A Wanted Man

Stone Creek #2

by Linda Lael Miller

The past has a way of catching up with folks in Stone Creek, Arizona. So schoolmarm Lark Morgan and Marshal Rowdy Rhodes are determined to hide their secrets--and deny their instant attraction. That shouldn't be too hard, since each suspects the other of living a lie. Her too-fancy clothes and big-city ways inspire gossip all over town; his blond good looks and impudent grin belong to a man sporting a gunfighter's coat. But Rowdy and Lark have one truth in common: the very real dangers they face. Like the gang of robbers wreaking havoc on the railroad heading toward Stone Creek--the men Ranger Sam O'Ballivan expects Rowdy to nab. And as past and current troubles collide, Rowdy and Lark must surrender their stubborn pride to the greatest power of all--an undying love.

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Westerns, Historical, Western Romance, Historical Fiction, Fiction

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

The daughter of a town marshal, Linda Lael Miller is a #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than 100 historical and contemporary novels, most of which reflect her love of the West. Raised in Northport, Washington, Linda pursued her wanderlust, living in London and Arizona and traveling the world before returning to the state of her birth to settle down on a spacious property outside Spokane.
Linda traces the birth of her writing career to the day when a Northport teacher told her that the stories she was writing were good, that she just might have a future in writing. Later, when she decided to write novels, she endured her share of rejection before she sold Fletcher’s Woman in 1983 to Pocket Books. Since then, Linda has successfully published historicals, contemporaries, paranormals, mysteries and thrillers before coming home, in a literal sense, and concentrating on novels with a Western flavor. For her devotion to her craft, the Romance Writers of America awarded her their prestigious Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.
Long a passionate Civil War buff, Linda has studied the era avidly for almost thirty years. She has read literally hundreds of books on the subject, explored numerous battlegrounds and made many visits to her favorite, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where she has witnessed re-enactments of the legendary clash between North and South. Linda explores that turbulent time in The Yankee Widow, a May 7, 2019 MIRA Books hardcover, also available in digital and audiobook formats.
Dedicated to helping others, “The First Lady of the West” personally financed fifteen years of her Linda Lael Miller Scholarships for Women, which she awarded to women 25 years and older who were seeking to improve their lot in life through education. She anticipates that her next charitable endeavors will benefit four-legged critters.
More information about Linda and her novels is available at www.lindalaelmiller.com, on Facebook and from Nancy Berland Public Relations, nancy@nancyberland.com, 405-206-4748.

Reviews

[Elise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. Not only is it well-written, with vivid and descriptive details, which make you feel like you're right there with the characters in Stone Creek , Arizona, but it is also a story filled with mystery and plot twists.

There is great chemistry between Rowdy (the hero) and Lark (the heroine). They have something in common in that they each have secrets and are running from a past! They instinctively know this and are drawn to each other. This keeps the romance alive and the reader reading!

I also loved the variety and diversity of the secondary characters, including Hong Sing, Mai Lee, Gideon (Rowdy's brother) and adorable Lydia. Oh and who could not love Pardner, the loyal "old yellow hound", who gets special attention. These characters really make the story come alive and gave it a "family" feel -- a sense of community.

If you like romantic westerns, you're sure to like this one. I recommend it.

[Samina The Story Devourer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have come to love frontier romance in the past few years. The barren bleak landscape and the grit of people who lived there makes my heart sing. I particularly love the stories of the hero and the heroine on a trail at the mercy of outlaws and the land.

However this one surprised. The bevy of supporting characters add layer and depth to the story. I think Rowdy would be one of my favourite western heros yet. I enjoyed his backstory, his complicated relationship with his family and most of all his charming personality. Romance lands is full of dark brooding heros which frankly are sometimes forgettable. Who says an alpha hero cant be charming, roguish and flirty? Rowdy was all that and more. The steamy way he seduced Lark was another matter. Great story and fabulous romance.

[nurmawati · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baguuuus.....4.5 stars...
Buku pertama linda lael miller yg gw bsca...gak nyesel deh...
Bagi pecinta american HR setting thn 1900 an mesti baca...
Suka sama rowdy rhodes...mantan penjshat yang jadi marshall fi stone creek..
Pengen baca ttg sodara2 rowdy..

Nb : kirain buku linda gak ada hot2 nya...ternyata ADAAAAA sodara2...lumayan hot di bagian2 terakhir..so bagi prcinta buku "pedes" ...sabar2 ya bacanya hihihi

[Mareli · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the beginning of the story I was surprised, because I was expecting some relative of Sam O'Ballivan and instead I got Rowdy. Well, not that I'm complaining ;)

Rowdy is good!!! I loved him and Lark. She was very afraid but in the end she was strong.

The ending is someway strange.

Good anyway!!!

[Christel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Book!! I love Miller's writing. Just another one of her books to add to my collection. I hope the rest of the series is just as good as the first 2 books

[violeta · Rating 4 out of 5]

if i hear you bring up the classics and you don’t talk about this beauty…leave

[Ladiibbug · Rating 4 out of 5]

#2 Stone Creek Western Historical Romance

Arizona Territory, 1905

Very nice :-) LLM writes with such authenticity. It's the little details that transport the reader to the Old West ... such as the characters using flour sacks or burlap feed sacks to dry off after bathing.

Stone Creek's new marshall, Rowdy Rhodes is hiding a secret. He's an outlaw. The pretty schoolmarm, Lark, has secrets too, and Rowdy's made it his business to discover them.

As with #1 The Man From Stone Creek, a wonderful story, likeable and memorable characters and several conflicts and mysteries to keep the pages turning. Oh, and a gang of serial train robbers add excitement and drama. Gotta love a good train robbin'!

Thanks again, Donna, for recommending this series, and for sending me #3 The Rustler :-)

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much liked this book. I fond that the characters are people that you can relate to and you come to love a lot. Rowdy is a man running from his past and is asked to be the sherrif af a town in Northern Arizona. He is learning his job and falls for the local school marm. He is intrigued by her when she is everything he isn't and can't stay away from her. He must change his future and stay away from the past, including his outlaw family. I would recomend this book to anyone.

[Rebekah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should have seen this coming, but remember how the first book had a guy named Rowdy in it? THIS WAS ROWDY'S BOOK. And his dog. He's a town marshal, with a past! A secret past! There's a schoolteacher named Lark. With a secret past! WHAT ARE THEY HIDING FROM??

A development in the last 50 pages made me say, "oh, twist!" aloud. And it actually ISN'T a man that saves Lark and kills the bad guy at the end (spoiler alert: the bad guy gets killed). Don't worry, the dog is still fine.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second in Miller's Stone Creek series. It is the story of Lark Morgan and Rowdy Rhodes. The characters were very likeable, the story was good, it had everything a good western needs. I'm looking forward to reading the next in this series.

[OpenBookSociety.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://openbooksociety.com/article/a...

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Review


Rowdy Rhodes has been summoned to Stone Creek by Sam O’Ballivan. Sam saw the good work Rowdy did in Haven as marshal and would like him to do the same in Stone Creek. He wants Rowdy to be the new marshal, but a secret ranger as well.

The railroad is coming to Stone Creek, but there have been several train robberies of late, and Sam wants to put a stop to it.

However, the new marshal is harboring a big secret. The infamous train robber, Payton Yarbro, is none other than Rowdy’s dad. Not only that, but Rowdy himself used to be a train robber too. Rowdy, his dad, and his brothers (except for the youngest, Gideon) are all wanted outlaws. Now Rowdy must walk a thin line of helping stop the train robberies without turning on his own family.

Meanwhile, Lark Morgan is hiding secrets of her own. She came to Stone Creek a few months ago, running from an evil and powerful man, her former husband. She embarrassed him by fleeing Denver and filing for divorce. If he finds her, he will surely kill her. So, she hides in the sleepy town of Stone Creek, as the town’s new schoolmarm.

When Rowdy comes to town, Lark fears he was sent to find her. Of course, he would go to stay at the same boarding house she is staying at. She tries to keep her guard up around him, but there is something about him that she can’t resist.

Rowdy and Lark are drawn to each other, both desperately holding onto their secrets. A romance starts to bloom between them, but what happens when their secrets are forced out in to the light?

I read the first book in this series, The Man from Stone Creek, many years ago. That book had been a rather slow read for me so I had been in no hurry to continue the series. However, I decided it was time to give the series another try. I have to say this was a vast improvement, either that or I’ve changed in my reading preferences. I felt this book had a decent pace and it kept me interested throughout.

I really liked Rowdy; the former outlaw trying to be good and live on the straight and narrow. Of course, his family popping up makes that a little difficult. So far, I’ve really enjoyed the Yarbro clan. And, I can only assume we will see more of them throughout the rest of the series. They can hopefully find good women to change them all to be decent men.

I can’t wait to see Gideon grow up and have a little girl of his own that he will no doubt name Rose. He was a sweet character, one that hasn’t been touched by his dad’s outlaw ways. I loved how gentle and kind he was with Lydia. Who knows? Maybe she will get her dream of being that girl he marries.

If you’re looking for a torrid steamy affair, this may not be for you, as it doesn’t get steamy until closer to the end of the book. Except that wagon ride to and from Sam’s house. This book really focuses more on the storyline, which I can appreciate.

I found this to be an enjoyable little western romance. I’m not sure how accurate it was to the time period, but it was a nice way to spend a couple of days regardless.

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read a Linda Lael Miller book that I haven't liked, and this one is no exception.

Rowdy Rhodes, comes from a family of train robbers. He uses the name his mother used to call him and the sire name of a neighbor, who was more like a father to him then his own father. He had walked away from the train robbing business and had been summoned to Stone Creek by Arizona Ranger, Sam O'Ballivan, to take the job of Marshall, but also help the rangers. Rowdy accepts the position, but fears not only that an old wanted poster will surface with his face on it, and that his father and brothers are behind the recent robberies. Meanwhile he fancies schoolmarm Lark Morgan, and is intent on uncovering her secrets. Despite the end being unlikely in order to get that HEA, the strong and interesting characters, mysteries to solve and an interesting story line make this a compelling read.

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a SUPER cute little historical romance. While I have been known to enjoy a historical romance in the past, it's typically set around the Elizabethan London era. This is one of the first times I've read something set in the US, in a more cowboyish type of setting. However, I really enjoyed it!

This had all of the drama I've found my recent romantic reads to be lacking, there are multiple layers to the drama that isn't just centred on the romance.

The Mrs Porter plot line was super unexpected and I really enjoyed how it ended. I loved Lydia and I would love to see her grown up and married to Gordian.

All in all this is a great quick romantic read, the characters are likeable and there's a very solid plot in the background.

[Toth Jo-Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always find myself enjoying Linda's books. This is no exception. It gives you a unique perspective. For Marshal Rowdy Rhodes has kept a secret for a long time. Its one he has not by choice. Then we meet Lark Morgan who was living at a time when women had no rights. She had a secret that was only dangerous to her. I like how Linda teaches you a lesson in this story. Its about choices you make. Some as a youth and others as a young adult. These choices can lead to hiding in plain sight. Its never easy. I love the way she draws you into the story. It makes it hard to put the book down. In the end love wins. This is a great story and I will be looking for his brother's story next.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Wanted Man

Another great story my this author. I like just about all of her books with the historical western being my favorites. Enjoyed hearing about characters from previous stories in this series.
One thing that I didn't like was that she is using the word "prone" wrong. If you're in a bathtub and you're in a prone position you are going to drown because prone is face down. She's used this in another book also. I guess this is a silly thing to complain about but authors should know the meaning of a word if they're going use it.

[Susan Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Warning: There is lots of graphic sex in this book, a little too much for my taste, but other than that the book was a good read.
I loved the characters. Both Rowdy, now a lawman, and Lark, now a schoolteacher who truly loves her job, have secrets in their past that they don't want coming to light. Their mutual attraction eventually leads to these secrets being shared.
Add to that Rowdy's father, a Chinese couple who are not as they seem, a rooming house owner, a teenage brother, and a child in need, and you get a story filled with lots of good plots.

[Nab · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really hate when there’s not a good foundation for relationships. I understand instant attraction, but there was no substance to the main character’s romance - probably because it felt more like something to tie the story together than a part of the story. At least that’s how I felt about it. The last like 10% was a let down - what the hell?? Lmao. There were little details added that I could not understand the purpose of - the past marriage and child? It served no purpose whatsoever lol. What the heck ever. Spent all day reading this and for what!!!!!!!

[Connlou Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

(c)2007 A western genre. Lark moves to Stone Creek and suspicions arise as to where she has come from. Lark moves into a rooming house while she teaches. Word spreads and someone tracks Lark down and creates trouble. Rowdy who has a similar past steps in and attempts to protect her. Was mysterious as a reader doesn't know what to expect because at first you know Lark has a hidden past but you don't know the dangers that may come to Stone Creek.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A complex and emotional romance. Both Rowdy and Lark have pasts they'd rather forget but both know they'll have to face them eventually. I truly enjoyed and admired the way Miller wove the stories together, bringing in a variety of characters to help Rowdy and Lark on their journeys. I was impressed with how she managed to bring about their HEA in the end, and I look forward to seeing more of the supporting characters in later novels of this series.

[Judith Sherrod · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Wanted Man

Rowdy, outlaw, son of an outlaw, brother to an outlaw, but just now a town Marshall. Lark, schoolmarm, innocent young woman, both with secrets and their lives are almost totally lies.
But Rowdy falls circUlar and she falls for him and life just keeps getting in the way of their happiness.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 The beginning was slow for me. I didn’t really get into the book until about the middle. I actually put this book down for a couple days because I felt I couldn’t relate to the characters. I then decided to pick it back up and I don’t regret at all. I love the way the ending turned out. It was a lovely book that I would recommend.

[Jeanne (love2cook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good little western romance story taking place in the Arizona territory back in 1905. It has Lark Morgan and Marshall Rowdy Rhodes (both aliases) as they are hiding their pasts. Rowdy and Lark both are facing danger. Lark a dangerous ex-husband and Rowdy a gang of train robbers. A pretty good story.

[Paulette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was better than I thought it would be although it still was annoying. I am so past the smoldering male heartthrob hitting on some sweet young thing. At least she wasn't some sweet young thing, the attraction was mutual and the sex consensual. I'd have been happier if he hadn't constantly told her that he was going to seduce her. 2.8 rounded to 3.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both Lark Morgan and Rowdy Rhodes arrive at Stone Creek, months apart. Both are instantly attracted to each other, but they both have secrets to hide. Train robberies, missing husbands, family with a name different from what you have, an innocent child who loses her father but unwittingly gives away a secret,,,,a lot going on in a small sleepy town, the schoolmarm and the sheriff discover.

[JoAnn Schaltenbrand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading

Enjoyed reading about Rowdy. He helped Sam and the Coronel in Haven so now they need him in Stone Creek to find the train robbers. He meets Lark and has to deal with family and who is robbing the trains.

[LHC Girl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great Story

This is the second book in this series and they just get better and better. A lovely story about a man trying to live down his past and still keep his family from living the outlaw life. A young woman running from the man she divorced and great secondary characters.

[dianna fifield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read

This is a great story of families with questionable past how some changed for good some remained bad this. Particle series will delight you show happiness and the sad well worth the read

[Margery Houston · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Wanted Man is a great Read

I was pleased by this book. Linda Lael Miller really weaved a great story with her complex characters. I stayed up late at night to finish this one to the ending.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know this took forever to finish. I had it on my phone and read a few pages here and there like waiting for Doordash to be ready and if I was eating lunch by myself. I really enjoyed the romance + wild west. I think I have all the other paper books in this series.

[Kem · Rating 4 out of 5]

A feel good story that I enjoyed. A picture of bad guys who are really good guys with the right incentive. This was like a palette cleanser after the scary suspense diet I've been on for a while.