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Arizona Angel
CONFEDERATE COWHAND
When Lance Garrett hired on at the MacDowell spread, the handsome Southerner was sure he'd be taming broncs and roping steer. He nearly suit when he learned his job was to teach the boss's high-spirited daughter some genteel manners. . . until he saw MaLou MacDowell's lush curves, emerald eyes, and cascading golden hair. His hands ached to touch her, and his lips burned to kiss her all over, but the hot-blooded drifter knew she was off limits. He sowed to educate the feisty blonde, then ride fast and far to lose himself in the arms of a woman he'd paid to help him forget!
FRONTIER TOMBOY
Raised among men, cattle, and horses all her life, innocent MaLou MacDowell knew she'd better practice some feminine wiles if she ever wanted to marry the boy next door. Then she met Lance Garrett, and the luscious beauty dismissed the idea of wedding her ranch to her neighbor's and thought only of appeasing her growing hunger for the rugged male. MaLou figured he'd fight her every step of the way--but she swore one day soon she'd be his student in love, when, he'd take her to passion's paradise and make her his own ARIZONA ANGEL
When Lance Garrett hired on at the MacDowell spread, the handsome Southerner was sure he'd be taming broncs and roping steer. He nearly suit when he learned his job was to teach the boss's high-spirited daughter some genteel manners. . . until he saw MaLou MacDowell's lush curves, emerald eyes, and cascading golden hair. His hands ached to touch her, and his lips burned to kiss her all over, but the hot-blooded drifter knew she was off limits. He sowed to educate the feisty blonde, then ride fast and far to lose himself in the arms of a woman he'd paid to help him forget!
FRONTIER TOMBOY
Raised among men, cattle, and horses all her life, innocent MaLou MacDowell knew she'd better practice some feminine wiles if she ever wanted to marry the boy next door. Then she met Lance Garrett, and the luscious beauty dismissed the idea of wedding her ranch to her neighbor's and thought only of appeasing her growing hunger for the rugged male. MaLou figured he'd fight her every step of the way--but she swore one day soon she'd be his student in love, when, he'd take her to passion's paradise and make her his own ARIZONA ANGEL
478 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
51 people want to read
About the author
Phoebe Conn
55 books56 followersPhoebe Conn is the maiden name and pseudonym of Phoebe Jane Conn a best-selling American author of thirty-seven romance novels. She has also published three futuristic romances under the pseudonym Cinnamon Burke.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 27, 2021
This review is of “Arizona Angel”, a standalone by Phoebe Conn.
The book begins in Mexico, 1870. Lance Garrett, the hero of the book, has just been unjustly fired from his job on a ranch there. He makes his way across the border to Tucson, Arizona and is hired by rancher Thomas MacDowell. MacDowell hires Lance to teach his daughter, Marie Louise, hereafter known as MaLou, the heroine of the book, how to be a lady to attract the attention of local rancher Josh Spencer, her childhood friend whom Thomas wants her to marry.
As they spend time together, MaLou and Lance become attracted to each other and become lovers. However, their love is imperiled when Thomas is killed by rustlers. This causes tremendous guilt for MaLou, who was making love with Lance while Thomas was getting killed (Thomas was looking for MaLou and Lance, who were missing). The killers, who also wound two other men in separate incidents, were trying to kill Lance.
After Thomas’ death, MaLou is shocked to learn that in his will, he left the ranch co-ownership to her and his estranged wife and MaLou’s mother, Lily. (15 years ago, Lily left her husband and daughter when MaLou was 4 to go back to her home in Boston. MaLou has not seen her mother since, and doesn’t want to). When MaLou discovers that Thomas hired Lance to turn her into a lady, she forces Lance to leave the ranch.
Lance moves to Tucson proper, and becomes partners in a gaming hall with Jesse Cordova, a local businessman who is also the nephew of Candelaria Delgado, Thomas’ long-time companion after Lily’s departure. Jesse later falls in love with a young woman, Christina Buchanan, who, along with her twin brother Chris, have just hit it big at their silver mine.
In the end, the killers are revealed and brought to justice, and MaLou and Lance reconcile, marry and have their Happily Ever After.
Upside: “Arizona Angel” is the first book by Ms. Conn that I’ve read where the characters actually feel real, as opposed to simply words on a page. MaLou and Lance are nice, fairly engaging characters and Ms. Conn spends time with her supporting characters and allows them to speak in their own voices and situations, as opposed to simply orbiting them around the hero and heroine.
Downside: Ms. Conn’s writing style is extraordinarily shallow, and that doesn’t change in “Arizona Angel”. There is almost no depth or development here. Storylines are started and then abandoned without explanation.
Sex: The love scenes between MaLou and Lance are fairly good for a mass-market mainstream romance novel. They’re not erotica, which wasn’t something mainstream publishers put out in April 1988, when this book was published, but there is a little pepper in the soup.
Violence: Assault, battery, shootings and killings. The violence is not graphic.
Bottom Line: “Arizona Angel” had potential, but Ms. Conn wasn’t able to bring it out.
The book begins in Mexico, 1870. Lance Garrett, the hero of the book, has just been unjustly fired from his job on a ranch there. He makes his way across the border to Tucson, Arizona and is hired by rancher Thomas MacDowell. MacDowell hires Lance to teach his daughter, Marie Louise, hereafter known as MaLou, the heroine of the book, how to be a lady to attract the attention of local rancher Josh Spencer, her childhood friend whom Thomas wants her to marry.
As they spend time together, MaLou and Lance become attracted to each other and become lovers. However, their love is imperiled when Thomas is killed by rustlers. This causes tremendous guilt for MaLou, who was making love with Lance while Thomas was getting killed (Thomas was looking for MaLou and Lance, who were missing). The killers, who also wound two other men in separate incidents, were trying to kill Lance.
After Thomas’ death, MaLou is shocked to learn that in his will, he left the ranch co-ownership to her and his estranged wife and MaLou’s mother, Lily. (15 years ago, Lily left her husband and daughter when MaLou was 4 to go back to her home in Boston. MaLou has not seen her mother since, and doesn’t want to). When MaLou discovers that Thomas hired Lance to turn her into a lady, she forces Lance to leave the ranch.
Lance moves to Tucson proper, and becomes partners in a gaming hall with Jesse Cordova, a local businessman who is also the nephew of Candelaria Delgado, Thomas’ long-time companion after Lily’s departure. Jesse later falls in love with a young woman, Christina Buchanan, who, along with her twin brother Chris, have just hit it big at their silver mine.
In the end, the killers are revealed and brought to justice, and MaLou and Lance reconcile, marry and have their Happily Ever After.
Upside: “Arizona Angel” is the first book by Ms. Conn that I’ve read where the characters actually feel real, as opposed to simply words on a page. MaLou and Lance are nice, fairly engaging characters and Ms. Conn spends time with her supporting characters and allows them to speak in their own voices and situations, as opposed to simply orbiting them around the hero and heroine.
Downside: Ms. Conn’s writing style is extraordinarily shallow, and that doesn’t change in “Arizona Angel”. There is almost no depth or development here. Storylines are started and then abandoned without explanation.
Sex: The love scenes between MaLou and Lance are fairly good for a mass-market mainstream romance novel. They’re not erotica, which wasn’t something mainstream publishers put out in April 1988, when this book was published, but there is a little pepper in the soup.
Violence: Assault, battery, shootings and killings. The violence is not graphic.
Bottom Line: “Arizona Angel” had potential, but Ms. Conn wasn’t able to bring it out.
September 14, 2018
For mature adults only, this compelling read kept me up past my bedtime for almost two weeks, so allow several days for ordinary reading with plenty of action. My copy was a gift and this voluntary review is my own opinion.
February 3, 2025
I think this book had it all. Wonderful story, amazing characters and strong hero & heroine, emotions, spicy scenes, and great plot.
January 8, 2014
AWESOME BOOK. I LOVED THE WHOLE BOOK. I LOVED THE RANCH THEME. I LOVE EVERYTHING. AWESOMD BOOK!!!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews