M

I am Lover of romance, who indulges in the romantic adventures of literature

My name is Renee, and I am the host of this site. I am a 34 year old woman, on the prowl for her mate, searching out the best of books, exploring the wilds of the imagination and delving into the heart of a beautiful love story.

 

Book Review-Rose

by | Nov 6, 2010 | Book Reviews | 0 comments

Book Review-RoseRose by Leigh Greenwood
Also in this series: No One But You
Series: Seven Brides #1
Published by Leisure Books on July 27th 2010
Genres: Historical Romance, American West
Pages: 374
Format: Paperback
Source: Library
ISBN: 9780843964363
Goodreads
five-stars

The first historical romance in the Seven Brides series about the Randolph brothers—and the women who tame their hearts.

WANTED: A WOMAN TO COOK, CLEAN, AND WASH FOR SEVEN MEN

To penniless, friendless Rose Thornton, the advertisement seemed like an answer to her prayers, and the incredibly handsome man who hired her seemed like a dream come true. But when she first set eyes on her hero's ramshackle ranch in the wilds of the Texas brush country, and met his utterly impossible brothers, Rose decided even George's earth-shattering kisses weren't compensation enough for the job ahead of her.

Never in her life had she seen a place more in need of a woman's touch, or men more in need of a civilizing influence. The Randolph brothers were a wild bunch—carving an empire out of the rugged land, fighting off rustlers and Mexican bandits—and they weren't about to let any female change their ways...not until George laid down the law and then lost his heart to the beguiling spitfire who'd turned all their lives upside down.

MY REVIEW

Summary:
When Rose Thornton sees the advertisement for a cook for six men, she decides to take George Randolph on his offer, after he rescues her one day at work. So not realizing what she was in for, she goes to the homestead and was shocked to see what she would have to deal with, concerning the Randolph men. When she arrives, the place is a pigsty, and wonders how any of them could live like this. There is George, the oldest. Then there is Jeff, the twins: Monty and Hen, Tyler, and the younger and still a child, Zac, who captures her heart from the first day. But out of all the brothers, it is George, whom she finds herself drawn to despite the circumstances that surround them, with their fathers having fought on both sides of the war. But despite all that, there is a sizzling fire between George and Rose, that starts to turn into love, what neither of them expected to find.

The Hero 
George Randolph, oldest of the seven boys, have brought them back together after the war, save one, Madison. However despite them being together, they need someone to take care of the place, to cook and clean for them. So he goes into town to look for a cook and housekeeper and finds Rose, who despite her ways and expectations being different, has made things in their family different, and come together more. George loves his brother and is commited to them, however when he feels himself falling in love with young Rose, he wonders if he could ever let her go from his life.

The Hero 
Rose Thornton, living in Austin, as a waitress is bemused yet drawn to this stranger who saves her, who occupies her thought unceasingly. Rose, is a woman alone, without any family left, her father having passed away in the war, now is on her own. So when she hears of George’s advertisement, she decides to take it, knowing that it would be a much better option than where she is at now. However she was shocked to see how uncivilized the Randolph Brothers, and is determined more than ever to turn them civilized, even if it kills her. What she didn’t think would happen was fall in love with Geroge Randolph who stirs up her senses like no other ever has.

My Thoughts 
Rose is the first in the Seven Brides Series, written by Leigh Greenwood. I can’t count how many times I have read this book, I just love love love reading it, so I thought it was about time that I read it and do a review for it. So here I am. Leigh Greenwood is one of my favorites to read from if I am looking for a good American Western romance, and is a male author, which suprised me at first, since there aren’t too many male romance authors, that I actually know of, so its truly a delight to find such a talented one. Every time I pick up Rose, I can’t force myself to put it down, I just love it so much. I just love the idea of one woman civilizing six brother (technically seven, but Madison doesn’t show in this book) and can hold her own. Definitely my type of heroine, and the hero is the classic tortured, planning to never marry type, but knows deep down its inevitable. So as far as a classic western romance, Rose hits the roof! Just loved it!

About Leigh Greenwood

Okay, let's get the hard stuff out of the way right up front. Leigh is a man! I know men aren't supposed to write romance, but I do and I don't intend to quit. It's fun.

If you're still mad, you can blame it on my wife. I wouldn't have known what romance was if, after I got married in 1972, romances hadn't started collecting all over the house. They were everywhere I looked, in the den, on the kitchen table, in the living room, stacked along one whole wall in the bedroom, even in the bathroom. When my wife wasn't cooking or taking care of the children, she was reading a romance. I admit I was a little supercilious about her choice of reading material. After all, I was reading Dickens, Hemingway, Austen, the classics! I started calling them her "sin, lust, and passion" books. I said it so often my daughter started calling them Mommy's "celeste" passion books. I thought it was funny. My wife didn't. One day, after what I’m certain was a typically condescending remark (you have to understand I'd never read a romance, just looked at the covers and made a snap judgment), she threw a book at me and told me to read it or shut up.

Being an obedient husband (my wife's expletive deleted!), I read the book. It was Georgette Heyer's These Old Shades. I loved it. To this day it's one of my favorite books. Being thoroughly hooked, I searched new and used bookstores until I'd collected every book Georgette Heyer ever wrote. After reading them all several times, I asked my wife to suggest some other books. Since I have a minor in history, she started me on a diet of the icons of early historical romance, Kathleen Woodiwiss, Rosemary Rogers, Jennifer Blake, Bertrice Small, and Johanna Lindsey. By now I was completely addicted.

Somewhere along the line, I read that women could make decent money (more than I could as a music teacher) writing historicals, so I tried to get my wife to write one. She told me she couldn't write, that I ought to write one. I said I couldn't think of a plot. This went back and forth for some time until I said if she'd give me a plot, I'd write a book. She said, "I've lost everything." It wasn't a plot, but it must have been enough. I sat down and started writing. 889 pages later, I had finished my first romance. A badly overwritten romance, but a book nonetheless.

I didn't know much about writing, and nothing at all about the romance market, so I had to write two more books and join Romance Writers of America before I knew enough to sell my first book. Wyoming Wildfire was published by Zebra in 1987. Since then I’ve written 45 more books and four novellas.

Unfortunately, after thirty-six years of marriage, my wife and I divorced. Even though it was amicable, it has been a difficult adjustment. House-hunting and moving from a home I’d occupied for twenty-seven years was no fun, but that’s behind me. My ex-wife is an excellent cook so I gave up cooking once we were married. Now I find that not only do I enjoy it, I’m good at it. In fact, I find myself standing over a simmering sauce or making soup to freeze when I should be writing. I’ve also come to a greater appreciation of what it takes to prepare tasty and interesting meals day after day, but you’re not likely to see any of that in my books. I haven’t written much about cooking since I got letters from readers after Wyoming Wildfire came out complaining that the heroine spent too much time in the kitchen.

I recently celebrated my 70th birthday so I call writing my mid-life crisis career. I have a BA in Voice and an MA in Musicology from the University of North Carolina. I taught music in schools and/or was an organist/choir director in churches for thirty-two years before retiring to write full time. I have three grown children (notice I didn't say mature or responsible!) who are momentarily occupying distant parts of these United States. I enjoy gardening and singing in both church and community choirs. I have just welcomed a beautiful grandson, and a granddaughter is on the way. Now if I can just live long enough to tell them stories about their parents.

You May Also Like…

ARC Book Review-My Season of Scandal by Julie Anne Long

ARC Book Review-My Season of Scandal by Julie Anne Long

About The Book In USA Today bestselling author Julie Anne Long’s latest installment in the Palace of Rogues series, a notorious rake meets his match in a doe-eyed girl from the country, changing the course of both of their futures… A London season is the chance of a...

Book Review-Wilde for You by Jennifer Ryan

Book Review-Wilde for You by Jennifer Ryan

About The Book New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Ryan’s page-turning Dark Horse Dive Bar series continues with this story of love lost...and found…as a widow seeking to heal her heart crosses paths with a rancher/bartender who offers her a taste of...

Book Review-Leopard’s Hunt by Christine Feehan

Book Review-Leopard’s Hunt by Christine Feehan

About The Book The next exhilarating Leopard novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan. In this pulse-pounding novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Leopard series, animal instinct unites two elite shifters whose heads are at war...

0 Comments

Leave a Reply