The Man From Stone Creek (Stone Creek, Book #1)

by Linda Lael Miller

Hardcover, 2006

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Publication

HQN Books (2006), Hardcover, 336 pages

Description

Fiction. Romance. Western. HTML: #1 New York Times bestselling author Linda Lael Miller presents the Stone Creek story that started it all... When trouble strikes in Haven, Arizona, Ranger Sam O'Ballivan is determined to sort it out. Badge and gun hidden, he arrives posing as the new schoolteacher, and discovers his first task: bringing the ranchers' children under control. So he starts with a call on Maddie Chancelor, the local postmistress and older sister of a boy in need of discipline. But far from the spinster Sam expects, Maddie turns out to be a graceful woman whose prim and proper demeanor is belied by the fire in her eyes. Working undercover to capture rustlers and train robbers has always kept Sam isolated and his heart firmly in check--until now. But something about the spirited postmistress tempts him to start down a path he swore he'd never travel....… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member EmScape
Linda Lael Miller is referred to as "The Queen of Western Romance." This is not one of her best showings. Featuring far too much death and (unnecessary) destruction, and an almost chaste romance, as well as a pretty convoluted mystery subplot, The Man from Stone Creek might be worth a skip.
Sam
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O'Ballivan comes to Haven, AZ to pose as a schoolteacher while also tracking down a band of murderous outlaws. Maddie Chancelor runs the general store in town and is raising her rapscallion younger brother. The development of their relationship was slow enough to be realistic, but once the bandits were caught and the end of the book loomed, they were pretty quick to get to the sexytimes without even having kissed prior to this. Miller tosses in a couple of steamy scenes at the end in case you need that kind of thing, but it didn't really feel true to character for either participant.
The bad guys were pretty obvious throughout, except for the lead bad guy which came as a bit of a surprise, and seemed a little unlikely. However, the chase developed at a realistic pace as well, which was good.
To address the death and destruction: Linda, you don't need to kill every inconvenient character (or make a Happy Ending for every sympathetic one). Also ***SPOILER*** If it's going to be difficult for the hero and heroine to choose where to live when they marry, because they both have a vested interest in two geographically separate locations, you don't need to burn down the whole town to get her to go live at his ranch. ***END SPOILER***
In the end, this was a very interesting mix of completely genuine and realistic storytelling combined with some "Are you kidding me??" moments that completely spoiled things, in my opinion.
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LibraryThing member Talaskat
I love her books, they are great romances.
LibraryThing member Yllom
Ranger Sam 0'Ballivan is sent to the tiny town of Haven Arizona to track down a gang of train robbers, with his cover being the new school teacher. He doesn't count on being swept away by the local postmistress/mercantile clerk, Maddie. Good adventure and romance. Historical western romance -- I
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understand why she is such a popular author.
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LibraryThing member nancynova
First in the Stone Creek Series; Ranger (Sam O'Ballivan) sent undercover to stop a band of outlaws, falls in love with the local girl (Maddie) running the mercantile

Language

Physical description

336 p.; 8.3 inches

ISBN

0373771150 / 9780373771158
Page: 0.157 seconds