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Oklahoma Lovers #1
A Run for Love
Feisty school teacher Tori Henderson values her independence and has no use for a husband. When she finds herself the legal guardian of her two nieces, two nephews, and facing eviction from her Kansas home, she enters the 1889 Oklahoma Land Run and confronts a new set of challenges. The biggest obstacle being her new neighbor, cocky lawyer Jesse Cochran, the son of a whore-a man determined to put his past behind him and start a new life and family of his own. Despite the undeniable attraction between them, Tori is determined to keep him at arm's length, but a family emergency brings them together and they declare a truce. Can Jesse win Tori's heart after a series of unplanned events, or will tragedy tear them apart forever?
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 23, 2011
295 people are currently reading
870 people want to read
About the author
Callie Hutton
135 books1,441 followershttp://calliehutton.com/newsletter/ (receive a free book for signing up and be up to date on new releases and sales)
Hi Romance Fans,
My historical romances are full of heat, humor, and quirky characters. I’ve always loved history, which was my college major. Things of the past fascinate me. Not those boring history classes in high school, but the history of people. How they lived their lives, what they ate, what they wore, the challenges they faced, what they worried about.
I have recently delved into Historical Cozy Mysteries. My very first one, For the Love of the Baron, a Historical Romantic Suspense novella, spurred me to try a full length, non-romance focused cozy mystery. A Study in Murder released last year from Crooked Lane Publishing, and the reviews have been excellent. The second book, The Sign of Death, released this year and the next book, The Mystery of Albert E. Finch will release in January of 2022.
I've also been busy keeping up with my Regency/Victorian romances. Check out my latest series, The Rose Room Rogues. Four brothers who own a gambling club and find themselves caught in the net of love.
Watch for my new Highlander series, The Sutherlands of Dornoch. The first book in that series, To Deceive a Highlander, will release March 30th.
Take a look around my website and check out some of the books I write, and their lovely covers. www.calliehutton.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
dropped
November 5, 2013I got s little more than halfway thru but the heroine bothered me too much and the story wasn't too exciting so I dropped it. There are very few things I hate more than a man-hating heroine. I hate woman-hating heroes too so I'm an equal opportunity hater of haters:)
There is a fine line between feisty and a shrew and she crossed the line too many times. Her reasoning for hating marriage and all charming men didn't hold any water in my mind so I just kept thinking "what does this adorable hero see in her??!!". Also for such a man hater she sure fell into bed easy enough over and over again.
One last thing that bugged me: the fact that she kept leaving the kids behind or alone drove me nuts. Its the effing wild west you do NOT leave a sixteen year old in charge of three younger kids to ride in a broken wagon across miles and miles of open land. Yeah no I shoulda been clued in there how much this heroine would bug me.
There is a fine line between feisty and a shrew and she crossed the line too many times. Her reasoning for hating marriage and all charming men didn't hold any water in my mind so I just kept thinking "what does this adorable hero see in her??!!". Also for such a man hater she sure fell into bed easy enough over and over again.
One last thing that bugged me: the fact that she kept leaving the kids behind or alone drove me nuts. Its the effing wild west you do NOT leave a sixteen year old in charge of three younger kids to ride in a broken wagon across miles and miles of open land. Yeah no I shoulda been clued in there how much this heroine would bug me.
October 17, 2016
The only thing going for this book was the fact that the guy on the cover looks suspiciously like Viggo Mortensen.
I don't even know where to begin. Jesse and the kids were the characters that actually made progress through the book and ended up likeable by the end of it.
Tori, though?
My God, she's the reason most men think women are complete idiots! If she wasn't bickering just for the sake of being right even when she was wrong, she was crying like a big baby, accusing Jesse of taking advantage of her (this AFTER she practically climbed him like a totem pole), being a depressed waif and generally fluctuating left, right and centre.
Bottom line: not sure why I read this one.
I don't even know where to begin. Jesse and the kids were the characters that actually made progress through the book and ended up likeable by the end of it.
Tori, though?
My God, she's the reason most men think women are complete idiots! If she wasn't bickering just for the sake of being right even when she was wrong, she was crying like a big baby, accusing Jesse of taking advantage of her (this AFTER she practically climbed him like a totem pole), being a depressed waif and generally fluctuating left, right and centre.
Bottom line: not sure why I read this one.
November 20, 2016
I really enjoyed the hero, and I liked the plot, but I had a difficult time warming up to the heroine. I never like I got inside Tory's head. I would have liked more depth to her character. She was just so confrontational for much of the book that I grew quite irritated with her. Overall, I give this one 3.5 stars. Happy reading!
February 5, 2023
I wasn’t going to review this book because I really have no business tearing down an author’s hard work and ripping on their book they pushed through publishing. But this isn’t meant to be a hate comment or a mean-spirited comment. There are some spoilers ahead, but I feel like they’re necessary to illustrate my point and if you still want to read this book after reading them, then nothing is going to stop you.
It’s just after reading so many people damning Tori and praising Jesse, I wanted to point out how crazy their relationship was on his end. He was physically, mentally, and sexually abusive and if Tori wasn’t inconsistent with her characterization, I would actually sympathize with her.
On one hand, she is a girl who has been pushed around her whole life with no strong male figure in her life to show her how she should expect them to act. She doesn’t know how to stand up for herself and now she has a giant responsibility of raising four kids and is just trying her best.
But on the other hand, she’s supposed to be a spitfire woman who is sassy and fierce and all that good stuff. It doesn’t balance out and it makes me dislike her because she comes off so disillusioned.
How can she be this “fiery woman” one minute and a blubbering mess the next?
She never stood up and took control of her life. That does not mean she deserves to be an object of obsession.
Jesse is an abuser throughout this book I found myself growing to be afraid of him. And I’ve read ACOTAR.
Example of sexual abuse:
Tori wakes up one morning while he is touching her inappropriately. Touching a woman’s breasts while she’s asleep isn’t a romantic way to wake up, it’s assault (especially since they were not in a consenting relationship here). Also, other than the first time they slept together, the consent was hazy at best. And I don’t count “Are you sure?” “Yes, but I’m scared” as consent, really. And if this doesn’t scream abuse, then I don’t know what does:
“You are sleeping here, in my house, in my bed. If that’s being too bossy, then so be it.” He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.
“Unable to speak, she concentrated on breathing until he placed her on the bed. She sank into the soft mattress. Wide eyed, she tried to scoot off, but he laughed playfully and wrapped his arm around her waist. With a quick tug, he pulled her to him, and then covered her mouth with his own warm one.
Her weak attempt to push him away failed when he took the kiss deeper and filled his hand with her full breast.” (Pg. 137)
Example of physical abuse:
Jesse is constantly grabbing her and she fights the urge to rub her elbow at one point because he actually hurt her. I know what you’re thinking, but Jesse said he would never hurt Tori!!! Oh contraire. He does. All the time. Not usually physically, but once is enough and it was more than once. Also, using his strength to force her into his house in the excerpt above was a more than a bit unacceptable too.
Example of emotional abuse:
-Arranging a wedding despite her protests and becoming threatening when she argues with him about it
-The whole scene where she says she doesn’t want to marry him and he says he isn’t giving her a choice
-when she says she doesn’t want for anything to happen sexually between them but he gets in her bedroll anyway under pretense of just warming her up in a non sexual way
-bossing her around constantly and making decisions for her like getting the pastor’s wife to cover her baking despite Tori’s clear objections
-pressuring her into sex and not having a clear conversation about why she feels like she isn’t ready
-Having her design parts of his house while assuring her it isn’t some weird ploy to get her to move back in when it is really a ploy to get her to move back in
-How he talked to/ treated her after the miscarriage
- Etc. Etc. Etc.
The miscarriage was another thing entirely. When Tori loses her baby, she finds herself in the Twilight Zone of people who don’t know what the heck to say to someone who has had a miscarriage. It’s hard for me to believe that anyone who didn’t find something fishy about the following quotes is a mother:
“These things happen... think of it as God’s way of preventing a weak life... you must view this as a blessing.”
“I’m sorry about the baby. It was mine too, honey, but you’ll heal and, in time, there will be more.”
“These things happen, and one day there will be more babies.”
“Some babies just don’t ‘take’ and you lose them. It happened to me one time, too.”
Etc. Etc. Etc.
I can’t imagine the pain of miscarriage but it felt so wrong to see the entire cast of characters gloss over it like losing a tooth or having to flush a goldfish. Especially Jesse. It felt like a tool to create sexual tension and an emotional rift between the characters so they could have conflict before the big reconciliation. A tragedy such as losing a child is an inappropriate way to go about that.
Overall, if things had been different, I might have rated this novel higher. But Jesse is a terrifying abusive creep who sexualizes Tori’s most mundane activities (eating steak, tying her boots, wearing any clothes, etc.) and I don’t understand why I haven’t read a single review pointing this out. Tori wasn’t my favorite by ANY means, but at least she wasn’t a domineering character abusing the upper side of a power imbalance. Praising Jesse seems impossible to me, and my favorite part of the novel is where Tori makes the mature decision to take some space from him and try to figure things out.
She just figured them out wrong and went back.
No woman deserves this treatment. Not Tori. Not anyone. Obsession isn’t love and abuse isn’t romance, and I’m such of seeing both tropes glorified in the romance genre.
Tori was not “made for loving” She was made to have her own life and ambitions and she has the right to be an irrational, crazy woman who doesn’t want a man if that’s what she says she wants. Using force is not the way to win her, it’s the way to break her. I could go on and on and on.
But I’ll end with this: Jesse please learn how to eat cookies properly please and thank you. That’s all.
It’s just after reading so many people damning Tori and praising Jesse, I wanted to point out how crazy their relationship was on his end. He was physically, mentally, and sexually abusive and if Tori wasn’t inconsistent with her characterization, I would actually sympathize with her.
On one hand, she is a girl who has been pushed around her whole life with no strong male figure in her life to show her how she should expect them to act. She doesn’t know how to stand up for herself and now she has a giant responsibility of raising four kids and is just trying her best.
But on the other hand, she’s supposed to be a spitfire woman who is sassy and fierce and all that good stuff. It doesn’t balance out and it makes me dislike her because she comes off so disillusioned.
How can she be this “fiery woman” one minute and a blubbering mess the next?
She never stood up and took control of her life. That does not mean she deserves to be an object of obsession.
Jesse is an abuser throughout this book I found myself growing to be afraid of him. And I’ve read ACOTAR.
Example of sexual abuse:
Tori wakes up one morning while he is touching her inappropriately. Touching a woman’s breasts while she’s asleep isn’t a romantic way to wake up, it’s assault (especially since they were not in a consenting relationship here). Also, other than the first time they slept together, the consent was hazy at best. And I don’t count “Are you sure?” “Yes, but I’m scared” as consent, really. And if this doesn’t scream abuse, then I don’t know what does:
“You are sleeping here, in my house, in my bed. If that’s being too bossy, then so be it.” He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.
“Unable to speak, she concentrated on breathing until he placed her on the bed. She sank into the soft mattress. Wide eyed, she tried to scoot off, but he laughed playfully and wrapped his arm around her waist. With a quick tug, he pulled her to him, and then covered her mouth with his own warm one.
Her weak attempt to push him away failed when he took the kiss deeper and filled his hand with her full breast.” (Pg. 137)
Example of physical abuse:
Jesse is constantly grabbing her and she fights the urge to rub her elbow at one point because he actually hurt her. I know what you’re thinking, but Jesse said he would never hurt Tori!!! Oh contraire. He does. All the time. Not usually physically, but once is enough and it was more than once. Also, using his strength to force her into his house in the excerpt above was a more than a bit unacceptable too.
Example of emotional abuse:
-Arranging a wedding despite her protests and becoming threatening when she argues with him about it
-The whole scene where she says she doesn’t want to marry him and he says he isn’t giving her a choice
-when she says she doesn’t want for anything to happen sexually between them but he gets in her bedroll anyway under pretense of just warming her up in a non sexual way
-bossing her around constantly and making decisions for her like getting the pastor’s wife to cover her baking despite Tori’s clear objections
-pressuring her into sex and not having a clear conversation about why she feels like she isn’t ready
-Having her design parts of his house while assuring her it isn’t some weird ploy to get her to move back in when it is really a ploy to get her to move back in
-How he talked to/ treated her after the miscarriage
- Etc. Etc. Etc.
The miscarriage was another thing entirely. When Tori loses her baby, she finds herself in the Twilight Zone of people who don’t know what the heck to say to someone who has had a miscarriage. It’s hard for me to believe that anyone who didn’t find something fishy about the following quotes is a mother:
“These things happen... think of it as God’s way of preventing a weak life... you must view this as a blessing.”
“I’m sorry about the baby. It was mine too, honey, but you’ll heal and, in time, there will be more.”
“These things happen, and one day there will be more babies.”
“Some babies just don’t ‘take’ and you lose them. It happened to me one time, too.”
Etc. Etc. Etc.
I can’t imagine the pain of miscarriage but it felt so wrong to see the entire cast of characters gloss over it like losing a tooth or having to flush a goldfish. Especially Jesse. It felt like a tool to create sexual tension and an emotional rift between the characters so they could have conflict before the big reconciliation. A tragedy such as losing a child is an inappropriate way to go about that.
Overall, if things had been different, I might have rated this novel higher. But Jesse is a terrifying abusive creep who sexualizes Tori’s most mundane activities (eating steak, tying her boots, wearing any clothes, etc.) and I don’t understand why I haven’t read a single review pointing this out. Tori wasn’t my favorite by ANY means, but at least she wasn’t a domineering character abusing the upper side of a power imbalance. Praising Jesse seems impossible to me, and my favorite part of the novel is where Tori makes the mature decision to take some space from him and try to figure things out.
She just figured them out wrong and went back.
No woman deserves this treatment. Not Tori. Not anyone. Obsession isn’t love and abuse isn’t romance, and I’m such of seeing both tropes glorified in the romance genre.
Tori was not “made for loving” She was made to have her own life and ambitions and she has the right to be an irrational, crazy woman who doesn’t want a man if that’s what she says she wants. Using force is not the way to win her, it’s the way to break her. I could go on and on and on.
But I’ll end with this: Jesse please learn how to eat cookies properly please and thank you. That’s all.
May 10, 2018
This took place mostly in Oklahoma Territory, 1889,
going forward.
This featured Jesse, a cocky lawyer, and teacher
Victoria, known as Tori, who independently joined
the Oklahoma Territory Land Run. Each secured free
land, on adjoining lots. A coincidence.
Some events happened too quickly. Such as Tori had
no money, but within a few months she went from
sleeping in a tent to building a small house. A town
was established and it had many merchants & houses,
in less than a year. A miracle.
Tori's brother died & she informally adopted his sons &
daughters (4 total) ranging in age from 11 to 16. Tori met
Jesse early on and considered him an insincere charmer.
Her Aunt Martha raised her to view men as vile creatures
& charming men as heartbreakers.
The MCs married and drew closer, but an event pulled
them apart. Tori took too long to see Jesse as a sincere,
good man. Jesse showed infinite patience, when some
men may have given up. Despite my cynical comments,
I enjoyed this book.
going forward.
This featured Jesse, a cocky lawyer, and teacher
Victoria, known as Tori, who independently joined
the Oklahoma Territory Land Run. Each secured free
land, on adjoining lots. A coincidence.
Some events happened too quickly. Such as Tori had
no money, but within a few months she went from
sleeping in a tent to building a small house. A town
was established and it had many merchants & houses,
in less than a year. A miracle.
Tori's brother died & she informally adopted his sons &
daughters (4 total) ranging in age from 11 to 16. Tori met
Jesse early on and considered him an insincere charmer.
Her Aunt Martha raised her to view men as vile creatures
& charming men as heartbreakers.
The MCs married and drew closer, but an event pulled
them apart. Tori took too long to see Jesse as a sincere,
good man. Jesse showed infinite patience, when some
men may have given up. Despite my cynical comments,
I enjoyed this book.
January 10, 2012
I loved this book! So chock full of wonderful history, from the town that springs up almost overnight to the rich characterizations. Ms. Hutton has created a fascinating family in the Hendersons, a true leading man in Jesse Cochran and paves the way for much-anticipated sequels. I anxiously await her next installment -
July 5, 2020
"She set him on fire, but could he handle the burn?"
This is the second western historical series I am reading, courtesy of Callie Hutton, the first one being, "Prisoners of Love" (and yes, I continue to wait for Nellie's story :)).
3.5 stars outta 5
Although "A Run For Love" is a rather length book, 272 pages, to be precise, I was able to read it in one day. Oh yeah, I'm once again back in the reading zone... finally!
There was a lot of personal drama throughout the story... some conflicts felt rushed, while other heartaches were drawn out much too long... if that makes sense. The Tori (the heroine) kinda grated on my nerves time and time again, however, Jesse (the hero) was strong, sure, and well, simply amazing. He definitely has perfect fictional boyfriend / husband material.
Okay, going to make lunch, tidy up my place and then start reading the next book in this series, "A Perscription for Love". Maybe I will be able to read through the next book in a day or two as well... fingers crossed!
This is the second western historical series I am reading, courtesy of Callie Hutton, the first one being, "Prisoners of Love" (and yes, I continue to wait for Nellie's story :)).
3.5 stars outta 5
Although "A Run For Love" is a rather length book, 272 pages, to be precise, I was able to read it in one day. Oh yeah, I'm once again back in the reading zone... finally!
There was a lot of personal drama throughout the story... some conflicts felt rushed, while other heartaches were drawn out much too long... if that makes sense. The Tori (the heroine) kinda grated on my nerves time and time again, however, Jesse (the hero) was strong, sure, and well, simply amazing. He definitely has perfect fictional boyfriend / husband material.
Okay, going to make lunch, tidy up my place and then start reading the next book in this series, "A Perscription for Love". Maybe I will be able to read through the next book in a day or two as well... fingers crossed!
August 12, 2025
first in series
Cute story. A little too detailed on their bedroom activities for me. But the last half of the book was better.
Cute story. A little too detailed on their bedroom activities for me. But the last half of the book was better.
July 19, 2014
A moving, fantastic read that has you on the edge of your seat with many twists and turns and characters that pull at your heart strings all throughout the story. Jesse and Tori were the perfect match in this story that had so many hurdles and challenges. Strong story with lots of chemistry with many fireworks makes for one outstanding read. Be entertained by the many wonderful characters in A Run For Love by Callie Hutton which is book one of the Oklahoma Lovers series.
5 Stars
*Book received by the Author for an honest review
5 Stars
*Book received by the Author for an honest review
August 30, 2014
Didn't love it but didn't hate it, either. I was expecting a way better book considering all the glowing reviews. It started out well but then got really slow and dragged on. The heroine's attitude toward Jesse got old fast. I believe in strong, independent women but she carried it to the extreme. The hero was way more patient and understanding than he needed to be. I thoroughly enjoyed the bits of humor sprinkled throughout.
February 19, 2012
This fascinating story about settlers out West pulled me in from the first chapter. I loved the strength of the heroine and that the hero, although an alpha male, was able to express his sensitivity. I laughed when Tori kept telling Jesse to stop calling her "honey." Other scenes left me crying. Beautiful love story!
May 27, 2017
What a whiny little girl. Although the author wanted us to believe she was a grown woman because she had taken on the responsibility of raising her 4 nieces & nephews, she was far from grown. She treated her husband like crap, only did what she deemed was acceptable and to heck with everyone else. I've liked most of Ms. Hutton's other stories but this one just made me feel very sad for Jesse.
October 27, 2018
A very entertaining story
Wow this is a action pack story with never a dull moment story. A new life awaits this desperate family and hard times are in their future. The characters all have had a hard life but come together with many struggles and many hardships to try and form a real family. You will be very entertained if you treat yourself to this book. I would gladly tell all my friends and others to please read this book and the others in this series. Callie is a gifted story teller
Wow this is a action pack story with never a dull moment story. A new life awaits this desperate family and hard times are in their future. The characters all have had a hard life but come together with many struggles and many hardships to try and form a real family. You will be very entertained if you treat yourself to this book. I would gladly tell all my friends and others to please read this book and the others in this series. Callie is a gifted story teller
September 20, 2017
The story was intriguing. There were twists and turns which kept it in interesting. However, there were several sex scenes that left nothing to the imagination. So if you're looking for a clean read this is not it therefore the two stars. If not for that I would have given it a three.
June 12, 2019
I loved the premise of this story, but it was more graphic than I would prefer to read. The main character inherits her 4 nieces and nephews upon the death of her brother. Her new neighbor is immediately drawn to her despite her feisty character (which is why I liked her!)
September 30, 2019
A very good book other than the sexually explicit details. There were only a couple of instances but I didn't find that they did not add to the story and could have been only alluded to. Without these unnecessary instances I would have given this book 5 stars.
April 7, 2020
She took on raising her brothers four kids when he died
I really enjoyed how the story told how strong in some ways and how her weaknesses eventually made her stronger. Also his love for her not giving up made her not give up on him.
I really enjoyed how the story told how strong in some ways and how her weaknesses eventually made her stronger. Also his love for her not giving up made her not give up on him.
January 26, 2022
It had so much potential, I just couldn't stand the main character, Tori. It was difficult for me to relate to her even with her back story. She showed a lack of courtesy and tact and a lot of selfishness at times for a character with her values...
November 9, 2016
5 stars
I really enjoyed this book. Tori's brother is killed, leaving his four children orphans. Tori takes them in to raise.
I really enjoyed this book. Tori's brother is killed, leaving his four children orphans. Tori takes them in to raise.
February 6, 2017
This is the first book I have read by Callie Hutton and I love the characters she has introduced me to. I am excited to read all her work!
February 21, 2017
Great!
This was a wonderful story. I loved reading it. I could not put it down until I finished reading it. Great story and imagination!
This was a wonderful story. I loved reading it. I could not put it down until I finished reading it. Great story and imagination!
July 14, 2017
It doesn't feel historically accurate at all. But I liked the development of their relationship after the tragedy. Low 3
June 23, 2018
Romance Blooms
What a fantastic book to read! Between intrigue, racing, romance, fights among women, and above all else there's love! Truest kind of love!
What a fantastic book to read! Between intrigue, racing, romance, fights among women, and above all else there's love! Truest kind of love!
October 18, 2018
Exceptional!
This romance is so, so cleverly written! The story of love beginning to grow and then blossoms into full bloom is very real.
This romance is so, so cleverly written! The story of love beginning to grow and then blossoms into full bloom is very real.
Want to read
June 10, 2019*Personal Note: See 'Oklahoma Lovers Series Boxset' on kindle
November 4, 2019
Complex and compelling
Amazing fortitude guides Jesse in his baffling courtship of the intractable and single minded Tori. Her perceptions were twisted by her upbringing.
Amazing fortitude guides Jesse in his baffling courtship of the intractable and single minded Tori. Her perceptions were twisted by her upbringing.
December 21, 2019
I wonder if the Oklahoma land run was anything similar to how it is depicted in this story. Storyline aside, it is fun to get snippets of unknown history tucked into a novel.
January 6, 2020
Love endures all
It's always nice to read a great love story of decency., And to know all men aren't out there to get what they can.
It's always nice to read a great love story of decency., And to know all men aren't out there to get what they can.
November 7, 2021
I enjoyed reading.
August 6, 2022
Refreshing
The book was refreshing in that a lone woman up her mind and let nothing get in her way. ha ha ha ha! The bar fight was exceptional:).
The book was refreshing in that a lone woman up her mind and let nothing get in her way. ha ha ha ha! The bar fight was exceptional:).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews