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Wide Open Spaces #5
The Renegade and the Heiress
The secluded cabin high in the snow-covered mountains was as far from Mallory O'Brien's glittering world of wealth and privilege as she could possibly have imagined. Yet this place--and the proud, bitter man who lived there alone--represented her last refuge from the ruthless killers stalking her...
Finn Donovan was as hard and unyielding--and as dangerously compelling--as this land he called home. And he had sworn to keep her safe, whatever the cost. But she wanted more from her guardian. She ached to know the secrets of his shadowed past--even as she longed to share his future.
Finn Donovan was as hard and unyielding--and as dangerously compelling--as this land he called home. And he had sworn to keep her safe, whatever the cost. But she wanted more from her guardian. She ached to know the secrets of his shadowed past--even as she longed to share his future.
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 2001
3 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Judith Duncan
35 books16 followersWikipedia entry:
Judith Duncan is a popular author of romance novels published primarily by Harlequin Enterprises between 1983 and 2002. During the period when Duncan was actively publishing, she lived and worked in Alberta, Canada. She based many of her books in this region. She has been heavily involved in local writers groups in a variety of roles. In particular, she has been active in the organisation and running courses designed to develop writing and publishing skills
Judith Duncan is a popular author of romance novels published primarily by Harlequin Enterprises between 1983 and 2002. During the period when Duncan was actively publishing, she lived and worked in Alberta, Canada. She based many of her books in this region. She has been heavily involved in local writers groups in a variety of roles. In particular, she has been active in the organisation and running courses designed to develop writing and publishing skills
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 17, 2019
There is something to be said when you read a Harlequin/Silhouette. You know it will likely cover a period of days, maybe a few weeks. There will be an attraction, perhaps one-sided but most likely felt by both the H/h. The romance will be told in the third-person tense from the h’s POV. If it was originally published in the 1980s, 1990s or early 2000s, there is a good chance of some datedness. Naturally, you can expect some suspension-of-disbelief. Lastly, there is a very good chance the setting will be in the US.
That said, I enjoyed The Renegade and the Heiress. It was the fifth story in a series but no problem to read as a standalone. And what a surprise because for the most part, it was told from the H’s POV -and- the setting took place in Canada.
This is the second story I have read by Judith Duncan and though I didn’t enjoy All That Matters as much as The Renegade and the Heiress, I liked the author’s style of writing. I am not sure if all her MCs are written with an age spread but in these two romances they are. It causes internal doubts for the men. But there is something about the writer’s matter of factness that makes me believe the stories might have taken place.
I really liked the first half of the story when Finn discovered Mallory was on the run. She was caught in the Canadian wilderness when her plane went down. She was 28 years old to his 42. She wasn’t a plain Jane but she wasn’t a real beauty as so many heroines are written. His face was scarred and he spent some years in prison. There is a very good reason why he works out of doors. The point is, Finn needs to earn Mallory’s trust, run the position of bodyguard and not betray that he is attracted to her. All while fighting off extreme cold and blizzard-like conditions.
All in all, a pretty good piece of romantic suspense. Just remember, it is a Harlequin.
That said, I enjoyed The Renegade and the Heiress. It was the fifth story in a series but no problem to read as a standalone. And what a surprise because for the most part, it was told from the H’s POV -and- the setting took place in Canada.
This is the second story I have read by Judith Duncan and though I didn’t enjoy All That Matters as much as The Renegade and the Heiress, I liked the author’s style of writing. I am not sure if all her MCs are written with an age spread but in these two romances they are. It causes internal doubts for the men. But there is something about the writer’s matter of factness that makes me believe the stories might have taken place.
I really liked the first half of the story when Finn discovered Mallory was on the run. She was caught in the Canadian wilderness when her plane went down. She was 28 years old to his 42. She wasn’t a plain Jane but she wasn’t a real beauty as so many heroines are written. His face was scarred and he spent some years in prison. There is a very good reason why he works out of doors. The point is, Finn needs to earn Mallory’s trust, run the position of bodyguard and not betray that he is attracted to her. All while fighting off extreme cold and blizzard-like conditions.
All in all, a pretty good piece of romantic suspense. Just remember, it is a Harlequin.
May 9, 2011
The Renegade and the Heiress was a book I fricking loved. I mean a heroine who has been kidnapped, drugged and escaped a plane crash and still has spunk, what is not there not to love and throw in a tortured hero, you have one amazing book.
Mallory is wealthy and has a rich over-protective father and she is in grave danger not knowing who is behind it all when she is rescued by Finn.
Finn went to prison when he murdered the man who raped his wife, then she died as well. So, Finn leads a solitary life and one snowy day he comes across Mallory, with her hands bound and life as he knows it changes. Despite under-going everything Mallory has a mouth and a temper on her, she is feisty and brave.
Finn allows her to lay low at her place and she manages to include herself in everything, she cooks, she wears his clothes, walks on him in the shower to apologize when she shouts on him and sneaks into his bed for comfort. In short, she is so freaking nice and the way she brings Finn alive. She even manages to make Finn's dog adore her. She makes Finn laugh and be happy.
I loved the scene when she says I am going to cut my hair and Finn is like don't, she gets steamed and when Finn says he liked them, she relents. That is such a sweet scene. Also when Finn says he may be a freckle man, she flips him over. I mean there were so many sweet scenes between them. She completed Finn, seeing both of them together was a joy, how Finn comforts her when she is scared for her and her father's safety, how she listens to Finn talk about his wife and how when she takes Finn to her apartment which is a world apart from Finn's, sensing his discomfort she says I want you to see me. This book was filled with such sweet and poignant moments between them, despite knowing that their world's are so different Finn falls for her, protects her.
I adored this book so very much.
Rating 5 ++
Mallory is wealthy and has a rich over-protective father and she is in grave danger not knowing who is behind it all when she is rescued by Finn.
Finn went to prison when he murdered the man who raped his wife, then she died as well. So, Finn leads a solitary life and one snowy day he comes across Mallory, with her hands bound and life as he knows it changes. Despite under-going everything Mallory has a mouth and a temper on her, she is feisty and brave.
Finn allows her to lay low at her place and she manages to include herself in everything, she cooks, she wears his clothes, walks on him in the shower to apologize when she shouts on him and sneaks into his bed for comfort. In short, she is so freaking nice and the way she brings Finn alive. She even manages to make Finn's dog adore her. She makes Finn laugh and be happy.
I loved the scene when she says I am going to cut my hair and Finn is like don't, she gets steamed and when Finn says he liked them, she relents. That is such a sweet scene. Also when Finn says he may be a freckle man, she flips him over. I mean there were so many sweet scenes between them. She completed Finn, seeing both of them together was a joy, how Finn comforts her when she is scared for her and her father's safety, how she listens to Finn talk about his wife and how when she takes Finn to her apartment which is a world apart from Finn's, sensing his discomfort she says I want you to see me. This book was filled with such sweet and poignant moments between them, despite knowing that their world's are so different Finn falls for her, protects her.
I adored this book so very much.
Rating 5 ++
August 1, 2023
Puedes encontrar esta reseña en español al final.
Between the cover (
), the Harlequin stuff and the title (I´m still recovering from the later…) I never, never in a million years would have take a chance on this story. But then my friend Linda wrote this fantastic review and I was hooked.
As a rule, when I´m reading a RS, I find myself waiting/searching for the TSTL moments. I know they are going to be there, it´s a matter of time to find them. And when I do (find them) I get a bit mad at the author because, really? Was not there anything better to do but to put the MC´s through all this silliness?? Well, that and the never-ending sex scenes. Yep, because there is nothing sexier that get down and dirty while your life is at stake, isn´t there? And the bad guys waiting, tsk, tsk, that´s simply rude, folks.
So, when I keep waiting for all of the above to happens while reading but it didn´t, I couldn´t be happier. Or more engrossed in the story. I think is the more common sense RS I have read in my life. I hope it won´t be the last.
To sum it up, the romance is slow-building, the attraction is here (oh, yes, you can be sure is there!), the suspense is credible and both the MC´s and the bad guy´s actions are realistic and intelligent. Both the hero and the heroine are awesome characters, and here we got to read the story through the hero´s POV, a plus, if you ask me.
Even the final was common sense. There was almost zero drama and the impediments for the main couple to get their HEA were reasonable.
I loved it.
So these are the reasons for my 5 star rating. Hope it helps. 😊
***
Entre la portada (
), el tema Harlequín y el título (MadreDeMiAlma, aún me estoy recuperando de él), no me hubiese acercado a esta historia ni loca. Pero luego va mi amiga Linda y escribe esta fantástica reseña y fue mi perdición.
Por lo general, cuando leo un suspense romántico me tiro toda la historia esperando/buscando los temidos momentos idiotas, porque sé que van a estar ahí, es sólo una cuestión de tiempo el encontrarlos. Y el hecho de saberlo no implica que no me coja un buen cabreo con la autora porque, ¿de verdad?, ¿no había otra cosa que hacer pasar a los protagonistas por todas esas tonterías? Bueno, esto y las I-N-T-E-R-M-I-N-A-B-L-E-S escenas de sexo… Porque claro, todo el mundo sabe que no hay nada más sexy que ponerse manos a la obra cuando tu vida está en juego. Y esos pobres malos esperando a que los buenos terminen de darse el revolcón para poder seguir con la historia, de verdad, ¡qué poca consideración!
Así que mientras leía y esperaba que pasase todo lo anterior y no pasaba, casi no me lo podía creer. No podía estar más a gusto ni mas enganchada a la historia. Creo que es el suspense romántico con más sentido común que he leído en mi vida. Espero que no sea el último…
Total, que el romance es de los que va poquito a poco, con un montón de tensión sexual (¡casi se corta con un cuchillo! 😉), el suspense es creíble y tanto las acciones de los protagonistas como la de los malos son realistas e inteligentes. Los protas son unos personajes absolutamente encantadores y por si fuera poco, toda la historia está contada desde el punto de vista del héroe. Vamos, es que no puedo ponerle una pega.
Hasta el final ha sido coherente y con cero drama. Los motivos para que los protagonistas no pudiesen estar juntos no podrían haber sido más realistas, y todo se soluciona con… sentido común.
Me ha encantado.
Estas son mis razones para darle 5 estrellas a la historia. Espero que ayude.
Between the cover (
), the Harlequin stuff and the title (I´m still recovering from the later…) I never, never in a million years would have take a chance on this story. But then my friend Linda wrote this fantastic review and I was hooked. As a rule, when I´m reading a RS, I find myself waiting/searching for the TSTL moments. I know they are going to be there, it´s a matter of time to find them. And when I do (find them) I get a bit mad at the author because, really? Was not there anything better to do but to put the MC´s through all this silliness?? Well, that and the never-ending sex scenes. Yep, because there is nothing sexier that get down and dirty while your life is at stake, isn´t there? And the bad guys waiting, tsk, tsk, that´s simply rude, folks.
So, when I keep waiting for all of the above to happens while reading but it didn´t, I couldn´t be happier. Or more engrossed in the story. I think is the more common sense RS I have read in my life. I hope it won´t be the last.
To sum it up, the romance is slow-building, the attraction is here (oh, yes, you can be sure is there!), the suspense is credible and both the MC´s and the bad guy´s actions are realistic and intelligent. Both the hero and the heroine are awesome characters, and here we got to read the story through the hero´s POV, a plus, if you ask me.
Even the final was common sense. There was almost zero drama and the impediments for the main couple to get their HEA were reasonable.
I loved it.
So these are the reasons for my 5 star rating. Hope it helps. 😊
***
Entre la portada (
), el tema Harlequín y el título (MadreDeMiAlma, aún me estoy recuperando de él), no me hubiese acercado a esta historia ni loca. Pero luego va mi amiga Linda y escribe esta fantástica reseña y fue mi perdición.Por lo general, cuando leo un suspense romántico me tiro toda la historia esperando/buscando los temidos momentos idiotas, porque sé que van a estar ahí, es sólo una cuestión de tiempo el encontrarlos. Y el hecho de saberlo no implica que no me coja un buen cabreo con la autora porque, ¿de verdad?, ¿no había otra cosa que hacer pasar a los protagonistas por todas esas tonterías? Bueno, esto y las I-N-T-E-R-M-I-N-A-B-L-E-S escenas de sexo… Porque claro, todo el mundo sabe que no hay nada más sexy que ponerse manos a la obra cuando tu vida está en juego. Y esos pobres malos esperando a que los buenos terminen de darse el revolcón para poder seguir con la historia, de verdad, ¡qué poca consideración!
Así que mientras leía y esperaba que pasase todo lo anterior y no pasaba, casi no me lo podía creer. No podía estar más a gusto ni mas enganchada a la historia. Creo que es el suspense romántico con más sentido común que he leído en mi vida. Espero que no sea el último…
Total, que el romance es de los que va poquito a poco, con un montón de tensión sexual (¡casi se corta con un cuchillo! 😉), el suspense es creíble y tanto las acciones de los protagonistas como la de los malos son realistas e inteligentes. Los protas son unos personajes absolutamente encantadores y por si fuera poco, toda la historia está contada desde el punto de vista del héroe. Vamos, es que no puedo ponerle una pega.
Hasta el final ha sido coherente y con cero drama. Los motivos para que los protagonistas no pudiesen estar juntos no podrían haber sido más realistas, y todo se soluciona con… sentido común.
Me ha encantado.
Estas son mis razones para darle 5 estrellas a la historia. Espero que ayude.
June 2, 2011
I really expected this to be more angsty. It had all the elements but I believe that since it was told totally from the hero's POV it was difficult to develop him into a mysterious tragic brooding hero. There were a couple of places where I as the reader felt a bit gypped. For example when she asked about his wife and why he went to prison. Instead of us getting to experience his words and feelings, the author just said "and he told her the whole story." That was a scene that definitely should have been written out. It's the kind of place where angst really shines. And if you don't want angst in your book why are you writing about a man who went to prison for killing his young wife's rapist? The characters were decently written. The action okay but not real suspenseful. Over all a pleasant enough read but not a keeper.
November 26, 2024
"She had knocked him for a loop from the moment he’d laid eyes on her, and he could count the days he’d spent with her on one hand. But none of that mattered. Time didn’t matter. Because he knew that Mallory O’Brien was going to be lodged in his heart until the day he died.
3.5 stars
This was a sweet little fast paced read.
There is a little bit of winter survival, and a little bit of suspense. I liked that it was all from the MMCs POV. Very rare for a romance book. However, the inner monologue was pretty repetitive. Buutt you gotta like the gruff grumpy loner with a heart of gold.
3.5 stars
This was a sweet little fast paced read.
There is a little bit of winter survival, and a little bit of suspense. I liked that it was all from the MMCs POV. Very rare for a romance book. However, the inner monologue was pretty repetitive. Buutt you gotta like the gruff grumpy loner with a heart of gold.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews