Lost Springs Ranch was famous for turning young mavericks into good men. So word that the ranch was in financial trouble sent a herd of loyal bachelors stampeding back to Wyoming to put themselves on the auction block!
IS THIS THE MAN FOR YOU?
NAME: Rob Carter AGE: 36 OCCUPATION: Pathologist IN FIVE WORDS: Driven, ambitious, determined, spontaneous, sophisticated. BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT: Putting myself through medical school on a basketball scholarship. WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU: Living the good life in Denver. IDEAL WOMAN: Educated city girl with a high-powered, socially responsible career.
Beautician Twyla McCabe was Dear Abby with a blow-dryer, listening to everyone else's troubles. But now her well-meaning customers had gone too far. No way was she attending the Hell Creek High School Reunion with Rob Carter, M.D. Who would believe a woman who dyed hair for a living could be engaged to such a hunk?
Susan Wiggs's life is all about family, friends...and fiction. She lives at the water's edge on an island in Puget Sound, and she commutes to her writers' group in a 17-foot motorboat. She serves as author liaison for Field's End, a literary community on Bainbridge Island, Washington, bringing inspiration and instruction from the world's top authors to her seaside community. (See www.fieldsend.org) She's been featured in the national media, including NPR's "Talk of the Nation," and is a popular speaker locally and nationally.
According to Publishers Weekly, Wiggs writes with "refreshingly honest emotion," and the Salem Statesman Journal adds that she is "one of our best observers of stories of the heart [who] knows how to capture emotion on virtually every page of every book." Booklist characterizes her books as "real and true and unforgettable." She is the recipient of three RITA (sm) awards and four starred reviews from Publishers Weekly for her books. The Winter Lodge and Passing Through Paradise have appeared on PW’s annual "Best Of" lists. Several of her books have been listed as top Booksense picks and optioned as feature films. Her novels have been translated into more than two dozen languages and have made national bestseller lists, including the USA Today, Washington Post and New York Times lists.
The author is a former teacher, a Harvard graduate, an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier and terrible golfer, yet her favorite form of exercise is curling up with a good book. Readers can learn more on the web at www.susanwiggs.com and on her lively blog at www.susanwiggs.wordpress.com.
Originally published as HUSBAND FOR HIRE in 1999, this reissued romance novel, re-titled THE 10-YEAR REUNION by Susan Wiggs didn’t make a lasting impression on me. I thought the characters were rather bland and the storyline most uninspired. I’ve read this theme a hundred times before and much better told. The story of Twyla McCabe and Dr. Rob Carter will probably satisfy some dreamy-eyed young girls. As for me, I truly don’t think this book was worth the re-issue. This author has written far more complex characters and interesting plots in others books, and I’m sure she will do again in the future. I especially enjoyed The Ocean Between Us, Just Breathe, Dockside, and Family Tree.
Okay, for writing or characterization this story is a complete five star book. The issues I had were with two plot elements and were pretty major. So the writer was fantastic and so was MOST of the story, but the bits that disappointed me disappointed me about two stars worth.
The book started out great-humorous and witty-and then Rob happened. I'm not a fan of cheating! Rob had plenty of time to come clean with Twyla, yet he failed to do so almost the entire story!
Lost Springs ranch is a last chance home for neglected and troubled boys. When it needs a fundraiser, some of the alumi come back for a bachelor auction.
Twyla McCabe is the divorced beautician in Lightning Creek. Her husband ditched her to marry someone more adventageous to his political career, just as her father committed suicide and she found out she was pregnant.
Two of her wealthy clients buy bachelor doctor Rob Carter for Twyla to take to her 10-year class reunion. The attraction is huge but there are several other problems to overcome before true love flows smoothly.
Twyla owns a beauty salon in a small Wyoming town. She is loved by her customers. She is a single mother with one 6 year old boy. She lives in a large old house with her son and her mother. And her outlook on life does not include any man. Twyla feels no man can be trusted.
Two of her customers buy Twyla a man at a charity auction for a children’s home.. The man can take her to her 10 year high school reunion. It would be a way for her to return to the small town where she grew up. She will be seen as a success. After all, in high school she was a young woman with big dreams.
The man they buy is Rob. A pathologist who grew up alone and lived at the home being supported by the auction.
The story is a sweet one.
Twyla is a kind hearted woman who goes out of her way to help others. But, she has closed herself off from any kind of connection to any man. Her past contains painful events and she cannot let them go.
Rob has excelled in life because of being so alone. He always felt as though he had to be best at everything in order to be accepted. His life has not been easy, but he is successful now. He believes he knows which direction his life should go.
These two people are perfect for one another.
But, it takes awhile for that fact to reach both of them.
It is an easy read. There is humor and heart.
In short, this is a nice book for a summer read. Or since this is October, a nice read for autumn.
#1 in the Heart of the West/Bachelor Auction Harlequin romance series
This was surprisingly good for a Harlequin. Twyla is pretty happy with the way her life turned out (her own business, a son), but she's still not excited about attending her 10-year high school reunion because of some drama that happened during that time period. Her friends "buy" a guy at a bachelor auction for her--her dream guy--a good-looking doctor with a kind heart. Rob agrees to attend the reunion with her, and they end up becoming very close very fast, enjoying each other's company. Rob starts to realize that his life has been pretty unsatisfying lately, and he recognizes that Twyla is warm and understanding, offering him the love that he hasn't been able to find otherwise. They were so cute together, the perfect opposites-attract couple. They brought out the best in each other and opened themselves up to new possibilities. This appears to be a lengthy series with multiple authors. I look forward to exploring more.
There was a lot to like in this book. The dialogue was realistic, the humor was really funny, and the challenges that each of the main characters faced felt real and daunting. But the solutions to those challenges seem to be almost too easy. And the romance between two of the main characters seem to be based too much on physical attraction rather than feeling compatible in other ways. Bluntly put, these two characters couldn't keep their hands off each other. And that seemed to be the main reason that, after a weekend which included repeated wild and unbridled sex, the two characters were considering matrimony. It just didn't seem to ring true somehow. If you like romance novels that include that sort of thing, you will probably love this book. And if you like humor, this is also worth a read.
Yikes I've broken my lazy rule about commenting on books, but this ChickLit book just grabbed my soul! Never read this author before so no preconceived expectations going in. Seemed like a nice enough story from the reviews and I can't say exactly what piqued my interest, but I'm so happy I took the plunge! LOVED the characters, how the story seductively played out and how immersed I quickly became in their lives. Just slipped away into another life for a few days, aaaah! This should be your next summer read, cozy fireplace snuggle, secret indulgence!
The book was interesting and a good story that kept me entertained. I basically read this book in one day because I wanted to know more about this story. The only reason why I rated 3 stars is that I found that it ended to quickly, meaning something happened and poof solved and the end. I was happy with the ending but 2 Chapters before the epilogue would have been awesome. Maybe am just being difficult. Overall good read. lol
This romance is a bit fanciful, the protagonists are well developed and the depth of cruelty exhibited by children and young adults is visited in a manner that conveys the pain that is often mindlessly inflicted. The fact that there is a happy ending is a testament to the strength of the prominent characters. You truly feel like you are the person experiencing the emotions. Ms. With a has quickly become one of my favorite authors.
She needed a date for her high school reunion. He was talked into being one of the bachelor's at a boys ranch where he was left many years ago. They connected and had a great time. But what happened after when his long time lover comes to take him back to his real world? Past lives have a great impact on the way people react to present day life. What will they do?
Only saving grace is single mother & bachelor bought for her are given personalities. Everything else happens too easily, including her mother's instant cure after years of not leaving the house. Real disrespect to those stricken by Agoraphobia.
I thorough Lynn enjoyed the book. The interfering clients were a hoot. I felt sad thinking of a little boy left by his mother who never returned for him. I still don't understand why she didn't seek child support. I was very happy with the ending it was the best.
Twyla was voted most likely to succeed in her high school graduating class, but a run of bad luck forced her to give up her dreams of college and a career. Now a widow with a six-year-old, she longs to show up at her ten-year school reunion with a date she can show off.... then the auction -- and Rob Carter MD!
Well it's not terrible but not Susan's best work. The story is far fetched and mostly unrealistic. The big confrontation was a total letdown, the ending was rushed and predictable. It's not without charm but honestly it's just not that great of a book or read and it's very forgettable.
I read this book quickly for me. I kept wanting to read one more chapter. It drew me in quickly. The only thing I didn't like was that the first time they slept together he was in a relationship, but he still brought a bunch on condoms then acting like he was shocked it had happened. It felt wrong in so many ways. But I still wanted to see how it ended so it didn't ruin it for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Husband for Hire (Heart Of The West) series book 1 Great book by Susan Wiggs. A sexy bachelor's auction to raise money for a boy's ranch. The two main characters in this book had lots of issues in their childhood and thought it was dealt with, which wasn't. I would tell anyone who likes a good story and a good mystery as well this book is for you.
I life bed this story the author didn't repeat herself over and over as if she had to remind the reader what happened in the previous two pages! The characters had depth and I loved that our leading lady had some backbone!
I enjoyed reading The 10 Year Reunion, the story is priceless and the characters were excellently. It starts slowly and it took me a while to get into it but once I did, I was grateful. It's well and heart warming.
Sweet romance novel that has been released as 10 Year Reunion. Great characters and story line that keeps you routing for the characters to the end. Each of the main characters have had a lot of hardships to get past so you really hope for a great ending for them.
I had not read Susan Wiggs in a few years (sorry). Boy, I’m glad I purchased this book. It was so “real” at times, warm, funny. I needed this book in my life right now. I’m all set to order another Wiggs book right now!
The books in this series all seem to suffer from slow pacing. Key plot points are revealed in the blurb yet they take an age to get to them in the book, and given the length of this one, it all happened far too late to keep me engaged. This was a DNF for me.
A 3.5 book. Interesting premise and a cute story. Quick read and enjoyable. Wiggs books always have interesting stories and are fun to read. I am always amazed by her twists and turns of the stories.
I have been waiting to read the 10 Year Reunion. I couldn’t put it down. It took me 3 days to read this book. One of my favorites now. This story line can relate to a lot of us in high school.
Twyla , a hairdresser, has a 10 year reunion coming up and doesn't want to go for many reasons but her clients, matchmakers, get her a Dr. date and off they go. Twyla sees her ex and faces her classmates but Dr. Rob is there with her and it's a night of love for the 2.