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No Longer A Stranger
Joan Johnston sweeps readers back to the untamed American West in a tale of powerful emotions and breathtaking action.
1865: The Civil War was over, but new dangers lay in wait across the open frontier. Disguised as a boy in buckskins, pretty Rebecca Hunter wasn't afraid of any enemy who might cross her path in the Rocky Mountains. She vowed never to belong to any man...until she met city-bred Christopher Kincaid, the stranger she rescued from a fierce band of Sioux. All too quickly she learned how powerful an attraction can be between a man and a woman.
No Indian ambush could scar Kincaid as deeply as the tragic loss and broken heart he suffered in the war. Now, being nursed back to health by Reb in an isolated mountain cabin, he found himself coming alive with a powerful desire for her. But how could he know that his mission for the government would jeopardize his chances of winning Reb's heart, bring down the wrath of a renegade Sioux chief, and test the lengths he'd be willing to go to convince this passionate woman to stay beside him for all time?
373 pages, Paperback
First published January 25, 2005
13 people are currently reading
224 people want to read
About the author
Joan Johnston
126 books752 followersJoan Johnston (born Little Rock, Arkansas) is a best-selling American author of over forty contemporary and historical romance novels.
Johnston was the third of seven children born to an Air Force sergeant and his music-teacher wife. She received a B.A. in theatre arts from Jacksonville University in 1970, then earning an M.A. in theatre from the University of Illinois, Urbana in 1971. She received a law degree (with honors) at the University of Texas at Austin in 1980. For the next five years, Johnston worked as an attorney, serving with the Hunton & Williams firm in Richmond, Virginia, and with Squire, Sanders, & Dempsey in Miami. She has also worked as a newspaper editor and drama critic in San Antonio, Texas, and as a college professor at Southwest Texas Junior College, Barry University, and the University of Miami.
Johnston is a member of the Authors Guild, Novelists, Inc., Romance Writers of America, and Florida Romance Writers. She has two children and one grandchild, and divides her time between two homes, in Colorado and Florida.
Awards
* Paperbook Book Club of America's Book Rak Award (twice)
* Romantic Times' Best Western Historical Series Award (twice)
* Romantic Times' Best New Western Writer
* Romantic Times' Best Historical Series Award (twice)
* The Maggie (twice)
* Romance Writers of America RITA Award finalist for The Disobedient Bride
Johnston was the third of seven children born to an Air Force sergeant and his music-teacher wife. She received a B.A. in theatre arts from Jacksonville University in 1970, then earning an M.A. in theatre from the University of Illinois, Urbana in 1971. She received a law degree (with honors) at the University of Texas at Austin in 1980. For the next five years, Johnston worked as an attorney, serving with the Hunton & Williams firm in Richmond, Virginia, and with Squire, Sanders, & Dempsey in Miami. She has also worked as a newspaper editor and drama critic in San Antonio, Texas, and as a college professor at Southwest Texas Junior College, Barry University, and the University of Miami.
Johnston is a member of the Authors Guild, Novelists, Inc., Romance Writers of America, and Florida Romance Writers. She has two children and one grandchild, and divides her time between two homes, in Colorado and Florida.
Awards
* Paperbook Book Club of America's Book Rak Award (twice)
* Romantic Times' Best Western Historical Series Award (twice)
* Romantic Times' Best New Western Writer
* Romantic Times' Best Historical Series Award (twice)
* The Maggie (twice)
* Romance Writers of America RITA Award finalist for The Disobedient Bride
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 15, 2021
Oh man, I cannot believe this book was published in 2005. The good stuff - the writing was pretty good. The bad stuff - this book was SO racist and sexist. The main character describes the civil war as occurring because the Yankees wanted to change "the way of life" of the southerners, indigenous people are discussed in horrible ways, and the love interest wants to teach the main character that in order to be respected like a woman she needs to stop acting like a man. Yuck.
May 31, 2013
Typical Johnston. I ended up more interested in Morning Dove and Adam at the end of the book than I did in Reb and Kincaid.
November 13, 2017
DNF'd at 34%.
I wanted to like this book, really. This was my first try at historical fiction (romance, it’s honestly just a romance book set in the Wild West, but okay) because I heard it was good.
But #1 and #3 just led this book review into full-on rant mode. So, if you'd like a long review for only the first 34% of this novel, here you go.
1. To begin, this book has the most ridiculous and honestly the stupidest paragraph I have ever read in any novel… ever. It’s so utterly ridiculous I bookmarked it. It is referring to the obvious animosity between the Native Americans and the settlers in the West at the time. It reads: “Those horrible deaths, among others over the winter, were evidence that a state of undeclared war existed with the Indians – at least, undeclared on the white man’s part” (pg. 39).
ARE YOU KIDDING ME.
What, were they just planning on taking over the Native’s land and just expected them to be cool about it? That war was declared in everything but writing.
The fact that the next page and a half goes over the historical aspect of this paragraph does not negate this claim, nor make this claim any less stupid.
2. This book has the most abhorrent case of love at first sight that I have ever seen. She raises the gun to shoot Kincaid and suddenly she’s caught up in him. Ugh.
3. In the cabin after Adam and Reb “rescue” Kincaid, Kincaid is unconscious on the bed and Reb is staring at him in the creepiest way possible. And if staring at his naked body wasn’t enough, well then how about this line – “She dropped the hand and leaned across the stranger to check his other hand, her firm breast brushing lightly across his naked chest. She tried to ignore the exciting sensation that resulted” (pg. 64).
…
Are we actually supposed to be okay with this?
Are we supposed to applaud Reb for literally sexually enjoying herself with an unconscious person that she doesn’t know?
In any other book, the idea of Character A sexually enjoying his/herself with unconscious Character B would be considered rape-y. Here it’s supposed to be… I don’t even know, romantic? What?
4. Reb is supposedly a beautiful girl, yet for some reason, Kincaid fully believes she is a boy. As far as I can make sense if it, this does not add up. Yes, I get it, she has short hair and wears a buckskin that hides some of her figure, but seeing as how the books stresses that she has ample… assets… you’d think that a man with any sort of background on females would notice something is a little strange with this “boy”.
5. Reb does not correct Kincaid for thinking she’s a boy. In fact, she goes along with it. Supposedly, Reb is supposed to be this strong female character that can do everything a woman can do and everything a man can do. If she was so strong, she could reveal that she’s a woman and would show Kincaid that she’s boss. But no, she just lets herself get overpowered and underestimated by this guy. Fantastic.
6. Then there is the “fever-delirious Kincaid” almost sex-scene.
Not only is Kincaid delirious and imagining everything and Reb just goes along with it enjoying herself, she finds out that Kincaid has a dead wife.
AND THEN SHE CONTINUES GOING ALONG WITH HIS FEVERED SEX DREAMS KNOWING THAT HE BELIEVES SHE IS HER DEAD WIFE.
How is this supposed to be okay in any sense of the word?
Sure, Reb realizes what she’s done wrong and then tries to stop it – 2 PAGES LATER.
And also, we are supposed to buy that Kincaid – fever-delirious Kincaid – is somehow doing this even though he is both feverish and injured, and is saying stuff like, “Breasts like ripe fruits, belly so firm, one day to grow large with my seed…” (pg. 96).
Apparently, when he has a fever, Kincaid becomes some sort of sex-driven poet. Which for some reason, I am just not believing fits his married soldier background. Plus, I can’t just ignore the fact that what he just said was one of the weirdest things that anyone has ever said.
Going back to Reb just casually going along with having Kincaid think that she is his dead wife (which is morally wrong) and still going along with it after Kincaid talks like the #1 Creeper of the Year: when she snaps out of it – whatever “it” is - for some bizarre reason she blames Kincaid for it, which transitions nicely to my next point…
7. Reb has the worst temper of any character in any book that I have ever read. She gets mad about practically everything, storms off, comes back with a plan to change the source of her rage, and then it happens all over again. She disrespects authority (that authority being her father) and literally uses her dead mother as an excuse to get her way. Charming girl.
8. That’s not to say Kincaid is very likable either. Altogether, both of the main characters are unlikeable, and I very much want Adam to come back as he is the only character I like.
I like the writing style of this book. Usually, that would warrant a two-star rating, but seeing as how two stars is listed as “it was okay” on Goodreads and there are things that are not MORALLY okay in this novel, I am going to give it a 1.25-star rating.
I wanted to like this book, really. This was my first try at historical fiction (romance, it’s honestly just a romance book set in the Wild West, but okay) because I heard it was good.
But #1 and #3 just led this book review into full-on rant mode. So, if you'd like a long review for only the first 34% of this novel, here you go.
1. To begin, this book has the most ridiculous and honestly the stupidest paragraph I have ever read in any novel… ever. It’s so utterly ridiculous I bookmarked it. It is referring to the obvious animosity between the Native Americans and the settlers in the West at the time. It reads: “Those horrible deaths, among others over the winter, were evidence that a state of undeclared war existed with the Indians – at least, undeclared on the white man’s part” (pg. 39).
ARE YOU KIDDING ME.
What, were they just planning on taking over the Native’s land and just expected them to be cool about it? That war was declared in everything but writing.
The fact that the next page and a half goes over the historical aspect of this paragraph does not negate this claim, nor make this claim any less stupid.
2. This book has the most abhorrent case of love at first sight that I have ever seen. She raises the gun to shoot Kincaid and suddenly she’s caught up in him. Ugh.
3. In the cabin after Adam and Reb “rescue” Kincaid, Kincaid is unconscious on the bed and Reb is staring at him in the creepiest way possible. And if staring at his naked body wasn’t enough, well then how about this line – “She dropped the hand and leaned across the stranger to check his other hand, her firm breast brushing lightly across his naked chest. She tried to ignore the exciting sensation that resulted” (pg. 64).
…
Are we actually supposed to be okay with this?
Are we supposed to applaud Reb for literally sexually enjoying herself with an unconscious person that she doesn’t know?
In any other book, the idea of Character A sexually enjoying his/herself with unconscious Character B would be considered rape-y. Here it’s supposed to be… I don’t even know, romantic? What?
4. Reb is supposedly a beautiful girl, yet for some reason, Kincaid fully believes she is a boy. As far as I can make sense if it, this does not add up. Yes, I get it, she has short hair and wears a buckskin that hides some of her figure, but seeing as how the books stresses that she has ample… assets… you’d think that a man with any sort of background on females would notice something is a little strange with this “boy”.
5. Reb does not correct Kincaid for thinking she’s a boy. In fact, she goes along with it. Supposedly, Reb is supposed to be this strong female character that can do everything a woman can do and everything a man can do. If she was so strong, she could reveal that she’s a woman and would show Kincaid that she’s boss. But no, she just lets herself get overpowered and underestimated by this guy. Fantastic.
6. Then there is the “fever-delirious Kincaid” almost sex-scene.
Not only is Kincaid delirious and imagining everything and Reb just goes along with it enjoying herself, she finds out that Kincaid has a dead wife.
AND THEN SHE CONTINUES GOING ALONG WITH HIS FEVERED SEX DREAMS KNOWING THAT HE BELIEVES SHE IS HER DEAD WIFE.
How is this supposed to be okay in any sense of the word?
Sure, Reb realizes what she’s done wrong and then tries to stop it – 2 PAGES LATER.
And also, we are supposed to buy that Kincaid – fever-delirious Kincaid – is somehow doing this even though he is both feverish and injured, and is saying stuff like, “Breasts like ripe fruits, belly so firm, one day to grow large with my seed…” (pg. 96).
Apparently, when he has a fever, Kincaid becomes some sort of sex-driven poet. Which for some reason, I am just not believing fits his married soldier background. Plus, I can’t just ignore the fact that what he just said was one of the weirdest things that anyone has ever said.
Going back to Reb just casually going along with having Kincaid think that she is his dead wife (which is morally wrong) and still going along with it after Kincaid talks like the #1 Creeper of the Year: when she snaps out of it – whatever “it” is - for some bizarre reason she blames Kincaid for it, which transitions nicely to my next point…
7. Reb has the worst temper of any character in any book that I have ever read. She gets mad about practically everything, storms off, comes back with a plan to change the source of her rage, and then it happens all over again. She disrespects authority (that authority being her father) and literally uses her dead mother as an excuse to get her way. Charming girl.
8. That’s not to say Kincaid is very likable either. Altogether, both of the main characters are unlikeable, and I very much want Adam to come back as he is the only character I like.
I like the writing style of this book. Usually, that would warrant a two-star rating, but seeing as how two stars is listed as “it was okay” on Goodreads and there are things that are not MORALLY okay in this novel, I am going to give it a 1.25-star rating.
May 26, 2009
I'd give it 4.5 rating if I could. One of the best historical romance I've ever read.
March 22, 2009
it,s about a sheltered girl who learns dome harsh facts about her life, falls in love and learns to trust the world and people around her
July 11, 2025
I cannot even express how satisfying it is to read a book when the setting mirrors the date you’re reading it. Such a perfect July 4th historical romance.
I have been in such a romance reading slump, but I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and action packed and it was hard for me to put down. While Reb and Kincaid definitely didn’t make it to my list of favorite MCs, I didn’t mind them or get annoyed with them like I sometimes do with western romances. Not to mention, I have such a soft spot for a handicapped Hero. Kincaid had a leg injury from the civil war and struggled with it throughout the book, but was still able to fight and protect himself.
I was so so sad Blue died, he was definitely my favorite character.
I have been in such a romance reading slump, but I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and action packed and it was hard for me to put down. While Reb and Kincaid definitely didn’t make it to my list of favorite MCs, I didn’t mind them or get annoyed with them like I sometimes do with western romances. Not to mention, I have such a soft spot for a handicapped Hero. Kincaid had a leg injury from the civil war and struggled with it throughout the book, but was still able to fight and protect himself.
I was so so sad Blue died, he was definitely my favorite character.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2016
Joan Johnston is one gifted storyteller. No Longer A Stranger is wonderful. Reb saves Kincaid from the danger of being killed by the Sioux, but at what price? Kincaid awakens to realize he is being treated by a young boy up in a mountainous cabin. Was it this young boy who shot him, to actually save him from a worst fate? Who can he trust? Who can Reb trust? Fast paced and a twist that changes everything Reb ever knew.
January 12, 2014
I don't really get the other reviewers that said this book was only good for the first half. I thought that the action went prett much even keel throughout. I was, however, expecting another chapter after the last paragraph. I guess that there is probably a sequel?
August 5, 2016
I could not put the book down and even went into work late to finish it! I wish there would have been more story line after Reb decides to get all gussied up, but other than that I really liked the book.
September 6, 2020
This novel is a stand alone novel and is very good. Character development is very good. The author is able to pull a mix of emotions from the reader with some reveals. Per the author, this novel is one of her first. For a first attempt this is over the top good! So glad she remained true to her talent keeping the 'sex' between characters secondary to the plot.
January 6, 2019
Enjoyed the story of Kincaid and Reb. It also introduced Morning Dove to us.
May 11, 2019
Confusing, too much going on
One of my favorite authors but a terrible book. Too much going on. Hard to follow. Random twists etc, pointless
One of my favorite authors but a terrible book. Too much going on. Hard to follow. Random twists etc, pointless
May 21, 2022
Joan Johnston knows how to write an exciting historical romance!
August 17, 2023
Another boring long chapters western romance lackluster and dull
October 19, 2023
This was honestly the weirdest book I have ever read, some parts were good, some parts were really bad and the plot was just weird as shit. Took me WEEKS to finish, would not recommend
December 29, 2024
I rarely enjoy books where the heroine disguises herself as a boy — and passes.
February 18, 2012
the first part of the book was good, the second half sappy.
July 23, 2015
A little predictible.
March 10, 2016
Another good read from Johnston.
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June 11, 2016Used - Good (Some spine creases)
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews