Saturday, February 06, 2010

Recent Read

First off - I must apologize for my absence lately. Last week I worked the afternoon shift which really screws up my living/reading/blogging plan *g*. And then we switched to a new database on Monday. In preparation for this, they needed people to work overtime on the weekend. I must have forgotten how old I am anymore, or else I got overtime money hungry as I signed up for both days.

Then yesterday - being Monday - and the new system in place, my brain has reached it's quota. I came home last night and again tonight very zombie like - and just kind of vegged until bed time. Well - in truth not kind of vegged. I totally vegged last night. I didn't even have the energy to make dinner. The day was so stress filled I wanted to smash all the cars in the parking lot at work - my own excluded of course. I really, really wanted to destroy something. I don't often have that kind of reaction. The only consolation was everyone else was feeling the same way!! Thankfully all cars escaped undamaged.

Good thing the following review was 98.7% already written!



Sullivan by Linda Devlin

Why This One: After reading and loving Cash, the final book in the series, I had to go back and start at the first one. Then I skipped this one as it was missing. But the second I found it, I started reading it.

Steam Level: Just about perfect

Blurb: A half breed bastard, Sinclair Sullivan knows he has no place in the world, not with the white men, not with the Comanche - and certainly not with the beautiful Eden Rourke, the sister of one of his only friends. But when Eden meets him on the road to Rock Creek, she insists that he accompany her to town. With two orphaned waifs in her wagon, and and enough determination to fell a much more stubborn man, Eden's demand is irresistible -- and once in Rock Creek, Sullivan finds himself unable to resist stealing more than one kiss. She's certain that their love is written in the stars, despite her brother's objections..and yet, Sullivan must first convince himself that he's the man his lovely Eden deserves.

My Thoughts: I had a feeling from just the blurb of this book that I was going to enjoy it! And I was right - I enjoyed it very much. I love when that happens! It didn't take over the number one spot that Cash holds, but it's now my second favourite of the series.

Sullivan is a member of the Rock Creek Six, a group of men who banded together during the War between the States. When one is in trouble, the all come together. The have made Rock Creek their home of sorts. While most still travel around, Rock Creek is where they head back to. Eden Rourke is the sister of Jed, one of the six, and is on her way to Rock Creek to join her brother whom she hasn't seen for years. While in another town, she spies a gang of men beating up on one man and as she thinks this extremely unfair, she stops the fight and 'rescues' Sinclair Sullivan. Already I was pumped up with this set up. I love it when the heroine rescues the hero. Eden is instantly smitten with Sullivan and he is likewise smitten with her. But there are a number of reasons why Sullivan won't give in to his feelings. Eden is the sister of one of his few friends and he feels she is much too good for him.

But Eden is a force to be reckoned with when there is something she wants and what she wants is Sullivan. Whenever he plans to leave town and leave her, she comes up with some reason as to why he has to stay and help her. In a less likable heroine, this could be downright annoying, but Eden is such a lovely character that her manipulations don't seem like manipulation at all.

And though he protested, Sullivan was a goner right from the beginning. He didn't stand a chance against the force that was Eden and her crew of orphans. Although her protested that he wasn't good enough, Eden just plowed through any objection he threw her way.

There was also some delightful humour in this book. When Jed, Eden's brother and the hero of a future book, comes back to town and discovers Sullivan and Eden wed, he dissolves the marriage, though of course he can't really do that. After some initial issues and a major screw-up by Sullivan, he and Eden try and hide their feelings from Jed, pretending that they've gone along with is declaration of a marriage ended.

This book was adorable from beginning to end and I am SO glad I've finally gotten around to reading them. I know this is another one I'll read more than once.

****~~~~****

And though I'd love to post more - the brain is not up to the task tonight so I will have to wait until it's recovered, but the poll results at AAR are up and I'm a happy camper as my favourite book of 2009 was the big winner!!

I'm adoin' the happy dance for The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie!!!

9 comments:

Hilcia said...

KristieJ, Sullivan... finally! This sounds like a delightful book. i'm writing down the author and the name of this series (hope I can find it). I've never read anything by Devlin. :)

Lorraine said...

By the blurb, "A half breed bastard", this must be an old book. You'd never see anything so un-PC these days. Luckily, I'm old skool myself so this book sounds great. I'm definitely hunting this series at my local UBS.

Hope work has calmed down for you.

nath said...

Sounds like the wait was worth it, Kristie :D So happy for you!!

Ugh, we all have some of those days where we want to smash things. A few weeks ago, I was simply just fed up hearing my boss's voice. I think I've just reached my quota ^_^;

Lynn Spencer said...

I'm glad things are settling down for you, and I hope you're having a good week. I've been following your reviews of this series and I think I'm going to have to start hunting at the UBS for these books. They sound really good.

Wendy said...

Sullivan will not be your Number 2 favorite for long. You will fall head over heels for Nate - and if you don't, I'll eat me shoe. Seriously. You are gonna lurve Nate.

Anonymous said...

I've read Reese, now I'm waiting for Sullivan to come from PBS. From your review, it sounds great.

Then I've got Rico and Cash sitting here and am on the waitlist for Jed and Nate. I love westerns!

Jane A

Kristie (J) said...

Hilcia: Linda Devlin is now writing at Linda Winstead Jones - not writing Westerns sadly as she does a great job with them - but she's still writing.

Lorraine: I didn't think of it - but that description really is old skool isn't it? A bit misleading as his past doesn't play that great a role - other than giving him a less that 100% opinion of himself. And I don't mind old skool either *g*

Nath: sadly it's not just one of those 'days'. It's going to be a lot longer before I and all my coworkers feel 'in the groove' again.

Lynn: *ack* they aren't settling down - our working world has been rocked from the foundation and it's going to take a while for it to settle again I think.
And these books are excellent! Once I'm done all six I plan on doing a final wrap up of them as a group, but overall so far I am so impressed!!

At the moment, Nate has disappeared - but that's more of the fact that I'm too exhausted these days to dig below the first level of books - and it was around a week or so ago so I know it hasn't gone far!

Jane: And what did you think of Reese???? While I really enjoyed it - better (at least for me) is coming your way. I'd love to know more what you think of them!! Email me if you'd like to do a guest review!! As I'm down these day, that would be a real boost if you feel up to it *g*.

Lea Hensley said...

After reading about your highly entertaining hunt for Sullivan, I found all six books (I love Westerns) and started reading - determined to read in order. Somehow I thought Sullivan was first so it's in the Keeper pile and now I have backed up to Reese. I thoroughly enjoyed Sullivan from the very first pages but find I'm not as quite as engaged with Reese (but I've only started).
Thanks for recommending this series!

Lea AAR

orannia said...

I need to hunt this series down, don't I :)