The Outsider

by Penelope Williamson

After Rachel Yoder's husband is murdered by outlaws in an act of outrageous greed, she must raise her 10-year-old son alone on the Montana Plains. One day, a handsome stranger dying from a gunshot wound walks into her ranch. With simple kindness, she treats his injury and nurses him back to health. Soon Rachel finds herself drawn to this mysterious outsider with a violent past--and must put her future on the line for a last chance at happiness.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Westerns, Historical, Historical Fiction, Western Romance, Fiction

564 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Penelope Williamson is an internationally renowned author of historical romance and suspense. Penelope Williamson was born in Fairbanks, Alaska, and spent the first eleven years of her life as an US Air Force brat. She has a B.A. in history, an M.A. in broadcast journalism, and was in the U.S. Marine Corps for six years, where she reached the rank of Captain. She has more than 1.8 million books in print, including The Outsider, Heart of the West A Wild Yearning, Once in a Blue Moon, and Keeper of the Dream. Penny is a past winner of the Romantic Times' Best Historical Romance of the Year award and the Romance Writers of America's RITA awards. Penelope Williamson lives with her husband in Mill Valley, California.


pseudonyms: Elizabeth Lambert, Penn Williamson

Reviews

[Crista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read first Sept. 16th 2008, Reread August 3-Aug 5th 2012

Every once in a great while, you as a reader are given the opportunity to read something that will "impact you forever". It is rare and usually unexpected, but the feeling of "I'm reading something magical!" stays with you long after you turn the last page. The Outsider is one of those rare gems.

I hesitate to even review this book. I want to "do it justice" and communicate effectively just why you need to purchase, not just read, this incredible story.

The plot is simple. An Amish woman belonging to a sect called the "Plain People" is widowed and raising her 10 year son. Her life changes when an "Outsider", hence the title, staggers onto her property shot and half dead. All people who are not Plain are considered outsiders and "lost" people. Of course, Rachel takes him in, prays for him, and nurses him back to health. Johnny Cain is the Outsider. For as good and innocent as Rachel is, Johnny is her counterpoint. He is an admitted killer and has seen and done evil. This is their story.

Rachel Yoder is a hero in my book. She displays courage, determination, empathy, and a faith that (although frustrating at times) was REAL and authentic. She lived her faith in her everyday actions and words. I quickly came to care very deeply for her and wanted happiness for her. Johnny Cain drops into her lap and BRINGS BACK HER LAUGHTER! I loved it. He taught her how to laugh and have fun, something that had been missing since her husband passed away and the burden of single-parenthood was overwhelming at times.

Johnny Cain just might be my favorite hero EVER. At first he seemed so "bad", but you quickly come to see a different side to this complex character. Unfortunately, you are not let into his head until towards the end of the book, but his actions speak volumes about how he feels about Rachel and her son Benjo. Rachel comes into Johnny's life and TEACHES HIM HOW TO LOVE AND ALL ABOUT FAITH. It is this aspect of the book that is absolutely magical. At one point he says "I don't believe in anything..but I believe in you".

The descriptions of the Plain life, sheep farming, and the small surrounding community are all wonderful and important, but it is the deep and abiding love that gets planted, takes seed, and grows between Rachel, Johnny, and Benjo that sets this one apart.

There are very few sex scenes, and those present are discreet, subtle, and vague.....it doesn't matter. I am a romance reader that likes the payoff of a great love scene. I never thought I'd say this, but this book might be too good for that. The "love scenes" really have nothing to do with the act of sex, but more center around their interaction outside of the bedroom. There is definitely passion (don't get me wrong), but the love these two share transcends passion. It is a soul connection.

I don't know what else to say? If you've been in a reading slump and are looking for something incredible, gut wrenching, and lasting...look no further. I've read all of Penelope Williamson's books and they all provide that "special something" that is so rare in fiction today, but The Outsider is her MASTERPIECE in my opinion and just should not be missed.

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

More than just a historical romance. This novel is an allegory on the power of romantic love to save a tortured soul: a soul like Johnny Cain's who was once "lost but is now found" as he states. . . .

While the allegory might be heavy-handed and the relationship develops a tad slowly (amidst conflicts over land rights, the rigors of sheep farming, and a fallout with Rachel's religious community), I still found both the journey and the payoff to the HEA to be oh, so sweet and romantic. In loving Rachel Yoder and having that love returned, gunslinger Johnny finds salvation not just from an early grave but from despair as well. Before meeting Rachel, Johnny has never experienced love and kindness, or have anyone believe in him. It's no coincidence then that Johnny's last name references another lost soul, the biblical Cain who murdered his brother, Abel.

Johnny is a complex character who is one of the best romantic heroes I have ever been introduced to. Seriously, the man is intriguingly sexy even while shooting his rifle! *swoons* Although we never have access to his point of view—which is probably a deliberate choice by the author to emphasize Johnny's status as an outsider—we are given an understanding of him and his feelings for Rachel via the points of views of the other characters. With Rachel, he is a playful and romantic lover. With Rachel's son, Benjo, he is a gentle and guiding father figure. And yet to others, he is a gambler and efficient killer.

Like Williamson's other works this novel displays her lyrical, evocative prose and vivid characterization. Her heroes are so, well, heroic that one can't help but fall in love with them, while her heroines are so admirable one wants to emulate them. Speaking of whom, Rachel was another of Williamson's strong and sympathetic heroines. A person who, like Johnny, is also an outsider within mainstream society and eventually within her own community of the "Plain" people, an Amish sect.

Rachel is forced to choose Johnny over her Plain way of life, but to me she isn't renouncing her faith in God. She never completely loses it although it is tested. Rather, she is affirming her faith in Johnny and also finds a second chance at love. (Rachel's first husband had been murdered by the cow hands of a prominent rival rancher.)

Some considerations:

1. The love scenes are few and sweet, but the passion and longing between Johnny and Rachel is strong enough to compensate for the lack of steamy scenes.

2. While the focus remains mostly on the romance, a good portion of the narrative is also spent developing the secondary characters.

3. The religion of the Plain people features significantly (to highlight the allegorical side of the love story).

4. Violence is depicted, but it's not gratuitous in my opinion.

Words aren't enough to describe the awesomeness that is this book!

[Preeti ♥︎ Her Bookshelves · Rating 5 out of 5]

When was the last time I rated a book with 5 glorious stars?
Not in recent memory. My review is simplistic as I'm busy right now but I don't think I could've written anything to match this book's brilliance anyways.

I can imagine why someone would want to make a movie on this story and which by the way isn’t a patch on the book and fails to catch the nuances, complexities, emotions and the inner turmoil of the amazing array of characters - an embittered, hardened gunslinger with a dubious past and a god-loving, soft-hearted but a bit of a maverick Plain widow and then her people - sequestered, pious and wanting no contact with the ‘outsiders’, her good neighbor and particular friend/suitor Noah, the alcoholic sardonic doctor, the young ‘whore’ - both oddly worldly and naive, the two young men/boys on the opposing sides wanting paternal approval so badly and the h’s adorable son - 'our Benjo'.

She’s a strong and independent minded widow with a questing spirit but her faith is very strong as well. Her husband was murdered by the local cattle baron who covets the Plain people’s land.
When the H totters on to her farm in the Montana plains, shot and near dead, she takes him in and nurses him, ignoring the displeasure of her family and community (although realistically, I cannot imagine such a woman in those times being able to defy her family repeatedly and so successfully). He recovers slowly, and slowly the distrust, fear and wariness turn into something sweet but forbidden.
He offers to avenge her - killing is second nature to him but she refuses as killing and revenge is not their way.

Th story evolves slowly with lots of things, lots of revelations happening about each and every character. In the later half, as the h/H relationship plateaus, it’s the lives and stories of the other characters that dominate and rivet. Marilee (the ‘whore’), Moses (the h’s childhood friend and hopeful suitor’s son), Dr. Lucas Henry and the cattle baron’s half breed son, Quinten completely dominate the book for a long while. There is so much complexity and interwoven relationships that one can only marvel at the author’s talent.

ETA - Few random (maybe spoilerific) things.
I wondered but liked how the h feels no guilt about loving another man within a year of losing her beloved Ben. The lack of guilt speaks of true love - past and present.
I liked as well how she easily and often thinks about Ben and speaks of him to the H but never compares. Just at times wonders at the similarities.

For a time, I wondered if Quin's longing for his stepmom were incestuous!

I love Marilee and she did say something very wise...and better than Shakespeare?
“'Two loves I have, of comfort and despair,'" Lucas drawled. He slanted a look at her, lifting his eyebrows in deliberate mockery. "That's Shakespeare, Miss Marilee."
"I don't know about that, Luc. But I know there's all sorts of love. Deep and shallow, pure and naughty. Blessed and cursed. But the best love, I reckon, is the kind that comes back at you from the person you give it to, bright and blindin' like the sun bouncin' off a mirror.”

The ending shocks and I could see a moviemaker grabbing the book for just the ending.
A book that seemed slow and meandering in the beginning left me wishing it'd never end!

“Aw, Rachel, Rachel. Don't, darlin'. I've taken worse beatings—"
"I will not hear that!"
She couldn't bear him being hurt any more. She simply could not bear it. She moved her lips over the terrible bruise, kissing him again and again and again, as if she would imprint herself on him, deeper than the bruise and forever. The love she felt for him was so strong it burned with every breath.
"I know you, Johnny Cain," she said aloud, the words vibrating against the taut muscle of his stomach. "I know you, and so I love you."
Rachel Yoder and Johnny Cain!

[Katrina Passick Lumsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly, I didn't pay close enough attention to the description of this book. Had I even once pondered over the name Rachel Yoder, I would have realized fairly quickly that this was a book about an Amish community in 19th century Montana. As it was, however, I was a few pages in before I caught on. Being a strictly non-religious person (that's being kind, I detest organized religion in all forms), I contemplated putting this book down and starting something else. I'm quite glad I didn't. No, it didn't make me see the light, bring me closer to god, make me question my beliefs or my (lack of) faith, or anything else. What it did was make me respect Penelope Williamson's knack for storytelling and subtlety. She expertly crafted a tale in which the lines between beliefs are glaringly obvious, while the lines between human emotions are much less so. The reader gets to see inside the heads of several different characters, and what the reader finds is that the only thing separating the "Plain" people from their world of sinners is guilt and pride. Rachel Yoder is a pious woman, yes, but she's also a sympathetic, loving, and forgiving person, which is more than can be said for the rest of the people within the Plain community. When she looks at Cain, she doesn't see a dangerous, interloping sinner who should be shunned and forgotten about. She sees an injured, broken man in need of love and forgiveness. And interestingly, Cain, for all his worldly, "evil" ways, is much closer to the Christ-like ideals of organized religion than anyone within the Plain faith. Yes, he's killed people, but he's capable of recognizing that love and basic human charity are not limited to a select few. He's honorable, forgiving, tender, and stalwart.

The level of hypocrisy and judgement within the Plain community, however, drove me up the wall. These are people who claim pride is a sin while simultaneously claiming they are god's "chosen people". Strangely, they don't see the contradiction inherent in such beliefs. They also refuse to recognize that their emotions are right on par with everyone else's; Noah Weaver is a prideful, boastful, angry, and envy-riddled man, but he at least recognizes these thoughts and emotions as sinful according to the tenets of his faith. His sister, Fannie, however, is a bitter, resentful, hateful shrew who spares no thought whatsoever to the fact that she is expressly going against her prescribed faith by fostering and harboring such feelings.

Something I absolutely loved about this story is that it wasn't predictable. Things really could have gone any way, and several times I found myself thinking, "No, please tell me that's not how it's going to end!" I really wasn't able to instantly guess how things were going to turn out, but I was definitely pleased with the ending.

A group of people in the grip of denial is a painful thing to watch, but reading about the budding relationship between Rachel and Cain makes the entire story worthwhile. Put in simple terms, this is a story about how one's religion does nothing to raise them above the rest of us. We are all human, and the only thing we should be striving for is a desire to meet each other somewhere in the middle.

[Naksed · Rating 4 out of 5]

He came into their lives during the last ragged days of a Montana winter.

So begins the tale of Rachel Yoder, a widow living in an Amish community, or the Plain People, as they call themselves, on the outskirts of a small town called Miawa, in the period following the American Civil War.



The "he" is an Englisher, an outsider, Johnny Cain, who comes stumbling in her sheep farm, shot almost to death.



With the help of her son Benjo, Rachel nurses Cain back to health. Before long, feelings develop but their relationship must remain taboo because the Plain people never marry outsiders or recruit them into their fold. Outsiders are damned to hell but Cain is more than that, a professional killer and gambler, his trigger finger callused by the years spent practicing his dead shot. He already has a special chair at the Devil's table.



The community wants Rachel to marry Deacon Noah Weaver, the man who has been in love with her since they were children and continued to love her through both their respective marriages to other people. Now that they are both widowed, he thinks this is his chance but now Johnny has moved in. Will Rachel follow her heart, at the risk of being shunned and losing all that she knows and loves?

If this plot sounds familiar, it is because this book was the inspiration of the movie Witness, starring Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis. I remember the movie being okay if a bit hokey. Hollywood moved the action into present time and presented corrupt cops as the villains. Here, the villain of the piece is the ruthless, greedy, bloodthirsty cattle baron next door who killed Rachel's first husband and who wants the Plain People's green, grassy lands for his own, adding elements of a traditional "OK Corral" western to the story, with shoot-outs, raids, rape, and hangings galore.



Now that I read the book, it seems a travesty that bland Harrison Ford was cast as Johnny Cain, who is one of the best male romantic figures in literary fiction. Rachel can go on and on about the beauty of God and so forth, as will her fellow Plain People, but Cain is the true heart and God-like figure of the book. He speaks nothing at the beginning but his tortured body loudly speaks for him, displaying a long harrowed history of torture and abuse. He might sit at the Devil's table but it is men who have done evil unto him and brought him to that point. So he survives by doing the only thing possible. Stop feeling anything. Stop believing anything. This is how he can pull the trigger, watch life seep out in a red puddle, and move on without looking back. With Rachel, Cain starts to feel again. His exchanges with her go from cold, distant and suspicious to one of mutual respect, then to light, mischievous and flirty banter, until finally they become filled with
heated passion and lust, before it inevitably glows with the light of a deep, passionate love. In a crucial scene where Cain finally lets his walls down and gives an unexpected and uncharacteristic monologue about what has happened to make him the way he is, it is the "get out your hankies" moment of the entire story and the point at which the reader, along with Rachel, utterly and completely falls in love with him.



I had many issues with the character of Rachel and the community of the Plain People. As is typical of a patriarchal, fundamentalist, isolated community, there is so much ugliness, hypocrisy, and violence underneath the veneer of piety and holier-than-thou posturing. Though they profess to love God, the male leaders of the community want to suck any beauty out of life, including music, laughter, fashion, and naturally, any kinds of love between human beings. Only love for God is tolerated. While they are trying to uphold an image that their little utopia is impervious to violence, greed, lust and the like, its inhabitants are clearly too human to resist the lure of such sins. As Cain wryly observes, the Plain People should be giving lessons to outsiders on violence.

While Rachel does not fit the mold of these terribly judgmental and unforgiving people, because she is more compassionate, she also endlessly preaches to Cain about his evil ways, even as she accepts his help at crucial moments. She continues to judge him, and she hypocritically leads on both men who are rivals for her affections not only out of a sense of cowardice but because she has vanity in her heart and likes being wanted and desired, even if she does not admit it to herself.

After a series of duds, it was refreshing to remember what good writing is all about. Rachel stares down at Cain's gun for the first time. So black and cold it was, like some terrible dead thing. The outsider lays in bed, a silent collection of lumps and hollows beneath the quilt. When Noah Weaver stares at Rachel's mouth, he forgot it was the purity of her soul that he loved. When the outsider finally takes off his gun holster, which he has been living and breathing with as if it was another appendage to his body, at Rachel's great distress, it is the gun that gives up its embrace of him, falling, swinging through the air, hooking around the thin iron bedpost.

There are a number of subplots that get a bit tiresome but necessary to paint a well-rounded picture of different issues and conflicts between Plain People and Outsiders. The ending is a bit muddled as well with Rachel having a TSTL moment, causing an unnecssary and melodramatic tragedy. Overall though, a wonderfully written novel.

[Mimi Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

"What I've learned of love, I've learned from you. I don't believe in anything, but I believe in you."

God, I cried. I actually cried. I loved this book, it's so emotional and gut-wrenching and I know I'll never do justice to it but here goes.

The Outsider is mainly focused on Rachel, one of the Plain people(what we would call Amish) and Johnny Cain, an outsider, outlaw, killer. As the Plain people take care to stay away from Outsiders, those whose souls are lost to the Lord, their love was never supposed to happen. But, it did. It all started when Johnny, wounded and on death's doors winds up on Rachel's farm. recently widowed Rachel wants to help the Outsider, heal him. soon she gets to know him, and although she is horrified by all that's he's done, all the death and the coldness in his eyes she sees something in him and feels drawn to him. She wants to help him believe again. And he...he brings back the laughter and the music in her life. Soon, the lines begin to blur, but love can't be wrong, can it? No matter what the Plain law says.

I like Rachel. She is so strong. In her faith, in her feelings, everything. She's also honest with herself and others. She's just amazing. And she has to be to love Johnny Cain and heal his soul.

"She spoke the truth that was in her heart, because that was the only way she knew how to be."

While some aspects of the Plain ways are unclear to me and some I don't believe are completely right, it was a vital part of this book because it's such a vital part of Rachel and many of the side characters. Their faith defines their lives. Many, many, many things are forbidden.

"She had done a wicked thing, buying the sateened muslin that terrible day in Miawa City. Then once she had it in her possession, she had done another wicked thing. Oh, not a terribly wicked thing, more a worldly thing. She had sewn up a set of ruffled curtains."

For instance:curtains, pretty dresses, anything not purely functional, music, pride in anything, mingling with outsiders, alcohol and so on. It was fascinating being introduced to it, though. Seeing the way they think and behave was also fascinating. I would even say the Amish culture was another main character in the book, directing almost all of it.

Now, the other great piece of this book: Johnny. I have to say the only thing missing for me is his POV. I wanted to see his thoughts, his progress, his love unfurl, his soul thaw. I mean, I saw it through other characters, but his thoughts would've been more than welcome. Still, I loved him and felt for him anyway. He's fundamentally damaged, and he's done awful things and had awful things done to him. Everything that's happened to him. God, he does deserve love. And maybe he does deserve forgiveness as well.

"Please, don't touch me, Rachel. I'm filthy," he said, and she knew he wasn't talking about dust and sweat. But though he didn't touch her himself in any way, he let her hold him until he stopped shuddering.

"I don't suppose you believe a man can find his God and himself through a woman?"

"There was a song," he said. "A hymn we sang in church when I was a boy." And he said the words in a voice that was deep and roughened with all the feelings he was showing her, offering to her as a gift with his love. "'Amazing grace! how sweet the sound...' And more I don't remember, except for this: "'I once was lost but now am found.'"

So, that was a rocky, but incredible road that required sacrifices from both of them. And not everything's perfect, but they have and love each other.

As huge as their story seems, there is so much more in this book. Many other side characters.

Benjo, Rachel's son and his struggles.
Noah, the Deacon, friend of Rachel and former friend of her deceased husband Ben. Also, a strict believer and a man in love with Rachel.
Mose, Noah's son, who's having a crisis of faith, seduced by the worldly pleasures and the possibility of adventure.
Quinten, son of an enemy rancher, struggling with pain, sadness and conscience.
The Doc and a drunk and Marilyn, the Jezebel, broken people finding their way to each other, looking for a way to live freely.

All of their stories are interwoven in a tapestry of pain, sadness, happiness, loss, love, life and death. Everyone is born. Everyone suffers loss. Everyone dies. But not everyone gets a happy ending. The way of life is so beautifully shown in this book.

If it's unclear by know, I'm HIGHLY RECOMMENDING this book to anyone who wants to read a beautiful, heartfelt story of love and life.

[Nabilah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm all torn up about this book. On the one hand, it was meticulously researched. However, there were too many subplots. I could have just gone on reading about Johnny Cain and Rachel's love.

A more in-depth review to come.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good grief. This is what you call a saga, I guess. I have no idea if I liked it or not. By the end, the traumas were just piled on, so much so that it was almost numbing. I could not believe the HEA either, that just seemed over the top and implausible, even in Romancelandia. Plus, how happy can they ever be with all that happened, and what is sure to happen down the road? For example, there wasn't much resolution to the Plain men and their supposed uncharacteristic rage and violent behavior. It was discussed over and over throughout the book, and then, in the end, they just acted like a regular mob with no consequences. I mean, I am sure that was the point, but would the elders have let that just go because of Cain's Outsider status? And what would stop them from doing it again?

I was more intrigued with the doctor, to be honest. He was a broken man, in a believable way. Poor Marilee. So, I have to say the characters do resonate. I just think the story could have had a bigger impact if it wasn't quite so over the top with the violence and piled on plot.

Also, this may be petty to comment on, but...hundreds and hundreds of pages waxing poetic on landscape, appearances, clothes, friends, family, philosophy, religion, nature, sheep, farming, etc...etc.., and their big sex scene goes something like this "...she took him and put him in her."

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

527 pages later… I did it. Penelope Williamson knows how to write an all-encompassing historical romance with unique settings that will totally transport you. However, there were way too many side plots & superfluous characters in this story (could’ve been trimmed to a normal 300 page romance easily). I recommend, but not for the light hearted reader.

[MBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Likes:

1- Johnny Cain. Now ain’t that obvious? *grin* It has been quite sometime since I have read a novel that doesn’t include the hero’s point of view on stuff at some point in the story. The relationship that unfolds between Johnny and Rachel is told mostly from Rachel’s point of view and those who observe the not so subtle connection between them that bursts forth against all odds. I almost wept when I read of his childhood at the hands of humans who are better off being labeled as animals with their savagery that had turned Johnny into the killing machine that he is.

2- Rachel Yoder. Her upbringing and way of life certainly makes her one of the most unique heroines that I have read about. From her beautiful nature inside and out to the music that she hears in her surroundings, I loved her gentle yet fierce nature when it comes to those whom she loves. I adored her for being wise and insightful enough to see beyond the facade of ruthlessness that is as much part of Johnny Cain as are the guns that he handles like an extension of his arm. And Rachel sealed the deal in acquiring one more fan when she gave up everything because the love she feels for the outsider causes her no shame and it is a love that is much more fierce than any sense of belonging she feels to the Plain People and their way of life, no matter how much the separation from the latter hurts her.

3- Benjamin Yoder. As I said before though he is not alive even when the story begins, his character seen through Rachel’s eyes made me fall for him right from the very beginning which is a rare happenstance for me when it comes to a romance novel. I loved Benjamin because he had known what a precious gem that Rachel is and had loved, protected and cherished her in kind.

4- I was totally captivated by the subtle and not so subtle indications to the attraction between Johnny and Rachel. The yearning that they have for the other which neither could deny especially made sweeter by the fact that Johnny’s desire is shown through his involuntary reactions to Rachel made this a world of sensual delights to sink into though if you are looking for any detailed lovemaking scenes in this one, you aren’t going to find it here.

His gaze riveted to her every move as she spread open Ben’s warranted Perfection razor and stropped the blade, moving it back and forth over the smooth leather. She tested its sharpness with the pad of her thumb, deliberately giving herself a little nick. She pulled a face and sucked on the wound. He swallowed hard.

Lucas (the town doctor) set his bag on an upturned nail keg, found the witch hazel cream, and rubbed it into Cain’s blistered palm. As he gripped the man’s wrist, he could feel that the pulse was fast, too fast.
Lucas looked up to find that Cain’s eyes were riveted on Rachel. *swoons*

Dislikes:

As I mentioned before, though the stories of other characters that enriched the novel in terms of character development, I resented being away from the subtle world of magic that surrounds Johnny and Rachel. I wouldn’t have minded if it had just been them in the story, with just enough about the side characters to move the story along. But then again, I enjoyed The Outsider as it is, but nevertheless I did wish at times that I could just skim through some of the other side stories that picked up along the way.

For the full review, along with the stills from the movie please visit: http://bit.ly/hAUXwd

[Vishous · Rating 2 out of 5]

10.12. Was the day I started reading this book. I would love to say that more than a month of me trying to finish this book is probably the reason for 2 stars, but it's not.

I enjoyed the story, the very, very slow build up that suits the theme of this book and I even loved all the characters, but even though this book is very, very long a$$ book, I still felt like something was missing. Everything was building so slowly, that in the end, the end came so abruptly I felt like nothing of the story before, and side stories, felt relevant for the end.

With so many side characters, and on top of that, so many different POV's, i expected to see the end of their stories also, but ended up denied of that with wondering why was that implanted in the story in such measure. I felt like it was only there to fill up some space.

Honestly, I had no idea that religious context would be soooooo much in this book. And I didn't mind it not one bit, because it fits perfectly with Cain's and Rachel's relationship. It would have been ridiculous for them to have anything insta. I loved both of main characters, especially Cain. But also with so many side stories, I felt like I forgot what was the main character's last scene I read.

[Regan Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moving Amish Historical Romance set in Montana

You know when you begin a romance by Penelope Williamson that the tears are going to flow. This book seems somewhat related to Williamson’s HEART OF THE WEST, another 2-Kleenex-box romance based in Montana in the 19th century to which I gave 5 stars. I had read all her historical novels except this last one, saving it like a kid saves his last sucker, putting off the sweet treat until it was all I could think of. So, setting aside other romances I’d planned to read, I got out my Kleenex and began to read THE OUTSIDER. I was not disappointed.

Rachel Yoder is one of the Plain People (likely Amish), living in Montana in 1886.

Rachel’s simple life of farming and taking care of her husband and young son were forever changed when a cruel cattleman killed her man. A year later, she is tending her sheep alone, and facing another year of hard work, when a gunslinger dripping blood stumbles into her life. Handsome Johnny Cain is a hard living, hard fighting man who has a reputation for killing. He is the antithesis of all Rachel stands for.

It’s a book of ironic contrasts as the Plain People fail to show God’s love to Johnny Cain, and Johnny Cain, the Devil’s own, shows them honor and honesty. Plain People who believe the grace of God doesn’t cover all sins, but rather that a person must be one of the Plain People to hope for salvation. Even then it isn’t guaranteed. A heartless gospel. THE OUTSIDER tells of young people who must choose between a life of conforming to a rigid society and a beckoning world of freedom. Rachel, loving and honest, tries to live in the middle and fails.

There are many things that distinguish Williamson’s work from other romance authors. Reading this one, a few come to mind: Her dialog is so genuine and rich she makes you feel like you know the Plain People. (Her writing is, in a word, superb.) Her attention to detail, as she describes the people, their surroundings and their culture, paints such a vivid picture you actually feel like your living it and not just reading a good story. Her ability to convey emotions had my heart in my throat as Johnny Cain saved Rachel’s son from a herd of stampeding cattle. Who wouldn’t begin to love such a man? And who wouldn’t love a mother who cries when a lamb dies at its birth? These are wonderful characters who will win your heart.

There is much heart-rending action in this one, but thankfully, since this is romance, we know we’ll get a happy ending. Yeah!

In short, I HIGHLY recommend this one. It’s a keeper. So get out the Kleenex and start reading!

[Michelle [Helen Geek] · Rating 3 out of 5]

08/19/2014 --

Overall Rating = 3.5 Stars
Book Cover / Book Blurb / Book Title = 2 / 4 / 5 = 3.5 Stars
Writer’s Voice = 4 Stars
Character Development = 4.5 Stars
Story Appreciation = 4 Stars
Ending = 3 Stars
Worth the Chili = 3 Stars -- [$6.83 on Amazon]
Smexy [HEAT] Rating = Mild
560 pages

I read this one when it was first released 18 or so years ago. I love a good western. This was a really nice read the first time and it works just as well many years later.

It is one of those slow growing romances with great characters and a lovely back story with very well developed secondary characters. Really nice.

A few things that worked for me:
1 -- It is a western and I wanted to read a western. It is an older western, but it really is ageless. Reading it now, nothing seems dated.

2 -- The author tells a lovely, slow building romance. It isn't obvious what will happen. We really do wonder if we will get our happily ever after. It doesn't happen easily, which makes it so sweet when it arrives.

3 -- The Plain people of God really do play almost like a character here. This storyline was developed nicely. However, it was almost too much at times. So a plus and minus.

Now, a few things that bothered me:
1 -- The author seemed to jump around a bit. One chapter I'm with this character, another chapter I'm somewhere totally different, then back again, and then a whole other place. Rather choppy in places.

2 -- Like I mentioned before, the Plain religion or Amish story component, was a bit overdone. It was interesting, but then came off a bit repetitive.

3 -- This is a re-release of an older book, older author. The price is a bit much. I think if I could have waited, the price will go down a bit. I rarely pay more than $5 for a book, but remembered this one and felt nostalgic.

If you want a nice western romance, this may fit the bill. Hope you enjoy it.

Happy Reading!

[Glamdring · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Buddy read with V <333*

The writing was good and I really loved the main characters.
My problem with this book is that although it's a long book with a slow pace that suit the context, the story ends quite abruptly. Also, the author uses different characters POVs, and I like that, unfortunately when the book ends all the side stories are left unfinished.

[Marquise · Rating 4 out of 5]

What Jilly said.

[Ilaria &#x1f338; · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel Yoder deserves a loving caring partner
And love
A cold heated bounty killer seems the last of her needs
But
He is
Read this gorgeous story

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know I can't express exactly just how much I LOVED this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey it led me on, and wish that it wasn't over!
Williamson has created characters that live and feel and are so relatable, even though they lived a century ago and came from a culture that most of us know nothing about.

Rachel Yoder and her young son Benjo are Plain, they run a sheep farm among their other Plain community members in the hills of Montana. Rachel's husband Ben was hung by a neighboring cattle farmer who deeply resents the intrusion of the "mutton punchers" and wants to scare them off and reclaim the land they have taken for their own use and will do so with no shame or conscience.
Almost immediatly as the story begins we meet Cain- Johnny Cain, as we learn later. He stumbles onto Rachels farm, bleeding, hurting and nearly dead from gunshot wounds. Against her Plain ways she takes in this Outsider and proceeds to nurse him back to health with the help of the local town doctor who has an entire world of pain hiding behind his own eyes and drowns with Rose Bud Whiskey.
We meet Marilee, a "chippie' from the town brothel. Noah Weaver, a Plain neighbor who loves Rachel and dislikes the Outsiders sudden place in Rachel's life. Mose Weaver, Noah's son who is struggling with the temptations of all the worldly luxuries he is enamored of and Quentin Hunter, son of the the neighboring cattle rancher.
But mostly, we meet Cain. A lawless, cold and unfeeling gunslinger who lives by the gun and seemingly is totally without the capacity to feel or love or even care about his actions.
As the story unfolds we learn his story in tiny increments. We see how Rachel loves life and her Plain way and holds her family and God in the highest regard.
Gradually we ARE part of the story and it's many tension filled drama scenes, unfurling love and lessons of life. We feel- so much. We are torn along with Rachel. We will Benjo our own words when he is unable to voice his own. And we sigh as we wish with all that we are for life to finally be GOOD for Cain.
This is an ultimate love story. Full of passion and pain and struggling against lifes sorrows.
I was hooked from the first page and absolutely devoured each word. I reccomend this book highly. Expect some violence and difficult scenes that are integral to the story but none gratituously added. The few love scenes are very sweet and well done. All in all, totally a five star book for me.

[Love love · Rating 2 out of 5]

UGGGH, I so wanted to like this one. I LOVE a great western and that's what I was in the mood for but every time I picked up this book I had to read about Rachel's faith. I understand that it's the characters way of life, she's one of the Plain people and that the author was doing the whole " completely diferent types" theme for the H and h but I just couldn't take it. I have read (1) a book by a Christian author that didn't have near as much religion focus in that this one did. Granted I only made it to page 113 and if it changes later in the book, please someone let me know and I'll try it again.

Rachel (h) is a widow,mother and one of the Plain people. Her husband was murdered by the Oustiders (what they call anyone who is not a Plain person) and now she must raise her boy and work her farm by herself. When a wounded man shows up at her house she cant just turn him away, even though he's an Outsider, she must tend him the best she can and then send him on his way.

Cain (H) has been horribly wounded in a gun fight and finds himself at the mercy of a gentle woman her stuttering son and thier wild dog. As he heals the more he gets to know Rachel the more he likes her.

I really can't think of too much to write about Cain. 113 pages in and I still don't know too much about him, why he was hurt, how hard his life was, everything so far has just been focused on Rachel and her religion.
I think I'll hold on to this copy for awhile (usually all of my dnf books go right to the ubs) and give it another try later on.

[BG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Song: A Sky full of Stars by Mother's Daughter

Ever read a book where after finishing it you marvel at how the world is still moving on normally because yours has tilted from its axis? because you feel like you've gone through seasons, through changes, aged and withered with just flips of pages.

You've read about characters going through so much even if in fiction and it astounds how life hasn't changed for people at all, that just a couple hours you were laughing too but now you feel distressed and wrathful and your eyes are rimmed red.

It takes you some time to gather your bearings to compartmentalize that whatever you read was indeed fiction and no one has yet died from crying too much over a book...

As dramatic as it may sound I think there are only some books that have the power to make me lose my sense of self, to pull me under to the point where I forget all about real life and 'The Outside' was that kind of book ❤️


"I'm a man-killer, Rachel, I've killed and killed and killed, until now I'm like the coyotes and the wolves, a creature that kills because he must, without thought or feeling, but only because it's in his nature to kill."
His mouth curved into a terrible smile. "I don't believe your God has that much forgiveness in Him."

She cupped his face with her hands, gripping him tightly, almost shaking him. "Then let me be your faith."

[Angie Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing was beautiful and I rarely ever read books like this so I really enjoyed the change of scenery!

[Jane Stewart · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn’t latch onto anyone to enjoy the journey. It was more of a downer, too much turning the other cheek and suffering.

Rachel is a widow raising her son Benjo. She is part of a community of Plain people living in Montana (similar to the Amish). Cain is a gunslinger who was shot and arrives at Rachel’s home. She tends to him. They fall in love but they can’t be together because of Rachel’s religious beliefs and pressure from her community. The bad guy is Hunter a nearby cattle rancher who wants the Plain people to leave. He wants their land for his cattle. He hires gunslingers to do bad things to the Plain people. Whether it’s burning, beating, or killing, the Plain people turn the other cheek and take whatever Hunter does to them. I’m reminded of the movie “Witness” with Harrison Ford. He was the cop outsider who fought for and protected some Amish people. That had magic. That was great. This book did not appeal to me because the emphasis was on the Plain people suffering and turning the other cheek. In “Witness” a small amount of time was spent showing their victimization. More time was spent with the outsider taking action and doing smart things. This book was too much of a downer. Then Rachel does something stupid at the end which was more of a downer. I want books that lift me, make me feel good, and this did not. On the other hand, several of my friends loved it, so it’s subjective.

When local bullies beat up her son on a daily basis, Rachel tells him you must not fight back, not with your fists, not with your slingshot, God will take care of you. At the end of the book, nothing was done about the bullying. I was hoping the gunslinger might come to the rescue, but he did not.

DATA:
Story length: 458 pages. Swearing language: strong. Sexual language: one rape scene with strong language, two sex scenes with mild language. Setting: unknown time pre-automobile in Montana. copyright: 1996. Genre: western historical romance, Amish and Plain People.

[Hero · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful story. This is not your typical romance fluff, but an emotional look into lives full of hardship and a love between two polar opposites. I am an HR reader who usually gravitates more to the hero and most heroine's are forgettable to me, but Rachel may be one of my favorite heroines after Claire Fraser from Outlander. She has such a strength about her, overcoming not just her physical hardships, but she also has this internal structure of faith that helps guide her through immense emotional and mental pressures. The love story is not in your face but develops organically. Rachel's love for Johnny Cain comes on gradually and naturally as she nursed him through his injuries, and as she protects her son Benji and her homestead from ill-intent neighbors. Definite 5 stars!

[kimberlina · Rating 2 out of 5]

my mom accidentally bought me this book thinking it was the outsiders by s.e. hinton, which was a required reading for my english class. i was oblivious to this mistake until i reached the sex scene. i was traumatized, completely devastated. i thought, how could my catholic school make me read this in 9th grade? i would’ve preferred death than read hetero smut. when i asked my classmates what they thought about the sex scene, they asked me what the hell i was talking about. only then did i realize i read the wrong book. but to be honest, it was pretty ok. i liked the descriptions and the religious aspects. the farm and family stuff was pretty cute, and the romance was pretty cliché but it satisfied me. i bought all my required readings myself after this event. #neveragain

[Renae · Rating 1 out of 5]

That was awful. Maybe my eyes will stop rolling soon. Probably not, though.

Some queries:

1. Why is it acceptable to explicitly detail a rape scene but NOT okay to do more than fade to black with loving, consensual sex between two mature adults? THE INTERNALIZED SEXISM IN THAT IS STRONG.

2. Why is this book so freaking long? There are all these side-narratives that are distracting and uninteresting and just useless.

3. The last fourth of the book. Why was that even a thing? Just why.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely wonderful. A gripping story, a cast of beautifully rendered characters, genuine emotion and angst...I loved it. I'd write more, but my eyes are still puffy from spending the last hour cry-reading the end of this book. 5 very big stars.

[Dagmar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely epic.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

This was a beautiful love story set in a book with a few imperfections. Rachel, an amish widow, falls in love with Johnny, an outlaw gunslinger. Sounds pretty ludicrous but it written well enough to be believable.

A lot of people seem to love Johnny. He was an amazing hero but I think the real star was Rachel. She is a free spirited woman raised in a very insular and strict religious community. But instead of wilting in it, she sets up a happy life for herself with a husband who loved her spirit and she has found a nice balance between being accepted in her community and quietly rebelling over a few small things. Her memories and flashbacks of her relationship with her husband were really sweet. They could've been their own (less dramatic) love story.

Her happy life is shattered when her husband is lynched because of his faith. Rachel is left alone with a 10 year old son and a bit of an existential crisis. She can no longer connect to God in the same way and she has trouble accepting her community's extreme "turn the other cheek" philosophy when she secretly wants revenge for her husband.

This is where Johnny steps in, a year after Rachel is widowed. He is badly injured from a fight and she takes him in to nurse him. They're obviously extremely different...Rachel still fully believes in the relgion she grew up with and sees Johnny as sort of a devil, and Johnny sees her as a religious freak show. There is attraction from the start but it is a very slow burn as they get to know eachother, learn to respect eachother, and fall in love. And despite being so different, they manage to be together without fundementally changing for one another.

I'm not even a fan of grieving widow romances, but this was done REALLY well. Rachael's love and greif over her first husband did not impede her love story with Johnny at all. It all happened naturally and without too much pain. I also don't like children in romances, but Rachel's son was a good addition in his own right.

The drama came from outside of the relationship, with Rachel's unforgiving family and friends on one side and the murderous discriminatory townspeople on the other.

There were a few reasons this wasn't a 5 star read:
1. The action took an overly dramatic flair at the end. It lead to some touching moments, but stood out like a sore thumb in an otherwise steady romance.

2. Rachel is a bit wishy washy with who she flirts with. She doesn't have too much tact when dealing with unrequited love. But honestly, this flaw was forgivable when you look at it as one of her little rebellions from her restrictive community.

3. One of the side romances is very suspicious A prostitute with a heart of gold and troubled past falls in love with the alcoholic town doctor, even after he admits that he MURDERED his first wife when he drunkenly pushed her down a staircase. I think we're supposed to believe in their happy ending, but uhh that's the start of another abusive marriage for him, and she is going in like a lamb to slaughter.

4. There was too much time spent on the weird messed up villain story. They were creepy and, unlike other side character stories, it did not add anything good to the overall story.

The flaws aren't too bad though. I highly recommend this if you're in the mood for a western or a slow burn.

[Bruna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was soooo good! I took one star away due to my indignation over the missing Epilogue. An Epilogue was a MUST here! Why did the author did not included it? Anyway...the book is really engaging. As other reviewers point it out, there are some graphic/violent scenes including rape. The heroine has a genuine good heart. She is smart and has wit. The hero, despite his darkness, you come to really like him. We never hear his POV, but it is made clear he really cares/love the heroine. The romance satisfies. I am not good at writing reviews. I just like to give my opinion if a book is worth your time or not. In my opinion, this one definitely is.

[Imane · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5
This book is exhausting on so many levels. It is competently written and I somewhat like Rachel as a protagonist and Cain as her love interest but there is so much of everything else going on and so many villains/antagonists to keep track of that I don't think it was worth reading this book just for the romance tbh!

CW: rape, miscarriage, substance abuse, gun violence

[MomToKippy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a hard one to rate. I read it a bit too slowly to really get the whole impact of the story. I want to give it about a 3.75. (-: I sum up the characters like this:

Rachel: Hot Amish widow who is a bit of a rebel at heart.
Johhny Cain: Hunky outlaw "killer for hire" with dark and tragic past that makes you want to hug/heal him - as does Rachel. Darn good marksman.
Benjo: Sweet awkward son of Rachel who stutters and subject to bullying, in need of father figure.
The rest of the "Plain" guys/gals: Not really so Plain at heart. Beware.
Everyone Else: Drunks, whores, evil cattle ranchers. VERY evil cattle ranchers.
Moses: All around best guy basically - makes sense.
Quinten: Alleged "good" guy who stands around letting/watching everyone else be evil. Really?

I felt some parts were gripping and beautifully written while others were a bit cheesy. The love interests are complete opposites which makes for an interesting scenario. Love the setting and time period. Montana, late 1800s. I thought it was clever that although there was emphasis on the sameness of the Plain people in terms of dress, principles and behavior, the various characters within that group turned out to be quite individual and dimensional.

There is quite a lot of tragedy and violence in this. Just a little wee bit more than necessary I think.

I love the phrase "woolly monsters." You'll have to read it to find out what that refers to.