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Blue Sage
He'd come for a reason…
It had taken fifteen years for the small town of Morey's Falls, in the Montana foothills, to come to terms with a tragedy that had touched all their lives. Now, Tanner, the son of the man who had been the cause of it all, had returned. His arrival stirred up old memories, feelings…and for Ellie Johnson Lundquist, it changed her life.
Tanner was a loner who wanted no one's help. But Ellie looked behind the facade and found an intensity strong enough to join them together and put the past to rest, and in doing so they found themselves as well.
It had taken fifteen years for the small town of Morey's Falls, in the Montana foothills, to come to terms with a tragedy that had touched all their lives. Now, Tanner, the son of the man who had been the cause of it all, had returned. His arrival stirred up old memories, feelings…and for Ellie Johnson Lundquist, it changed her life.
Tanner was a loner who wanted no one's help. But Ellie looked behind the facade and found an intensity strong enough to join them together and put the past to rest, and in doing so they found themselves as well.
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 1987
55 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
About the author
Anne Stuart
203 books2,064 followersAnne Stuart is a grandmaster of the genre, winner of Romance Writers of America's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, survivor of more than thirty-five years in the romance business, and still just keeps getting better.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.
She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.
When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.
Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.
She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.
When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.
Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
September 24, 2011
This book has an interesting and unique premise. Charles Tanner, Sr. was a war veteran who, suffering from PTSD, went ballistic one day, killed sixteen innocent people and badly wounded a young girl, and then killed himself. Fifteen years later, his son Charles Tanner, Jr. comes back to Morey's Fall, the small town his father almost destroyed. He and his mother had been long gone when his father went nuts but, bearing the same name as his father, Tanner had to live with the burden of his father's doings all his life and it's high time he tried to understand the reasons behind his father's killing spree and, maybe, get some sense in his own life. Naturally, the 1st person Tanner meets when he reaches Morey's Fall is Ellie Lundquist, who happens to be the young girl who survived his father's massacre. And from this moment on, there's no turning back for either of them...
What can I say about this book? I loved it! It wasn't a "nice and cozy" read - not that I expected it to be, with a premise like that - but it grabbed me from the start and I found myself rooting for Tanner and Ellie. They were both wounded, in different ways, by what had happened fifteen years in the past, and it was only fitting they would help each other heal and move on. Granted, Tanner was downright cruel to Ellie a couple of times and I even flinched at his harsh words, but I understood why he did it and, in the end, it was for her own good. Simply put, he wasn't going to let her keep her martyr/victim act any longer. Enough was enough, and she needed to snap out of it! And so she did. :)
The mystery/suspense part of the story kept me guessing till the end. I wasn't surprised by the villain's identity, but I admit it wasn't who I was betting on. I never think it's the most obvious choice but, in this case, it was. I have nothing to complain, though. As usual, Mrs. Stuart's writing was compelling enough to keep me glued to the pages.
This was "only" my seventh book by Mrs. Stuart, and I'm happy to say it's another winner. A must-read, IMHO.
What can I say about this book? I loved it! It wasn't a "nice and cozy" read - not that I expected it to be, with a premise like that - but it grabbed me from the start and I found myself rooting for Tanner and Ellie. They were both wounded, in different ways, by what had happened fifteen years in the past, and it was only fitting they would help each other heal and move on. Granted, Tanner was downright cruel to Ellie a couple of times and I even flinched at his harsh words, but I understood why he did it and, in the end, it was for her own good. Simply put, he wasn't going to let her keep her martyr/victim act any longer. Enough was enough, and she needed to snap out of it! And so she did. :)
The mystery/suspense part of the story kept me guessing till the end. I wasn't surprised by the villain's identity, but I admit it wasn't who I was betting on. I never think it's the most obvious choice but, in this case, it was. I have nothing to complain, though. As usual, Mrs. Stuart's writing was compelling enough to keep me glued to the pages.
This was "only" my seventh book by Mrs. Stuart, and I'm happy to say it's another winner. A must-read, IMHO.
September 3, 2024
3.5 stars - This was entertaining with a layered plot. I appreciated the depth Anne Stuart brought to harlequin. I would have rated it higher if the hero had been more jealous/possessive/protective and we’d gotten more interactions between the MCs. This felt a little like the romance was secondary to the mystery/outside drama. I also was a little underwhelmed by the last chapter/epilogue. Again - I prefer a more intense take-charge hero. Overall I enjoyed this read though.
August 19, 2009
In Blue Sage, Anne Stuart poses the question, "Could you fall in love with the son of the man who murdered your parents and several other people, and maimed you for life?" And she answers it beautifully.
This is a very tough situation, and you would think that it would be way too dark to tackle in a series romance, but Ms. Stuart really does a great job with this plot. From the beginning you can see the struggle that Charles Tanner, Jr. (who goes by Tanner) has had, trying to deal with the fact that his father was a mass-murderer. He has faced prejudice because of it, even though he did nothing to earn it. This story reminds me a little of the Paul Newman movie "The Long Hot Summer" in how Ben Quick has to deal with his father's reputation as a despicable barn burner.
Ellie is an interesting character. She has been made into a living martyr by the town because she was the only survivor of the massacre. She basically has no identity outside of that, and is living a half-life but is afraid to have any goals or aspirations outside of this. When Tanner comes back to town, she is actually nicer to him than pretty much everyone else, even though she has the most reason to hate him. I believe that Ellie just wanted to get past what happen and move on, but the town wouldn't let her.
Tanner has an outcast personality, with good reason. He doesn't take crap from anyone, and says exactly what he thinks. He doesn't treat Ellie like a plaster saint. He says things that are designed to provoke her, in fact. Tanner succeeds very well in waking Ellie up out of the coma she's living in. His fearlessness inspires Ellie to become her own person and take what she wants out of life. Their relationship is a passionate and eventually loving one, but not smooth-sailing. But seeing these two characters who have so many reasons not to be together find solace, acceptance, and love, is a message that touches me. This is definitely one of her more serious category romances, but well worth the read.
This is a very tough situation, and you would think that it would be way too dark to tackle in a series romance, but Ms. Stuart really does a great job with this plot. From the beginning you can see the struggle that Charles Tanner, Jr. (who goes by Tanner) has had, trying to deal with the fact that his father was a mass-murderer. He has faced prejudice because of it, even though he did nothing to earn it. This story reminds me a little of the Paul Newman movie "The Long Hot Summer" in how Ben Quick has to deal with his father's reputation as a despicable barn burner.
Ellie is an interesting character. She has been made into a living martyr by the town because she was the only survivor of the massacre. She basically has no identity outside of that, and is living a half-life but is afraid to have any goals or aspirations outside of this. When Tanner comes back to town, she is actually nicer to him than pretty much everyone else, even though she has the most reason to hate him. I believe that Ellie just wanted to get past what happen and move on, but the town wouldn't let her.
Tanner has an outcast personality, with good reason. He doesn't take crap from anyone, and says exactly what he thinks. He doesn't treat Ellie like a plaster saint. He says things that are designed to provoke her, in fact. Tanner succeeds very well in waking Ellie up out of the coma she's living in. His fearlessness inspires Ellie to become her own person and take what she wants out of life. Their relationship is a passionate and eventually loving one, but not smooth-sailing. But seeing these two characters who have so many reasons not to be together find solace, acceptance, and love, is a message that touches me. This is definitely one of her more serious category romances, but well worth the read.
August 26, 2018
Charles Tanner, Jr. is returning to his hometown. It would be an understatement to say that he is not looking forward to the “homecoming”. If Tanner were to have his way, he would never have made the journey, but then for the man who had been the father figure he never had, he would return to his place of origin, even if it means facing the demons left behind by his father.
Tanner’s father is a legend for all the wrong reasons. Known as a vet who had gone on a killing spree murdering sixteen and wounding one before turning the gun on himself, Tanner knows that he is going to end up stirring some bad memories for a lot of families who had lost loved ones.
What Tanner doesn’t expect to happen is to come across the all too beguiling Eleanor Johnson Lundquist, the almost 31 year old widow, and the lone survivor among the victims of the massacre at the hands of Tanner’s father. Tanner catches Eleanor during one of those rare moments in which she lets her uninhibited self roam freely; something that is not too easy given her revered status in the close-knit community that is Morey’s Falls.
With the anniversary of that fateful day coming, Tanner’s arrival undoubtedly stirs someone to once again force members of the town to relive the nightmares. With everyone on the edge, it is all too easy to paint Tanner as the bad guy. But within Eleanor, there is an altogether a different kind of storm brewing. For the very first time in her 30 plus years, Eleanor feels the stirrings of lust and desire, to take and be taken, and scandalously enough, by none other than Tanner himself.
As Eleanor and Tanner spends more time together amidst Tanner’s pursuit for the truth, they discover elements and facets to each other’s characters which otherwise would have remained uncovered. Each layer as it is peeled back, exposes a side that appeals to the other more. Tanner who has a habit of leaving, the itch that possesses him to go roaming and not stay put, finds himself with an inexplicable need for the very first time in his life to stay.
Blue Sage was a pleasant surprise because of the depth of the story that Anne Stuart delivered. Harlequin titles are not often known for the depth in their stories, but mostly quick reads that gives you a much needed escape. But somehow, Anne Stuart even then, managed to deliver books that were close to perfection with her ability to present to readers characters that seem polar opposites of one another, and yet form this bond around an almost indiscernible connection that springs to life from the get-go.
I loved both Tanner and Eleanor. Tanner with his lean whipcord physique, who believes that his pursuit of the truth comes from an innate responsibility towards the only man he looks up to, when it comes from a need within himself as well, to understand the man who had sired him, and a community that had failed all of them with their inability to see an unstable character for what he was, until it was too late.
I actually did think that there would be more to Tanner’s father’s story, but it didn’t turn out that way. Nevertheless, the whole aspect of a reemerging menace from within the community, with history repeating itself was a captivating aspect of the story.
I loved Eleanor as well. That inner vulnerability, core of strength, and the fact that she does identify with the fact that she is drowning on the pedestal that Morey’s Falls has put her on, to the way she blossoms under the touch of Tanner; the sensual awakening that is slow, hard and fast at the same time, were all parts of her story that I adored.
I loved the scene in the moonlight, up in the hills, with just Tanner and Eleanor – that was as elemental as it could get, and it somehow seemed fitting when it came to both of them.
The ending definitely made me teary-eyed. Tanner’s need to walk-about which hits his restless spirit and how it all played out was apt. Recommended for fans of contemporary romances with suspense in the mix.
Final Verdict: Blue Sage is magical and uncanny in equal doses; Anne Stuart waves her magic wand and creates characters that leaps off the pages, taking you for a ride you would never forget anytime soon!
Rating = 4.25/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit, www.maldivianbookreviewer.com
Tanner’s father is a legend for all the wrong reasons. Known as a vet who had gone on a killing spree murdering sixteen and wounding one before turning the gun on himself, Tanner knows that he is going to end up stirring some bad memories for a lot of families who had lost loved ones.
What Tanner doesn’t expect to happen is to come across the all too beguiling Eleanor Johnson Lundquist, the almost 31 year old widow, and the lone survivor among the victims of the massacre at the hands of Tanner’s father. Tanner catches Eleanor during one of those rare moments in which she lets her uninhibited self roam freely; something that is not too easy given her revered status in the close-knit community that is Morey’s Falls.
With the anniversary of that fateful day coming, Tanner’s arrival undoubtedly stirs someone to once again force members of the town to relive the nightmares. With everyone on the edge, it is all too easy to paint Tanner as the bad guy. But within Eleanor, there is an altogether a different kind of storm brewing. For the very first time in her 30 plus years, Eleanor feels the stirrings of lust and desire, to take and be taken, and scandalously enough, by none other than Tanner himself.
As Eleanor and Tanner spends more time together amidst Tanner’s pursuit for the truth, they discover elements and facets to each other’s characters which otherwise would have remained uncovered. Each layer as it is peeled back, exposes a side that appeals to the other more. Tanner who has a habit of leaving, the itch that possesses him to go roaming and not stay put, finds himself with an inexplicable need for the very first time in his life to stay.
Blue Sage was a pleasant surprise because of the depth of the story that Anne Stuart delivered. Harlequin titles are not often known for the depth in their stories, but mostly quick reads that gives you a much needed escape. But somehow, Anne Stuart even then, managed to deliver books that were close to perfection with her ability to present to readers characters that seem polar opposites of one another, and yet form this bond around an almost indiscernible connection that springs to life from the get-go.
I loved both Tanner and Eleanor. Tanner with his lean whipcord physique, who believes that his pursuit of the truth comes from an innate responsibility towards the only man he looks up to, when it comes from a need within himself as well, to understand the man who had sired him, and a community that had failed all of them with their inability to see an unstable character for what he was, until it was too late.
I actually did think that there would be more to Tanner’s father’s story, but it didn’t turn out that way. Nevertheless, the whole aspect of a reemerging menace from within the community, with history repeating itself was a captivating aspect of the story.
I loved Eleanor as well. That inner vulnerability, core of strength, and the fact that she does identify with the fact that she is drowning on the pedestal that Morey’s Falls has put her on, to the way she blossoms under the touch of Tanner; the sensual awakening that is slow, hard and fast at the same time, were all parts of her story that I adored.
I loved the scene in the moonlight, up in the hills, with just Tanner and Eleanor – that was as elemental as it could get, and it somehow seemed fitting when it came to both of them.
The ending definitely made me teary-eyed. Tanner’s need to walk-about which hits his restless spirit and how it all played out was apt. Recommended for fans of contemporary romances with suspense in the mix.
Final Verdict: Blue Sage is magical and uncanny in equal doses; Anne Stuart waves her magic wand and creates characters that leaps off the pages, taking you for a ride you would never forget anytime soon!
Rating = 4.25/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit, www.maldivianbookreviewer.com
November 27, 2017
3.5 stars
October 8, 2021
Ellie is the lone survivor of a public massacre has been made a "pet" and coddled by the small town for almost 15 years. When the shooter's adult son comes back to town, she decides the easiest way to make him leave is to help him understand and find his way back onto the road. But when reminders of the past pop up repeatedly... Including animals being killed around town... they have to figure out who before one of them becomes a victim.
Well written with insight into the characters, not the fastest paced mystery but it was a good story.
Well written with insight into the characters, not the fastest paced mystery but it was a good story.
March 4, 2018
I ponder a lot, about these characters who stay in small towns where they're miserable. I really ponder why this town continues to exist. Seems like such a tragedy in a town that barely qualifies for a truck stop (with no gas station...where do people gas up?). the kindest thing would be for the whole town to die. And of course, I wonder why something like what happened would keep being rehashed.
So basically, the past is that the H's father, a Korean war vet, had...issues...from his time there. And the H's mother, freaked out by him, left with the H, then a 2 year old. 15 years later, he snapped during the 4th of July, and shot a bunch of people. It is implied that prior to this, a bunch of animals in the area turned up dead, at his hand. The h was the lone survivor among the victims - she was shot in the knee.
The H has spent the last 15 years having people look at him suspiciously due to who his father was. I kinda puzzled at that. His almost-step-father insists that he go back to his parents' home town and well, figure things out.
The h has become, whether she wanted to or not, the town martyr. She wants out. The town judge took her in by marrying her (he's dead now), and well, everyone takes care of her...until she sleeps with the H, then they turn on her like rabid dogs. (see "why do people remain in small towns when they're miserable?"). He stays away for a bit and they sort of forgive her, deciding she's been victimized again (well, yeah - by them).
In the meantime, someone is planning on recreating the tragedy. The H's reappearance is v. convenient as everyone suspects him. The person makes their move against the h, the H for whatever reason goes back and gets her untied, then they go and avert disaster.
As stated earlier, I don't get why the h had stayed there. I don't get why she let herself get railroaded into a marriage (no relatives apparently). I don't get a lot of things about this set up really.
So basically, the past is that the H's father, a Korean war vet, had...issues...from his time there. And the H's mother, freaked out by him, left with the H, then a 2 year old. 15 years later, he snapped during the 4th of July, and shot a bunch of people. It is implied that prior to this, a bunch of animals in the area turned up dead, at his hand. The h was the lone survivor among the victims - she was shot in the knee.
The H has spent the last 15 years having people look at him suspiciously due to who his father was. I kinda puzzled at that. His almost-step-father insists that he go back to his parents' home town and well, figure things out.
The h has become, whether she wanted to or not, the town martyr. She wants out. The town judge took her in by marrying her (he's dead now), and well, everyone takes care of her...until she sleeps with the H, then they turn on her like rabid dogs. (see "why do people remain in small towns when they're miserable?"). He stays away for a bit and they sort of forgive her, deciding she's been victimized again (well, yeah - by them).
In the meantime, someone is planning on recreating the tragedy. The H's reappearance is v. convenient as everyone suspects him. The person makes their move against the h, the H for whatever reason goes back and gets her untied, then they go and avert disaster.
As stated earlier, I don't get why the h had stayed there. I don't get why she let herself get railroaded into a marriage (no relatives apparently). I don't get a lot of things about this set up really.
January 21, 2018
As always when you start reading Anne Stuart you know what you are in for: Dark, handsome hero and a usually, less attractive heroine to match. I chose to read Blue Sage because the storyline was intriguing. The son of the man who killed 16 people returns to where it all happened fifteen years later to find answers to the questions that haunt him. When he gets there he meets the town saint, Ellie, the only survivor from the incident, a widow who spends day in and day out reliving the past, with scars both inside and out. Tanner sparks her interest in more ways than one and he is taken by her as well. He knows that he's not welcome but decides to stay until he gets what he wants. As with any other Anne Stuart book the story has momentum and depth, the charachters all well developed and of course the underlying romantic interest is ever present between the two protagonists, gradually evolving as the story goes on. Two things bothered me with this book. First, the heroine was a thirty year old virgin with no sex drive whatsoever all these years and suddenly the son of the man who left her crippled appears fifteen years later and she goes to bed with him. Good for her and here here but what had she been doing for thirty years???Second thing was near the end when they had decided to spend the rest of their lives together he up and leaves because he wants to make sure that he can finally settle down and start a family. Grow some balls and be a man Mr, she's having your baby. I was thinking of giving the book two stars but then i thought it's Anne Stuart we're talking about here. So, three stars but i expected more.
December 27, 2011
Wow...this little book packs one emotional punch! I knew it was going to be an emotional ride going in, but I was not prepared for it all. I know. I am a big old softie, but this one just disturbed me. It's that side of crime that you never allow yourself to think about: the family of the perpetrators of violent crime.
I am a better person for having read this little book...I know that sounds maudlin, and I can be that at times, but it is true. There was some much judgement in this book, so much bitterness and anger and pain.
There was also hope...it was disguised but it was there. You knew the heroine was planning to leave anyway, but I wonder if she would have without the hero's eventual love. Would she have been strong enough to get off of her "pedastal" and become human? I doubt it.
Ok. I am depressing myself now. It was emo, yes, but it was also fun at times, a little bit of angst in the form of the heroine's best friend (witch!) and some surprising twists: heart warming and violent throughout.
I am a better person for having read this little book...I know that sounds maudlin, and I can be that at times, but it is true. There was some much judgement in this book, so much bitterness and anger and pain.
There was also hope...it was disguised but it was there. You knew the heroine was planning to leave anyway, but I wonder if she would have without the hero's eventual love. Would she have been strong enough to get off of her "pedastal" and become human? I doubt it.
Ok. I am depressing myself now. It was emo, yes, but it was also fun at times, a little bit of angst in the form of the heroine's best friend (witch!) and some surprising twists: heart warming and violent throughout.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2012
Interesting premise...the son of a mass murderer returns to town and falls in love with the sole survivor of the massacre.
Hero seemed rather angst-y for only being 2 years old when his mother left his father and not even living in the town when the massacre took place. But I loved that he goes "walk-about" (if he were Australian).
I thought the heroine was an interesting take on a survivor. She became the town's 'saint', good luck charm, whatever. The town cannot move on...but she needs to.
Hero seemed rather angst-y for only being 2 years old when his mother left his father and not even living in the town when the massacre took place. But I loved that he goes "walk-about" (if he were Australian).
I thought the heroine was an interesting take on a survivor. She became the town's 'saint', good luck charm, whatever. The town cannot move on...but she needs to.
November 13, 2014
I really wanna read this book at first since the hero seems interesting! The son of the man who kill several people in the town. Anne Stuart could write flawed hero as always, but the story seems too old for my taste. lol
July 31, 2011
I did like this book. It was a good story. It didn't blow me away but I enjoyed reading it.
January 3, 2015
A total waste of time.
March 20, 2021
Very similar subplot like „The soldier and the Baby“.
July 22, 2023
Story was a bit too predictable and not enough suspense for me. I thought the characterisation could’ve used a bit more fleshing out, particularly with Tanners character. He was deeply traumatised by what his father did and it would’ve been nice to delve into his character a bit more - show the vulnerable parts, show how he’s working on getting to terms with what happened.
I also can’t say that I felt Ellie and Tanner connected on an emotional psychological level beyond the trauma. All their interactions revolved around it and I just didn’t feel like they would actually work if you took the trauma away.
The biggest problem I had was the ending. Without giving it away, the author drops a not so subtle clue about who the killer is. I’ve read enough thrillers to have assumed this extremely obvious clue was deliberately there to throw me off… little did I know that the killer was in fact the person the clue was about. I mean really?? Has Anne ever heard of a red herring? Or better than that, has Anne ever heard of dropping little tidbits throughout the story so that eventually the reader can slowly piece it altogether? Hmmm…
I think if you genuinely have nothing else to read or you want a book that you can just skim this would be a solid choice but wouldn’t recommend if you’re looking for a five star read.
I also can’t say that I felt Ellie and Tanner connected on an emotional psychological level beyond the trauma. All their interactions revolved around it and I just didn’t feel like they would actually work if you took the trauma away.
The biggest problem I had was the ending. Without giving it away, the author drops a not so subtle clue about who the killer is. I’ve read enough thrillers to have assumed this extremely obvious clue was deliberately there to throw me off… little did I know that the killer was in fact the person the clue was about. I mean really?? Has Anne ever heard of a red herring? Or better than that, has Anne ever heard of dropping little tidbits throughout the story so that eventually the reader can slowly piece it altogether? Hmmm…
I think if you genuinely have nothing else to read or you want a book that you can just skim this would be a solid choice but wouldn’t recommend if you’re looking for a five star read.
June 27, 2025
"Blue Sage" is the story of Ellie and Tanner.
In this complex and layered romance, our widowed heroine is counting days to a ceremony. The occasion- the anniversary of the infamous town massacre of which she was the only survivor. The plan- to leave and finally move on.
Everything takes a turn when the hero- the son of the murderer returns to their sleepy town. The heroine bravely takes it upon herself to befriend him, but soon set of events begin replicating the past and feelings get involved.
This book deals with PTSD, survivors guilt and has a slow burn romance between mature but very traumatized characters. Dark undertone with one good sex scene. There is a temperamental horse, a stern old lady friend and many suspicious secondary characters.
Has a bittersweet but hopeful ending.
Safe
2.5/5
In this complex and layered romance, our widowed heroine is counting days to a ceremony. The occasion- the anniversary of the infamous town massacre of which she was the only survivor. The plan- to leave and finally move on.
Everything takes a turn when the hero- the son of the murderer returns to their sleepy town. The heroine bravely takes it upon herself to befriend him, but soon set of events begin replicating the past and feelings get involved.
This book deals with PTSD, survivors guilt and has a slow burn romance between mature but very traumatized characters. Dark undertone with one good sex scene. There is a temperamental horse, a stern old lady friend and many suspicious secondary characters.
Has a bittersweet but hopeful ending.
Safe
2.5/5
August 23, 2023
I listened to the audio book of Blue Sage by Anne Stuart and narrated by Charlie Kevin. This is a powerful book about being controlled by the past and not letting go. But it also has the amazing story of letting go of that past, realizations of what really defines who someone is, and finding love.
The characters were complex. And the descriptions of the area and horses was very well done.
But what really made this story come to life was its very talented narrator!
I hope you give this book a chance and love as much as I did..
The characters were complex. And the descriptions of the area and horses was very well done.
But what really made this story come to life was its very talented narrator!
I hope you give this book a chance and love as much as I did..
September 26, 2017
I like early Anne Stuart books, and Blue Sage had all the elements that I enjoy. Ellie was likable, Tanner was frustrating but had his moments, and the suspense was well done. I think Stuart tackled a very difficult subject, and she handled it well. I was also happy that the final moments were not too drawn out. The epilogue was rather sweet too.
October 8, 2018
Such a typical Anne Stuart, with a thirty-something virgin heroine and a traumatized, self-loathing loner of a hero. I was intrigued by the premise, but Stuart does very little with it, using the town’s trauma of a long-ago mass shooting as backdrop for the otherwise predictable gyrations between her leads.
April 22, 2023
Healing time
Does time heal all wounds? Well this book gives a glimpse into the possibility. There scars obvious and Biden ones, so the power of time is that it is possible , anything is possible.
Does time heal all wounds? Well this book gives a glimpse into the possibility. There scars obvious and Biden ones, so the power of time is that it is possible , anything is possible.
June 12, 2022
3.75 / 5
June 1, 2023
This is a good storyline with interesting characters. It is action-packed and keeps you reading.
July 18, 2023
this book just really wasn't for me and I'm not sure how is got into my recommendations. I literally listened to it because it was the next thing on the rec list and ... just... not for me.
April 20, 2024
#Springo2024: color in title.
September 17, 2020
I liked this quite a lot, even though I guessed at the baddie. There was more backstory I wished for, but ultimately, it was still a suspenseful and enjoyable read. H and h were good for challenging and improving each other. Some really lovely moments between the H and h and the ending was nice.
September 21, 2011
More a 3 1/2 stars -- only because there are category Stuarts that I like even more than Blue Sage*.
Anne Stuart, for me, is a series author, or should I say she was. I always have a Stuart in my TBR because she was so prolific (still is, really) and wrote book after book for HQ back in the day. Her heroes haven't changed much over the decades. They're competent, taciturn, good looking, and do they ever have to ask a woman twice to join them? Nope.
Often the conflict is in the man's head. So it is with Blue Sage because altho there is a mystery to clear up, the hero has to come to grips with the devastation his father caused years ago (his father killed 16 townspeople -- altho it's not stated, clearly he suffered from undiagnosed PTSD) and a crippled woman has to embrace a life full of passion and promise, and uncertainty, there's more to the HEA. With Stuart, even after the couple acknowledges that they love each other, often the hero is reluctant to totally leave his solo operator status behind. Tanner has literally walked his way across America in an attempt to flee and come to grips with his father's legacy and even after he and Ellie are married, he feels that compulsion to walk away again.
When a Stuart hero finally succumbs to love, you know it's forever because it's never an easy journey to get there.
* The title is so apt: Stuart has a marvelous sense of place and her descriptions are not just visual, you can smell the sage and the wood smoke and hear water and horses hooves.
Anne Stuart, for me, is a series author, or should I say she was. I always have a Stuart in my TBR because she was so prolific (still is, really) and wrote book after book for HQ back in the day. Her heroes haven't changed much over the decades. They're competent, taciturn, good looking, and do they ever have to ask a woman twice to join them? Nope.
Often the conflict is in the man's head. So it is with Blue Sage because altho there is a mystery to clear up, the hero has to come to grips with the devastation his father caused years ago (his father killed 16 townspeople -- altho it's not stated, clearly he suffered from undiagnosed PTSD) and a crippled woman has to embrace a life full of passion and promise, and uncertainty, there's more to the HEA. With Stuart, even after the couple acknowledges that they love each other, often the hero is reluctant to totally leave his solo operator status behind. Tanner has literally walked his way across America in an attempt to flee and come to grips with his father's legacy and even after he and Ellie are married, he feels that compulsion to walk away again.
When a Stuart hero finally succumbs to love, you know it's forever because it's never an easy journey to get there.
* The title is so apt: Stuart has a marvelous sense of place and her descriptions are not just visual, you can smell the sage and the wood smoke and hear water and horses hooves.
May 20, 2010
This is another good one by Anne Stuart. She can think of the most interesting and unique plot lines and characters of any romance author I've ever read. This one is no exception.
Charles Tanner was a war veteran who came home a "different" man. Changed by all the death and violence he saw during the war, he was a victim of post traumatic stress syndrome. One day this "war hero" lost it and went on a shooting spree killing 16 innocent people and badly wounding a young girl. He then killed himself.
His son, also named Charles Tanner, has come back to the town in which his father unleashed his fury. He's come back to bury old ghosts and try to understand why his father did what he did. The girl who was the lone survivor of the shooting is now a woman who offers to help Tanner with his search for answers. She becomes his friend and of course..so much more!
I liked this book. Ellie is a survivor, but she is also "stuck" in the past. Tanner pushes her to move on and believes in her. Both have to come to terms with the hand that life has dealt them, but there is a certain amount of fate and destiny in this story. I enjoyed it very much.
Charles Tanner was a war veteran who came home a "different" man. Changed by all the death and violence he saw during the war, he was a victim of post traumatic stress syndrome. One day this "war hero" lost it and went on a shooting spree killing 16 innocent people and badly wounding a young girl. He then killed himself.
His son, also named Charles Tanner, has come back to the town in which his father unleashed his fury. He's come back to bury old ghosts and try to understand why his father did what he did. The girl who was the lone survivor of the shooting is now a woman who offers to help Tanner with his search for answers. She becomes his friend and of course..so much more!
I liked this book. Ellie is a survivor, but she is also "stuck" in the past. Tanner pushes her to move on and believes in her. Both have to come to terms with the hand that life has dealt them, but there is a certain amount of fate and destiny in this story. I enjoyed it very much.
April 5, 2014
Pur impegnandomi non sono proprio riuscita ad appassionarmi a questo libro della Stuart.
La premessa (il figlio di un mass murderer si reca nella cittadina nel quale il padre ha commesso la strage per regolare i conti con il suo passato) non mi ha convinto per nulla. Buon senso direbbe di starne alla larga, o almeno di non dire chi si è, per evitare di riaprire ferite che sono a stento rimarginate.
Che poi si innamori dell'unica sopravvissuta alla strage ci sta, ma che lei lo accolga a braccia aperte, beh, quello no. Siamo un poco troppo vicini alla santità perchè me la beva.
Poco attratta dalle premesse ho finito il libro saltellando di capitolo in capitolo, fino al lieto fine che è - come al solito - un poco troppo veloce, ma comunque soddisfacente.
Per quello che può servire direi che è ben scritto e che i personaggi sono abbastanza ben definiti (premesse inconcepibili a parte).
La premessa (il figlio di un mass murderer si reca nella cittadina nel quale il padre ha commesso la strage per regolare i conti con il suo passato) non mi ha convinto per nulla. Buon senso direbbe di starne alla larga, o almeno di non dire chi si è, per evitare di riaprire ferite che sono a stento rimarginate.
Che poi si innamori dell'unica sopravvissuta alla strage ci sta, ma che lei lo accolga a braccia aperte, beh, quello no. Siamo un poco troppo vicini alla santità perchè me la beva.
Poco attratta dalle premesse ho finito il libro saltellando di capitolo in capitolo, fino al lieto fine che è - come al solito - un poco troppo veloce, ma comunque soddisfacente.
Per quello che può servire direi che è ben scritto e che i personaggi sono abbastanza ben definiti (premesse inconcepibili a parte).
May 31, 2011
I love Anne Stuart's writing. This is the story of Charles Tanner Jr. and his coming to terms with tragic actions of his father. Finding peace with the past and the ability to love now.
Charles Tanner Jr. walked into Morey's Falls Montana realizing he was lighting a fuse on a powder keg. He knew his appearance would reignite the townspeople's pain and anger over his fathers actions- especially for Ellie Lundquist, the only surviving victim.
Charles Tanner Jr. walked into Morey's Falls Montana realizing he was lighting a fuse on a powder keg. He knew his appearance would reignite the townspeople's pain and anger over his fathers actions- especially for Ellie Lundquist, the only surviving victim.
July 7, 2015
3.5 stars
The hero first spies the heroine when she's horseback riding topless. Shortly thereafter, she finds out that his father is the man who shot her and killed many others. Then we get some small town drama - which has a delightfully Gothic feel. I think this may be my first Gothic Western. Anyway, angsty romance in the foreground with a copycat killer building up steam in the background. Quite fun overall.
The hero first spies the heroine when she's horseback riding topless. Shortly thereafter, she finds out that his father is the man who shot her and killed many others. Then we get some small town drama - which has a delightfully Gothic feel. I think this may be my first Gothic Western. Anyway, angsty romance in the foreground with a copycat killer building up steam in the background. Quite fun overall.
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