Boundary Lines

by Nora Roberts

AVAILABLE DIGITALLY FOR THE FIRST TIMEJillian Baron is determined to make the Utopia ranch work - both for herself and to justify her grandfather's trust in her. But inheriting the ranch also means inheriting a long-standing family feud as well. Living side by side with the Murdocks had bred contempt over the years. And stubborn, irascible Aaron Murdock doesn't seem like the man to break down any barriers. But when Jillian and Aaron are confronted with a common enemy, they are forced to contemplate a truce... which makes it hard to ignore the spark of desire that has sprung up between them. Forbidden territory has never looked so inviting. Perhaps it's time to put the past behind them once and for all... Includes a preview of Whiskey Beach, published in April 2013.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Harlequin, Westerns, Fiction, Chick Lit

186 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 1985

About the author

Nora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.

Reviews

[Faye · Rating 1 out of 5]

First read: c. 2005
Initial rating: 3/5 stars
Re-read: December 2017
New rating: DNF after chapter one.

I don't remember disliking Boundary Lines the first time I read it but on the re-read...nope. Aaron - the 'hero' - is not a likeable character. This particular quote is ostensibly about his horse, but it is pretty obvious who he's making a judgement on.
A mighty pretty filly," Aaron said easily. While he stroked his horse's head his eyes remained on Jillian. "A bit high-strung," he continued, "but well built. She'd breed well." Urgh. Of the classic Nora Robert's novels that I've re-read, this is not one that has aged well.

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nora Roberts category romances are fun and escapist, predictable but usually lovely. I just couldn't with this one though. Even when the female protagonist says no again and again, the guy still forces kisses on her, wrestles her, pins her to the ground, etc. It put me on edge just reading it. Maybe there was a time when forcing a woman who is clearly uncomfortable and clearly resisting was considered chivalrous or romantic, but in this one, it just reads as disturbing, particularly since the author attributes it to the female overwhelming him with her attractiveness. I just kept thinking, "Dude, she said no." There's one point where he's on the verge of the cattle rancher equivalent of date rape, realizes what he's doing and rolls away. She sees the shame and wariness in his eyes and becomes all "Aww, Aaron, it's OK. I'd better kiss him now." I love how Roberts commits to scenarios, to lifestyles, to speech patterns. She just imagines something and dives in. But this one almost needs a frigging trigger warning, particularly since the author doesn't seem to realize what's wrong with it either.

I read this as part of a two-novel collection called "Engaging with the Enemy." The other was "A Will and a Way," and the latter was far superior.

[Mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between three and four stars ...

I sometimes wonder if Nora has all these books hidden away and releases them, on a whim, every so often. I swear I only came across this one the other day ... I honestly thought I had marked every book I wanted to read by her as "to read" on Goodreads but there are still a few lurking out there ...



A nice, easy read. No major drama. Two likable characters. Bit of a family history but no real angst.


Set in Montana. When I started reading romance many moons ago, as a young teenager, I used to love the "cowboy" romances set in Montana, Wyoming, the Australian Outback ... thought it was so romantic to live out there in the wilds with no neighbours, just a handsome cowboy! LOL. I am sure the reality is very different. But a girl can dream ...

Off to check out the rest of the 2.751 books that Nora has dropped on Kindle over the weekend!


If you are looking for an easy read, you can't go far wrong with this one. The Narrator was quite good too.


There was a slight bit of mystery thrown in but, honestly, you barely noticed it! (and it was a bit obvious to me who the "bad guy" was)!

[Gemma G. Gegargas · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5⭐️

Tengo que decir que en un comienzo me atrapó pero a medida que pasaban sus páginas tenía la sensación de haber leído este libro varias veces. No hay nada nuevo ni diferente, cliché tras cliché, hasta el ladrón de ganado, 😂😂😂.
Además me cansó esa batalla constante entre Jillian y Aarón, era innecesario y muy jartible.

No ha sido un horror de lectura y puede servir de transición, pero realmente esperaba mucho más de Nora Roberts.

[♥Sharon♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one! Sweet romance and the main characters were great. Loved the ending. ❤️

[*CJ* · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Boundary Lines" is the story of Jill and Aaron.

The hero and heroine share neighboring farms, with a history of family feud. Both have inherited the lands from their families. When they meet, sparks fly and the hero begins his pursuit. Initially resistant, the heroine soon gives in. However, as her cattle goes missing, suspicions are raise but their love and faith never wavers..

Likable strong main characters with very good chemistry, romance and a sweet ending.

Safe
4/5

[Meags · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

If I hadn’t already known that this book was written back in 1985, I could have easily assumed it was a contemporary romance. I love that about Nora’s older books. They have this ageless quality about them. In fact, the only obvious change between her Harlequin days and her more modern books is that the sex is usually more explicit these days - thank god for that.

I really enjoyed this story. No surprise there; Nora has always been one of my favourite authors (if not the favourite). I find her stories so easy to read. Her characters are always likeable and well-developed; her heroines are generally strong, independent, relatable women, who you either want to be, or want to be friends with; and her male leads are persistently resilient, confident and, let’s be honest here, dreamy beyond belief. Jillian Baron and Aaron Murdock were no exceptions to this rule. They were extremely likeable characters, separately and together, with lots of snappy banter at the core of their interactions. The two of them went from enemies to lovers in an endearing and entertaining fashion, and although there may not have been anything new about this romance, I still enjoyed it nonetheless.

[Cataluna6 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've put possible spoilers up as I've mentioned a couple of things that aren't apparent from the blurb.

There were parts of this I really enjoyed. The snarky back and forth between the H & H. I love that it's et on a ranch and I love reading enemies to lovers. What I didn't enjoy so much - the lassoing/almost rape of heroine because she's too feisty and she's made hero angry. Then she forgives him for it because he has sad eyes. WTF?! It's always hard to rate/read older back catalogue books because they do tend to have more scenes like this. There was another of NR earlier books which I couldn't finish because of that. I listened to this but I think that if it was a book I'd read I wouldn't have kept on.

[Srivalli (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually enjoy Nora's works a lot but this one was a little too much with the hero. The first publication shows 1985 and that does explain things. Wish some elements were changed when it was republished.

[Helyana Chirinos · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ya a este punto supongo que es algo mi culpa... He recibido el tipo de historia que sabía que tendría y aún así la leí.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boundary Lines
4 Stars

The Barons and the Murdocks have been feuding for generations and feisty Jillian Baron and arrogant Aaron Murdock are determined to continue the tradition. That is until the day they actually meet in person and sparks begin to fly.

Reads like an older less politically correct version of Montana Sky.

Although the story is engaging and the characters fleshed out well, it is obviously an older work with themes that may rub contemporary readers the wrong way, such as Aaron’s overbearing sexual aggression and refusal to take no for an answer or Jillian’s strength of will evaporating the moment Aaron lays hands on her.

Nevertheless, the romance is intense and spicy, and the cattle rustling subplot adds an extra tension to the proceedings although the villain’s identity is rather obvious.

All in all, a well written romance recommended for fans of the incomparable Nora Roberts while they are waiting for her newest release.

[Lela · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm going to go ahead and say that while I usually love Nora Roberts, this book did not age well. It's one of the older generation of books, and honestly I feel like the male lead pushed a lot of boundaries... and I don't mean the arbitrary one between their land. Between him spying on her while she skinny dipped, telling her that "if she keeps poking her chin out, someone is going to take her up on the challenge" (or something to that effect... implying, not for the first time, that he was tempted to punch her in the face), kissing her when she doesn't want him to (because, ya know, she *must* want him to, women never know their own minds) and all of the other times he was tempted to choke/strangle/wring her neck/shake her until she comes to her senses, etc. Violence on a female just isn't a good look, regardless of how rough and tumble they are. There is also a lot of "you need me, a big strong man, to rescue you". I think at the time it was written, all of these sentiments were pretty common in romance novels, and had I read this then, I wouldn't cringe over it so much. Not a bad book as far as plot and the mystery angle was decent with a lot of possible suspects, but there were also some passages that made me grind my teeth. All in all, not my favorite book even though Nora Roberts is one of my favorite authors.

[Zubee · Rating 3 out of 5]

an oldie but not so much of a goldie ... lol ... enjoyable nonetheless ...

[Debbie Aldridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gotta love Nora Roberts! Perfect end of the year book. Easy peasy.

[Caitie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one had a great balance of romance and plot. For some reason I kept putting it down and not picking it back up 🤔 But once I finally sat down and binged the last half, I really enjoyed it.

[Twobchelm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of old tensions between two ranches now run by heirs … lots of silly fights and loads of sexual frustration…..

[Alva Svensson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jillian är rent ut sagt inspirerande som kvinnlig ranchägare och Aaron fungerar alldeles utmärkt som hunkig granne! Lite väl feisty relation dock…

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jillian Baron has taken over her late grandfather’s Montana ranch. The land borders the Murdoch ranch, and the two families have had a feud for a century. Aaron Murdoch has moved back to manage his family’s ranch as his father is now very sick. A romance with a mystery, and a heroine that is trying to prove herself in a "man's world." This is one of my favorite books from the first five years of Nora's writing career. To hear a full discussion of Boundary Lines listen to Season 1, Ep. #16 "Nora Roberts' 1985: Boundary Lines and Dual Image" of Romancing the Shelf, a Nora Roberts podcast: https://romancingtheshelf.libsyn.com/

[Sandy Collier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boundary lines

As usual I love her books, I guess I'm. Among millions of other people . This was a really good book about to strong people who come to love each other. I enjoyed the story about the two ranchers

[Evelyn alfonzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro me encantó Aaron Murdock es un amor todo lo que debe tener una historia de rancheros

[Rose (Roseleitora)]

Um romance leve entre Jillian Baron e Aaron Murdock, herdeiros de duas famílias rivais.

Ela sempre foi um peixe fora d'água dentro de sua família, até o dia em que visitou seu avô Clay Baron no racho Utopia. Ali, ela sentiu-se em casa e aprendeu tudo sobre a vida no rancho.

Em mundo predominantemente masculino, ela tinha o dobro do trabalho, mas estava decidida a fazer o rancho se tornar maior que os do Murdock.

Ele nasceu sabendo que era herdeiro de uma fortuna. Com novas idéias para o rancho, viu seu sonho ser adiado por conta do pai. Onde muitos viram interesse apenas no dinheiro, existia na verdade um sacrifício feito por amor.

Dois personagens fortes e determinados, cada um com sua própria ambição, mas não conseguem esconder a atração que sentem um pelo outro.

Aaron nunca sentiu o que sente por Jillian, e não sabe como lidar com esta mulher forte e independente. Ele quer protegê-la, mas Jillian, não aceita ser tratada como uma coitada.

Apesar de todos os problemas que tem enfrentado por conta do rancho, ela não vai se deixar abater, e está disposta a provar que é tão capaz quanto um homem de comandar um rancho.

Ambos não querem ceder, mas estão percebendo que ficar longe um do outro é mais difícil. Eles precisam superar as rixas antigas e aprender a lidar com o orgulho para poderem viver esta paixão que lhes tira o chão.

Mais um bom enredo que Nora nos presenteia. Adorei os personagens. Aaron me conquistou logo nas primeiras páginas. Um homem que sabe o que quer e deixa claro isso. Mesmo com seu gênio forte, sabe ser doce. Jillian, não fica atrás, ela é forte e decidida, e enfrenta Aaron de igual para igual.

Adorei e recomendo para quem procura uma leitura leve.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felt like a modern spin on the Hatfield and McCoy saga. Two adjoining ranches have a multigenerational feud against each other until Jillian and Aaron take over their respective family ranches. During a chance encounter, an instant attraction sparks between them despite the ingrained mistrust and dislike they have for each other.

Jillian is the misfit in her family, never fitting in, and leaves Chicago after a bad relationship to live with her ailing grandfather and takes over running the ranch when he dies. Aaron returns to his home after a five year absence to take over for his dying father with whom he has a strained relationship. Feeling alone as the only female boss in male dominated profession, Jillian has no one with whom she can confide in. When cattle turn up missing from her ranch and the sings all point to it being Aaron’s doing the two inevitably clash. Forced to work together, and fighting their growing attraction, the two eventually become friends and then lovers. It takes forever for the reason Jillian is so mistrustful of men to come out, why she doesn’t like to be touched, that it seems almost anticlimactic. The scene where they are mating their two prize horses together and spend the whole time staring at each other because they are so turned on is rather disturbing.

It wasn’t a poor story, rather good for one of Roberts earlier novels but you can see how her storytelling and character development has improved so much in her more recent works.

[Lydia Sadler]

I like a good romance that starts out with some hostility. It makes for sparks flying all over the place and folks being in denial because there is other stuff going on so there is no place for romance. Nonsense, there is always time for romance. And intrigue. The thing that bugged me the about this book was that the synopsis says Aaron Murdock gave Jillian an unfriendly welcome, when SHE was the one who was pretty nasty to him, as if she was ready for some hostility and wanted to beat him to the punch. Make no mistake, there have been some Nora Roberts men who were pretty mean on first meeting, but Anthony was not one of them. He was being a guy, admiring a pretty girl who got snide.
Anthony did not want the feud between their families to continue, but his father did and Jillian was happy to oblige.
Jillian wanted to prove to everyone that she could handle running the ranch without help, but when her cows started disappearing, she needed help from the one person who was ready to give it that she was unwilling to ask for it from. And that is a recipe for romance.

[Geovanna Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nora Roberts se está convirtiendo en mi vieja confiable, porque libro que leo libro que me gusta, y este siguió ese camino.

Ame el romance y a los protagonistas, dos personajes con una personalidad fuerte pero con una química que te daba hasta envidia jajajaja de verdad el proceso del romance de tira y afloja lo disfrute demasiado.
Otra cosa que agradezco es que no pongan drama innecesario, ya sea por el tema de la rivalidad de las familias, los celos o el romance.
El drama que rodeaba a nuestra prota me pareció interesante en el aspecto de como sobrelleva todo, como no se deja vencer por cada cosa que le ocurria, aunque si me habria gustado un poco más de desarrollo al final cuando se resuelve el problema, ya para gustó mio.

En conclusión, recomiendo demasiado el libro si buscan un romance emocionante y con un protagonista que ojalá existiera.

[Naksed · Rating 3 out of 5]

1980s ranch romance set in Montana. The fiery, redheaded, 25 year old female rancher butts heads with but eventually succumbs to her sworn enemy, the arrogant rancher next door. Their families have been feuding for more than a hundred years with the intensity of the Hatfields versus the McCoys but these two crazy kids are finally going to put a stop to the vendetta. In the meantime, the heroine and hero get busy breeding their respective mare and stallion, skinny dipping at a pond that lies right smack in the middle of their respective lands' boundary line, almost getting gored at a rodeo, and unmasking the bad guys who have been rustling their cattle, including heroine's very own cherished rescue pet, a calf christened Baby. It was all predictable but very sweet.

[Perdani Budiarti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ceritanya cukup sederhana, begitu pula konfliknya, nyaris tidak terlalu kuat kemunculannya. Bahkan penyelesaian permasalahan yg dihadapi Jillian terasa gampang saja.

Pertikaian Baron & Murdock hanya dijadikan latar belakang saja dan perseteruannya kurang terangkat. Pun begitu ttg kisah keluarga Jillian lainnya yg tdk tinggal di peternakan, mereka seolah2 tidak eksis sama sekali d dalam cerita inj, hanya diceritakan sekilas namun tidak terlibat.

Yg aq suka sih kedewasaan kedua tokoh utamanya, tanap terlalu banyak salah paham seperti kebanyakan kisah romance lainnya.

Well, 3,5*/5 untuk cerita romance berlatar peternakan ini.

[Bonnie Phelps]

While I enjoyed Nora Roberts beautiful and powerful writing as usual, the book – originally published in 2012 – did show how much my views have changed on how a relationship should evolve. The hero should not grab the heroine and take that kiss that he wants without her permission. Other than feeling uncomfortable with those scenes, the story unfolded with the grit and determination needed to withstand the grueling life of running a cattle ranch, love for the land, and finally settling an old feud between the families. Plenty of steam and sparks and the development of respect and love.

[La Bruja Lectora (Tata) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reseña completa: https://labrujalectora1.blogspot.com/...

Comenzaré diciendo que me gusto, es un poco sencillo pero esta bien para pasar el rato de verano, los personajes son algo obtusos y malhumorados, tienen a tener mucho orgullo ambos, y las escenas de sexo son muy rimbombantes (cosa que me aburrió un poco), pero en si , esta historia ranchera esta bonita, desde el primer momento supe que el experto en ganado era el ladrón, y me gusto el personaje de Sr Murdock.

Una historia simple pero entretenida.

[Sarahjoy Maddeaux · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was awful. I read it because it was the third part in a supposed Christmas trilogy, though there was nothing festive about this particular story. It was predictable (though I was wrong about the identity of the cattle rustler), and full of the usual conflict caused by people who just will not tell each other what they're really thinking or feeling. The worst part was the violence from Aaron towards Jill. The minor characters, and the side story of the cattle rustling, kept me going through the horrifying love story.

[Ashley Christensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Utopia.
What a great name for a ranch.

And, even though I’ve read this one before, I enjoyed it. I loved the old rivalry of the Baron’s (Julian), and The Murdock’s (Baron). I love the element it adds to the romance, that fierce, fiery passion.

Not much else to say about this one- I liked it, the mystery was enough to keep things interesting and I didn’t guess (or, remember, really) who was responsible on my own.