Tag: Kaki Warner

Review: Where the Horses Run by Kaki Warner (+ a Giveaway!)

Posted July 1, 2014 by Tracy in Reviews | 5 Comments

Review: Where the Horses Run by Kaki Warner (+ a Giveaway!)Reviewer: Tracy
Where the Horses Run by Kaki Warner
Series: Heroes of Heartbreak Creek #2
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: July 1st 2014
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Wounded in body and spirit after a shootout, Rayford Jessup leaves his career as a lawman and uses his gift with damaged horses to bring meaning to his solitary life. Hired by a Scotsman in Heartbreak Creek to purchase thoroughbreds, he travels to England, unaware that a traumatized horse and a beautiful Englishwoman will change his life forever.

Josephine Cathcart loves two things: her illegitimate son and her injured stallion. Faced with her father’s looming bankruptcy, she must choose between a loveless marriage to the man who ruined her, or risk her horse and her future on a handsome, taciturn Texan and a high-stakes horse race. But as vengeful forces conspire against them, will Rafe’s love and healing touch be enough to save her horse and protect her and her son?

Rafe Jessup is in England with his boss, Ash Wallace, buying up horses to take back to America to start his horse breeding ranch in Heartbreak Creek, Colorado. While traveling by boat Rafe meets Josephine Cathcart and is instantly taken with her. She seems to exude a peaceful calm even though she’s anything but calm at times. The pair create a bit of a bond before they leave the ship. Rafe then shows up at Josephine’s father’s estate to look over the horses her father is selling. While in residence Rafe and Josephine become closer and the bond that they had created on the ship grows exponentially.

Josephine finds herself caring more and more about Rafe but her life is in turmoil and she’s pulled in different directions – daily, it seems. Eight years before she was in love with William who was the heir to a barony. He stated he loved her and wanted to marry her and they slept together, creating Josephine’s son, Jamie. William then left her, never acknowledged Jamie and married an heiress. Josephine was heartbroken and she and her son were ostracized, but Josephine was strong and made a good life with Jamie living with her father. Her father, who made his money in coal mining is now in dire straits financially. He is getting more desperate every day and when William comes back in to their lives her father pushes Josephine to marry William, who’s more than ready to now claim Jamie. Josephine is torn as she finds herself falling in love with Rafe but wanting to do the right thing for both Jamie and her father. In the end it all comes down to Josephine’s horse. Pembroke’s Pride. Josephine’s father has entered her horse in a race and if he can win it their financial issues may be solved and she might be able to choose whoever she wants – for love, not for duty.

While I love Warner’s writing, I’ve only read a few of her books. Western historical romance isn’t my favorite so it’s not one I pick up all that often. When I saw that this book was 99% set in England I was thrilled and grabbed it up. It contained all of the things I love about Warner’s writing and was in a setting that I adore – win, win.

I loved the characters in this story as well. Rafe and Josephine were perfect together and I loved the quiet, endearing way they became attached. It was an unexpected romance for both of them and that quiet bond blossomed into a strong and steadfast love. It was both emotional and exciting to read and warmed my heart. Another of the characters that drew my attention was Jamie, the 7 year old son of Josephine. He was intelligent, intuitive and loving. He knew what was up with his grandfather and had a great sense of himself and others. I enjoyed every moment when he was on page. The other secondary characters, Thomas Redstone, Lord and Lady Kirkwell and other maids and grooms were all interesting and intriguing in a way that kept the story rolling and kept me turning pages.

Where the Horses Run is a story of trials and tribulations but also of love, friendship and determination. It’s a wonderful book and one that should definitely be read.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Kaki Warner

a Rafflecopter giveaway

four-stars

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What I Read Last Week

Posted June 30, 2014 by Tracy in Features | 0 Comments

How do neighbors! How the hell are ya? I’m doing well. I’m getting ready to go on vacation next week and frankly work for vacation is a huge PITA. The amount of work that I have to do before I go – in preparation for when I’m gone – is almost enough to keep me home. I’ve worked here for 13 years and I’ve never been gone for 2 weeks straight because it’s such a PITA. lol I’m sure the vaca will be worth it though.

On to what I read:

I started out the week with Tease by Sophie Jordan. This is a story about Emerson who does a lot of making out with boys but never goes further. Of course her reputation around college is that she’s pretty free with sex. When she gets stuck at a biker bar that she should have never walked in to she’s saved by Shaw who is rough around the edges but ends up having a soft heart. The pair have a tumultuous relationship and Emerson almost succeeds in pushing him away completely. This was a good one and I really liked it. You can read my review here. 4 out of 5

Next up was No Attachments by Tiffany King. This is about Ashton who has lived in Woodfalls for 4 months and loves it. She has a bucket list and is determined to do it all. One of the items is to pick up a random stranger at a bar and have a one night stand. She chooses Nathan who is there in town to find her but she doesn’t know that. They hit it off and both of their plans go awry in the end. A great story that was very good. You can read my review here. 4 out of 5

Snowcroft Lost by Christi Snow is about Jamie who is in love with his best friend Trevor who is straight. Trevor is found unconscious on a trail and when he awakens he has amnesia. He can’t believe it when everyone says he’s straight as he wants nothing more than Jamie. Unfortunately not everyone wants to couple to be together and they’ll do just about anything to keep them apart. This one had lots of great elements to it and many twists and turns to keep me turning pages. You can read my review here. 4 out of 5

Before the Mission Begins by Christi Snow is a prequel in the When the Mission Ends series. It’s to be read in between books 2 & 3 (according to the author) but I happened to get it first so there ya go. The story is about Chris and Julie who meet on a Valentine weekend at Chris’s sisters house. Chris never looked twice at Julie but now that she’s all grown up he can’t stop looking at her. The story is short and sweet and enjoyable. 3.75 out of 5

Where the Horses Run by Kaki Warner is about Josephine Cathcart whose father has spent his money and invested badly and now he wants Josephine to marry money so that he can be saved. She is not really marriage material according to most people as she’s a single mother. Back in 1817 that was a big no-no as she was never married. Rafe Jessup is in England from America to look at the horses that Josephine’s father is selling and the pair meet and fall in love. Unfortunately decisions and life aren’t simple and there are many hurtles to jump if they want to be together. This was a good one, I must say. You can review my review of this one tomorrow. 4 out of 5

Next was the novella Pia Saves the Day by Thea Harrison. This is book 6.6 in the Elder Races series and has Dragos in a horrible accident. He loses his memory but Pia’s not giving up on him. She won’t lose him to his wilder side no matter what she has to do. This was so good! I love Pia and Dragos and showing us the couple facing a huge obstacle in their life was emotionally moving yet wonderful. 4 out of 5

Running Wild by SE Jakes is the story of Sean Rush. He’s a mechanic who just got out of the Army. He’s also an adrenaline junkie and loves stealing and racing cars. Ryker is in the Havoc MC and has been breaking into Sean’s house for the past 8 months and having wild wonderful sex with him. One of Sean’s car thefts go bad and Ryker is there to pick up the pieces but all is not as it seems with Ryker or the Havoc MC. A really good m/m story that added the bonus of an MC. How could I not like this one? 4 out of 5

Debutantes Don’t Date by Kristina O’Grady is a time travel story of an event planner who gets thrown back in time to 1813 from 2013. She immediately meets an Earl and practically attacks him in an alcove at a ball. They’re caught and have to marry. She doesn’t want to marry, she just wants to go home but the longer she stays the more confused she is as she’s falling in love with the Earl. This book had a great premise but unfortunately the romance lacked….romance. On page it was completely lust driven and while steamy it didn’t solidify things in my mind. There was also the heroine who took a bit of getting used to as she couldn’t make up her mind about what she wanted. So decent read but not great. 3 out of 5 (read for Book Binge)

Last for the week was Peanut Goes to School by Thea Harrison. This short novella is about Peanut aka Liam, the son of Dragos and Pia, and his first day of school. It’s fun, heart warming, tender and wonderful. Definitely a must read. I just wanted to grab Liam and hug and kiss him he’s so cute. Put this on your must have list. Releases 7/14 4 out of 5

My Book Binge reviews that posted last week:
Date Night by RC Matthews
Hard to Hold by Incy Black


Happy Reading!

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Guest Review: Heartbreak Creek by Kaki Warner

Posted December 26, 2013 by Tina R in Reviews | 0 Comments

9772322Tina’s review of Heartbreak Creek by Kaki Warner

This being the first time I have read anything by author Kaki Warner, I didn’t really know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Heartbreak Creek, which is the first book in the Runaway Brides series, was a charming historical romance full of funny and engaging characters.

The book centers around Edwina Ladoux, once a privileged southern belle, now impoverished and homeless due to the ravages of the war. With limited options for her survival, she comes across an ad from a Colorado rancher looking for a wife to help run his household and care for his four children. And although Edwina has no idea about running a household, caring for children or cooking, she answers the ad agreeing to be a mail-order bride on two conditions – 1. That Edwina can bring her half-sister Prudence with her, and 2. That he must give her 3 months before consummating the marriage. They are married by proxy, never even meeting. When she finally arrives in Heartbreak Creek, her husband, Declan Brodie is shocked to find Edwina is not the “sturdy”, reliable sort that he was expecting.

The book follows the couple’s struggle to adapt to each other and to life on the lonely Colorado ranch. Along the way, the sisters meet two other women, Maddie and Lucinda, whose stories I imagine will develop in the other books in the series.

I thoroughly enjoyed this lighthearted western romance. It was a fun read and I found myself chuckling aloud at the women and their situations. There is no way this eclectic group won’t win you over. I am looking forward to getting the rest of the books in the series. It will be interesting to know what happens next.

3 out of 5

I would like to thank the ladies @ Book Binge for sending this book to review.

 

This title is available from Berkley.  You can buy it here or here in e-format.  This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Guest Review: Behind His Blue Eyes by Kaki Warner

Posted December 3, 2013 by Judith in Reviews | 0 Comments

16056392Judith’s review of Behind His Blue Eyes (Heroes of Heartbreak Creek #1) by Kaki Warner

Hoping to escape his past, Ethan Hardesty left a career as an architect and went to work for the railroad. Only two things impede his desire to transform Heartbreak Creek into a thriving town once again—a vandal bent on stopping the railroad, and the beautiful but hardheaded woman who won’t sign over the final right-of-way through the canyon.

Audra Pearsall has good reason for not allowing a train to pass within yards of her home, no matter how persuasive the handsome Mr. Hardesty can be. But when vandalism escalates to murder and fear stalks the canyon, Audra doesn’t know who to turn to—until the man she thought was her friend proves to be an enemy, and the man she wouldn’t allow herself to trust becomes her reluctant hero.

There was a time, not too many years ago, when my idea of “historical romance” was set in 19th century England.  Then I discovered the books of John Jakes and several other writers who planted their stories in the American Pioneer West,  and I began my love affair with cowboys and American historical romance.  This is an extension of a previous trilogy set in the little town of Heartbreak Creek and bringing in a hero who has left his primary career as an urban architect in San Francisco and is now an advance man for the railroad.  The heroine is a hardnosed and independent woman taking care of a father who is suffering from dementia.  (Most people don’t realize there are three other forms of dementia besides Alzheimers disease)  Their encounters are anything but cordial and Audra keeps Ethan at arms length throughout the story.  I got the feeling that there was more going on with her than what the story really revealed.

Suffice it to say that this is an adversarial story and it does not resolve itself until well into the narrative.  I can’t say that this was an aspect of the story I liked.  I think I am burned out on novels or novellas where the hero and heroine are going at each other for a good percentage of the story.  I’m just tired of all that wrangling.  But one good thing though, is that Ethan Hardesty, even with all his secrets, is a man of honesty and integrity and who wants to see his job done well and wants to insure that the railroad construction can insure the safety of the machinery aswell as the railroad workers and passengers.   I just found the mystery enough engaging to keep me in the story, but I couldn’t work up a great deal of enthusiasm for the story as a whole.  It wasn’t a long read so I didn’t feel as if I had committed a great deal of time to read through it.  I will say, however, that the historical aspects of the story were interesting and I thought that Ethan Hardest as a character was interesting as well.  A wounded Alpha male is always interesting.

I was a bit disappointed in this book.  I have read other Warner works and felt they were just better–put together better, characters who seemed more real, etc.  I think Warner fans will be disappointed in this.  The prior trilogy from which this new trilogy grows is just better all around.

I give this book a rating of 2.5 out of 5

You can read more from Judith at Dr J’s Book Place.

This title is available from Berkley.  You can buy it here or here in e-format.  This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Miracle in New Hope by Kaki Warner

Posted December 6, 2012 by Tracy in Reviews | 0 Comments

Amidst the snowy peaks of the Rocky Mountains in 1871, Daniel Hobart keeps to himself—a man with a hole in his heart that matches the scar on his face. But when Daniel starts having visions of a young girl crying out for help, he begins to fear that solitude may have caused him to lose his mind. Determined to find out the truth about the mysterious girl, Daniel travels into New Hope and learns that she’s the missing daughter of widow Lacy Ellis.

After a year of heartbreak, Lacy isn’t sure what to make of Daniel’s claims of seeing her daughter. But when he sets out to find Hannah on his own, Lacy decides to join him, allowing herself one last chance to hope. And as they retrace the long-cold trail of Hannah’s disappearance, two broken people manage to take some small comfort in each other, and in the possibility of a miracle…

Unexpectedly Daniel Hobart finds himself stuck in an avalanche while in the middle of the town mercantile. There’s something that doesn’t happen everyday! When he calls out to see if anyone is around he hears a child’s voice calling to him. They have a bit of a conversation but they he loses consciousness. When he comes to he discovers that it was just the owner of the mercantile and Daniel who were trapped – no children at all. He puts it down as a symptom of his head injury but yet he can’t get the little girls voice out of his head.

One day he actually meets the little girl, Hannah Ellis, but then she almost virtually disappears in the snow storm. He heads to town to find out about the girl and to berate the parents for letting their child run around in so little clothing when the weather is fierce. When he arrives what he finds out blows his mind. Hannah is dead. Well, she’s presumed dead as she went missing a year before and no one ever found her. Daniel, however much he thinks he might be losing his mind, honestly believes that Hannah is alive and sets out to investigate and find the little girl.

This was such a wonderful novella. I don’t know if I can explain the different parts of it that I liked because part of what I liked was the cohesiveness of the whole story. Daniel and his grief over his wife and son who died. Lacy and her grief over her deceased husband and the even more painful disappearance of her daughter. Daniel’s determination to find Hannah and the bond and connection that both Daniel and Lacy have as well as Daniel and Hannah. The whole story was just so good.

I wasn’t sure what was going on with Hannah and Daniel being able to hear her and then actually see her. That’s a bit of the supernatural that’s not really explained and was a bit hard to accept within the story but Ms. Warner definitely made it work, and work well. There really isn’t much of a romance but it’s very typical  1871 relationship if that makes any sense at all – and that worked too.  If you’re looking for a sweet Christmas novella to read then I think this one is a must.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5

Kaki Warner

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