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Kearney #1
Wildwood
In Wildwood Valley, Trouble Wore a Badge
. . . enticingly pinned to Sheriff Ben Kearney's broad, muscular wall of a chest and Jessamyn Whittaker was determined to find a way around it. But how could she, when just looking at the man put her at a loss for words?
The day Jess Whittaker stepped off the stage, Ben Kearney knew he was in for a hell of a ride. The woman had not only inherited her father's nosiness, but boasted her own special talent for trouble and a real knack for dragging him into the thick of it!
296 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1997
2 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Lynna Banning
77 books83 followersI was born in Oregon and raised in northern California. While growing up I listened to my grandparents' and my mother's stories about life on the ranch they owned in Douglas County, some miles east of Roseburg.
Later (after I retired from work as a professional editor for an aerospace firm) I began writing fiction based on these stories... my first book was "Western Rose," which is based on the unusual courtship of my grandparents.
A medieval studies major in college, I have also written two medieval novels, one about a Crusader knight and a girl raised in a harem (!) who end up at the court of Eleanor of Aquitaine when she was Queen of England. The second novel is about a Templar knight who falls in love with a young woman troubadour... but of course because of his vows of chastity, he cannot marry.
I hope you will enjoy my books; I always like hearing from readers, so feel free to email me (carolynw@cruzio.com) and also see my website - http://www.lynnabanning.com.
Later (after I retired from work as a professional editor for an aerospace firm) I began writing fiction based on these stories... my first book was "Western Rose," which is based on the unusual courtship of my grandparents.
A medieval studies major in college, I have also written two medieval novels, one about a Crusader knight and a girl raised in a harem (!) who end up at the court of Eleanor of Aquitaine when she was Queen of England. The second novel is about a Templar knight who falls in love with a young woman troubadour... but of course because of his vows of chastity, he cannot marry.
I hope you will enjoy my books; I always like hearing from readers, so feel free to email me (carolynw@cruzio.com) and also see my website - http://www.lynnabanning.com.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 24, 2016
This book has been in my shelves for, like, 10 months, and I hadnt read it!!!!!! How could I?
If I only knew how amazing this book was, I would read it in the first minute I got it.
This is a charming story about the sort of love that neither party wanted, but neither could live without.
Ben Karney is the Sheriff of the Wildood Valley and he has lost his one true love after a war ended, because she wanted money and land, and he didnt have a lot. All things change when Jessamyn Whittaker comes to town. Her father has died and she has left a will for her, giving her a house and the houseprint, to continue her dream as an editor in her own "Wildwood Times" newspaper.
They both hate each other from the beginning.
"He wasnt about to get burned by a woman twice in a lifetime. Once, in Carolina after the war, was enough for any man."
But eventually, Ben starts to like her, but he doesnt want to admit it.
"He couldnt afford to be vulnerable. His heart was split in two, lifeless as a cracked church bell. And his soul . . . his soul was black with bitterness at the Northeners who had destroyed everything he'd ever loved."
They have to go together in the moutains at Black Eagle's tribe to figure out Jess's father death.
" 'Pain' , Black Eagle had told him years ago, 'makes a man think. Thought makes him wise, and wisdom makes lifeendurable.'"
"He'd do anything for her. He'd bring er the moon if she asked. After what she'd given him, no request, howeer unattainable, however unmeasurable, was impossible."
After being with her, his life completely changes.
"She'd shown him something about life, about himself. It wasn't perfect. It didn't have to be perfect. Life, and the human creatures in it, were flawed-- scarred by stupidity and greed, stubborness and pain. Yet there were soaring moments of joy and meaning, as well."
It was an absolutely amazing book. (G)OLD <3
If I only knew how amazing this book was, I would read it in the first minute I got it.
This is a charming story about the sort of love that neither party wanted, but neither could live without.
Ben Karney is the Sheriff of the Wildood Valley and he has lost his one true love after a war ended, because she wanted money and land, and he didnt have a lot. All things change when Jessamyn Whittaker comes to town. Her father has died and she has left a will for her, giving her a house and the houseprint, to continue her dream as an editor in her own "Wildwood Times" newspaper.
They both hate each other from the beginning.
"He wasnt about to get burned by a woman twice in a lifetime. Once, in Carolina after the war, was enough for any man."
But eventually, Ben starts to like her, but he doesnt want to admit it.
"He couldnt afford to be vulnerable. His heart was split in two, lifeless as a cracked church bell. And his soul . . . his soul was black with bitterness at the Northeners who had destroyed everything he'd ever loved."
They have to go together in the moutains at Black Eagle's tribe to figure out Jess's father death.
" 'Pain' , Black Eagle had told him years ago, 'makes a man think. Thought makes him wise, and wisdom makes lifeendurable.'"
"He'd do anything for her. He'd bring er the moon if she asked. After what she'd given him, no request, howeer unattainable, however unmeasurable, was impossible."
After being with her, his life completely changes.
"She'd shown him something about life, about himself. It wasn't perfect. It didn't have to be perfect. Life, and the human creatures in it, were flawed-- scarred by stupidity and greed, stubborness and pain. Yet there were soaring moments of joy and meaning, as well."
It was an absolutely amazing book. (G)OLD <3
May 22, 2012
★★★½☆ Not bad, not great. Standard 90’s fair. Fast read, but lost its momentum about three-quarters of the way through, when really, given what was going on in the story, it should have taken off.
May 1, 2019
WILDWOOD and LOST ACRES BRIDE are independent stories and can be read in any order. From the first words on the page, it is obvious that this is a light-hearted story.
Ben Kearney is the sheriff of Wildwood Valley, Oregon. He's a dedicated professional that seems to 'always get his man.' However, he has a couple of problems at present: cattle are disappearing and the town's newspaper editor has been murdered. If that weren't enough trouble, a new woman has come to town claiming to be the daughter of the slain editor: Jessamyn Whittaker. Her plan is to restart the newspaper.
If that weren't enough, a clan of the Klamath Indians wants to see Ben as soon as possible. With so much on his plate, Ben is underwhelmed when Jess wants to accompany him to see the Indian tribe. Instead of a flat-out no, Ben tricks Jess into learning how to ride a horse.
The secondary characters are well-drawn and the action is plentiful. A great yarn.
Kearney Men
**Wildwood (1997)
Lost Acres Bride (1998)
Ben Kearney is the sheriff of Wildwood Valley, Oregon. He's a dedicated professional that seems to 'always get his man.' However, he has a couple of problems at present: cattle are disappearing and the town's newspaper editor has been murdered. If that weren't enough trouble, a new woman has come to town claiming to be the daughter of the slain editor: Jessamyn Whittaker. Her plan is to restart the newspaper.
If that weren't enough, a clan of the Klamath Indians wants to see Ben as soon as possible. With so much on his plate, Ben is underwhelmed when Jess wants to accompany him to see the Indian tribe. Instead of a flat-out no, Ben tricks Jess into learning how to ride a horse.
The secondary characters are well-drawn and the action is plentiful. A great yarn.
Kearney Men
**Wildwood (1997)
Lost Acres Bride (1998)
September 25, 2009
Western
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews