Sybil’s review of Never Love a Lawman by Jo Goodman
Historical Western Romance from Zebra 1 Sep 09
I often speak of my love of historical western romance, almost as much as I talk about how much I adore Jo Goodman’s books. So when I hear the title of her next book was Never Love a Lawman – I squuee’ed. Could she be really be writing a western? Turns out that, yes, Jo Goodman was taking us to Reidsville, Colorado in September 1882. Two of my favorite things were about to come together again, so of course, then I started to worry…
I tend to fall into that trap, where you want something so much, you expect the book to be great, grand and wonderful – it is almost unfair to the author. Who can live up to that? And I find I get annoyed at little things I wouldn’t normally because this is “WONDERFUL AUTHOR”.
So when the ARC arrived for Never Love a Lawman, I rushed to read it and then stopped and worried. I admit it. Totally silly because at the end of the day, it is just a book and if I don’t like it ::shrug::. Jo Goodman isn’t going to be upset over it. Readers will still love it or hate it. But I was worried for me… I am selfish like that. Turns out I was worried over nothing…
Never Love a Lawman opens in complete confusion, the reader really doesn’t know what is going on or why, and this doesn’t become clear until later in the book. It is handled wonderfully, if not frustratingly, and I might have been okay with that because I have faith in the author. All you know is something is wrong, she has to leave, doesn’t want to go and someone in the bed doesn’t want her to go but knows she must.
We pick up with Rachel Bailey having been a member of the Reidsville community for about a year; she is a seamstress and keeps to herself. I love her character. And once again we are seeing her through someone else’s eyes.
This time it is the hero, Wyatt, who is keeping watch. He is another one of Jo Goodman’s complex hero’s and is a mix of alpha, beta and a dash of whiskey to taste. As sheriff he keeps a pretty close eye on the town, much closer than Miss Bailey gives him credit for and would often like. The fact that he did it from the balcony of the town’s only whorehouse might have something to do with her drawing some of her conclusions as well. It soon comes to play that there was rhyme and reason for Miss Baily to be ‘directed’ to Reidsville, Colorado. And Wyatt turns out to be much more than Rachel first took him to be.
The pacing could be a bit slow for some readers, so do keep that in mind and do read at least two or three chapters before tossing this one aside. Because going in blind I would have tossed it with the prologue – well if it wasn’t a western and wasn’t Goodman. This isn’t my favorite Goodman but would be my favorite American historical of her I have read, so far ;).
Jo Goodman is not a ‘fast read’ but a book to relax and enjoy. She is a true wordsmith who is a pleasure to read and creates characters that are a joy to spend time with, along with a town that comes alive and becomes a character in and of itself. It was a delight to learn her next book will take place in the same town because when I closed the book, I reread it, because I wasn’t ready to let go.
Grade: A
Summary:
Rachel Bailey may seem like just a beautiful newcomer to most of Reidsville, Colorado, but Sheriff Wyatt Cooper knows she’s much more. Through a twist of fate, Rachel is the inheritor of a very valuable commodity: control of the railway that keeps the isolated mining town connected to the world. That is, she will be, if she agrees to the surprising stipulation in her benefactor’s will-that she marry Wyatt.
Rachel has no choice: refusing the marriage could put all of Reidsville in the hands of an outsider, and not just any outsider but the cruel tyrant she has come here to escape. Yet living with Wyatt will be her greatest challenge. For he has a tempting way about him that makes Rachel forget theirs is a marriage in name only- until her frightening past shows up to remind them exactly how much they have at stake…
Read an excerpt here.
I wondered a bit how much I would like this one not being so much of a western fan, and was happy to give it a high mark, too, Sybil. Wyatt and Rachel make a wonderful couple, loved all their sallying back and forth. I’ll definitely be picking up the next one.
I loved this book as much as I have all of Jo Goodman’s previous works. It’s true that she’s more of a “slow read” than some other romance writers, but I think that’s because her characters and their relationships are more complex and nuanced than many others. I’m certainly looking forward to the next.
A good review of a great book 🙂
I completely agree with the confusing start of the book yet by the time we find out what’s going on it didn’t really matter how confusing it was, I’d been sucked into the story and completely enjoying it 🙂
I really like Jo Goodman books so I will have to get this one to read! Thanks for a good review Sybil.
Funny I was offline thinking I was going to die this day, the joy of migraine and set posts on wordpress.
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Sorry I couldn’t be here to try and explain any of my rambling lol
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Pam Pellini: Yay! So glad to hear you liked this one. Sorry I have migraine hangover and can’t recall but I ‘think’ this isn’t your first goodman right? Or is it?
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Frannie: You know that is something I find myself saying often and do not mean it badly – that a book is a ‘fast read’. But if you think about it… it does sort of sound odd. When I thought about it I think Jo Goodman is the flipside. A fine wine to be enjoy but I think we are to the point now we are used to ‘fast reads’ and expect it to be ‘correct’ and right.
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That isn’t to be confused with books that are just padded with filler for no reason and DO need the fat cut. There is a line to be walked and Goodman does it well.
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Tara Marie: Thanks ;). Thinking on what you know now though, could the beginning of been clear? I think that would have taken something away from the book. You know the first time I read it I thought it was a child in the bed.
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MarthaE: Do tell me what you think! She isn’t for everyone eventhough I think she should be :).
I like her slower-moving style, Frannie, she does a wonderful job of building the relationship and you get a more complex story, I often like this type of book, and she’s become a top author for me.
Sybil feel better. If His Kiss is Wicked and Price of Desire are on my alltime fave list. I’m a big historical fan, though not so much with the westerns, which is why I wondered if I would like this as much as the others of hers the past few year; she won me over again with this one.
I am with Pam. I really enjoyed the slow pace of this book. Goodman lets her readers soak up setting and detail and emotion by moving her characters slowly from one discovery to the next. I love books that are character-driven and Goodman never pulls an emotional punch with this one. I read an interview with her that said she is returning to Reidsville in her next book. Can’t wait! And I loved that no-account Beatty boy too!
Ok Sybil, you’ve convinced me. I do want to get to know the hero so I’ll try to be patient, and I love the idea of the hero keeping watch from whorehouse balcony. 🙂 Thanks!
Do tell me what you think of the novel 😉
Sybil, this finally arrived. I agree with you, Jo Goodman is very good. I was immediately engaged by chapter one… the whole Wyatt watching her from the balcony was well done. Also right about overall pace though, I found the whole unravelling about the mystery behind her past a bit slow. I thought both characters were very well developed, Wyatt was very appealing and I was pleasantly surprised that Rachel was no push over, and amused by her secretive ways early on. The banter was indeed good. 🙂 And I’m glad the love scenes weren’t timid or too polite, which I kinda worried about early on…I wasn’t sure about Wyatt’s easy acceptance of his contract with Clinton Maddox despite the reasoning, and it was interesting the whole blasé attitude of whores becoming wives. 🙂 I really liked that no-account Beatty boy, for me it was a shame it was a subplot romance, I wanted to know more about him. I will definitely want the next book on Reidsville! Thanks for the recommendation!
YAY! I am glad you enjoyed it Linny ;).