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ΑΤΙΘΑΣΗ ΑΓΑΠΗ ΣΥΛΛΟΓΗ 1900
The prodigal daughter?
All her life Rio had been considered wild, from the wrong kind of family. Only one man had shown any faith in her--Kane Langtry's father. But it wasn't a case of like father, like son. Kane respected his father's wishes when he left Rio half the family ranch--but he didn't respect Rio....
Living with her was driving Kane crazy.... Except he was starting to realize that he didn't hate her--he wanted her! They had so much in common. Both wary of love, but both passionate and wild at heart. Kane wasn't sure he could tame Rio, but suddenly he desperately wanted to try!
All her life Rio had been considered wild, from the wrong kind of family. Only one man had shown any faith in her--Kane Langtry's father. But it wasn't a case of like father, like son. Kane respected his father's wishes when he left Rio half the family ranch--but he didn't respect Rio....
Living with her was driving Kane crazy.... Except he was starting to realize that he didn't hate her--he wanted her! They had so much in common. Both wary of love, but both passionate and wild at heart. Kane wasn't sure he could tame Rio, but suddenly he desperately wanted to try!
Unknown Binding
First published July 1, 1997
7 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Susan Fox
134 books44 followersThere is more than one author with this name. When entering books for this particular Susan Fox. The name needs to be entered with only one space between the first and last name.
Susan grew up with her sister, Janet, and her brother, Steven, on an acreage near Des Moines, Iowa, where, besides a jillion stray cats and dogs, two horses, and a pony, her favorite pet and confidant was Rex, her brown-and-white pinto gelding.
Susan has raised two sons, Jeffrey and Patrick, and currently lives in a house that she laughingly refers to as the Landfill and Book Repository. She writes with the help and hindrance of five mischievous shorthaired felines: Gabby, a talkative tortoiseshell calico; Buster, a solid lion-yellow with white legs and facial markings; his sister, Pixie, a tri-color calico; Toonses, a plump black-and-white; and the cheerily diabolical, naughty black tiger Eddie, aka Eduardo de Lover.
Susan is a bookaholic and movie fan who loves cowboys, rodeos, and the American West, past and present. She has an intense interest in storytelling of all kinds and in politics, and she claims the two are often interchangeable.
Susan loves writing complex characters in emotionally intense situations, and hopes her readers enjoy her ranch stories and are uplifted by their happy endings.
Susan grew up with her sister, Janet, and her brother, Steven, on an acreage near Des Moines, Iowa, where, besides a jillion stray cats and dogs, two horses, and a pony, her favorite pet and confidant was Rex, her brown-and-white pinto gelding.
Susan has raised two sons, Jeffrey and Patrick, and currently lives in a house that she laughingly refers to as the Landfill and Book Repository. She writes with the help and hindrance of five mischievous shorthaired felines: Gabby, a talkative tortoiseshell calico; Buster, a solid lion-yellow with white legs and facial markings; his sister, Pixie, a tri-color calico; Toonses, a plump black-and-white; and the cheerily diabolical, naughty black tiger Eddie, aka Eduardo de Lover.
Susan is a bookaholic and movie fan who loves cowboys, rodeos, and the American West, past and present. She has an intense interest in storytelling of all kinds and in politics, and she claims the two are often interchangeable.
Susan loves writing complex characters in emotionally intense situations, and hopes her readers enjoy her ranch stories and are uplifted by their happy endings.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 13, 2021
Do not believe those two on the cover!!! It lured me in with its flow of spirits but I should have known better.
The characters in the book hardly possess any buoyancy. 💀
Being a masochist, I enjoyed the story since it was deliciously angsty.
If Rio and Kane didn't resemble so many other characters I've already read about, I would have certainly given it ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rio swayed when Kane abruptly released her and stepped back to retrieve his Stetson. She hated that she had to put out a hand to the stall door to steady herself.
See how much power might the guy's lips possess? 😂 I swear reading harlequins is so endearing 😌
The characters in the book hardly possess any buoyancy. 💀
Being a masochist, I enjoyed the story since it was deliciously angsty.
If Rio and Kane didn't resemble so many other characters I've already read about, I would have certainly given it ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rio swayed when Kane abruptly released her and stepped back to retrieve his Stetson. She hated that she had to put out a hand to the stall door to steady herself.
See how much power might the guy's lips possess? 😂 I swear reading harlequins is so endearing 😌
October 18, 2022
This was another heartfelt, angsty story about a heroine who was mis-judged by the hero and many of the townspeople for her father's drunk driving that killed two teenagers. She had been orphaned since age 11 and the hero's father took her in as a foster child. She has crushed on the hero since her teens and is still on the father's ranch when the story opens. Unfortunately, the father has a heart condition and is not expected to live much longer. The heroine is heart-broken because her beloved mentor is dying and she'll have to leave the ranch once he is gone. The hero will inherit and won't tolerate her staying on.
The hero is mean to her to hide his attraction (this is never clear why he thinks she's not acceptable - his father wants them together). Then the father dies and the heroine has inherited half the ranch along with the hero.
I enjoyed all of the story except for the last 20% with the heroine falling into the stepmother's trap. She could have easily checked out that bit of info on her own. The hero's motives are a little cloudy at the beginning, but he comes around beautifully.
The hero is mean to her to hide his attraction (this is never clear why he thinks she's not acceptable - his father wants them together). Then the father dies and the heroine has inherited half the ranch along with the hero.
I enjoyed all of the story except for the last 20% with the heroine falling into the stepmother's trap. She could have easily checked out that bit of info on her own. The hero's motives are a little cloudy at the beginning, but he comes around beautifully.
May 30, 2018
Three hankie read and almost a 4 star.
Nope, not for the romance because the hero is a real sunuvabitch at first, but for the heartbreaking father/daughter relationship Rio and Sam had. I actually had to look away for a minute to compose myself as Susan Fox wrote of Rio’s devastating grief over Sam’s death and the buildup to the funeral. SF effectively portrays the nightmare quality of the days that pass between losing one you love and the formality of a funeral. On top of that, Rio has to deal with the the mean hero and his step-mother, one of the worst witches EVER. Toxic times two. Bloody well go to hell Ramona! The H does step up to the plate and makes sure Rio is treated well at the funeral.
This poor, poor girl. It took me a while to figure out this was Cinderella with spurs on, but all the stock figures are there in one distorted form or another: dead father, dead beautiful mother that Sam loved from afar, the H’s cruel stepmother, the vapid step-sister, Sam’s will as deus ex machina fairy godmother, and the aforementioned dud of a Cowboy Prince. Sometimes I really hate romances, their tiny constrained worlds and the set rules of behavior. Ty, a nice hunky nearby rancher, was not only interested in our pretty, downtrodden heroine, but offers her a job. However, for whatever reason the H wakes up and magically turns into the besotted hero the heroine deserves.
As for Ramona eye roll, we never get the comeuppance on page we want, but I have no doubt how ruthless the H would be with her once he knew her evil doings. I hope she was shunned by every socialite in the state of Texas and Neiman Marcus cut her credit card up in her face. The fires of Mordor would be nothing compared to that. Oh, the horror for a Texas woman!
The stepmother and stepdaughter except they were probably blonde
Nope, not for the romance because the hero is a real sunuvabitch at first, but for the heartbreaking father/daughter relationship Rio and Sam had. I actually had to look away for a minute to compose myself as Susan Fox wrote of Rio’s devastating grief over Sam’s death and the buildup to the funeral. SF effectively portrays the nightmare quality of the days that pass between losing one you love and the formality of a funeral. On top of that, Rio has to deal with the the mean hero and his step-mother, one of the worst witches EVER. Toxic times two. Bloody well go to hell Ramona! The H does step up to the plate and makes sure Rio is treated well at the funeral.
This poor, poor girl. It took me a while to figure out this was Cinderella with spurs on, but all the stock figures are there in one distorted form or another: dead father, dead beautiful mother that Sam loved from afar, the H’s cruel stepmother, the vapid step-sister, Sam’s will as deus ex machina fairy godmother, and the aforementioned dud of a Cowboy Prince. Sometimes I really hate romances, their tiny constrained worlds and the set rules of behavior. Ty, a nice hunky nearby rancher, was not only interested in our pretty, downtrodden heroine, but offers her a job. However, for whatever reason the H wakes up and magically turns into the besotted hero the heroine deserves.
As for Ramona eye roll, we never get the comeuppance on page we want, but I have no doubt how ruthless the H would be with her once he knew her evil doings. I hope she was shunned by every socialite in the state of Texas and Neiman Marcus cut her credit card up in her face. The fires of Mordor would be nothing compared to that. Oh, the horror for a Texas woman!
The stepmother and stepdaughter except they were probably blonde
August 2, 2020
"Wild at Heart" is the story of Rio and Kane.
A heartbreaking yet very sweet romance between a shy heroine and a grumpy hero.
The heroine was taken in by the hero's father when her mother, whom he was secretly in love with tragically passes away. She has grown up in the blanket of his father's love, shadow of his disdain and his stepmother and stepsister's dismissal. When his father starts getting sick, the heroine knows its time to move on..that is until he dies leaving a significant amount of estate to her.
But fate intervenes..
Honestly, this was just *tears*. The super sad and unfulfilled love story between their parents was truly gut wrenching. His father was such a wonderful man, and the scenes of his demise made me tear up. The hero was standoffish, but not evil or mean. He eventually acknowledged the attraction and saw through his duplicitous stepmother. The heroine was a broken waif, starving for love and I just wanted to go and hug her. My eyes got a good wash with this book, and it was especially sad when she hallucinated about the father caring for her when she was in pain. There's some abrupt incest suspicion, but after a small hitch all ends in a HEA.
Thoroughly enjoyed it!
SWE
4/5
A heartbreaking yet very sweet romance between a shy heroine and a grumpy hero.
The heroine was taken in by the hero's father when her mother, whom he was secretly in love with tragically passes away. She has grown up in the blanket of his father's love, shadow of his disdain and his stepmother and stepsister's dismissal. When his father starts getting sick, the heroine knows its time to move on..that is until he dies leaving a significant amount of estate to her.
But fate intervenes..
Honestly, this was just *tears*. The super sad and unfulfilled love story between their parents was truly gut wrenching. His father was such a wonderful man, and the scenes of his demise made me tear up. The hero was standoffish, but not evil or mean. He eventually acknowledged the attraction and saw through his duplicitous stepmother. The heroine was a broken waif, starving for love and I just wanted to go and hug her. My eyes got a good wash with this book, and it was especially sad when she hallucinated about the father caring for her when she was in pain. There's some abrupt incest suspicion, but after a small hitch all ends in a HEA.
Thoroughly enjoyed it!
SWE
4/5
October 15, 2020
Four stars for the sweet angst and tear fest.
May 2, 2021
I re-read Susan Fox a lot, when I'm between new books and need an angst fix. Maaaaan, she's the best at misjudged heroines and hot alpha heroes who can be jerks until they turn all protective and possessive. Love it!
Wild at Heart is one of my faves. Poor heroine, who feels like an outcast even though she's been raised as a daughter by a rich rancher, for years in love with the hero, who has always rejected her as a foster sister or anything else. Heroine Rio has an appealing honesty and dignity, although she, like so many of SF's heroines, is wary and sadly isolated, other than her close relationship with her surrogate father. The grief she and the hero share after his death brings them closer together, as does the hero's realization that he's in love with her and it's time to stop fighting the attraction between them. Add in a pernicious stepmother who evilly tries to derail the relationship between the hero and heroine and the advent of a potential OM (the hero from SF's The Man She'll Marry and it's good and angsty right up to the HEAs!
It's the usual SF formula, but it works for me almost every time. I just wish she'd written more books (she wrote Harlequin Romances exclusively, I think, and is not to be confused with the other Susan Fox (Savanna Fox/Susan Lyons) who writes contemporary romance more recently).
Wild at Heart is one of my faves. Poor heroine, who feels like an outcast even though she's been raised as a daughter by a rich rancher, for years in love with the hero, who has always rejected her as a foster sister or anything else. Heroine Rio has an appealing honesty and dignity, although she, like so many of SF's heroines, is wary and sadly isolated, other than her close relationship with her surrogate father. The grief she and the hero share after his death brings them closer together, as does the hero's realization that he's in love with her and it's time to stop fighting the attraction between them. Add in a pernicious stepmother who evilly tries to derail the relationship between the hero and heroine and the advent of a potential OM (the hero from SF's The Man She'll Marry and it's good and angsty right up to the HEAs!
It's the usual SF formula, but it works for me almost every time. I just wish she'd written more books (she wrote Harlequin Romances exclusively, I think, and is not to be confused with the other Susan Fox (Savanna Fox/Susan Lyons) who writes contemporary romance more recently).
January 8, 2020
Seriously disliked this book for a number of reasons:
1. The callous way H treated the h - normally Susan Fox explains why the H is lashing out such horrendous treatment to the long-suffering h, but in this case there was absolutely no reason for the H to treat her so.
2. The
3. The h kissing another guy. Yes admitted she was
4. The H lost his own
1. The callous way H treated the h - normally Susan Fox explains why the H is lashing out such horrendous treatment to the long-suffering h, but in this case there was absolutely no reason for the H to treat her so.
2. The
3. The h kissing another guy. Yes admitted she was
4. The H lost his own
February 11, 2016
What a powerful book! I have never cried so much in a long time. It was intense and must be read when you have the time to read it all cause it would have lost its impact if I had stopped. She was a great heroine in love with the one man who lusted for her and hated her for it. She loved her foster dad and it was a pure love that has to be experienced to be believed. I just wished her mom and his dad had at least made love once!!! Oh the tragedy! Then that whore of a stepmom and nightmare of a half sister! Seriously this book had it all. It would have been perfect if we could have had a love making scene ah well can't have it all. But it's still too good to let it go by.
October 18, 2018
Irrational H's are nothing new, but this guy should have been called Lashout McOneNote. No good reason for his hatred of the h.
May 4, 2021
Another great one from SF. I’m glad to have come across it after reading a few duds back to back.
Rio lives at a working farm where the owner has adopted her as a foster parent. The owner is frail and old and Rio having no one else to call her own, considers him to be a parent/friend/mentor. The thorn in their relationship is the owner’s son Kane who cares for Rio but also wishes for her to disappear into thin air.
Kane has feelings for Rio which he doesn’t want to dwell on. He’s bothered if someone else comes wanting to court Rio or if her own attention swerves to some other man. Right when Kane’s father passes away, Rio and Kane are left to feed off each other’s indifference. Rio loves Kane with all her heart but won’t let him know because Kane would always ridicule her so-called infatuation with him.
This was a sweet tender book of deep feelings and love that can’t be lost no matter where you decide to hide it. It’s rather melancholic with the passing away of Kane’s father and Rio remembering him in moments of utter loneliness.
This had potential to be more passionate but I believe that isn’t in true SF style. Kane gets really possessive once their relationship sets but before that I felt a lot of time was wasted in shoving their feelings away. The evil OW is snarky but thankfully Kane already knows that and doesn’t let her get to Rio.
This is a keeper and I will reach for it again!
Rio lives at a working farm where the owner has adopted her as a foster parent. The owner is frail and old and Rio having no one else to call her own, considers him to be a parent/friend/mentor. The thorn in their relationship is the owner’s son Kane who cares for Rio but also wishes for her to disappear into thin air.
Kane has feelings for Rio which he doesn’t want to dwell on. He’s bothered if someone else comes wanting to court Rio or if her own attention swerves to some other man. Right when Kane’s father passes away, Rio and Kane are left to feed off each other’s indifference. Rio loves Kane with all her heart but won’t let him know because Kane would always ridicule her so-called infatuation with him.
This was a sweet tender book of deep feelings and love that can’t be lost no matter where you decide to hide it. It’s rather melancholic with the passing away of Kane’s father and Rio remembering him in moments of utter loneliness.
This had potential to be more passionate but I believe that isn’t in true SF style. Kane gets really possessive once their relationship sets but before that I felt a lot of time was wasted in shoving their feelings away. The evil OW is snarky but thankfully Kane already knows that and doesn’t let her get to Rio.
This is a keeper and I will reach for it again!
May 21, 2014
Would you guys believe it if I were to say that there is this harlequin or mills and boon romance that I read like 12 years back, which is haunting me till today? Wait. I bet that is something most avid readers have faced a time or two in their reading life. This book that I am talking about was one that I read when I first discovered the abundant stash of goodness that was harlequin romances back then. The memory of the intense emotions this book evoked in me I still remember to-date, the barebones of its cover teases the tendrils of my memory and yet I fail to recall the author or the title of the novel.
It was my pathetic cry on twitter to find out the title of this novel that found me purchasing Wild at Heart by Susan Fox, the fact that this had a similar storyline making me hope in my heart that my search for the novel that had eluded me all these years had finally reached its fruitful conclusion. But then to my deepest regret, turned out that this wasn’t the case as I knew within the first chapter or so that this wasn’t the novel that had been haunting me for quite some time now.
23 year old Rhea René Cory (Rory) was brought into the folds of the Langtry family when she had been a frightened 11 year old who had just lost her mother and her drunken mess of a father had become the ridicule and scorn of the town. Rory has worked since then to make a name for herself, to remove the stigma of her family name that has practically defined her and people had never let her forget all throughout the years.
Kane Langtry is the rightful heir and son of Sam Langtry, the owner of B. J. Hastings and Rory’s guardian since that day. Rory’s feelings towards Kane is far from platonic, she has been in love with him for a long while. Though Kane makes his disdain for her clear in more ways than one, Rory knows that as long as Sam is alive that she’d always have a place in her childhood home. But all that changes when Sam dies leaving behind Rory and a confused Kane who doesn’t like the maelstrom of emotions that Rory invokes in him and has been invoking in him for far too long to suite his peace of mind.
There’s a lot of hostility on Kane’s part towards Rory, something he lets loose every now and then towards the woman whose feelings are all but out there for everyone to see. Rory has always been in Kane’s bad books, deemed as the troublemaker in the home especially with his stepmother and her daughter in residence. And when Kane is finally ready to acknowledge his feelings towards Rory, along comes a problem of the variety that neither ever foresaw.
While I enjoyed the first couple of chapters in the story, the angst and the sexual tension thick enough to cut through with a knife, I had several problems with how the story proceeded then onwards. I could understand Rory’s need to keep the peace at home when Sam had been ailing and on his way towards a slow decline but I couldn’t understand nor put up with how she let herself be trampled upon over and over by the vicious widowed wife of her guardian, the snubbing on her daughter’s part and the way Kane tended to put her down time and yet again. I want a heroine with a backbone who knows which fights to pick and then fight to win. For me, Rory just wilted every time someone said something at her and then continued on that waning existence towards more than half of the story. It’s hard to respect a heroine of the sort.
And then there’s Kane. I knew that it was his reluctance towards facing his emotions and feelings towards a woman whom he has no respect for, on account of I do not know why, that makes him the grouchy meanie he tended to be. And then suddenly, all of that changed towards one very pivotal event in the story and everything suddenly seemed to be all sunshine and beautiful rainbows in the sky. I couldn’t buy that. People talk about Anne Stuart writing heroes of the irredeemable kind. I say these are the type of heroes that are actually hard to swallow. Rory fleeing at the first sign of trouble was another bit of the story that just made me sigh in resignation towards a book that frustrated me and I didn’t enjoy overly much.
As I stated earlier, the sexual tension in the story was quite thick, and the author managed to keep up the tempo even towards the latter part of the story, though by which time I’d become disengaged from the characters entirely. I found it a bit of a letdown that the author didn’t deliver on all that subtle and the not so subtle sexual tension in the story. I hate it when that happens. It’s like your lover leaving you hanging dry after a furious bout of foreplay.
Even though there were bits I liked & enjoyed, I’d recommend you to read this at your own risk.
Rating = 3/5
Caliber SEAL: SATISFACTORY READ!
For more reviews & quotes, visit www.maldivianbookreviewer.com
It was my pathetic cry on twitter to find out the title of this novel that found me purchasing Wild at Heart by Susan Fox, the fact that this had a similar storyline making me hope in my heart that my search for the novel that had eluded me all these years had finally reached its fruitful conclusion. But then to my deepest regret, turned out that this wasn’t the case as I knew within the first chapter or so that this wasn’t the novel that had been haunting me for quite some time now.
23 year old Rhea René Cory (Rory) was brought into the folds of the Langtry family when she had been a frightened 11 year old who had just lost her mother and her drunken mess of a father had become the ridicule and scorn of the town. Rory has worked since then to make a name for herself, to remove the stigma of her family name that has practically defined her and people had never let her forget all throughout the years.
Kane Langtry is the rightful heir and son of Sam Langtry, the owner of B. J. Hastings and Rory’s guardian since that day. Rory’s feelings towards Kane is far from platonic, she has been in love with him for a long while. Though Kane makes his disdain for her clear in more ways than one, Rory knows that as long as Sam is alive that she’d always have a place in her childhood home. But all that changes when Sam dies leaving behind Rory and a confused Kane who doesn’t like the maelstrom of emotions that Rory invokes in him and has been invoking in him for far too long to suite his peace of mind.
There’s a lot of hostility on Kane’s part towards Rory, something he lets loose every now and then towards the woman whose feelings are all but out there for everyone to see. Rory has always been in Kane’s bad books, deemed as the troublemaker in the home especially with his stepmother and her daughter in residence. And when Kane is finally ready to acknowledge his feelings towards Rory, along comes a problem of the variety that neither ever foresaw.
While I enjoyed the first couple of chapters in the story, the angst and the sexual tension thick enough to cut through with a knife, I had several problems with how the story proceeded then onwards. I could understand Rory’s need to keep the peace at home when Sam had been ailing and on his way towards a slow decline but I couldn’t understand nor put up with how she let herself be trampled upon over and over by the vicious widowed wife of her guardian, the snubbing on her daughter’s part and the way Kane tended to put her down time and yet again. I want a heroine with a backbone who knows which fights to pick and then fight to win. For me, Rory just wilted every time someone said something at her and then continued on that waning existence towards more than half of the story. It’s hard to respect a heroine of the sort.
And then there’s Kane. I knew that it was his reluctance towards facing his emotions and feelings towards a woman whom he has no respect for, on account of I do not know why, that makes him the grouchy meanie he tended to be. And then suddenly, all of that changed towards one very pivotal event in the story and everything suddenly seemed to be all sunshine and beautiful rainbows in the sky. I couldn’t buy that. People talk about Anne Stuart writing heroes of the irredeemable kind. I say these are the type of heroes that are actually hard to swallow. Rory fleeing at the first sign of trouble was another bit of the story that just made me sigh in resignation towards a book that frustrated me and I didn’t enjoy overly much.
As I stated earlier, the sexual tension in the story was quite thick, and the author managed to keep up the tempo even towards the latter part of the story, though by which time I’d become disengaged from the characters entirely. I found it a bit of a letdown that the author didn’t deliver on all that subtle and the not so subtle sexual tension in the story. I hate it when that happens. It’s like your lover leaving you hanging dry after a furious bout of foreplay.
Even though there were bits I liked & enjoyed, I’d recommend you to read this at your own risk.
Rating = 3/5
Caliber SEAL: SATISFACTORY READ!
For more reviews & quotes, visit www.maldivianbookreviewer.com
August 12, 2018
5 Stars! ~ Sam Langtry had loved Rio's mother from afar and when Rio lost first her mother, then two years later at age 11, lost her father, Sam took her in as a foster child. Rio grew up being taunted and ridiculed by her classmates and the town because of the sins of her father. And even now at 23, college educated, and often second in charge of the Langtry Ranch, Rio still felt the shame of her family name. Kane Langtry had been at first the foster brother Rio looked up to, then he was the teenage crush, and now Rio loved him with all her heart. Kane was a decent man, fair but firm, she loved the way he treated the folks around him. With the exception of her. Rio knew that Kane hated her for who she was and the bond she had with his father. Kane resented Rio for the way she always seemed to irritate him and he hated the desire he felt for her. He was looking forward to the day she'd leave the ranch. But when Sam dies, suddenly Kane is forced to see Rio through different eyes.
You'll need the tissue box for this one. The tight throat started right in chapter one, by the time I reached chapter four it was a steady stream. My how Ms. Fox can tell a story that grabs at the heart! "Rio Corey, tomboy trash , daddy caused an awful crash. Killed them two boys, killed himself, now he's gone to drunkard's hell" I can't imagine how any child could cope with that taunt. Beautiful story told mostly from Rio's point of view. I'd have like to have Kane's point of view earlier in the book, to understand his actions and words that seemed rather harsh. Thankfully we did get to see his heart towards the end of the book. And Rio was right, Kane is a decent man. I read this book in one sitting, I just couldn't put it down! And once I finished it, I had to read it all over again. A great read!
Edited: 4 1/2 Stars ~ I'm a sucker for tortured heroines and Ms. Fox is a master at creating them. This is an emotional story of a young woman who was taken in by a wealthy rancher when her parents died. She'd worked hard on the ranch to repay his kindness. She'd always felt that the rightful son, Kane, resented her and wanted her gone. They clashed at every turn. But Rio has always loved Kane and his rejection over and over again, feeds her childhood insecurities. When she inherits half of the home ranch with a stipulation she live on the ranch for a year or her share goes to charity, she promises Kane she'll turn her shares over to him. They're relationship remains turbulent, until an accident shows Kane just how important Rio is to him. Lots of angsty conflict made this a compelling read.
You'll need the tissue box for this one. The tight throat started right in chapter one, by the time I reached chapter four it was a steady stream. My how Ms. Fox can tell a story that grabs at the heart! "Rio Corey, tomboy trash , daddy caused an awful crash. Killed them two boys, killed himself, now he's gone to drunkard's hell" I can't imagine how any child could cope with that taunt. Beautiful story told mostly from Rio's point of view. I'd have like to have Kane's point of view earlier in the book, to understand his actions and words that seemed rather harsh. Thankfully we did get to see his heart towards the end of the book. And Rio was right, Kane is a decent man. I read this book in one sitting, I just couldn't put it down! And once I finished it, I had to read it all over again. A great read!
Edited: 4 1/2 Stars ~ I'm a sucker for tortured heroines and Ms. Fox is a master at creating them. This is an emotional story of a young woman who was taken in by a wealthy rancher when her parents died. She'd worked hard on the ranch to repay his kindness. She'd always felt that the rightful son, Kane, resented her and wanted her gone. They clashed at every turn. But Rio has always loved Kane and his rejection over and over again, feeds her childhood insecurities. When she inherits half of the home ranch with a stipulation she live on the ranch for a year or her share goes to charity, she promises Kane she'll turn her shares over to him. They're relationship remains turbulent, until an accident shows Kane just how important Rio is to him. Lots of angsty conflict made this a compelling read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2017
meh it was kind bad
no development whatsoever , no intimate scenes between h and H(i don't like clean books) and the little drama before the end was unnecessary and simply resolved if the h didn't run away and just talked with the hero. Suddenly by the ending the h was pregnant and the book was over
no development whatsoever , no intimate scenes between h and H(i don't like clean books) and the little drama before the end was unnecessary and simply resolved if the h didn't run away and just talked with the hero. Suddenly by the ending the h was pregnant and the book was over
February 5, 2021
I like romances in which the man pursues the woman. In this romance the man doesn’t have to do any pursuing, because she has loved him for years and he knows that.
She therefore comes across as weak because she has all this love for him and he rejects her love and she still keeps telling him that she loves him, although she already knows that he knows. She should have had more pride than that.
The H’s father was like a dad to her. She has known him for years. His dad dies and then it’s all about the grief of the h, his stepmother and his stepsister. I didn’t like that. It’s as if men aren’t allowed to grieve and are only there to support the grieving women.
Moreover: I don’t like to read so much about grief, death and mourning in a HP romance. I read a HP for the ‘feel good factor’, not to become depressed.
In other HP’s if a beloved person dies, the writer does write a few pages about it, but the writer doesn’t stretch it too far. Shouldn’t a romance novel be mostly about the love romance between the h and the H? In my opinion his father’s death got way too many pages in this romance.
So actually this book was rather depressing. Well written, but depressing. Not something I look for in a HP.
She therefore comes across as weak because she has all this love for him and he rejects her love and she still keeps telling him that she loves him, although she already knows that he knows. She should have had more pride than that.
The H’s father was like a dad to her. She has known him for years. His dad dies and then it’s all about the grief of the h, his stepmother and his stepsister. I didn’t like that. It’s as if men aren’t allowed to grieve and are only there to support the grieving women.
Moreover: I don’t like to read so much about grief, death and mourning in a HP romance. I read a HP for the ‘feel good factor’, not to become depressed.
In other HP’s if a beloved person dies, the writer does write a few pages about it, but the writer doesn’t stretch it too far. Shouldn’t a romance novel be mostly about the love romance between the h and the H? In my opinion his father’s death got way too many pages in this romance.
So actually this book was rather depressing. Well written, but depressing. Not something I look for in a HP.
July 15, 2019
Description:
The prodigal daughter?
All her life Rio had been considered wild, from the wrong kind of family. Only one man had shown any faith in her—Kane Langtry's father. But it wasn't a case of like father, like son. Kane respected his father's wishes when he left Rio half the family ranch—but he didn't respect Rio….
Living with her was driving Kane crazy…. Except he was starting to realize that he didn't hate her—he wanted her! They had so much in common. Both wary of love, but both passionate and wild at heart. Kane wasn't sure he could tame Rio, but suddenly he desperately wanted to try!
The prodigal daughter?
All her life Rio had been considered wild, from the wrong kind of family. Only one man had shown any faith in her—Kane Langtry's father. But it wasn't a case of like father, like son. Kane respected his father's wishes when he left Rio half the family ranch—but he didn't respect Rio….
Living with her was driving Kane crazy…. Except he was starting to realize that he didn't hate her—he wanted her! They had so much in common. Both wary of love, but both passionate and wild at heart. Kane wasn't sure he could tame Rio, but suddenly he desperately wanted to try!
June 25, 2022
It was promising but the twist in the end spoiled it for me somehow. It was unnecessary IMO. I wish the author addressed other issues.
I know the H got scared when the accident happened and did 180. Suddenly he understood he loved the heroine all along. I would need though some more development on this part to find it convincing. Especially as we learn that he favored his stepmother before and was rather awful to the heroine. His sudden change of heart toward the heroine and his stepmother wasn’t enough exploited . It wouldn’t hurt with more groveling than his acknowledgment that he behaved like a SOB.
I didn’t like the OM put in the mix. It made me wander about the heroine.
I know the H got scared when the accident happened and did 180. Suddenly he understood he loved the heroine all along. I would need though some more development on this part to find it convincing. Especially as we learn that he favored his stepmother before and was rather awful to the heroine. His sudden change of heart toward the heroine and his stepmother wasn’t enough exploited . It wouldn’t hurt with more groveling than his acknowledgment that he behaved like a SOB.
I didn’t like the OM put in the mix. It made me wander about the heroine.
September 16, 2018
A wonderful book
This book was so good. Why doesn`t writers, write book like this any more? Why does it always have to be about the sex, not the realationship between the H and h? This book will make you cry, it will make you mad, but in the end the romance and love won out.
This book was so good. Why doesn`t writers, write book like this any more? Why does it always have to be about the sex, not the realationship between the H and h? This book will make you cry, it will make you mad, but in the end the romance and love won out.
November 9, 2024
I read this book years ago and cried and laughed with reading it. I think it makes us count our ble
If you like the folders books that still have the simple life and values, this is the book to read. Love this Author.
If you like the folders books that still have the simple life and values, this is the book to read. Love this Author.
July 22, 2023
The beginning of this is much better than the second half. It becomes predictable and the villain didn't get any comeuppance! Maybe that happens in the second book.
October 30, 2021
I have only read one other Susan Fox book, and I found that this one appealed to my romantic sensibilities so much more.
My little homage to Simon LeBon!
Rio-heroine, 23, (makes me want to break out the Duran Duran playlist) She is considered the black sheep of the community(which is ridiculous) because when she was 11 her alcoholic, abusive father was drunk driving and killed two teens and himself in the crash. So, of course, Rio who was 11 at the time is ostracized by the whole town. However, Sam Langtry, (hero’s dad) takes her in as a foster child. He was secretly in love with her mom who died when she was 9. She bears a striking resemblance to the raven haired beauty. Sam even had her mom buried in a family plot on the ranch.
Sam-70- It is revealed at the beginning of the book that Sam is dying. He had high hopes for his son and the h to be married some day, however, it will definitely not happen anytime soon. He loves the h like a daughter which is only enhanced more by her looks and his Professor Snape longing for her dead mom. Unfortunately for him, he married Ramona who has hated the h since day 1. Ramona likes the high life, and it can be assumed that she is probably 20+ years younger than Sam. She spends most of her time away from the ranch living it up and entertaining other cowboys. Her 21 year old daughter Tracy goes with her on these excursions. Thank goodness Sam has an ironclad pre-nup.
Kane, 33, Hero-engages in the whole “deflecting my real feelings by being extra mean” bit. He knows the h is in love with him. This is established in the first few pages. He taunts her with this. He sends mix messages by grabbing and kissing. He then tells her he basically is disgusted with himself for wanting her. He knows his father would like to see a union between the two, but our hero doesn’t want to get involved with the h as he already senses she has too much power over him. It’s obvious he respects the h around the ranch as one of his 2nd in command. She has been working the ranch all her life.
Ty Cameron-OM, -He is not a beta. Even the h recognizes that if she could love anyone else he would be a lead candidate. He is very likable, and our H should be afraid, very afraid. However, the om is featured in the next story with Tracy, the step sister of the HThe Man She'll Marry
Ok, so what we have here is a story of the h being in love with he the H and he keeps pushing her away. The H’s dad dies, and in his will he makes sure the h is provided for as long as she helps run the the ranch for the next year. The evil step mom who is super jealous of the h puts a plan in action as the will did not give her anything more than what the pre-nup stated. I guess she thought she was entitled to more after years of spending time away and sleeping with others. The h is uncomfortable with her inheritance, but to refuse it would cause lots of problems for the H. Anyhoo, they settle into the day to day activities of running a multi-million dollar ranch and then there is the bull incident. Seriously, there is a bull who charges after the h while she is breaking in a colt. The mishap results in her and the colt getting wrapped up into barb wire. Thank goodness the H or was it spiritual intervention, had enough to sense to go and find her. She is taken to the hospital and the H realizing how time is precious proceeds to tell the H how much he loves her. With all the pages left in the book it is way to early for the HEA. So enter Ramona….the step mom
She puts her diabolical plan into place effectively getting the h out of the way so she can pimp out her own daughter Tracy. Her plan is so diabolical, that the h doesn’t want to tell the H about it. So she writes him a letter, making it look like the break up is because our h had a change of heart. She then disappears in the big state of Texas. She ends up at the om’s ranch and they are getting along fine. Our H finds where she is and flies to her with stow away Tracy onboard the Cessna. Our H walks into a tender moment shared between the h and the om, and is pretty upset. The h is prepared to tell him the truth of why she ran, even though it will hurt him a lot more. Tracy pops up and says not so fast. She reveals that the step mom fabricated the information given to the h. The h and H embrace each other and re-make their everlasting avowals of love.
We then get an unofficial epilogue(thank you!)
Stepmother really needed a comeuppance. Alas, this will have to be played out in the reader’s mind off page.
My little homage to Simon LeBon!Rio-heroine, 23, (makes me want to break out the Duran Duran playlist) She is considered the black sheep of the community(which is ridiculous) because when she was 11 her alcoholic, abusive father was drunk driving and killed two teens and himself in the crash. So, of course, Rio who was 11 at the time is ostracized by the whole town. However, Sam Langtry, (hero’s dad) takes her in as a foster child. He was secretly in love with her mom who died when she was 9. She bears a striking resemblance to the raven haired beauty. Sam even had her mom buried in a family plot on the ranch.
Sam-70- It is revealed at the beginning of the book that Sam is dying. He had high hopes for his son and the h to be married some day, however, it will definitely not happen anytime soon. He loves the h like a daughter which is only enhanced more by her looks and his Professor Snape longing for her dead mom. Unfortunately for him, he married Ramona who has hated the h since day 1. Ramona likes the high life, and it can be assumed that she is probably 20+ years younger than Sam. She spends most of her time away from the ranch living it up and entertaining other cowboys. Her 21 year old daughter Tracy goes with her on these excursions. Thank goodness Sam has an ironclad pre-nup.
Kane, 33, Hero-engages in the whole “deflecting my real feelings by being extra mean” bit. He knows the h is in love with him. This is established in the first few pages. He taunts her with this. He sends mix messages by grabbing and kissing. He then tells her he basically is disgusted with himself for wanting her. He knows his father would like to see a union between the two, but our hero doesn’t want to get involved with the h as he already senses she has too much power over him. It’s obvious he respects the h around the ranch as one of his 2nd in command. She has been working the ranch all her life.
Ty Cameron-OM, -He is not a beta. Even the h recognizes that if she could love anyone else he would be a lead candidate. He is very likable, and our H should be afraid, very afraid. However, the om is featured in the next story with Tracy, the step sister of the HThe Man She'll Marry
Ok, so what we have here is a story of the h being in love with he the H and he keeps pushing her away. The H’s dad dies, and in his will he makes sure the h is provided for as long as she helps run the the ranch for the next year. The evil step mom who is super jealous of the h puts a plan in action as the will did not give her anything more than what the pre-nup stated. I guess she thought she was entitled to more after years of spending time away and sleeping with others. The h is uncomfortable with her inheritance, but to refuse it would cause lots of problems for the H. Anyhoo, they settle into the day to day activities of running a multi-million dollar ranch and then there is the bull incident. Seriously, there is a bull who charges after the h while she is breaking in a colt. The mishap results in her and the colt getting wrapped up into barb wire. Thank goodness the H or was it spiritual intervention, had enough to sense to go and find her. She is taken to the hospital and the H realizing how time is precious proceeds to tell the H how much he loves her. With all the pages left in the book it is way to early for the HEA. So enter Ramona….the step mom
She puts her diabolical plan into place effectively getting the h out of the way so she can pimp out her own daughter Tracy. Her plan is so diabolical, that the h doesn’t want to tell the H about it. So she writes him a letter, making it look like the break up is because our h had a change of heart. She then disappears in the big state of Texas. She ends up at the om’s ranch and they are getting along fine. Our H finds where she is and flies to her with stow away Tracy onboard the Cessna. Our H walks into a tender moment shared between the h and the om, and is pretty upset. The h is prepared to tell him the truth of why she ran, even though it will hurt him a lot more. Tracy pops up and says not so fast. She reveals that the step mom fabricated the information given to the h. The h and H embrace each other and re-make their everlasting avowals of love.
We then get an unofficial epilogue(thank you!)
Stepmother really needed a comeuppance. Alas, this will have to be played out in the reader’s mind off page.
February 16, 2023
good read
Great story i would still like to know what you did to step mother Kane? And Tracy did she get together with Ty????
Great story i would still like to know what you did to step mother Kane? And Tracy did she get together with Ty????
April 14, 2023
Gut-wrenching. The h was very honest, vulnerable, yet strong and pragmatic, so I totally love her. The H wasn't a complete ass and I could understand through the pages his involuntary 'adoration' towards the heroine. Overall, the plot made sense and was well-paced. Probably one of the best high angst HPs I've ever read in a long while (or ever)
October 15, 2011
“Barbed by Fence” would have been a more distinctive title. It would have referred to the pivotal moment when the hero discovered her not only pinned down by her horse and gorily entangled in barbed fence. There’s nothing like good old terror to solidify all the conflicting emotions he had felt for her: disgust, concern, intolerance, rage, and to reveal his true feelings for her.
What I disliked mightily about the book is the half-siblings angle. It threw a spanner in the heretofore smooth movement of the book. Like a deus ex machina, it was too contrived to set them apart when the story could have proceeded better with reconciling his newfound feelings for her to his earlier harsh treatments of her. As it was, his conversion was too abrupt. He only had to say sorry once for all to be forgiven. Heck! He only had to ask her once for her to accept his offer of marriage.
Of course, by then, both of them knew that she had loved him for a long time. But any self-respecting girl would hesitate after all the put-downs and rebuffs she had suffered from him. Isn’t she at all scared that if the hero could just turn off his years of contempt like that – in a snap! – wouldn’t the corollary just be as true? That he could turn off his love for her like that, too, in a snap?
Wooing. I need more wooing in this book.
The story of the stepsister Tracy and fellow-rancher Ty follows in the book “The Man She’ll Marry.”
What I disliked mightily about the book is the half-siblings angle. It threw a spanner in the heretofore smooth movement of the book. Like a deus ex machina, it was too contrived to set them apart when the story could have proceeded better with reconciling his newfound feelings for her to his earlier harsh treatments of her. As it was, his conversion was too abrupt. He only had to say sorry once for all to be forgiven. Heck! He only had to ask her once for her to accept his offer of marriage.
Of course, by then, both of them knew that she had loved him for a long time. But any self-respecting girl would hesitate after all the put-downs and rebuffs she had suffered from him. Isn’t she at all scared that if the hero could just turn off his years of contempt like that – in a snap! – wouldn’t the corollary just be as true? That he could turn off his love for her like that, too, in a snap?
Wooing. I need more wooing in this book.
The story of the stepsister Tracy and fellow-rancher Ty follows in the book “The Man She’ll Marry.”
December 7, 2023
Reread: like better this time. She is still too willing to be manipulated and he is still a jerk, but the story flows well and the romance seems real. I wonder whether H would have proposed had h not inherited half his ranch. True she said she’d sign it over to him but why take a chance when she’s willing to be his wife and he’s in lust with her.
None of these split inheritance stories ever consider gift tax. If h gives H 5 million and half a huge ranch and they are not married, tax is about 50%, no tax if married. Seems an easy decision to me, given how hard and cold and ruthless H is.
Agree with reviewer who said the deep grief when h’s foster father died is exceptionally well done.
OK read. Unlike most of Fox's heroines Rio admits right away that she is in love with Kane; however he is equally blunt that he wants nothing to do with her despite his deep attraction. Love is hard to squash but it's hard to believe someone could be in love with a man quite as jerky as Kane.
None of these split inheritance stories ever consider gift tax. If h gives H 5 million and half a huge ranch and they are not married, tax is about 50%, no tax if married. Seems an easy decision to me, given how hard and cold and ruthless H is.
Agree with reviewer who said the deep grief when h’s foster father died is exceptionally well done.
OK read. Unlike most of Fox's heroines Rio admits right away that she is in love with Kane; however he is equally blunt that he wants nothing to do with her despite his deep attraction. Love is hard to squash but it's hard to believe someone could be in love with a man quite as jerky as Kane.
August 29, 2024
4.5 stars
October 13, 2014
Re-read.
March 9, 2016
3.75 stars
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