COWBOY

Rating:
Summary: A CAPTIVATING STORY
Review: Welcome to a century-old feud between the Blackthornes and the Creeds. And a couple caught up in the feud and having to choose sides. Callie Creed and Trace Blackthorne are the couple caught up in the feud. They want to put their differences behind them and plan on marrying until Callie receives a phone call while attending the University of Texas in Austin that will shatter their dreams. Callie's brother Sam has been permanently disabled while practicing football and the one that caused the disabling injury is none other than Trace's brother Owen. Callie knew the family was going to have a hard time adjusting to her and Trace's relationship and then this happens which would make it impossible to marry. Callie refuses to marry Trace and he swears he'll never forgive her for turning her back on him. But little does Trace know that Callie is carrying their unborn child. Callie is desperate and marries another.

Fast-forward eleven years....... Callie's husband has passed away and the Creed's are close to going broke and she is desperate to save them. Callie tries to save the ranch by breeding and training cutting horses for competition. Winning the large amount of prize money in the competition is her goal. Trace's father dies and Trace must come home to Bitter Creek, Texas and take control of the ranch. Trace is no longer the man he was and is bitter but he can't hold back the feelings he has for Callie and he offers to marry her and save her family from ruin. There is an intense mutual desire that continues to draw them both to each other but the secret that Callie keeps threatens to destroy their happiness.

Joan Johnston has once again masterfully created very real characters, a captivating story and interesting sub-plots. Ms. Johnston who is known for her historical romances has successfully reached a new level in THE COWBOY stretching her talents into the contemporary romance genre. THE COWBOY just screams sequel and I for one will be the first in line to read it!

Reviewed by Paula Palmer 2/11/2000

Rating:
Summary: Waiting for more!
Review: What a nice first book for what promises to be a series! JJ gives the Romeo and Juliet theme a contemporary Texas twist, with two families at odds and two lovers caught in the middle. The amount of hard luck sustained by the heroine's family almost broke my heart - and the relentless meanness of the hero's father was both believable and scary. I liked the amount of information woven into the narrative, about the "horse trade," because it gives the story depth and roots. I liked this book and look for more to the story!

Rating:
Summary: Modern Day Cowboy
Review: What a wonderful book. I love stories about horses, ranching and Texas. This one encompassed all the above including romance.

I wasn't knowledgeable about quarter horses, though I love rodeo's. By the time I finished the book, with the help of Ms. Johnston's accurate information, I now know all the difference between quarter horses and other trained horses.

I found this book very entertaining. I didn't have any problem getting lost in the story.

Rating:
Summary: The Cowboy
Review: What a wonderful story. I enjoyed it immensly and am looking forward to the next book in the trilogy.

Rating:
Summary: An awesome read
Review: When I read some of the bad reviews about this book, I wondered if we had all read the same book. Well, I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion. Personally, I thought THE COWBOY was a great book. It was the first book I had read by Joan Johnston and frankly, I loved what I read. I can't wait to read more of her work. The hero in the book,Trace was a great character. He never gave up on the woman and family that he wanted. Even though Callie was a bit stubborn, she had a great deal of loyalty to her family. It seemed that she was willing to give up any happiness she could have had for the sake of her family. The story had a lot of depth in it in the sense that there were a lot of mysteries in it. All these revelations that were made made the story all the better. I started this book at about 3:00P.M. and finished it at 6 in the morning. I just couldn't put it down. It was definitely worth the loss of sleep. If you read it, you'll know what I'm talking about!

Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully Exciting!
Review: Wow! What can't I say about this book? The characters and plot swept me away from the very beginning and didn't let me go until I had finished. Since I have a hectic schedule there isn't much time for reading, but I made time for this one. I turned each page with joyful anticipation. I have been longing for a good Texas romance for such a long time. I related to the main character Callie. Way to go Ms. Johnston. This book is a definite winner. The story line screams sequel and/or movie. I am going to recommend this book to all of my friends and family.