged. This one features a shy, reserved hero who isn't terribly attractive or successful but has something more important a kind generous heart. The heroine thoughtlessly plays with his feelings and actually comes across as a spoilt 22-year-old. I liked how her dad told her off when her subterfuge was revealed. Of course it takes her a head bashing to realise she loved the hero, but ultimately the hero was a saint to take her back. All in all this one was very different in the sense it had a heroine behaving badly.
I will be upfront and say that this features a really immature, spoilt heroine at first who thoughtlessly made a cruel bet and comes across as one of those conniving HP heroes we love to hate yet the book did keep me engaged. This one features a shy, reserved hero who isn't terribly attractive or successful but has something more important a kind generous heart. The heroine thoughtlessly plays with his feelings and actually comes across as a spoilt 22-year-old. I liked how her dad told her off when her subterfuge was revealed. Of course it takes her a head bashing to realise she loved the hero, but ultimately the hero was a saint to take her back. All in all this one was very different in the sense it had a heroine behaving badly.
August 13, 2009
This unknown but sweet little category romance turned out to be a keeper for me. Lots of Angst.;D
Author AKA Lisa G. Brown
Author AKA Lisa G. Brown
July 7, 2013
2.25 Stars/5
Dana Warren Smith published this dated contemporary romance back in 1989. This is the only romance she wrote under this name. Then, in the 1990's, she wrote three more romances under Lisa G. Brown. There is very little known about her on the web except something one of her daughters wrote in 2009, "She teaches at Upperman High School in Baxter, TN. She has been especially busy over the last 5 years working towards her doctoral degree with an estimated date of completion in May 2010. She plans to retire from her teaching job in about 4.5 years."
HIGH STAKES is a reversal on all those romances where a man wagers he can win the love of a woman. Jamie Logan aka Jennifer Lynn gets sloshed and accepts a bet that she can spend a night with some guy in order to receive the last note written by her deceased sister. She wants to know what her sibling was thinking prior to dying in a car crash. Beautiful, rich and with a gorgeous boyfriend, she has it all. Except a caring personality.
Ren Garrett is sort of a loner. At 25, he leads a somewhat staid life working at a feed store while trying to make a go of his farm. He is not good-looking but his friendly manners draw women of all ages to him. He is content until Jennifer Lynn moves to town and treats him with some affection. She is out of his league and he knows this but he can't help but want something more from this pretty woman.
This could have earned more stars from me if I liked the, dare I say it, anti-heroine. And that is a first for me. I can't remember when, of all the romances that I have read over the years, I would ever have labeled a woman with this tag. For much of the story, Jamie thinks only of herself. She honestly knows what she is doing is wrong but thinks she is entitled to play this situation out for the greater good.
Ren treats her with love and respect before finding out what she has done. I can't give away too much more of the plot except to say that I really, really wanted to like this romance more.
Dana Warren Smith published this dated contemporary romance back in 1989. This is the only romance she wrote under this name. Then, in the 1990's, she wrote three more romances under Lisa G. Brown. There is very little known about her on the web except something one of her daughters wrote in 2009, "She teaches at Upperman High School in Baxter, TN. She has been especially busy over the last 5 years working towards her doctoral degree with an estimated date of completion in May 2010. She plans to retire from her teaching job in about 4.5 years."
HIGH STAKES is a reversal on all those romances where a man wagers he can win the love of a woman. Jamie Logan aka Jennifer Lynn gets sloshed and accepts a bet that she can spend a night with some guy in order to receive the last note written by her deceased sister. She wants to know what her sibling was thinking prior to dying in a car crash. Beautiful, rich and with a gorgeous boyfriend, she has it all. Except a caring personality.
Ren Garrett is sort of a loner. At 25, he leads a somewhat staid life working at a feed store while trying to make a go of his farm. He is not good-looking but his friendly manners draw women of all ages to him. He is content until Jennifer Lynn moves to town and treats him with some affection. She is out of his league and he knows this but he can't help but want something more from this pretty woman.
This could have earned more stars from me if I liked the, dare I say it, anti-heroine. And that is a first for me. I can't remember when, of all the romances that I have read over the years, I would ever have labeled a woman with this tag. For much of the story, Jamie thinks only of herself. She honestly knows what she is doing is wrong but thinks she is entitled to play this situation out for the greater good.
Ren treats her with love and respect before finding out what she has done. I can't give away too much more of the plot except to say that I really, really wanted to like this romance more.
August 24, 2021
This author knows how to spin a yarn. Heartwarming story! I recommend this book anytime! I own a copy and I read it repeatedly. I read somewhere that she also writes under the name Lisa G. Brown. I read two of her her books under this name and they were keepers too. Hope she writes more. Would be interested to know if she writes under any other names.
July 15, 2014
Lately I haven't been reading books like I used to. I've sort of taken a vacation from romances. But I did pick this one up last night. Just wanted a change of pace from what I've been doing for the past several months.
The blurb on this one said something to the extent that the hero was not attractive. And he was a farmer. BOOM. I'm caught already. I'm a SUCKER for this kind of hero. A little shy, maybe a little insecure, but attractive where it matters - on the inside.
I finished this book in a matter of hours. My heart hurt so bad when the heroine started in on her scheme. My heart hurt so bad, I very nearly put the book away... but I didn't. I'm a sucker for punishment, too, it seems.
The heroine in this book was not relate-able to me. And what she did to see her bet through was awful. They basically picked this poor guy out of the herd, then corralled him in this elaborate scheme.
The heroine was reluctant to see it through, didn't think she would hurt the guy, but things progressed, and the lies ensnared her and the whole sitch turned into a cluster. Until it blew up.
Sometimes the second half of a book, on down to the resolution, is not near as good as the culmination and all the cluster-making. I've learned to be disappointed in authors' endings. There aren't many endings that I've completely loved. I'm usually satisfied with a "satisfactory" grade. So this ending was no different. If I were this hero, though, reconciliation would have been a very difficult process.
3.5 Stars.
The blurb on this one said something to the extent that the hero was not attractive. And he was a farmer. BOOM. I'm caught already. I'm a SUCKER for this kind of hero. A little shy, maybe a little insecure, but attractive where it matters - on the inside.
I finished this book in a matter of hours. My heart hurt so bad when the heroine started in on her scheme. My heart hurt so bad, I very nearly put the book away... but I didn't. I'm a sucker for punishment, too, it seems.
The heroine in this book was not relate-able to me. And what she did to see her bet through was awful. They basically picked this poor guy out of the herd, then corralled him in this elaborate scheme.
The heroine was reluctant to see it through, didn't think she would hurt the guy, but things progressed, and the lies ensnared her and the whole sitch turned into a cluster. Until it blew up.
Sometimes the second half of a book, on down to the resolution, is not near as good as the culmination and all the cluster-making. I've learned to be disappointed in authors' endings. There aren't many endings that I've completely loved. I'm usually satisfied with a "satisfactory" grade. So this ending was no different. If I were this hero, though, reconciliation would have been a very difficult process.
3.5 Stars.
March 12, 2011
I read so many category romances back in the late 80's/early 90's and this is one of the very few I remember. I really regret donating it years ago.
I keep hoping a Kindle edition will pop up on Amazon one day for it but I think I just need to bite the bullet and try to buy a copy online somewhere.
I keep hoping a Kindle edition will pop up on Amazon one day for it but I think I just need to bite the bullet and try to buy a copy online somewhere.
October 9, 2017
Boring..., Yaaawn....
February 25, 2020
Delightful romance between a rich woman and a poor man.
September 21, 2016
"What's a girl like you doin' with somebody like me?"
His blunt question stunned Jamie, and she stammered, " I don't understand."
His brown eyes were angry, "Sure you do. You're no fool, I'm not exactly handsome, or rich, or anything, Girls don't fall over me like they do Ben Dalton."
She tried to sidetrack him, "Oh, come on, Ren, you can't tell me you never had a girlfriend before."
"No, I can't, I've had'em. But, that's not what I'm talkin' about. "You're....... you're beautiful. And there's something about you that says pretty plain you've had a lot of money. The men in this town are right on the edge of makin' fools of themselves over you."
He paused, then continued slowly. "You come after me. You know you did. Nobody would believe it. Hell, I don't even believe it. " He yanked at the grass beside him impatiently. "I want to know why."....
His blunt question stunned Jamie, and she stammered, " I don't understand."
His brown eyes were angry, "Sure you do. You're no fool, I'm not exactly handsome, or rich, or anything, Girls don't fall over me like they do Ben Dalton."
She tried to sidetrack him, "Oh, come on, Ren, you can't tell me you never had a girlfriend before."
"No, I can't, I've had'em. But, that's not what I'm talkin' about. "You're....... you're beautiful. And there's something about you that says pretty plain you've had a lot of money. The men in this town are right on the edge of makin' fools of themselves over you."
He paused, then continued slowly. "You come after me. You know you did. Nobody would believe it. Hell, I don't even believe it. " He yanked at the grass beside him impatiently. "I want to know why."....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2023
This is an old friend, this book--the first romance by Lisa G. Brown under a different name. Re-reading it in 2023 when I came upon it unloading boxes of books, I couldn't miss the unlikely plot, the occasional corniness of the dialogue, but I read it straight through and still felt the feelings. I am not sure I'll ever read it again, but I'm not getting rid of it, either.
March 16, 2011
A piece of advice, girl - don't throw away something good. Years get long when you let pride rule.
* * *
Jamie looked upon the strangeness as just an echo of her own mixed-up life. She swung from depression to fury to resignation.
* * *
Jamie looked upon the strangeness as just an echo of her own mixed-up life. She swung from depression to fury to resignation.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews