Hawk'S Way Rogues [Paperback]

Hawk's Way Rogues : "Honey and the Hired Hand", "The Cowboy Takes A Wife", and "The Temporary Groom"

If you are already a fan of Joan Johnston's Romance, Western Adventure and Historical novels, you are probably aware that there are several different series of stories to get caught up in, featuring different families,their adventures, their romances and sometimes feuds."Hawk's Way Rogues" is a 3 in 1 book and has #'s 1, 5 and 9 in the Hawk's Way Series", modern day western romance/adventure novellas centering on the Whitelaw family. These combo books are probably the best way to go for collectors and some(including this one) have the family tree, and book order inside the book which is a great help in following the family through the generations. For individual purchase of these and other stories in the series, click on the title link I have provided throughout the review.

If you weren't a fan before,Honey and the Hired Hand(#1), will have you hooked, especially if you love a steamy romance! The story of Honey Farrell and Jessie Whitelaw is a fabulous romance and promises a great series to follow.

Honey is the widow of a Texas Ranger. Trying to run her ranch, and raise two boys, one already a teen, on her own, is too much for her to handle alone. Enter Jessie Whitelaw, who talks his way into the job of helping her run the Flying Diamond. Although the beautiful Honey is hesitant, there is something about the rugged cowhand that draws her to him. He's Hired! Each trying to keep their distance for their own reasons, Honey, not wanting to get involved with a drifter, knowing she will be hurt when he moves on, and Jessie has ulterior motives for being there, knows he will be moving on and knows he can't get involved with the luscious Honey.But of course, we know these two will fall into each other's arms eventually. Johnston keeps the anticipation going with tantalizing circumstances between the two, and when they finally can't resist each other anymore, the romance sizzles with steamy scenes.

As always in a Joan Johnston novel, there is much more to the story. There is always some sort of adventure, mystery or conspiracy going on. Honey has been losing her cattle to rustlers. She hopes her new hired hand can help her stop the thieves. But when her prize bull turns up missing, along with her 13 year old son(who wasn't all too happy about Jessie being there in the first place), the evidence points towards Jessie. Can he be the culprit? Or has he hired on for another reason. Will her son turn up safe and sound? Can Honey resist Jessie even when she thinks he's the bad guy?

There was only one part of the story, I found a little hard to swallow. As a mother, there is no way, even if involved in a passionate affair, you would wait 24 hours to check on your 13 year old child, who is supposedly staying at a friends. But hey, as the reader, I wouldn't have wanted that delicious love scene cut short though!

Johnston keep the pace moving right along. The reader keeps turning the page to see what happens. I thought it was a great start to the Hawks Way series. Follow this one up withRancher And The Runaway Bride (Silhouette Desire, No 779). Johnston is real good at having one story flow to the next in all the series.


Cowboy Takes A Wife (Hawk'S Way) (Silhouette Desire, No 842) is # 5 in the line up, and it is the first one that branches out to family members other then the core Whitelaw siblings. It also should not be confused with another romance by the same title by Lois Faye Dyer. If you have been following the series, you may remember briefly meeting Carter Prescott, as Faron Whitelaw's half brother in 3rd in the series,Cowboy And The Princess (Silhouette Desire, No 785) . Ms Johnston, gives enough background and interaction with the Whitelaw's, so that this book stand on it's own.

Joan Johnston is amazing as she always matches up two wonderful characters, that seem made for each other, while still keeping the plot interesting and fresh. In this one Desiree Parrish and her little daughter Nicole are in danger. Carter Prescott is looking for a place to set down roots and call his own. Desiree owns a ranch and needs a husband for protection. She carries the scars, physically and mentally of an abusive relationship and has no hopes for a future relationship. Offering Carter a place to call his own,in desperation she proposes to him, a man she met once in her childhood and hardly knows. So hardly knowing each other, but each with their own reasons, and each with the scars and secrets of the past,they marry. Desiree who never thought she could let another man touch her, or make a man happy in the bedroom discovers new feelings with this man who treats her so tenderly. Carter too, starts to fall for Desiree, can hardly keep from spending every waking minute with her, and also learns to care for Nicole as well. These two strangers learn about each other's past and the marriage becomes one much more than one of convenience .There's danger brewing though, in the form of Desiree's maniac of an ex-husband.

There is much to overcome and Johnston keeps the reader turning the pages, as this multi-faceted story unfolds at a great pace in this romantic and suspenseful novella. A very good entry and something a little different from the rest in the Hawk's Way series. Next up is Unforgiving Bride (Hawk'S Way) (Silhouette Desire, No 878),which start of the next generation of Whitelaw kids' stories.

Book #'s 2, 3 and 4, make up the Hawk'S Way Bachelors (Trade Paperback) (Silhouette Promo) 3 in 1 book.


Temporary Groom (Hawk'S Way) (Silhouette Desire, No 1004) is #9 in Joan Johnston's Hawk's Way series of romance novella's revolving around Whitelaw family. This one is the start of the third generation,the grandchildren of Garth and Candy Whitelaw who's story is told in novella #4 Wrangler And The Rich Girl (Silhouette Desire, No 791).

The Whitelaw kids of all generations, although eventual pillars of the community, have through each generation been a bit on the wild side and have been tagged 'The Whitelaw Brats'. Cherry Whitelaw, one of 8 adopted kids by Zach and Rebecca(Disobedient Bride (Man Of The Month, Hawk'S Way) (Silhouette Desire No 937)), has had a troubled past, has built a wall around herself when it comes to love, and just can't seem to stay out of trouble. Even when it's not her fault, blame seems to find her. Just as she is ready to graduate from high school, she is suspended and kept from graduation and berates herself for having failed her loving adoptive parents once more.

Neighbor Billy Stonecreek has problems and a reputation for being bad aw well. having lost his wife in an auto accident only a year before, trying to raise his 6 year old twin daughters and work his ranch on his own, the anger within him grows and can't seem to stay out of fights. His ex-mother-in-law, a vile woman, is preparing a law suite to take his children away from him.

When these two meet, both licking their wounds from the night's events, they find they each have something to offer the other. Cherry wants to get away somewhere where she can prove herself worthy of her family and Billy needs a mother for his children to show the courts he is providing a good home for his children. So they form a temporary alliance and what else?..they get married. But can these two "bad" influences prove they are fit for raising a family? And can they do it without losing their hearts to each other, and in Cherry's case to the little girls who want no part of their new "step-mother".

It's a touching and poignant story, and will be especially relatable to adoptive parents and children, and those "new" parents who may have found themselves with an "instant" step family. Ms. Johnston really pulls the emotional strings in this one. You can't help but find yourself rooting for this new family to make it,for Cherry and Billy to open their hearts, and also to turn the temporary situation into a permanent one. And of course, it wouldn't be a Johnston novel without some very intimate romantic moments as well.

It's a wonderful and fast read that I found hard to put down, and it is not necessary to have read any of the others in the series to get involved in this one.Next up in the series isVirgin Groom (Hawk'S Way). I'll review it as soon as I read it.

You can find more of Joan Johnston's series and full length novels, and the order they should be read by clicking onto my So You'd Like To Guide of the series and their order through my profile page.

Individually I gave 2 of these 4 stars and one(The Temporary Groom") 5 stars, but going with 5 stars for the three together in this economical 3 pack.

Enjoy the read.....Laurie

I found three high interest stories within Hawk's Way Rogues.

With Honey and the Hired Hand and The Cowboy Takes A Wife, there are two very strong women and men who are unusually steadfast in their way until they find Honey and Desiree respectively. In The Temporary Groom, both Billy Stonecreek and Cherry Whitelaw are impulsive characters, which leads them into all sorts of collective trouble.

While Honey and the Hired Hand felt like a plot line that has been repeatedly revisited (widow falls for hired help), its intent did not detract from the purpose of Honey's reluctance or grief for her late husband.

In The Cowboy Takes A Wife, Desiree is a much more desperate woman to Carter Prescott, but he too keeps deep secrets about his past. As Carter heals himself, he finds his love with Desiree something he knew he had yet to experience in his past.

I had a harder time believing in The Temporary Groom that a man would believe that marrying a 18-year-old high school drop out would be the solution to all his problems. But in the end, the real truth of family's love, forgiveness, and inner strength reigns.

In addition to these stories, inside this edition of Hawk's Way is a family tree to help you sort out the complex family of Hawk's Way Ranches. This family tree links the stories and the anthologies also written by Joan Johnston.

Fun, sexy and exciting. Lots of romantic tension. Liked it as uch as "Anything, My Love" by Cynthia Simmons and "New Mexico sunrise" by Peterson.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 4 reviews  4.8 out of 5 stars