Just who does Rebel Runs Fast think he is? Dr. Madeline Mitchell, the new doctor on the White Sandy Lakota Indian Reservation, knows there’s a good answer to that question. Somewhere.
Sure, the Lakota medicine man is every cowboy-and-Indian fantasy she ever had, but he sends patients to sweat lodges instead of clinical trials, talks them out of flu vaccines. Even more irritating, he makes her heart race.
Rebel swore off the white man's world—and its women—years ago. Madeline doesn't speak the language, understand the customs, or believe he's anything more than a charlatan. Yet she stays, determined to help his people. And he keeps finding excuses to spend more time at the clinic.
When he discovers her in the throes of dangerous heat stroke, Rebel’s efforts to cool her down sets fire to a passion neither thought they wanted. But when the people start falling violently ill, the cultural gap stretches the connection between their hearts to the breaking point…
This book contains smoking-hot skinny dipping, emotional and emotionally satisfying sex, and a shirtless cowboy who is also an Indian.
With over 1.2 million copies published in over twenty-one countries, Sarah M. Anderson has published over 45 books. Sarah's book A Man of Privilege won a RT Book Reviews 2012 Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award. The Nanny Plan was a 2016 RITA® winner for Best Contemporary: Short. Additionally, Sarah has given workshops at national and regional conferences, taught craft classes online, spoken at libraries and book clubs, and published articles in the Romance Writers Report.
When she’s not walking her rescue dogs, reading or crafting, Sarah spends her days having conversations with imaginary people, all of which is surprisingly well-tolerated by her wonderful family. Find out more about Sarah’s books at www.sarahmanderson.com and sign up for the new-release newsletter at http://bit.ly/sarahalerts.
I love when a romance takes me by surprise. I’ve been on the lookout for some really great cowboy romances lately and have been disappointed with the few that I’ve chosen to read. Not so in this case!! Not only do I get a wonderful romance, but THIS cowboy is an Indian.
Madeline is the new reservation doctor…she’s come from the big city for the chance to really make a difference. Her kind heart won me over instantly. This is a woman who truly has a desire to help people…not only to heal their bodies but also their spirits, and even this tribe of stoic Lakota Native American people can hold out against her unwavering stubbornness to do good. She may not always go about it in the nicest manner, but this tough, loving chick gets her job done. Except when Rebel, the tribe’s sexy medicine man, keeps her from getting it done.
Rebel….yum. That’s all I’ve got. Yum. [image error]"/>
“He was tall and straight. All the more compared to the broken people she’d looked at all day. His jet black hair hung long and loose under a straw cowboy hat, all the way down to his denim clad butt. Even though he was supporting the other man, he was moving from one black cowboy boot to the other, his hips shifting in a subtle but sexy motion. He was wearing a T-shirt with the sleeves torn off, revealing a set of biceps that looked like carved caramel - the best kind of delicious.”
What was different about this book was how spiritual it is. No politically correct rendition of traditional Indian ways. This author knows her stuff. Native American tribes were very, very spiritual. And it bled into every aspect of their lives. When Rebel counsels his people to refuse some of Madeline’s treatments in favor of spending a night at the sweat lodge, Madeline is pissed. How dare he go against her medical advice?
But Rebel is just doing what he believes is the right thing for his tribe. He’s not an in-your-face kind of guy. He’s soft spoken, friendly, and much easier to smile than I expected. But his leadership role in his community is obvious in his demeanor…the authority he carries naturally and his apparent ease with his place in life and the natural world he chooses to live in.
“He had beautiful black eyes, the kind of black that didn’t so much show you the window to his soul, but reflected yours back at you.”
Therein lies Madeline and Rebel’s biggest problem. Rebel has lived in the world of the white man. He almost married a white woman. But he’s come to find that they aren’t comfortable with more than lip service when it comes to his Lakota customs and traditions, let alone the way they live. His people are poor in material wealth but rich in spirit. And he can’t bring himself to accept that Madeline…the rich city girl doctor…would ever learn to love his way of life. And Madeline had to figure out that sometimes the most logical way of doing things isn't always the right way. Sometimes, you have to go with your heart instead of your head.
At times funny
“Ooooh, her first ma’am. From an honest to God cowboy, no less. She felt the sudden urge to curtsey… And here's Blue eyes, Rebel's "voyeuristic horse," lol! [image error]"/>
At times sexy
“Each pull back hit something new inside her, something she was certain she’d never known was there before. And through it all, Rebel’s hips kept pace with the low moaning of her name, the sound of pure sex on the wind. Mad-e-line,” he repeated, over and over…”
And other times heartbreaking
“But all Rebel could think was that this wasn’t going to last, because she couldn’t give up the house and he couldn’t give up the stars…”
I loved this book. I loved how the worlds collide and this couple has to not break through the normal angsty problems that you find in many modern romances, but huge obstacles such as culture gaps and completely different ways of life. This is a beautiful story that satisfied my romantic needs and gave me a little more insight into a few problems the original Americans are faced with today.
The USP of this book was, how different it was and how it made the Native American culture and people come alive. It doesn't flinch from depicting the difficulties and prejudice they face. To the heroine everything is new and alien and she does her level best to adjust to ideas of sweat lodge, medicine men etc.
The hero is an artist, a medicine man. He did try living off the rez, got married and tried to fit in but came back, swearing off women. I loved the chemistry these two had in the book and their feelings didn't automatically solve all problems, namely their different expectations. I loved reading a book which depicted something different and will be continuing on with this series.
Reread March 2015...5 stars, just like the first time! Now to read the rest of the series!
I love westerns, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman is one of my favorite TV shows, and this story is a lot like Dr. Quinn…if it were set today instead of in the 1870’s, if there had been no Sully, and if Cloud Dancing had been younger and hotter and unmarried, lol.
The lovely Duchess Nicole had this picture on her review of this same book and once I saw it, I couldn’t get it out of my mind. This is Rebel:
WHEW! *fans self*
I loved Rebel from the start. Although the name suggests he might be a bit of a bad boy, he wasn’t that. But he WAS a man who valued faith and family. He cared a great deal for his people, and I respected and grew to like him because of it. Rebel is much more than a pretty face (and body!) He’s also a Medicine Man, and carries on the traditions taught to him by his grandfather. I loved that aspect of the story. And there was one scene with the grandfather where I teared up. Sniff sniff.
As for the heroine Madeline…
I loved her stubborn, fiery nature and her wild, unruly curls. She was instantly attracted to Rebel, but fought against it, as she had come to the White Sandy reservation with one purpose, and one purpose only: to serve as their resident doctor for the next two years. Needless to say…fate had other plans. ;-)
With Madeline practicing the white man’s medicine and Rebel practicing the Lakota way as a Medicine Man, there were a few times they clashed, but that just made it all the more interesting. But this couple soon realizes they’re on the same side, and learn to work together, and that, ladies and gentleman, is when the sparks flew.
The scene in the river was my absolute favorite. So romantic, yet super sensual and very, very hot.
"The spring rains, that was what she smelled like. The spring rains soaking into the earth, washing away the grit of a winter spent asleep. Every second with her was like waking up all over again. And he hadn't even realized he'd been asleep."
The loves scenes were nice. A little on the mild side, but this isn't erotica. ;-)
Can’t wait to read the rest of this series! Especially book 3, which is supposedly about another character we met in the book...a mysterious man by the name of Nobody.
Ahhh.. it ended... I didn't want it to end!!! It was such a great romance!!! The hero was yummyliscious!!! (Even if he has long hair, Jenn *wink*) This book has the best s*ex scenes without being overly explicit. And what to say about the s+exual tension building? Combustive! You could feel the tension rising and rising and rising, until you had goose bumps like when there's a storm building. And the it explodes! BANG! WOW!
There's a backing story about some rancher messsing with cattle, but the main story is the relationship between hero and heroine. The solving of his problems being Lakota. In this book, he's the one having bigger problems; the heroine overcomes hers very quickly, but he struggles for a very long time. To me his problems seemed small, but meybe they were not so... I know there is a problem with Native Americans (I hope this is PC...) reservations and their working, but I really didn't imagine that it was as described here. To me Indians (as we call them here) are proud people with a great culture, but here their main problem is alcoholism and laziness. I don't know if it is true or not, but this is the feel I get here.
Anyhow, the book was very, very good!
The writing is unusual. Unusual in the good way! :D
The inner musings of the heroine are sometime hilarious and some time sad. Treading water, she waited as she tried to screw her head back on straight. It wasn’t that she’d freaked out when it had suddenly became a very real option that he was about to begin exploring her topography. No, it had nothing to do with the unexpected shock of something that sunk to her very center. Nothing to do with the certain realization that there would be nothing pitiful about sex with Rebel. If he even had a bed. No, she reasoned, her reaction had merely been the safest thing. If he’d actually gotten...anywhere, well, he’d have broken the natural-fluid seal her body had erected for the express purpose of keeping dirty river water on the outside, where it belonged. Yes, that was it. She was just concerned about microbes and stuff. Sure.
With just a few word you get the picture and go gooey... “I want to apologize. To you.” Of course, he was plenty dangerous without touching her. Her heart did that weird lurching thing, but she ignored it. “All right, then. You can apologize.” One corner of his mouth notched up. “I know I can. May I?”
Quick & Dirty: A woman in the search for a greater purpose and a man with his entire community depending on him.
Opening Sentence: He let his mind go blank as he stared at the fire.
The Review:
This year has been an opportunity to stretch my wings across a wide range of the sub-genres that are incorporated under the heading of Romance. Sometimes I have been surprised at the books that I have read, and other times I have found new authors to follow and a huge backlog of books that I must read. Finally, there have been some portions of the romance world that I just didn’t “get the fascination” other readers did and in this category Western Romance has had prominent space. Part of this I believe was the glut of stories that I read as a teenager.
So when Ms. Anderson sent out a tweet on Twitter one day saying that she had books from her Men of White Sandy series available for review, I knew it was time to expand my repertoire yet again this year.
This story was well told and the characters were real in a way that is hard to attain. I felt that I was on the rolling plains and I haven’t even visited the “real” west. You see, I’ve only flown over the western United States or had the opportunity to stay in the big cities. This book has encouraged me to make a trip and see the awesome sights that the western portions of our country provides.
Our hero, Rebel Runs Fast, is a paradox surrounded by conundrum. He is a cowboy, Indian, artist, and medicine man. Every time I felt that I was truly grasping his character, I was gifted with another layer that is Rebel. While our heroine, Dr. Madeline Mitchell, has layers of her very own that are peeled back as we read their story. Madeline’s baggage and history comes as part of the charm that surrounds this woman.
The underlying mystery of this story was well crafted and don’t worry, I will not spoil it for you here. But the final result had me tearing through to the end of this book because I had to know how we would get our happily-ever-after.
One word of warning, there is one character and portion of the story that if you are soft hearted like our heroine and me, please make sure you have tissues handy. I didn’t, and I had a miserable cry with no tissues to prevent a mess. Well done to Ms. Anderson, it has been a while since I had a good cry because of what occurred to a character in a book.
Many times we are given insights in books that point to future occurrences and this can sometimes ruin a book if it falls too close to a typical story. This is not one of those stories. I am so pleased that I took the opportunity to contact Ms. Anderson. She was gracious in providing me with this book for review.
My final verdict on this book is that I truly enjoyed it and it has made me rethink my view of Westerns. If you are looking to stretch your romance wings then this book is a great one to pick up. The rest of the series will also be available shortly in print or you can go ahead and get book 2, Masked Cowboy, in an electronic version today. I will most assuredly be keeping my eye open for other books by Ms. Anderson.
FTC Advisory: Samhain Publishing provided me with a copy of Mystic Cowboy. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
When i saw this book on my Time line i was on it straight away.Yes it was the cover that caught my eye but come on look at it :) I love my Vampires but Cowboys are up there to and a Cowboy who is Indian Wow all my fantasies have come true.
I adored this book it's very well written and with the added insight to how Lokota Indians live and it's History i was hooked.
Take one White women who leaves her comfortable job to work on White Sandy Reservation and throw in a hot sexy Indian Cowboy and watch the passion ignite.And oh my did it ever one skinning dipping scene will play in my mind for awhile to come (fans herself)
Madeline is a strong headed women and when she moves to live and work as a doctor at white sandy it's not all it's cracked up to be.There are hardly no supplies to work with she doesn't understand the language and some people don't trust her.But this women doesn't give up she uses her own money to buy supplies and is determined to make this work.And then in walks Rebel..instant attraction hits them both and they have this pull and push sort of relationship.
Rebel is sexy,caring and a medicine man and his beliefs and Madeline's beliefs cause problems between them.Rebel and his brother Jessie have been brought up by Albert and he is one special man who has helped Rebel to be the man he is.Rebel does have visions and this is where the story gets interesting.People have been coming down with a sickness bug and Rebel knows there is fowl play going on and he needs Madeline to help him prove it.
Madeline and Rebel struggle with their feelings for each other and with the secondary character's getting in the way of their budding romance will they have a happy ending,will they be able to save everyone in time.? You will have to read the book to find out...
I loved some of the other character's Madeline's sister seems to be very sassy and i have a feeling she will be a big player in book 2.
Nobody is another character i loved he's the broken one the one everyone is nervous to be around, and he only seems to trust Rebel.The ending of this book end's on Nobody and what he See's and feels which is a little upsetting but once again i think he has a big part in book 2 to.I highly recommend this book. This review will also be on my blog Passionate about Books in the next couple of days.
I did enjoy reading this book but I didn't think it was fantastic. I found Melanie and Rebel a bit confusing at times. Melanie seemed to have a strange way of looking at things and got angry or stressed about things that didn't quite make sense. Whilst I could see that Anderson was trying to make Rebel a man who was in touch with his feelings but I found him at times more confusing. I'm just not quite sure what the whole thing about him rocking from side to side was & what that actually meant. But Melanie certainly seemed to like it.
On a more positive side, this was the first book that really explored some of the feelings towards Native American Indians. It was both fascinating & sad.
soo I'm not going to lie. I saw a review on amazon complaining about all the sex scenes, and i knew then I just had to read it, haha.
This book follows our FMC Madeline whom is a doctor as she is contracted to work at The White Sandy Reservation. It's there that she meets our mystery medicine man Rebel Runs Fast. The tension is there right off the bat. Rebel Runs Fast helps his tribe in many ways, including sharing his earnings for selling his custom bead creations and artwork. He's admired by so many, including the doctor. But he initially doesn't want the doctor there... he's convinced they don't need her... that is until people start getting sick. The spicy scenes in this book are FABULOUS. The spice, the tension, the unique storyline? I loved it all. I do wish there were more romance book options that feature indigenous people though.
GREAT read!!! I loved the characters, the setting and the story. Heartwarming and heart wrenching. Can't wait to read more stories about White Sandy reservation!!
I have enjoyed several of Sarah M Anderson’s titles, so agreeing to review The Medicine Man was a no-brainer. Originally published by Samhain (I am still mourning their closure), the author has self-pubbed the title. While I am still not a fan of the cover, The Medicine Man kicks off the Men of the White Sandy series to a satisfying start.
Madeline Mitchell is stuck in a rut. Her boyfriend is not the love of her life, and she feels like she’s spinning her wheels. She doesn’t want to just settle, so she is desperate for a way out. She agrees to a two year commitment working at the White Sandy reservation. When she sees the clinic, and the lack of supplies, she worries that her skills as a physician will go to waste. How can she treat her patients when there aren’t even any bandages or supplies for simple emergencies?
Madeline’s job is made even more difficult when Rebel Runs Fast appears at the clinic. He has a distrust of white doctors, expects Madeline to pack up and run from the desolate reservation, and keeps steering her patients away from costly treatments that are not affordable. With the reservation’s high unemployment and high rate of alcoholism, the residents of White Sandy are used to making due and taking care of their own. Madeline, however, refuses to sit around and do nothing while the people around her suffer from preventative illnesses.
At first, Rebel really got on my nerves. While I understood his distrust of outsider Madeline, his interference with her patients was just irritating. Especially when Madeline spent her own money to stock the clinic with supplies so she could treat the people who finally came to her for help after they didn’t get better on their own. Rebel was very protective of his people, and he didn’t trust Madeline to even administer flu shots because of a vision he had.
Madeline learns to quickly roll with the punches. Some of her patients don’t speak English, so she begins to rely on Rebel to translate conversations for her. He becomes a culture bridge for Madeline and her patients. She finds herself growing attached to her efficient staff and their families, as well as her patients. When she lets her guard down and allows herself to get closer to Rebel, she has to deal with the vast differences between them. Rebel lives in a tent, he seems to have no job, and yet he keeps paying the clinic bills for some of her patients. What is up with this guy?
I found Madeline a very compelling protagonist. She must put the life she’s used to, one of affluence, convenience, and comfort, aside for this new life in a tiny, rundown cabin in the middle of the desert. There is no internet, no cable, no air conditioning. I would have lasted about ten minutes. Having left her job at a profitable hospital’s ER, she is shocked by how little resources are available at the clinic. With determination, not to mention her own funds, she stocks the clinic and settles in for the long haul. It’s a daunting task, and she’s not sure she can last the two years. Instead, she sets her sights on outlasting the previous doctor’s five month tenure.
Things got serious when an illness spreads through the White Sandy’s population. I could not put the book down. I was very worried that some of the characters I had come to like wouldn’t survive. That’s when I feel that Rebel finally mans up and makes his stand against his past and the ghosts that still haunt him. Can he really put his trust in Madeline, enough so that he’ll give up his rootless existence and allow himself to build a happy future with her?
Despite some quibbles with the hero, I enjoyed The Medicine Man, and I’m looking forward to other books in the Men of the White Sandy series (especially Nobody’s!).
When a beautiful “by-the-books” physican comes to a small, underfunded clinic on the White Sandy Lakota Indian Reservation, she finds herself lost in a world the polar opposite of the tar and cement existence she has always known. Belief in ancestral spirits, medicine men and visions in sweat lodges are things of fantasy for Dr. Madeline Mitchell. Enter “Rebel,” tall, dark and handsome, mysterious, bossy, everything that raises her hackles. As a mysterious illness begins to take over the reservation, horses are killed and people shot, the possibility that someone is trying to run the Lakota off their land through any means is raised. The people need to learn to trust in Madeline and her medicine and she needs to learn to accept their way of life. Rebel may be the only person who can bring everyone together to save lives and their land, but what is he doing to Madeline’s heart? Are they using each other for a common goal or is it time to realize there may be more between them?
Sarah M. Anderson’s Mystic Cowboy is filled with tension, Lakota beliefs, a little science, and a whole lot of romance. Her characters have pasts, they have pain, they are unsure of their future roles and holding on to the present seems sometimes to be a push-me-pull-me game between Rebel, with his secrets and Madeline with hers. Aside from their romantic antics, as a team they do learn work together towards a common goal. Are the characters always likable, no, but they are human, the dialogue is wonderfully realistic and well-written. Filled with history, and rich descriptions of each scene, this modern day Western/Romance/Intrigue/Medical novel has lassoed five stars from me.
I received a review copy from the author in exchange for my honest review, as part of a special release day post at Tome Tender!
Publication Date: January 1, 2013 (Paperback Publication: January 7, 2014) Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd Genre: Contemporary Western Romance Number of Pages: 325 Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
I’m really still in awe about Mystic Cowboy by Sarah M. Anderson. I was attracted to this story because of the book synopsis. I find myself intrigued by stories with an inter-racial element. I’m fascinated by the vast cultures we have in the United States. I’m blessed to have a multi-cultural family and enjoy seeing true to life depictions of our patchwork nation in a novel.
While on the surface this seems to be a western romance I found myself making much deeper connections to the story. The melding of modern medicine and native american traditions. But what really got me, was the authentic feeling of the experience on a reservation. I’ve been interested in the Lakota since reading one my favorite author’s from western South Dakota. Understanding the tribal life from Rebel’s perspective, struck me, specifically in relation to his feelings about his public persona. I was still thinking about him hours later.
Interacting with the secondary characters of on White Sandy, Ms. Anderson steeped her tale with thoughtful authenticity, not romanticized by our fascination with Native American ways. The communities challenges were primarily centralized around Dr. Mitchell’s clinic on the reservation and her need to treat and care for the reservation community.
Madeline has a much harder time acclimating to the local culture than she expected, and falling for a sexy ‘Medicine Man’ that challenges her professional principles is truly life changing for her. She’s headstrong and demanding at times, but I still felt she remained true to her nature while growing as a character.
Rebel, is a beautiful man. Deeply devoted to his culture and his community. The spiritual elements in Mystic Cowboy were truly touching, bringing me a peace I had not expected to find, and for that I am truly grateful I got to read it. 2012 held a year of struggle and heartache for so many people, both across our nation, but also with close friends and family. I’ll be watching for where Ms. Anderson takes the Men of White Sandy. I think I’m hooked.
Wow. What a fabulous book. The romance is just the bonus in this book – I loved the setting on the Lakota Indian reservation, how their ways and traditions were at the forefront of this book not the white man’s ways. The author did a great job of showing these people that first inhabited this land struggles, their very close bonds and beliefs, and that they didn’t need all the modern conveniences that we all take for granted to be happy.
Dr. Madeline Mitchell has come to the White Sandy Lakota Indian Reservation to do a 2 year rotation at the only clinic in town. To say she is at first surprised at the state of the clinic and its lack of supplies is an understatement. As she has sworn of men she tries her best to keep up her no nonsense Dr personality around all the very attractive native men, especially one in particular - Rebel Runs Fast.
Rebel has lived in both worlds. He grew up on the reservation and both his parents ended up being the typical stereotype Native American – father running off on the family and his mother dying of alcohol poisoning. He left to attend college and got married to a white woman and achieved fame within the art world but he never felt comfortable in that world and when his marriage ended badly he went home and swore off women. At first he isn’t happy to find himself attracted to another white woman especially one that doesn’t understand his medicine man ways and his need to be out in nature and not running on a time table.
The love scenes between Rebel and Madeline are some of the most sensual scenes I’ve ever read – especially their first one. These two really couldn’t have been more different but as a reader I felt they were soul mates.
There is a rather large supporting cast that is just as intriguing as the main characters. As I was reading in my mind I was going ok I want his story and his story, etc.. I really liked this book so much so I am going to skip right to the third book because I have to have Nobody’s story now (yes his name is Nobody and the reason is heartbreaking).
This is another one I pined over for some time and, once I was maybe 4 chapters in, I knew it wasn't what I'd fully hoped for, but I soldiered on.
The writing is okay. Not great, not terrible, just okay.
I appreciate how human Rebel was, very down to earth and believable. My favorite characters were Clarence, Nobody, Albert, and Rebel. I didn't hate Madeline (in fact, I quite liked that she was smart. And not just 'the author said she's smart' but actually, academically intelligent), I was fairly indifferent to her, really. A tid bit flat for me because where Rebel being normal was refreshing, Madeline felt downright ordinary. There were moments where I cared more about how Blue Eye felt than what Madeline thought. That could have loads to do with the tropes of ordinary Mary-Sues and Most Amazing Boyfriend Ever. I kind of liked her sister Mellie and wish she'd been the love interest instead. (although that may be a personal quirk; I don't see why couples always have to be oppositely-paired. There can be a love story of two people with similar personalities and passions who still have struggles and come from different worlds.)
I appreciate the work that went into the usage of Lakota dialogue.
As for plot: it was okay. Pretty much what I expected on most counts, so meh. I downloaded this to read while in waiting rooms at doctor's visits, and it served that purpose well. All and all I wanted a more epic love story. I miiight read another book from this series. Maybe.
The writing is decent and the main characters are distinctive, but I had a hard time following either of their thought processes. Both Rebel and Madeline tended to make unwarranted assumptions and failed to even attempt to explain what was going on inside their head in even the most cursory way. Somehow this is supposed to be romantic and leads them to declare their love right after having sex for the first time, just a few weeks after meeting. Of course since they don't communicate at all, their fledgling relationship was over by the time they awoke the next morning as Rebel had already figured out it was doomed without benefit of having discussed anything with Madeline.
The non-romantic plot regarding mysterious flu like symptoms on the reservation, had a lot of potential but was poorly handled. Instead of a mounting mystery it was just about getting some lab results back because for some reason a publicly traded for profit lab doesn't bother to process a paying customers samples in a timely fashion because - actually I have not a clue.
I disliked the sexual scenes. The over the top descriptions of Madeline feeling physical pain because she needed Rebel inside of her so badly sounded like it came out of some shifter destined mates book. Foreplay ranged from a tiny bit to zero. Mostly there was just a whole lot of missionary sex.
The author has a lot of technical skills but somehow the story felt kind of clunky and not entirely satisfying.
Dr. Madeline Mitchell, the new doctor on the White Sandy Lakota Indian Reservation, is about to find a world that she had no idea existed or even was possible. As her world collides with that of Rebel Runs Fast, Rebel a man who straddles both worlds while trying to help his people the Lakota Indians keep their ways and traditions. He swore of the white man's world including its woman. But Madeline, we she is something he did not expect to find in his world. The Lakota medicine man is every cowboy-and-Indian fantasy she ever had, but he sends patients to sweat lodges instead of clinical trials, talks them out of flu vaccines. Even more irritating, he makes her heart race. When he discovers her in the throes of dangerous heat stroke, Rebel’s efforts to cool her down sets fire to a passion neither thought they wanted. But when the people start falling violently ill, the cultural gap stretches the connection between their hearts to the breaking point… Will they bridge their differences and find love, read the book, its a good story and well written, it did keep me on the edge of my seat, it made me laugh and scared for both.
This was a story that snuck up and surprised me. I'm not usually a cowboy fan but I love to read about American Indian heritage. The medicine man vs doctor debate, wonderful characters (especially nobody!) and great dialogue....yup my cowboy opinions have changed. Thank you Sarah for giving us Rebel. ;)
I enjoyed this story set in a Native American Indian reservation. It had a good plot with an exciting ending. Although the hero waffled a bit in the relationship, he made up for it in the end and this was an overall a good book. Dr Madeline takes a job at a clinic in a reservation and often conflicts with local medicine man Rebel.
Terrific book. Madeline is a doctor on a mission - she has brought her skills to the Lakota White Sandy Reservation, committing herself to at least two years as their doctor. She gets a rude awakening when she discovers that the conditions are more primitive than she knew - a lack of supplies, irregular record keeping, and a rundown building, to name a few. She is determined to succeed, despite the interference from Rebel, the tribe's medicine man.
Rebel takes his responsibilities to his people seriously. After years spent running away from his heritage, he returned to the home of his heart. Raised in the traditions of the tribe by his grandfather, Rebel's connection to the land runs deep. Madeline's arrival throws him for a loop, and as much as he wants to believe the tribe doesn't need her, a rash of unexplained illnesses convinces him otherwise.
The first encounters between Madeline and Rebel were tense and intense. Madeline is very much a traditional doctor, relying on science and medicine to help her patients. Madeline is also the latest in a series of doctors who have come to work on the rez, most of whom don't last more than a few months, so it is an uphill battle earning their trust. Rebel is a Lakota medicine man whose methods lean more on the spiritual side and get on Madeline's wrong side when he recommends his methods over hers. Matters come to a head when her patients flat-out refuse vaccinations, and she blames Rebel. It isn't until he explains the history of Native distrust of "government assistance" that she begins to understand.
Underneath the antagonism between Rebel and Madeline is an intense attraction neither wants. Rebel has been burned in the past by a relationship with a white woman, and Madeline prefers to concentrate on her work. But there is no denying the pull between them, as exhibited by the river scene when Madeline chases him down at his campsite. This begins a connection between them as they grow closer in understanding each other's lives. Their chemistry builds, leaving each in a quandary about their future. Madeline is a woman whose life requires a house, while Rebel is happiest living under the stars. Each must consider the compromises they are willing to make for their desired future.
The subject of the mysterious illnesses plaguing the people runs throughout the book. Rebel's visions have told him this is an impending crisis, but he cannot know what it is. Madeline's attempts to progress the traditional way run into delays caused by institutional prejudice. I could feel her frustration and loved her method of getting results. When the crisis hits, it is all hands on deck as Madeline and a few others have to deal with it. The intensity was overwhelming, and I was wholly invested in the outcome. The resolution was almost anticlimactic but still very satisfying.
One of the things I loved most about this book was the natural inclusion of Lakota history and traditions. They were a logical part of the story, from Rebel's explanation about the vaccines to his visions to Grandfather Albert's decisions about his health. I loved getting to know various community members, such as Albert, Clarence, Tara, and Tammy, and learning about their lives and challenges. It was also a realistic look at life and conditions on a reservation, such as poverty, drugs, and alcoholism. I ached for the prejudice that someone like Rebel faced despite his success.
They come from two different worlds, but it doesn't take long for them both to be yearning for forever! The setting is rustic with an underlying sense of despair as an illness runs rampant through the reservation. They race against time to figure out what it is and how to help the tribe while at the same time easing into a relationship that they both realize may never be able to work out. The core characters have a steamy hot connection and their supporting cast help complete the homey feel to the cast and keep us wanting to learn more about them in the series future. I really enjoyed it!
Doctor Madeline Mitchell might not fit in on the White Sandy Reservation, but she's determined to be the help this tribe needs in medical care. Many have come and gone before her, so people are skeptical about the new white doctor. They have more faith in their own medicine man, and he's not one to blindly let them accept her way of medicine.
Rebel Runs Fast is keeping her on her toes for sure. He's friendly enough and helpful when need be, but there are certain things that he makes sure his tribe refuses to let her do in treating them. He knows she doesn't exactly believe in his ways, but they are both going to have to overcome their stubborn attitudes and work together when the mystery illness becomes more dire!
I can begin to say how much I enjoyed reading this book. I love stories in which the characters grown and have to draw on not only their own strengths but the strength of their new partner. This book gives that and so much more. It is a story of two people that come from two different world; literally. She is a medical doctor that has come from a wealthy family. He is a medicine man but so much more than that he is also a well know artist by his white man name. He goes by his Indian name Rebel and he has had a troubling vision about what is about to happen to his people. Madeline is a strong willed woman and though the both of them clash they are also strongly attracted to each other. Will they be able to find the answer to the strange illness that is going through the reservation and will the be able to find a middle ground in their two different worlds. Excellent book one that I highly recommend
Wow! Did this book suck me in! I read it in one sitting.
The characters were real, sympathetic, endearing, and dynamic. The race to discover what was making people sick acted as a dramatic backdrop against which an attraction grew to love and combativeness became understanding. The story portrayed life on the reservation as both gritty and disparate while also being spiritual and full of family and love.
This was a book about dualities… the struggle to be our authentic selves in the face of expectations; the battle between saving lives and letting go with an honorable death; the war between people who want to help and people who do not want to be helped; the gulf between rich and poor, prideful and humble, capable and inapt, strong and weak.
It’s a story about making peace with the things out of our control; and it’s a story about giving everything we have to accomplish those goals that are within it.
The author did her research on a great deal of the Lakota cultural background. The story was well written, the characters had depth, and the landscape of the rez was a character in its own right. I hope to see the main relationship from this story continue to develop in future novels in this series. For me, this desire to check in on characters is the mark of a good book. If I can put a book down and don’t care what happens to them after the last page, that means I didn’t connect with the story or the people at all. I connected with Rebel and Mad, and would like it if they dropped into future stories for a visit.
Wonderful love story. The setting and the native American life style was fun and interesting to read about. The hero and heroine are from two different worlds and do not see eye to eye but they end up having to work together. They have an undeniable attraction but they fight it at first and they have many realistic misunderstandings from lack of communicating but they find their way. The other characters in the story are lovable and interesting as well. This story has everything. There's humor, swooning, and sometimes you are on the edge of your seat. Definitely recommend.
Actually I really liked the story and the characters. I only have two complaints. #1, what's with all the sex??? Not necessary! And #2, the cover of the book. Three times I passed by this story because I knew it was about Indians but the pasty white guy on the cover was a disillusion. American Indians are not pasty white! Heck, most country boys are not even that white! Fix it!
When you know men that do this same hip rock\leg bounce that could be Rebel in a heartbeat it makes the storyline even better. Loved the romance , and the drama of it! Add the beauty of the beliefs, the use of Native language with the horse's and camping, blend in the awesome ending and you have a book you want to start all over again! Well done!
A White Female Doctor and a Lakota Medicine Man. Will their different cultures and healing ways help or hinder them working together?
Rebel is Lakota Medicine Man that the people of the Red trust and respect. Madeline is a white woman Doctor hoping to run a Clinic and help heal and prevent disease. The book was very good with believable characters. I will read more in this series.
The love story was as interesting as the plot, so pretty good and easy to get interested. Sometimes the protagonist was a bit insufferable and it seemed like he was the only one in need to apologize all the time, like he made all the big efforts on the relationship and at the end it was the same. For that and because Madeline was quite rude almost all the time if they weren't flirting or having sex I don't like her very much. But he was okay, a nice guy xd
The Medicine Man es una novela diferente, interesante y que toca temas importantes que suceden dentro de los territorios indígenas en E E UU. Es una novela romántica, pero que deja clara la violencia y el olvido en que viven estas poblaciones. Ciertamente hay mucho del White Savior Complex, pero también hay una dignificación de la figura del indígena que me ha sorprendido en este tipo de géneros.
Ojalá le den la oportunidad a pesar de esa fea cubierta.