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Smoke River #5
The Hired Man
A home for the drifter
Cordell Winterman is haunted by his mistakes--and the years spent paying for them. Broke and hungry, he takes a job as a hired man on Eleanor Malloy's farm.
Eleanor needs help. Desperately. Her kids are running wild and the place is held up by spit and rust. But as Cord helps her set her home to rights, Eleanor realizes she doesn't just need this enigmatic drifter with hunger in his eyes...she wants him, too!
Cordell Winterman is haunted by his mistakes--and the years spent paying for them. Broke and hungry, he takes a job as a hired man on Eleanor Malloy's farm.
Eleanor needs help. Desperately. Her kids are running wild and the place is held up by spit and rust. But as Cord helps her set her home to rights, Eleanor realizes she doesn't just need this enigmatic drifter with hunger in his eyes...she wants him, too!
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published October 17, 2017
83 people are currently reading
349 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 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 9, 2018
Good book. Cord is on his way to California to restart his life, but in the meantime, he is broke and hungry. Spotting a newspaper ad for a hired man, he heads to Eleanor Malloy's farm to apply for the job. The sight of her apple trees in bloom appeals to something within him and the state of the farm to his desire to be needed.
Ellie is desperate for help. She is recovering from pneumonia and can't keep up with the work. Her nine-year-old son and five-year-old daughter need more attention than she can give them right now. Cord's arrival is just what she needs to keep going.
I liked both Cord and Ellie and the development of their relationship. Cord is haunted by his past, both the things he did during the war and what happened after. He hopes that the new start in California will help him feel normal again. In the meantime, working for Ellie will keep body and soul together. I liked the way that Cord immediately felt protective of Ellie and her family. It was really sweet to see him care for her as she recovered from her illness. I also loved how he became a role model for Danny and taught him the things a boy needed to know. He was also great with little Molly. There were sweet and funny scenes throughout the book as Cord dealt with various issues with the kids. I also liked Ellie. She has worked hard to keep the farm and family going since her husband left for the war and never returned. I liked that she was smart enough to have the property put in her own name when Tom didn't come back. She is protective of her children which causes a few conflicts between herself and Cord when their views don't match up. She is also stubborn and determined, frequently to the point of collapse.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Cord and Ellie. It progressed past employer and employee to friends very quickly. There was also an attraction that simmered below the surface, but both tried to ignore it. Cord is only there temporarily until he can move on to California, and Ellie isn't sure what her marital status is. She doesn't know if she is a wife or a widow, so she won't give in to whatever she might feel. I loved Cord's protectiveness toward Ellie, from the way he took care of her to how he watched the men who came to visit her. I also enjoyed seeing him try to cope with his jealousy regarding those same men. Though Ellie was wary of Cord at the beginning, she quickly came to depend on him. The way he made her feel was very different than what she had experienced with her husband. I liked seeing them grow closer and how they began feeling like a family. Cord found himself dreaming of staying, but his past mistakes kept him from believing it was possible. Then an unexpected and unwelcome visitor arrived. Cord's protective instincts really came to the forefront then. Ellie was also cautious and came to depend even more on Cord. There were definitely signs that the visitor was bad news. I liked the way that Cord suspected the truth and the steps he took to protect Ellie and the children. The ending was intense and kept me on the edge of my seat as I wondered how it was going to work out. I loved the epilogue and Cord's comment right before they got married.
Ellie is desperate for help. She is recovering from pneumonia and can't keep up with the work. Her nine-year-old son and five-year-old daughter need more attention than she can give them right now. Cord's arrival is just what she needs to keep going.
I liked both Cord and Ellie and the development of their relationship. Cord is haunted by his past, both the things he did during the war and what happened after. He hopes that the new start in California will help him feel normal again. In the meantime, working for Ellie will keep body and soul together. I liked the way that Cord immediately felt protective of Ellie and her family. It was really sweet to see him care for her as she recovered from her illness. I also loved how he became a role model for Danny and taught him the things a boy needed to know. He was also great with little Molly. There were sweet and funny scenes throughout the book as Cord dealt with various issues with the kids. I also liked Ellie. She has worked hard to keep the farm and family going since her husband left for the war and never returned. I liked that she was smart enough to have the property put in her own name when Tom didn't come back. She is protective of her children which causes a few conflicts between herself and Cord when their views don't match up. She is also stubborn and determined, frequently to the point of collapse.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Cord and Ellie. It progressed past employer and employee to friends very quickly. There was also an attraction that simmered below the surface, but both tried to ignore it. Cord is only there temporarily until he can move on to California, and Ellie isn't sure what her marital status is. She doesn't know if she is a wife or a widow, so she won't give in to whatever she might feel. I loved Cord's protectiveness toward Ellie, from the way he took care of her to how he watched the men who came to visit her. I also enjoyed seeing him try to cope with his jealousy regarding those same men. Though Ellie was wary of Cord at the beginning, she quickly came to depend on him. The way he made her feel was very different than what she had experienced with her husband. I liked seeing them grow closer and how they began feeling like a family. Cord found himself dreaming of staying, but his past mistakes kept him from believing it was possible. Then an unexpected and unwelcome visitor arrived. Cord's protective instincts really came to the forefront then. Ellie was also cautious and came to depend even more on Cord. There were definitely signs that the visitor was bad news. I liked the way that Cord suspected the truth and the steps he took to protect Ellie and the children. The ending was intense and kept me on the edge of my seat as I wondered how it was going to work out. I loved the epilogue and Cord's comment right before they got married.
May 7, 2020
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
This was just a sweet, easy to read romance. The characters (except for the villian, obviously) were genuine and likeable. This reminds me of the Harlequin Romances my great-aunt used to give me to read.
One thing I liked about this book is that since it was written in modern times Cord was a gentleman and the consent and respect he had for Eleanor were present throughout. I hate the older love stories where the man kissed the woman as she was resisting, because of course he knew best. This book didn't have any of that nonsense.
This was just a sweet, easy to read romance. The characters (except for the villian, obviously) were genuine and likeable. This reminds me of the Harlequin Romances my great-aunt used to give me to read.
One thing I liked about this book is that since it was written in modern times Cord was a gentleman and the consent and respect he had for Eleanor were present throughout. I hate the older love stories where the man kissed the woman as she was resisting, because of course he knew best. This book didn't have any of that nonsense.
April 18, 2020
The Hired Man is one of the best western love stories I have read and I've read quite a few.It's a great story about a single mom with two cute kids whose husband didn't come home after the war between the states. Cordell Winterman who is on his way to the gold rush fields is broke and hungry when he arrives in Smoke Junction. He applies for the hired hand job advertised bye apple orchard owner Eleanor Malloy who has been ill. A good read with a HEA.
January 8, 2018
The Hired Man, a historical novel by Lynna Banning, captures the hard-scrabble farm life of 1850's Oregon.
Cordell Winterman intends to go to California to look for work, but first he needs work now. He’s broke and hungry. And he has a past. At times he wonders if he’ll ever feel normal again. He sees a newspaper ad for a position as a hired man on a farm and rides out to inquire about a temporary job. Although the apple orchard in bloom is a nice sight, everything else about the place is dismal. The farm is sorely neglected.
Eleanor Malloy can barely manage to keep her children fed. Money is tight, but it’s her health that keeps her feeling so tired and helpless. She’s had pneumonia and it will take time to get her strength back. Is she a widow? There seems to be no husband.
Cordell and Eleanor agree that he’ll work as her hired hand, but the pay will have to be his room and board—she won’t have money to pay him until the apple trees bear fruit. Cordell’s work is obvious–almost everything needs repair. But it’s just not the rickety buildings that need his attention. This family needs so much more....
The Hired Man is a love story complicated with his unsavory past and her questionable marital status. Lynna Banning does a good job painting a picture of mid-1800's Oregon, capturing the essence of rural life.
Cordell Winterman intends to go to California to look for work, but first he needs work now. He’s broke and hungry. And he has a past. At times he wonders if he’ll ever feel normal again. He sees a newspaper ad for a position as a hired man on a farm and rides out to inquire about a temporary job. Although the apple orchard in bloom is a nice sight, everything else about the place is dismal. The farm is sorely neglected.
Eleanor Malloy can barely manage to keep her children fed. Money is tight, but it’s her health that keeps her feeling so tired and helpless. She’s had pneumonia and it will take time to get her strength back. Is she a widow? There seems to be no husband.
Cordell and Eleanor agree that he’ll work as her hired hand, but the pay will have to be his room and board—she won’t have money to pay him until the apple trees bear fruit. Cordell’s work is obvious–almost everything needs repair. But it’s just not the rickety buildings that need his attention. This family needs so much more....
The Hired Man is a love story complicated with his unsavory past and her questionable marital status. Lynna Banning does a good job painting a picture of mid-1800's Oregon, capturing the essence of rural life.
February 26, 2018
I won this book on Goodreads. I enjoyed the book. I was expecting more of a "cowboy" type western, but was not disappointed in the book. Cord is drifting by. Eleanor is trying to keep her farm surviving. Cord needs a job. Eleanor needs a hired man but has no money to pay him. Cord stays and works for room and board. He sleeps in the hayloft that he gets to share with a mama cat and her kittens. He eats with the family and develops a good relationship with Eleanor's young children.
Eleanor's health is not good. She cannot do the things around the farm that she used to do. Her husband left to go fight in the war but even though the war is now over he has not returned. After 7 years she does not know if she is a married woman or a widow.
Lynna Banning does a good job of building the attraction that grows between Cord and Eleanor. The bonding between Cord and the children. The way he skillfully avoids that women in town who gravitate towards him. And lets you feel the tension when Eleanor's husband Tom shows back up.
Eleanor's health is not good. She cannot do the things around the farm that she used to do. Her husband left to go fight in the war but even though the war is now over he has not returned. After 7 years she does not know if she is a married woman or a widow.
Lynna Banning does a good job of building the attraction that grows between Cord and Eleanor. The bonding between Cord and the children. The way he skillfully avoids that women in town who gravitate towards him. And lets you feel the tension when Eleanor's husband Tom shows back up.
October 26, 2018
The Hired Man by Lynna Banning. A Historical romance. Eleanor Malloy lives on a ranch with her two kids, who are 4 and 6. Eleanor has been sick. When Cordell Winterman comes looking for a job. She can't pay him but can give him room and board and meals for free. Eleanor husband left seven years ago and never contacted Eleanor. Legally after seven years they said he was dead. He shows up and is mean to her and the kids. Eleanor don't want him there. Eleanor and Cordell have feeling for each other. A very good read.
February 27, 2018
Excellent Sweet Romance
I loved this book! It has a wonderful hero, Cord and heroine, Eleanor. From the time I started reading the story it pulled me in and I didn't want to stop until I finished. Really good sweet romance!
I loved this book! It has a wonderful hero, Cord and heroine, Eleanor. From the time I started reading the story it pulled me in and I didn't want to stop until I finished. Really good sweet romance!
March 9, 2021
DNF, halfway in.
This book was 4-5 stars for me by 30% because I loved the children and I found the MCs likable, but it just dragged on and on... I didn't like to read 150 pages of "Don't ask me that question", "I don't want to speak about that", etc., between the protagonists. Might be realistic, but it's not romantic. Like, I cared about them, but not as a couple, if that makes sense.
Also, I started to dislike the way Cord has the sex talk (you know, the birds and the bees) with the children 🤔 Is that even a thing? I know the mom was present, but I'm not comfortable with a person who's barely more than a stranger telling children about sex even in that roundabout way, maybe only a teacher in school. Anyway, I felt like the writer and me have VERY different views on what makes a male character compelling, since he came across as bossy and nosey, almost taking possession of the woman and the children, which would've been OK if he'd shown much more emotion, at least internally. Otherwise he just looks sort of entitled, like "I'm the man here." SHOW SOME TENDERNESS! I felt like he wanted to sleep with her but I didn't feel the deeper emotions, so I DNF.
This book was 4-5 stars for me by 30% because I loved the children and I found the MCs likable, but it just dragged on and on... I didn't like to read 150 pages of "Don't ask me that question", "I don't want to speak about that", etc., between the protagonists. Might be realistic, but it's not romantic. Like, I cared about them, but not as a couple, if that makes sense.
Also, I started to dislike the way Cord has the sex talk (you know, the birds and the bees) with the children 🤔 Is that even a thing? I know the mom was present, but I'm not comfortable with a person who's barely more than a stranger telling children about sex even in that roundabout way, maybe only a teacher in school. Anyway, I felt like the writer and me have VERY different views on what makes a male character compelling, since he came across as bossy and nosey, almost taking possession of the woman and the children, which would've been OK if he'd shown much more emotion, at least internally. Otherwise he just looks sort of entitled, like "I'm the man here." SHOW SOME TENDERNESS! I felt like he wanted to sleep with her but I didn't feel the deeper emotions, so I DNF.
November 23, 2025
2.5 stars. Strong start, meandering middle/end. The year the book was set in was confusing based on descriptions of clothing, mentions of the civil war, and general setting. The FMC, Eleanor became really annoying as the book went on. She is supposed to be a woman who took care of her household for 7+ years without her husband and only the help of a terrible old hired man, Isaiah. Then Cord comes in and slowly forces his decisions onto how Eleanor raises her kids and decisions made around the farm. I was thinking more emotional development between the two main characters was coming, more played out tenderness, but it feel a bit flat on those aspects in the last 1/3 of the book.
I really liked the backgrounds of the characters and Cord's interactions with the kids. Even if I don't think Cord should have taught Danny how to ride and shoot without his mother's permission. Overall - Fun simple read, don't look too hard at the historical aspects.
I really liked the backgrounds of the characters and Cord's interactions with the kids. Even if I don't think Cord should have taught Danny how to ride and shoot without his mother's permission. Overall - Fun simple read, don't look too hard at the historical aspects.
May 21, 2020
This is my first book from this author. It was a decent read. I enjoyed the characters, the story was a little boring at parts, I feel like it was too detailed when it came to every little thing they did ( made coffee, what the coffee smelled like, how it looked, they took a sip, sat it down, dropped it, etc ) It seemed more detail was in the things they did rather then an actual story line. Very slow paced. I would rather have had more action or something else. I feel the ending was VERY rushed, And was wishing they would have packed up and started a new adventure in California. It was okay, not a terrible read but not a great one either.
June 27, 2021
Wow,Wow,Wow 😁. There was some intense moments happening throughout this book and man it was almost impossible to put down. 😮 A few twists and turns made the story enjoyable (even if I didn't think so at the time 😉) but the last two chapters... Holy smokes 😊. Lynna Banning is definitely a favorite author 😍.
June 25, 2024
An Awesome Love Story
I really liked this book!! A cowboy story with lots of different emotions! A great family story of a hard working mother, with two young children that runs a farm by herself after her husband disappears for several years. He shows up years later and the hired hand gets involved and ends up having to protect them.
I really liked this book!! A cowboy story with lots of different emotions! A great family story of a hard working mother, with two young children that runs a farm by herself after her husband disappears for several years. He shows up years later and the hired hand gets involved and ends up having to protect them.
April 12, 2023
The Hired Man by Lynn a Banning
Five stars, this storyline was very good.. Cord and Eleanor, hired man and his boss.. Secrets, mystery, laughter, drama, violence and passion.. Keeps you engaged from the very beginning right until the end.. She is a good author.. Good ending.
Five stars, this storyline was very good.. Cord and Eleanor, hired man and his boss.. Secrets, mystery, laughter, drama, violence and passion.. Keeps you engaged from the very beginning right until the end.. She is a good author.. Good ending.
June 1, 2025
Enjoyable
The Hired Man was a very delightful, enjoyable read. The story told how two broken people could each experience recovery from difficult earlier years and find love and family in the process. I enjoyed this book.
The Hired Man was a very delightful, enjoyable read. The story told how two broken people could each experience recovery from difficult earlier years and find love and family in the process. I enjoyed this book.
June 4, 2018
Read my complete review on my blog- https://kimberliweb.wordpress.com/201...
June 7, 2024
Great read
This book is everything a reader wants adventure, romance, drama. The book is serious and funny. I loved it and hope to read more from this author.
This book is everything a reader wants adventure, romance, drama. The book is serious and funny. I loved it and hope to read more from this author.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews