Wildfire In His Arms

How to review this book?? Honestly, I'm torn. I do not like giving this a negative review. I've read Johanna Lindsey all my life. I have every one of her books. Did I love them all? No, but there are a few that I would want with me if I were ever stranded on a island.

Reading this made me a little nostalgic; I wanted to rush to my bookshelf and pull down one of my favorites. Ironically enough another story about a Peacekeeper that finds his heroine by paying back a favor. (If you liked this and you haven't read Angel you're missing out!) So when I got to the part where Max challenges Degan to stay married I wanted to throw my book - preferably at Ms. Lindsey. You've already written that scene - in a better book!

I'm not sure who edits for Ms. Lindsey but you would have though they might have brought that to her attention. I can overlook some similarities but come on! If you want me to keep buying your newer books they need to be as good as, if not better, than your previous ones. This one is not.

A page turner that kept me awake reading at bedtime. I was surprised after reading her so-so last western, where we met Degan Grant for the first time, that this was so good. Degan is an easy hero to fall for, the classic tall, dark, and handsome rugged guy with a mysterious, dark history, and an irresistible appeal. Max is all brightness and sunshine, she's the light to his dark, and together they are two parts of a whole, merging closer and closer, and bonding through passion and growing love as the story progresses. Their passionate romance takes many twists and turns as they face off against murderous outlaws, sneaky villains, and corrupt law enforcers, as they all gallop across the Wild West, chasing one another and the worst of the outlaws.
Although Max starts out as an outlaw from a Wanted Poster, she quickly shows herself to be a victim, and Degan finds himself her protector rather than her jailer. And Max soon finds herself unwilling to escape from the jailer whose safety and well being she cares too much about, and for.
The secondery characters, both good and bad, added morecdepth to the storyline.
Plenty of action as well as passion in this western tale of good, bad, and true love.
Hope there will be many more in this great western saga.

Wildfire in His Arms by Johanna Lindsey
Historical Romance -June 16th, 2015
3 1/2 stars

In this bold, new western romance a young tomboy on the run and the Marshal sent to catch her find unexpected love in the wild west.

Maxine grew up pretty and wild. But when the town major started pressuring her to marry his son she unexpectedly kills him. And finds herself on the run and with the hopes her absence will save her grandmother heartache. Now wanted by her town she is found by the newly deputized Marshal Degan Grant.

Grant is a slick gunslinger that is tired of his shooting days and being forced to prove his skills. His dark reputation makes him someone to fear. Now he is thinking of settling down. But when a friend in need asks for his help he finds himself made a temporary Marshal. He is on the hunt and Maxine is on the top of the list! But when Degan finds Maxine he soon realizes the boy he is sent to hunt down is actually a girl! But Degan is nothing if not thorough and is intent on bringing in his criminal. As she is a murderer he is intent on taking her back to her old town to face charges. But Maxine will try to do anything from going back. As Maxine tries to out smart Degan and escape they are troubled another posse of men that want her, too. Plus, Degan's past fiancee wants a piece of him. And is intent on bringing him back to Chicago. To complicate matters further, their close proximity has brought on a deep attraction!

This story has a lot of twists and turns. It starts out rather slow with the introduction of Degan - his reputation and the ex-fiancee who wants him back. Although Degan has been city bred living the harsh life of the wild west near penniless had toughened him up a lot. He is no longer the young boy that fled Chicago. And he doesn't want to revisit the memories that forced him to leave. His latest bounty is the saucy Maxine, a beautiful armful that has him thinking thoughts better left unsaid. As Degan and Maxine are forced together so does their admiration and growing respect. Degan is unsure of Maxine's innocence and claims of being hunted by a powerful man. Maxine is frustrated by the enigmatic gunslinger that won't listen to reason. She wants nothing more than to see her grandmother but fears her coming back home will spell more trouble. Degan has become a skeptical and hard man. A good man but one that has seen a lot. I liked that the incomparable Maxine throws all of his well-ordered world into chaos and gives him a new interest in life. Maxine is a true tomboy, a bit crude and rough but still very sweet. She has had to be tough to defend herself and trusting Degan is difficult especially when he doesn't believe her innocence. I liked how they had to rely on each other and find something special together. I did find myself a bit annoyed that it took Degan so long to believe Maxine but he more than makes for up in the end. The only things was that the pacing sometimes made the story drag and the story felt draw out more that it needed to be in spots. But it did make how how they outsmarted the villain all that more satisfying.

A solid western that features a hardened gunslinger and his feisty captive.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

Peacekeeper Degan Grant is in MT having just left his last job (One Heart to Win) when he runs into a guy who had saved his life and needs a favor. The US Marshal is on a time schedule and needs to apprehend three dangerous criminals from his list in the next three months, but for family reasons, needs to make a trip back East. How fortunate that Degan had seen Max Dawson in town that morning; the kid wanted for murder and bank robbery in TX. Maxine has been on the run, disguised as a boy, ever since the sheriff in her town dragged her to the mayor’s home to be raped in an attempt to force her to marry the old coot. She knows with the mayor’s popularity that she’ll be hanged as soon as she’s dragged back for the trumped up charges.

This has more of the feel of some of her earlier writings, so I did enjoy this one more than the last few books which I found somewhat disappointing. It was enjoyable to watch Degan struggle with how to handle Max, especially after she saves his life. Max is a very likeable and practical character and both have their own code of honor.

Plenty of drama as he fulfills his obligations to track down some criminals while being dogged by others from his past. At one point I wanted to knock Max upside the head for not seeing what’s plain to the reader. Loved many of the situations they found themselves in, and how they get out of them.

Library book

Wildfire in His Arms

When Degas Grant, a principled hired gun stopped in Helena, Montana, he ran into his old friend John Hayes, a US marshal. Hayes needed a favor and Degas agreed since Hayes had once saved his life.
Hayes asked Degas to capture three men on his wanted list. The marshal needed to travel to VA to take care of family business. Degas put his travel plans to California on hold. Hayes deputized Degas and Degas went in pursuit of Max Dawson, one of three outlaws on the wanted list. Degas knew Dawson would be the easiest to apprehend since he had seen Dawson leaping from a brothel window earlier that morning while people in the town slept.
When Degas finally captured Max, he learned that Max was actually a beautiful woman disguised as a man. Degas was unsure of what to do at this point so he continued his pursuit of two additional criminals on Hayes’ list with Max in tow. In his pursuit of the other two outlaws, things heated up between Max and Degas. Degas ended up agreeing to accompany Max back to Texas to prove her claim of innocence.
This story had many twists and turns and I enjoyed reading it. Max and Degas were hot together and all ended well for them. Allison Montgomery was the only character I felt was unnecessary in the story or maybe her rationale for tracking Degas seemed flimsy.

Gun-slinging Degan Grant thought he was just helping out a Marshall friend when he agreed to apprehend three outlaws so that the Marshall could spend some time settling family affairs. Little did he know that one of the outlaws was really Maxine Dawson masquerading as Max Dawson the bank robber and murderer. Degan had his hands full trying to keep the sassy spitfire on a leash until he can turn her in for the reward. Fortunately for Maxie, Degan believes her when she tells him the truth of the matter. Throw in a few gun fights and travelling all over the place from Montana, the Dakotas, Iowa, Texas and Chicago Illinois and you have a story worth telling the dime novels that are so popular. Read on for the details on how Marshall and prisoner become friends, lovers and a married couple. The twists and turns that result are varied and interesting and will keep you up well past your bedtime. Enjoy!

Johanna Lindsey continues to amaze with her writing style. This book is filled with adventure, laugh out loud moments and a love cowboy style. Degan Grant is a gun for hire and is persuaded to do a favor for a friend by rounding up 3 outlaws. Max is one of those outlaws that is wanted for murder and bank robbery and has been on the run for 2 years. When Degan captures Max he learns that looks are deceiving because Max is really Maxine. As the two travel to round up the other outlaws, Degan starts believing in Max's innocence and the two grow closer. This story has many more twists and turns but you must read it to find out.