Summer Breeze [Mass Market Paperback]

From the back cover:

The popular Coulter series takes an exciting new turn!

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 esistence...

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...

And my review:

Wow! Wow, and wow again! This author is fabulous. With the high cost of books these days, I never buy books brand new - except for ones by this author. Then I rush to the bookstore as soon as they're released. Not once has this author let me down. Every single one of her books have been keepers.

This book was just wonderful. I devoured it in a weekend. I just couldn't put it down. This author has once again made wonderful characters that jump immediately into your heart and stay there. They were both loveable. He had his rough spots, but was basically a good guy--none of that domineering male garbage that you find so often in romance novels today. And while she was a woman imprisoned by fear, she was still a strong, couragous person, not a little mouse that you want to smack some sense into. (And, contrary to what most authors do with sheltered heroines, this one did not turn into a slut!) Not many authors could handle the issue of agoraphobia so well, but this one did it without being too preachy or silly.

This was a book that fully engaged the reader's emotions. I would be getting choked up one minute, and then be laughing out loud the next. And the mystery was very well executed. At least three times I thought that I had it all figured out. The answer seemed too obvious. But I was completely surprised when the mystery was solved (my instinct were off by a mile), which only served to make the story more enjoyable. I can usually see the big plot twists coming from a mile away, but this author had me fooled right up until the very end.

Another thing I liked about this book was that the mystery and the romance were in good balance. I often find that books with both will spend too much time developing the mystery and neglect the romance (or sometimes the other way around). But this author struck the perfect balance between the two themes, leaving me feeling satisfied when I turned that final page. Those not reading the entire series might feel left hanging by the epilogue, as the author used it to set up her next book. However, that's a mild complaint, as the rest of the book is so good as to outweigh it. Though this book is part of a series, I think that it can stand alone. The author also included a family tree chart in the beginning of the book, just in case a reader feels lost, but don't be overwhelmed - it's not necessary to commit it to memory in order to enjoy the story.

I don't give out many five star ratings. A book really has to earn it, but this one did. I highly recommend this book, as well as the other related books in the series, including (in order) "Keegan's Lady" (the prequel to this book), "Baby Love", "Phantom Waltz", "Sweet Nothings", "Blue Skies", "Bright Eyes" and "My Sunshine". The author has also promised at least four more books in the series - hooray!

If you're a fan of Native American Romance, I would also recommend this author's Comanche series, including (in order) "Comanche Moon", "Comanche Heart", "Indigo Blue" and "Comanche Magic". Though they are out of print and cost a bit more to get your hands on, they are definitely worth the money.

Keep 'em coming, Catherine!

I love Catherine Anderson. I found her last summer when I first read "Keegan's Lady". It remains my favorite book. I get all mushy inside just thinking of it. Since then I have read all of the Coulter books, one after the other. And I loved them all.

I was so excited to learn that the sequel to "Keegan's Lady" was coming out that I ordered the book a few weeks ago. I saved it until just the right time to read it. I am sorry to say that I was disappointed. I thought the story was weak. I liked the interaction of Ace (I still adore him) and Caitlin with Joseph and Rachel but I would have liked to learn more about the younger brothers.

My biggest problem was that I thought it was hard to believe that Joseph would just be OK with Rachel's illness and not do anything to encourage her to heal. He seemed to be more of an enabler by adding bigger thicker doors and more bars. Once he tried to ask about the events and she zoned out, after that he vowed never to ask again. I wanted him to help her face the issues and rise above the tragedy of her past. I got the feeling that if the killer had not been caught she would have just stayed locked away forever and he would have been completely OK with that. I wanted them to face her past together and "beat" it, to decide that life was too wonderful to allow this killer to continue to control her. I wanted her to be healed, to be brave, to be courageous and for Joseph to be by her side helping her even if the killer was still out there rather than heal only after he was gone.

Also I agree with another reviewer. I felt the romance just wasn't there. I didn't feel that spark. Oddly I finished "Phantom Waltz" just before reading this. In that book I felt the sex was way over done. It seemed like every other paragraph they were at it again. The opposite was true in this book. Anderson has such a wonderful talent in creating that special magical moment. You wait for it the whole book. And when they finally find each other your stomach is doing flip-flops. Not in this book. My tummy didn't flip-flop once.

I did wonder how Tucker and Mary were reading from Rachel's diary? How did it survive the fire? No mention was made of it throughout the book. You never read about her sitting down to record her thoughts at the end of the day. To me it almost seemed like an afterthought to add that to the beginning and end just as a way to lead into another book about Tucker. It was poorly done and didn't flow with the story.

I did really appreciate the family tree at the beginning of the book. I read the books out of order so this was a big help. Thank you for that, Catherine.

I'd like to read the Comanche series next if I can find them.

Catherine Anderson is my favorite writer at this time. I just think she missed with this book.

It was nice getting a little modern touch to the story with Tucker finding the diary of Rachel and Joseph which leads into their historical love story. I will enjoy Tucker's story when it comes! I will also say this book works well stand-alone since I have yet to read Keegan's Lady which is the "prequel" about Joseph's brother, Ace. I have it but just not read - too many books, too little time!

As other reviewers have laid out the storyline so well I will not belabor the point. Rachel retreated to a very sheltered life, barricaded in her kitchen for five years since her family was massacred at a lovely June picnic. Darby, the aged ranch foreman, has been her only contact during those years and assisted her by keeping the ranch going, selling the cheese & eggs that are a result of the ranch and building the real walls that kept everyone away. But when he is shot in the back, he begs a neighboring ranch owner (Joseph Paxton) to guard and protect Rachel.

While Joseph's brother David, the marshal of Noname, seeks to solve the shooting and perhaps even the unsolved massacre of Rachel's family, Joseph is left trying to protect a frightened Rachel from pretend or perhaps real danger. She turns out to be a vision of loveliness, a wonderful cook and a woman with heart. She awakens all the heroic bones in his body as well as awakening other feelings! As Kleypas most often writes "love at first sight" books, this is no different. The romance is pleasantly written with enough angst and sexual tension to make it exciting. I loved all the secondary characters which are well described and add depth to the storyline. The townspeople are wonderful in their attempts to open up Rachel's world and allow her to hear birds and feel the summer breezes again. Will they succeed in this endeavor? Can Joseph convince her to marry him in the end? Is someone really out to kill her and could it be her feisty Aunt Amanda?

While I enjoyed this book immensely, there were some problems. It is rather unrealistic that Rachel would have been left alone in her "madness" without town and doctor intervention. Also, she seemed to recover from agoraphobia rather quickly too when the mystery is resolved. A bit TOO perfect, Rachel was beautiful, well-read, great cook, cheese-maker and seamstress. Even having been orphaned at 17, it was a bit much to believe ... but this is fiction. Despite these things, it is not a book to be missed for its wonderful portrayal of how love conquers all - a predominant theme in Kleypas books also.

Another reveiwer mentions this and it is true. The Epilogue which contains a letter from Joseph to Rachel when he is aged and dying is so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes!