Shameless

Bitter Creek #10

by Joan Johnston

HER SHAMEFUL PAST MAKES HER AN OUTCAST—
UNTIL A LONE WOLF TAKES HER INTO HIS HOME.
 
Scorned, pregnant, and facing a life without promise, Pippa Grayhawk is stunned when her father announces that they’re leaving their home in Australia to take over his estranged father’s sprawling Wyoming ranch. Drawn into bitter family rivalries and feeling like an interloper in her new home, Pippa rides out into the wilderness and meets an intriguing stranger and his pet wolf. The wolf doesn’t scare her, but she’s very much afraid to trust another man with her heart.
 
Devon Flynn knows all about going it alone. He lives in an isolated cabin, away from his domineering father and the scandal surrounding his family. Devon’s attraction to Pippa is intoxicating and undeniable, but when he tries to get close, she’s as wary as his once-wild wolf. Devon is willing to defy his father, and hers, to claim Pippa as his own, but winning this wounded, wonderful woman’s love might be the greatest battle of all.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Westerns, Contemporary, Audiobook, Western Romance, Fiction

338 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 29, 2015

About the author

Joan Johnston (born Little Rock, Arkansas) is a best-selling American author of over forty contemporary and historical romance novels.

Johnston was the third of seven children born to an Air Force sergeant and his music-teacher wife. She received a B.A. in theatre arts from Jacksonville University in 1970, then earning an M.A. in theatre from the University of Illinois, Urbana in 1971. She received a law degree (with honors) at the University of Texas at Austin in 1980. For the next five years, Johnston worked as an attorney, serving with the Hunton & Williams firm in Richmond, Virginia, and with Squire, Sanders, & Dempsey in Miami. She has also worked as a newspaper editor and drama critic in San Antonio, Texas, and as a college professor at Southwest Texas Junior College, Barry University, and the University of Miami.

Johnston is a member of the Authors Guild, Novelists, Inc., Romance Writers of America, and Florida Romance Writers. She has two children and one grandchild, and divides her time between two homes, in Colorado and Florida.

Awards

* Paperbook Book Club of America's Book Rak Award (twice)
* Romantic Times' Best Western Historical Series Award (twice)
* Romantic Times' Best New Western Writer
* Romantic Times' Best Historical Series Award (twice)
* The Maggie (twice)
* Romance Writers of America RITA Award finalist for The Disobedient Bride

Reviews

[Ezi Chinny · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. Heroine was really naive. Dad did an unforgiveable thing so I don't know if I could get over his lie of omission. This family drama was a big circle of lies, omissions and vengeful acts.

[Anna's Herding Cats · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shameless was like walking straight into a soap opera and, oh man, it was just as addictive! Scandal, drama, and romance abound!

The quick of it is that Pippa has found herself an unwed pregnant teenager. And life in their remote Australian town is pretty much hell for her. So when the offer to uproot and move back to America is offered by her long estranged grandfather her dad takes it. Does it solve all of their problems? Not by a long shot. Now she's got hostile aunts to deal with, frustrations with her daddy over her baby and one very intriguing stranger with a menagerie of animals that's complicating her life right good.

I really liked both Pippa and Devon. She may be young (19) but Pippa had a kind heart and unending patience and resolve. She chose a hard route in life but she didn't let it keep her down and was determined to do what she thought was right including keeping her baby when other discouraged her. And Devon was a quiet soul. He's a loner and keeps mainly to his ranch. He works hard, cares for his animals and is always there for wounded critters in need of a safe haven. Including Pippa who desperately needs a place to stay while she sorts out her future.

They were good pairing. Had great chemistry and worked well together on his ranch. I enjoyed seeing them walk the fine line between keeping things friendship only and letting their attraction take over. There's a little bit of heat but not too much. Mostly just longing and trying not to let things go too far while she's vulnerable. Plus the whole fact that their families hate each other...

Now. About those families and the drama. Holy cow. There was a lot of back drama between their two families. Old rivalries and vendettas, affairs, fiercely kept secrets, love childs, supposed deaths, broken hearts and so much stubborn it'll make your head spin. I can't say any of the secondary characters really made me want to read their stories. I enjoyed Shameless but other than Pippa and Devon there weren't a lot of redeeming qualities that endeared me to the people in their lives. It did make for some great reading though waiting to see what would happen next! lol There was a lot of chaos surrounding these two for sure.

All in all, I enjoyed Shameless. A slower going romance and characters with kind hearts and gentle souls. They both had a lot to work through and hard discoveries to make. They weren't perfect but they were interesting and doing their best. A worthwhile read!

** It may be book 14 (listings were weird on that) but it works fine as a stand alone.

[Lover of Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance


Summary 
Pippa Greyhawk, thought that she was in love with a fellow ranchhand that worked with her father. But then she learns that she is pregnant, and that Tim is actually married. She is burned from the scandal of it all, and her father takes her and her brother from their home in Australia, back to the states. In some ways, Pippa isn't sure that America is any better for her. She is despised by her father's sisters, but there is one man that treats her more humanely than anyone else does...Devon Flynn. Devon runs a horse ranch, and his land is right next to the Greyhawks. But then he meets Pippa on the mountain, and they start becoming good friends. Pippa moves in with him for a short time, when things at home get too intense for her. Soon their fragile friendship turns into something more. But both Devon and Pippa are keeping secrets from each other. Secrets that could tear apart what they have built together.
The Hero 
Devon Flynn, is the youngest of the Flynn boys. Devon always felt that he was blamed for his mothers death and that there has always been a hidden secret about her but has never been able to discover the real truth. Devon is intelligent and has a talent for horses. Devon has been honest about his intentions toward Pippa. Devon is upfront and full of integrity. What I liked about his character is his stubborn tenacity when it comes to Pippa. She is stubborn about taking their relationship to the next level, but Devon is as driven as a bull in mating season. He knows that Pippa is the real thing, and refuses to give her up. I really liked his character, because Devon is one of those characters that takes everything in stride and fights for what he wants.
The Heroine 
Pippa Greyhawk is her fathers daughter in many ways but in other ways I feel like she could have had a tougher backbone. She is 20 years old, but she doesn't stand up for herself as much as I thought she was able at times. Most especially when her aunts are pretty mean to her. But Pippa in other moments, I grew to really like. She is more reserved and keeps to herself, but she also is courageous in moments that matter. My big issue with her was her denial when it came to her relationship with Devon. She is always pushing him away, but I honestly couldn't understand her persistence in keeping their relationship platonic when its obvious she wants more than that. So in some ways her character was contrary in ways that didn't completely make sense. But I grew to like her in the end.
Plot and Story Line 
Shameless is a story that I have been waiting for since I read Sinful. I love that Johnston has returned back to the rivalry. In Shameless we don't see the family rival tension as much as we did in Sinful. Which I was kinda looking forward to, but Shameless has a softer tension to it. I felt that Joan Johnston handled the secret pregnancy pretty well. I never do like secrets like this, and even though I felt like Pippa kept the secret a bit too long, it did add certain conflict to the relationship that I felt was needed for these two. From the beginning, I was hooked on their romance. It starts out sweet and gentle and I love the flow of these two together. They have instant sparks, but the focus is building up the friendship first and then slowly the sexual chemistry builds between them. What I do admire about Joan Johnston is that she doesn't place tons of sex into her romance and delivers a beautiful love story every time that I read her. That holds true for this one. Even though there are some moments that I had some issues--but in all honesty as a whole...this was a story that was utterly enjoyable and had its fun delicious moments.

The side characters int he story really added depth to the plot. What I find interesting was seeing a different side to Matt's sisters (Matt is Pippa's father). In Sinful, we see more of their side but in Shameless we see how difficult it is for Matt and his kids. They are treated like lepers, both of them Pippa and her younger brother who I believe is only seven at the time of this story. I really liked the brother. He was so adorable, and it was quite enchanting seeing Pippa's relationship with him. You can tell they are very close, and she understands him in ways her father never will because he has been gone a lot in their lives running the family ranch in Australia. We also have a side romantic plot dealing with Matt and Pippa's mother Jennie. There was a bit of a cliff hanger dealing with these two. I am hoping in the next book, we see more of their romance.

But as a whole, Shamless is a story that I loved and couldn't get enough of. Way to go Joan Johnston....keep more books coming.
The Cover 
I adore this cover....so sweet and romantic. I love the pose here, sitting on the rock (which is very relevant to the story), and I love her dress. So classy.
Overall View 
Shameless is a vibrant and tender romance that kept me captivated from the beginning. Joan Johnston has added a wonderful addition to this Bitter Creek Series that will leave you breathless for more!!

[1-Click Addict Support Group · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was going to be great when I started it. The opening was gripping, and caught me right in the feels. Pregnant and single, Pippa was a character to empathize with. I could easily get into her head, see where it had been easy to misplace her trust. Her father seemed strict but oh, so loving. He was very obviously a man who cared about his children, and that gives him step up in my opinion.

What started to pull this one down for me was the contrived nature of the scheming family elders. And all the family secrets. I could understand the great secret about Pippa's mother and heritage. Given their ages, and the wealthy parents who think they know better, this wasn't terribly hard to believe. Yet everything that comes after, I felt just as confused as Pippa as to the necessity and reasoning behind it all. It wasn't a very strong plot point to excuse the behavior of Pippa's father.

Another problem I had was with Pippa herself. It is so obvious that she is only 19. Her actions, her insecurities, they all come out and make her age difficult to forget. This was okay, as she was, in fact, 19. She wasn't annoying, or childish. Much the opposite, yet still it was hard to forget just how young she was. That's what made part of her relationship with Devon so hard to accept. He is very much the adult. Almost ten years older than her. Now don't get me wrong, age is only a number, but their relationship felt very off-kilter. Their instalove just did not come across naturally. A brief couple meetings without any real conversation and she's beyond smitten. Moving in with him. These are the actions of a scared teenager, not a mature adult.

Then there was Devon's family drama. One of the characters mentions it doesn't seem real, it seems like a tale from an old story. Well, there was your first clue. It didn't seem real. Reading this was like turning on a daytime soap, with all the unrealistic contrivances that come with it.

The main reason I rated it as highly as I did was because, just like some of those daytime shows, it was surprisingly (and frighteningly) easy to lose myself in, and like a guilty pleasure I couldn't seem to put it down. I read to the end, laughed at the silliness of the epilogue surprise, and then closed the book, wondering what I had just read. No regrets for my time lost, but I won't be racing to read the others in the series any time soon. ~ George, 3 stars

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shameless by Joan Johnston is a 2015 Dell publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the first book in this arc, which is a part of the long running Bitter Creek series. I knew Pippa’s story was next in line, and I was curious about her, so I’ve been looking forward to reading this one.

I was a tiny bit concerned about reading a book centered around a girl Pippa’s age, since, with only one or two exceptions, I have long since jumped off the New Adult bandwagon. So, I was counting on the adult characters to even things out a little, if things got too angsty.

As it turns out, Pippa was exasperating at times, but to be fair, she was very isolated and sheltered while growing up and didn’t have a mother figure in her life. She has a lot on her plate, and no support system. What about her father, Matt, you ask? Well, I had a very difficult time with him. He was more worried about how Pippa’s pregnancy would reflect on him when people learned she was not married and the baby’s father abandoned her because he was already married.

He was controlling and ill tempered, was quick to resort to physical violence, and then he dropped a bombshell that sealed the deal for me. I couldn’t wrap my brain around the logic behind his decisions, and thought he was the ultimate hypocrite. So, no, I felt like Pippa was left floundering with hormones and a house filled with hate, and her father’s disapproval and attempts to manipulate her.

Thankfully, she meets Devon, who turns out be just the stable, patient sort of person she needs right now. But, the odds are against them from the get go, because Devon is one of the dreaded Flynn brothers and of course Pippa is a Grayhawk. (For those just tuning in, the Flynn’s and Grayhawk’s have a long running, bitter family feud, that would give the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s a run for their money) Not only that, Devon discovers a dark family secret of his own, and Pippa is withholding vital information from him, and insisting they keep their relationship platonic.

If you like a good sudsy drama with lots of plot twists and dark family secrets, you will love this one. Every once in a while, this type of book is just what I’m in the mood for. But, I had a few problems with some areas in the book, most of which had nothing to do with the writing or plot, but with my personal feelings about the characters. Matt for one, and then the way Pippa was treated like a high school teen, when she is nearly twenty. She’s old enough to make her own decisions, but she squirmed under her father’s thumb entirely too long. She didn’t appear to be making any plans for how she was going to support herself or her child, but did manage to get herself to a doctor, finally. The concern over her feelings for the baby’s father was absurd, in my opinion. Women love their babies no matter what the situation is with the father. (In most cases)

The guys in this story were just terrible. They were so busy nursing their own wounded pride and hurt feelings to give much thought to what was going on with Pippa. I mean, she is alone, about to have baby, and had just learned some pretty shocking information about her family, and was trying to cope with the feelings she had for Devon. Did she do the right thing at all times? No, and I did wonder what the big deal was, and why she couldn’t tell Devon the whole truth. But, then again, after the way Matt treated her, I could kind of understand her reluctance.

For some reason, the attitudes and actions in this story seem outdated. Many women have children without benefit of marriage and aren’t scorned by the community. Pippa didn’t intentionally begin an affair with a married man, she was just naïve, not to mention the “raising another man’s child’ thing, and the pressure to put the baby up for adoption. This is 2016, and yes, being a single parent is hard work, but it also has its rewards, and it certainly won’t prevent someone from going to school, having a full time career, getting married to the right man, or living a full, happy, contented life. Pippa’s life may have been sidetracked, but she didn’t seem like the college bound, career driven, “I’ve got big plans” type of girl to start off with.

As for some critical plot issues, there are a few open ended threads that were left hanging. Those circumstances were pretty dire and to have Pippa and Devon enjoying a HEA under that cloud didn’t seem right. It was almost too flippant, but, the author did assure us those issues will be addressed in the next book. Hopefully, Matt will get a story of his own, someday, so he can redeem himself. That will be an interesting story, for sure, since he as dug himself quite a hole. But, for now, the cliffhanger parts of this story will have to be addressed first.

Judging by my previous statements it would seem I didn’t care for this installment, and no, it wasn’t as good as the first book, in my opinion, but it was also strangely absorbing and I found myself invested in the characters and going through periods of empathy and righteous indignation, so despite some of my reservations I didn’t completely dislike the book, and I am still interested in seeing how things play out in the next book. Devon did eventually come around, got over his wounded pride and hurt feelings and stepped up for Pippa in a big way, redeeming himself nicely. So, despite their unconventional and rocky road to romance, I ended up liking this couple and am pulling for them all the way.

Naturally, I struggled with how to rate this one, so I’ll go with a nice, safe, middle of the road 3. It was okay, and does have a solid enough entertainment value.

[Loraine Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shameless by Joan Johnston i the 14th book in the Bitter Creek Series. In this novel we find out what happens with Pippa Greyhawk, and her father. Up to this point they have been living in Australia on her father's sheep ranch, but things start to happen after it is discovered that Pippa is pregnant, to say the least it is horrifying, from things being said loud enough for her father to hear and winding up in jail overnight, to Pippa having all kinds of things thrown at her and I do not mean necessarily food. For this reason her father decides to move them to America to his fathers home in Wyoming-a huge sprawling ranch. Pippa and her father are close and she tries to tell him she will leave their home so he does not have to leave Australia and go to his father's ranch, bur he will not hear of it.

Once they get there and the situation is unveiled, it is worse than Pippa could have imagined it-she though Australia was bad, it is nothing compared to the fact her Grandfather lives there along with 4 half sisters of her Dad who are told they have a year to get out since her father will inherit in a year the whole lock stock and barrel, and he and his half sisters despise each other. This causes nights and days of uncomfortable situations for Pippa, one of them her morning sickness still happening and so she does not go to dinner with the family and the sisters follow her into the kitchen one night giving her hell until her father walks in.

In a feeling of desperation, one day Pippa goes out to explore around her and runs into Devon Flynn a man who lives an isolated life in a cabin in the wilderness, with his pet wolf! He stays away from his family due to scandals so he can empathize with Pippa. he feels an intense instant attraction to Pippa and wants to have her as his, but Pippa, after everything she has been through is hesitant.

They become good friends and spend a lot of time together, and it quickly turns into love, but Pippa is scared to trust again, and both of them have fathers that are not happy with them spending time together.

This book moved at a good pace and there was a lot of emotional angst between the characters it was an impossible situation for all of them. The book ended in a promising way, however there was a little bit of a cliffhanger, I do not want to say anything else and give the plot away.

The book also brings up the never ending feud between the Greyhawks and the Flynns, and unfortunately, Pippa and Devon are part of that feud even if they do not really involve themselves in it. Secrets are revealed in this book that had people wondering all this time, and other plot twists emerge as well.

I think that even if you do not read the whole series, you can read this as a stand alone book, as this book is so well written and it has a great story to tell, the characters really are likeable, and I love how this book ends.

I gave this book 5***** stars and can't wait to read the next book in this series. I received an ARC for an honest review.

[Shauni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally Reviewed For: Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy

While this is the 14th book in the Bitter Creek Series, it's really the second book about the Flynn's and the Greyhawk's. In this dynastic series about a family rivalry that goes back at least one generation but is wrapped in turmoil and tragedy, Joan Johnston triumphs!

Pippa Grayhawk was a naive young girl who was sheltered and rather isolated so of course she managed to get herself into trouble, literally. Ashamed and feeling alone, Pippa is stunned when her father upheaves the entire family and leaves their ranch he created in Australia and returns to America into the arms of his own messed up family. He wants nothing more than to give Pippa a new chance. While Pippa is grateful for the unconditional love, coming to the family ranch is not the homecoming she would desire. Once again she is isolated and alone, this time it's because of inner family fighting. She finds her solace in the mountains and in the arms of the youngest Flynn brother, Devon.

Devon Flynn, knows there is something off about him. He's different from the rest of the family and he has always been the outsider. Seems he's also not his father's son.. Not wanting to deal with his own family dynamics he stays to himself but Pippa Grayhawk has managed to crack his shell of isolation and brings joy to his heart. But it's not all sunshine and roses, Devon has to decide if he can be a father to Pippa's baby and if their relationship can survive their complicated family dynamics.

Just fabulous.. Joan Johnston is one of those authors that stays true to her storylines. She manages to weave history and contemporary books into one elegant story. Wonderful, creative and enduring..

Shameless can easily be read as a stand alone but there are nuances that can be missed if you aren't aware of some of the previous dynamics.

All in all a great read

Shauni

This review is based on the ARC of Shameless, provided by netgalley.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pippa Grayhawk now finds herself nineteen, single and pregnant after falling in love with a married man that had lied to her telling her he loved her and wanted to marry her only to get her into bed. Her father comes to her rescue but she quickly finds herself an outcast in the small community near her home in Australia. When Pippa's father gets an offer from his own estranged father to return home to Wyoming to inherit the family ranch he takes the deal for not only his daughter's sake but his own.

When arriving in the states Pippa hides her pregnancy being ashamed. She finds herself in a constant battle with her father's sisters at the ranch as he has told them they are to leave the ranch when he inherits it. Pippa meets a young man while out riding that she befriends but soon finds herself fighting feelings for Devon as she can't bring herself to tell him about the baby and doesn't think she could stand having her heart broken again.

Shameless is the fourteenth book in the Bitter Creek series but actually the first of the series I've read myself. There are some old family issues mentioned here and there but I never felt like I was lost with anything brought up and was given enough information with what was going on currently that it was fine as a standalone novel.

I think I probably would have enjoyed this story more if it weren't constantly putting down Pippa for being single and pregnant. I felt like I must of been reading a historical novel but it is supposed to be taking place in present time. Yes, it's terrible that she's young and was lied to but in this day and age she's certainly not alone in being a young unwed mother.

Also, when we get the background on Pippa's own parents we find that her father was only sixteen and her mother fourteen at the time of her conception. Now her father keeps at her to put the baby up for adoption saying just how hard it is to be a single parent etc but I can't help to wonder if he was determined to keep his daughter and raise her on his own why he would be so insistent since Pippa would at least have her father to help her and this would be his grandchild.

I did enjoy the fact that the relationship between Devon and Pippa wasn't rushed into and the pair had plenty of opportunity to build something together. Pippa seemed very young and naive but I take it that is a product of being raised on a ranch without much interaction with others outside her father.

Overall, I would be interested in reading more of the books in the series when finished with this one. Thought it was a good read other than some details with dealing with the pregnancy but the families involved seem to have a lot of interesting secrets to pull in a reader.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

Bitter Creek number 10! I love Joan Johnston, and the Bitter Creek series is a drama-fest of manipulations and underhanded backstabbing, and finding true love despite everything going against you. Shameless is book two of the King's Brats storyline. I enjoyed Sinful, it was (for me) a great reintroduction to the series. I missed the four books before Sinful, it was easy to get sucked back into this drama filled world that Joan Johnston has created. Shameless was enjoyable it runs pretty much parallel with Sinful. If you have read Sinful, you get another look from otherside of things; namely more insight to why Matt Greyhawk did what he did and even revealing the truth to why he left Kingdom Come. If you haven't read any of the previous books you might feel like you're missing something but the storyline is pretty much Pippa and Devon and their family drama.

Pippa I had a hard time remembering how old she was sometimes she just seemed a lot younger than 19. You feel real sympathetic for Pippa though, having to deal with pregnancy, her father completely uprooting their lives and moving all the way across the world, and also the blind hatred she has to deal with from the King's Brats all for something she had no control over. Devon, what's not to love. He is the black sheep of the family, he is completely different from his brothers, personality and looks-wise. He lives alone and meets Pippa quite by accident, but the attraction is instant. He tries to maintain a friendship, because as a girl alone in a strange place where the people she lives with are down right hostile all she needs is a friend. The fact that her father is his cousin and their is a ten year age difference plays into that also. Pippa is scared of the attraction, she is hiding the fact that she is pregnant from everyone, but her father. And the instant spark she feels for Devon scares her, she doesn't want to fall in love again so quickly after having her heart battered by her baby's father. She is needy though and the friendship Devon offers her is what she needs. When her father and her get into an argument about him being overprotective and finally revealing what happened between her mother and him has Pippa running. Devon offers her a place to stay until she can work things out. Matt seeing the attraction between then goes into overprotective dad mood and kind of chalantly spills the beans that Devon is not blood related.

From there things kind of fall out of place and back into place again. The relationship between Devon and Pippa is nice one it's sweet for the most part but for me the main focus of this book was the revelation of the past and the opening for the next books. Overall, Shameless wasn't as good as Sinful but it was pivotal to the overall King's Brats storyline.

[Jacqueline J · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the whole I enjoyed this one by JJ who can be pretty hit or miss for me. There were a lot of characters so the story didn't stay real focused on the two who were the main couple. There wasn't really very many scenes between them to convince me that they were in love. So pretty light on characterization. The heroine was young and I had a few problems with her. One of which was why she didn't tell the hero she was pregnant with another man's child. I guess really only because she was young and dumb cuz there is just no way that she could believe that keeping it a secret would somehow be okay. how can she disappear and be so adamant that her father not even be informed she is okay even if she didn't want to tell him where she was? She loves her father and knows he loves her. It just made me totally like her less. And why didn't the hero who was older talk sense to her? I liked the father and suppose he is going to have a 2nd chance at love story at some point. The aunts though. How can two grown women be so nasty to a niece they've just met? It makes me sort of unwilling to accept them as heroine of a further book. The next in the series is about one of them. Then there was the whole who was related to whom thing that kept confusing me. Still an okay read.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The continuing story of the Grayhawks and the Flynns. In the previous book, Sinful, Matt Grayhawk had moved his family from Australia back to his estranged father's ranch in Wyoming. The timing was good, in his opinion, because his twenty year old daughter is pregnant with a married man's baby and suffering from the small-minded attitudes of the locals. Moving to America will give her a fresh start.

But things aren't going smoothly. Matt's treatment of his half sisters, who were expecting the ranch to be theirs, is particularly nasty, and in turn they take out their frustrations on Pippa. Riding out to escape the tension, she meets Devon Flynn, a neighboring rancher and son of her grandfather's bitterest enemy. He provides a calm port in the turbulent storm of her life, and she accepts his offer of refuge at his home.

Devon is the youngest of the "Wild Flynns" and the one who avoids his family whenever possible. He has his own ranch a good distance from the rest of his family, where he works his land and cares for the injured animals he finds. He sees a lot of similarities between Pippa and those animals, and is determined to help her too.

Devon and Pippa are attracted to each other from the beginning, but there are reasons to fight it. Pippa is still recovering from her broken heart and is wary of trusting another man. She's also carrying that man's baby and believes that would ruin any chance of a relationship with Devon. On his side, Devon is related to Pippa, he's older than she is, and there is the feud between their families. But he can't deny what is happening between them.

They began by becoming friends, attempting to bury the feelings of attraction. Working together with his animals and around the ranch, they took the time to get to know each other. There were many things they had in common and they grew closer. The attraction was also burning hotter and becoming harder to fight. Pippa knows she has to tell Devon about her pregnancy before they move to the next step, but she's afraid of what his reaction would be.

At the same time, there is major drama going on with the rest of the family, with a lot of secrets being kept. Pippa grew up without her mother, believing that the woman is dead. Thanks to manipulation and lies by their parents, Matt and Jennie had been separated. Through some devious efforts, Matt had taken custody of Pippa and fled to Australia, leaving Jennie behind. When all the truth comes out, there are hurt and angry feelings on all sides, with Matt deserving a great deal of what he gets. In the meantime, Devon, who has often felt different and isolated from his family, learns some devastating news that explains a lot. This, on top of finding out about Pippa's pregnancy, throws him into turmoil of his own. Then there is something going on between Angus Flynn and King Grayhawk, where Angus has been plotting some serious revenge that has dire consequences for the entire Grayhawk family. At the end of the book, two family members are missing in a forest fire, and their fate is unknown.

As everything comes to a head, Devon and Pippa have to decide if they can move past their own fears to a life together. In spite of what a jerk he can be, I liked the way that Angus Flynn provided a good example to Devon as to what was possible. I also liked seeing the way that Pippa discovered that she had the strength of will to go after what she wanted.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Way Too Many Unresolved Subplots - 2.5 Stars

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I thought this was a standalone novel and probably wouldn’t have chosen it if I’d known it was going to have so many cliffhangers. I get that it’s a family saga and understand this means the story continues with each main character’s own story; however, I counted 16 subplots with 13 remaining fully unresolved by the end. I’m guessing these will be addressed in later books, but it is very unsatisfying to be inundated with such angst only to have the bare minimum resolved. Many of these are a part of Pippa and Devon’s story and deserved resolution in this book, which is a bit frustrating, to say the least. For example, Pippa discovers her young brother was victimized by a negligent mother, and the book makes a point of her asking for the evidence drawing and placing it in her pocket – then we never hear about it again. Pippa never reports this to her father or anyone else. Spoiler: Also, the relationship no one seems to mind in the beginning is first cousins-once-removed, not second cousins, distant relations nor my father’s uncle’s son. ‘Nuff said.

On the positive side, what I did like about this story was that it held my attention, had free-flowing dialogue, the H and h are fairly likable and their connection to each other was easily felt.

I received my advanced reading copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like these two families and the rivalries they have. They say they hate one another but it's only foreplay for the stories that are to come.

This story plays alongside the previous book which was nice because it answered some questions from the other pov. At first I didn't really like Pippa. I felt she was a bit spoiled but after reading and learning why she came to America I understood why she the way she was. Devon was written so good hearted and I just loved him from the beginning.

This story is filled with drama but it's not boring. Sometimes it felt like a soap opera with who likes who and what happened with this person. And don't get me started on whose kid is whose and the lies that were told.

I enjoyed that Devon and Pippa had a friendship more then a romance for more then half the book. Although you can tell these two like one another they go slow because Pippa has been hurt and she is carrying another's man baby. I felt bad when Devon finds out. He was just in shock about finding out he isn't his fathers son then this.

Towards the end of the book 2 characters are missing from a fire so I know there book will be next and honestly I can't wait! Since this family feud has been going on for years I am dying to see what happens while these two are missing.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shameless is the second book in the King's Brats series, and I think I liked it more than the first one, Sinful, mostly because it was a more self-contained story.

In Sinful, the romance took a back seat to all the set ups that were going on, we still didn't get much pay off, but at least some stuff is becoming clear about the many secrets of the Flynns and the Grayhwaks.

Regarding the couple in Shameless, I liked Pippa and Devon. They were both fundamentally nice people with many issues to deal with. Pippa with the aftermath of trusting the wrong man and finding herself 19 and pregnant, relocated to her father's hometown and feeling more isolated than ever. Devon deals with his father's relentless drive to ruin Pippa's Grandfather and the realization that his existence is in the middle of it all.

They made sense together for the most part, even if they got involved a little too fast, and stayed in a limbo for a big chunk of the story.

As for the background? I was glad to hear more about Pippa's father and why some stuff kept happening. I still don't like King's daughters -I mean the twins are grown up women picking on on a girl 10 years younger than them, or a decision that was not even hers, I don't think I want to read their stories at all because they have just been so mean up to now.

I do like Leah though, I hope to hear more of her in the future.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read numerous entries in the Bitter Creek series I can honestly say this is one book I hated to see end. Especially because there is a bit of a cliffhanger. There is a HEA for the main couple but there are unanswered questions for several secondary characters.
This was the story of Pippa and Devon that was only briefly mentioned in the last book Sinful. However, this book revealed many of the secrets that exist between the long standing feud of the Greyhawk's and the Flynn's. Not that I think this all of them by a long shot. Instead, this book setup numerous other books to come and frankly I just can't wait until those books are released! While technically this book can be read on it's own, there are so many story twists concerning previous events that the book is much better read as part of the series. Please hurry and get those next books out!

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Isha Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loving and being loved is never easy. Especially when those that claim to be looking out for your best interest take every chance to tear you down. I received an ARC of Shameless in exchange for an honest review. This is a story that has it all. Pippa naively fell for a man that did not share her feelings. Now pregnant, ashamed and scorned she is faced with another change when her father up roots the family and heads to America. This was a drastic decision but his heart was in the right place, he wanted to protect his child. It was a self sacrificing decision that he made knowing his own family issues. This is an emotionally frustrating story that is as heartbreaking as it is inspiring. There is so much I can praise about Joan Johnston's story of love and courage, but to me experiencing it is better than hearing about it.

[Tonya Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joan Johnston's Bitter Creek Series has and will always remain one of my favorite series. Joan can write a novel that leaves you riveting for more. Shameless is no exception, it was fantastic, maybe one of my favorites out of all the 14 books in this series. Long awaited questions were answered and new ones were presented. Shameless, like her other novels, leaves us hanging on the edge of our seats waiting for the next novel. Loved this book, absolutely masterfully written.

[Heather andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devon is kind and sweet and the boy knows he's good looking and likes to tease his woman about it, "he glanced over his shoulder and caught her watching and grinned. “Like what you see?” I liked this book Devon is really tender-hearted especially when it came to animals.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, this book was very confusing! With a trilogy title of King's Brats, one would think that the trilogy would cover the lives and loves of the three children known as King's Brats: Eve (Gray?), Taylor, and Victoria. But it turns out that isn't the case! This second book in the trilogy is the story of Pippa Grayhawk, a.k.a. Philippa Grayhawk, daughter of Matthew Grayhawk, first born son of King Grayhawk! On top of that, the story started out to be very confusing when reading it directly after finishing Sinful. I expected the story to continue but instead it backs up and starts prior to the story of Eve in the book Sinful. Then as the story progresses it moves along parallel lines and simultaneously to the story in Sinful until about Chapter 19! This story is seen from a different person's perspective. An interesting take but, in my case, difficult to follow until further along in the book from the Prologue. Another thing I found frustrating was Devon's paternity. Right off the bat, well, in Chapter 4, Devon determines that he isn't of King Grayhawk's loins. He has determined that he is probably just a half-brother to Connor, Aiden, and Brian. He seems to accept the fact and moves on with his life. Then all of a sudden in Chapter 19, when the fact of the matter is stated openly by Matt, he reacts with surprise and shock. This, for me, was not believable for the character. If, as stated in Chapter 4, he had determined his paternity as unknown and accepted the same, why would he be suddenly shocked and surprised and emotionally devastated to have it confirmed? There were also several typographical/editing errors in this book that I haven't noticed in others which caused me to laugh out loud when Ms. Johnston praised the editorial abilities of Shauna with Penguin Random House publishers in her acknowledgments! Obviously, the acknowledgments weren't part of the editing when Ms. Johnston wrote: "...I want to thank my friends at Penguin Random House, who make my book read like a better writer than I am wrote it,..."

I am still at a loss to understand why this book is the tenth and final installment in the Bitter Creek series. I've already jumped right into "Surrender". The closing chapters, from 34 through the Epilogue of "Shameless", actually are the beginning of the next book as Brian and Taylor disappear while firefighting in the Yellowstone!

[Stephanie Jenkins Ortiz Cerrillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shameless, #10 in the Bitter Creek series by Joan Johnston is yet another great addition to the series. I am reading this series one book after the other and I can't imagine having to have waited for each new book to be written and published. Joan Johnston knows how to write a novel and series that you have to know what is going to happen to the characters and these families next. Shameless answers many questions about Matthew, Pippa and King Grayhawk as well as questions about Devon and Angus Flynn that the readers of this series have been dying to know. You'll never guess the entire plot before its unfolded. True to Joan Johnston fashion the end of the book brings about more questions you'll be dying to have answered in, Surrender, the newest book in the series. A must read and you won't want to put this book down until you get the answers to your questions.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were things I liked and didn't like about this book. I really liked Pippa and Devon and enjoyed watching them learn to love and trust one another. It was something of a Romeo and Juliet story as they both came from large, feuding families. However, this book also related a lot of backstory for the feuds and I honestly got lost in trying to figure out some of the history between her father and grandfather and his parents. And while Pippa and Devon had their happy ending in the pages of this book, it also left more than one other storyline open, presumably as a cliffhanger to the next book. I think had I read this in order in the series, I would have liked it more but having been given just this one, I didn't realize that it wouldn't really work well as a standalone and so it was frustrating.

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story and their development really bothered me. It’s completely impossible for me to sympathize with Matt. It is understandable how he reacted and his initial decision to flee with Pippa. But the complete hesitation to right wrongs later is unforgivable. I don’t see any reason why Jennie should consider reconciling, even though Matt and Pippa just expect to manipulate the situation to get her to fall in line.
Also, Pippa’s character is completely aggravating. I was trying to give her the benefit of the doubt due to her youth. But dragging out the lie was absolutely unnecessary. Devon had already accepted her heartbreaking story about her and Tim, so she might as well have let it all out. I also understand this storyline was paralleled with Devon’s own story, but it just really missed the mark with me.

[Cheryl Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 10 in the Bitter Creek series and it features Pippa Grayhawk and Devon Flynn. Theirs is a type of insta-love. Even though it was quick, I wasn’t really feeling the connection. Unlike the other books I’ve read in this series, I couldn’t feel the emotions rolling of the pages. Pippa is 19 years old and she acts like it. Devon is 28 and he’s so stubborn it’s almost irritating. Pippa’s father, Matt, is a real jerk. I realize things have happened to him in the past but he’s behaving horribly to his half-sisters he doesn’t even know.

This book was good but not my favorite. I’m looking forward to reading more of this series.

[Patricia Solla · Rating 4 out of 5]

A continuation of the story line concerning Matthew Grayhawk taking over his father's ranch, at his father's request with stipulations, and putting his sister's out. Matt has returned from Australia with his daughter Pippa. The reasons for why Matt and Pippa have come from Australia to the US is explained and continues with Pippa's story and brings in Devon Flynn and how he lives and how he gets involved with Pippa. It's a beautiful tale with an interesting setting and a satisfactory ending with things still up in air about the Kingdom Come ranch and the Grayhawk - Flynn feud which is still fueled by the older generation not the youth of both 'clans'.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was actually a little disappointed in this book as I typically like this writer and this is not one of her best. Why? It was very repetitive. The character feels betrayed and is sad. And then that is repeated (using different words) for the next four pragraphs. I hate that kind of stuff. I always understand the first time the author says it.

That said -- I have read the stories of all of the Flynns and Grayhawks previously and wanted to read Pippa's story. She was a bit of an immature drama queen, but it was still satifying.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I'd have preferred it if Pippa had already passed her twentieth birthday, there was a fairly narrow range of workable ages that would allow hor her to be young enough to be moving halfway across the world with her dad and younger brother as part of a family unit, old enough that dad wouldn't completely flip his lid when she stayed at Devon's cabin for an extended period of time, young enough that her dad could still be younger than Libby and North, old enough that the relationship with Devon wouldn't be icky...

[Richard Guerrero · Rating 2 out of 5]

The more the series went on just went to a little too much out there for me. This book was going in a lot of different directions, now noticing how teenage girls get pregnant or fall in love have babies from other man not with the people they love or with the people they love and go with someone else. This book was the same as the Blackthorne and creed. Remind me of Kate with Clay and Libby, her parents. She’s going to try to get her parents back together. Lotta soap opera right now.

[Kendra Vasquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classic romance tale with the twist of broken families reforged into something stronger. However, all characters read with the same voice, even used the same slang in their internal thoughts except for a few Australian words for one character in particular. I struggled repeatedly with keeping track of whose head I was in. Too many side-stories left unraveled for my expectations.

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it but not my favorite in the series.

It’s a great addition to the contemporary section of the bitter creek series, but the familial relationships were confusing. I only wished there would have been longer focus on the love scene. Given the slow burn she had built there should have been better pay off!

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took me a while to get through this one. This story really didn't celebrate the strengths of the characters. This was definitely not as good as Sinful but maybe I was looking for a story about King's brat.