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Night Way

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Book by Janet Dailey

Paperback

First published October 17, 1980

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About the author

Janet Dailey

395 books1,848 followers
Janet Anne Haradon Dailey was an American author of numerous romance novels as Janet Dailey (her married name). Her novels have been translated into nineteen languages and have sold over 300 million copies worldwide.

Born in 1944 in Storm Lake, Iowa, she attended secretarial school in Omaha, Nebraska before meeting her husband, Bill. Bill and Janet worked together in construction and land development until they "retired" to travel throughout the United States, inspiring Janet to write the Americana series of romances, where she set a novel in every state of the Union. In 1974, Janet Dailey was the first American author to write for Harlequin. Her first novel was NO QUARTER ASKED.

She had since gone on to write approximately 90 novels, 21 of which have appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List. She won many awards and accolades for her work, appearing widely on Radio and Television. Today, there are over three hundred million Janet Dailey books in print in 19 different languages, making her one of the most popular novelists in the world.

Janet Dailey passed away peacefully in her home in Branson on Saturday, December 14, 2013. She was 69.

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5 stars
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144 (30%)
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115 (24%)
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15 (3%)
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13 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for Fre06 Begum.
1,260 reviews205 followers
March 12, 2016
Can't enjoy a story if heroine has no scruples about sleeping with a married man for two years (not the hero) JD's heroines are not very likeable with def questionable morals!
Profile Image for Bigedsgirl1.
345 reviews49 followers
June 23, 2017
I became a fan of Janet Dailey over 30 years ago when I read my first Harlequin Romance written by her. When she moved on to more complex and longer stories, I followed her and many of her novels are on my favorites shelf and have been re-read more times than I can count. Nightway has one of my favorite type of heroes: a man torn between two cultures, striving to take the best from both worlds, and making no excuses or complaints for those who should have given him love as well as shelter, but didn't. Ms. Dailey's story will pull you in from the beginning when you meet Jim Blue Hawk as a 10yr old boy taken from the Navajo reservation where he's lived among his mother's people to be fostered with the foreman's family on his white father's ranch; there will be tears and laughter as we join him on his journey to becoming a strong, sensual, respected man, who finally believes there may be love in him and for him. This is one of my favorite quotes from Jim Blue Hawk, after Lanna has told him she loves him: "I don't know this word 'love'. I haven't had any experience with it, Lanna. I do know that when I hold you in my arms, I'm lifted higher than any creature has ever flown. And unless I'm with you, I'm not content. If there is more to love than this, you'll have to teach me."
418 reviews
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November 22, 2017
John Buchanan, J.B. Faulkner was called laughing Eyes by the Arizona Navajo tribe of his wife, White Sage. He had another family who was white. He and White Sage had a son, One-Who-Must-Walk-Two-Paths. When he was 9, his father explained to him that he was special and he needed to learn the ways of both the Indian and the white man. He should take the best of both worlds to make his life better. He gave himself the name of Jim Blue Hawk and answered to Hawk.
It was a year and a half later that his mother and baby sister, Cedar Girl, were caught in a storm and froze to death. J.B. took Hawk to live with one of his ranch hands, Tom Rawlins and his wife Vera. They had a blonde haired daughter, Carol. Tom and his wife knew that he was J.B.'s son but told Carol that he was an orphan with no parents. Hawk understood that he no longer had a father.
He met his father's wife, Katheryn and was instantly taken by her voice and smell. He knew when she had been around from the smell of her perfume. He wanted to get her attention but noticed the hate in her eyes and she treated him like a servant. He met his half-brother, Chad, who lived away at boarding school. He was rude to Hawk and picked fights with him calling his mother a whore. He raced against Chad during a 4th of July picnic and was called a cheater when he won. Carol looked up to Chad and thought he did no wrong. She resented giving the first place prize to Hawk. She wanted to give it to Chad.
Hawk was lonely and felt isolated on the ranch. His father took to leaving the ranch for months at a time but made time to be alone with Hawk. Hawk learned later that it was due to the embarrassment that JB felt. He brought gifts for Hawk each time he left the ranch and made it clear to Chad and his wife that he brought nothing for Chad. He once ran away for a few days back to his tribe. Chad was sent to bring him back. Hawk was ready to leave due to the Indians lack of food and cleanliness.
Hawk graduated from high school and was sent back east for college. He spent his summers working on the ranch and earned the respect of the other men. Carol had also grown up and was no longer a virgin. It was clear that she had slept with Chad but seemed to want Hawk too. She went to see him when he was working one day and her father caught them after finally having sex at her instigation. He was beaten but not killed because the ranch hands convinced Tom and Chad that as JB's son he shouldn't be killed. He had a broken nose and some broken ribs. The ranch hands believed Hawk didn't rape her as she claimed. He had seen the way she had been following Hawk around that summer.
Hawk went to live with the Indians for a few months to heal. He made sure that Tom, his daughter Carol and his wife all knew that Carol hadn't been raped and he moved into the bunkhouse. Carol was married to Chad 2 months after the beating and had a son 6 months after their wedding.
J.B. spent most of his time in Phoenix. He bought and sold property there and became quite wealthy. Chad was put in charge of most of his work there. His truck broke down one day in a downpour and nurse Lanna Marshall stopped to offer him a ride. She dropped him off at his construction site thinking he was the night watchman. They met a couple of times each week after that for dinner and became good friends. They were celebrating her birthday 6 months later when he suffered a fatal heart attack. She went with him to the hospital and met his sons there along with his wife.
Katheryn had Hawk fly her from the ranch into Phoenix. Hawk drove her home. Chad had suggested that she go home before the press noticed her presence. Chad told her that he didn't want the press ruining her reputation. She thought he as very attractive and believed what he was saying. Hawk drove her home. She had drunk a lot of champagne that night and Hawk gave her a couple of aspirin with a shot of whiskey and sent her to bed. Her mind was foggy but she remembered asking Hawk to stay with her. They had sex but she didn't remember much in the morning.
Chad came by to see her and kissed her. She didn't see a wedding ring and thought he the unmarried son. She didn't realize that Hawk was J.B.'s son. Chad and the rest of his family discovered just before the funeral that J. B. had left most of his fortune to Lanna. Lanna was told at the funeral. She noticed that Hawk wasn't there and was relieved because she didn't know what she would say to him. She was surprised to find out that Chad was married.
Lanna spent the next couple of weeks fighting off the flu. Chad came to see her often to check on her. He offered her legal advice and she was very attracted to him. She tried to keep her distance from him knowing that she didn't want to get involved with a married man. She had done that before and ended up with a broken heart. It seemed that Chad was attracted to her too and was trying to avoid getting to close too.
Chad suggested the she go to the ranch to recover from being sick. Hawk was the pilot who flew them there. Upon seeing him again, she remembered every moment of the night they spent together. He mentioned to her to be careful of Chad because he would take everything that she had if she wasn't careful. She had come to trust Chad and didn't like the seed of doubt that Hawk had put in her mind. She didn't understand Chad's relationship with his wife and his treatment of her. Katheryn appeared to accept her but she wasn't comfortable around her either.
Lanna arrived at the ranch and she thought that she was accepted. Hawk came to her and they slept together her first night there. She was expecting him to return and mentioned she was having trouble sleeping. She asked for some sassafras tea. Carol told her that Katheryn had some tea that she would bring to her and she did. The sleep that Lanna had after drinking the tea seemed to give her strange dreams but she didn't recognize that she was being given peyote. She seemed listless during the day and couldn't seem to pull herself out of the mood she was in.
Chad went back to Phoenix but before he did, Lanna kissed him to see if her attraction to him would let her have the same feelings inside that Hawk gave her. She didn't enjoy the kiss and was actually less attracted to him than she had been before the kiss. Hawk walked in on them and appeared angry. He left to ride the fences for a few days but returned the day before Chad. Lanna tried to talk to him but he kept turning away.
Chad returned and the fall roundup began. Carol suggested they all join in the activities. Lanna was surprised at her lack of interest but went along with everyone else. Hawk spent some time with her and was surprised at her lack of participation when he kissed her. Lanna had mentioned not feeling well and her listlessness to him. They went to bed that night and Chad gave her a glass of tea he had brought with him. Hawk noticed Lanna twitching in her sleep and thought she was having a nightmare. He tried to wake her and recognized the signs of the opiate drugging. He took her away from the camp knowing that he would be followed and went to where he lived with his mother. They spent a few days there until the drugs were out of Lanna's system. He then told her that she was being drugged. Thinking back, she realized that he was right. Hawk asked her if she had signed any papers and she told him that Chad had asked for her to sign something but that she had refused.
They were at his old hogan when Chad showed up with his mother and Carol. Tom Rawlins, Carol's father was there also along with the men who had held Hawk down when Tom had beat him for having sex with his daughter. Tom tried to get the men to hold him down for another beating again but the men refused his order. They told Tom that the fight was between the boys and they held a gun on Tom to let the fight take place.
Chad and Hawk fought and Hawk won. Chad tried to use a knife but he was warned and knocked it out of Chad's hand. After the fight was over, Carol tried to get Hawk to kill Chad. She told Hawk that she had a paper signed by Lanna giving him control of her share of the inheritance. Hawk realized that she was crazy. Carol told Hawk that with Chad dead, they could be married and be rich. Hawk hadn't wanted Carol for a long time and said so. She then said that her son was Hawk's, not Chad's. She had aborted the pregnancies she had while she was married to Chad. She hadn't had miscarriages like she had told everyone. She didn't love Chad and had never wanted his children. She had told Lanna that Chad had beat up Hawk. Carol knew the truth now. She was told that it was Tom who had beat him while being held down when Hawk was caught with Carol because Tom didn't want an Indian for a son-in-law.
Hawk told Lanna that he didn't know what love was because he had no experience of it. He did know that he was jealous when another man showed interest in her and he wanted to marry her. Lanna knew she was in love with Hawk and knew that she would be happy to marry him.
Profile Image for Julie Barrett.
9,216 reviews206 followers
July 10, 2013
Nightway By Janet Dailey
Chad is the true son of him but Hawk comes to live with them after his mother dies. He leaves the reservation and the ways of the world there to come to the new world where everything is new to him.
Chad and Katherine are the real heirs but he knows his father did love his mother.
His father taught him to think for himself. He was able to spend time with his mothers family on the reservation and he also attended college.
Carol the younger sister loves to make the two boys fight over her-she craves the competition. A fight and the family is divided.
The story also follows the father and how on a road one night his truck stops and a woman comes to his rescue and after 3 months time they celebrate her birthday and he dies. The family comes to her and she is informed exactly who he is and she finds out from the lawyer what he's left her in his will.
Chad and Carole want their inheritance back and drug her. Hawk sees and takes her away to safety....
Many hot steamy sex scenes and I especially liked all the Indian traditional things talked about in this book.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

22 reviews
February 4, 2022
I have to agree with another review on here about the heroine having questionable morals and no scruples about sleeping with a married man. Basically, she’s a slag. It’s bad enough that she already had an affair with a married man for 2 years, but it gets worse when after having sex with the hero, she becomes attracted to his married brother, who she thinks about having an affair with! I don’t like romance novels with a heroine or hero who is a slut, and I’m sure a lot of people who read romance don’t. I like to read clean romance with a HEA, because life is crap enough; I don’t need to read romance with crap people in it. I read romance to escape my crap life for a while. It’s sort of an unwritten rule that a romance novel shouldn’t have a heroine or hero who is a slag, nor a cheater, nor have affairs with married people. I read romance for enjoyment. You won’t find that with this book.

I do not recommend this book to anyone.
Profile Image for Karen.
76 reviews3 followers
August 20, 2022
I originally read this book in the 80s. I’ve reread it a couple times. There are issues with the choices of the heroine in that she had a two year affair with a married man. She was around 25 in the book so would have been around 22 when that affair happened.
I like Hawk as the hero. He has had to straddle two worlds as the child of a Navajo mother and white wealthy father. I felt that Lanna was very naive and way too trusting of the family in light of the circumstances. Steamy scenes as well
Profile Image for Cecly Ann.
Author 21 books28 followers
October 5, 2017
This was the first Janet Dailey novel I read, and I don't normally like western romance, but I fell in love with Hawk and his struggle and I like Lana. I found this novel memorable in many ways.
347 reviews
September 30, 2020
An und für sich wäre das Buch vielleicht gar nicht so schlecht, aber Sandra Brown kann sie nie entscheiden, ob sie jetzt einen Krimi oder einen Liebesroman schreiben möchte. Liebe im Krimi stört normalerweise nicht, aber diese Liebesgeschichten sind immer so schwülstig, dass ich gut darauf verzichten könnte.
128 reviews
September 16, 2016
I read this book some time ago, but it is and will forever be, one of my favorite Janet Dailey books. A wonderful story. Do yourself a favor and read this magnificent book. I wish I could give it ten stars.
Profile Image for Miranda.
144 reviews10 followers
January 29, 2020
Charming story. I loved how innocent little hawk was In the beginning, so tragic how his mother and sister passed so early on, after that his innocence just seemed to slowly disappear and he never seemed to truly belong. Miss Lanna Marshall made her way into the story in such a beautiful way, shameful how she got mixed up in the family affairs of the Faulkners. The ending was beautiful, glad to see Hawk finally got his happy ending and everyone came to somewhat realize he’s not so bad, would have been an even better ending if there was more detail to what happened to the love of Lanna and Hawk.
Profile Image for Terry.
26 reviews
December 11, 2017
It’s been a while since I read this book this is one of my favorites of Janet Daily
Profile Image for Julie.
836 reviews3 followers
October 11, 2014
one of my first janet dailey books I read and remains one of my favourites
Profile Image for Tonya Lucas.
1,266 reviews19 followers
January 9, 2016
Captivating, intense, and shocking!! Janet Dailey delivered an amazing story of spirituality, devotion, and greed, mixed in with a deceptive twist you won't see coming.
8 reviews11 followers
November 11, 2016
Night Way is the second book by Janet.D i've read and like This Calder sky it is amazing. She is By far the best writer I have come across.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews

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