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The Cowboys #1
Jake
The freedom of the range, the bawling of the longhorns, the lonesome night watch beneath a vast, starry sky--they got into a man's blood until he knew there was nothing better than the life of a cowboy...except the love of a good woman.
Isabelle
Born and bred in Savannah, Georgia, she was the kind of woman Jake Maxwell avoided at all cost. "Neat as a pin and stiff as starch," he classified her when she and her wagonload of orphans pulled up to his Texas ranch. But without any men of his own, the boys under her care were Jake's only chance of driving his beeves to market. Still, he couldn't help wondering if he could teach a gang of outlaws-in-the-making to herd cattle...if he could keep his hands off the oh-so-proper belle...if there was any way at all to stop Isabelle from branding his heart as her own.
Isabelle
Born and bred in Savannah, Georgia, she was the kind of woman Jake Maxwell avoided at all cost. "Neat as a pin and stiff as starch," he classified her when she and her wagonload of orphans pulled up to his Texas ranch. But without any men of his own, the boys under her care were Jake's only chance of driving his beeves to market. Still, he couldn't help wondering if he could teach a gang of outlaws-in-the-making to herd cattle...if he could keep his hands off the oh-so-proper belle...if there was any way at all to stop Isabelle from branding his heart as her own.
391 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
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469 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 23, 2011
Nice intro book to a 13 book series. I adore historical American westerns, so I am pretty sure I will continue with this series.
Jake came back from the civil war to find that most of his family ranch has been taken up by squatters who now legally own this land. To top it all off, he has to pay them for damages to their crops and property because of his cattle. He lost his father and brother to the war and his mother ran off when he was a child. He has women issues.
Isabelle is from a well to do southern family, who has lost all her family, spent 2 years in an orphanage,and was almost raped. She has men issues.
Isabelle is taking a group of orphans, that are all boys and on their last chance, to farmers in Texas. She winds up stopping with the wagon of boys on Jake's ranch. She comes to find out after coming across a boy half dead, that the farmers are very bad people and she and Jake work out a deal to save the boys and his ranch.
The story has a wonderful romance in it and the boys are all interesting characters. Some of them just broke my heart.
Jake came back from the civil war to find that most of his family ranch has been taken up by squatters who now legally own this land. To top it all off, he has to pay them for damages to their crops and property because of his cattle. He lost his father and brother to the war and his mother ran off when he was a child. He has women issues.
Isabelle is from a well to do southern family, who has lost all her family, spent 2 years in an orphanage,and was almost raped. She has men issues.
Isabelle is taking a group of orphans, that are all boys and on their last chance, to farmers in Texas. She winds up stopping with the wagon of boys on Jake's ranch. She comes to find out after coming across a boy half dead, that the farmers are very bad people and she and Jake work out a deal to save the boys and his ranch.
The story has a wonderful romance in it and the boys are all interesting characters. Some of them just broke my heart.
July 11, 2012
I've read all the Cowboys series. I loved them all. I sent Leigh Greenwood an email asking when he'll publish the rest of the family, cause it was something like two years passed and there was no knew book for the next family member. I was thilled when he emailed me back and answered my question.
September 19, 2012
I've read about 50 pages and Isabelle is annoying me so much that I'm almost one step away from closing the book for good. From the middle to the end I read between the lines in order to finish it as soon as i can. Isabelle didn't got any better I don't how anyone in his right mind would want to be with her. She is stubborn and awfully annoying and she ruined the whole book...
November 21, 2024
Джейк Максуел и Изабел Дейвънпорт
Джейк е бивш офицер от войната между Севера и Юга. Щом се завръща у дома, намира, че най-хубавите му земи са заграбени от група алчни фермери. Сега фермерите претендират, че земите са техни и заплашват постоянно Джейк, че ще убият кравите му, ако не ги загради. Джейк обаче няма финансите да стори това. Той е напълно разорен, работи абсолютно сам и едиснтвеният му шанс е да закара кравите в далеч,за да ги продаде. Проблема обаче е, че сам не може да дамгоса и прекара толкова много добитък, а няма абсолютно никакви пари да наеме работна ръка... а дори да има пари, фермерите са се погрижили никой да не иска да работи за него. Той е в пълна безизходица, гневен и отчаян... и за капак пред дома си намира една префинена госпожица и куп непокорни младежи.
След като губи семейството си, Избаел е изпратена в сиропиталище, където прекарва цялото си детство. Сега тя работи като учителка и се е заела да заведе група момчета от сиропиталището в Остин до малко селище на фермери където момчетата да бъдат осиновени. Те са диви и непокорни, всеки със свой проблем и минало и тези фермери са единственият им шанс за добър живот. Брет, Пит, Шон, Нощния Ястреб, братята Чат и Люк и братята Мат и Уил, нямат друг шанс, ако не бъдат осиновени по-големите ще свършат в затвора, а по-малките ще бъдат оставени на улицата. Когато обаче на пътят към фермерското жилище намират Бък, момче толкова слабо и така жестоко пребито, и научават, че фермерите използват децата като роби, Изабел отказва да ги предаде на фермерите. Но какво да прави. Момчетата не искат да се върнат в Остин и тя е в безизходица. Докато на Джейк не му идва идеята, че може да наеме големите момчета да работят за него. Той е готов да вземе Чат, Шон, Мат и Нощтния Ястреб, но останалие са прекалено малки, или прекалено болни в случая на Бък, че да ги вземе със себе си. Единственият начин по който ще се съгласи да вземе всичко деца и да не разделя братята е, ако Изабел дойде с тях, за да готви и да се грижи за малките. Изабел знае, че репутацията й ще е напълно съсипана, но ако не го направи, децата няма да имат никакъв шанс. И така тя и Джейк повеждат група диви тийнеджъри през пустощта към Санта Фе,за да продадат добитъка на Джейк.
Книгата е мнооого забавна, супер имтересна. Всяко от момчетата си има своята тъмна история, всяко от тях е измъчвано от своите демони. Самите момчета не се харесват едно друго, но Джейк ще съумее да ги направи една добре смазана машина, а Изабел да ги превърне в семейство. По пътят им, те ще се сдобият с Зийк, който е още едно момче породбено от фермерите, което е спасено от Бък, ще срещнат военния лекар Уорд и детето Дрю, за което той се грижи откакто семейството на Дрю е нападнато и родители й убити от индианци. Ще трябва да се борят с фермерите, прородните стихии и собствените си разногласия, а Изабел и Джейк ще трябва да решат дали всеки от тях ще поеме по своя път или ще останат заедно и ще осогурят дом за групата деца.
Много силни начало на една доста голяма поредица, книгите в нея са 13. За съжаление имаме издадени у нас само мпървите 3, Джейк, Уорд и Бък. Определено смятам да се напъна да изчета останалите 10. Ако имаха аудио до сега да съм ги отметнала, но за съжаление нямат.
Джейк е бивш офицер от войната между Севера и Юга. Щом се завръща у дома, намира, че най-хубавите му земи са заграбени от група алчни фермери. Сега фермерите претендират, че земите са техни и заплашват постоянно Джейк, че ще убият кравите му, ако не ги загради. Джейк обаче няма финансите да стори това. Той е напълно разорен, работи абсолютно сам и едиснтвеният му шанс е да закара кравите в далеч,за да ги продаде. Проблема обаче е, че сам не може да дамгоса и прекара толкова много добитък, а няма абсолютно никакви пари да наеме работна ръка... а дори да има пари, фермерите са се погрижили никой да не иска да работи за него. Той е в пълна безизходица, гневен и отчаян... и за капак пред дома си намира една префинена госпожица и куп непокорни младежи.
След като губи семейството си, Избаел е изпратена в сиропиталище, където прекарва цялото си детство. Сега тя работи като учителка и се е заела да заведе група момчета от сиропиталището в Остин до малко селище на фермери където момчетата да бъдат осиновени. Те са диви и непокорни, всеки със свой проблем и минало и тези фермери са единственият им шанс за добър живот. Брет, Пит, Шон, Нощния Ястреб, братята Чат и Люк и братята Мат и Уил, нямат друг шанс, ако не бъдат осиновени по-големите ще свършат в затвора, а по-малките ще бъдат оставени на улицата. Когато обаче на пътят към фермерското жилище намират Бък, момче толкова слабо и така жестоко пребито, и научават, че фермерите използват децата като роби, Изабел отказва да ги предаде на фермерите. Но какво да прави. Момчетата не искат да се върнат в Остин и тя е в безизходица. Докато на Джейк не му идва идеята, че може да наеме големите момчета да работят за него. Той е готов да вземе Чат, Шон, Мат и Нощтния Ястреб, но останалие са прекалено малки, или прекалено болни в случая на Бък, че да ги вземе със себе си. Единственият начин по който ще се съгласи да вземе всичко деца и да не разделя братята е, ако Изабел дойде с тях, за да готви и да се грижи за малките. Изабел знае, че репутацията й ще е напълно съсипана, но ако не го направи, децата няма да имат никакъв шанс. И така тя и Джейк повеждат група диви тийнеджъри през пустощта към Санта Фе,за да продадат добитъка на Джейк.
Книгата е мнооого забавна, супер имтересна. Всяко от момчетата си има своята тъмна история, всяко от тях е измъчвано от своите демони. Самите момчета не се харесват едно друго, но Джейк ще съумее да ги направи една добре смазана машина, а Изабел да ги превърне в семейство. По пътят им, те ще се сдобият с Зийк, който е още едно момче породбено от фермерите, което е спасено от Бък, ще срещнат военния лекар Уорд и детето Дрю, за което той се грижи откакто семейството на Дрю е нападнато и родители й убити от индианци. Ще трябва да се борят с фермерите, прородните стихии и собствените си разногласия, а Изабел и Джейк ще трябва да решат дали всеки от тях ще поеме по своя път или ще останат заедно и ще осогурят дом за групата деца.
Много силни начало на една доста голяма поредица, книгите в нея са 13. За съжаление имаме издадени у нас само мпървите 3, Джейк, Уорд и Бък. Определено смятам да се напъна да изчета останалите 10. Ако имаха аудио до сега да съм ги отметнала, но за съжаление нямат.
June 22, 2018
I love this series
Ive read these and have owned them in paperback, i thought it was time to read them again and own them on Amazon.
Jake has always been my favorite of all of the guys in this series.
Ive read these and have owned them in paperback, i thought it was time to read them again and own them on Amazon.
Jake has always been my favorite of all of the guys in this series.
July 20, 2013
loved this series!! can't wait to finish the rest of the books!
March 8, 2017
I need this book to be about an orphan for a reading challenge. This book came up on Listopia.
Jake is not the orphan in this book. He is a rancher that's come back from the Civil War and finds his Hill County ranch in Texas with farmers on it and they don't plan to leave. Isabelle Davenport makes camp on Jake's front yard of his ranch with 8 orphan boys. She is taking them to the farmers who want to adopt the boys. When Jake and Isabelle meet it's like fire and gasoline. He thinks she is a Southern Lady from Savannah snobbish and snooty and doesn't know anything about Texas. He warns her against the farmers but she calls him all kinds of snobbish names. He goes off in a huff.
The boys ages from 8 to 17 are unwanted by anyone but her, she is convinced the boys will be treated well by the farmers but the boys know better. When she starts down the road the next day to meet with the farmers they find another boy collapsed in the road. He has been badly beaten and starved. He is so weak the boys have to pick him up to put him in the wagon when they try he cries out in pain because his back is raw with open and infected wounds. He's run away from the farmers.
Jake and Isabelle and the boys try to work together to save his ranch with a cattle drive to Santa Fe.
It is an exciting and sad drive. The boy's stories are sad they will break your heart so will Isabelle's and Jake's. They all are lost and alone they need to grow to like each other and work together if they have a chance. I loved this story!!
Jake is not the orphan in this book. He is a rancher that's come back from the Civil War and finds his Hill County ranch in Texas with farmers on it and they don't plan to leave. Isabelle Davenport makes camp on Jake's front yard of his ranch with 8 orphan boys. She is taking them to the farmers who want to adopt the boys. When Jake and Isabelle meet it's like fire and gasoline. He thinks she is a Southern Lady from Savannah snobbish and snooty and doesn't know anything about Texas. He warns her against the farmers but she calls him all kinds of snobbish names. He goes off in a huff.
The boys ages from 8 to 17 are unwanted by anyone but her, she is convinced the boys will be treated well by the farmers but the boys know better. When she starts down the road the next day to meet with the farmers they find another boy collapsed in the road. He has been badly beaten and starved. He is so weak the boys have to pick him up to put him in the wagon when they try he cries out in pain because his back is raw with open and infected wounds. He's run away from the farmers.
Jake and Isabelle and the boys try to work together to save his ranch with a cattle drive to Santa Fe.
It is an exciting and sad drive. The boy's stories are sad they will break your heart so will Isabelle's and Jake's. They all are lost and alone they need to grow to like each other and work together if they have a chance. I loved this story!!
July 28, 2017
Full package story with great character development and lovely love story! <3
One of the reason this books is wonderful for me is because of the emotion ... and the children
A wonderful tale of love and finding place to belong with the people you least expected to be with....
One of the reason this books is wonderful for me is because of the emotion ... and the children
A wonderful tale of love and finding place to belong with the people you least expected to be with....
March 28, 2020
Great Read
I can’t say how many times I have read this book. I love this book and the whole series. There is no way you can keep from falling in love with Jake and Isabelle and the orphans! It’s a beautiful well written and often funny book. I highly recommend it!!
I can’t say how many times I have read this book. I love this book and the whole series. There is no way you can keep from falling in love with Jake and Isabelle and the orphans! It’s a beautiful well written and often funny book. I highly recommend it!!
March 25, 2018
Good very good
this book held my interest . I like western and was pleased with this one. Will read more by this auther
this book held my interest . I like western and was pleased with this one. Will read more by this auther
August 6, 2018
Nice tension between the main characters.
February 11, 2021
cute. I do like the way he writes. the story flows easily and the characters are all right. some of the plot is rather trite but that is good when you want an escape without a lot of depth.
May 9, 2022
Great read though some references are dated. A keeper.
April 4, 2025
5 stars fir the boys.
Read
September 27, 2024I read some of these books in the series (I can't remember which ones specifically, except for Matt's) when I was younger because my mom owned them. Decided to give them another go in the 2020s. I enjoyed this one. Jake and Isabelle were a trip. The boys were also fun.
Just found out these were written by a man, wow.
Just found out these were written by a man, wow.
July 15, 2025
Heavy on the western, light on the romance. I still enjoyed it but the cover is a bit misleading. I was expecting, well, flames and all there was was a light smolder.
January 23, 2015
¿Qué puedo decir? Me gusta tanto el autor y su estilo de escribir que no pude evitar seguirme con esta saga. No me gustó mucho los personajes de Isabelle y Jake. Ella era demasiado terca y él igual, nunca se ponían de acuerdo y te rematabas hojas y hojas con sus discusiones con soluciones tan sencillas.
Tampoco el hecho que se manejaran tantos personajes, 11 niños huefarnos con distintas personalidades y traumas que te dejaban ganas de saber más de ellos. Batallé bastante con saber quien eran quien, confundía un niño con otro y cuando por fin los difererencié, supe cuantos eran y sus nombres ya iba a más de la mitad. Matt fue que el más me intrigó junto con su hermano Will, al igual que Pete y Bret.
En fin, no estoy segura si leer el segundo o saltarme al tercero que me llama un poco más la atención.
Tampoco el hecho que se manejaran tantos personajes, 11 niños huefarnos con distintas personalidades y traumas que te dejaban ganas de saber más de ellos. Batallé bastante con saber quien eran quien, confundía un niño con otro y cuando por fin los difererencié, supe cuantos eran y sus nombres ya iba a más de la mitad. Matt fue que el más me intrigó junto con su hermano Will, al igual que Pete y Bret.
En fin, no estoy segura si leer el segundo o saltarme al tercero que me llama un poco más la atención.
November 19, 2016
A great read time and time again
The first of a great series, reminiscent tones of a classic western film The Cowboys staring John Wayne but with a charm of it own. Jake is a man marked by his past and uncertain of his future until he meet a lady who wants to find homes for her eight troubled orphan charges. HE A, no cliff hanger
The first of a great series, reminiscent tones of a classic western film The Cowboys staring John Wayne but with a charm of it own. Jake is a man marked by his past and uncertain of his future until he meet a lady who wants to find homes for her eight troubled orphan charges. HE A, no cliff hanger
November 20, 2008
Pretty good story but I found the heroine, Isabelle, incredibly annoying most of the time with her holier-than-thou airs and self-righteous posturing. Jake was a little dumb but I was fascinated with the orphans. Each and every one of them were very interesting characters.
February 12, 2009
I enjoy westerns and romances. This one has both, but is different in that it is written by a man. Most western romance novels are written from a woman's perspective. The series has about ten books and they are all good.
September 17, 2012
<3 Loved! This was the book that took me to a period in time that I love reading about. I've loved all the books in this Cowboy series and went out and got all in the Seven Bride series! I have read every book I've found by this author and have not been disappointed.
September 20, 2008
I loved it. I stayed up till 1:30 am reading it, on a work night. I can't wait till I can get the next book in the series.
January 23, 2012
For a Weastern / Romance I thought it was pretty good.
Read
August 16, 2012great adventure
February 27, 2013
I haven't read a western in years. I enjoyed this one and will read the next one in the series.
November 24, 2013
This was an excellent book. A great start to the series. However, the story started dwindling around Sean.
February 15, 2014
I've read almost all the Cowboys books. This one is by far the best.
Read
July 5, 2011will read it later
October 25, 2017
Loved it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews