Sean Donovan (The Californians, Book 3)

by Lori Wick

Paperback, 2007

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Publication

Harvest House Publishers (2007), Edition: Repack, 276 pages

Description

Caught in his first bank robbery, Sean Donovan is sentenced to hang. But Charlotte Cooper, who needs a blacksmith for her livery, has other ideas. By law, a woman of good standing in the community can save a man from the gallows by marrying him. Humbled by the dramatic rescue and renewed in his faith, Sean's heart goes out to his new bride, a woman whose past has prompted her to guard her heart. Yet could the talk around town be true? Is the fiercely independent Charlotte falling for Sean Donovan?

User reviews

LibraryThing member SarahGraceGrzy
While I enjoyed parts of this story, it just wasn't my favorite and there was some content that made me quite skirmy. I loved the character of Sean in the first book, so parts of this book were very hard to get through because of the things he was going through. His redemption story arc was very
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sweet though! I wasn't really a fan of Charlotte and her storyline. I mean really, she basically goes from a super-tough-girl-who-doesn't-have-a-heart to a gentle, sweet, loving wife. I felt like there was some inbetween lacking there.

Also, while it wasn't necessarily innapropriate because there WERE husband and wife, there was quite a bit of talkinghinting at intimacy that made be very uncomfortable. I don't really need to know any of that . . .


All in all, not really my favorite book.
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LibraryThing member NadineC.Keels
Sean was sentenced to hang for his part in a bank robbery, but a rare law in town now has him wedded instead—to a complete stranger. His new wife, Charlotte, only married him to make him a blacksmith in her livery. She doesn't intend to fall in love with Sean in Sean Donovan by author Lori
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Wick.

This was at least my third time reading the third book in The Californians series, once my favorite series by this author. It was fun to reread some of this wholesome ChristFic I ate up nearly two decades ago.

I'll admit, though, that issues I "winked at" back then are more glaring to me now. The novel's first chapters are vague in places and seem to be in a rush to get Sean's life of crime out of the way so that he can hurry on into the changed-man stage. The story is full of head-hopping, frequently switching between characters' perspectives with little or no warning. Words like "softly" and "gently" are overused, and while tears are understandable, given the dramatic turns his life takes, Sean cries a lot during a certain stretch of the book.

While it's something I've become used to in these novels, the dialogue and descriptions often overplay the sentiment, including where the abundant Bible talk, sermons, salvation lessons, etc. are concerned. Even in Christian Fiction, it takes finesse to present spiritual content in a way that isn't schmaltzy or overdone.

Still, I like that Charlotte is a capable and plucky businesswoman, kind of rough around the edges. And as with the other books in the series, this is a feel-good read for ChristFic historical romance fans who can appreciate something that's easy to digest.
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Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

1993-04

Physical description

8.46 inches

ISBN

0736919473 / 9780736919470

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