A New York Times Bestselling Author A Mystery Guild and Literacy Guild Selection Some folks said that Joey and Blackie were just two kids who should never have met--a girl from the wrong side of town and a half-breed who was determined to make his mark on the world. Their families had fought on opposite sides at the Little Big Horn, but in each other's arms, they found a safe haven from the world.
Madeline Ruth was born on 1963 in California, where she raised. She married her high school sweetheart and they have three sons, all handsome enough to be cover models. Growing up, her favorite pastimes were going to the movies and going horseback riding on Saturday mornings at Griffith Park. Madeline has always been "horse happy." A horse was the one thing she asked for on every birthday and every Christmas. Many years later, that dream came true when she bought an Appaloosa mare named Candy—because she was so sweet. Madeline loves animals. Over the years, she's had numerous dogs, cats, fish, mice, hamsters, turtles and birds, and her horse, of course. The most exotic pet was a crocodile that belonged to one of her sons. Currently, she has a terribly spoiled Pomeranian named Teddi, six goldfish, a catfish, and a betta. When she's not writing, Madeline enjoys going to movies and the theater. Her favorite plays are The Phantom of the Opera, The Scarlet Pimpernel and her all-time fave, Beauty and the Beast. She also loves reading, going to lunch with her best friend, collecting Star Wars, The Phantom of the Opera and Beauty and the Beast memorabilia, and playing with the most beautiful, adorable, brilliant grandkids in the world.
Madeline started writing when her children were still at home, and she wrote for several years, finding time to write after her children were in bed and her husband was at work. In true cliché fashion, she wrote the books and put them under the bed, never telling anyone what she was doing, until one day she let a friend read one. Encouraged by her friend's comments, and armed with a copy of Writer's Market supplied by said friend, Madeline began sending out query letters. After six years and 31 rejections, Leisure Books bought Reckless Heart, and she's been writing ever since. After writing several Westerns, Madeline decided to try her hand at something else and wrote her first vampire romance. It was a short story titled "Masquerade" for an anthology. She loved writing that so much that she wrote her first full-length vampire romance, Embrace the Night, and thus Amanda Ashley was born. One of her dreams had been to write for Harlequin, and she accomplished that in 2003 with the publication of her Silhouette Romance novel, Dude Ranch Bride. Madeline loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her online at DarkWritr@aol.com or by mail at PO Box 1703, Whittier, CA 90609-1703.
A beautiful story, all in all, and also a more recent one in terms of Native American historical romances--1908.
By this time, the original couple of this series, Hannah and Shadow, are married for many long years and have children and grandchildren as well. This is the story of their third son, Blackie's romance, with an independent Cinderella-esque girl, Joey.
Because the time period is just a tad more recent, one thing that I enjoyed about this read was that none of the threats went too much into any angst territory. Instead, it was just a nice little romance in its own nice little way, and that's really all that it needs to be. And, as always, it's great to see a virgin hero and that they actually exist in romance novels, so that was a lovely surprise!
The only reason this isn't getting the full five stars it is because I did feel that there was a bit much being squeezed in and the story felt long at times, and also I was pretty bored by the chapters that were written in Hannah's first person P.O.V.--could've done without those.
Otherwise, this is just about as sweet and lovely as the usual Madeline Baker reads that I expect. Cheers!
I was so surprised Madeline wrote another story about Hannah and shadow oh my gosh I was so pleased when I open this book and started reading again I read it in a few hours and was so sad when it was over I can’t wait for her to write another one I love shadow and Hannah so much this story was about Blackie and Joey and she was such a lovely lady I was so glad that Blackie and her well I can’t give away the story you’re going to have to get the book it is so good I promise you’ll love it to
Madeline Baker saved the best for last, although I enjoyed every book in the series. This one was just a tad better than the others because Blackie is so darn likeable as is Joey. I loved them as individuals and I loved them even more as a couple.
Blackie has returned from the East where he went to college to become a veterinarian. He is now back in Bear Valley and wants to open his practice. A lot has changed since he left three years ago, so when he's told to talk to Joey about renting a building for his office, he isn't expecting to talk to a woman wearing jeans and a work shirt. He was surprised, but didn't judge her. It was just business until it wasn't.
Joey has a hard life. She lives with her grandmother who is a spiteful, arthritic, mean, old woman who hates Indians and has no use for any of the Kincaid's. Her husband was killed at Little Big Horn and she's bitter. She's vocal about it and doesn't care that Joey is enamored with Blackie whose father Two Hawks Flying (Shadow) was a chief who was a leader at Little Big Horn. She's also in charge of taking care of her little brother who is in trouble all the time, refuses to work, and has joined forces with a few other guys to beat up Blackie when he goes to the saloon for a beer. She works at a general store and makes all the money to support all three of them and renting the building her grandmother owned was a godsend.
Blackie falls in love with Joey at first sight, even if he did deny it. He couldn't stay away from her. He was her first kiss. They were both virgins the first time they made love. They were firsts for each other on a few levels and that endeared them both to me.
But Blackie has some insecurities that he finally tells his mom about. In a previous novel, Hawk does the Medicine Lodge Ceremony (the Sun Dance) with Shadow and it seemed that Blackie thought he didn't measure up like Hawk did in Shadow's eyes because he didn't do it. Hawk was the favored son. Shadow loved his children, even if he wasn't sure Blackie was his for a while. He loved him no matter what. Just for the record, a blind man could've seen that Blackie was Shadow's. I figured it out right after he was born, but there was lingering doubt in Hannah's mind.
Joey had insecurities where Blackie was concerned. She and her family lived in a dump. The Kincaid's were well-to-do and lived comfortably albeit modestly. Blackie had money. She had nothing. His family all worked and despite them being half-breeds, were respected in the community. Hawk was the sheriff, for Heaven's sake. Blackie was educated; a veterinarian. What did he possibly see in her?
As in all of the books in the series, there's action, some heartbreak, humor, and a fantastic love story.
I recommend reading the series in order to get a better feel for the characters and their situations. It was amazing to start out with Shadow and Hannah and follow their lives all the way from having their own children and then their children having children. They were loving parents and grandparents and their love was strong and steadfast even after being together for forty plus years. That time just flew by in the pages of this series. We watched their kids grow up and make their own lives and their own mistakes while Hannah and Shadow did their best to guide them. They raised their kids to be Cheyenne and white and let them make their own decisions. You'll miss out if the series isn't read in order.