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Griffon Fletcher #1
Fletcher's Woman
One of America’s best-loved storytellers, Linda Lael Miller sets passions blazing in the unforgettable tale of one young doctor’s efforts to protect the lovely Rachel from his nemesis, the powerful and demanding owner of a lumber empire.Washington’s rowdy lumber camps were no place for an innocent young beauty... When Rachel McKinnon attracts the attention of Jonas Wilkes, she is truly in dire straits. Wilkes, the owner of a lumber empire, has power over most everyone he meets—and now he wants Rachel. Her only hope is Griffin Fletcher. The town’s darkly handsome, unmarried doctor, he once made a promise to Rachel’s dying mother to keep her daughter out of harm’s way. But little did Fletcher know that looking after the lovely Rachel would mean facing down Wilkes, his nemesis. Now the enmity he harbors for Wilkes is about to erupt in a dangerous confrontation...and the young doctor who swore never to love again is suddenly in danger of falling desperately in love with the one woman he swore he would always protect.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1983
105 people are currently reading
440 people want to read
About the author
Linda Lael Miller
553 books3,226 followersThe daughter of a town marshal, Linda Lael Miller is a #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than 100 historical and contemporary novels, most of which reflect her love of the West. Raised in Northport, Washington, Linda pursued her wanderlust, living in London and Arizona and traveling the world before returning to the state of her birth to settle down on a spacious property outside Spokane.
Linda traces the birth of her writing career to the day when a Northport teacher told her that the stories she was writing were good, that she just might have a future in writing. Later, when she decided to write novels, she endured her share of rejection before she sold Fletcher’s Woman in 1983 to Pocket Books. Since then, Linda has successfully published historicals, contemporaries, paranormals, mysteries and thrillers before coming home, in a literal sense, and concentrating on novels with a Western flavor. For her devotion to her craft, the Romance Writers of America awarded her their prestigious Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.
Long a passionate Civil War buff, Linda has studied the era avidly for almost thirty years. She has read literally hundreds of books on the subject, explored numerous battlegrounds and made many visits to her favorite, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where she has witnessed re-enactments of the legendary clash between North and South. Linda explores that turbulent time in The Yankee Widow, a May 7, 2019 MIRA Books hardcover, also available in digital and audiobook formats.
Dedicated to helping others, “The First Lady of the West” personally financed fifteen years of her Linda Lael Miller Scholarships for Women, which she awarded to women 25 years and older who were seeking to improve their lot in life through education. She anticipates that her next charitable endeavors will benefit four-legged critters.
More information about Linda and her novels is available at www.lindalaelmiller.com, on Facebook and from Nancy Berland Public Relations, nancy@nancyberland.com, 405-206-4748.
Linda traces the birth of her writing career to the day when a Northport teacher told her that the stories she was writing were good, that she just might have a future in writing. Later, when she decided to write novels, she endured her share of rejection before she sold Fletcher’s Woman in 1983 to Pocket Books. Since then, Linda has successfully published historicals, contemporaries, paranormals, mysteries and thrillers before coming home, in a literal sense, and concentrating on novels with a Western flavor. For her devotion to her craft, the Romance Writers of America awarded her their prestigious Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.
Long a passionate Civil War buff, Linda has studied the era avidly for almost thirty years. She has read literally hundreds of books on the subject, explored numerous battlegrounds and made many visits to her favorite, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where she has witnessed re-enactments of the legendary clash between North and South. Linda explores that turbulent time in The Yankee Widow, a May 7, 2019 MIRA Books hardcover, also available in digital and audiobook formats.
Dedicated to helping others, “The First Lady of the West” personally financed fifteen years of her Linda Lael Miller Scholarships for Women, which she awarded to women 25 years and older who were seeking to improve their lot in life through education. She anticipates that her next charitable endeavors will benefit four-legged critters.
More information about Linda and her novels is available at www.lindalaelmiller.com, on Facebook and from Nancy Berland Public Relations, nancy@nancyberland.com, 405-206-4748.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 5, 2024
This book was chaotic. I know that Rachel's character got a lot of heat for being kind of dumb...but she is also 17 years old. She is very naïve and didn't get a good education because her dad had them moving around so much.
It frustrated me that so much of the drama around Rachel could have been resolved quickly if anyone would have just told her how bad Jonas was from the start. But everyone was really cryptic with her about it. Even her Dad didn't tell her the whole truth when Griffin told him. By the middle/end was more invested in Griffin and Rachel. But it was still a crazy ride.
Everyone was getting brawls and getting beat up, there were fires, plagues, and murder. What more could you ask for in a historic western romance?
It frustrated me that so much of the drama around Rachel could have been resolved quickly if anyone would have just told her how bad Jonas was from the start. But everyone was really cryptic with her about it. Even her Dad didn't tell her the whole truth when Griffin told him. By the middle/end was more invested in Griffin and Rachel. But it was still a crazy ride.
Everyone was getting brawls and getting beat up, there were fires, plagues, and murder. What more could you ask for in a historic western romance?
November 28, 2009
The lead female was a twit.
April 15, 2024
I literally had to force myself to finish this. Kept hoping it would get better. No chance. I found myself not liking the heroine or the hero.
February 25, 2022
Providence, Washington Territory 21 mai 1889
Rebecca McKinnon căzu înapoi pe perna de satin, în timp ce durerea devenea tot mai intensă. Cu degetele care păreau să nu ţină seama de comenzile din mintea ei luă scrisoarea de pe măsuţa aflată lângă pat şi o citi poate pentru a suta oară de când o primise, cu o zi în urmă. O cuprinse chinul, împreună cu o uimire ameţitoare, plină de speranţă. Ezra! În sfârşit, Ezra o găsise. Şi asta însemna că probabil şi Rachel o va găsi.
Lacrimi de frustrare şi de durere îi ardeau ochii. Îi va spune lui Rachel ceea ce el ştia? Va aranja oare el o confruntare între mamă şi fiică?
Rebecca se înfioră. Capul începu să-i zvâcnească şi aruncă într-o parte cuvertura de catifea roşie care o acoperea, luptându-se să coboare din pat. Străbătu încăperea, tremurând pe picioarele subţiri; trupul ei, odată voluptuos, era acum istovit şi scheletic sub cămaşa de noapte din mătase bej.
Pe tăblia scrinului, băutura aştepta – alinare de culoarea ambrei – închisă într-o sticlă de cristal.
Un fior de gheaţă străbătu sufletul Rebeccăi când destupă sticla şi îşi turnă o generoasă cantitate într-un pahar, apoi puse dopul şi aşeză sticla la locul ei.
Încăperea, deja mohorâtă, se întuneca şi mai mult; furtuna care bătea dinspre mare ajunsese aproape de oraşul Providence. Vântul aspru, care-şi anunţa sosirea, se auzea deja ţiuind în jurul stabilimentului Rebeccăi şi se strecura spre podeaua de lemn, învăluindu-i picioarele goale.
Ea ridică paharul, într-un toast batjocoritor: „În cinstea lui Ezra. Pentru marinarul vorbăreţ care-i înşelase încrederea într-un saloon din Seattle. Pentru propria ei tinereţe pierdută.”
Privi ţintă imaginea umbrită din oglinda înnegrită de fum, zgâriată, de deasupra bufetului, şi scoase un suspin.
Părul ei lung, de abanos, era presărat cu fire argintii, iar expresia arzătoare părăsise de mult ochii ei mari de ametist, lăsându-i opaci, goi. Obrajii ei erau supţi şi lipsiţi de orice culoare, buzele ei, altădată cărnoase şi roşii, se subţiaseră de-a lungul anilor de singurătate şi regret.
Rebecca McKinnon căzu înapoi pe perna de satin, în timp ce durerea devenea tot mai intensă. Cu degetele care păreau să nu ţină seama de comenzile din mintea ei luă scrisoarea de pe măsuţa aflată lângă pat şi o citi poate pentru a suta oară de când o primise, cu o zi în urmă. O cuprinse chinul, împreună cu o uimire ameţitoare, plină de speranţă. Ezra! În sfârşit, Ezra o găsise. Şi asta însemna că probabil şi Rachel o va găsi.
Lacrimi de frustrare şi de durere îi ardeau ochii. Îi va spune lui Rachel ceea ce el ştia? Va aranja oare el o confruntare între mamă şi fiică?
Rebecca se înfioră. Capul începu să-i zvâcnească şi aruncă într-o parte cuvertura de catifea roşie care o acoperea, luptându-se să coboare din pat. Străbătu încăperea, tremurând pe picioarele subţiri; trupul ei, odată voluptuos, era acum istovit şi scheletic sub cămaşa de noapte din mătase bej.
Pe tăblia scrinului, băutura aştepta – alinare de culoarea ambrei – închisă într-o sticlă de cristal.
Un fior de gheaţă străbătu sufletul Rebeccăi când destupă sticla şi îşi turnă o generoasă cantitate într-un pahar, apoi puse dopul şi aşeză sticla la locul ei.
Încăperea, deja mohorâtă, se întuneca şi mai mult; furtuna care bătea dinspre mare ajunsese aproape de oraşul Providence. Vântul aspru, care-şi anunţa sosirea, se auzea deja ţiuind în jurul stabilimentului Rebeccăi şi se strecura spre podeaua de lemn, învăluindu-i picioarele goale.
Ea ridică paharul, într-un toast batjocoritor: „În cinstea lui Ezra. Pentru marinarul vorbăreţ care-i înşelase încrederea într-un saloon din Seattle. Pentru propria ei tinereţe pierdută.”
Privi ţintă imaginea umbrită din oglinda înnegrită de fum, zgâriată, de deasupra bufetului, şi scoase un suspin.
Părul ei lung, de abanos, era presărat cu fire argintii, iar expresia arzătoare părăsise de mult ochii ei mari de ametist, lăsându-i opaci, goi. Obrajii ei erau supţi şi lipsiţi de orice culoare, buzele ei, altădată cărnoase şi roşii, se subţiaseră de-a lungul anilor de singurătate şi regret.
September 24, 2020
Washington's rowdy lumber camps were no place for an innocent young beauty. . . . When Rachel McKinnon attracts the attention of Jonas Wilkes, she is truly in dire straits. Wilkes, the owner of a lumber empire, has power over most everyone he meets -- and now he wants Rachel. Her only hope is Griffin Fletcher. The town's darkly handsome, unmarried doctor, he once made a promise to Rachel's dying mother to keep her daughter out of harm's way. But little did Fletcher know that looking after the lovely Rachel would mean facing down Wilkes, his nemesis. Now the enmity he harbors for Wilkes is about to erupt in a dangerous confrontation . . . and the young doctor who swore never to love again is suddenly in danger of falling desperately in love with the one woman he swore he would always protect. One of America's best-loved storytellers, Linda Lael Miller sets passions blazing in the unforgettable tale of Fletcher's Woman. ACTUALLY ORDERED THIS FOR BOOKED 4 SUMMER - BUT IT DIDN'T GET HERE ON TIME. . . SUPPOSEDLY LL MILLER'S FIRST NOVEL. . .
May 29, 2024
Naive or stupid? I'm not sure how to describe the heroine in this book. Perhaps it's that many contemporary books show strong, feisty female characters that this one makes me scratch my head. Rachel, the main female character, is the daughter of a lumberjack and grown up moving from one workers' camp to another, and yet is completely clueless when it comes to human nature. Yet, the reader can't help but root for her to make better decisions throughout the story.
Several plot points (a mix of major and minor) remain unexplained or unresolved. As a reader, I find that frustrating.
The saving grace is that the story moves swiftly, with lots of action, twists and turns. The storyline is the only reason for the 3 star rating -- the characterizations keep it from being higher.
I'm a fan of LLM, mostly her more contemporary novels (e.g., Big Sky series). I'll have to think a bit before delving into more of her historical romances.
Several plot points (a mix of major and minor) remain unexplained or unresolved. As a reader, I find that frustrating.
The saving grace is that the story moves swiftly, with lots of action, twists and turns. The storyline is the only reason for the 3 star rating -- the characterizations keep it from being higher.
I'm a fan of LLM, mostly her more contemporary novels (e.g., Big Sky series). I'll have to think a bit before delving into more of her historical romances.
March 25, 2025
Linda Lael Miller never disappoints!
I've been an avid fan of Linda Lael Miller's books for years and Fletcher's Woman is just as enthralling. There's humor as always, a great story line and as much as you like Dr. Fletcher, you want to smack him as well, so he notices the good around him. Rachel the young woman he cannot get out of his head is just as perplexed. I've read this book many times and am always so entertained.
Enjoy, Fletcher's Woman!!
I've been an avid fan of Linda Lael Miller's books for years and Fletcher's Woman is just as enthralling. There's humor as always, a great story line and as much as you like Dr. Fletcher, you want to smack him as well, so he notices the good around him. Rachel the young woman he cannot get out of his head is just as perplexed. I've read this book many times and am always so entertained.
Enjoy, Fletcher's Woman!!
August 30, 2024
1.5. What a mess & I struggled to finish. Several characters, many story lines & secrets. Young, immature female MC trying to navigate her new life basically in the dark because no one will warn her about Jonas or other back stories. She's plenty old enough to learn there are bad people in the world. Don't know why I keep trying to read author's earlier works. I don't enjoy them at all.
September 25, 2024
What a Love Story
It’s been a while since I read one of Ms. Miller’s books and I’m certainly glad I found this one. One of the best love stories I’ve ever read. I enjoyed the history of the time in Washington and the rough gritty truth about what it was like in Washington Territory.
It’s been a while since I read one of Ms. Miller’s books and I’m certainly glad I found this one. One of the best love stories I’ve ever read. I enjoyed the history of the time in Washington and the rough gritty truth about what it was like in Washington Territory.
May 28, 2018
The almost immediate love feelings by the characters doesn't seem real but the drama and intrigues of the tangled triangle was interesting even if it sometimes felt too much was being thrown into the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2018
Good
Other than the typos, the book was good.the base story about two feuding cousins was unusual or at least in my life family comes first. But, I suppose the possibility does exist that families don’t ever really get along.
Other than the typos, the book was good.the base story about two feuding cousins was unusual or at least in my life family comes first. But, I suppose the possibility does exist that families don’t ever really get along.
December 5, 2023
Preacher's woman
Very good book,it kept you interested in what would happen next.
Rachel .McKinnon. Kept getting into trouble will through the. Book.
The ending was very good. I would give this book A+++
Very good book,it kept you interested in what would happen next.
Rachel .McKinnon. Kept getting into trouble will through the. Book.
The ending was very good. I would give this book A+++
July 13, 2017
It was a great wonderful story. Read Courting Susannah Afterwards... This two story series is cute.
August 10, 2021
daft as a doorknob heroine
June 24, 2023
First time reading one of Linda Lael Miller's books. Found it entertaining, will read more of her books for sure.
May 28, 2024
Cliché after cliché — interesting at the beginning, the closer to the end the worse it gets. ⭐⭐ and a half
July 16, 2024
True Girt
It was inspirational for a young woman to have such compassion and spirit in a lumber tent world! Then to use her inheritance to make it better.
It was inspirational for a young woman to have such compassion and spirit in a lumber tent world! Then to use her inheritance to make it better.
October 3, 2024
good read
Though this is one of her earlier books, this Linda Lael Miller book is well worth reading. I highly recommend.
Though this is one of her earlier books, this Linda Lael Miller book is well worth reading. I highly recommend.
June 6, 2019
By the end of the second page, I couldn't put this book down. It really grabbed my attention and kept me glued to the story.
Rebecca McKinnon ran away from her husband and daughter years ago; weary with the subsistence living miners (and their families) accepted as their lot. She became a successful madam of a bordello in Providence, Washington Territory. But now she is dying and afraid ... her husband (plus daughter) will arrive soon in Providence. Ezra will work in the mines for the very dangerous Jonas Wilkes.
Jonas owns everything in the area and has an eye for the ladies - he collects them like cards - uses them up and discards them. Rebecca is afraid that her daughter, Rachel, will catch Jonas' eye and suffer the same fate.
When her doctor arrives, Rebecca begs Dr. Fletcher Griffin to marry her daughter - to keep her from Jonas' clutches. Fletcher is stunned by the offer and gently refuses. He has his own complicated back story.
Eating in the miners' cafeteria on the first morning, Rachel runs into Jonas Wilkes. He is taken with her violet eyes immediately. The rest of the book is a tale of Fletcher and Jonas warring over Rachel. The only time they join forces is to save Rachel from being kidnapped and sent on a ship to wealthy South Americans and sold for the best price.
This is an involved plot, with enough twists and turns for any reader. Miller outdid herself with this tale; it was a page-turner. 4.5 stars
Rebecca McKinnon ran away from her husband and daughter years ago; weary with the subsistence living miners (and their families) accepted as their lot. She became a successful madam of a bordello in Providence, Washington Territory. But now she is dying and afraid ... her husband (plus daughter) will arrive soon in Providence. Ezra will work in the mines for the very dangerous Jonas Wilkes.
Jonas owns everything in the area and has an eye for the ladies - he collects them like cards - uses them up and discards them. Rebecca is afraid that her daughter, Rachel, will catch Jonas' eye and suffer the same fate.
When her doctor arrives, Rebecca begs Dr. Fletcher Griffin to marry her daughter - to keep her from Jonas' clutches. Fletcher is stunned by the offer and gently refuses. He has his own complicated back story.
Eating in the miners' cafeteria on the first morning, Rachel runs into Jonas Wilkes. He is taken with her violet eyes immediately. The rest of the book is a tale of Fletcher and Jonas warring over Rachel. The only time they join forces is to save Rachel from being kidnapped and sent on a ship to wealthy South Americans and sold for the best price.
This is an involved plot, with enough twists and turns for any reader. Miller outdid herself with this tale; it was a page-turner. 4.5 stars
May 11, 2011
In under 50 pages, I wished I'd never started reading this book. The first half was near intolerable. The female lead was seriously TSTL. It's 1889, you're the penniless 17 yr old daughter of a newly hired sawyer in a log town you just arrived in. How is it a good idea to accept an offer of a bath up at the house of the timber baron who owns the entire town and is twice your age that you just met and slapped, btw? And oh look, EVERYONE keeps warning you against him and you think, gosh, he's so polite and nice...I mean, he let me come to his posh house and take a bath...and then gave me trunks of expensive women's clothing that he just has lying around for free! *TWITCH* The second half of the book wasn't AS bad. In fact, it started off pretty well...the female lead fell sick and was unconscious for awhile. The entire story was somewhat unfocused and there were a few extraneous scenes that felt like they were going to go somewhere but ultimately didn't. Throughout the entirety of the book, I vacillated between thoughts of wanting to strangle the twit and wishing the story was over.
October 20, 2011
A sad disappointment, mostly because of the kind of writing that was prevalent in the early 1980's.
Miller gives us a 17-year-old heroine in a story set in the Pacific Northwest in 1889 who has all the thinking skills of a banana slug. She is so naive that she continually ends up in situations precarious to her reputation and well-being...and stupid enough to not learn from her own mistakes. I'd guess the hero would have gotten tired of rescuing her so often. Well-meaning busybodies don't tell her plainly enough how what she is up to will end up leading to. I'm surprised some white slaver had not gotten his hooks into her three years earlier. The hero had better learn to do more than grunt and bark at her rather than telling her what is going on.
Miller's work shows the promise of her later skill...good dialogue, great characters except for the heroine, deep motivations, seriously good subplots, and excellent exposition of the actions and the settings. I felt like I could smell that lumber camp.
Only recommended for serious fans of the author, else don't waste your time.
Miller gives us a 17-year-old heroine in a story set in the Pacific Northwest in 1889 who has all the thinking skills of a banana slug. She is so naive that she continually ends up in situations precarious to her reputation and well-being...and stupid enough to not learn from her own mistakes. I'd guess the hero would have gotten tired of rescuing her so often. Well-meaning busybodies don't tell her plainly enough how what she is up to will end up leading to. I'm surprised some white slaver had not gotten his hooks into her three years earlier. The hero had better learn to do more than grunt and bark at her rather than telling her what is going on.
Miller's work shows the promise of her later skill...good dialogue, great characters except for the heroine, deep motivations, seriously good subplots, and excellent exposition of the actions and the settings. I felt like I could smell that lumber camp.
Only recommended for serious fans of the author, else don't waste your time.
November 30, 2011
pretty good, though you don't find out what Athena's crime was towards Griffin until after a little over half the book is done. I enjoyed the read, it was quite entertaining and interesting although the end seemed somewhat rushed because Griffin was incarcerated about 20ish more or less pages before the finale & so the conclusion that followed is as expected, rushed and somewhat summarized. Otherwise, it was nice.
Pick up again? Not likely, maybe just skim or something.
Pick up again? Not likely, maybe just skim or something.
April 26, 2011
Definitely not one of my favorite Linda Lael Miller books. It was a little annoying as it seemed like every other character introduced turned out to be a villian. Seriously, how many villians does one romance need?
July 7, 2010
I really liked this story but for some reason I didn't enjoy the writing. After a few chapters i literally skimmed the pages to get the rest of the story. Im not sure why I didn't enjoy reading this book even though i enjoyed the story that was told.
November 1, 2012
Yep, this is definitely an early work of Miller's. It was difficult to believe that Jonas and Griffin fell so hard for Rachel and she acted the child by running away time after time. And then the conclusion seemed to hastily written.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2008
Liked it
September 25, 2009
Western
July 31, 2010
One of Linda Lael Miller's best, in my opinion!
April 11, 2011
Two men and only one woman. The true character of each man comes out in spades.
Very good book.
Very good book.
July 13, 2011
read this book for a book club on facebook!! I loved it, LLM is my fave author, and this is her first book, love it
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews