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When Josephine Clancy, the pastor's daughter, met gun-for-hire Nate Lang, she couldn't help but offer her friendship. Haunted by the War Between the States, Nate was the kind of man who needed someone. But Jo hadn't counted on falling in love with the hurting, secretive stranger--or the lengths she would travel to rescue him from the melancholy that threatened to destroy him.
Even the little town of Rock Creek, TX--and the five men Nate calls his only friends--hadn't succeeded in saving Nate from the emotional pain he can never escape. Spirited Jo was no different--until one passionate moment between them resulted in a hasty wedding. Yet Nate can't deny that Jo's trust in him is a gift he can't refuse--and that in her arms her love is his greatest joy.
Even the little town of Rock Creek, TX--and the five men Nate calls his only friends--hadn't succeeded in saving Nate from the emotional pain he can never escape. Spirited Jo was no different--until one passionate moment between them resulted in a hasty wedding. Yet Nate can't deny that Jo's trust in him is a gift he can't refuse--and that in her arms her love is his greatest joy.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2002
61 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
About the author
Lori Handeland
128 books1,348 followersLori Handeland is a five-time nominee and two-time winner of the prestigious RITA Award from Romance Writers of America, as well as the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over sixty novels spanning the genres of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, contemporary romance, historical romance and historical fantasy.
After a quarter-century of success and accolades, she began a new chapter in her career with her women’s fiction debut, Just Once (Severn House, January 2019), which received a coveted, starred review from Library Journal and was optioned as a feature film by Catalyst Global Media.
Lori lives in Southern Wisconsin with her husband of over thirty-five years. In between writing and reading, she enjoys long walks with their rescue mutt, Arnold, and visits from her two grown sons, awesome daughter-in-law and perfectly adorable grandchildren.
After a quarter-century of success and accolades, she began a new chapter in her career with her women’s fiction debut, Just Once (Severn House, January 2019), which received a coveted, starred review from Library Journal and was optioned as a feature film by Catalyst Global Media.
Lori lives in Southern Wisconsin with her husband of over thirty-five years. In between writing and reading, she enjoys long walks with their rescue mutt, Arnold, and visits from her two grown sons, awesome daughter-in-law and perfectly adorable grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 16, 2015
4.5
And now we come to Nates book. Nate is probably the most complicated of the group. One of the things about this group of men is that even though they are closer than brothers, none of them know any of the private lives of the others before they met. In some odd way they are almost strangers to each other.
So none of them know why Nate is a drunk. Although at times he's barely functioning, he is quite a sharp shooter, even if he has been drinking. interestingly he is also a preacher though no one knows how he fell so far from grace. Nate and Cash are closest to each other and they frequently leave Rock Creek to take other jobs but they always come back. Until this final time when Cash comes back without him.
Jo, our heroine has been in love with Nate since the Rock Creek Six first came to town. When she was spending time with Nate trying to 'fix' him, he seemed better though he still drank. Then she was forced by her father and new step mother to leave town for a few years. This happened in previous books but now in this one she's back.
She overhears Cash, who will be our hero in the final book , tell the others that Nate picked a fight with him and refuses to come back with Cash. Nate has had a doomed air about him ever since they all first met and when Jo hears them talking she is determined to go to him to help him try and heal.
She finds him in a small Mexican town in a very bad way, drunk and in fact was about to kill himself. When he sees Jo, he finally says everything she's always hoped and longed for him to say and they spend the night together, making love.
However the next morning Nate is horrified when he realizes what he has done. He feels a great sense of responsibility to Jo and agrees to accompany her home. But to give them more time in order for Jo to start trying to healing his wounded and damaged soul. And to say anymore leads into spoilers so I won't say more.
I'm sounding like a broken record but once again I loved this book. Who can't empathize with a young woman who has loved from afar only to be devastated when she thinks he's finally starting to return her feelings but all he really seems to feel is guilt.
And Nate is such a lost soul. He's lost everything that was important to him but the loss of his faith was probably the hardest loss. Jo is the daughter of a minister and if nothing else she wants to restore that to him. Even though Nate does the things he does for Jo out of obligation, he begins to see how precious she is and how she is exactly what he needs.
And now we come to Nates book. Nate is probably the most complicated of the group. One of the things about this group of men is that even though they are closer than brothers, none of them know any of the private lives of the others before they met. In some odd way they are almost strangers to each other.
So none of them know why Nate is a drunk. Although at times he's barely functioning, he is quite a sharp shooter, even if he has been drinking. interestingly he is also a preacher though no one knows how he fell so far from grace. Nate and Cash are closest to each other and they frequently leave Rock Creek to take other jobs but they always come back. Until this final time when Cash comes back without him.
Jo, our heroine has been in love with Nate since the Rock Creek Six first came to town. When she was spending time with Nate trying to 'fix' him, he seemed better though he still drank. Then she was forced by her father and new step mother to leave town for a few years. This happened in previous books but now in this one she's back.
She overhears Cash, who will be our hero in the final book , tell the others that Nate picked a fight with him and refuses to come back with Cash. Nate has had a doomed air about him ever since they all first met and when Jo hears them talking she is determined to go to him to help him try and heal.
She finds him in a small Mexican town in a very bad way, drunk and in fact was about to kill himself. When he sees Jo, he finally says everything she's always hoped and longed for him to say and they spend the night together, making love.
However the next morning Nate is horrified when he realizes what he has done. He feels a great sense of responsibility to Jo and agrees to accompany her home. But to give them more time in order for Jo to start trying to healing his wounded and damaged soul. And to say anymore leads into spoilers so I won't say more.
I'm sounding like a broken record but once again I loved this book. Who can't empathize with a young woman who has loved from afar only to be devastated when she thinks he's finally starting to return her feelings but all he really seems to feel is guilt.
And Nate is such a lost soul. He's lost everything that was important to him but the loss of his faith was probably the hardest loss. Jo is the daughter of a minister and if nothing else she wants to restore that to him. Even though Nate does the things he does for Jo out of obligation, he begins to see how precious she is and how she is exactly what he needs.
December 30, 2008
In a nutshell: Nate Lang has been trying to die for more than a decade. A preacher who has lost his faith in God, Nate has used alcohol to drown the guilt and feelings of failure. Jo Clancy is the only thing that stands between him and suicide. The daughter of Rock Creek's late preacher, she befriended Nate when he first rode into town with the rest of the Six. She's believed ever since that she could save him. One mistake results in a hasty wedding. Jo believes that if only she can help Nate see his faith in God is still there, he will give up alcohol and learn to forgive himself.
Fifth installment of the "Rock Creek Six" series: Still excellent with the consistency in character development. These two authors are to be complimented.
My opinion: Oh, my. I am amazed at how well Lori Handeland did with this book. It must be difficult to turn a suicidal, drunken ex-preacher into a hero and actually make him...well, heroic. Nate was one of those heroes that made you want to cry half the time. He was so tortured with feelings of guilt. I felt his development was believable. And although he does manage to quit drinking, the author does not insult our intelligence by insinuating that love "fixed" his drinking problem. Thank you for this, Ms Handeland.
Then there's Jo. She's so wonderfully written. She's afraid of nothing...except lizards. :o) Believing that God answers all prayers has helped her cope with an unloving father. She is wise enough to realize that sometimes God's answer is no. I thought she was particularly well-developed.
The storyline in this book didn't really include saving the town, as the others in the series did. This one seriously focused on the inner battle of Nate and to a lesser degree, the inner battles of Jo. The supporting characters were in this one more than the others, although we only "hear" snippets about Jed and Hannah ( Jed (Rock Creek)).
Complaints: Anyone who has read my previous reviews of this series knows where I'm going. The love scenes were too graphic. They were not necessary for this excellent story. Oh, well.
5 Stars for consistency in characters/overall storyline, specific storyline, emotion, flow and believability.
"Rock Creek Six" in order: Reese, Sullivan, Rico, Jed, Nate, Cash.
Fifth installment of the "Rock Creek Six" series: Still excellent with the consistency in character development. These two authors are to be complimented.
My opinion: Oh, my. I am amazed at how well Lori Handeland did with this book. It must be difficult to turn a suicidal, drunken ex-preacher into a hero and actually make him...well, heroic. Nate was one of those heroes that made you want to cry half the time. He was so tortured with feelings of guilt. I felt his development was believable. And although he does manage to quit drinking, the author does not insult our intelligence by insinuating that love "fixed" his drinking problem. Thank you for this, Ms Handeland.
Then there's Jo. She's so wonderfully written. She's afraid of nothing...except lizards. :o) Believing that God answers all prayers has helped her cope with an unloving father. She is wise enough to realize that sometimes God's answer is no. I thought she was particularly well-developed.
The storyline in this book didn't really include saving the town, as the others in the series did. This one seriously focused on the inner battle of Nate and to a lesser degree, the inner battles of Jo. The supporting characters were in this one more than the others, although we only "hear" snippets about Jed and Hannah ( Jed (Rock Creek)).
Complaints: Anyone who has read my previous reviews of this series knows where I'm going. The love scenes were too graphic. They were not necessary for this excellent story. Oh, well.
5 Stars for consistency in characters/overall storyline, specific storyline, emotion, flow and believability.
"Rock Creek Six" in order: Reese, Sullivan, Rico, Jed, Nate, Cash.
April 15, 2012
MINOR SPOILER IN SECOND PARAGRAPH BELOW
Of the first five Rock Creek Six books, this was my least favorite. Sveral formatting problems interrupted the flow. (In a couple of places, sentences or parts of sentences repeated -- apparently a tech glitch -- and in other places parts of sentences seem to be missing. Editing overall seemed a bit slap-dash. I assume the manuscript was edited and portions rewritten before it was published as a Kindle edition, because some sentences -- and occasionally entire paragraphs -- made no sense as a result of extra or missing words. Often, that's indicative of an edit gone bad.)
Technical issues aside, though, the story is as good as any of the others in the Rock Creek series. As a heroine, Jo Clancy was relatable and fun to watch. The hero, on the other hand, annoyed me. That's a personal issue and should not be taken as a negative comment about the story. I'm not enamored of beta heroes; readers who are may be enchanted by Nate, a minister who lost his faith during the Civil War and subsequently tried to bury his pain in booze, loose women, and blood. Predictably, he returned to the pulpit at the story's end.
I remain a fan of the series, but once through this book was enough. It doesn't make my keeper shelf.
Of the first five Rock Creek Six books, this was my least favorite. Sveral formatting problems interrupted the flow. (In a couple of places, sentences or parts of sentences repeated -- apparently a tech glitch -- and in other places parts of sentences seem to be missing. Editing overall seemed a bit slap-dash. I assume the manuscript was edited and portions rewritten before it was published as a Kindle edition, because some sentences -- and occasionally entire paragraphs -- made no sense as a result of extra or missing words. Often, that's indicative of an edit gone bad.)
Technical issues aside, though, the story is as good as any of the others in the Rock Creek series. As a heroine, Jo Clancy was relatable and fun to watch. The hero, on the other hand, annoyed me. That's a personal issue and should not be taken as a negative comment about the story. I'm not enamored of beta heroes; readers who are may be enchanted by Nate, a minister who lost his faith during the Civil War and subsequently tried to bury his pain in booze, loose women, and blood. Predictably, he returned to the pulpit at the story's end.
I remain a fan of the series, but once through this book was enough. It doesn't make my keeper shelf.
April 3, 2013
Oh Nate what can I say!
August 22, 2016
Good.
March 27, 2013
Just finished all 6 of the Rock Creek Six. I couldn't put any of them down.
August 16, 2017
Nate, the drunk
Nate, the preacher, gunslinger and drunk, couldn't let the memory of his dead wife and their dead babies go. Jo knew that he needed saving, but not why. Until she showed up in Mexico and he thought she was his dead wife coming to take him away. Dead. Nate took No that knight and created a miracle. Nate wanted nine of it but couldn't turn his back on the only person that lives him. Jo. Through the long months of living him, No never gave up hope that Nate would come to return that love until she heard him say that she and her unborn baby was a mistake.. He'll hath no fury.........
Nate, the preacher, gunslinger and drunk, couldn't let the memory of his dead wife and their dead babies go. Jo knew that he needed saving, but not why. Until she showed up in Mexico and he thought she was his dead wife coming to take him away. Dead. Nate took No that knight and created a miracle. Nate wanted nine of it but couldn't turn his back on the only person that lives him. Jo. Through the long months of living him, No never gave up hope that Nate would come to return that love until she heard him say that she and her unborn baby was a mistake.. He'll hath no fury.........
October 22, 2020
Heartbreaking [Spoiler]
This is so well-written. It’s a fabulous read. And Jo and Nate are captivating characters. But it’s sad. And frustrating. And depressing.
[Spoiler].
To me, a romance is depressing when the hero spends most of the book mourning his dead first wife. It went on too long. And too often, he treated Jo as a friend or a duty. He unintentionally loves her deep down, but his actions and words were that his first wife was the love of his life, and Jo and their baby “a curse.” Nothing fun about that.
This is so well-written. It’s a fabulous read. And Jo and Nate are captivating characters. But it’s sad. And frustrating. And depressing.
[Spoiler].
To me, a romance is depressing when the hero spends most of the book mourning his dead first wife. It went on too long. And too often, he treated Jo as a friend or a duty. He unintentionally loves her deep down, but his actions and words were that his first wife was the love of his life, and Jo and their baby “a curse.” Nothing fun about that.
May 14, 2019
Nate
Intriguing, interesting, riveting, imaginative and absolutely amazing. Ms Handeland keeps you on the edge with each book in this series that she shares with Linda Winstead Jones. The trials and tribulations that each character goes through makes you want to laugh, cry, shake them and of course love them. Anyone who loves historical romance will definitely love this series.
Intriguing, interesting, riveting, imaginative and absolutely amazing. Ms Handeland keeps you on the edge with each book in this series that she shares with Linda Winstead Jones. The trials and tribulations that each character goes through makes you want to laugh, cry, shake them and of course love them. Anyone who loves historical romance will definitely love this series.
September 27, 2025
Nate and Jo’s love story.
Book 5 of the Rock Creek 6 didn’t disappoint. Nate drank to keep his demons at bay and Jo’s unfailing love saved him. I got a good chuckle when Nate had to save the boys who were captured and tied by the Comanche. The banter between them till Nate came had me laughing and was a great addition to the story. The ending made me smile as well. The steam level was good too. On to book 6 and Cash’s story.
Book 5 of the Rock Creek 6 didn’t disappoint. Nate drank to keep his demons at bay and Jo’s unfailing love saved him. I got a good chuckle when Nate had to save the boys who were captured and tied by the Comanche. The banter between them till Nate came had me laughing and was a great addition to the story. The ending made me smile as well. The steam level was good too. On to book 6 and Cash’s story.
October 3, 2018
Great book!
What another great book in this series!! Jo had the faith enough for both of them and the gumption to knock some sense into Nate. What a great story and I am loving how you get to see the progress of all the characters. They are growing. Oh I am so happy to finally get to Cash’s story!!
What another great book in this series!! Jo had the faith enough for both of them and the gumption to knock some sense into Nate. What a great story and I am loving how you get to see the progress of all the characters. They are growing. Oh I am so happy to finally get to Cash’s story!!
February 27, 2017
Lots of sadness and heartbreak but happy ending
May 17, 2019
Loved it!
A love denied, A love forgotten and a faith that had died. What a mix up for this book! I loved it! Couldn't put it down! Makes the old west come alive! Good read!
A love denied, A love forgotten and a faith that had died. What a mix up for this book! I loved it! Couldn't put it down! Makes the old west come alive! Good read!
November 27, 2016
3.5 stars!
One of those books that had a lot of really good parts that were fun and original and some blah parts that had me skimming a few pages here and there. I loved the Western about it but it was starting to become like peanut butter and jelly....kind of predictable.
I loved Nate and Jo as a duo thou; good characters and so...
I DO reccomend this read; it was a lot of entertainment despite the failed attempt to keep me interested in the parts of the story that were meant to distract me from the good stuff....could be a different result for everyone so give it a go.
One of those books that had a lot of really good parts that were fun and original and some blah parts that had me skimming a few pages here and there. I loved the Western about it but it was starting to become like peanut butter and jelly....kind of predictable.
I loved Nate and Jo as a duo thou; good characters and so...
I DO reccomend this read; it was a lot of entertainment despite the failed attempt to keep me interested in the parts of the story that were meant to distract me from the good stuff....could be a different result for everyone so give it a go.
June 26, 2017
Awwww. My heart went out to Nate more than any of the guys in "the Six." (Closely followed by Reece.) But with this story, there was definitely a more heart-felt sense of loss. I did feel like Jo really had more to figure out as far as relationships go, where I was reading and groaning "what an idiot" to myself. But still, it was a sweeter story than many of the others. My time reading it flew by.
September 25, 2016
3.5
I quite liked Nate and Jo's story. Since the first book, it was foreshadowed that these two would end up finding a HEA. It took some time to get there, but for me was worth the wait. I enjoyed seeing the progression of these 2 and how they dealt with their faith and Nate's alcoholism. While this was in no way a Christian novel, it had some good areas of thought. Very enjoyable.
I quite liked Nate and Jo's story. Since the first book, it was foreshadowed that these two would end up finding a HEA. It took some time to get there, but for me was worth the wait. I enjoyed seeing the progression of these 2 and how they dealt with their faith and Nate's alcoholism. While this was in no way a Christian novel, it had some good areas of thought. Very enjoyable.
November 18, 2014
Jo is a missionary minded miss. She has loved Nate from afar for years, and unexpectedly gets really close to him & they marry. Nate has his own demons. Will they be able to create a love that will last, or will the past steal it all from them??? Great book. Enjoyed it.
March 8, 2016
This is the book I have been waiting to read and Lori didn't disappoint! This was her best book in the series! She finally had strong characters, a great storyline! She did a great job with this book!
January 7, 2013
This is a did not finish for me. Kinda slow. I did enjoy reading about the other guys
May 14, 2014
Western with strong women & hot sex
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews