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Jayhawk
To Angela Stewart, a summer on a Wyoming ranch with her college roommate's family seemed like an ideal vacation. For Jay Bradford, his return to the Triple J Ranch involves a potentially dangerous quest and the search for an answer to a 26-year old mystery. Jay and Angela's chance meeting on a lonely road at dusk marks the beginning of their unforgettable journey into danger and love.
349 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1978
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About the author
Dorothy M. Keddington
10 books109 followersDorothy McDonald Keddington is the author of five best-selling romantic-suspense novels and the gripping true story, A Square Sky. She had co-authored two musical plays with poet-lyricist Laura Bedore.
Dorothy Keddington is native of Salt Lake City, UT. She has taught creative writing both privately and for community schools. She is an accomplished pianist, organist, and popular speaker for civic, cultural, and educational events in the Intermountain West.
Dorothy Keddington is native of Salt Lake City, UT. She has taught creative writing both privately and for community schools. She is an accomplished pianist, organist, and popular speaker for civic, cultural, and educational events in the Intermountain West.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
August 10, 2008
Okay, I'm biased because Dorothy Keddington is my mom's best friend, but she is one of my favorite authors. This is my absolute favorite of her books (oh my gosh, the cave scene!!) and I have had a secret crush on Jay since I was a teenager. This really appeals to my inner 17 year old.
October 20, 2022
If I hadn't found this book as an e-book recently, it's probably one I wouldn't have re-read for quite some time. I remembered not really liking it when I first read it but couldn't remember much about it.
It's the type of book that while well written, just isn't one I enjoy. There are too many family secrets and too much love and guilt disguised as hate. Not my kind of book.
It's the type of book that while well written, just isn't one I enjoy. There are too many family secrets and too much love and guilt disguised as hate. Not my kind of book.
February 3, 2016
When Angela arrives in Wyoming, planning on spending the summer on her college roommate's family ranch, she has no idea of the adventure in store for her. The gorgeous mountains and flowering fields are one thing, her friend Janet's cousin Jay is another, and the dangerous and mysterious happenings, right off the bat, are another.
Jayhawk is part romance, part mystery, leaning heavily on the romantic part. It's never steamy (surprisingly clean, actually) and while the dialogue was often leaning towards hokey, I liked it well enough, it was a nice counterbalance to the mystery: what ever happened to Jay's father, that night when he disappeared from the ranch? Someone does not want Jay to know the answer to that question, and will stop at nothing to keep that information a secret.
It's an interesting mix of a book, while it was brain candy for the most part, I enjoyed it for what it was. I had a hard time believing the post-climax part, but in a strange way, I did like that she followed the story through farther than most authors would. If you can find a copy of this (it was published in 1978 by a small publishing company), you may want to give it a try if you are a fan of the romantic mystery genre.
Jayhawk is part romance, part mystery, leaning heavily on the romantic part. It's never steamy (surprisingly clean, actually) and while the dialogue was often leaning towards hokey, I liked it well enough, it was a nice counterbalance to the mystery: what ever happened to Jay's father, that night when he disappeared from the ranch? Someone does not want Jay to know the answer to that question, and will stop at nothing to keep that information a secret.
It's an interesting mix of a book, while it was brain candy for the most part, I enjoyed it for what it was. I had a hard time believing the post-climax part, but in a strange way, I did like that she followed the story through farther than most authors would. If you can find a copy of this (it was published in 1978 by a small publishing company), you may want to give it a try if you are a fan of the romantic mystery genre.
December 16, 2010
I got this at a book exchange for a book club I'm in. It was written in the 70's, and once I got past the completely outdated book jacket (a beautiful leather binding was underneath), I found a truly wonderful story!! It's a love story and mystery. Just a warning, the dialogue is also 70's and somewhat cheesy at times. But really, it's a good book and I'm looking for more from this author to read. Thanks Tammy!!
July 1, 2010
Finally . . . a great escape book. It has been a while since I've sat down to read for pure pleasure (of course I've enjoyed the other books I've read recently too, but they weren't all about escape). I njoyed the plot and the chemistry between the main characters, though it did move fast like the other book I read by this same author. Still, lots of fun!
June 27, 2020
This book was so good. There were a lot of twists that made me change my mind until the end. I didn't like Thayne at the beginning, but his character arc was good. Jay was such a good character, and Angela was too. I loved all the book and the ending and it was just all so good.
September 12, 2024
A favorite of my swooning, smitten teenage heart. It stands the test of time!
April 18, 2013
Sweet, Clean Romance Between white Woman And Indian,but Some Really Despicable Racist Characters
I could only rate Jayhawk 3 stars,because even though I enjoyed the romance between Angela and Jay and it was developed very well,I detested most of the other characters in this story! The friend Janet whose ranch Angela goes to spend the summer at is no one I would want for a friend,and Janet, her near-rapist brother Thayne, and her father, and grandfather are all racist bigots,and make plenty of disgusting derogatory remarks about Indians.
So although the story and the mystery made for interesting reading,I just did not feel good while reading a book with so many characters that I hated. I was angry most of the time I was reading it!
The book is well-written and I have another of the author's here to try "The Return To Red Castle".
I could only rate Jayhawk 3 stars,because even though I enjoyed the romance between Angela and Jay and it was developed very well,I detested most of the other characters in this story! The friend Janet whose ranch Angela goes to spend the summer at is no one I would want for a friend,and Janet, her near-rapist brother Thayne, and her father, and grandfather are all racist bigots,and make plenty of disgusting derogatory remarks about Indians.
So although the story and the mystery made for interesting reading,I just did not feel good while reading a book with so many characters that I hated. I was angry most of the time I was reading it!
The book is well-written and I have another of the author's here to try "The Return To Red Castle".
May 11, 2012
Angela is invited to spend the summer with her roommate, Janet, on her ranch in Wyoming. she decides to surprised Janet and arrives a day early...and immediately meets Janet's cousin, Jayhawk. There's a mystery that Jay is trying to solve--the disappearance of his father, 26 years earlier. Crazy things happen and romance blossoms in this summer-time novel.
I liked the immediate connection between Angela and Jay. I enjoyed the descriptions of the craggy ranchers--they almost had me quaking in my boots. It was a light, fun, romantic read.
I liked the immediate connection between Angela and Jay. I enjoyed the descriptions of the craggy ranchers--they almost had me quaking in my boots. It was a light, fun, romantic read.
July 8, 2010
Wow! this book was completely amazing! i just LOVE LOVE LOVE these mystery-romance type books! and i have read all of dorothy's books many times and i was wondering if anybody knows of any other books that are like dorothy;s books! like where the 2 main characters fall in love super fast and then there is some added danger in there!! but that would be great if any body knows or can help me find some!!
September 14, 2008
Aah, an oldie but goodie. This book is rather cheesy but was one of my favorites as a teenager. If you like clean, cheesy romances then this is for you. I also like the suspense in it. Thanks to my sister who gave this to me because the authors books are starting to go out of print and are getting hard to find.
February 3, 2011
I read this in one sitting (was up till 2:30am). I really liked it and got caught up in the romance. I read it a few years ago...like maybe 10+. So while I remembered that Angela went to stay the summer with her friend on the friend's ranch I didn't remember hardly any of the other details. I love it when I can't put a book down and must finish it.
September 14, 2019
One of those books I come back to again and again.
March 17, 2025
A friend of mine admitted that Keddington's books are her "guilty pleasure" reads and that she loves to re-read them whenever she needs a fun escape from reality. I can definitely see why she finds them comfortable and nostalgic, but as a person coming to them brand new, there just wasn't enough here that I liked to make up for some of the things I didn't.
Now, to be fair, this is a "for fun" read from several years before I was even born, so I recognize it's set in a world I never actually knew first hand. The overt racism from some characters I expected (and I think Keddington does a good job of making it clear that was wrong and bad), but there's some subtle verging-on-fetishism that flies under the radar a bit (but not to a kid who was raised in an era with more subtle forms of racism being widely talked about and more broadly understood) and which the author seems to either overlook or tacitly approve of. I had similar concerns and discomfort with some of the sexist attitudes--the most overt are clearly painted as wrong (although the assault is shockingly under-addressed, played almost for laughs, and quickly set aside as no big deal by the victim, which seemed unrealistic), but there are subtle nods to "feminism bad" that just rub me the wrong way.
I did like Keddington's ability to beautifully describe a place and to connect the reader with the setting. And I liked her ability to weave in the mystery in unexpected ways. Sadly, I didn't feel her writing skills extended to flushing out the characters, though, in making them relatable or multi-dimensional (their motivations were all pretty flat). And honestly the overarching plot and timeline are a bit weird and rushed.
Anyway, this turned out not to be my cup of tea, but I can still see why it's a comfortable pleasure read for many in my community to this day. It's definitely an interesting cross sectional look into a specific era, so in that way it was fun to dive in.
Now, to be fair, this is a "for fun" read from several years before I was even born, so I recognize it's set in a world I never actually knew first hand. The overt racism from some characters I expected (and I think Keddington does a good job of making it clear that was wrong and bad), but there's some subtle verging-on-fetishism that flies under the radar a bit (but not to a kid who was raised in an era with more subtle forms of racism being widely talked about and more broadly understood) and which the author seems to either overlook or tacitly approve of. I had similar concerns and discomfort with some of the sexist attitudes--the most overt are clearly painted as wrong (although the assault is shockingly under-addressed, played almost for laughs, and quickly set aside as no big deal by the victim, which seemed unrealistic), but there are subtle nods to "feminism bad" that just rub me the wrong way.
I did like Keddington's ability to beautifully describe a place and to connect the reader with the setting. And I liked her ability to weave in the mystery in unexpected ways. Sadly, I didn't feel her writing skills extended to flushing out the characters, though, in making them relatable or multi-dimensional (their motivations were all pretty flat). And honestly the overarching plot and timeline are a bit weird and rushed.
Anyway, this turned out not to be my cup of tea, but I can still see why it's a comfortable pleasure read for many in my community to this day. It's definitely an interesting cross sectional look into a specific era, so in that way it was fun to dive in.
March 30, 2018
When I discovered that Dorothy Keddington was the wife of a cousin on my biological father's Burt side of the family, I was excited to read this book. I chose to read the book because she was related, having no previous knowledge of her or the book. I had no idea what a treat it would be. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and now look forward to meeting her in person as well as read more of her books.
June 12, 2023
3.5 stars, rounded up.
There's a lot of nostalgia behind this book. My grandma loved it, and so did my mom. I just finished reading it to her, and she loved it as much the tenth time (or more!) as she did the first time.
It holds up surprisingly well for such a dated book, although some of the Native American references were a little cringe-worthy, as were the boys-will-be-boys attitude about unwanted sexual advances.
There's a lot of nostalgia behind this book. My grandma loved it, and so did my mom. I just finished reading it to her, and she loved it as much the tenth time (or more!) as she did the first time.
It holds up surprisingly well for such a dated book, although some of the Native American references were a little cringe-worthy, as were the boys-will-be-boys attitude about unwanted sexual advances.
August 20, 2018
My best friend’s mom gave me this book to read when I was in middle school. It was nostalgic to re-read it as a married adult. I love that the setting is close to my home with many of the same traditions I grew up doing. A fun classic love story with a mystery. It reminds me of “Man From Snowy River”.
October 18, 2018
This book was highly recommend to me as a good friend's all time favorite book. Unfortunately for me, I found this book to be slow. I couldn't connect with it. I struggled just to finish. I scan read the last half of the book. I didn't enjoy the flip flop of the bad turned good with some of the characters as well, cough cough Thayne. It was just so anti-climatic through the entire book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2022
I remember walking into my Jr high Science teacher's class and seeing "Jayhawk is coming". My teacher, husband of author Dorothy Keddington got us all excited about her upcoming book. I read it as soon as it was available and loved it! As a young teen I loved mystery books with romance weaved into them. This one didn't disappoint.
July 6, 2025
Although it was published back in 1978, this book is full of dated stereotypes and casual racism that really took away from the story for me. The insta-love felt forced and unconvincing, and most of the characters fell flat - like they were clichés. I didn’t really care about any of them. On the bright side, at least it was a quick read!
May 11, 2021
This book is one of the best books that I have read. I really loved the plot and the way the author uses words to describe feelings and makes you feel them as well. If you haven't read this book you absolutely have to!
May 29, 2021
I have a hard time enjoying fiction these days but this was a fun light read. The mystery wasn’t too involved...reminded me of the Trixie Belden mysteries I used to read. Still suspenseful enough for me to stay up later than I normally would.
May 24, 2017
The book was not very good but it did have a lot of action and loving in the book. I only recommend if you like love and action books but there isn't that much action just a little.
March 11, 2019
Loved it every bit as much as I did when I was a teenager. Dorothy Keddington is a very talented author!
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February 7, 2020I loved this book
June 14, 2020
maybe 2.5 stars. Just ok. nothing remarkable. a bit slow at times.
October 25, 2021
This is my most favorite book ever! I will continue to read it over and over.
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July 1, 2022Love this book
This book has great detail for scenery, for people, for things all on that line. Is just a good wholesome down home love story.
This book has great detail for scenery, for people, for things all on that line. Is just a good wholesome down home love story.
February 17, 2023
This was a comfort reread of one of my favorite books from my teenage years. A sweet love story and mystery combined.
February 16, 2024
I thought I cringe through this book and while it was cringeworthy, I still enjoyed it. A little bit of cringe, a little bit of suspense, and a little bit of romance.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews