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Coulters Historical #2
Summer Breeze
The year is 1889, and Rachel Hollister hasn't set foot outside her house in five years. Ever since a savage attack left her family dead, she's cordoned herself off from the outside world, afraid to let anyone into her home—or into her heart. But now trouble has appeared on her doorstep—and suddenly she has no choice but to let a handsome rancher invade her well-guarded existence ...
Confirmed bachelor Joseph Paxton grudgingly offers to take up temporary residence at the Hollister ranch—even though it's obvious Rachel doesn't want his protection. But once he catches a glimpse of his beautiful young ward and her remarkable spirit, he'll do anything to break through the dark spell that's walled off her heart. It may take a miracle, but he's determined to make her see the refuge he's offering in his embrace—and the splendor that exists beyond her front door. Otherwise he'll just have to build a safe haven big enough for the both of them ...
Confirmed bachelor Joseph Paxton grudgingly offers to take up temporary residence at the Hollister ranch—even though it's obvious Rachel doesn't want his protection. But once he catches a glimpse of his beautiful young ward and her remarkable spirit, he'll do anything to break through the dark spell that's walled off her heart. It may take a miracle, but he's determined to make her see the refuge he's offering in his embrace—and the splendor that exists beyond her front door. Otherwise he'll just have to build a safe haven big enough for the both of them ...
421 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
About the author
Catherine Anderson
93 books2,874 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
(1)romance author:
Adeline Catherine was born and raised in Grants Pass, Oregon, USA. She always yearned to be a writer like her mother. The morning that one of her professors asked if she could use samples of Catherine’s creative writing on an overhead projector to teach was a dream come true. In 1988, she sold her first book to Harlequin Intrigue and went on to write three more before she tried her hand at a single-title historical romance. Nine books later, she did her first single-title contemporary.
Catherine married Sidney D. Anderson, an industrial electrician and entrepreneur. They had two sons, Sidney D. Jr. and John G. In 2001 she and her husband purchased a central Oregon home located on a ridge with incredible mountain views and surrounded by forestland honeycombed with trails. It was her dream home, a wonderland in the winter and beyond beautiful in the summer. She named it Cinnamon Ridge after the huge ponderosa pines on the property, which sport bark the color of cinnamon.
Sadly, Catherine lost her husband to a long-term illness in 2014. She has kept Cinnamon Ridge as her primary residence but divides her time between there and her son John's farm, where she has the support of her loved ones and can enjoy his horses, cows, and raise her own chickens.
Catherine loves animals and birds, both wild and domestic. She presently has two Australian shepherds, six cats, and a very old canary. She is very family oriented as well. Her older son has lived in Japan, Australia, and now resides in New Zealand. Catherine and her stateside family will celebrate Christmas on the north island with Sidney, his wife Mary, and their two sons, Liam and Jonas.
(1)romance author:
Adeline Catherine was born and raised in Grants Pass, Oregon, USA. She always yearned to be a writer like her mother. The morning that one of her professors asked if she could use samples of Catherine’s creative writing on an overhead projector to teach was a dream come true. In 1988, she sold her first book to Harlequin Intrigue and went on to write three more before she tried her hand at a single-title historical romance. Nine books later, she did her first single-title contemporary.
Catherine married Sidney D. Anderson, an industrial electrician and entrepreneur. They had two sons, Sidney D. Jr. and John G. In 2001 she and her husband purchased a central Oregon home located on a ridge with incredible mountain views and surrounded by forestland honeycombed with trails. It was her dream home, a wonderland in the winter and beyond beautiful in the summer. She named it Cinnamon Ridge after the huge ponderosa pines on the property, which sport bark the color of cinnamon.
Sadly, Catherine lost her husband to a long-term illness in 2014. She has kept Cinnamon Ridge as her primary residence but divides her time between there and her son John's farm, where she has the support of her loved ones and can enjoy his horses, cows, and raise her own chickens.
Catherine loves animals and birds, both wild and domestic. She presently has two Australian shepherds, six cats, and a very old canary. She is very family oriented as well. Her older son has lived in Japan, Australia, and now resides in New Zealand. Catherine and her stateside family will celebrate Christmas on the north island with Sidney, his wife Mary, and their two sons, Liam and Jonas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
April 30, 2023
Why the hell did I go back and finish this book? I had a really bad desire to know what happened to the heroine and how the conflict was resolved. Unfortunately, while the storyline itself wasn’t bad, everything surrounding it was just plain awful.
The atrocities started off with the manwhore hero who called his dick “old glory” TWELVE TIMES during the book, and they ended with how the heroine’s great aunt had to suffer for her sins. I’ve already discussed the hero’s gross behavior below (when I originally DNFd this awful story). So I just need to vent about the heroine’s great aunt and her story now….
You see, in CA’s world, women need to be pure. Or if they aren’t pure, they had to have either been raped or forced into sex they didn’t enjoy. The heroine’s great aunt, Amanda, had a tryst when she was a teen with a man who ended up only wanting her virtue. Because of her misdeeds, she had to pay. How did she pay, you may ask? Welllllllll….. no surprise, she got pregnant and had to go away and have her baby in secret. When she returned, her father bade her to never speak of the child and she promised him she wouldn’t. From there on out, she was treated like the family pariah by her father and brother (the heroine’s grandfather). Amanda fell in love with a man and he asked her to marry him, but she refused without telling him why. She had promised her father to keep quiet, and she thought that he deserved a virgin bride. One guess… do ya’ll think he was a virgin? 👎🏻👎🏻 Amanda is then worked like a mule and disinherited from her father’s and brother’s wills. She eventually leaves the family and starts her own small farm and lives there until this story starts and she’s in her 60’s (maybe even 70’s the story isn’t clear on her age). She’s old, sickly, still working hard… and she’s being considered a possible suspect of the murder of the heroine’s family. When the heroine’s last ranch hand is shot in the back, the sheriff goes and questions Amanda about her possible role. At that point, Amanda explains that she would never have shot that ranch hand because she loves him, he’s the man who proposed to her back when they were still young. Like forty years ago, btw. Amanda doesn’t know who shot the family… she loved her niece and the rest of her family, and never would have hurt them.
So I’m going to skip some of the story to keep this brief. But essentially, the ranch hand who was shot comes back from the brink of death, is told that Amanda always loved him, and in turn, he declares his everlasting love for Amanda. He mourns all of the wasted time, and declares that they will be getting married. They won’t be wasting even a minute of the three remaining that they have together on earth! How ROMANTIC! 🥴
Soon after this, the hero discovers that there’s a cave full of gold on the land, and another attempt is made on the heroine’s life. In the heat of the moment, it is discovered who the true villain of the story is… AMANDA’S SON! Yep, the baby that she had to leave behind when she got pregnant as a teen … has come back to haunt her life, kill her family, and nearly kill the man she loves. So the story goes: Amanda sent for him to return when she went to work on her own ranch, but he always felt like he was owed more. She told him about the gold mine on her family’s land and he killed everyone to keep the mine from being found by others. When Amanda finally realized that he’s been the villain all along, she is horrified, but she is the one who ultimately pulls the trigger and puts a bullet through his heart. Only then can Amanda finally get her happy ending.
So, has she paid for her sin of fornication outside of marriage, or what?
Holy fuck, what is wrong with Catherine Anderson?
DNF @ 50%. This was the fourth book by Catherine Anderson that I've read recently...and the fourth book where the hero only slept with prostitutes before the heroine. The others were a little more bearable to read about. This hero is disgusting and the constant mentions of his sexual proclivities and his dick named "Old Glory" made me want to gag. He kisses the heroine (HER FIRST KISS EVER) and then immediately tells her:
A fucking buffet man. What a great way to say that he uses women like cum dumpsters. He later considers going to see the prostitute in town who serviced him before and he forgets her name. Classy. So basically, he's a walking, talking STD and the heroine deserves better.
Excuse me while I go throw up my breakfast.
The atrocities started off with the manwhore hero who called his dick “old glory” TWELVE TIMES during the book, and they ended with how the heroine’s great aunt had to suffer for her sins. I’ve already discussed the hero’s gross behavior below (when I originally DNFd this awful story). So I just need to vent about the heroine’s great aunt and her story now….
You see, in CA’s world, women need to be pure. Or if they aren’t pure, they had to have either been raped or forced into sex they didn’t enjoy. The heroine’s great aunt, Amanda, had a tryst when she was a teen with a man who ended up only wanting her virtue. Because of her misdeeds, she had to pay. How did she pay, you may ask? Welllllllll….. no surprise, she got pregnant and had to go away and have her baby in secret. When she returned, her father bade her to never speak of the child and she promised him she wouldn’t. From there on out, she was treated like the family pariah by her father and brother (the heroine’s grandfather). Amanda fell in love with a man and he asked her to marry him, but she refused without telling him why. She had promised her father to keep quiet, and she thought that he deserved a virgin bride. One guess… do ya’ll think he was a virgin? 👎🏻👎🏻 Amanda is then worked like a mule and disinherited from her father’s and brother’s wills. She eventually leaves the family and starts her own small farm and lives there until this story starts and she’s in her 60’s (maybe even 70’s the story isn’t clear on her age). She’s old, sickly, still working hard… and she’s being considered a possible suspect of the murder of the heroine’s family. When the heroine’s last ranch hand is shot in the back, the sheriff goes and questions Amanda about her possible role. At that point, Amanda explains that she would never have shot that ranch hand because she loves him, he’s the man who proposed to her back when they were still young. Like forty years ago, btw. Amanda doesn’t know who shot the family… she loved her niece and the rest of her family, and never would have hurt them.
So I’m going to skip some of the story to keep this brief. But essentially, the ranch hand who was shot comes back from the brink of death, is told that Amanda always loved him, and in turn, he declares his everlasting love for Amanda. He mourns all of the wasted time, and declares that they will be getting married. They won’t be wasting even a minute of the three remaining that they have together on earth! How ROMANTIC! 🥴
Soon after this, the hero discovers that there’s a cave full of gold on the land, and another attempt is made on the heroine’s life. In the heat of the moment, it is discovered who the true villain of the story is… AMANDA’S SON! Yep, the baby that she had to leave behind when she got pregnant as a teen … has come back to haunt her life, kill her family, and nearly kill the man she loves. So the story goes: Amanda sent for him to return when she went to work on her own ranch, but he always felt like he was owed more. She told him about the gold mine on her family’s land and he killed everyone to keep the mine from being found by others. When Amanda finally realized that he’s been the villain all along, she is horrified, but she is the one who ultimately pulls the trigger and puts a bullet through his heart. Only then can Amanda finally get her happy ending.
So, has she paid for her sin of fornication outside of marriage, or what?
Holy fuck, what is wrong with Catherine Anderson?
DNF @ 50%. This was the fourth book by Catherine Anderson that I've read recently...and the fourth book where the hero only slept with prostitutes before the heroine. The others were a little more bearable to read about. This hero is disgusting and the constant mentions of his sexual proclivities and his dick named "Old Glory" made me want to gag. He kisses the heroine (HER FIRST KISS EVER) and then immediately tells her:
“Yes, it was nice," he agreed. "Nice enough to get us both into trouble." He leaned in to kiss the end of her nose. "You're a lady from the tips of your toes to the top of your head, Rachel Hollister, and a lady isn't for the likes of me."
She tipped her head to study him questioningly. "Why is that?"
"Because I'm not the marrying kind." Joseph pushed to his feet. "You'll do well to remember that." He walked across the room to the archway. "I take my pleasure where I find it, and then I move on. I don't have it in me to love just one woman. I'm more what you might call a buffet man."
"A what?"
Joseph strained to shift the table. "A buffet man. I like to sample all the dishes and don't have a taste for any particular one." He angled her a warning look. "I love first helpings, but I rarely go back for seconds. I'm the same way with women. You understand what I'm saying?"
A fucking buffet man. What a great way to say that he uses women like cum dumpsters. He later considers going to see the prostitute in town who serviced him before and he forgets her name. Classy. So basically, he's a walking, talking STD and the heroine deserves better.
Excuse me while I go throw up my breakfast.
July 19, 2014
A little history:
It looked to me like this was a transitional book as the author moves this series from western to modern romance. This book begins in 2005 and introduces readers to Tucker Coulter when he discovers a journal written in 1889 that belonged to Rachel Hollister/Joseph Paxton. Joseph Paxton is the half brother to Ace Keegan (Keegan's Lady) and has brothers, David and Esa Paxton, and a step sister, Eden O'Shannessy. This one has a brief mention of Patrick O'Shannessy (Caitlin's brother) and his new wife, Faith, and their child. They are in the anthology "The True Love Wedding Dress" which has story #2 of this series.
My review:
I thought this book was a bit slow at parts and took me awhile to get into, but once things got moving along it was enjoyable. There is a mystery here that unravels nicely and a dose of suspense to boot. I enjoyed the characters interactions and personalities. They developed well throughout, but I was frustrated with a couple of things in this book:
1) For five years the town turned a blind eye on Rachel, who after her family were all shot and she survived became an Agoraphobic (with panic attacks)--inability to leave her home
2) FIVE YEARS!! Someone should have helped her long before the phobia advanced, IMO, they aided the illness in lieu of trying to help her
3) There sure were a lot of modern phrases and dialogue in the book for a western in 1889
4) Joseph enabled her in lieu of helping her. If he put just as much effort into helping her as he did in reinforcing her self-imposed prison, I would have been a much happier reader.
On the down side, I thought a few things could have been edited out, recaps of conversations that I just read about, retelling to other characters. That sort of thing gets on my nerves.
I loved the dog, Buddy! He really added to the story, for me, a dog lover. ;-)
The love letter at the end from Joseph to Rachel was a tear jerker, so have a box of tissues handy for that. This book ends back in 2005 with Tucker Coulter (in Oregon) deciding to try to locate some long lost relatives, Paxtons and Keegans (in Colorado), but I don't see Tucker's story yet. For me, the stories aren't planned out that far in advance and why introduce Tucker here then not write about him in the next 3-4 books? There just needs to be better organization with the characters, IMO.
The switch from past to present relatives in a series can be done. Linda Lael Miller's series starts out in western times and they succinctly follow the family tree and they are in modern times now. I like that! Going back to read David, Esa and Edens stories after going into modern times, I don't like that. I can see me loosing interest in this series and this author writes wonderful romantic westerns.
It looked to me like this was a transitional book as the author moves this series from western to modern romance. This book begins in 2005 and introduces readers to Tucker Coulter when he discovers a journal written in 1889 that belonged to Rachel Hollister/Joseph Paxton. Joseph Paxton is the half brother to Ace Keegan (Keegan's Lady) and has brothers, David and Esa Paxton, and a step sister, Eden O'Shannessy. This one has a brief mention of Patrick O'Shannessy (Caitlin's brother) and his new wife, Faith, and their child. They are in the anthology "The True Love Wedding Dress" which has story #2 of this series.
My review:
I thought this book was a bit slow at parts and took me awhile to get into, but once things got moving along it was enjoyable. There is a mystery here that unravels nicely and a dose of suspense to boot. I enjoyed the characters interactions and personalities. They developed well throughout, but I was frustrated with a couple of things in this book:
1) For five years the town turned a blind eye on Rachel, who after her family were all shot and she survived became an Agoraphobic (with panic attacks)--inability to leave her home
2) FIVE YEARS!! Someone should have helped her long before the phobia advanced, IMO, they aided the illness in lieu of trying to help her
3) There sure were a lot of modern phrases and dialogue in the book for a western in 1889
4) Joseph enabled her in lieu of helping her. If he put just as much effort into helping her as he did in reinforcing her self-imposed prison, I would have been a much happier reader.
On the down side, I thought a few things could have been edited out, recaps of conversations that I just read about, retelling to other characters. That sort of thing gets on my nerves.
I loved the dog, Buddy! He really added to the story, for me, a dog lover. ;-)
The love letter at the end from Joseph to Rachel was a tear jerker, so have a box of tissues handy for that. This book ends back in 2005 with Tucker Coulter (in Oregon) deciding to try to locate some long lost relatives, Paxtons and Keegans (in Colorado), but I don't see Tucker's story yet. For me, the stories aren't planned out that far in advance and why introduce Tucker here then not write about him in the next 3-4 books? There just needs to be better organization with the characters, IMO.
The switch from past to present relatives in a series can be done. Linda Lael Miller's series starts out in western times and they succinctly follow the family tree and they are in modern times now. I like that! Going back to read David, Esa and Edens stories after going into modern times, I don't like that. I can see me loosing interest in this series and this author writes wonderful romantic westerns.
June 15, 2013
One of the hardest questions anyone can ask me is "What is your favorite book?" But the ultimate tough question for anyone to ask me is "What is your favorite Catherine Anderson book?" Should you ever ask me that question, you will see in my face just how crazy I think you are... but I think I finally know the answer to this conundrum:
Summer Breeze. Summer Breeze is my favorite Catherine Anderson book. There is only one way to describe it and that would be lovely. It is heartbreakingly lovely in the most wonderful way and there is nothing more that I wish to say.
Summer Breeze. Summer Breeze is my favorite Catherine Anderson book. There is only one way to describe it and that would be lovely. It is heartbreakingly lovely in the most wonderful way and there is nothing more that I wish to say.
August 5, 2016
It was a good read. I give 1 star for the book title and 1 star for the epilogue’s letter. The mystery and suspense were perfectly played out. From the start I know the killer isn’t obvious one, but I couldn’t guess either. The Author did a great job to build Rachel and Joseph characters and the chemistry between them is great. The bonding of these characters was built slowly and I am glad author didn’t rush for it. Overall, it’s a beautiful romance story.
October 2, 2020
Same characters, different plot. This author's heroine's are the worst.
August 10, 2020
Sweet and romantic but a bit slow
This is a new to me author that someone recommended for a good slow burn featuring a strong, salt of the earth alpha. This was an historical story too which is great for escaping into. I liked this but I didn't love it. It seemed a bit slow at times, with some parts of the plot feeling a bit repetitive. If it was in ku I'd probably try another but it isn't and I didn't enjoy it enough to justify buying any more.
Complete story, part of a series.
This is a new to me author that someone recommended for a good slow burn featuring a strong, salt of the earth alpha. This was an historical story too which is great for escaping into. I liked this but I didn't love it. It seemed a bit slow at times, with some parts of the plot feeling a bit repetitive. If it was in ku I'd probably try another but it isn't and I didn't enjoy it enough to justify buying any more.
Complete story, part of a series.
December 29, 2015
4.5 stars
Joseph's letter in the epilogue scored a full one star from me. I'm such a romantic sap.
Joseph's letter in the epilogue scored a full one star from me. I'm such a romantic sap.
November 2, 2012
Some people love Catherine Anderson and some people aren't as impressed. I have accumulated a few of her novels over time, mainly from bulk lots on eBay. But, I had never gotten around to reading any of them. When another book club site featured C A as author of the month, I thought I would try to work one into my reading plan. Obviously, I got a late start.
This book is evidently a part of a series, but can be read as a stand alone.
The book starts off in present day with the discovery of an old diary written by an ancestor in the 1800's. The story is about what is written in the diary.
Rachel's entire family was murdered while on a family picnic. Rachel survived, but has spent five years in her home, living in one room with all the windows boards up etc.
One day her ranch hand and sole caretaker is shot and this sends Joseph to Rachel's door.
The whole town thinks Rachel is crazy and Joseph has no idea what to expect. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. But, Joseph promised Darcy he would take care of Rachel so he sets out to stay with her whether she wants him to or not.
Today we would diagnose Rachel's illness as agoraphobia. But, I thought she maybe had PTSD as well. Rachel and Joseph's romance was especially sweet because of all the problems she had. Joseph doesn't want a wife, but is in love before he knows what hit him. The author may have spent a bit too much time describing the environment Rachel lived in and the constant repairs being done. This slowed the story down and at times I was tempted to just skim. The mystery of who killed Rachel's parents and shot Darcy was the most interesting part, for me. I also liked Darcy and Amanda's story, even though it was sad.
Yes, I can see where some might find this story a little sugary. It's not usually my cup of tea either. But, I enjoyed it alright. It wasn't overly emotional, just a bit sentimental at the end. Overall a C +
This book is evidently a part of a series, but can be read as a stand alone.
The book starts off in present day with the discovery of an old diary written by an ancestor in the 1800's. The story is about what is written in the diary.
Rachel's entire family was murdered while on a family picnic. Rachel survived, but has spent five years in her home, living in one room with all the windows boards up etc.
One day her ranch hand and sole caretaker is shot and this sends Joseph to Rachel's door.
The whole town thinks Rachel is crazy and Joseph has no idea what to expect. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. But, Joseph promised Darcy he would take care of Rachel so he sets out to stay with her whether she wants him to or not.
Today we would diagnose Rachel's illness as agoraphobia. But, I thought she maybe had PTSD as well. Rachel and Joseph's romance was especially sweet because of all the problems she had. Joseph doesn't want a wife, but is in love before he knows what hit him. The author may have spent a bit too much time describing the environment Rachel lived in and the constant repairs being done. This slowed the story down and at times I was tempted to just skim. The mystery of who killed Rachel's parents and shot Darcy was the most interesting part, for me. I also liked Darcy and Amanda's story, even though it was sad.
Yes, I can see where some might find this story a little sugary. It's not usually my cup of tea either. But, I enjoyed it alright. It wasn't overly emotional, just a bit sentimental at the end. Overall a C +
January 8, 2010
This book has a good premise but I didn't care for it that much.
After seeing her family massacred the Rachel has become agoraphobic the last five years and is unable to leave her house. After Rachel's hired hand is shot Joseph comes to look after her (against his will) because he promises her hired hand he will.
This is not a bad book, but I never got very invested in the story. Joseph is kind've a galoot. He doesn't come off as especially witty or intelligent. He also fights and denies his feelings almost the whole book which I don't really like.
The mystery of who killed Rachel's family took up a large portion of the book. I don't like my mystery and romances mixed up. I'm a fan of both genres and I like to choose one or the other, not a watered down version of both.
Still, the heroine was a good one and it was a good premise.
After seeing her family massacred the Rachel has become agoraphobic the last five years and is unable to leave her house. After Rachel's hired hand is shot Joseph comes to look after her (against his will) because he promises her hired hand he will.
This is not a bad book, but I never got very invested in the story. Joseph is kind've a galoot. He doesn't come off as especially witty or intelligent. He also fights and denies his feelings almost the whole book which I don't really like.
The mystery of who killed Rachel's family took up a large portion of the book. I don't like my mystery and romances mixed up. I'm a fan of both genres and I like to choose one or the other, not a watered down version of both.
Still, the heroine was a good one and it was a good premise.
July 6, 2020
I will probably do a better review later but this was a great read and one I really needed since reading hasn't come easy lately. It was sweet and a nice little slow burn and loved the hero and heroine. I sympathized with the heroine and her need to feel safe as we are dealing with it. But I loved how she overcame. The hero was awesome. The dog Buddy just made me smile with his antics. A nice read with no real angst.
Want to read
December 9, 2012Was planning on reading this next but don't have the energy after reading 2 Catherine Anderson books back to back before this. Anderson's heroines are becoming painfully predictable. I'm starting to see a theme here. A deaf mute, a paraplegic, a brain damaged kennel keeper and now a tormented agoraphobic. -__- Are you kidding me? I'm exhausted. Think I'm gonna pass on this one.
March 12, 2019
Sweet story, love conquering fear. Joseph is such a remarkable character, but Rachel is wonderful. And they are a great couple.
August 14, 2017
OMG!!!!! What an AMAZING read!!!! I don't know why I purchased this book a long time ago and then waited until now to read it! Silly me :D
Before "Summer Breeze", the only book by Catherine Anderson that I'd read was Annie's Song (and it was an utterly emotional and beautiful read! ^^). So I didn't know what to expect in this book or if Ms. Anderson could be my new favorite romance author. But after "Summer Breeze", I know she can, and she has :D
It was so lovely to see how Rachel and Joseph - strangers to each other - lived together in the same house for Rachel's protection and started to open up to each other after a not so friendly first meeting. How wonderful to see those two slowly learned more about each other, helped each other heal, changed for the better, and finally developed something more meaningful than just some hook-ups Joseph had been through before: love. Oh, and how captivating to see Joseph - a man who always dreaded the idea of marriage, of a husband/father's responsibilities - slowly realized he couldn't lose Rachel, couldn't live without her and had to marry her. And I love Ace Keegan's - Joseph's step-brother - explanation on love in marriage, and how true love can prevail against everything to bring about a successful marital union.
This book also gave me moments of fast heartbeats thanks to its suspense element and a gruesome back story of Rachel family's murder that shook her to the very core. Thank God everything turned out to be beyond happy for both Rachel and Joseph, now that the identity of the killer had been found, and Rachel had also healed from the horrific haunting incident in the past. Ah, and those intimate scenes between the two, though briefly described, still made me burned with the passion and love and sensuality of both Rachel and Joseph. Not to mention the last love-making scene that took place OUTSIDE, IN THE OPEN FIELD, UNDER THE CLEAR BLUE SKY AND AMONG THE SUMMER BREEZES :D Holy hell, I want to do that with my future husband someday ha ha ha :))))
I was about to give this book 4 stars, but man, the more I read it, the more it grew on me like an addiction. And the epilogue, with the last letter Joseph wrote to Rachel before he died. OMG, it was so heartbreakingly beautiful!!! <3 <3 <3 I can't help it!!! 5 stars it is!!!
P.S.: The lovely couple went on to have 12 children, guys :D WOW :))))
Before "Summer Breeze", the only book by Catherine Anderson that I'd read was Annie's Song (and it was an utterly emotional and beautiful read! ^^). So I didn't know what to expect in this book or if Ms. Anderson could be my new favorite romance author. But after "Summer Breeze", I know she can, and she has :D
It was so lovely to see how Rachel and Joseph - strangers to each other - lived together in the same house for Rachel's protection and started to open up to each other after a not so friendly first meeting. How wonderful to see those two slowly learned more about each other, helped each other heal, changed for the better, and finally developed something more meaningful than just some hook-ups Joseph had been through before: love. Oh, and how captivating to see Joseph - a man who always dreaded the idea of marriage, of a husband/father's responsibilities - slowly realized he couldn't lose Rachel, couldn't live without her and had to marry her. And I love Ace Keegan's - Joseph's step-brother - explanation on love in marriage, and how true love can prevail against everything to bring about a successful marital union.
This book also gave me moments of fast heartbeats thanks to its suspense element and a gruesome back story of Rachel family's murder that shook her to the very core. Thank God everything turned out to be beyond happy for both Rachel and Joseph, now that the identity of the killer had been found, and Rachel had also healed from the horrific haunting incident in the past. Ah, and those intimate scenes between the two, though briefly described, still made me burned with the passion and love and sensuality of both Rachel and Joseph. Not to mention the last love-making scene that took place OUTSIDE, IN THE OPEN FIELD, UNDER THE CLEAR BLUE SKY AND AMONG THE SUMMER BREEZES :D Holy hell, I want to do that with my future husband someday ha ha ha :))))
I was about to give this book 4 stars, but man, the more I read it, the more it grew on me like an addiction. And the epilogue, with the last letter Joseph wrote to Rachel before he died. OMG, it was so heartbreakingly beautiful!!! <3 <3 <3 I can't help it!!! 5 stars it is!!!
P.S.: The lovely couple went on to have 12 children, guys :D WOW :))))
July 12, 2013
This delightful historical romance about a rancher and an agoraphobic neighbor is heartwarming, sweet and funny. I'm writing this weeks after I read it, without the book in front of me, so names are escaping me but our hero isn't looking for a wife or love or any other frippery. He sees how happy his older step-brother is with his wife and son but likes not having complications. Running a ranch is complication enough. The young woman in question has retreated inside her home to the point where her whole world is no larger than her kitchen and bathroom. She hasn't stepped outside in nearly a decade, not since her entire family was murdered. She escaped by chance. But when her only friend, her ranch foreman, is shot in the back, she is forced to accept help for her neighbor and comes to realize that maybe her life isn't as dark as she has always believed. Watching her come out of her shell and into the light was lovely.
July 13, 2012
4.5 stars because it was really slow at the beginning. But the story is so good, with that little child who suffered witnessing the deaths of all her family and began a great wonderful woman full of love and caring, it's worthing 5 stars!
And the epilogue.... well it brought tears in my eyes! Very very sweet!
And the epilogue.... well it brought tears in my eyes! Very very sweet!
November 3, 2008
Reviewed for www.thcreviews.com
"3.5 stars" Summer Breeze was a pleasant read, but the first 2/3 of the book was rather slow and at times, mundane. In my opinion, this was due in part to story limitations because of Rachel's agoraphobia. She interacted with few characters other than Joseph, and all those interactions were limited to her safe, barricaded room. Hence, most of this part of the story felt like little more than an average frontier couple going through their daily routine. Around the time that Joseph and Rachel got married, things picked up a bit, but I have to say that the sensuality was extremely mild throughout the entire book with nothing even resembling passion occurring until about 2/3 of the way in. This would not have bothered me except that I wasn't feeling a strong connection between the two protagonists already. One might think that having a couple spend the majority of their time together day and night would lead to some really deep and expressive emotions, but for me, it did not. I think part of this was the previously cited limited scope of their interactions and part was Joseph stubbornly holding Rachel at arms length, but the primary issue was how Joseph handled Rachel's agoraphobia. In most romance novels where one protagonist has a major obstacle to overcome, the other one is usually doing everything he or she can to aid in their recovery, and all of their efforts are part of what makes the story so romantic. In Summer Breeze, I felt that Joseph spent more time facilitating Rachel's disability than helping her to overcome it, and in the end, they failed to really light that romantic spark for me. Also, all the folksy colloquialisms, many of which I had never even heard of, were overused to the point that they became a bit annoying to me, and there were other phrases that seemed rather anachronistic. Additionally, there was a scene where Ace expounds on the true meaning of a long happy marriage as though he's been down that road when in reality, he's still a virtual newlywed himself. It was really lovely, but he just didn't seem like the right character for the speech. For me, the best part was the strong, suspenseful ending and a sweet epilogue. The mystery aspect of this story was good, and kept me guessing all the way to the reveal of a surprise villain, although I would say that Joseph's retelling of the whole story to Rachel in the second-to-last chapter was pretty dull and redundant. Also, Joseph's love letter to Rachel in his waning years was extremely romantic. Overall, this was just a light, easy read.
While Joseph and Rachel were both certainly likable, I can't say that they really stood out to me. In my opinion, Catherine Anderson has a talent for writing heroes with more beta-like characteristics, but her alphas thus far have fallen rather flat for me. Joseph was definitely an alpha who could be very stubborn and even a bit prickly at times. He denied his feelings for Rachel for a large part of the story, constantly saying that he liked his freedom and had no intentions of marrying, but then rather suddenly proposed, which was another reason that the relationship was a little hard for me to believe. Joseph was very physically attracted to Rachel, but very adamant about not making love to her until they were married. While I found the sentiment to be commendable, the timing of his proposal almost made it seem like an excuse for sex, even though I know that wasn't the author's intention. Also Joseph was a very plain-spoken man who always said what was on his mind, which for some readers may be endearing, but didn't really do anything for me. Overall, Joseph was a good and admirable man, just not really my favorite kind of hero. I suppose that the agoraphobia made Rachel a very unique and rather memorable character, but other than that one aspect of her life, she just didn't stand out to me either. I think that part of it was once again the storytelling limitations due to her affliction that made her seem very ordinary and also her suppressed memories of her family's deaths made it difficult to get inside her head to fully understand her condition, as she never really expressed her feelings about the tragedy. Rachel was a sweet and lovely girl who I liked and wanted to connect with, but again just never completely did.
The secondary cast was strong and varied. Readers get a decent visit with Ace and Caitlin from Keegan's Lady, as well as their son, little Ace. Joseph's other two brothers, David and Esa, play substantial roles, particularly David, who I would have guessed to be the next member of the family to get a story, but that is not to be the case. There was also a brief mention of Patrick (also from Keegan's Lady) and Faith from the novella, Beautiful Gifts, and even a quick nod to Luke Taggert, the hero of Simply Love, a completely unrelated book except that they both take place in Colorado. I also liked the appearance of Tucker Coulter and his mother from the present day in the prologue and epilogue, and how Ms. Anderson used this story as an inspiration for his own future romance in Sun Kissed, though I agree with another reviewer who pointed out the oddity of the diary never being mentioned in the main body of the narrative. I really enjoyed Joseph's dog, Buddy, who was quite the character. I thought it was very cute how Joseph would talk to Buddy and Buddy would “talk” back. Ms. Anderson has a talent for creating love not just for the young, but the young at heart too. I liked the secondary romance between Rachel's ranch foreman, Darby, and her spitfire aunt, Amanda. I thought this senior love story was very sweet, but also very sad that they had loved each other for decades and had basically been kept apart by a big misunderstanding. All the residents of No Name really came together in a loving show of frontier community oneness, when they each contributed to Rachel's courtyard, but one has to wonder why they didn't try to reach out to her sooner instead of leaving her to languish in solitude for five years. There was also the distasteful, bullying Pritchard clan who had a longstanding feud with Rachel's father. All in all this was a very well-rounded supporting cast, though I have to say that a few of them reminded me very strongly of some characters from the Little House on the Prairie television show, which makes me curious if that is where Ms. Anderson got her inspiration for them.
Summer Breeze is the third story in the Keegan/Paxton Family series (aka Coulter Historicals). It is preceded by Keegan's Lady and the novella, Beautiful Gifts, from the anthology, The True Love Wedding Dress. At present, Ms. Anderson is working on the next book in the series which will probably be released sometime late next year or in early 2010, and will feature Eden Paxton and Matthew Coulter. It appears that she also has plans to eventually write stories for David and Esa Paxton as well. Even though Summer Breeze was not one of Ms. Anderson's best novels, in my opinion, it was still a pleasurable read that was worth the time spent on it. I intend to continue this series when the next book comes out, and look forward to continuing my exploration Ms. Anderson's backlist until then.
"3.5 stars" Summer Breeze was a pleasant read, but the first 2/3 of the book was rather slow and at times, mundane. In my opinion, this was due in part to story limitations because of Rachel's agoraphobia. She interacted with few characters other than Joseph, and all those interactions were limited to her safe, barricaded room. Hence, most of this part of the story felt like little more than an average frontier couple going through their daily routine. Around the time that Joseph and Rachel got married, things picked up a bit, but I have to say that the sensuality was extremely mild throughout the entire book with nothing even resembling passion occurring until about 2/3 of the way in. This would not have bothered me except that I wasn't feeling a strong connection between the two protagonists already. One might think that having a couple spend the majority of their time together day and night would lead to some really deep and expressive emotions, but for me, it did not. I think part of this was the previously cited limited scope of their interactions and part was Joseph stubbornly holding Rachel at arms length, but the primary issue was how Joseph handled Rachel's agoraphobia. In most romance novels where one protagonist has a major obstacle to overcome, the other one is usually doing everything he or she can to aid in their recovery, and all of their efforts are part of what makes the story so romantic. In Summer Breeze, I felt that Joseph spent more time facilitating Rachel's disability than helping her to overcome it, and in the end, they failed to really light that romantic spark for me. Also, all the folksy colloquialisms, many of which I had never even heard of, were overused to the point that they became a bit annoying to me, and there were other phrases that seemed rather anachronistic. Additionally, there was a scene where Ace expounds on the true meaning of a long happy marriage as though he's been down that road when in reality, he's still a virtual newlywed himself. It was really lovely, but he just didn't seem like the right character for the speech. For me, the best part was the strong, suspenseful ending and a sweet epilogue. The mystery aspect of this story was good, and kept me guessing all the way to the reveal of a surprise villain, although I would say that Joseph's retelling of the whole story to Rachel in the second-to-last chapter was pretty dull and redundant. Also, Joseph's love letter to Rachel in his waning years was extremely romantic. Overall, this was just a light, easy read.
While Joseph and Rachel were both certainly likable, I can't say that they really stood out to me. In my opinion, Catherine Anderson has a talent for writing heroes with more beta-like characteristics, but her alphas thus far have fallen rather flat for me. Joseph was definitely an alpha who could be very stubborn and even a bit prickly at times. He denied his feelings for Rachel for a large part of the story, constantly saying that he liked his freedom and had no intentions of marrying, but then rather suddenly proposed, which was another reason that the relationship was a little hard for me to believe. Joseph was very physically attracted to Rachel, but very adamant about not making love to her until they were married. While I found the sentiment to be commendable, the timing of his proposal almost made it seem like an excuse for sex, even though I know that wasn't the author's intention. Also Joseph was a very plain-spoken man who always said what was on his mind, which for some readers may be endearing, but didn't really do anything for me. Overall, Joseph was a good and admirable man, just not really my favorite kind of hero. I suppose that the agoraphobia made Rachel a very unique and rather memorable character, but other than that one aspect of her life, she just didn't stand out to me either. I think that part of it was once again the storytelling limitations due to her affliction that made her seem very ordinary and also her suppressed memories of her family's deaths made it difficult to get inside her head to fully understand her condition, as she never really expressed her feelings about the tragedy. Rachel was a sweet and lovely girl who I liked and wanted to connect with, but again just never completely did.
The secondary cast was strong and varied. Readers get a decent visit with Ace and Caitlin from Keegan's Lady, as well as their son, little Ace. Joseph's other two brothers, David and Esa, play substantial roles, particularly David, who I would have guessed to be the next member of the family to get a story, but that is not to be the case. There was also a brief mention of Patrick (also from Keegan's Lady) and Faith from the novella, Beautiful Gifts, and even a quick nod to Luke Taggert, the hero of Simply Love, a completely unrelated book except that they both take place in Colorado. I also liked the appearance of Tucker Coulter and his mother from the present day in the prologue and epilogue, and how Ms. Anderson used this story as an inspiration for his own future romance in Sun Kissed, though I agree with another reviewer who pointed out the oddity of the diary never being mentioned in the main body of the narrative. I really enjoyed Joseph's dog, Buddy, who was quite the character. I thought it was very cute how Joseph would talk to Buddy and Buddy would “talk” back. Ms. Anderson has a talent for creating love not just for the young, but the young at heart too. I liked the secondary romance between Rachel's ranch foreman, Darby, and her spitfire aunt, Amanda. I thought this senior love story was very sweet, but also very sad that they had loved each other for decades and had basically been kept apart by a big misunderstanding. All the residents of No Name really came together in a loving show of frontier community oneness, when they each contributed to Rachel's courtyard, but one has to wonder why they didn't try to reach out to her sooner instead of leaving her to languish in solitude for five years. There was also the distasteful, bullying Pritchard clan who had a longstanding feud with Rachel's father. All in all this was a very well-rounded supporting cast, though I have to say that a few of them reminded me very strongly of some characters from the Little House on the Prairie television show, which makes me curious if that is where Ms. Anderson got her inspiration for them.
Summer Breeze is the third story in the Keegan/Paxton Family series (aka Coulter Historicals). It is preceded by Keegan's Lady and the novella, Beautiful Gifts, from the anthology, The True Love Wedding Dress. At present, Ms. Anderson is working on the next book in the series which will probably be released sometime late next year or in early 2010, and will feature Eden Paxton and Matthew Coulter. It appears that she also has plans to eventually write stories for David and Esa Paxton as well. Even though Summer Breeze was not one of Ms. Anderson's best novels, in my opinion, it was still a pleasurable read that was worth the time spent on it. I intend to continue this series when the next book comes out, and look forward to continuing my exploration Ms. Anderson's backlist until then.
July 21, 2017
Sejak bencana yg melenyapkan seluruh keluarganya, Rachel Hollister menarik dirinya dari dunia. Namun kehidupannya terusik dgn tertembaknya Darby, orang kesayangan Rachel, mengakibatkan Joseph Paxton hrs menggantikan Darby menjaga Rachel. Dan yg tidak terduga, mereka saling jatuh cinta. Sayangnya misteri yg melingkupi kematian keluarga Hollister blm tersingkap, sehingga membayangi kebahagiaan mereka.
Yg membuat unik novel ini adalah heroine-nya, Rachel mengidap penyakit kejiwaan agoraphobia krn kematian keluarganya yg dibunuh scr brutal di depan matanya membuat psikis Rachel total ambruk. Dan menariknya author sukses menggambarkan perjuangan Rachel yg pelan2 mau membuka dirinya sedikit demi sedikit dan mulai berterimakasih dgn mencintai Joseph yg segala perhatian dan perjuangannya utk Rachel memang patut diacungkan jempol.
Tapi saya tetap menemukan "keganjilan" dlm cerita. Kenapa Joseph mudah saja menerima kekurangan Rachel yg tidak bisa berinteraksi dlm kehidupan sosial yg normal? Hal ini kurang dijelaskan oleh author, kecuali mungkin mirip syair lagu, cinta itu buta dan mau memperjuangkan segalanya (bahkan logika juga ikut mandek). Salutnya lagi, novel ini menggambarkan betapa kompaknya orang-orang ndeso di No Name, Colorado, bersedia bergotong royong demi seorang warga yg nyaris tidak bersosialisasi dgn mereka selama 5 thn. Dan yg mengetuk batin saya adalah surat terakhir Joseph Paxton yg super romantis sekaligus mengharukan. Yg suka cowboy romance, buku ini WAJIB DIBACA supaya tidak menyesal krn belum membaca.
Yg membuat unik novel ini adalah heroine-nya, Rachel mengidap penyakit kejiwaan agoraphobia krn kematian keluarganya yg dibunuh scr brutal di depan matanya membuat psikis Rachel total ambruk. Dan menariknya author sukses menggambarkan perjuangan Rachel yg pelan2 mau membuka dirinya sedikit demi sedikit dan mulai berterimakasih dgn mencintai Joseph yg segala perhatian dan perjuangannya utk Rachel memang patut diacungkan jempol.
Tapi saya tetap menemukan "keganjilan" dlm cerita. Kenapa Joseph mudah saja menerima kekurangan Rachel yg tidak bisa berinteraksi dlm kehidupan sosial yg normal? Hal ini kurang dijelaskan oleh author, kecuali mungkin mirip syair lagu, cinta itu buta dan mau memperjuangkan segalanya (bahkan logika juga ikut mandek). Salutnya lagi, novel ini menggambarkan betapa kompaknya orang-orang ndeso di No Name, Colorado, bersedia bergotong royong demi seorang warga yg nyaris tidak bersosialisasi dgn mereka selama 5 thn. Dan yg mengetuk batin saya adalah surat terakhir Joseph Paxton yg super romantis sekaligus mengharukan. Yg suka cowboy romance, buku ini WAJIB DIBACA supaya tidak menyesal krn belum membaca.
December 28, 2019
What a story. What a beautiful journey. I absolutely could not put this down. Catherine Anderson has completely taken my heart in 2019.
Joseph and Rachel showed such tenacity and endurance. These two souls were meant to be.
I just want to savor these feelings
I will be the scent of roses in the summer breeze. I will be your comfort in the shadows.
December 20, 2020
This was okaaay. Just not my cup of tea.
The description of the story had me hooked, but the book fell flat. Among other things, I felt the author wasted time being way too descriptive about every little thing, and I found myself speed reading and skipping sections to get to the end.
Not a clean romance
The description of the story had me hooked, but the book fell flat. Among other things, I felt the author wasted time being way too descriptive about every little thing, and I found myself speed reading and skipping sections to get to the end.
Not a clean romance
April 22, 2022
Sorry, I didn't get far with this one.
It lacks the captivating prologue - and the first few chapter? So blah ...
Unlike Ace and Caitlyn's story.
This was a no for me.
It lacks the captivating prologue - and the first few chapter? So blah ...
Unlike Ace and Caitlyn's story.
This was a no for me.
August 2, 2019
Udah lama ga baca karangan CA dan setelah membaca selalu merasakan kehangatan di hati
Ceritanya manis banyak mengajarkan arti cinta yang sebenarnya 😊
Ceritanya manis banyak mengajarkan arti cinta yang sebenarnya 😊
July 10, 2024
Ở một vài chương đầu, người đọc sẽ cảm thấy khó để định hình câu chuyện mà tác giả muốn dẫn dắt. Thế nhưng, đan xen giữa tình yêu nảy sinh ở hai nhân vật chính Rachel - Joseph và bí mật chưa được giải đáp của vụ giết cả gia đình Rachel trước đó 5 năm, người đọc sẽ không thể dừng đọc cho đến khi kết thúc.
P/S: Cách diễn tả tình yêu giữa hai nhân vật chính hơi mang màu sắc 18+.
P/S: Cách diễn tả tình yêu giữa hai nhân vật chính hơi mang màu sắc 18+.
March 21, 2008
Summer Breeze is an absolutely wonderful book. I'm glad I decided to buy it after looking at it about 4 different times. At that point, I'd only read 1 of Anderson's books, about a year previously, and wasn't too sure if I liked her stories. Since then, I've grown to love them.
This book is sort of set in the Coulter family series. The main Coulter books are set in the present, but she has now set a sub-series in the past that tells the stories of some of the ancestors. This book is the 2nd one in that sub-series - I haven't read the first.
Anyway, I love this book. The storyline was fabulous. Very emotional. You're just sucked into the story and the characters' trials and tribulations. Rachel's pain and fear is very real, and a very plausible reaction to what she experienced. I enjoyed the introduction of Joseph into her life and how she dealt with that, and how he insinuated himself in her life. It was a very sweet, yet tragic, story. Everything that happened just worked, from the characters to the romance, to the plot.
This is actually a frame story. The beginning starts off in the present, with the remaining unmarried Coulter son, Tucker, finding a journal in his parent's attic; Rachel's journal. He and his mother decide to read it and that's when the story shifts to the past. The last chapter moves back to the present and ends with Tucker's mother showing him a letter that had been passed on to her. The letter was one that Joseph had written to Rachel shortly before his death, after they'd been married for like 50+ years. It was an incredibly beautiful letter. I was pretty much sobbing. I usually don't like epilogues that jump way in the future and tell me how things ended with the couple. I don't like knowing how things end in that sense. I can't say I loved having it happen in this book, but it was still beautiful, and a wonderful representation of the love Rachel and Joseph found during the story.
I think the only thing I can criticize a little about the book as a whole was that at times the historical authenticity seemed suspect. I can't say for sure. I'm not all that familiar with social-historical aspects of that time period. But a few things just didn't quite fit. It didn't take all that much away from the story, though. I could look past it.
All in all...great, great book. I highly recommend it.
This book is sort of set in the Coulter family series. The main Coulter books are set in the present, but she has now set a sub-series in the past that tells the stories of some of the ancestors. This book is the 2nd one in that sub-series - I haven't read the first.
Anyway, I love this book. The storyline was fabulous. Very emotional. You're just sucked into the story and the characters' trials and tribulations. Rachel's pain and fear is very real, and a very plausible reaction to what she experienced. I enjoyed the introduction of Joseph into her life and how she dealt with that, and how he insinuated himself in her life. It was a very sweet, yet tragic, story. Everything that happened just worked, from the characters to the romance, to the plot.
This is actually a frame story. The beginning starts off in the present, with the remaining unmarried Coulter son, Tucker, finding a journal in his parent's attic; Rachel's journal. He and his mother decide to read it and that's when the story shifts to the past. The last chapter moves back to the present and ends with Tucker's mother showing him a letter that had been passed on to her. The letter was one that Joseph had written to Rachel shortly before his death, after they'd been married for like 50+ years. It was an incredibly beautiful letter. I was pretty much sobbing. I usually don't like epilogues that jump way in the future and tell me how things ended with the couple. I don't like knowing how things end in that sense. I can't say I loved having it happen in this book, but it was still beautiful, and a wonderful representation of the love Rachel and Joseph found during the story.
I think the only thing I can criticize a little about the book as a whole was that at times the historical authenticity seemed suspect. I can't say for sure. I'm not all that familiar with social-historical aspects of that time period. But a few things just didn't quite fit. It didn't take all that much away from the story, though. I could look past it.
All in all...great, great book. I highly recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2013
Rachel mendeka selama 5 tahun dan tidak pernah keluar dari dinding dapurnya karena setiap kali dia melangkah keluar, dirinya akan pingsan. Hidupnya tenang dengan kondisi seperti itu sampai dia bertemu dengan Joseph Paxton.
Joseph berjanji kepada Darby untuk menjaga nonanya karena pria itu ditembak dari belakang dan sedang dalam proses penyembuhan di rumahnya. Sebenarnya dia agak menyesal karena Rachel adalah wanita gila. Namun, ketika dia pertama kali melihat wanita itu, dia sudah menginginkan Rachel.
Joseph perlahan-lahan meruntuhkan pertahanan Rachel dan mereka berdua pun saling menguatkan. Dan ketika Darby mulai sembuh dari lukanya, Rachel semakin resah karena itu artinya Joseph akan meninggalkannya. Joseph sebenarnya tak ingin meninggalkan Rachel, tapi hanya satu cara agar dia dapat bersama wanita itu, yaitu menikahinya....
Duh, duh, duh.... CA emang tokcer abis. Beberapa kali aku tersentuh karena kebaikan Joseph dan orang-orang di kota kecil itu. Mereka semua sangat memerhatikan Rachel. Aku juga ikut sedih karena derita yang dialami Rachel itu. Tega banget ya ada orang melakukan hal itu. Ckckckckck...
Sampai pertengahan buku, aku masih menebak-nebak siapa ya yang membunuh keluarga Rachel dan menembak Darby. Semua bukti sebenarnya mengarah ke satu orang ini. Tapi aku merasa bahwa bukan dia yang melakukannya, Joseph juga berpikiran seperti itu.
Waktu lagi makan gitu, aku sambil mikir, ini siapa ya yang bunuh. Terus... tiba-tiba lampu menyala. Oh pantesan si Rachel teriak dan gak bisa menulis huruf itu. Ternyata ada keterkaitannya dengan sesuatu. Terus aku baru inget kalau...... ya pokoknya begitu lah, dan ternyata tebakanku benar. Sampai merinding juga pas nebak pembunuhnya =P
Chemistry kedua karakter gak usah ditanyalah ya. Bagus deh. Tapi aku lebih suka Ace dan Caitlin sih buat romance-nya. Tapi untuk karakternya sendiri aku suka Joseph. Luar boleh beruang, tapi hati anak kucing. Hwhwhwhwhwhw...
Overall, yah pokoknya siapin aja selembar tissue ya. Pas bagian Joseph membangun rumah untuk Rachel, aku berkaca-kaca. Pas bagian ending, surat Joseph beneran bikin air mataku mengalir. Hikssss... So sweet banget...
Other reviews : www.resensiharlequin.com
Joseph berjanji kepada Darby untuk menjaga nonanya karena pria itu ditembak dari belakang dan sedang dalam proses penyembuhan di rumahnya. Sebenarnya dia agak menyesal karena Rachel adalah wanita gila. Namun, ketika dia pertama kali melihat wanita itu, dia sudah menginginkan Rachel.
Joseph perlahan-lahan meruntuhkan pertahanan Rachel dan mereka berdua pun saling menguatkan. Dan ketika Darby mulai sembuh dari lukanya, Rachel semakin resah karena itu artinya Joseph akan meninggalkannya. Joseph sebenarnya tak ingin meninggalkan Rachel, tapi hanya satu cara agar dia dapat bersama wanita itu, yaitu menikahinya....
Duh, duh, duh.... CA emang tokcer abis. Beberapa kali aku tersentuh karena kebaikan Joseph dan orang-orang di kota kecil itu. Mereka semua sangat memerhatikan Rachel. Aku juga ikut sedih karena derita yang dialami Rachel itu. Tega banget ya ada orang melakukan hal itu. Ckckckckck...
Sampai pertengahan buku, aku masih menebak-nebak siapa ya yang membunuh keluarga Rachel dan menembak Darby. Semua bukti sebenarnya mengarah ke satu orang ini. Tapi aku merasa bahwa bukan dia yang melakukannya, Joseph juga berpikiran seperti itu.
Waktu lagi makan gitu, aku sambil mikir, ini siapa ya yang bunuh. Terus... tiba-tiba lampu menyala. Oh pantesan si Rachel teriak dan gak bisa menulis huruf itu. Ternyata ada keterkaitannya dengan sesuatu. Terus aku baru inget kalau...... ya pokoknya begitu lah, dan ternyata tebakanku benar. Sampai merinding juga pas nebak pembunuhnya =P
Chemistry kedua karakter gak usah ditanyalah ya. Bagus deh. Tapi aku lebih suka Ace dan Caitlin sih buat romance-nya. Tapi untuk karakternya sendiri aku suka Joseph. Luar boleh beruang, tapi hati anak kucing. Hwhwhwhwhwhw...
Overall, yah pokoknya siapin aja selembar tissue ya. Pas bagian Joseph membangun rumah untuk Rachel, aku berkaca-kaca. Pas bagian ending, surat Joseph beneran bikin air mataku mengalir. Hikssss... So sweet banget...
Other reviews : www.resensiharlequin.com
February 14, 2021
Titolo: Summer Breeze
Autore: Catherine Andreson
Inedito in italiano
Trama: 1889. Rachel Hollister non ha messo piede fuori di casa, un ranch in mezzo alle prateria, da ben 5 anni. Vive tra l'altro non nell'intera casa ma solo in una stanza e mezza e tiene barricato tutto il resto. Il terrore l'attanaglia al solo pensiero di uscire. Ma non è sempre stasta così, tutto ebbe inizio cinque anni prima quando tutti i suoi famigliari durante un pic nic furono uccisi a colpi di pistola da un misterioso omicida posto su un rilievo. Una ad uno caddero davanti ai suoi occhi ma la pallottola destinata a lei si limitò a sfiorarla e farla svenire. Il colpevole dovette crederla morta e Rachel sopravvisse, ma da allora non è più uscita di casa.
Sopravvive grazie ad un anziano ranchero che lavorava con i suoi e che le porta cibo e vende i suoi dolci, tramite una fessura tra le assi che barrano le porte. Poi però un giorno lui non viene al loro solito appuntamente asettimanale. E' stato ferito e al suo posto si presenta il giovane ranchero , un forestiero, che lo ha trovato e curato.
Rachel dovrà superare le sue paure e fidarsi di lui se viole sopravvivere..... anche perchè chi ha ucciso la sua famiglia la tiene d'occhio e aspetta solo che lei esca per finire la partita.
La mia opinione: avere una storia d'amore con un'agorafobica è senza dubbio problematico. Il protaginista maschile impiega quasi mezo libro solo a convincerla a fidarsi di lui e farlo entrare nel suo regno e ci riesce in gran parte grazie al suo cane...e il fatto che sia carino pure lui non guasta di certo. Ho veramente ammirato la sua pazienza, il coraggio di Rachel e anche i suoi limiti che in fondo sono credibili.
Un romanzo interessante, romantico ma anche pieno d'azione e introspezione, molto intimo con i due nostri eroi chiusi in casa all'oscuro di chi voglia uccidere Rachel. C'è la tensione dei classici horror in ambiente chiuso, il romanticismo dei romanzi d'amore e una piccola indagine gialla. Insomma un piccolo libro che contine molte cose interessanti. Per legere qualcosa di gradevole e di diverso dal solito romance.
A me è piaciuto molto.
Autore: Catherine Andreson
Inedito in italiano
Trama: 1889. Rachel Hollister non ha messo piede fuori di casa, un ranch in mezzo alle prateria, da ben 5 anni. Vive tra l'altro non nell'intera casa ma solo in una stanza e mezza e tiene barricato tutto il resto. Il terrore l'attanaglia al solo pensiero di uscire. Ma non è sempre stasta così, tutto ebbe inizio cinque anni prima quando tutti i suoi famigliari durante un pic nic furono uccisi a colpi di pistola da un misterioso omicida posto su un rilievo. Una ad uno caddero davanti ai suoi occhi ma la pallottola destinata a lei si limitò a sfiorarla e farla svenire. Il colpevole dovette crederla morta e Rachel sopravvisse, ma da allora non è più uscita di casa.
Sopravvive grazie ad un anziano ranchero che lavorava con i suoi e che le porta cibo e vende i suoi dolci, tramite una fessura tra le assi che barrano le porte. Poi però un giorno lui non viene al loro solito appuntamente asettimanale. E' stato ferito e al suo posto si presenta il giovane ranchero , un forestiero, che lo ha trovato e curato.
Rachel dovrà superare le sue paure e fidarsi di lui se viole sopravvivere..... anche perchè chi ha ucciso la sua famiglia la tiene d'occhio e aspetta solo che lei esca per finire la partita.
La mia opinione: avere una storia d'amore con un'agorafobica è senza dubbio problematico. Il protaginista maschile impiega quasi mezo libro solo a convincerla a fidarsi di lui e farlo entrare nel suo regno e ci riesce in gran parte grazie al suo cane...e il fatto che sia carino pure lui non guasta di certo. Ho veramente ammirato la sua pazienza, il coraggio di Rachel e anche i suoi limiti che in fondo sono credibili.
Un romanzo interessante, romantico ma anche pieno d'azione e introspezione, molto intimo con i due nostri eroi chiusi in casa all'oscuro di chi voglia uccidere Rachel. C'è la tensione dei classici horror in ambiente chiuso, il romanticismo dei romanzi d'amore e una piccola indagine gialla. Insomma un piccolo libro che contine molte cose interessanti. Per legere qualcosa di gradevole e di diverso dal solito romance.
A me è piaciuto molto.
October 15, 2012
This book is nothing super remarkable. Standard Anderson fare; broken heroine, studly hero, love at first sight, lots of drama and a happily ever after. But I couldn't help liking it a bit anyway.
Rachel's trauma is more than the usual Evil Ex or rape Anderson's heroines tend to be saddled with. Instead the poor woman's been hiding from the world since she watched her entire family die. She has trust issues with just about EVERYONE, and only lets Joseph into her house because she has no choice. After Darby the ranch-hand gets shot he's asked to look after her and of course, there's almost instantaneous attraction. Stuff happens, they get married, they find the real culprit (who makes a damsel in distress out of Rachel before he finally gets caught) and then the happily ever after (which, naturally, includes Rachel being cured of all her fears by The Power Of Love. That, and the culprit being dead).
It has its moments of awesome. Rachel and Caitlin's friendship is adorable, and Rachel's happiness at seeing her again is pretty heartwarming. The love scenes between Rachel and Joseph are some of the best I've ever read, flowery as they are, and their love story is overwrought with emotional sap but still manages to be endearing. And I admit I liked the bookends with Tucker Coulter and his mother thinking about Joseph and Rachel's story, and Tucker thinking he should visit No Name to find true love. (I also found it sort of neat that it was a red herring in Sun Kissed, where Tucker laments that even a trip to that place couldn't bring him the magic he was seeking.)
Amanda's story, though...I know it was a different time, but it still BOTHERED me how she was kept from the man she loved because of her dad being a sexist asshole. But at least she and Darby got to have their long-awaited happily ever after near the end, too.
I actually own this book. I bought it solely for the historical setting and the love scenes. It's not my favorite, but it's not as teeth-grating as Sun Kissed was.
Rachel's trauma is more than the usual Evil Ex or rape Anderson's heroines tend to be saddled with. Instead the poor woman's been hiding from the world since she watched her entire family die. She has trust issues with just about EVERYONE, and only lets Joseph into her house because she has no choice. After Darby the ranch-hand gets shot he's asked to look after her and of course, there's almost instantaneous attraction. Stuff happens, they get married, they find the real culprit (who makes a damsel in distress out of Rachel before he finally gets caught) and then the happily ever after (which, naturally, includes Rachel being cured of all her fears by The Power Of Love. That, and the culprit being dead).
It has its moments of awesome. Rachel and Caitlin's friendship is adorable, and Rachel's happiness at seeing her again is pretty heartwarming. The love scenes between Rachel and Joseph are some of the best I've ever read, flowery as they are, and their love story is overwrought with emotional sap but still manages to be endearing. And I admit I liked the bookends with Tucker Coulter and his mother thinking about Joseph and Rachel's story, and Tucker thinking he should visit No Name to find true love. (I also found it sort of neat that it was a red herring in Sun Kissed, where Tucker laments that even a trip to that place couldn't bring him the magic he was seeking.)
Amanda's story, though...I know it was a different time, but it still BOTHERED me how she was kept from the man she loved because of her dad being a sexist asshole. But at least she and Darby got to have their long-awaited happily ever after near the end, too.
I actually own this book. I bought it solely for the historical setting and the love scenes. It's not my favorite, but it's not as teeth-grating as Sun Kissed was.
July 24, 2007
Anderson frames this sweet historical love story with a prologue and epilogue set in modern 2006 where a family member comes across the diary of Rachel Hollister and Joseph Paxton, allowing the modern reader to travel back in time just as the family member does. Although she does a good job of describing the small Colorado town, ranch life, and community ties, she doesn't bog the reader down with minute details of any specific tasks. Instead she concentrates on the feelings and emotions of Rachel and Joseph individually, as they resist each other, as well as those between them as they fall in love. Emotion and love are much more developed than the sex scenes, which are much more romantic than erotic. Secondary characters, especially family members, are equally as important to the story, and Anderson develops them well without overpowering the main two characters. The author even incorporates family dogs and Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer as a character element. The pace is surprisingly quick, since there is a great deal of action surrounding Rachel's agoraphobia, the murder suspects, and the romance. Although the mystery is part of the story, the romance overshadows it, and there is little jarring suspense. The specific Colorado setting comes into play a little, although there is definitely a strong Western atmosphere to the book. The mood is tender, sweet, and innocent throughout, and Anderson almost employs a somewhat moral tone, since Joseph refuses to have his way with Rachel until they are properly married.
September 20, 2015
There is no doubt that Catherine Anderson writes a wonderful historical story!!! With this being my 3rd book in a row of hers, I see so far the similarity of the heroine always desperately trying to overcome a past abuse or disability of some sort... and a hero that is very well written and supportive of the heroine. With that being said.... I seem to be horrible at murder-suspense stories..... and I cheat. I got half-way thru this book (and enjoyed it) but then I just couldn't stand not knowing 'who done it'.... so I skipped to the last few chapters, read it and then was satisfied with the book and considered it done.
September 26, 2014
This woman is so helpless, which kind of annoyed me. But have no fear, there's a strong, compassionate cowboy to save the day!
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