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Rebel Brides #1
To Claim a Wife
REBEL BRIDES
Two rebellious cousins -- and the men who tame them?
Caitlin Bodine is the black sheep of her family. She's shunned by her cousin Maddie -- but no one's bad opinion of her hurts so much as Reno Duvall's. As a young girl, Caitlin hero-worshipped him. As a woman, she's haunted by a tragedy Reno will never forgive...
Reno Duvall blames Caitlin for his brother's death. He can't believe she has the nerve to return after all these years! So why can't he stop thinking about her? Caitlin is simply too wild to wed, but suddenly Reno finds himself longing to claim her as his wife!
Two rebellious cousins -- and the men who tame them?
Caitlin Bodine is the black sheep of her family. She's shunned by her cousin Maddie -- but no one's bad opinion of her hurts so much as Reno Duvall's. As a young girl, Caitlin hero-worshipped him. As a woman, she's haunted by a tragedy Reno will never forgive...
Reno Duvall blames Caitlin for his brother's death. He can't believe she has the nerve to return after all these years! So why can't he stop thinking about her? Caitlin is simply too wild to wed, but suddenly Reno finds himself longing to claim her as his wife!
Paperback
First published May 1, 1999
About the author
Susan Fox
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Susan grew up with her sister, Janet, and her brother, Steven, on an acreage near Des Moines, Iowa, where, besides a jillion stray cats and dogs, two horses, and a pony, her favorite pet and confidant was Rex, her brown-and-white pinto gelding.
Susan has raised two sons, Jeffrey and Patrick, and currently lives in a house that she laughingly refers to as the Landfill and Book Repository. She writes with the help and hindrance of five mischievous shorthaired felines: Gabby, a talkative tortoiseshell calico; Buster, a solid lion-yellow with white legs and facial markings; his sister, Pixie, a tri-color calico; Toonses, a plump black-and-white; and the cheerily diabolical, naughty black tiger Eddie, aka Eduardo de Lover.
Susan is a bookaholic and movie fan who loves cowboys, rodeos, and the American West, past and present. She has an intense interest in storytelling of all kinds and in politics, and she claims the two are often interchangeable.
Susan loves writing complex characters in emotionally intense situations, and hopes her readers enjoy her ranch stories and are uplifted by their happy endings.
Susan grew up with her sister, Janet, and her brother, Steven, on an acreage near Des Moines, Iowa, where, besides a jillion stray cats and dogs, two horses, and a pony, her favorite pet and confidant was Rex, her brown-and-white pinto gelding.
Susan has raised two sons, Jeffrey and Patrick, and currently lives in a house that she laughingly refers to as the Landfill and Book Repository. She writes with the help and hindrance of five mischievous shorthaired felines: Gabby, a talkative tortoiseshell calico; Buster, a solid lion-yellow with white legs and facial markings; his sister, Pixie, a tri-color calico; Toonses, a plump black-and-white; and the cheerily diabolical, naughty black tiger Eddie, aka Eduardo de Lover.
Susan is a bookaholic and movie fan who loves cowboys, rodeos, and the American West, past and present. She has an intense interest in storytelling of all kinds and in politics, and she claims the two are often interchangeable.
Susan loves writing complex characters in emotionally intense situations, and hopes her readers enjoy her ranch stories and are uplifted by their happy endings.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
May 17, 2021
Another fun tortured heroine story from Susan Fox. I hope someone can enlighten me why I find heroines who are unjustly accused (especially by the hero) so fascinating to read. Susan Fox writes this trope so well because she never pulls her punches and she usually has the entire community against the heroine at the beginning. This story is no different.
Katie V wrote a thorough review with plot summary, so I won't repeat it here. The main conflict is that the hero thinks the 18 year-old heroine caused his brother's death when he was swept away by a flash flood five years ago. She has been in exile from the ranch ever since. The story opens when she returns for her father's death bed.
After all the torment of the heroine by the hero, I enjoyed that the heroine didn't instantly forgive the hero or trust the sudden good will of the townspeople after she Without that catalyst would the hero have changed his mind on his own? It doesn't seem like it. He was as locked in the past as the bitter, crazy-pants father was.
But once the hero clued in, then he did a fairly decent grovel with words and actions without enduring a personality transplant. An enemies to lovers story like this is hard to pull off and the author did fine job keeping up the emotions - both negative and positive - until the last page. A fun read for angst and injustice junkies.
Katie V wrote a thorough review with plot summary, so I won't repeat it here. The main conflict is that the hero thinks the 18 year-old heroine caused his brother's death when he was swept away by a flash flood five years ago. She has been in exile from the ranch ever since. The story opens when she returns for her father's death bed.
After all the torment of the heroine by the hero, I enjoyed that the heroine didn't instantly forgive the hero or trust the sudden good will of the townspeople after she Without that catalyst would the hero have changed his mind on his own? It doesn't seem like it. He was as locked in the past as the bitter, crazy-pants father was.
But once the hero clued in, then he did a fairly decent grovel with words and actions without enduring a personality transplant. An enemies to lovers story like this is hard to pull off and the author did fine job keeping up the emotions - both negative and positive - until the last page. A fun read for angst and injustice junkies.
February 9, 2016
Bring on the pain! If you're in the mood for a heroine being put through the wringer of emotional and physical pain this is a good one.
The poor heroine in this truly needed years of therapy to deal with her childhood, but in Harlequin Land true love fixes all. If you can go with that and are an angst-junkie, this is a worthwhile read.
I've just discovered Susan Fox and she really is a good writer even though I'd like to slap her heroes upside the head with a blunt object. Her prose is very readable and flows well. I don't feel like I'm slogging through. From what I've seen it appears her niche was contemporary westerns (I understand she no longer writes).
The heroine is raised on a ranch. The people in the town are horrible! Confirms my suspicion that most people are decent individuals, but if you get them into a group everything quickly sinks to the level of the lowest common denominator. I'm a cynical old b*, obviously.
The heroine was 8 when her mom died. After that she was pretty much left on her own. She got some affection from a few of the old ranch hands, but her dad was a cold, cruel, POS. Then her dad meets a new woman and things get even worse for her. This woman has a son close to the heroine's age and another who is 10 years older and not around a lot as he has taken over the responsibility for his dead father's ranch (he turns out to be the hero).
The heroine's father immediately embraces the hero's younger brother. He makes him the son he never had and neglects the heroine even more, if that's possible. This younger brother is also a spoiled piece of work who is cruel to the heroine whenever he thinks no one is looking. The step mom is just as bad.
The hero was around off and on during these years. He senses that the heroine isn't being treated fairly and tries to be kind to her when he's around, but when she becomes a teen and he senses she has a crush, he distances himself not wanting to get himself into an inappropriate situation with an underage girl. This hurts the heroine greatly since he was her first/only love and she feels she is always being rejected.
When the heroine is around 17-18, she is riding the range and gets caught in a flash flood. The hero's brother does save her from a gully that's gotten flooded, but then he proceeds to sexually harass her. He had a rope around her that he'd used to pull her up out of the water and wouldn't let her take it off and was making her feel threatened. The old ranch hands had heard him saying inappropriate things before, so when they come upon this situation they know what's going on and are determined to intervene. The ranch hands are a distance away from the action trying to get there on horseback. From what they can see the step bro is strutting around on the edge of a gully and keeping the heroine on the ground and pulling at the rope around her waist.
The heroine says that she cautioned the step bro (who was known to be a daredevil) to stay away from the edge of the cliff. He wouldn't listen, of course, and the ledge collapses. He drops the rope when this happens (luckily for the heroine), but grabs for the heroine's boot. She is, at the same moment, trying to scoot herself back from the crumbling ledge. With all the mud and panic, the step bro is unable to get purchase on the heroine's boot and he falls into the rain-filled gully and is drowned. The ranch hands make it to the scene in time to stop the heroine from jumping in to try and save the jerk and kill herself in the process.
The father and the stepmom blame the heroine and there is an inquest. The ranch hands testify to what they saw, but they do leave out the sexual harassment part. The kid is dead now and they decide it's probably not necessary to spoil his memory that badly. They feel it was obvious that the kid was being reckless and the heroine tried everything she could to save him and thought it sufficient to leave it at that. The judge agrees that nothing criminal happened and it was just an accident. No charges are pressed. However, the town still turns against the heroine, believing the stepmom's unfounded accusation that the heroine deliberately kicked the step bro away when he tried to grab for her boot. The heroine's father sends her away after the inquest, not wanting to even look at her. Luckily the heroine has inherited some $ from her maternal grandmother and is able to look after herself.
A few years later when the heroine is 22-23, she gets a summons from her older step bro stating that her father is dying and she needs to come home. She goes with a desperate hope that maybe her father has had a change of heart. He hasn't. He's still a bastard. The only thing he says to her is that he wants her to have a blood test and if she turns out to be his kid then he'll deed her half of the ranch with the other half going to the hero. If she fails the DNA test then she gets nothing. Then he dies before ever knowing the results of the test (this annoys me). But, at least now, the heroine has some sort of explanation for why her father never cared for her.
There is all sorts of drama while the heroine waits at the ranch for the blood test results. It's obvious the hero wants her, but he blames her for his little brother's death and finds his lust a betrayal. Then again, he sees things that make him feel compassion for the heroine. So he's all confused and reacts to it by being a complete and utter bastard for the most part with small acts of kindness tossed in here and there that just confuse the heroine more. All the while everyone else aside from the 3 old cowhands and the ranch's new housekeeper are complete and utter jerks to this poor girl.
The heroine finally decides she's had enough, she's leaving. She doesn't care about the blood test. She doesn't want the ranch. She has her own money and doesn't want to have anything to do with the town or the ranch. If the test comes back positive she plans to deed it all over to the hero and never come back. But, before she can make her escape the barn catches on fire. She knew it was some kids she'd caught smoking in there recently. She had even taken the two brothers to their parents and told them what they were doing and the risks, but instead of reading their kids the riot act they act all snippy that the evil murderous heroine would dare to scold their precious little angels. So guess what? The kids think they can freely smoke in the barn so they end up burning it down and the heroine is gravely injured pulling out the smallest of the two brothers.
Now the heroine is stuck in shit town. She has a severe concussion, a broken ankle, and burns she has to heal up from and no family to take care of her. The hero (having finally learned the full truth from the ranch hands) decides to take care of her. He also decides that there's no barrier to following through on his feelings for the heroine and sets out to aggressively pursue her. He also spreads the word about what really happened with his brother. That combined with the fact that she saved a child from a fire totally turns the tide of public opinion. The heroine is now the town darling.
The heroine doesn't give a rat's tiny a about their sudden 360. She still thinks the townfolk are a bunch of cruel, fickle, untrustworthy jerkoffs. Amen, sister!
The hero apologizes and he does take good care of the heroine in a bossy, I'm now controlling your life for your own good sort of way. He also insists he's signing over all his inheritance from his step-father to her regardless of what the blood tests may show.
She doesn't instantly fall into his arms. The fire happens around the 50% mark so there's plenty of time for the fallout, something that rarely happens. Usually all the secrets come out at about 90-95% and then we get a rushed HEA. The fact that we get to see him try to prove he's trustworthy and her tell him to get lost was a big bonus for me. I was thrilled.
Still, the hero was such a jerk in the first half that I can't give this 5 stars. I know his brother died and it drove his mom crazy, but he had absolutely no ability to see logic. Blaming the heroine made no sense no matter how any rational person looked at it. And the rest of that town! Ugh. What was wrong with those people?
Another thing that kept me from giving 5 stars was the fact that we don't know what happened other than the couple decide to marry. Was the heroine actually going to stay in that crap town and run her ranch around those narrow-minded simpletons? If she had any sense she would have sold the place to the investor who turned up in the end showing interest and then gone to live on the hero's ranch. I have a feeling that's probably what does happen, but you have to read the sequel about her crap cousin to find out.
Her crap cousin was someone who was like her sister who decided to turn against her too when the step bro died (apparently she fancied herself in love with him and a teenage crush obviously trumps a lifetime of sisterly affection). I saw nothing redeeming about the cousin in this book and have no interest in reading her story so guess I'll never know what happened. I'll just have to hope the heroine sold the ranch and left.
The poor heroine in this truly needed years of therapy to deal with her childhood, but in Harlequin Land true love fixes all. If you can go with that and are an angst-junkie, this is a worthwhile read.
I've just discovered Susan Fox and she really is a good writer even though I'd like to slap her heroes upside the head with a blunt object. Her prose is very readable and flows well. I don't feel like I'm slogging through. From what I've seen it appears her niche was contemporary westerns (I understand she no longer writes).
The heroine is raised on a ranch. The people in the town are horrible! Confirms my suspicion that most people are decent individuals, but if you get them into a group everything quickly sinks to the level of the lowest common denominator. I'm a cynical old b*, obviously.
The heroine was 8 when her mom died. After that she was pretty much left on her own. She got some affection from a few of the old ranch hands, but her dad was a cold, cruel, POS. Then her dad meets a new woman and things get even worse for her. This woman has a son close to the heroine's age and another who is 10 years older and not around a lot as he has taken over the responsibility for his dead father's ranch (he turns out to be the hero).
The heroine's father immediately embraces the hero's younger brother. He makes him the son he never had and neglects the heroine even more, if that's possible. This younger brother is also a spoiled piece of work who is cruel to the heroine whenever he thinks no one is looking. The step mom is just as bad.
The hero was around off and on during these years. He senses that the heroine isn't being treated fairly and tries to be kind to her when he's around, but when she becomes a teen and he senses she has a crush, he distances himself not wanting to get himself into an inappropriate situation with an underage girl. This hurts the heroine greatly since he was her first/only love and she feels she is always being rejected.
When the heroine is around 17-18, she is riding the range and gets caught in a flash flood. The hero's brother does save her from a gully that's gotten flooded, but then he proceeds to sexually harass her. He had a rope around her that he'd used to pull her up out of the water and wouldn't let her take it off and was making her feel threatened. The old ranch hands had heard him saying inappropriate things before, so when they come upon this situation they know what's going on and are determined to intervene. The ranch hands are a distance away from the action trying to get there on horseback. From what they can see the step bro is strutting around on the edge of a gully and keeping the heroine on the ground and pulling at the rope around her waist.
The heroine says that she cautioned the step bro (who was known to be a daredevil) to stay away from the edge of the cliff. He wouldn't listen, of course, and the ledge collapses. He drops the rope when this happens (luckily for the heroine), but grabs for the heroine's boot. She is, at the same moment, trying to scoot herself back from the crumbling ledge. With all the mud and panic, the step bro is unable to get purchase on the heroine's boot and he falls into the rain-filled gully and is drowned. The ranch hands make it to the scene in time to stop the heroine from jumping in to try and save the jerk and kill herself in the process.
The father and the stepmom blame the heroine and there is an inquest. The ranch hands testify to what they saw, but they do leave out the sexual harassment part. The kid is dead now and they decide it's probably not necessary to spoil his memory that badly. They feel it was obvious that the kid was being reckless and the heroine tried everything she could to save him and thought it sufficient to leave it at that. The judge agrees that nothing criminal happened and it was just an accident. No charges are pressed. However, the town still turns against the heroine, believing the stepmom's unfounded accusation that the heroine deliberately kicked the step bro away when he tried to grab for her boot. The heroine's father sends her away after the inquest, not wanting to even look at her. Luckily the heroine has inherited some $ from her maternal grandmother and is able to look after herself.
A few years later when the heroine is 22-23, she gets a summons from her older step bro stating that her father is dying and she needs to come home. She goes with a desperate hope that maybe her father has had a change of heart. He hasn't. He's still a bastard. The only thing he says to her is that he wants her to have a blood test and if she turns out to be his kid then he'll deed her half of the ranch with the other half going to the hero. If she fails the DNA test then she gets nothing. Then he dies before ever knowing the results of the test (this annoys me). But, at least now, the heroine has some sort of explanation for why her father never cared for her.
There is all sorts of drama while the heroine waits at the ranch for the blood test results. It's obvious the hero wants her, but he blames her for his little brother's death and finds his lust a betrayal. Then again, he sees things that make him feel compassion for the heroine. So he's all confused and reacts to it by being a complete and utter bastard for the most part with small acts of kindness tossed in here and there that just confuse the heroine more. All the while everyone else aside from the 3 old cowhands and the ranch's new housekeeper are complete and utter jerks to this poor girl.
The heroine finally decides she's had enough, she's leaving. She doesn't care about the blood test. She doesn't want the ranch. She has her own money and doesn't want to have anything to do with the town or the ranch. If the test comes back positive she plans to deed it all over to the hero and never come back. But, before she can make her escape the barn catches on fire. She knew it was some kids she'd caught smoking in there recently. She had even taken the two brothers to their parents and told them what they were doing and the risks, but instead of reading their kids the riot act they act all snippy that the evil murderous heroine would dare to scold their precious little angels. So guess what? The kids think they can freely smoke in the barn so they end up burning it down and the heroine is gravely injured pulling out the smallest of the two brothers.
Now the heroine is stuck in shit town. She has a severe concussion, a broken ankle, and burns she has to heal up from and no family to take care of her. The hero (having finally learned the full truth from the ranch hands) decides to take care of her. He also decides that there's no barrier to following through on his feelings for the heroine and sets out to aggressively pursue her. He also spreads the word about what really happened with his brother. That combined with the fact that she saved a child from a fire totally turns the tide of public opinion. The heroine is now the town darling.
The heroine doesn't give a rat's tiny a about their sudden 360. She still thinks the townfolk are a bunch of cruel, fickle, untrustworthy jerkoffs. Amen, sister!
The hero apologizes and he does take good care of the heroine in a bossy, I'm now controlling your life for your own good sort of way. He also insists he's signing over all his inheritance from his step-father to her regardless of what the blood tests may show.
She doesn't instantly fall into his arms. The fire happens around the 50% mark so there's plenty of time for the fallout, something that rarely happens. Usually all the secrets come out at about 90-95% and then we get a rushed HEA. The fact that we get to see him try to prove he's trustworthy and her tell him to get lost was a big bonus for me. I was thrilled.
Still, the hero was such a jerk in the first half that I can't give this 5 stars. I know his brother died and it drove his mom crazy, but he had absolutely no ability to see logic. Blaming the heroine made no sense no matter how any rational person looked at it. And the rest of that town! Ugh. What was wrong with those people?
Another thing that kept me from giving 5 stars was the fact that we don't know what happened other than the couple decide to marry. Was the heroine actually going to stay in that crap town and run her ranch around those narrow-minded simpletons? If she had any sense she would have sold the place to the investor who turned up in the end showing interest and then gone to live on the hero's ranch. I have a feeling that's probably what does happen, but you have to read the sequel about her crap cousin to find out.
Her crap cousin was someone who was like her sister who decided to turn against her too when the step bro died (apparently she fancied herself in love with him and a teenage crush obviously trumps a lifetime of sisterly affection). I saw nothing redeeming about the cousin in this book and have no interest in reading her story so guess I'll never know what happened. I'll just have to hope the heroine sold the ranch and left.
June 26, 2024
Despite the grovel, I didn't thaw to the hero. His attitude was both stupid and cruel. He wanted to blame her, he wallowed in his hatred, he fought against all the hard, exonerating evidence staring him in the face, and he set out to soothe his guilt as soon as possible by suffocating her with his attentions without giving her room to breathe and taking full advantage of her vulnerability. Nope, not even close to liking this guy.
And why was the issue with the cousin's enmity never resolved? I probably would have liked him more if he has made some efforts to bring the two of them together again.
And why was the issue with the cousin's enmity never resolved? I probably would have liked him more if he has made some efforts to bring the two of them together again.
December 29, 2020
No one writes misjudged, outcast, anguished heroines like Susan Fox—no one! We’re talking townfolk with pitchforks and torches, not just angry, hate-filled heroes (although we get those too). And the angst—oh the angst!—To Claim a Wife (dumb title that doesn't fit story really) is a layer cake of pain and misunderstanding, a gooey, rich bittersweet binge of heroine agony and hero hatred and mistrust and unwanted desire.
The first half of the book never lets up on heroine traumatizing, from the moment she arrives at her emotionally abusive father's deathbed (where he demands she submit to a paternity test) after five years of exile. So if unrelenting angst is your catnip, dig in. The second half, once the heroine becomes an actual heroine for saving Timmy from a barn fire, focuses on the hero trying to make amends and woo the heroine, whom he’s always wanted and comes to love (?). He’s in an agony of guilt because he finally realizes how badly he’s misjudged and treated our pitiable heroine.
Now mind you, our stalwart hero has steadfastly refused, in the cruelest ways, to let the heroine tell her side of the story, judging her for all time, despite a court finding that she was not to blame for his asshat brother's death five years before. She must must be punished forevermore—until one of the witnesses finally tells him the full story, and he realizes he’s misjudged her. Yup--some other dude is believable, but not the supposedly lying, murderous heroine who he knew from a child to be a sweet, lonely kid. He was cool with her father kicking her out at 18, after treating her harshly for all her life; he was cool with the townspeople shunning her; he was cool with bringing her back so her father could insist on a paternity test. But now he feels bad, so we should admire him, the stalwart, square-jawed, moral cowboy hero. Give me a break.
The heroine is so emotionally traumatized by her entire life, that she can’t believe that the townspeople’s or hero’s newfound goodwill toward her will last. She thinks she’s just one misstep away from being stoned in the town square again, and she’s probably right. (Good thing Susan Fox writes Mary Sues who would probably never really put a foot wrong.) But her treacherous body syndrome for the hero (and only the hero) runs deep and before long her walls are falling and all is forgiven, marriage and future babies, HEA. Love as the ultimate therapy has worked again in the annals of Harleyland, never mind the levels of trauma this poor woman has suffered.
Lots of good detailed recaps if you want more deets. I always find Susan Fox a mixed bag but usually end up enjoying her (repetitive) stories—the angst is so OTT that it’s a guilty pleasure; her heroes are definitely alpha and can be really cruel but usually turn protective (and kind of hot if you like sexually dominant hero types, which I do); her heroines just miss doormat status but are usually redeemed by a stubborn core (Caitlin definitely has surprising reserves of resilience against the messed-up crap and injustices that happen to her). For angst, SF can’t be beat—but it’s hard to be as forgiving of her heroes and the secondary characters as the heroines are. (I have a special “burn the town down” shelf for her books.) But she writes surprising heat for someone who stops at tangled tongues and a bit of fondling, and she definitely is no holds barred in the angst stakes. Recommended highly for angst junkies; not so much for asshat hero haters.
The first half of the book never lets up on heroine traumatizing, from the moment she arrives at her emotionally abusive father's deathbed (where he demands she submit to a paternity test) after five years of exile. So if unrelenting angst is your catnip, dig in. The second half, once the heroine becomes an actual heroine for saving Timmy from a barn fire, focuses on the hero trying to make amends and woo the heroine, whom he’s always wanted and comes to love (?). He’s in an agony of guilt because he finally realizes how badly he’s misjudged and treated our pitiable heroine.
Now mind you, our stalwart hero has steadfastly refused, in the cruelest ways, to let the heroine tell her side of the story, judging her for all time, despite a court finding that she was not to blame for his asshat brother's death five years before. She must must be punished forevermore—until one of the witnesses finally tells him the full story, and he realizes he’s misjudged her. Yup--some other dude is believable, but not the supposedly lying, murderous heroine who he knew from a child to be a sweet, lonely kid. He was cool with her father kicking her out at 18, after treating her harshly for all her life; he was cool with the townspeople shunning her; he was cool with bringing her back so her father could insist on a paternity test. But now he feels bad, so we should admire him, the stalwart, square-jawed, moral cowboy hero. Give me a break.
The heroine is so emotionally traumatized by her entire life, that she can’t believe that the townspeople’s or hero’s newfound goodwill toward her will last. She thinks she’s just one misstep away from being stoned in the town square again, and she’s probably right. (Good thing Susan Fox writes Mary Sues who would probably never really put a foot wrong.) But her treacherous body syndrome for the hero (and only the hero) runs deep and before long her walls are falling and all is forgiven, marriage and future babies, HEA. Love as the ultimate therapy has worked again in the annals of Harleyland, never mind the levels of trauma this poor woman has suffered.
Lots of good detailed recaps if you want more deets. I always find Susan Fox a mixed bag but usually end up enjoying her (repetitive) stories—the angst is so OTT that it’s a guilty pleasure; her heroes are definitely alpha and can be really cruel but usually turn protective (and kind of hot if you like sexually dominant hero types, which I do); her heroines just miss doormat status but are usually redeemed by a stubborn core (Caitlin definitely has surprising reserves of resilience against the messed-up crap and injustices that happen to her). For angst, SF can’t be beat—but it’s hard to be as forgiving of her heroes and the secondary characters as the heroines are. (I have a special “burn the town down” shelf for her books.) But she writes surprising heat for someone who stops at tangled tongues and a bit of fondling, and she definitely is no holds barred in the angst stakes. Recommended highly for angst junkies; not so much for asshat hero haters.
September 29, 2018
Poor heroine. Let's be thankful that in this fictional Romance Land that Susan Fox's fathers never marry Margaret Way's mothers. I can't imagine the horrors they would inflict on the children.
Yikes, the father in this one is rotting and roasting in hell because he is one cruel sunuvabitch.
I felt like I had read this one, but realized it is just incredibly similar to The Black Sheep.
I can't add much to KatieV's review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
and StMargarets
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
The heroine, like all Susan Fox's heroines, is strong and needs to be in the face of all the hate thrown at her. We see less of the townspeople being mean as can be read in other SF books, but the hero more than takes up the slack.
The hero does wake up to how horrible he is, and, while he doesn't actually grovel, he does try and make it up to her.
A solid 3 stars for the heroine's backbone and writing, but the hero definitely doesn't deserve her so missing that 4th star.
Yikes, the father in this one is rotting and roasting in hell because he is one cruel sunuvabitch.
I felt like I had read this one, but realized it is just incredibly similar to The Black Sheep.
I can't add much to KatieV's review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
and StMargarets
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
The heroine, like all Susan Fox's heroines, is strong and needs to be in the face of all the hate thrown at her. We see less of the townspeople being mean as can be read in other SF books, but the hero more than takes up the slack.
The hero does wake up to how horrible he is, and, while he doesn't actually grovel, he does try and make it up to her.
A solid 3 stars for the heroine's backbone and writing, but the hero definitely doesn't deserve her so missing that 4th star.
November 23, 2021
Romance part was awful but loved the angst!
November 22, 2021
This is similar to another SF book I've recently read, The Black Sheep, and I liked that one more.
There's a misjudged heroine who is abused by several people.
-Her father hated her and mistreated her because he thought she wasn't his daughter
-When her mother died, he married another woman with two sons, the hero, that was already a grown up man, and his younger brother, a cruel and mean boy who immediately became her father's favourite person, the son henever had.
-The hero didn't live with them so he didn't know her father was abusive with his only child, he thought she was jealous of his lil bro and sometimes he was rather kind to her
-At 17 the heroine had a crush for the hero and he decided to keep her distant because it was unbecoming for a man his age to encourage a teenager, so it was the end of their relationship. He rejected completely. Erased, as she never existed. What a man.
-At 18 during a flood there was an accident where the heroine and the hero's brother were together and he died. His mother thought she killed him on purpose and her father banished from their house, even if there were three witnesses that said she tried to save him. The hero too thought she was guilty.
- Five years later the hero calls her back because her father is dying, the man asks for a DNA test and tells her she's not having anything if she's not his daughter. The entire ranch will go to the hero.
-The hero is nasty and cruel and keeps rejecting and verbally abusing her, even when she tries to explain what really happened with his brother.
-The hero is also attracted to the heroine but of course he hates her because he thinks she's responsible for his brother's death.
-When eventually he rejects her one more time telling her awful things (unforgivable in my opinion) The heroine throws herself in the flames trying to save a child, and of course she succeds but is severely wounded.
At the hospital the hero is feeling a lil guilty because of the nasty things he said to her. One of the man who witnessed the accident with his brother tells him exactly what happened. The hero's brother was tryung to rape the heroine, but the ground was muddy and he fell into the flood. The heroine tried desperetely to save him but she was prevented to throws herself into the water by the men who saw what was happening.
The hero feels very bad and decides he has to make it up to the heroine for everything he did.
When she wakes up at the hospital she tells him she doesn't want to see him anymore, but of course he doesn't stop and enetually manages to have her forgiveness and her love.
I only gave three stars for the high angst level of this story.
I cried all the time, for the things this heroine had to suffer from the people that should have taken care of her, her father first, her stepmother, her stepbrothers, both of them, and even all the people in the town.
-I wasn't able to undestand why she was considered guilty even after three people testified that she tried to save her stepbrother.
-I couldn't understand the hero's cruelty since his own mother preferred his lil brother to him and often told him he should have died instead of his brother.
-He refused to listen to her when she asked him to, but believed the other man immediately when he told him what happened.
-The heroine was really a pityful thing. Hurt and rejected by her father and by the hero she thought herself unlovable, and this was really heartbreaking, because she was a brave and compassionate creature.
-I couldn't understand the hero's sudden change, from hate and rejection to love and attraction.
I didn't like this hero at all.
Then at the end he turned into an experienced psychologist when he basically made a dyagnosis about all her attachment issues, with a clinical precision that even I would have some difficult to get.
Not plausible.
The heroine deserved better, a better man who believed her first and not other people.
His reassurances that he would always love her were not believable.
I don't believe them and I don't think he will ever be a good husband since he actually never believed her, he believed another person.
He basically wasn't able to undertand the heroine, her personality, her character, and it was necessary another man's words to make him believe her.
So if something other will happen in their future life I suppose she will have to be always with someone else who could guarantee for her innocence, otherwise the hero won't probably believe her word.
And it was also not good that she had to risk her life to save a boy to be believed. The hero never explains and never gives a good grovel.
After all that the heroine went through I felt really disheartened that she coulnd't even have a propel grovel from that coward sob of the hero.
Three stars for the heroine and the angst, unfortunately I'm not satisfied with the ending at all.
There's a misjudged heroine who is abused by several people.
-Her father hated her and mistreated her because he thought she wasn't his daughter
-When her mother died, he married another woman with two sons, the hero, that was already a grown up man, and his younger brother, a cruel and mean boy who immediately became her father's favourite person, the son henever had.
-The hero didn't live with them so he didn't know her father was abusive with his only child, he thought she was jealous of his lil bro and sometimes he was rather kind to her
-At 17 the heroine had a crush for the hero and he decided to keep her distant because it was unbecoming for a man his age to encourage a teenager, so it was the end of their relationship. He rejected completely. Erased, as she never existed. What a man.
-At 18 during a flood there was an accident where the heroine and the hero's brother were together and he died. His mother thought she killed him on purpose and her father banished from their house, even if there were three witnesses that said she tried to save him. The hero too thought she was guilty.
- Five years later the hero calls her back because her father is dying, the man asks for a DNA test and tells her she's not having anything if she's not his daughter. The entire ranch will go to the hero.
-The hero is nasty and cruel and keeps rejecting and verbally abusing her, even when she tries to explain what really happened with his brother.
-The hero is also attracted to the heroine but of course he hates her because he thinks she's responsible for his brother's death.
-When eventually he rejects her one more time telling her awful things (unforgivable in my opinion) The heroine throws herself in the flames trying to save a child, and of course she succeds but is severely wounded.
At the hospital the hero is feeling a lil guilty because of the nasty things he said to her. One of the man who witnessed the accident with his brother tells him exactly what happened. The hero's brother was tryung to rape the heroine, but the ground was muddy and he fell into the flood. The heroine tried desperetely to save him but she was prevented to throws herself into the water by the men who saw what was happening.
The hero feels very bad and decides he has to make it up to the heroine for everything he did.
When she wakes up at the hospital she tells him she doesn't want to see him anymore, but of course he doesn't stop and enetually manages to have her forgiveness and her love.
I only gave three stars for the high angst level of this story.
I cried all the time, for the things this heroine had to suffer from the people that should have taken care of her, her father first, her stepmother, her stepbrothers, both of them, and even all the people in the town.
-I wasn't able to undestand why she was considered guilty even after three people testified that she tried to save her stepbrother.
-I couldn't understand the hero's cruelty since his own mother preferred his lil brother to him and often told him he should have died instead of his brother.
-He refused to listen to her when she asked him to, but believed the other man immediately when he told him what happened.
-The heroine was really a pityful thing. Hurt and rejected by her father and by the hero she thought herself unlovable, and this was really heartbreaking, because she was a brave and compassionate creature.
-I couldn't understand the hero's sudden change, from hate and rejection to love and attraction.
I didn't like this hero at all.
Then at the end he turned into an experienced psychologist when he basically made a dyagnosis about all her attachment issues, with a clinical precision that even I would have some difficult to get.
Not plausible.
The heroine deserved better, a better man who believed her first and not other people.
His reassurances that he would always love her were not believable.
I don't believe them and I don't think he will ever be a good husband since he actually never believed her, he believed another person.
He basically wasn't able to undertand the heroine, her personality, her character, and it was necessary another man's words to make him believe her.
So if something other will happen in their future life I suppose she will have to be always with someone else who could guarantee for her innocence, otherwise the hero won't probably believe her word.
And it was also not good that she had to risk her life to save a boy to be believed. The hero never explains and never gives a good grovel.
After all that the heroine went through I felt really disheartened that she coulnd't even have a propel grovel from that coward sob of the hero.
Three stars for the heroine and the angst, unfortunately I'm not satisfied with the ending at all.
February 26, 2019
Ummmm this was way too short. I want more.
December 21, 2020
*** Book Q & A***
* How did the book make you feel?: There was good angst and the story was captivating, but just as it was starting to get good, it ended!
* How do you feel about how the story was told?: It was told from dual POV. You really feel for the h, who has never been loved.
* What did you think about the main characters?: The H felt remorse and we read his inner dialogue, but he doesn’t do much to show the h he feels bad—especially when he leaves for 2 weeks. It’s hard to believe that his feelings did such a 180 and he went from hating to loving the h. It’s insinuated that he secretly cared for her. The h is a pretty strong character despite her circumstances, which I enjoyed.
* Which parts of the book stood out to you?: The H decides he wants the h and he comes on very strong.
* What themes/tropes did you detect in the story?: Enemies to lovers, big misunderstanding
* What did you think about the ending?: it was too abrupt! We didn’t get enough of their reconciliation.
* What is your impression of the author?: I enjoyed this book but I wonder if this abrupt ending stuff is a trend with this author.
Triggers: attempted rape
* How did the book make you feel?: There was good angst and the story was captivating, but just as it was starting to get good, it ended!
* How do you feel about how the story was told?: It was told from dual POV. You really feel for the h, who has never been loved.
* What did you think about the main characters?: The H felt remorse and we read his inner dialogue, but he doesn’t do much to show the h he feels bad—especially when he leaves for 2 weeks. It’s hard to believe that his feelings did such a 180 and he went from hating to loving the h. It’s insinuated that he secretly cared for her. The h is a pretty strong character despite her circumstances, which I enjoyed.
* Which parts of the book stood out to you?: The H decides he wants the h and he comes on very strong.
* What themes/tropes did you detect in the story?: Enemies to lovers, big misunderstanding
* What did you think about the ending?: it was too abrupt! We didn’t get enough of their reconciliation.
* What is your impression of the author?: I enjoyed this book but I wonder if this abrupt ending stuff is a trend with this author.
Triggers: attempted rape
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2020
Absolutely wonderful angst-filled book
The first half, I kept wondering why she didn't just run away and why she kept taking the abuse lashed out by the H, but the 2nd half is very redeeming and sweet. Loved everything
The first half, I kept wondering why she didn't just run away and why she kept taking the abuse lashed out by the H, but the 2nd half is very redeeming and sweet. Loved everything
March 24, 2025
I'm going to be generous with 4 stars because I loved the second half, but it really needed an epilogue. I even bought the sequel about Maddison, but Caitlin and Reno are barely in it.
The first half is a bit excruciating because Caitlin is so vilified by all and sundry, except for a handful of older ranch hands who knew the truth.
Others, such as the Reno and Maddison, could have also known the truth if they would have just given her a chance to tell it. It was infuriating!
SO, basically Caitlin grew up with a psychopath father who hid his emotional abuse from others. He told everyone Caitlin was a bad daughter and eventually they all came to believe it too without any evidence. Jess, the scumbag father, lavished his praise and love on his nephew Beau, who was of course, another scumbag in the making.
Beau dies in a flash flood and everyone blames Caitlin. They even tried to prosecute her for murder!
Of course she was found not guilty and left the area to save herself from their hatefulness.
Years later she is back because her father is dying and his last words to her are that she won't inherit until she proves through a paternity test that she was actually his child.
Duh dum DUMMMMM.
Reno is a complete ahole to her from the moment she arrives in town, still refusing to listen to her and her childhood friend Maddison, who had fancied herself in love with Beau won't even see her, let alone listen to her.
Finally about half way there's a big todo, and the older ranch hands go to Reno and tell him what they know to be the truth. Reno listens to them when he wouldn't listen to Caitlin. This of course makes him do a 180 change in attitude to Caitlin. But by now Caitlin is sick of the lot of them and just wants to leave.
But of course she can't, because the author has managed to get her injured she so she is trapped until she is healthy enough to drive off on her own.
I quite enjoyed the second half. I won't say Reno grovels exactly. A couple side characters apologize and grovel a bit. A couple others don't apologize, but go out of their way to treat her well. But I have to admit that though Reno did 'offer' to apologize, he never actually did. And even though he feels remorse and guilt, there wasn't enough of it vocalized to Caitlin for my taste. Still it was more groveling and remorse than a lot of crazy HPs I've read. I think what I liked, was that the Caitlin really stood up for herself, as she had done through the whole book. So the 4th star is for her!
Safety is good I guess.
The first half is a bit excruciating because Caitlin is so vilified by all and sundry, except for a handful of older ranch hands who knew the truth.
Others, such as the Reno and Maddison, could have also known the truth if they would have just given her a chance to tell it. It was infuriating!
SO, basically Caitlin grew up with a psychopath father who hid his emotional abuse from others. He told everyone Caitlin was a bad daughter and eventually they all came to believe it too without any evidence. Jess, the scumbag father, lavished his praise and love on his nephew Beau, who was of course, another scumbag in the making.
Beau dies in a flash flood and everyone blames Caitlin. They even tried to prosecute her for murder!
Of course she was found not guilty and left the area to save herself from their hatefulness.
Years later she is back because her father is dying and his last words to her are that she won't inherit until she proves through a paternity test that she was actually his child.
Duh dum DUMMMMM.
Reno is a complete ahole to her from the moment she arrives in town, still refusing to listen to her and her childhood friend Maddison, who had fancied herself in love with Beau won't even see her, let alone listen to her.
Finally about half way there's a big todo, and the older ranch hands go to Reno and tell him what they know to be the truth. Reno listens to them when he wouldn't listen to Caitlin. This of course makes him do a 180 change in attitude to Caitlin. But by now Caitlin is sick of the lot of them and just wants to leave.
But of course she can't, because the author has managed to get her injured she so she is trapped until she is healthy enough to drive off on her own.
I quite enjoyed the second half. I won't say Reno grovels exactly. A couple side characters apologize and grovel a bit. A couple others don't apologize, but go out of their way to treat her well. But I have to admit that though Reno did 'offer' to apologize, he never actually did. And even though he feels remorse and guilt, there wasn't enough of it vocalized to Caitlin for my taste. Still it was more groveling and remorse than a lot of crazy HPs I've read. I think what I liked, was that the Caitlin really stood up for herself, as she had done through the whole book. So the 4th star is for her!
Safety is good I guess.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2020
"To Claim a Wife" is the story of Caitlin and Reno.
Mixed feelings!
Our heroine gets a letter from her stepbrother informing her that her father is on his deathbed. The man who sired her, but always treated her callously, humiliating and ignoring her. She decides to go, and things haven't gotten any better. Years ago, she was wrongly accused of causing an accident that killed the hero's younger brother- leading to her father kicking her out, her stepmother/ hero/ best friend blaming her and cutting off any relations and only some ranch hands saving her from imprisonment. She is forced to leave her home and make a living. She returns to find almost nothing has changed- community still ostracizes her, her unfeeling father dies but not before serving another humiliation and the hero treats her like garbage. The first half is filled with tears/ heartbreak and the heroine getting kicked around so much, I just wanted to shield her. It is in the second half the hero realizes the truth and tries to make things better. Does he grovel? Not much. There is more caring, silence and non verbal gestures. But I'm glad he acknowledged his wrongdoings, and things work out for them.
Overall-
9/10 on angst.
5/10 on grovel.
6/10 on satisfaction.
SWE
3.5/5
Mixed feelings!
Our heroine gets a letter from her stepbrother informing her that her father is on his deathbed. The man who sired her, but always treated her callously, humiliating and ignoring her. She decides to go, and things haven't gotten any better. Years ago, she was wrongly accused of causing an accident that killed the hero's younger brother- leading to her father kicking her out, her stepmother/ hero/ best friend blaming her and cutting off any relations and only some ranch hands saving her from imprisonment. She is forced to leave her home and make a living. She returns to find almost nothing has changed- community still ostracizes her, her unfeeling father dies but not before serving another humiliation and the hero treats her like garbage. The first half is filled with tears/ heartbreak and the heroine getting kicked around so much, I just wanted to shield her. It is in the second half the hero realizes the truth and tries to make things better. Does he grovel? Not much. There is more caring, silence and non verbal gestures. But I'm glad he acknowledged his wrongdoings, and things work out for them.
Overall-
9/10 on angst.
5/10 on grovel.
6/10 on satisfaction.
SWE
3.5/5
February 24, 2016
It was a frustrating story at first and man why did they have to cut off all her hair. That made me cry!!! He was an ass and only changed his tune when she almost died and it was just too sad that she should have helped that pissy little boy when the parents were such asses to her. I never get the punching bag heroine willing to keep taking a hit.
July 13, 2019
Decent enough story if you like persecuted heroines. This one stretched credibility a bit because I don't really think everyone would have ignore the testimony that came out at the inquest and blamed the heroine plus the hero never even cared to find out what he'd missed while he was out of the room. I also felt that his turn around about the way he felt about the heroine was too abrupt.
March 29, 2021
2.5 Low Suds Stars
I’m really behind on reviews, and read this last week. It wasn’t bad, just forgettable. (I had to read my notes to even remember characters, plot, etc.) I believe this is my first Susan Fox, and I’ll definitely read her again, but didn’t find To Claim a Wife very angsty or riveting.
The blurb sets this up nicely, Caitlin Bodine is the unwanted/neglected daughter who finds herself even more on the outs when her father remarries. The book starts up five years after she has been blamed and chased off for causing the accident that killed her stepbrother. After returning home, she’s met by her dying hateful father, and mega animosity from her older stepbrother (childhood crush) Reno Duvall. Reno has drunk her father’s Haterade, and also blames Caitlin for the death of his younger brother.
Bottom Line- Not bad, but not great. It had potential, but I needed something more. More asshole. More lust. More angst. More suds. PS-Her misunderstood, bitchy, spoiled cousin is introduced here, and her book is To Tame a Bride.
I’m really behind on reviews, and read this last week. It wasn’t bad, just forgettable. (I had to read my notes to even remember characters, plot, etc.) I believe this is my first Susan Fox, and I’ll definitely read her again, but didn’t find To Claim a Wife very angsty or riveting.
The blurb sets this up nicely, Caitlin Bodine is the unwanted/neglected daughter who finds herself even more on the outs when her father remarries. The book starts up five years after she has been blamed and chased off for causing the accident that killed her stepbrother. After returning home, she’s met by her dying hateful father, and mega animosity from her older stepbrother (childhood crush) Reno Duvall. Reno has drunk her father’s Haterade, and also blames Caitlin for the death of his younger brother.
Bottom Line- Not bad, but not great. It had potential, but I needed something more. More asshole. More lust. More angst. More suds. PS-Her misunderstood, bitchy, spoiled cousin is introduced here, and her book is To Tame a Bride.
June 7, 2014
I really enjoyed this book but then again I am on a bit of an Alpha male being a stubborn **** kind of streak at the moment.
The book was very much a Susan Fox book. The H (Reno Duvall) is older and rich while the h (Caitlin Bodine) is young and innocent and has been emotionally abused during her childhood by her father. He didn't love her and that formed the person she was.
An unfortunate tragedy hits the life of the H and h, who are step siblings, for which the h is blamed and made to leave. She comes back because her father is dying but is ostracised by the tight knit community and lambasted by the H.
This being a Mills and Boon eventually all misunderstandings are cleared up and the H (who was attracted to the h from the beginning) falls head over heels and is uber protective and masterful - typical alpha. The h is submissive and gives in to the H because she has loved him all along.
I do like angsty books like this!!
The book was very much a Susan Fox book. The H (Reno Duvall) is older and rich while the h (Caitlin Bodine) is young and innocent and has been emotionally abused during her childhood by her father. He didn't love her and that formed the person she was.
An unfortunate tragedy hits the life of the H and h, who are step siblings, for which the h is blamed and made to leave. She comes back because her father is dying but is ostracised by the tight knit community and lambasted by the H.
This being a Mills and Boon eventually all misunderstandings are cleared up and the H (who was attracted to the h from the beginning) falls head over heels and is uber protective and masterful - typical alpha. The h is submissive and gives in to the H because she has loved him all along.
I do like angsty books like this!!
January 1, 2017
Reread February 13, 2016.
May 27, 2021
2.5 stars! ⭐
The hero completely ruined the book for me. Normally, I'm a fan of cruel heroes, but not this one. The writing was pretty solid, only if the heroine sold the ranch and left the hero it would have been perfect for me.
The story starts when the heroine receives news that her father is in hospital and could die at any moment. She hadn't visited her home since five years, when her father and everyone else including the hero blamed her for her stepbrother's death even though the court declared her not guilty. Knowing that everyone still blames her for the crime she didn't commit, she still returns back for she craves her father's love more than anything else. Upon returning she is met with hostility as expected from her father who immediately demands a paternity test, and declares that if she isn't his daughter all his property goes to the hero.
Believe it or not, I was actually quite excited to read this especially after reading some of the reviews. The story seemed right up my alley. There is nothing else I enjoy, more than a misunderstood heroine, a cruel hero and lots of groveling. Surprisingly the book had all the three ingredients, but still I ended up hating it. The hero even grovelled which is to say something especially in the HPlandia.
The hero's cruelty, mixed with the treatment of the heroine by her cousin and other people destroyed the book for me. She deserved so much more than the jerk hero and those shitty people who always believed the worst about her.
Anyways, this was another disappointing read which has been the case for me since the last two weeks. I'm having the worst book freaking slump ever.
The hero completely ruined the book for me. Normally, I'm a fan of cruel heroes, but not this one. The writing was pretty solid, only if the heroine sold the ranch and left the hero it would have been perfect for me.
The story starts when the heroine receives news that her father is in hospital and could die at any moment. She hadn't visited her home since five years, when her father and everyone else including the hero blamed her for her stepbrother's death even though the court declared her not guilty. Knowing that everyone still blames her for the crime she didn't commit, she still returns back for she craves her father's love more than anything else. Upon returning she is met with hostility as expected from her father who immediately demands a paternity test, and declares that if she isn't his daughter all his property goes to the hero.
Believe it or not, I was actually quite excited to read this especially after reading some of the reviews. The story seemed right up my alley. There is nothing else I enjoy, more than a misunderstood heroine, a cruel hero and lots of groveling. Surprisingly the book had all the three ingredients, but still I ended up hating it. The hero even grovelled which is to say something especially in the HPlandia.
The hero's cruelty, mixed with the treatment of the heroine by her cousin and other people destroyed the book for me. She deserved so much more than the jerk hero and those shitty people who always believed the worst about her.
Anyways, this was another disappointing read which has been the case for me since the last two weeks. I'm having the worst book freaking slump ever.
December 30, 2020
I’m still on my “how bad can it be” tour—not good, really not good.
April 5, 2016
I totally agree with KatieV Oh the angst, pain and drama! The h suffered verbal and emotional abuse for years but poof as soon as the H realized OOPS! he really DOES Love the h after all, que the music - all is well and they (presumably) live happily ever after.
There wasnt nearly enough grovel IMO, but I guess you cant have everything.
There wasnt nearly enough grovel IMO, but I guess you cant have everything.
October 18, 2009
this is an old book but I've just read it recently..
i think this book is really great..
i was so touched by the story...
i think this book is really great..
i was so touched by the story...
October 2, 2010
one of my first read on romance book. i still think it as awesome
June 12, 2024
If only this was not such a good written drama, I would like just to give 3 stars away 🫠 and am I the only one who strongly feeling that they're not supposed to be together and the h better move on and just walk away?????
Want to Read
November 4, 2012Synopsis:
REBEL BRIDES
Two rebellious cousins -- and the men who tame them?
Caitlin Bodine is the black sheep of her family. She's shunned by her cousin Maddie -- but no one's bad opinion of her hurts so much as Reno Duvall's. As a young girl, Caitlin hero-worshipped him. As a woman, she's haunted by a tragedy Reno will never forgive...
Reno Duvall blames Caitlin for his brother's death. He can't believe she has the nerve to return after all these years! So why can't he stop thinking about her? Caitlin is simply too wild to wed, but suddenly Reno finds himself longing to claim her as his wife!
REBEL BRIDES
Two rebellious cousins -- and the men who tame them?
Caitlin Bodine is the black sheep of her family. She's shunned by her cousin Maddie -- but no one's bad opinion of her hurts so much as Reno Duvall's. As a young girl, Caitlin hero-worshipped him. As a woman, she's haunted by a tragedy Reno will never forgive...
Reno Duvall blames Caitlin for his brother's death. He can't believe she has the nerve to return after all these years! So why can't he stop thinking about her? Caitlin is simply too wild to wed, but suddenly Reno finds himself longing to claim her as his wife!
February 28, 2017
really liked it!
It reminded of the 'Patient Nurse' by Diana Palmer. Similar plot with the h misunderstood to be the cause of someone close to H.
What I liked:
1. the H realizes he has been wrong and that he has been an asshole the whole time halfway through the book. So, he works to win her over for the rest half (unlike with other books where this is process is usually rushed)
2. the h is not a doormat. She does grow a backbone and says 'I don't care that everyone thinks I'm a good person now. They can change their opinion back anytime' (doesn't care about the town)
Overall, angsty but well written and a keeper!
5++ starts!
It reminded of the 'Patient Nurse' by Diana Palmer. Similar plot with the h misunderstood to be the cause of someone close to H.
What I liked:
1. the H realizes he has been wrong and that he has been an asshole the whole time halfway through the book. So, he works to win her over for the rest half (unlike with other books where this is process is usually rushed)
2. the h is not a doormat. She does grow a backbone and says 'I don't care that everyone thinks I'm a good person now. They can change their opinion back anytime' (doesn't care about the town)
Overall, angsty but well written and a keeper!
5++ starts!
August 12, 2020
Wow. Susan Fox hit it out of the ball park. To be honest, I was not expecting much from this book based on the cover and the price, but 'Oh my' what a surprise. The story was strong, the editing was great (a couple of misspellings only) and characters that grew on you. I will go to church and give thanks that I did not have a father like Jess Bodine. What an insecure, jealous loser. He sacrificed his daughter for his insecurities.
The H was ...was...just nasty to the h. He believed everything out of Jess' mouth and took his clue on how to treat the h from her family. Cudo's to him for finally listening to the truth and finally getting in touch with his feelings and expressing them to the h.
The h was a survivor. She had been mentally and emotionally abused, banished, ridiculed and maligned but never gave up who she was. She deserved her HEA.
The H was ...was...just nasty to the h. He believed everything out of Jess' mouth and took his clue on how to treat the h from her family. Cudo's to him for finally listening to the truth and finally getting in touch with his feelings and expressing them to the h.
The h was a survivor. She had been mentally and emotionally abused, banished, ridiculed and maligned but never gave up who she was. She deserved her HEA.
June 15, 2020
So well written, the angst level ao acutely done, your heart can't but hurt for the h. The H believes the very worst of her and his acknowledgment of his wrong wasn't suitably grovelly enough for my satisfaction. And yes I know my grammer went to pot there but I can only express it in those terms.
January 7, 2024
It was a great emotional read.loved the heroine, but wish it was more steamy..
August 6, 2025
Good Book
Such a typical vintage Harlequin that it is like meeting an old friend.
All the elements of that era of Harlequin we like and expect.
Full of angst and misunderstandings it ends in a great HEA.
Such a typical vintage Harlequin that it is like meeting an old friend.
All the elements of that era of Harlequin we like and expect.
Full of angst and misunderstandings it ends in a great HEA.
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