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Barclays #1
Rough Wrangler, Tender Kisses: A Novel
SHE CALLED HIM COWBOY. HE CALLED HER PRINCESS.
Caitlin Summers has come west for one reason only: to sell the Wyoming ranch that belonged to her late father. But Cloud Ranch isn’t hers to sell—not as long as foreman Wade Barclay and his two brothers are majority owners. According to the will, Caitlin can’t sell her share until she’s lived there . . . for a whole year. For the debt-ridden Philadelphia beauty, the situation is intolerable. But the rough, infuriating wrangler will awaken every tender emotion buried in her heart.
To Wade Barclay, Caitlin Summers is just a spoiled society girl—even if she is also the daughter of the man who was a father to him in all but name. Caitlin broke her father’s heart when she and her mother left Wyoming, and Wade has no intention of letting her do the same to him. But living together under the same roof is hard on a man. One stolen kiss is all it takes to make him wild with wanting her. As the days pass, Wade knows he desperately needs Caitlin—in his bed, in his heart, and by his side forever in this wild, beautiful land he knows she’ll never call home.
Caitlin Summers has come west for one reason only: to sell the Wyoming ranch that belonged to her late father. But Cloud Ranch isn’t hers to sell—not as long as foreman Wade Barclay and his two brothers are majority owners. According to the will, Caitlin can’t sell her share until she’s lived there . . . for a whole year. For the debt-ridden Philadelphia beauty, the situation is intolerable. But the rough, infuriating wrangler will awaken every tender emotion buried in her heart.
To Wade Barclay, Caitlin Summers is just a spoiled society girl—even if she is also the daughter of the man who was a father to him in all but name. Caitlin broke her father’s heart when she and her mother left Wyoming, and Wade has no intention of letting her do the same to him. But living together under the same roof is hard on a man. One stolen kiss is all it takes to make him wild with wanting her. As the days pass, Wade knows he desperately needs Caitlin—in his bed, in his heart, and by his side forever in this wild, beautiful land he knows she’ll never call home.
371 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
25 people are currently reading
508 people want to read
About the author
Jill Gregory
62 books200 followersNew York Times and USA Today best-selling author Jill Gregory is the award-winning author of more than thirty novels. Jill has been awarded the Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence and her novels NEVER LOVE A COWBOY and COLD NIGHT, WARM STRANGER were honored with back-to-back Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice awards for Best Western Historical Romance.
Jill Gregory's novels have been translated and published in Japan, Russia, Norway, France, Taiwan, Sweden, Italy, and Germany. Jill grew up in Chicago and received her bachelor of arts degree in English from the University of Illinois. She currently resides in Michigan with her husband.
Jill Gregory's novels have been translated and published in Japan, Russia, Norway, France, Taiwan, Sweden, Italy, and Germany. Jill grew up in Chicago and received her bachelor of arts degree in English from the University of Illinois. She currently resides in Michigan with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 25, 2016
I would have liked the story better if the heroine wasn't such an annoying shrew in the first half of the book. The book has its moments, the love robbed off between father and daughter was heart-breaking.
I really disliked Caitlin in the first half. She acted like a childish shallow brat to Wade. I understand her distrust and hurt, that she felt abandoned by her father, whose loving letters she never received in the last 18 years. But she was so stupidly juvenile and unkind to Wade when he did what he did to keep his promise to his adopted father, who incidentally, was Caitlin's father. I think Caitlin's demand about selling the ranch to support her sister and herself was just selfishly annoying. I know she was in a bind. I know she wanted to help herself and her younger sister and she had no any other ways for a fresh start unless she received help. So why not tell Wade? OK she distrusted men because her fiance dumped her and evil villain almost raped her. But could she not have given Wade the benefit of the doubt? Caitlin went to all rage mode as soon as she had met Wade and made childish threats about firing Wade without realizing that Wade owned the ranch as much as she did. I mean, again, I understand why she felt cornered. But to act the way she did, I thought it was extremely childish and I disliked her strongly in the first half where she kept up with her stupid "rebellion".
Caitlin wanted to sell the ranch and get the money that she thought her father left her. However noble the reason may be, she was not "entitled" to the money. It was a bequest and I totally think Caitlin's father had the right to dictate the conditions in his will. Especially when he did it in love and kindness, hoping that his daughter would one day come to love the land that her father held so very dear. I mean, you don't like it? Don't take the money. Yes, Caitlin, I am talking to you, you prideful shrew.
After Caitlin and Wade both shared what they knew about Caitlin's father, the story improved. It wasn't so much about misunderstanding anymore but it became a romance story. A rather predictable western romance at that, but it was pleasant enough.
I really disliked Caitlin in the first half. She acted like a childish shallow brat to Wade. I understand her distrust and hurt, that she felt abandoned by her father, whose loving letters she never received in the last 18 years. But she was so stupidly juvenile and unkind to Wade when he did what he did to keep his promise to his adopted father, who incidentally, was Caitlin's father. I think Caitlin's demand about selling the ranch to support her sister and herself was just selfishly annoying. I know she was in a bind. I know she wanted to help herself and her younger sister and she had no any other ways for a fresh start unless she received help. So why not tell Wade? OK she distrusted men because her fiance dumped her and evil villain almost raped her. But could she not have given Wade the benefit of the doubt? Caitlin went to all rage mode as soon as she had met Wade and made childish threats about firing Wade without realizing that Wade owned the ranch as much as she did. I mean, again, I understand why she felt cornered. But to act the way she did, I thought it was extremely childish and I disliked her strongly in the first half where she kept up with her stupid "rebellion".
Caitlin wanted to sell the ranch and get the money that she thought her father left her. However noble the reason may be, she was not "entitled" to the money. It was a bequest and I totally think Caitlin's father had the right to dictate the conditions in his will. Especially when he did it in love and kindness, hoping that his daughter would one day come to love the land that her father held so very dear. I mean, you don't like it? Don't take the money. Yes, Caitlin, I am talking to you, you prideful shrew.
After Caitlin and Wade both shared what they knew about Caitlin's father, the story improved. It wasn't so much about misunderstanding anymore but it became a romance story. A rather predictable western romance at that, but it was pleasant enough.
November 17, 2020
Was good
March 19, 2014
The first book in Jill Gregory’s Barclay Brother’s series. I’ve read this, according to my reading diary, on two previous occasions. And I’m not sure if it was my mood or a change in my reading tastes, but after enjoying it the first two times I read it, I really did not enjoy it this time around.
My primary reason for not enjoying the book this time around was the heroine. I honestly found her to be quite awful. She was a complete cow to her hero on arrival, with no real provocation. And yes, she was thrown in the deep end, out of her element etc, but he hadn’t done anything to provoke her nastiness. Yes, she improved as the book went on, but I still found her a bit light on redeemable characteristics.
I also struggled with the lack of depth in the relationship created between the h/h, it seemed based on attraction and passion, with very little more to it. It would have been nice to have a bit more around their relationship.
I was really in the mood to read a good western, and I was disappointed in this. I guess it wasn’t what I was in the mood to read after all.
My primary reason for not enjoying the book this time around was the heroine. I honestly found her to be quite awful. She was a complete cow to her hero on arrival, with no real provocation. And yes, she was thrown in the deep end, out of her element etc, but he hadn’t done anything to provoke her nastiness. Yes, she improved as the book went on, but I still found her a bit light on redeemable characteristics.
I also struggled with the lack of depth in the relationship created between the h/h, it seemed based on attraction and passion, with very little more to it. It would have been nice to have a bit more around their relationship.
I was really in the mood to read a good western, and I was disappointed in this. I guess it wasn’t what I was in the mood to read after all.
April 5, 2015
Trouble & Catlin seem synonymous
This book seems to follow Cold Night, Warm Stranger.
Estranged daughter, death bed request, psycho jilted suitor all drama being played out in the panoramic foothills of Wyoming.
Passionate, determined characters, breathtaking scenery and villains popping up unpredictably. It was touching, amusing, engaging even when anxiously awaiting dangerous situations to be resolved. The mystery of the letters threw me.
Perfect balance for a good western.
This book seems to follow Cold Night, Warm Stranger.
Estranged daughter, death bed request, psycho jilted suitor all drama being played out in the panoramic foothills of Wyoming.
Passionate, determined characters, breathtaking scenery and villains popping up unpredictably. It was touching, amusing, engaging even when anxiously awaiting dangerous situations to be resolved. The mystery of the letters threw me.
Perfect balance for a good western.
August 6, 2018
This book was much different than I'd expected. It was full of tropes and rather predictable, and had a slow start but got very complicated and almost messy by the end. It was also a product of its time (Wade threw Caitlin around quite a bit, and acted against her wishes way too much to be courteous) but the ending tied things up neatly, and there was enough cute and gentle moments to save it.
June 15, 2017
very nice story. Just the kind of novel I like slow burning romance with just the right amount of tension and sweetness. I loved Wade!
April 13, 2020
Loved it
January 29, 2024
Mainly I had trouble with heroine’s childish attitude, in one word : shrew for about 2/3 of the book it just got annoying to me.
October 9, 2024
I genuinely don’t understand the reviews calling the heroine a shrew but having no criticism for the hero. She thought her father abandoned her, was essentially betrayed by her stepfather, was left by her fiance, and had to fight back against a man who attempted to rape her. She shows up to sell her father’s ranch so that she can provide for her sister (literally the only way she can do so!) and is greeted by a town that knows more of her business than she does and a ‘son’ she thinks her father preferred to her who seems to hate her guts. He can let her out of the requirement to live at the ranch for a year (again, she’s separated from the only living relative she has to care for!) but lies to her about this and chooses not to because he cares more about a dead man than a living, breathing person. I don’t blame her for trying to antagonize him! He doesn’t want her there either! He’s rude to her from the beginning, physically assaults her, and is generally brutish and domineering.
Oh I forgot, I’m reading a romance novel where the hero’s behavior is always excused and the heroine is the worst thing middle aged women reviewers can call her - a shrew. I’m not saying the heroine is perfect. She’s not. But it’s so frustrating to read a book where both characters are flawed human beings and reviewers basically “boys will be boys” the hero and criticize the heroine.
Oh I forgot, I’m reading a romance novel where the hero’s behavior is always excused and the heroine is the worst thing middle aged women reviewers can call her - a shrew. I’m not saying the heroine is perfect. She’s not. But it’s so frustrating to read a book where both characters are flawed human beings and reviewers basically “boys will be boys” the hero and criticize the heroine.
February 26, 2017
A cute and sweet read. I am not usually a historical fan but I love JG so I decided to give it a go. I really enjoyed it. Kind of like most historical, everything was wrapped up in a neat little bow. Not a lot of surprises but still a fun read.
November 3, 2014
I was very close to giving this book a 2 star rating but the end does slightly redeem the story. The hero was domineering and worse he was two-timing two women (thankfully with just kisses). The fact that both women were proper makes the whole business sticky. His actions at the end do make up for his high-handedness towards the heroine. He just wasn't able to see the heroine properly for most of the story. The heroine used haughtiness to hide her vulnerability, which was understandable given how truly defenseless she was.
February 11, 2016
I liked this book. I wouldn't consider it one of my keepers or one that i'm dying to reread.
The book moves a bit slowly as far as the romance unfolding. It does have a touch of suspense that will keep the readers interest.
The book moves a bit slowly as far as the romance unfolding. It does have a touch of suspense that will keep the readers interest.
July 4, 2013
Good 2nd story in the 3 story series. Love. Suspense. All a plus.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews