Shannon C.’s review of Untamed Cowboy by Pam Crooks
Western romance published by Harlequin Historicals 1 Jul 07

I really like westerns. Admittedly, I’ve not read many books in the genre, but I count LaVyrle Spencer’s The Endearment as one of the best romances I read when I first found the genre. For me, the appeal of the western romance is that it involves characters who have to be strong and tough and show what they’re made of. It is, in fact, the dirt that I love when it comes to westerns.

Pam Crooks gives a very satisfying western read in Untamed Cowboy. We have two strong characters, Penn McClure, a former Secret Service agent bent on revenge against the counterfeiters who killed his fiancee, and Carina Lockett, a strong, spirited cattle rancher who wants nothing more than to have a good legacy for her daughter, Callie Mae. When Callie Mae is kidnapped, Carina must rely on Penn’s help to drive her cattle from Texas to Dodge City in hopes she can get her daughter back.

If this is the kind of offering that Harlequin Historical puts out, I think that Sybil will have gotten herself a new fan, because I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Carina and Penn come off as very likeable characters, and I very much liked watching their attraction develop on the cattle drive. I particularly liked Karina, because after my last few books, which have featured completely bland and boring heroines, she was a nice breath of fresh air. I understood her desperation to get her daughter back, and her determination to do right by her men. I liked that she did what needed to be done, but she didn’t stomp her feet and declare that dad blame it, she was as good as any man! She just did what she had to do.

McClure is an awesome hero, too. He’s the kind of alpha that I like — quick to take charge but not an asshole. I also understood his need for revenge and his willingness to do whatever it took to get that revenge. In another author’s hands, that need for revenge might have made him a thoroughly unpleasant character, but the revenge angle wasn’t milked for all it was worth, and in the end I liked that Penn and Carina had similar goals.

The romance worked well here. Carina and Penn slowly come to be friends, and when they finally consummate their relationship, it’s a great love scene. I also really loved the end of the book and the decisions that the characters made. I also have to mention, while I’m gushing about the characters, that I really liked Callie Mae. She’s not the stereotypical saccharine romance child, and is, at times, kind of a brat. But I liked that she, too, experienced some growth and development by story’s end.

The action moves along at a steady pace, with all kinds of adventures to liven things up. Every scene felt necessary to the story, and the author certainly didn’t waste any words. I was hooked from the first page until I finished the book with a happy sigh.

This book wasn’t perfect. I was a little disappointed that the major villain was so flat, especially given the fact that his accomplices are drawn as much more nuanced characters. I also thought that Carina should have given Callie’s grandmother the swift boot to the ass that old bitch so rightfully deserved. I also wasn’t really sure why people didn’t make more of a big deal about Carina’s being a woman. Penn’s the only one who ever really seems to notice, and I wondered about that.

I wasn’t completely blown away by this book, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Definitely recommended for fans of western romance.

Grade: B

You can also read Gwen’s review for another take on this book.

     Summary:

     Carina Lockett is driven to build a legacy for her young daughter, and she doesn’t need a man to help her do it. But when her precious child is lured away and held for ransom, she must swallow her pride and ask for Penn McClure’s help.

     Penn McClure has no intention of playing cowboy for any woman, especially one as strong-willed as Carina. But driving a herd of cattle to Dodge City is no easy task. And he has a score to settle with the man waiting for them at the end of the trail.

     Along the way, he discovers Carina is pure female–and that her legacy has become his own.

    Read an excerpt here.

Gwen’s Review of Untamed Cowboy by Pam Crooks
Historical romance published by Harlequin Historicals 1 Jul 07

This novel is set in late 19th century Texas, Kansas, and the Indian Territory in between. The hero is a cowboy named Penn McClure (very cowboy name), and the heroine is Carina Lockett (very cowgirl name). The basic plot is she’s a successful cattlewoman with a successful spread, a single mom trying to get her daughter back from a ne’er-do-well, and he’s a former government agent returning to his cowboy roots to wreak revenge on the counterfeiter who killed his fiancee. The two get to know each other and fall in love on a cattle drive from Mobeetie, Texas to Dodge City (interesting map here).

I’ll start by saying that I have not been a fan of Harlequin novels in the past. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I am a fan now, but I’m less of an “un-fan” than I was, I’ll admit. And those of you who know me, know that this isn’t my usual erotic romance fare. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book.

This was an interesting book for me to read. I come from a long line of Texas ranch families and Texas farmers (7-8 generations back). I actually rode our horse, Buck (a big, beautiful palomino), on a wagon train for several days way back when. I’ve helped worm, feed, muck-out, birth, and basically tend to all kinds of critters, so reading a novel about a successful cattlewoman was interesting. It’s just not something you read every day. I felt the only “departure” from reality was no real mention of the day-to-day running of a large outfit – purchasing and breeding details, budgets, payroll, paperwork and more paperwork, even in the late 19th century. And the small detail of a female Treasury agent – did they have them in the 1880′s? But those are small sacrifices to make for a really good story.

I enjoyed the characterizations in this book. Carina’s relationship with her hands and others was wholly believable; it was nice to see a strong woman that men listened to and respected (except for her good-for-nothing ex-lover, father of her daughter). Her evolving relationship with Penn was also interesting and kept the pages turning faster and faster. Crooks manages to capture the banked passion adroitly with very few words.

For example, this passage just gave me chills it was so durn SEXY:

     Then, hardly before she realized it, McClure tied the ribbon on her camisole and re-fastened her blouse.

     The moment gone, her fingers fell away from his wrist, and he stepped back. Yet his gaze lingered over her, a fathomless pool of unspoken things between them. Desires and promises. Curiosities left unsatisfied.

     For now.

     He touched the brim of his Stetson, turned and walked away.

     And though he hadn’t told her so, Carina knew one thing for sure.

     Penn McClure wasn’t finished with her yet.

This type of writing will keep me coming back for more. Plus, there’s a lovely HEA at the end. Thank you, Ms Crooks. I highly recommend this to fans of western romance, and historicals in general.

Grade: B+

P.S. Pam – Tell Harlequin to pick a different cover mdoel next time. This guy looks like a dweeb. Here’s what a real cowboy looks like.

     Here’s the book blurb:

     Carina Lockett is driven to build a legacy for her young daughter, and she doesn’t need a man to help her do it. But when her precious child is lured away and held for ransom, she must swallow her pride and ask for Penn McClure’s help.

     Penn McClure has no intention of playing cowboy for any woman, especially one as strong-willed as Carina. But driving a herd of cattle to Dodge City is no easy task. And he has a score to settle with the man waiting for them at the end of the trail.

     Along the way, he discovers Carina is pure female–and that her legacy has become his own.

     Read an excerpt.

Untamed Cowboy by Pam Crooks

Carina Lockett is driven to build a legacy for her young daughter, and she doesn’t need a man to help her do it. But when her precious child is lured away and held for ransom, she must swallow her pride and ask for Penn McClure’s help.

Penn McClure has no intention of playing cowboy for any woman, especially one as strong-willed as Carina. But driving a herd of cattle to Dodge City is no easy task. And he has a score to settle with the man waiting for them at the end of the trail.

Along the way, he discovers Carina is pure female–and that her legacy has become his own.

I am not sure if this book ties into her last two Harlequin Historicals: Wanted! and The Lone Protector. We will have to ask her when she guests on Wednesday June 13, 2007. I have both books but haven’t read them yet and I can’t tell by her site. Although looking at her site what is next makes me sqqquueee!

ONE MAGIC EVE
Western Winter Wonderland
Harlequin Historicals

Christmas Anthology With Cheryl St.John and Jenna Kernan

Until Wednesday you can read an excerpt of Untamed Cowboy here. Or you don’t want to wait you can follow this link and buy the book now: