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Cherish: A Passionate Western Romance Where a Reformed Gunslinger and an Innocent Survivor Discover Love and Redemption
He Longed for...
Race Spencer's gunslinging days are far behind him. He is now a rugged, respectable rancher, but it's a solitary life. Then Fate leads Race to an earthbound angel—lost and alone' the sole survivor of an outlaw attack—and even his hardened heart is moved. He sweeps the ivory-skinned beauty into his arms and carries her away from danger.
A Woman to Cherish
When innocent Rebecca Morgan wakes up in a stranger's embrace, her life has been changed forever. Race's touch makes her blood sing and stirs up emotions in her she never knew existed. But this man has a fearsome reputation. And though her life may depend on him, can she trust him? Is it love she sees in her rescuer's dark eyes.?
Race Spencer's gunslinging days are far behind him. He is now a rugged, respectable rancher, but it's a solitary life. Then Fate leads Race to an earthbound angel—lost and alone' the sole survivor of an outlaw attack—and even his hardened heart is moved. He sweeps the ivory-skinned beauty into his arms and carries her away from danger.
A Woman to Cherish
When innocent Rebecca Morgan wakes up in a stranger's embrace, her life has been changed forever. Race's touch makes her blood sing and stirs up emotions in her she never knew existed. But this man has a fearsome reputation. And though her life may depend on him, can she trust him? Is it love she sees in her rescuer's dark eyes.?
385 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 1998
188 people are currently reading
3019 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Anderson
102 books2,959 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
(1)romance author:
Adeline Catherine was born and raised in Grants Pass, Oregon, USA. She always yearned to be a writer like her mother. The morning that one of her professors asked if she could use samples of Catherine’s creative writing on an overhead projector to teach was a dream come true. In 1988, she sold her first book to Harlequin Intrigue and went on to write three more before she tried her hand at a single-title historical romance. Nine books later, she did her first single-title contemporary.
Catherine married Sidney D. Anderson, an industrial electrician and entrepreneur. They had two sons, Sidney D. Jr. and John G. In 2001 she and her husband purchased a central Oregon home located on a ridge with incredible mountain views and surrounded by forestland honeycombed with trails. It was her dream home, a wonderland in the winter and beyond beautiful in the summer. She named it Cinnamon Ridge after the huge ponderosa pines on the property, which sport bark the color of cinnamon.
Sadly, Catherine lost her husband to a long-term illness in 2014. She has kept Cinnamon Ridge as her primary residence but divides her time between there and her son John's farm, where she has the support of her loved ones and can enjoy his horses, cows, and raise her own chickens.
Catherine loves animals and birds, both wild and domestic. She presently has two Australian shepherds, six cats, and a very old canary. She is very family oriented as well. Her older son has lived in Japan, Australia, and now resides in New Zealand. Catherine and her stateside family will celebrate Christmas on the north island with Sidney, his wife Mary, and their two sons, Liam and Jonas.
(1)romance author:
Adeline Catherine was born and raised in Grants Pass, Oregon, USA. She always yearned to be a writer like her mother. The morning that one of her professors asked if she could use samples of Catherine’s creative writing on an overhead projector to teach was a dream come true. In 1988, she sold her first book to Harlequin Intrigue and went on to write three more before she tried her hand at a single-title historical romance. Nine books later, she did her first single-title contemporary.
Catherine married Sidney D. Anderson, an industrial electrician and entrepreneur. They had two sons, Sidney D. Jr. and John G. In 2001 she and her husband purchased a central Oregon home located on a ridge with incredible mountain views and surrounded by forestland honeycombed with trails. It was her dream home, a wonderland in the winter and beyond beautiful in the summer. She named it Cinnamon Ridge after the huge ponderosa pines on the property, which sport bark the color of cinnamon.
Sadly, Catherine lost her husband to a long-term illness in 2014. She has kept Cinnamon Ridge as her primary residence but divides her time between there and her son John's farm, where she has the support of her loved ones and can enjoy his horses, cows, and raise her own chickens.
Catherine loves animals and birds, both wild and domestic. She presently has two Australian shepherds, six cats, and a very old canary. She is very family oriented as well. Her older son has lived in Japan, Australia, and now resides in New Zealand. Catherine and her stateside family will celebrate Christmas on the north island with Sidney, his wife Mary, and their two sons, Liam and Jonas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 293 reviews
November 15, 2012
Is there a lot of brutal violence in Cherish? Yes. Is there a lot of graphic descriptions of rape and murder? Yes. Is the heroine Rebecca a bible thumping, cheek turning, terrified, clinging young lady? Yes. Is the hero Race, an uneducated half breed? Yes. Is this a good story? YES.
Our hero Race Spencer comes across our heroine Rebecca Anne amid a sea of dead bodies. It's a pretty gory scene but when Race first sees Rebecca he thinks she's an angel. Immediately drawn to her, he's ready to die for her within moments after seeing her. Race holds out against the outlaws who came back to finish off the lone survivor of the carnage and is overcome, but luckily his friends come to the rescue before he can save Rebecca from a fate worse than death.
Right from the start, Race is almost awed by Rebecca's refinement and beauty. In his life he's never known anyone like her. He holds her when she needs holding and protects her when she needs protecting. He also pushes her when she needs it, in order to get her life back together. He is a practical man and doesn't hold with self pity. For the most part, Rebecca doesn't pity herself. She immediately understands her situation, recognizes the absurdity in her family not fighting back when they were attacked, and also finds the courage to move on, surrounded by strange men, in a strange land. I agree with reviewers that Rebecca latched onto Race because he was the strongest. In her mind, better the devil you know then the one you don't. I forgive her for using Race, because honestly, if I was her, I would have done the same thing, just much faster.
This book could have gone wrong in so many ways. If this had been written by Catherine Coulter, Race would probably have been this brute jerk who would have taken advantage of Becca a hundred times over and then despised her for her weakness. He never blames her for the myriad of problems and dangers that Becca brings to him and his men, he in fact blames himself for not being there for her more. Race Spencer made this book for me. It's rare that you can read about such a hard, tough man, who is also incredibly sensitive and caring, and really quite intuitive when it comes to Rebecca and her needs. He tries to be mean and selfish but when she looks at him, his resolve fades away and he endeavors to give all he can, without asking for anything in return.
The violence in Cherish is very real and palpable. It fits in the era though, a time when might made right. But it is also what shapes and molds our hero and heroine. Race lost his mother in a brutal attack that made him unable to take advantage of any woman and Rebecca learns the value of standing on her own two feet, right besides her man.
Luckily, amid all the violence is a lot of humor. What annoyed some readers, was funny to me. Race is an uneducated man who doesn't understand a lot of the fancy words Rebecca uses, and their frequent misunderstandings relieves the tension. Plus, Race and Rebecca have very different ideas as to what constitutes marital relations.
I think Catherine Anderson has created a beautiful, tender love story of two kindred spirits who were able to find each other during a turbulent time and were made so much the better for it. I'm glad I read this book and now count Race as one of my favorites heroes.
Our hero Race Spencer comes across our heroine Rebecca Anne amid a sea of dead bodies. It's a pretty gory scene but when Race first sees Rebecca he thinks she's an angel. Immediately drawn to her, he's ready to die for her within moments after seeing her. Race holds out against the outlaws who came back to finish off the lone survivor of the carnage and is overcome, but luckily his friends come to the rescue before he can save Rebecca from a fate worse than death.
Right from the start, Race is almost awed by Rebecca's refinement and beauty. In his life he's never known anyone like her. He holds her when she needs holding and protects her when she needs protecting. He also pushes her when she needs it, in order to get her life back together. He is a practical man and doesn't hold with self pity. For the most part, Rebecca doesn't pity herself. She immediately understands her situation, recognizes the absurdity in her family not fighting back when they were attacked, and also finds the courage to move on, surrounded by strange men, in a strange land. I agree with reviewers that Rebecca latched onto Race because he was the strongest. In her mind, better the devil you know then the one you don't. I forgive her for using Race, because honestly, if I was her, I would have done the same thing, just much faster.
This book could have gone wrong in so many ways. If this had been written by Catherine Coulter, Race would probably have been this brute jerk who would have taken advantage of Becca a hundred times over and then despised her for her weakness. He never blames her for the myriad of problems and dangers that Becca brings to him and his men, he in fact blames himself for not being there for her more. Race Spencer made this book for me. It's rare that you can read about such a hard, tough man, who is also incredibly sensitive and caring, and really quite intuitive when it comes to Rebecca and her needs. He tries to be mean and selfish but when she looks at him, his resolve fades away and he endeavors to give all he can, without asking for anything in return.
The violence in Cherish is very real and palpable. It fits in the era though, a time when might made right. But it is also what shapes and molds our hero and heroine. Race lost his mother in a brutal attack that made him unable to take advantage of any woman and Rebecca learns the value of standing on her own two feet, right besides her man.
Luckily, amid all the violence is a lot of humor. What annoyed some readers, was funny to me. Race is an uneducated man who doesn't understand a lot of the fancy words Rebecca uses, and their frequent misunderstandings relieves the tension. Plus, Race and Rebecca have very different ideas as to what constitutes marital relations.
I think Catherine Anderson has created a beautiful, tender love story of two kindred spirits who were able to find each other during a turbulent time and were made so much the better for it. I'm glad I read this book and now count Race as one of my favorites heroes.
January 18, 2021
"Goddamn it,wake up!I`m your husband and i`m ordering you to stop this.Say something to me.You can`t just crawl away inside of yourself and hide!That`s what you are doing,damn it!Hidin from life.Wherever you are darling,you gotta come out.Stand up to it.Fight back,for Gods sake.You won`t be alone.I`ll be there,right beside you.I swear it.But you gotta make a stand.You can`t just curl up and die.You´re leavin me.Leavin me all alone.I`d never do it to you.Please,don`t do it to me.You think i`m strong.You think i`m never afraid.Well,think again.I`m not strong,and i`m scared to death!I can`t live without you.Do you hear me?If you won`t fight for yourself,then damn it,love me enough to fight for me."
-Race Spencer
***
A massive wonderful tale filled with actionpacked adventure,unforgettable characters,light humor and such a bittersweet romance..loved it all!
Catherine Anderson is a author i have admired dearly ever since i read the first two books in the "Comanche" series by her,"Comanche Moon" that are one of my most favourites books of all time and i was planning to read more by this incredible author.So i picked up "Cherish".
Catherine Anderson are a prom when it comes to writing.I was thrown right into the story and itfelt like i lived in it while i was reading.The scenes where the hero Race Spencer fought against the enemies by himself just to protect his heroine was so vivid to me.Its sometimes hard for me to get inside the story when it comes to detailed action scenes but in this book it was very easy.
I fell deeply in love with both the hero and heroine and how their love developed was so wonderful to watch.I love the scenes where Race later seduces his Rebecca to make her accept his love-making,it all was so deliciously fun!
Rebecca Morgan really grows up into a strong woman throughout the story thanks to the powerful care,respect and love from Race.That man was willing to die for her without hesitation,and he would do so gladly.Even if she broke apart sometimes,she still managed to stay put and the end when she finally saved her husband,her hero...i was just applauding!Such a worthy heroine she became!!!Race Spencer-OH GOD HOW I WANT TO MARRY HIM!He is a rough Texas Rancher who owns a incredible heart inside that gorgeous hunky body,and the second he sees his angel,his heroine Rebecca Morgan,he becomes a smitten hero to die for (dreamy sigh)!She means everything to him-and her happiness was everything.He was so brave and strong-not frightened of anything,only the thought of ever losing Rebecca made him mad.He was never afraid to face death-he was a man who would spit death in the face if he ever would come close to it. Just SWOON!!!Race was a Golden-Hearted Alpha.Even with his terrible past he still managed to stay so strong.Seriously,i want him!
This is a incredible book with a very good epiluge.The ending to the epiluge made me laugh so much!The way Rebecca`s and Race`s oldest son Zachariah kidnapped his school teacher and later married her in the Apache way,giving her no say in the matter at all!Hahahaha!That`s insane!
Just WOW Catherine Anderson,you just made my day with this unforgettable love story!...and i want a Race Spencer of my own!!!!Can never get enough of this man!
-Race Spencer
***
A massive wonderful tale filled with actionpacked adventure,unforgettable characters,light humor and such a bittersweet romance..loved it all!
Catherine Anderson is a author i have admired dearly ever since i read the first two books in the "Comanche" series by her,"Comanche Moon" that are one of my most favourites books of all time and i was planning to read more by this incredible author.So i picked up "Cherish".
Catherine Anderson are a prom when it comes to writing.I was thrown right into the story and itfelt like i lived in it while i was reading.The scenes where the hero Race Spencer fought against the enemies by himself just to protect his heroine was so vivid to me.Its sometimes hard for me to get inside the story when it comes to detailed action scenes but in this book it was very easy.
I fell deeply in love with both the hero and heroine and how their love developed was so wonderful to watch.I love the scenes where Race later seduces his Rebecca to make her accept his love-making,it all was so deliciously fun!
Rebecca Morgan really grows up into a strong woman throughout the story thanks to the powerful care,respect and love from Race.That man was willing to die for her without hesitation,and he would do so gladly.Even if she broke apart sometimes,she still managed to stay put and the end when she finally saved her husband,her hero...i was just applauding!Such a worthy heroine she became!!!Race Spencer-OH GOD HOW I WANT TO MARRY HIM!He is a rough Texas Rancher who owns a incredible heart inside that gorgeous hunky body,and the second he sees his angel,his heroine Rebecca Morgan,he becomes a smitten hero to die for (dreamy sigh)!She means everything to him-and her happiness was everything.He was so brave and strong-not frightened of anything,only the thought of ever losing Rebecca made him mad.He was never afraid to face death-he was a man who would spit death in the face if he ever would come close to it. Just SWOON!!!Race was a Golden-Hearted Alpha.Even with his terrible past he still managed to stay so strong.Seriously,i want him!
This is a incredible book with a very good epiluge.The ending to the epiluge made me laugh so much!The way Rebecca`s and Race`s oldest son Zachariah kidnapped his school teacher and later married her in the Apache way,giving her no say in the matter at all!Hahahaha!That`s insane!
Just WOW Catherine Anderson,you just made my day with this unforgettable love story!...and i want a Race Spencer of my own!!!!Can never get enough of this man!
November 17, 2021
Race Spencer is one of the best men ever written. He’s one of those characters that you KNOW was written by a woman, he’s that unreal. However, I don’t care and I love him.
This book won’t be for everyone, it’s heavy on the Bible thumping, extreme violence and old school language. (darn tootin & tarnation!) It was Race that made the book for me. He’s seriously alpha, but so incredibly sensitive to Rebecca’s plight. He’s lived a hard life as a former gunslinger, facing prejudices for being part Apache and surviving alone as young boy after his mother is brutally murdered.
Rebecca has been raised in a loving but cloistered community. She wears only black, no skin showing, and her parents have picked out her husband for her. She’s completely innocent in all ways of life. So when her family is raped and murdered in front of her on their way across the country, she’s obviously in shock when Race finds her.
The balance of these two complete opposites was lovely.
This book won’t be for everyone, it’s heavy on the Bible thumping, extreme violence and old school language. (darn tootin & tarnation!) It was Race that made the book for me. He’s seriously alpha, but so incredibly sensitive to Rebecca’s plight. He’s lived a hard life as a former gunslinger, facing prejudices for being part Apache and surviving alone as young boy after his mother is brutally murdered.
Rebecca has been raised in a loving but cloistered community. She wears only black, no skin showing, and her parents have picked out her husband for her. She’s completely innocent in all ways of life. So when her family is raped and murdered in front of her on their way across the country, she’s obviously in shock when Race finds her.
The balance of these two complete opposites was lovely.
It had been the similarities, he guessed, between his past and her present, a feeling that they were kindred souls.Yes, it’s cringy at times, but I loved the overall story. I’d forgotten what a sloooooow burn some of these old books are.
June 17, 2016
I don't know what it is about Catherine Anderson's writing, but it always leaves me feeling both good and bad. I sometimes want to hate her books, but can't seem to bring myself to that point, and end up liking them far more than I believe I should. Her style is easy to maneuver, her characters are fleshed out and sympathetic, her pacing is good, and her heroes are intriguing. The heroines I could sometimes do without, but even when they annoy me, they're well thought-out, so I can't really fault them. Rebecca is annoying whenever she goes into Bible Thumper mode, but since that's a huge part of the conflict, it's easy to accept. I loved Race.
Anderson's stories are not for everyone, there usually tends to be some grit and tragedy that some readers simply aren't looking for, but I prefer her more realistic version of the Old West as opposed to the cartoonish, infantile versions of some of the other books I've read.
Anderson's stories are not for everyone, there usually tends to be some grit and tragedy that some readers simply aren't looking for, but I prefer her more realistic version of the Old West as opposed to the cartoonish, infantile versions of some of the other books I've read.
September 8, 2011
Ahhhhh...what a wonderful read. I'm so sorry I finished it though! I know this author isn't for everyone, but she sure is for me. I loved Race and Rebecca's story--and I went through many emotions while reading it. I laughed, I cried, I feared for the characters...I got totally wrapped up in it all and I didn't want it to end. And the hero, former gunslinger Race Spencer? One of Catherine Anderson's more memorable heroes. A quarter breed Apache Indian who as a young child lost his mother to a violent act, grew up to be a feared gunslinger and now is trying his hand at ranching. While driving/herding his cattle home to his Colorado ranch, he stumbles upon a chilling scene--a massacre the likes of which he's never witnessed. But there's a lone survivor--a small blonde beauty who's destined to steal his heart.
In the space of a few violent minutes, she had been stripped of everything that truly mattered to her except life itself--her parents, her relatives, her friends, her self-confidence, her world. Even her God. There had been absolutely nothing left. On that fateful evening in the arroyo, it might have been anyone who found her, kneeling in the middle of that bloodbath, mindless with shock. But by some wondrous twist of fate--or perhaps by the hand of God Himself--it had been Race Spencer, a man who was, in every way, a consolation for all that had been taken from her.
Race and Rebecca--not much in common, but they worked well as a couple. Rebecca was a naive young girl making her way by wagon train with her family and members of her tight-knit religious community across the country from Pennsylvania to Santa Fe. They were ambushed by a gang of ruffians looking to steal the money they had brought with them, and shell-shocked Rebecca was the lone survivor. Race stumbles upon the scene, takes pity on Rebecca, and vows to protect her--and nearly loses his life and his herd doing so. Along the way he falls hard for her, but with his lack of education, his Indian heritage, and the hard life he's lead, he wonders if he's good enough for her...
Oh yeah, Race...I loved this character! He was sweet, sexy, commanding, protective, gentle...and funny! I laughed at some of the things he said, I swooned at some of the things he said, and I cried at some of the things he said. Even though he was an uneducated man, he was smart and perceptive and worked his way into Rebecca's heart just by being his sweet self. The fact that they had wildly different backgrounds and life experiences was what made the book so captivating. Rebecca was just so innocent and Race was anything but, but neither had experienced love and it was wonderful seeing each realize that they were falling for the other. I loved the way these characters connected on an emotional level.
And the physical? Well, the 'wedding night' scene is probably one of the best in the book, as Race convinces Rebecca that he will 'go about his business' and will not have any 'ungodly urges'! No spoilers here, but that scene managed to be commical and hot at the same time.:)
"Race, wh-what are you--aa-aaa-ah!--wh-what are you doing?"
From under the quilts, his muffled baritone said, "My manly business, darlin'. It's all right."
Rebecca clamped her knees together. "Are you--sure it's--oh, my God, what--?"
Fans of Catherine Anderson's writing style should love this one. I think it is one of her best stand alone books with one of her best heroes. I truly loved all the characters and the plot, thought there was a decent amount of heat and I could feel the love between the H/h. The dialogue was some of Anderson's snapiest and funniest that I've ever read, and the pacing was quick. She tosses God's name around a bit, but it fits within the plot. My only complaint was...I'd like a sequel! 5 stars
In the space of a few violent minutes, she had been stripped of everything that truly mattered to her except life itself--her parents, her relatives, her friends, her self-confidence, her world. Even her God. There had been absolutely nothing left. On that fateful evening in the arroyo, it might have been anyone who found her, kneeling in the middle of that bloodbath, mindless with shock. But by some wondrous twist of fate--or perhaps by the hand of God Himself--it had been Race Spencer, a man who was, in every way, a consolation for all that had been taken from her.
Race and Rebecca--not much in common, but they worked well as a couple. Rebecca was a naive young girl making her way by wagon train with her family and members of her tight-knit religious community across the country from Pennsylvania to Santa Fe. They were ambushed by a gang of ruffians looking to steal the money they had brought with them, and shell-shocked Rebecca was the lone survivor. Race stumbles upon the scene, takes pity on Rebecca, and vows to protect her--and nearly loses his life and his herd doing so. Along the way he falls hard for her, but with his lack of education, his Indian heritage, and the hard life he's lead, he wonders if he's good enough for her...
Oh yeah, Race...I loved this character! He was sweet, sexy, commanding, protective, gentle...and funny! I laughed at some of the things he said, I swooned at some of the things he said, and I cried at some of the things he said. Even though he was an uneducated man, he was smart and perceptive and worked his way into Rebecca's heart just by being his sweet self. The fact that they had wildly different backgrounds and life experiences was what made the book so captivating. Rebecca was just so innocent and Race was anything but, but neither had experienced love and it was wonderful seeing each realize that they were falling for the other. I loved the way these characters connected on an emotional level.
And the physical? Well, the 'wedding night' scene is probably one of the best in the book, as Race convinces Rebecca that he will 'go about his business' and will not have any 'ungodly urges'! No spoilers here, but that scene managed to be commical and hot at the same time.:)
"Race, wh-what are you--aa-aaa-ah!--wh-what are you doing?"
From under the quilts, his muffled baritone said, "My manly business, darlin'. It's all right."
Rebecca clamped her knees together. "Are you--sure it's--oh, my God, what--?"
Fans of Catherine Anderson's writing style should love this one. I think it is one of her best stand alone books with one of her best heroes. I truly loved all the characters and the plot, thought there was a decent amount of heat and I could feel the love between the H/h. The dialogue was some of Anderson's snapiest and funniest that I've ever read, and the pacing was quick. She tosses God's name around a bit, but it fits within the plot. My only complaint was...I'd like a sequel! 5 stars
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April 2, 2025I quit. DNF at 19%.
I swear if she flinches one more time I'll commit murder myself.
I swear if she flinches one more time I'll commit murder myself.
March 9, 2012
*sigh* I love you, Catherine Anderson!! I could gush for hours about Catherine Anderson's heroes, but I've done that in all my previous reviews of her books. I'll just say I loved Race Spencer...he actually turned out to be one of my favorites of hers. I loved his common sense logic, and the way he put things in simple terms warmed my heart. He was sincere and loveable.
I really liked Rebecca, too! Catherine Anderson's heroines are usually tortured and need a lot of help, which the hero so wonderfully provides, but they always overcome in the end. Becca's journey was an emotional one...she lived through serious horror and also had to get past a lot of issues with her faith. She made my heart hurt many times. It got so bad that she had to just retreat into herself. Race's love and understanding helped her to walk through it all and come out strong. She was so brave!
My favorite part:
“Do you know,” she whispered, tracing light patterns on his bare chest with a fingertip, “that almost from the first, I’ve always loved to have your arms around me?”
He trailed warm, silken lips over her forehead. “That’s because this is where you was always meant to be,” he whispered.
*sigh*
I really liked Rebecca, too! Catherine Anderson's heroines are usually tortured and need a lot of help, which the hero so wonderfully provides, but they always overcome in the end. Becca's journey was an emotional one...she lived through serious horror and also had to get past a lot of issues with her faith. She made my heart hurt many times. It got so bad that she had to just retreat into herself. Race's love and understanding helped her to walk through it all and come out strong. She was so brave!
My favorite part:
“Do you know,” she whispered, tracing light patterns on his bare chest with a fingertip, “that almost from the first, I’ve always loved to have your arms around me?”
He trailed warm, silken lips over her forehead. “That’s because this is where you was always meant to be,” he whispered.
*sigh*
May 16, 2020
2.75 Stars
A very good premise that I was looking forwarding to, but the pacing and some of the character interactions really did not work for me.
There were some sweet moments in this, but overall it left me super underwhelmed. I laughed a few times when I really shouldn't have.
Potential Triggers:
A very good premise that I was looking forwarding to, but the pacing and some of the character interactions really did not work for me.
There were some sweet moments in this, but overall it left me super underwhelmed. I laughed a few times when I really shouldn't have.
Potential Triggers:
January 30, 2025
I love a good cowboy romance, be it historical or contemporary. I love the whole horse riding, cowboy hat wearing, hard-working vibes that western romances provide, so Cherished seemed like it would be right up my alley.
There were some beautiful and poignant moments in Cherish. The hero truly loves the heroine and the heroine cares deeply for the man who rescued her from an unquestionably violent end. Unfortunately, those moments were greatly overshadowed by the ridiculous “western dialect” Anderson insisted her characters use in both their words and their thoughts. It was like Yosemite Sam was Anderson's ghost writer. It was terrible and it ruined the book for me. Had Anderson written the novel to be less cartoon-y, I would have liked this more.
TW: This book has a ton of violence. Murder, rape, assault….. and it’s from the beginning to the end. It’s not depicted in detail but you know the entire time reading this book that violence is going to rain down on these characters. But, there is a HEA.
There were some beautiful and poignant moments in Cherish. The hero truly loves the heroine and the heroine cares deeply for the man who rescued her from an unquestionably violent end. Unfortunately, those moments were greatly overshadowed by the ridiculous “western dialect” Anderson insisted her characters use in both their words and their thoughts. It was like Yosemite Sam was Anderson's ghost writer. It was terrible and it ruined the book for me. Had Anderson written the novel to be less cartoon-y, I would have liked this more.
TW: This book has a ton of violence. Murder, rape, assault….. and it’s from the beginning to the end. It’s not depicted in detail but you know the entire time reading this book that violence is going to rain down on these characters. But, there is a HEA.
April 24, 2023
2 stars.
This book was VERY difficult to read because of all the very graphic mentions of rape and murder and also the near rape of the heroine.
What ultimately lost me though...was when the hero tried to make the heroine stop blaming herself for hiding while her parents were murdered. She was feeling guilty and his way of showing her that she shouldn't feel that way was by pretending to rape her!!! 🤡🤡🤡 He wanted to prove to her that there was nothing she could have done to change their fate. That as a weak woman, she never would have been able to fight off those men. This comes very closely on the heels of her being nearly raped, her rescue was a very precarious thing and she was emotionally scarred by that event. So yea... I don't know what the fuck the author was thinking. And I don't see how it could ever be possible for the heroine to fall for the hero after a stunt like that. What a load of bull.
There are several other instances of just totally thoughtless behavior on the part of the hero, and their connection felt super forced to me. 2 stars only because I finished it, and the epilogue was pretty decent.
Safe;
Virgin heroine
Hero had only ever been with prostitutes
Hero is the one with betraying body syndrome for a change
No scenes with OM/OW, NO OM/OW drama
No cheating
Heroine is nearly raped, and watched/hid as her mother got raped and then murdered. The rest of her traveling party suffer similar fates.
This book was VERY difficult to read because of all the very graphic mentions of rape and murder and also the near rape of the heroine.
What ultimately lost me though...was when the hero tried to make the heroine stop blaming herself for hiding while her parents were murdered. She was feeling guilty and his way of showing her that she shouldn't feel that way was by pretending to rape her!!! 🤡🤡🤡 He wanted to prove to her that there was nothing she could have done to change their fate. That as a weak woman, she never would have been able to fight off those men. This comes very closely on the heels of her being nearly raped, her rescue was a very precarious thing and she was emotionally scarred by that event. So yea... I don't know what the fuck the author was thinking. And I don't see how it could ever be possible for the heroine to fall for the hero after a stunt like that. What a load of bull.
There are several other instances of just totally thoughtless behavior on the part of the hero, and their connection felt super forced to me. 2 stars only because I finished it, and the epilogue was pretty decent.
Safe;
Virgin heroine
Hero had only ever been with prostitutes
Hero is the one with betraying body syndrome for a change
No scenes with OM/OW, NO OM/OW drama
No cheating
Heroine is nearly raped, and watched/hid as her mother got raped and then murdered. The rest of her traveling party suffer similar fates.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2020
While scouting for a cattle drive, Race Spencer comes across the massacre of a wagon train. The only survivor, Rebecca Morgan, is in shock. Learning that she was part of a religious sect who were moving to New Mexico, Race cannot understand the motivation for murdering these people. But when a gang of gunfighters begin following Race and Rebecca, she admits that her family was carrying a lot of money that the gang was searching for. Now they must retrieve the money and outrun the outlaws and their guns.
This 378-page historical romance could have easily been cut in half if there wasn't so much description and introspection. We had page after page of description of the heroine's beautiful blonde hair, the never-ending gunfight, and a cattle stampede. I hated Rebecca continually blaming herself for everything that has happened and crying every ten pages. The story itself was okay. It probably would have made a good novella if there hadn't been so much filler. My rating: 2 Stars.
This 378-page historical romance could have easily been cut in half if there wasn't so much description and introspection. We had page after page of description of the heroine's beautiful blonde hair, the never-ending gunfight, and a cattle stampede. I hated Rebecca continually blaming herself for everything that has happened and crying every ten pages. The story itself was okay. It probably would have made a good novella if there hadn't been so much filler. My rating: 2 Stars.
November 15, 2012
Rebecca Morgan makes Molly Wells at her weakest look like a badass. Yes, I went there.
There's sheltered and traumatized, and then there's a wilting flower who collapses and goes into a trauma coma at the slightest provocation. We get it, she witnessed a brutal shootout and lost her entire family. She has the right to freak out. But this girl barely even TRIES to overcome it or even discuss it with anyone, she just faints and lets Race lead her along. And the kidnapping and attempted rape scene in this book was just ridiculously cliche, right down to the man talking all filthy at the trembling heroine and the hero showing up just at the right moment to save the day. And was it REALLY necessary for Anderson to spell out "He-he-help mee-eee-heeeee" the way she did? It was pure narm!
And talk about self-flagellation, this chick blames herself and apologizes for EVERYTHING. Weeping and shrieking over how OMG IT WAS ALL HER FAULT EVERYONE DIED (never mind that she wasn't combat-ready and her upbringing taught her fuckall about self-defense, so it's not like she COULD have done anything), cries and wails over the cook threatening to quit just because she's clumsy in the kitchen and ruined the stew, etc, etc. And it goes on and on like this...sure, she gains a little bit of a spine at the end when she comes out of her trauma coma faces down the outlaws, but in the damn epilogue she's said to be sassy and tart and yet she still needs to be rescued by her own son when she rushes headlong into danger to protect a young Apache girl. This woman redefines Damsel In Distress.
Race, on the other hand, is nothing to write home about. Typical Anderson heroine, even for an uneducated former outlaw he's pretty flowery, and of course it's the big strong manly man's job to teach the wounded beauty it's okay to love and have sexual feelings. And boy, does Rebecca need teaching given the way she loses her shit over the foreplay and refuse to say "breast". And then, when he won't fuck her again the next night she immediately thinks he finds her dirty and loses her temper with him, only to melt like butter when he tells her his real reason.
The romance is nothing to write home about. Basically, take every Anderson Rescue Fantasy and multiply it by ten and you've got Race and Rebecca. She can't trust him, he's a man! Oh, but he's so handsome. Oh no, he's looking at her! She hates him! Oh, but does she? Big manly man finds little flower of a woman attractive. He wants her! Oh, but she's so fragile. Here, let me marry you the Apache way so I can do you!
And the ending was pretty out of nowhere, with the rumor about her kid carting a schoolteacher off and doing her. I mean, what? That sounds like the plot for a whole other story and they just end with it like "oh btw".
Overall, this book is hilarious in all the wrong ways. It's every Anderson cliche times ten, from the wilting flower of a heroine to the perfect desperado to the fucking dog.
There's sheltered and traumatized, and then there's a wilting flower who collapses and goes into a trauma coma at the slightest provocation. We get it, she witnessed a brutal shootout and lost her entire family. She has the right to freak out. But this girl barely even TRIES to overcome it or even discuss it with anyone, she just faints and lets Race lead her along. And the kidnapping and attempted rape scene in this book was just ridiculously cliche, right down to the man talking all filthy at the trembling heroine and the hero showing up just at the right moment to save the day. And was it REALLY necessary for Anderson to spell out "He-he-help mee-eee-heeeee" the way she did? It was pure narm!
And talk about self-flagellation, this chick blames herself and apologizes for EVERYTHING. Weeping and shrieking over how OMG IT WAS ALL HER FAULT EVERYONE DIED (never mind that she wasn't combat-ready and her upbringing taught her fuckall about self-defense, so it's not like she COULD have done anything), cries and wails over the cook threatening to quit just because she's clumsy in the kitchen and ruined the stew, etc, etc. And it goes on and on like this...sure, she gains a little bit of a spine at the end when she comes out of her trauma coma faces down the outlaws, but in the damn epilogue she's said to be sassy and tart and yet she still needs to be rescued by her own son when she rushes headlong into danger to protect a young Apache girl. This woman redefines Damsel In Distress.
Race, on the other hand, is nothing to write home about. Typical Anderson heroine, even for an uneducated former outlaw he's pretty flowery, and of course it's the big strong manly man's job to teach the wounded beauty it's okay to love and have sexual feelings. And boy, does Rebecca need teaching given the way she loses her shit over the foreplay and refuse to say "breast". And then, when he won't fuck her again the next night she immediately thinks he finds her dirty and loses her temper with him, only to melt like butter when he tells her his real reason.
The romance is nothing to write home about. Basically, take every Anderson Rescue Fantasy and multiply it by ten and you've got Race and Rebecca. She can't trust him, he's a man! Oh, but he's so handsome. Oh no, he's looking at her! She hates him! Oh, but does she? Big manly man finds little flower of a woman attractive. He wants her! Oh, but she's so fragile. Here, let me marry you the Apache way so I can do you!
And the ending was pretty out of nowhere, with the rumor about her kid carting a schoolteacher off and doing her. I mean, what? That sounds like the plot for a whole other story and they just end with it like "oh btw".
Overall, this book is hilarious in all the wrong ways. It's every Anderson cliche times ten, from the wilting flower of a heroine to the perfect desperado to the fucking dog.
October 15, 2009
On a wagon train from Pennsylvania to New Mexico, Rebecca Morgan's world was shattered when everyone in the group was murdered right in front of her eyes. Drawn away from his cattle drive by the sound of gunfire, Race Spencer scared the men away before they could murder Rebecca.
Because Rebecca was all alone, Race had no choice but to take the her along with him to finish the cattle drive back to his ranch. Although Race didn't think he was good enough for the well educated pious young woman in his care, he eventually fell head over heels in love with her. Terrified to be away from him but unsure of her feelings, Rebecca eventually agreed to marry Race because she couldn't imagine her life without him.
I love Catherine Anderson's heroes. They're big, strong, and gentle men who would (to use one of CA's colorful phrases) fight a chainsaw running backwards to keep the heroine safe. Race is one of my favorite Anderson heroes. He was rough and uneducated but very intelligent all the same. He had such a way with words (the words he was familiar with, I should say). Rebecca would use big words like procreation and fornication and he would tell her to speak English so he could understand what she was talking about. Reading about life from Race's point of view was the highlight of this book. Did I mention that I loved Race?
Rebecca was a tiny frightened shell of a woman for most of the book, but having gone thorough everything that she experienced when her family was killed, I can understand why she was that way. Because of her strict religious upbringing, I was curious to see how Rebecca would act the first time she and Race slept together, and I wasn't disappointed. It was freaking hilarious! "Come on now, darlin'. You just keep thinking about something else while I do my business". OMG! LOL
The only problem I had with this book was the fact that a few scenes tended to go on and on for pages. A couple of times I sat there tensely waiting for them to get on with it already! In one scene, Race is getting the total crap beat out of him and Rebecca has to save him. The scene dragged on for several pages while Rebecca thought about what she was going to do, what she had done, what she might do in the future, what might happen if she missed, blah blah blah. The entire time I'm on the edge of my seat wanting her to just pull the danged trigger!
All in all I loved this book. I love CA's writing style and I can't wait to read more of her books.
Because Rebecca was all alone, Race had no choice but to take the her along with him to finish the cattle drive back to his ranch. Although Race didn't think he was good enough for the well educated pious young woman in his care, he eventually fell head over heels in love with her. Terrified to be away from him but unsure of her feelings, Rebecca eventually agreed to marry Race because she couldn't imagine her life without him.
I love Catherine Anderson's heroes. They're big, strong, and gentle men who would (to use one of CA's colorful phrases) fight a chainsaw running backwards to keep the heroine safe. Race is one of my favorite Anderson heroes. He was rough and uneducated but very intelligent all the same. He had such a way with words (the words he was familiar with, I should say). Rebecca would use big words like procreation and fornication and he would tell her to speak English so he could understand what she was talking about. Reading about life from Race's point of view was the highlight of this book. Did I mention that I loved Race?
Rebecca was a tiny frightened shell of a woman for most of the book, but having gone thorough everything that she experienced when her family was killed, I can understand why she was that way. Because of her strict religious upbringing, I was curious to see how Rebecca would act the first time she and Race slept together, and I wasn't disappointed. It was freaking hilarious! "Come on now, darlin'. You just keep thinking about something else while I do my business". OMG! LOL
The only problem I had with this book was the fact that a few scenes tended to go on and on for pages. A couple of times I sat there tensely waiting for them to get on with it already! In one scene, Race is getting the total crap beat out of him and Rebecca has to save him. The scene dragged on for several pages while Rebecca thought about what she was going to do, what she had done, what she might do in the future, what might happen if she missed, blah blah blah. The entire time I'm on the edge of my seat wanting her to just pull the danged trigger!
All in all I loved this book. I love CA's writing style and I can't wait to read more of her books.
May 24, 2024
Before I go on to my review I should point out that I only read till about 40% of the book. I tried to at least make it till 50% and then decide whether to continue or not, as I read in other reviews that it gets better towards the end, but I just couldn't waste more of my time with it.
That being said, here are the reasons why I didn't like Cherish:
1. The plot. The premise was good and I was really looking forward to reading this book -all the books I'd read recently hadn't been my cuppa, and I really liked the first book I read from the author, Annie's Song- but it just didn't live up to my expectations. I found the plot somewhat unrealistic and far too questionable for my taste.
2. The characters. Ok, so this is supposed to be a romance, right? Well, try reading a romance when your two main characters, no matter how hard you try to picture them differently, look like this in your mind's eye:
Meet Race:
Meet Rebecca: (but with blond hair and curls) I'm sorry, but as hard as I tried I just couldn't picture her as a grown woman.
I understand that she had lived a sheltered life, but still.
Needless to say, every time something even remotely sexual started happening I felt like cringing. If the story had just been about a nice gruff Apache man recueing a little orphaned girl and helping her, it would've been a lot better.
3. The pace. Oh my God, the pace! I think this was the most annoying thing about this book. You can read through pages and pages and pages and pages and NOTHING has happened! Just stop with the bloody musings already and get the f"&k on with the story! Don't get me wrong, I like it when the author gives us some insight on what's going on with the characters, but this was just too much. There is a thing called too much description, too many explanations and too much mulling, no matter how nicely written it is. It was also incredibly repetitive. You could strip this book of half its pages and it would still be too long for the actual story it holds.
That being said, here are the reasons why I didn't like Cherish:
1. The plot. The premise was good and I was really looking forward to reading this book -all the books I'd read recently hadn't been my cuppa, and I really liked the first book I read from the author, Annie's Song- but it just didn't live up to my expectations. I found the plot somewhat unrealistic and far too questionable for my taste.
2. The characters. Ok, so this is supposed to be a romance, right? Well, try reading a romance when your two main characters, no matter how hard you try to picture them differently, look like this in your mind's eye:
Meet Race:
Meet Rebecca: (but with blond hair and curls) I'm sorry, but as hard as I tried I just couldn't picture her as a grown woman.
I understand that she had lived a sheltered life, but still.
Needless to say, every time something even remotely sexual started happening I felt like cringing. If the story had just been about a nice gruff Apache man recueing a little orphaned girl and helping her, it would've been a lot better.
3. The pace. Oh my God, the pace! I think this was the most annoying thing about this book. You can read through pages and pages and pages and pages and NOTHING has happened! Just stop with the bloody musings already and get the f"&k on with the story! Don't get me wrong, I like it when the author gives us some insight on what's going on with the characters, but this was just too much. There is a thing called too much description, too many explanations and too much mulling, no matter how nicely written it is. It was also incredibly repetitive. You could strip this book of half its pages and it would still be too long for the actual story it holds.
October 22, 2021
This one wasn't quite my cup of tea.
It was still a beautiful story in a lot of ways but it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for based on the description.
Annie's Song is still my fave.
3.5/5 stars
It was still a beautiful story in a lot of ways but it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for based on the description.
Annie's Song is still my fave.
3.5/5 stars
December 19, 2025
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I absolutely loved this book!
What a great job this author did at slowly telling the story. I loved that for once, the feelings, emotions, everything of the romance took its sweet time... making it feel actually realistic!
The hero in this book was an awesome guy. It was said that he was a dangerous former gunslinger, but from reading the actual story, I am not sure I would have come up with that exact description. He was a strong, brave rancher-guy but had a wonderful personality that was so easy to adore while reading.
The heroine was a super innocent, former religious cult daughter and it was awesome to see her wake up and see the real world without the religious adults hindering her actions. Someone complained in another review that this author puts too much religious reference in her stories... I am NOT religious at all and I do need to say that what religion is mentioned in this book is appropriate and works perfect with the story. Not overwhelming or preachy offensive at all.
The other thing that surprised me, I generally do not like violent stories, normally just fluffy lightweight stories.... but this author did such a great job story telling, that the gun shooting, violence was so well written out that I did not feel the need to cringe and skip ahead. :)
What a great job this author did at slowly telling the story. I loved that for once, the feelings, emotions, everything of the romance took its sweet time... making it feel actually realistic!
The hero in this book was an awesome guy. It was said that he was a dangerous former gunslinger, but from reading the actual story, I am not sure I would have come up with that exact description. He was a strong, brave rancher-guy but had a wonderful personality that was so easy to adore while reading.
The heroine was a super innocent, former religious cult daughter and it was awesome to see her wake up and see the real world without the religious adults hindering her actions. Someone complained in another review that this author puts too much religious reference in her stories... I am NOT religious at all and I do need to say that what religion is mentioned in this book is appropriate and works perfect with the story. Not overwhelming or preachy offensive at all.
The other thing that surprised me, I generally do not like violent stories, normally just fluffy lightweight stories.... but this author did such a great job story telling, that the gun shooting, violence was so well written out that I did not feel the need to cringe and skip ahead. :)
June 26, 2018
Cherish is an old-school gory western romance. Complete with gunshots, murders, a damsel in distress and a hero. A pretty fun read, I enjoyed it.
August 28, 2021
I’ll be honest, I didn’t finish the book because I got lazy, that doesn’t mean I wasn’t good, because it was incredible.
It was absolutely heart wrenching reading about how the church people were massacred on the road, Ms Cathrine did not spare any detail in describing the depth and horror of the tragedy.
The heroine was the only survivor.
The church people were basically carrying a large some of money on them, transferring it to another location. A band of robbers heard about it and killed and raped them all, expect the heroine.
The hero comes along and sees the tragedy and find the heroine. The murders are after her because she’s the only survivor that knows the location of the money so the hero protects her.
There are heavily detailed scenes where the heroine is temporarily captured and is abused, I found myself cringing with how bad it was.
Overall the book was good.
It was absolutely heart wrenching reading about how the church people were massacred on the road, Ms Cathrine did not spare any detail in describing the depth and horror of the tragedy.
The heroine was the only survivor.
The church people were basically carrying a large some of money on them, transferring it to another location. A band of robbers heard about it and killed and raped them all, expect the heroine.
The hero comes along and sees the tragedy and find the heroine. The murders are after her because she’s the only survivor that knows the location of the money so the hero protects her.
There are heavily detailed scenes where the heroine is temporarily captured and is abused, I found myself cringing with how bad it was.
Overall the book was good.
February 18, 2020
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" Cherish is one of Catherine Anderson's older, stand-alone, historical romances. It’s the story of a young woman who was raised in a strict religious sect. Her church community decides to head west where there’s more open spaces free from the encroachment of secular society, and they take a large amount of money with them from the sale of their lands that’s intended to help them survive in their new home. Unfortunately, during their journey, the settlers are waylaid by thieves who brutally rape, murder, and pillage their wagon train, and our heroine is the sole survivor. She’s found by the hero who is driving cattle to his ranch. With no other women for miles around, the job of caring for her falls on his shoulders, so he looks out for her and protects her. But their burgeoning relationship is tried by the thieves who never found the church money and keep inflicting murder and mayhem on the hero’s men and cattle in an effort to get their hands on it. I had a few minor quibbles here and there that I’ll address as I go along, but overall, this was a very good story that I enjoyed.
Rebecca has lived a sheltered life in her little church community, but it’s been one with which she’s been content thus far. The Brethren have chosen a husband for her whom she’s to be betrothed to when they reach New Mexico, and she’s looking forward to her new life there. However, she’s given a harsh lesson in the realities of life when her parents and everyone else in their party are murdered. The Brethren are a peaceful group who don’t believe in violence of any kind, so none of them even fought back against their attackers. Rebecca hid in the bushes, which is where she’s found in shock by Race as he’s passing through with his cattle. He rescues her and keeps her safe when the thieves come back and takes her with him as they continue the journey to his ranch. At first, Rebecca thinks that Race is one of the thieves, but once she realizes he means her no harm, she quickly begins to trust him and his men. However, she’s suffering from what I’m sure was a form of PTSD from her ordeal, as well as survivor’s guilt and additional guilt over bringing trouble to Race’s camp. She ends up becoming very dependent on him, perhaps a little too much so, but given her religious background where she was taught to be submissive, I suppose it fit her character. With Race she has a bit more gumption, but whenever the thieves come around, she has a tendency to run and hide, making me wish that she’d stand up for herself a bit more. But I realized again that her background was probably playing into her actions, as well as the fact that she trusts Race, whereas the thieves understandably scare her to death. I’m happy to report that she does eventually find her confidence and a much firmer footing. It takes a while to get there, but the payoff, IMHO, was worth it. Readers who are more drawn to feisty, kick-butt heroines may not like her, but I thought she was sweet and generally relatable.
Race has had a rough life. He was born to a white trapper and his mixed race (white/Apache) wife, so he’s experienced prejudice for his part Native American heritage. His father left them when he was young, and much like Rebecca, he witnessed his mother being raped to death when he was a little boy. After that, he was all on his own and ended up becoming a gun for hire when he was only in his teens. Now he’s trying to build a respectable cattle ranch that he hopes will give him a more stable life. Race has dreamed about someday marrying a nice, well-bred lady, but he thought it was nothing more than a fantasy and that no genuine lady would ever take up with the likes of him. Then he meets Rebecca and he’s instantly smitten, thinking of her as his angel. He pours all his energy into keeping her safe from the thugs who would do her harm. The only thing about him that was eyebrow raising for me was one scene where he threatens to rape her to prove a point. I knew that he wasn’t actually going to do it and deep down so did Rebecca, but rape is a very serious matter, especially given what happened to both of their mothers. Therefore, I don’t think it’s something that should have been employed in such a flippant manner, even if he wasn’t serious, and there could have been a much better to way to go about illustrating his point. Otherwise, though, he’s nothing but kindness and patience personified with Rebecca, never blaming her for any of the bad things that happen and willing to give his life to protect her. And when they finally consummate their relationship, he’s a tender lover who finds some creative and humorous ways to get around her maidenly objections.
Overall, I very much enjoyed Cherish. Aside from the couple of minor things I mentioned about their characterizations, I really liked both Race and Rebecca. They’re two very different people, and yet somehow, they just fit together like they were made for one another. I wouldn’t have minded a little more actual romance while their relationship is budding. There were times that so much trouble is dogging them that it kind of overshadowed the more romantic moments. There’s also the issue of Rebecca becoming so dependent upon Race that she doesn’t want to leave him, which made it a little hard to differentiate whether she was actually in love with him or simply afraid to lose him because of how much she’d already lost. However, once they finally get back to his ranch, the romance ratchets up a bit and I could finally feel that all-important emotional connection. They also both definitely prove their love for one another by the end of the story. So, all in all, Cherish ended up being a very good book that made it onto my keeper pile and is also one that I can recommend to fans of historical westerns who don’t mind sweeter characters.
"4.5 stars" Cherish is one of Catherine Anderson's older, stand-alone, historical romances. It’s the story of a young woman who was raised in a strict religious sect. Her church community decides to head west where there’s more open spaces free from the encroachment of secular society, and they take a large amount of money with them from the sale of their lands that’s intended to help them survive in their new home. Unfortunately, during their journey, the settlers are waylaid by thieves who brutally rape, murder, and pillage their wagon train, and our heroine is the sole survivor. She’s found by the hero who is driving cattle to his ranch. With no other women for miles around, the job of caring for her falls on his shoulders, so he looks out for her and protects her. But their burgeoning relationship is tried by the thieves who never found the church money and keep inflicting murder and mayhem on the hero’s men and cattle in an effort to get their hands on it. I had a few minor quibbles here and there that I’ll address as I go along, but overall, this was a very good story that I enjoyed.
Rebecca has lived a sheltered life in her little church community, but it’s been one with which she’s been content thus far. The Brethren have chosen a husband for her whom she’s to be betrothed to when they reach New Mexico, and she’s looking forward to her new life there. However, she’s given a harsh lesson in the realities of life when her parents and everyone else in their party are murdered. The Brethren are a peaceful group who don’t believe in violence of any kind, so none of them even fought back against their attackers. Rebecca hid in the bushes, which is where she’s found in shock by Race as he’s passing through with his cattle. He rescues her and keeps her safe when the thieves come back and takes her with him as they continue the journey to his ranch. At first, Rebecca thinks that Race is one of the thieves, but once she realizes he means her no harm, she quickly begins to trust him and his men. However, she’s suffering from what I’m sure was a form of PTSD from her ordeal, as well as survivor’s guilt and additional guilt over bringing trouble to Race’s camp. She ends up becoming very dependent on him, perhaps a little too much so, but given her religious background where she was taught to be submissive, I suppose it fit her character. With Race she has a bit more gumption, but whenever the thieves come around, she has a tendency to run and hide, making me wish that she’d stand up for herself a bit more. But I realized again that her background was probably playing into her actions, as well as the fact that she trusts Race, whereas the thieves understandably scare her to death. I’m happy to report that she does eventually find her confidence and a much firmer footing. It takes a while to get there, but the payoff, IMHO, was worth it. Readers who are more drawn to feisty, kick-butt heroines may not like her, but I thought she was sweet and generally relatable.
Race has had a rough life. He was born to a white trapper and his mixed race (white/Apache) wife, so he’s experienced prejudice for his part Native American heritage. His father left them when he was young, and much like Rebecca, he witnessed his mother being raped to death when he was a little boy. After that, he was all on his own and ended up becoming a gun for hire when he was only in his teens. Now he’s trying to build a respectable cattle ranch that he hopes will give him a more stable life. Race has dreamed about someday marrying a nice, well-bred lady, but he thought it was nothing more than a fantasy and that no genuine lady would ever take up with the likes of him. Then he meets Rebecca and he’s instantly smitten, thinking of her as his angel. He pours all his energy into keeping her safe from the thugs who would do her harm. The only thing about him that was eyebrow raising for me was one scene where he threatens to rape her to prove a point. I knew that he wasn’t actually going to do it and deep down so did Rebecca, but rape is a very serious matter, especially given what happened to both of their mothers. Therefore, I don’t think it’s something that should have been employed in such a flippant manner, even if he wasn’t serious, and there could have been a much better to way to go about illustrating his point. Otherwise, though, he’s nothing but kindness and patience personified with Rebecca, never blaming her for any of the bad things that happen and willing to give his life to protect her. And when they finally consummate their relationship, he’s a tender lover who finds some creative and humorous ways to get around her maidenly objections.
Overall, I very much enjoyed Cherish. Aside from the couple of minor things I mentioned about their characterizations, I really liked both Race and Rebecca. They’re two very different people, and yet somehow, they just fit together like they were made for one another. I wouldn’t have minded a little more actual romance while their relationship is budding. There were times that so much trouble is dogging them that it kind of overshadowed the more romantic moments. There’s also the issue of Rebecca becoming so dependent upon Race that she doesn’t want to leave him, which made it a little hard to differentiate whether she was actually in love with him or simply afraid to lose him because of how much she’d already lost. However, once they finally get back to his ranch, the romance ratchets up a bit and I could finally feel that all-important emotional connection. They also both definitely prove their love for one another by the end of the story. So, all in all, Cherish ended up being a very good book that made it onto my keeper pile and is also one that I can recommend to fans of historical westerns who don’t mind sweeter characters.
June 8, 2008
Wonderful western romance. Great characters--heartwarming. Race had a way with words and his pure logic left no room for doubt. The way the main characters developed from the beginning to the end was what kept me glued to this book. There was suspense, horrific tragedy coupled with utter sadness and despair. Oh, what a story.
Loved the epilogue!
Loved the epilogue!
July 13, 2009
I'm a big fan of Catherine ANderson, but the writing is so bad in this book that I couldn't finish it. Plus, the tragedy scenes are so drawn out and almost gratuitous. Like, she has a horrible tragedy and he rescues her, then she immediately has another horrible tragedy and he rescues her again... couldn't we have skipped the second round?
July 4, 2013
Three things kept me from fully enjoying this book:
Firstly, some plot aspects didn’t make sense.
In the opening scene the heroine, Rebecca, is kneeling to pray amidst her massacred family and friends. She was hiding in the bushes while 16 bandits raped and shot everyone on her wagon train. The hero, Race, rides up to investigate, because half an hour earlier he heard a burst of gunshots. On his arrival the bandits -who were searching for money they knew the wagon train was transporting - abandon their search and run for the hills.
The bandits knew they hadn’t shot Rebecca. She was both a witness and could reveal where the money was hidden, but it appears that in the half hour before Race arrived the bandits made no effort to find her. Why?
Sixteen bandits armed to the teeth flee when one rider approaches. Why on earth would they have done that, with such an advantage of manpower, when they hadn’t finished searching the wagon train for the hidden money?
I kept trying to figure out how the chain of events could have unfolded, but I could never come up with a satisfactory explanation, and it really bothered me.
Another inconsistency comes after Race rescues Rebecca. She is scared of everything and sees him as her protector. Race falls deeply in love with her. Rebecca becomes so attached to him that she follows him like a puppy, unwilling to let him out of her sight. Neither can bear the thought of parting, but for a month they travel on the trail, without the slightest romantic encounter, and without ever coming up with the obvious solution: that they marry.
When they finally figure it out, they promptly get married. Rebecca is afraid of sex, so Race gives him time. She sleeps in his arms, but what puzzles me is that he does nothing to break her in gently — no feathery kisses, no soft stroking. Nothing, until a few days later, when he expects to go the whole hog in one night.
When they do make love, Rebecca turns out to be a wanton in bed. Race spends a glorious night with the woman he loves, whom he has been lusting after for weeks, yet afterward he leaves her alone, without any gesture of affection for three days, thinking she’ll be too sore for a repeat performance. He is portrayed as gentle, ultra protective, and 100% in love. Surely, he would hold her, and kiss her, and tell her why he mustn’t do more until she’s had a chance to recover?
Rebecca, on the other hand, is a repressed religious fanatic who has been brought up to think sex is evil, and yet she feels no remorse, no confusion about her violent physical gratification. What she does feel is a terrible sense of failure and abandonment because Race isn’t rushing to have more sex with her.
In my opinion, the behaviour of the characters does not make sense. Sorting out these misunderstandings gives opportunities for cute scenes where they trash out their differences, but I dislike it when people act inconsistently just to create conflict situations.
Another thing that rings false is that Race is a rough, tough, ex-gunslinger, orphaned at seven, who has always had to fight merely to remain alive, and yet he gets tears in his eyes more often than I could count. Would a person so sentimental have survived that kind of lifestyle?
I also didn’t care for the way Rebecca talked, with a contrived formality, even in spontaneous situations. Yes, she was the better educated of the pair, but no one talks like that. An example: in the epilogue, after she has spent eight years living with illiterate cowboys, she rushes up to a ruffian about to rape a woman shouting that he “desist”. Now, is there anyone who would say “desist” in that situation, particularly when it is clear that the person she is shouting at is unlikely to understand what she means?
Race is more authentic in his uncouth cowboy language, but he occasionally slips into flowery expressions and educated words. He talks with expertise about shock, which was not a well understood medical condition in those days, and mentions germs as a cause of disease, a fact which had only recently been discovered. This seems oddly informed for an illiterate gunslinger.
The story is well researched, with lots of historical detail, but there are little plot holes that bothered me (I have a logical mind, stickler for consistency). For example, we are told that there were 13 people on Rebecca’s wagon train, 7 women 6 men. Race finds 11 bodies, 6 men and 5 women, and Rebecca, who is alive. Unless I missed something, there is one person unaccounted for. What happened to the missing female?
Race has 30 cowboys driving a herd of around 100 head of cattle. My understanding is that on a cattle drive the rough ratio was 1 cowboy for every 200 head of cattle (western historical romance is a favourite genre). Race is broke. Why is he employing such a huge number of men?
The bandits are watching Race and his men, and Race knows this. The bandits see him and his men go back to the site of the massacre to retrieve the money hidden in a wagon floor. However, Race and his men continue to believe that the bandits will want to abduct Rebecca because she can guide them to the money. Why? The bandits know the money has been removed from its original hiding place. Are we expected to think that either the bandits, or Race and his men are stupid?
Rebecca has been brought up to abhor violence and will never have held a handgun. And yet, the first time she picks one up, she understands — despite being confused and panicky — that for the weapon to fire, she’ll need to cock the hammer, and when the hammer won’t cock, she searches for the lever that has locked the cylinder in place, knowing she needs to slide that lever to allow the cylinder to spin. How on earth would she have known this?
There are more such little plot holes. When Rebecca is given the clothes of a 12 year old boy to wear, the trousers are so loose they fall off her and the legs so long they need to be rolled up. The average size of a 12-13 year old male in the US today is 4’10-5’1, the average weight 85 to 100 pounds, and in those days people were smaller. We are told she is tiny and delicately built (particularly when compared to Race who is 6 foot 3 with massive shoulders) but his makes her around 80 pounds and barely over 4 feet tall.
The second thing that bothered me was lack of pace. Lots of scenic description, lots of mulling over one’s thoughts. For example, the heroine waking up takes several pages, as we go through her impressions of her surroundings, the sights, sounds, smells she feels. It is nicely written, but too tedious for my taste. Even less I liked the way everything is explained, repeatedly. After a scene, Rebecca or Race will mull over what happened, going over their own feelings and speculating about the thoughts of the other person. I’ve already read the scene, so it is boring to have the meaning of each action and piece of dialogue explained to me, as if I lacked the ability to figure it out myself.
In addition to detail, there is a lot of repetitive content. The scene where Race’s mother dies is covered at least three, perhaps four of five times.
The third aspect that disappointed me was lack of romantic spark between Rebecca and Race. She is tiny and frightened and she needs someone to protect her. He is big and strong and thinks she looks like and angel, so he’ll protect her. It is convenient for them both but I didn’t really feel any ups and downs of romantic tension, only the ups and downs of fighting against their enemies.
All that said, there is a rollicking plot and the writing is excellent, and the characters have to learn and grow. If you like a midget-sized golden-haired angel in jeopardy rescued by a reformed big bad wolf, you might enjoy this more than I did.
Firstly, some plot aspects didn’t make sense.
In the opening scene the heroine, Rebecca, is kneeling to pray amidst her massacred family and friends. She was hiding in the bushes while 16 bandits raped and shot everyone on her wagon train. The hero, Race, rides up to investigate, because half an hour earlier he heard a burst of gunshots. On his arrival the bandits -who were searching for money they knew the wagon train was transporting - abandon their search and run for the hills.
The bandits knew they hadn’t shot Rebecca. She was both a witness and could reveal where the money was hidden, but it appears that in the half hour before Race arrived the bandits made no effort to find her. Why?
Sixteen bandits armed to the teeth flee when one rider approaches. Why on earth would they have done that, with such an advantage of manpower, when they hadn’t finished searching the wagon train for the hidden money?
I kept trying to figure out how the chain of events could have unfolded, but I could never come up with a satisfactory explanation, and it really bothered me.
Another inconsistency comes after Race rescues Rebecca. She is scared of everything and sees him as her protector. Race falls deeply in love with her. Rebecca becomes so attached to him that she follows him like a puppy, unwilling to let him out of her sight. Neither can bear the thought of parting, but for a month they travel on the trail, without the slightest romantic encounter, and without ever coming up with the obvious solution: that they marry.
When they finally figure it out, they promptly get married. Rebecca is afraid of sex, so Race gives him time. She sleeps in his arms, but what puzzles me is that he does nothing to break her in gently — no feathery kisses, no soft stroking. Nothing, until a few days later, when he expects to go the whole hog in one night.
When they do make love, Rebecca turns out to be a wanton in bed. Race spends a glorious night with the woman he loves, whom he has been lusting after for weeks, yet afterward he leaves her alone, without any gesture of affection for three days, thinking she’ll be too sore for a repeat performance. He is portrayed as gentle, ultra protective, and 100% in love. Surely, he would hold her, and kiss her, and tell her why he mustn’t do more until she’s had a chance to recover?
Rebecca, on the other hand, is a repressed religious fanatic who has been brought up to think sex is evil, and yet she feels no remorse, no confusion about her violent physical gratification. What she does feel is a terrible sense of failure and abandonment because Race isn’t rushing to have more sex with her.
In my opinion, the behaviour of the characters does not make sense. Sorting out these misunderstandings gives opportunities for cute scenes where they trash out their differences, but I dislike it when people act inconsistently just to create conflict situations.
Another thing that rings false is that Race is a rough, tough, ex-gunslinger, orphaned at seven, who has always had to fight merely to remain alive, and yet he gets tears in his eyes more often than I could count. Would a person so sentimental have survived that kind of lifestyle?
I also didn’t care for the way Rebecca talked, with a contrived formality, even in spontaneous situations. Yes, she was the better educated of the pair, but no one talks like that. An example: in the epilogue, after she has spent eight years living with illiterate cowboys, she rushes up to a ruffian about to rape a woman shouting that he “desist”. Now, is there anyone who would say “desist” in that situation, particularly when it is clear that the person she is shouting at is unlikely to understand what she means?
Race is more authentic in his uncouth cowboy language, but he occasionally slips into flowery expressions and educated words. He talks with expertise about shock, which was not a well understood medical condition in those days, and mentions germs as a cause of disease, a fact which had only recently been discovered. This seems oddly informed for an illiterate gunslinger.
The story is well researched, with lots of historical detail, but there are little plot holes that bothered me (I have a logical mind, stickler for consistency). For example, we are told that there were 13 people on Rebecca’s wagon train, 7 women 6 men. Race finds 11 bodies, 6 men and 5 women, and Rebecca, who is alive. Unless I missed something, there is one person unaccounted for. What happened to the missing female?
Race has 30 cowboys driving a herd of around 100 head of cattle. My understanding is that on a cattle drive the rough ratio was 1 cowboy for every 200 head of cattle (western historical romance is a favourite genre). Race is broke. Why is he employing such a huge number of men?
The bandits are watching Race and his men, and Race knows this. The bandits see him and his men go back to the site of the massacre to retrieve the money hidden in a wagon floor. However, Race and his men continue to believe that the bandits will want to abduct Rebecca because she can guide them to the money. Why? The bandits know the money has been removed from its original hiding place. Are we expected to think that either the bandits, or Race and his men are stupid?
Rebecca has been brought up to abhor violence and will never have held a handgun. And yet, the first time she picks one up, she understands — despite being confused and panicky — that for the weapon to fire, she’ll need to cock the hammer, and when the hammer won’t cock, she searches for the lever that has locked the cylinder in place, knowing she needs to slide that lever to allow the cylinder to spin. How on earth would she have known this?
There are more such little plot holes. When Rebecca is given the clothes of a 12 year old boy to wear, the trousers are so loose they fall off her and the legs so long they need to be rolled up. The average size of a 12-13 year old male in the US today is 4’10-5’1, the average weight 85 to 100 pounds, and in those days people were smaller. We are told she is tiny and delicately built (particularly when compared to Race who is 6 foot 3 with massive shoulders) but his makes her around 80 pounds and barely over 4 feet tall.
The second thing that bothered me was lack of pace. Lots of scenic description, lots of mulling over one’s thoughts. For example, the heroine waking up takes several pages, as we go through her impressions of her surroundings, the sights, sounds, smells she feels. It is nicely written, but too tedious for my taste. Even less I liked the way everything is explained, repeatedly. After a scene, Rebecca or Race will mull over what happened, going over their own feelings and speculating about the thoughts of the other person. I’ve already read the scene, so it is boring to have the meaning of each action and piece of dialogue explained to me, as if I lacked the ability to figure it out myself.
In addition to detail, there is a lot of repetitive content. The scene where Race’s mother dies is covered at least three, perhaps four of five times.
The third aspect that disappointed me was lack of romantic spark between Rebecca and Race. She is tiny and frightened and she needs someone to protect her. He is big and strong and thinks she looks like and angel, so he’ll protect her. It is convenient for them both but I didn’t really feel any ups and downs of romantic tension, only the ups and downs of fighting against their enemies.
All that said, there is a rollicking plot and the writing is excellent, and the characters have to learn and grow. If you like a midget-sized golden-haired angel in jeopardy rescued by a reformed big bad wolf, you might enjoy this more than I did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2025
I feel like this book is really hard to rate. On one hand, I found this book incredibly boring. Nothing is happening, and not even in a “this book is slice of life” way. Just nothing happens. It takes too long to get to the point. On the other hand, I found the characters and their relationship so beautiful and precious.
I thought this hero was incredibly sweet and kind. He’s a big cinnamon roll underneath his hardened exterior, and he loves our heroine so much. She’s so traumatized and latches onto him because he makes her feel safe. He recognizes that, and he also just adores her. The pet names from him??? So cute!!! I also love how rugged he was with this prim and proper innocent girl. That’s one of my fave tropes and I think this book does it wonderfully.
Aside from the characters and their romance? I didn’t care. At all. By the end, I skimmed past everything else just to read what happens with them and also to read their dialogue. I didn’t care about the lukewarm conflict whatsoever. I thought it was so poorly developed, and again, took way too long to get to the point. Also, this book is incredibly dark and violent—something I wasn’t expecting. I’m not someone who’s squeamish of book violence, but I thought a lot of it is just there for shock value. I didn’t think the plot or conflict was developed enough to justify so much violence (if that makes sense??? Idk).
I may try and reread this in the future when I’m out of my slump, and see if it’s just me or if it’s actually the book. I loved this couple, I just didn’t care about anything else. So yeah, hard book to rate. I’ll be reading more from Anderson in the future since I own so many books by her, but I was not a huge fan of this one unfortunately! I will still keep my copy of this forever though. It’s a beautiful first edition with a wonderful stepback that I thrifted for 25 cents a few years ago!
I thought this hero was incredibly sweet and kind. He’s a big cinnamon roll underneath his hardened exterior, and he loves our heroine so much. She’s so traumatized and latches onto him because he makes her feel safe. He recognizes that, and he also just adores her. The pet names from him??? So cute!!! I also love how rugged he was with this prim and proper innocent girl. That’s one of my fave tropes and I think this book does it wonderfully.
Aside from the characters and their romance? I didn’t care. At all. By the end, I skimmed past everything else just to read what happens with them and also to read their dialogue. I didn’t care about the lukewarm conflict whatsoever. I thought it was so poorly developed, and again, took way too long to get to the point. Also, this book is incredibly dark and violent—something I wasn’t expecting. I’m not someone who’s squeamish of book violence, but I thought a lot of it is just there for shock value. I didn’t think the plot or conflict was developed enough to justify so much violence (if that makes sense??? Idk).
I may try and reread this in the future when I’m out of my slump, and see if it’s just me or if it’s actually the book. I loved this couple, I just didn’t care about anything else. So yeah, hard book to rate. I’ll be reading more from Anderson in the future since I own so many books by her, but I was not a huge fan of this one unfortunately! I will still keep my copy of this forever though. It’s a beautiful first edition with a wonderful stepback that I thrifted for 25 cents a few years ago!
June 28, 2015
“And if you ever - and I do mean ever - try to leave me, I’m goin’ with you.”
This is the first novel I've read by this author. It was such a heartfelt romance. It pulled me in on the first page and didn't let go until the last. I loved it. One of those stories that really touched me and stayed with me a long time.
This is the first novel I've read by this author. It was such a heartfelt romance. It pulled me in on the first page and didn't let go until the last. I loved it. One of those stories that really touched me and stayed with me a long time.
July 11, 2022
for a book i stole out of a motel this performed as expected
February 26, 2012
I had enough of regency romances and decided to go and get me some cowboy love instead.
This is the layout: a god-fearing Quaker woman, a handsome, quarter Apache gun-slinging cowboy, some bad guys, a dog, and a pile of money. Rebecca (the Quaker) goes through some interesting shifts in her outlook on life. She starts off trusting God to save her and protect her, then, when that obviously doesn't happen and her whole family gets raped and murdered, she transfers her affections onto her cowboy, who from then on is trusted to save her and protect forever and always. Finally, though, she thinks: "Oh, to hell with it, give me the gun". And thank God for that, because if she was going to go into one more shock catatonic state, mumbling 'save me, save me', I would have to ask someone with a gun to put the girl out of her misery. She was basically unconscious for 20% of the book.
It's an ok book if you are into girly porn with cowboys in it, although be warned, there is only one sex scene in it (a very long one, however) and you have to read the whole damned book to get to it.
This is the layout: a god-fearing Quaker woman, a handsome, quarter Apache gun-slinging cowboy, some bad guys, a dog, and a pile of money. Rebecca (the Quaker) goes through some interesting shifts in her outlook on life. She starts off trusting God to save her and protect her, then, when that obviously doesn't happen and her whole family gets raped and murdered, she transfers her affections onto her cowboy, who from then on is trusted to save her and protect forever and always. Finally, though, she thinks: "Oh, to hell with it, give me the gun". And thank God for that, because if she was going to go into one more shock catatonic state, mumbling 'save me, save me', I would have to ask someone with a gun to put the girl out of her misery. She was basically unconscious for 20% of the book.
It's an ok book if you are into girly porn with cowboys in it, although be warned, there is only one sex scene in it (a very long one, however) and you have to read the whole damned book to get to it.
December 27, 2012
I just have to have me a Catherine Anderson FIX every so often. Love all her books. I loved the Hero and Heroine in this story - the gunslinger, Race and the innocent Rebecca - some of the scenes were laugh out loud - she hadn't a clue what to expect in the marriage bed.
February 9, 2008
I loved this book!!! This is a true page turner and at the end I cried.
January 2, 2023
"During the month of travel, he had come to care about Rebecca more deeply with each passing day, and after their embrance earlier, he could no longer delude himself about how badly he wanted her"
The slow burn romance in this book was burning. The detailed of the their feelings was the thing I love the most. Race and Rebecca were yearning for each other.
Race Spencer was hard looking man with fearsome reputation but a gentleman inside. Truly with Rebecca's trauma, he understands and caring her in the most way he can.
Not only the slow burn romance, the violence in this book was very graphic and perfectly detailed and gory. The way the book was written was beautiful and I wish I could erase my mind to read this book again for the first time.
The slow burn romance in this book was burning. The detailed of the their feelings was the thing I love the most. Race and Rebecca were yearning for each other.
Race Spencer was hard looking man with fearsome reputation but a gentleman inside. Truly with Rebecca's trauma, he understands and caring her in the most way he can.
Not only the slow burn romance, the violence in this book was very graphic and perfectly detailed and gory. The way the book was written was beautiful and I wish I could erase my mind to read this book again for the first time.
December 9, 2015
Set in Colorado, in the late 1800's. Rebecca is an extremely sheltered 21 year old Quaker on her way to her people's new farm from Pennsylvania. They are bringing a lot of money with them from the sale of their old farm and are attacked by outlaws on the way. She's the only survivor and in a state of shock when Race finds her. He used to be a gunslinger and now is trying to get a ranch started. He takes Rebecca with him and keeps her safe when he realizes that the outlaws want to capture her to find out where the money's been hidden. She doesn't trust him in the beginning, but he wins her over pretty rapidly. Race wants Rebecca for his own but feels she's too fine a lady and that he would be taking advantage of her condition. Rebecca on the other hand is kind of unhinged from the atrocities she witnessed and becomes unhealthily dependent on Race, panicking whenever he isn't around. These aren't criticisms though, it was well-told and Rebecca's fragile state of mind is depicted pretty realistically. Post-traumatic whatever it's called.
I'm a big fan of Anderson and this is one of her better ones, but it still felt lacking. I think I would've liked Race to be a bit harsher. All her heroes are pretty much exactly the same and usually that's fine, but when it comes to her historical novels, I feel the setting demands a slightly less sensitive hero. I mean, he's supposed to be this tough-as-nails former gunslinger, but he's such a sweetheart with Rebecca and is always so patient and understanding, etc. It's not like I wanted him to be a murderer and force himself on her, but he's just so the "perfect guy" that it got irksome. Maybe Linda Howard's over-the-top alpha males have warped me.
I'm a big fan of Anderson and this is one of her better ones, but it still felt lacking. I think I would've liked Race to be a bit harsher. All her heroes are pretty much exactly the same and usually that's fine, but when it comes to her historical novels, I feel the setting demands a slightly less sensitive hero. I mean, he's supposed to be this tough-as-nails former gunslinger, but he's such a sweetheart with Rebecca and is always so patient and understanding, etc. It's not like I wanted him to be a murderer and force himself on her, but he's just so the "perfect guy" that it got irksome. Maybe Linda Howard's over-the-top alpha males have warped me.
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