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Bluebonnet Bride #1
Bluebonnet Bride
Linnea didn't dare dream of her future. Though she happily cared for her elderly mother, she secretly yearned for more. But no man, especially not one as fine as Seth Gatlin, could ever love a woman with a life as tainted as her own...!
Seth's heart was heavy with the past. Still, he busied himself with helping his stepsister and her son, but he ached with emptiness -- until he shocked the townspeople by courting Linnea Holmstrom. Though they whispered about her behind her back, she possessed a grace and courage that drew him to her -- and broke the leaden prison around his heart...!
Seth's heart was heavy with the past. Still, he busied himself with helping his stepsister and her son, but he ached with emptiness -- until he shocked the townspeople by courting Linnea Holmstrom. Though they whispered about her behind her back, she possessed a grace and courage that drew him to her -- and broke the leaden prison around his heart...!
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 2001
1 person is currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Jillian Hart
192 books601 followersJillian Hart grew up on her family's homestead in Washington state, where she raised cattle, rode horses and scribbled stories in her spare time.
After earning her English degree from Whitman College, she worked in travel and advertising before selling her first novel.
When Jillian isn't working on her next story, she can be found puttering around her rose garden, curled up with a good book and spending quiet evenings at home with her family.
After earning her English degree from Whitman College, she worked in travel and advertising before selling her first novel.
When Jillian isn't working on her next story, she can be found puttering around her rose garden, curled up with a good book and spending quiet evenings at home with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 31, 2016
Could've been a good story, but the author tried too hard to make it deep. Instead, it just ended up being sappy & melodramatic.
It seemed like everything the heroine & hero did "stirred feelings in the heart". The heroine (can't even think of her name now) pulled a tray of biscuits from the oven, and it chipped away at the wall surrounding Seth's heart. Then the heroine walks dramatically across the prairie (she does this at least once every chapter) and it chips away at Seth's heart once again.
Give me a break!!!
The book was also incredibly boring... like NO action at all. One of my pet peeves is when a romance tosses in a completely unnecessary action scene (the rescuing of children from a burning orphanage, etc) that adds nothing to the story line. In this case, I would have loved an unnecessary action scene. In one chapter, the hero sits in his shack and worries that the dry prairie grass will catch fire. I thought, "Oh goody! He can save the town from a wildfire". Nope. Nothing happened.
Then there was the mother. At first I kinda liked her, but then she became the stereotypical "meddling mother" and I got a bit annoyed by her, especially the way she spoke. It was almost Yoda-ish. I'm guessing this is because the mother was either Swedish or Norwegian. But I digress.
If the book had been any longer, I probably wouldn't have finished it.
It seemed like everything the heroine & hero did "stirred feelings in the heart". The heroine (can't even think of her name now) pulled a tray of biscuits from the oven, and it chipped away at the wall surrounding Seth's heart. Then the heroine walks dramatically across the prairie (she does this at least once every chapter) and it chips away at Seth's heart once again.
Give me a break!!!
The book was also incredibly boring... like NO action at all. One of my pet peeves is when a romance tosses in a completely unnecessary action scene (the rescuing of children from a burning orphanage, etc) that adds nothing to the story line. In this case, I would have loved an unnecessary action scene. In one chapter, the hero sits in his shack and worries that the dry prairie grass will catch fire. I thought, "Oh goody! He can save the town from a wildfire". Nope. Nothing happened.
Then there was the mother. At first I kinda liked her, but then she became the stereotypical "meddling mother" and I got a bit annoyed by her, especially the way she spoke. It was almost Yoda-ish. I'm guessing this is because the mother was either Swedish or Norwegian. But I digress.
If the book had been any longer, I probably wouldn't have finished it.
December 17, 2019
I found the dialogue weak and the writing forced and stilted. The plot was undeveloped and rather neatly and quickly wrapped up in a an unconvincing way. I was disappointed.....
October 14, 2018
Gosh, where to even start with this? Well, I guess I would start with this book was just so incredibly wholesome. It's the kind of sugary-sweet-I-got-cavities-from-it type of story.
The main characters were just so incredibly likable and genuinely sweet. So often in romance novels, you wind up with characters female leads who have to be ~sassy and forward-thinking~ and male leads who take the whole alpha-male thing to the n-th level. Not the case here. Both Linnea and Seth were actually nice characters. Linnea's devotion to her mother was heartwarming, while Seth's devotion to Linnea was equally moving. They didn't have to have some huge fight or bicker all the time; they teased each other and actually talked about their feelings.
That being said, there are a few problems with the character (mostly the secondary ones) and some of the plot. This story plays on the standard small-town-prejudice trope, and it doesn't work all the time. Sure, Linnea's ~tragic backstory~ is a reason to shun her but I still don't get why everyone does! Some of the townspeople are nice and then others are... well, the worst. Additionally, a lot of things are never actually resolved. None of these things are ever really given a real solid ending, though most are things you could just make up something plausible. I also felt that it just ends on a weird note. .
Overall, I would recommend this book if you just need something light and happy to read. I had a blast reading it!
The main characters were just so incredibly likable and genuinely sweet. So often in romance novels, you wind up with characters female leads who have to be ~sassy and forward-thinking~ and male leads who take the whole alpha-male thing to the n-th level. Not the case here. Both Linnea and Seth were actually nice characters. Linnea's devotion to her mother was heartwarming, while Seth's devotion to Linnea was equally moving. They didn't have to have some huge fight or bicker all the time; they teased each other and actually talked about their feelings.
That being said, there are a few problems with the character (mostly the secondary ones) and some of the plot. This story plays on the standard small-town-prejudice trope, and it doesn't work all the time. Sure, Linnea's ~tragic backstory~ is a reason to shun her but I still don't get why everyone does! Some of the townspeople are nice and then others are... well, the worst. Additionally, a lot of things are never actually resolved. None of these things are ever really given a real solid ending, though most are things you could just make up something plausible. I also felt that it just ends on a weird note. .
Overall, I would recommend this book if you just need something light and happy to read. I had a blast reading it!
October 3, 2017
Every single book I've read in this series has just been so damn good. A lot of depth, no insta-love, great buildup, interesting plots that don't feel cookie cutter, and most importantly, characters that you can't help but be invested in and root for. I would recommend these to anyone looking for a really good romance novel.
February 10, 2023
Linnea didn't dare dream of her future. Though she happily cared for her elderly mother, she secretly yearned for more. But no man, especially not one as fine as Seth Gatlin, could ever love a woman with a life as tainted as her own...!
Seth's heart was heavy with the past. Still, he busied himself with helping his stepsister and her son, but he ached with emptiness -- until he shocked the townspeople by courting Linnea Holmstrom. Though they whispered about her behind her back, she possessed a grace and courage that drew him to her -- and broke the leaden prison around his heart...!
Seth's heart was heavy with the past. Still, he busied himself with helping his stepsister and her son, but he ached with emptiness -- until he shocked the townspeople by courting Linnea Holmstrom. Though they whispered about her behind her back, she possessed a grace and courage that drew him to her -- and broke the leaden prison around his heart...!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
March 20, 2016Linnea Holmstrom made a mistake when she was a teenager and found herself pregnant. The baby was born dead. The people of the town and surrounding area labeled her as a tainted woman. She didn't dare dream of a future with a man, because of her reputation and she had her blind mother to take care of. Along comes Seth Gatlin to help his step-sister and when they meet he is a total gentleman and wants to be friends with her. An interesting historical romance. A good read!!
Read
July 31, 2011Very good story. If you love her books and/or historical romance this is a must read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews