| Title | : | The Texan (Bitter Creek, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0440234719 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780440234715 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 368 |
| Publication | : | First published March 6, 2001 |
Owen Blackthorne is a lone wolf, a man who doesn’t need anyone. Then Bayleigh Creed appears on his doorstep, demanding his help in locating her missing brother. Together they head into the desolate West Texas wilderness, a Blackthorne and a Creed, mortal enemies obliged to join forces to survive. Neither counts on the unwanted attraction that draws them together, or the bitter truths that will force them apart—until the ruthless wilderness compels them to make life-and-death choices between family and duty and love.
The Texan (Bitter Creek, #2) Reviews
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Rating clarification: 4.5 stars
Wow. This book had a lot going on.
Luke Creed believes Clay Blackthorne is up to no good, because no Blackthorne can ever be up to anything good in a Creed's eye, and he's set out to prove it at all costs. Owen Blackthorne gets thrown in to the mix when Luke's older sister Bayleigh, aka Bay, asks him to help her find her brother. The only catch, he has to take her with him. Little does Bayleigh know that they are playing with the big dogs on this one. Owen and Bayleigh have a good relaxing and even good banter with funny humor relationship, that is, when they don't remember to keep their guard up or remember that their families hate each other. The story line with Owen and Bay is pretty sweet and humorous at times. The rest of the story is divided up with other side stories and secrets by other family members.
The side stories that take place are with:
1. Owen's dad and Bayleigh's mom which causes more issues with Owen's mom/dad
2. "Bad" Billy Coburn and Summer Blackthorne (Owen's sister)& those who are involved
This story is told in 6 different POV's:
1. Owen Blackthorne
2. Bayleigh Creed ("Bay")
3. Lauren "Ren" Creed (Bay's mom)
4. "Bad" Billy Coburn
5. Jackson "Blackjack" Blackthorne (Owen's dad)
6. Dora Coburn (Billy's mom)
What I loved about this book:
1. Owen's nickname of "Red" for Bay
2. The banter between Owen and Bay
3. How easy their relationship could be when guards/walls were let down
4. Billy's feelings for Summer and what he would do or go through for her
5. How Owen was with Bay in the last Chapter
6. The epilogue (LOVED IT! I read it twice)
7. OWEN-major nice guy and sweetheart and ever caring
I would have loved to give this book a 5 however I couldn't. I felt like I got jipped on Owen and Bay's storyline. It was a good building of friendship and falling for one another and we didn't get to spend as much time with them as we should have for this being their book. The book focused on a bunch of other side drama that, yes, we needed to know to make the next book work. I just thought that maybe certain characters info could have been shortened or put in to their own book. Maybe all this extra info would have been fine if the book was longer and we had more of Owen and Bay's relationship. I personally felt like maybe this book should have focused on the issues at hand which were:
1. Owen and Bay's relationship
2. Clay and his inovlvement in the VX mines, maybe his POV
3. Luke and what he was up to in his POV
4. Paul Ridgeway and his involvement in the VX mines and maybe his POV
I felt like too much was trying to happen in this book and normally I'm okay with that but this time i felt like it took away from the most important part for me which was Owen and Bay because they were super awesome. I loved them more then the couple from book one. -
Another great read by Joan Johnston and great addition to the series about the fued between the Blackthorne and Creed families in modern day Texas.
Owen Blackthorne is a Texas Ranger and is on a mission to find out who killed his best friend and stole the VX mines. He knows his brother Clay is involved but only can hope that Clay is involved on the right side of the law.
Bayleigh Creed is a vet but she's determined to go with Owen into the cruel West Texas forest to find her brother that is also somehow involved in the VX mine mystery.
Bayleigh and Owen find themselves in very deadly situations over and over therefore they have to rely on each other in order to get out alive. Creeds relying on Blackthorne's and vice versa is not something that ever happens and Bayleigh and Owen find theirselves as much more than allies.
More family secrets are found out in this addition to the series. Secrets, lies and an over one hundred year family feud may be more conflicts of interest than Owen and Bayleigh can over come in order to have a future together.
You never know what is going to happen next or what secret will be revealed. Great read. -
A Wonderful, Intriguing, suspenseful, Powerful book I can't say enough good things about this book. Each book in this series only gets more enjoyable to read and makes the reader hunger for the next in the series.
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Love love love this series!!Love love love this series!!
OMG this series just keeps getting better. Many many revelations are revealed in this exceptional book. Owen & Bay are up against many gut wrenching obstacles and dangerous elements. This series pulled at my heart 6 years ago and is a definitely great series to not be missed. 5 stars and deserves more. -
Even though I gave the first book in this series 2 stars, I decided to keep going. I'm not sure I can pinpoint why, except that I sometimes have this feeling when I'm reading a book I don't like that the author needs another chance....like I just grabbed the wrong book first, and if I had read them in a different order, I would have reviewed it as "that one book every author writes sooner or later, no matter how good they are..."
I'm glad I did. I've now read books 2 and 3 back to back (review of book 3 coming) and am truly drawn into this small Texas town and these two mixed up families. It's almost more like a soap opera than a traditional romance series, because I couldn't imagine reading it out of order, even if I didn't care for the first book. Each book focuses on one couple, but there's always more going on in and around them. I saw that after book 3, this series is categorized as "westerns" instead of "romance" in the library for the blind catalog I use, and I can see why.
The odd thing is, I don't normally like this kind of thing. I've tried to read a couple of other authors with similar dynamics -- sort of a wider community or family group with more going on in each book than a single love story -- but this is the first time I took to it.
My only complaint is this, and I can't complain too loudly because so many romance novels do it that I sometimes feel like I'm the one who just doesn't get it: The distinction between loving and being "in love." I just don't see how you can spent your entire life with a person, live for them, bear their children, but somehow consider your feelings for them less than some guy you had an intense sexual experience with 30+ years ago.
Overall, I recommend the series to anyone looking for a series romance they can stick with for a while. -
Loved this one! This continues the Blackthorne/Creed story. Bayliegh Creed needs Owen Blackthorne's help finding her missing brother, Luke. It turns out Luke is mixed up in some stolen nerve gas mines in Big Ben. Owen, a Texas Ranger, is already involved in the case because his best friend, Hank, was murdered while involved with the case. Also, his brother Clay, is the Attorney General, is somehow wrapped up in it. Sooo, Owen is reluctant to take Bayleigh with him, but does it anyway...
They are attracted to each other, and have to live through a life and death situation in the desert.
Lots of suspense, murder suspects, romance, etc. There a three different couples in this book. The evil Eve Blackthorne is setting herself up to be a fine villan. I recommend the series! -
The Texan topped The Cowboy. It had so much action adventure, feuding, passion, hot sexy cowboys and of course Bitter Creek drama! I’ve got to say Owen might be my favorite Blackthorne son. He was just as much of a cowboy as his brothers but had a sweet, funny side to him that I fell for. I’m so hooked on this series.
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Love love love this series!!Love love love this series!!
OMG this series just keeps getting better. Many many revelations are revealed in this exceptional book. Owen & Bay are up against many gut wrenching obstacles and dangerous elements. This series pulled at my heart 6 years ago and is a definitely great series to not be missed. 5 stars and deserves more. -
Just as in the first one we immediately jump into problems. The author can’t even ease us into the new characters before the old feud between the Blackthornes and Creeds comes up. Luke thinks Clay stole the VX nerve gas mines, whatever that is. And they’re duking it out in the bar. Bayleigh comes, and says “why don’t you pick on someone your own size” which was ridiculous because her brother started it and Luke refused to fight. He said one provoking sentence and then Luke charged him.
He looked pointedly down at her, then looked her up and down. Slowly. Thoroughly.
Must the men be so crude and rude? Do they have any class or honor?
&she’s sticking up for Luke even though she saw he was the one that kept going after them. “He’s just a kid,” she said. “If you Blackthornes would leave him alone—”
They didn’t even start that. Tell Luke to leave them alone.
Bay sits there in the stall with the horse that’s having trouble giving birth and asks Summer why she didn’t call this person, or that person, instead of shutting up and helping the horse. Is that what they taught u at vet school, question the owner about why they called you until the animal dies?
“I can’t believe you couldn’t find one person who’d be willing to leave that wake to help out a poor dumb beast,” Bay said, unable to keep the edge from her voice.
Ok, this woman is supposed to be a vet, someone who cares about animals, yet u have her say that. Wth?
&it takes Summer to remind her to help the horse.
“What if Ruby can’t get up?” Summer asked fearfully.
“Then you figure out a way to get her up! And if you can’t you have only yourself to blame.”
Wth kind of thing is that to say?
I liked Owen and Bayleigh much better than Trace and Callie.
The little bit about how Ren and Blackjack first met was completely disgusting and made me think less of her. She cheated on Jesse not once, but 3 times that day. &she knew she was pregnant with his kid. What a slut!
Bay was so annoying, asking questions and persisting about why they didn’t keep searching through the night. There’s absolutely nothing more annoying than someone who can’t shut up. A talkative person who talks a mile a minute is not funny or charming. It’s annoying and unlikable.
It was really messed up when Owen accused his dad of having Jesse murdered when in the first book that had just been cleared up. He was the one that had accused his mother of the murder, so why is he now pointing his finger to his dad after his mom’s already been committed? And then he starts to wonder if his twin brother Clay could have stolen the nerve gas mines. What’s up with the causality of murder accusations and the lack of faith for family members?
It was so rushed how they had sex. There was no reason for it, they just did it. They had a smidgen of attraction and sensual tension between them, but it wasn’t enough for them to have sex. Authors don’t realize that love, or something close to it, should come before they have sex. It makes it more special if they wait a while, not rush to the finish line and then regret it afterwards. I thought Bayleigh was shaping up to be different, but right afterwards she regretted it and brought up the family feud, just like Callie did. Not cool. It doesn’t make them likable that they use someone for comfort, or in this case curiosity, and the immediately regret it and say it can’t happen. And Owen, in a very Trace-like fashion, just forces himself on her in an intimate way after she says it was just a lapse in judgment and was satisfying her curiosity.
“That’s all that happened.”
“The hell it was.”
He yanked her onto her feet and had his mouth open over hers in two seconds flat. He shoved her legs apart, unzipped her jeans and thrust two fingers deep inside her. She moaned and bucked and shook her head in denial, but it was too late.
Wow, go from mild to domineering in 1.5. It isn’t likable that the men, instead of talking it out, jump on them when they’re trying to make a point. They say it isn’t gonna work and the men just pounce on them crudely.
Bay was the typical woman faced with danger. She shook with nervousness; she watched in terror; she cries out in alarm; she’s anxious and fearful and scared. Though she jumps down from the cave and grabs the guy’s gun, she was a complete baby. That action did nothing to redeem her in my eyes. I want a heroine, not someone who’s gonna be a little baby on the sidelines.
Bay, like the typical dumb broad, rushes ahead when she hears a helicopter, and trips a wire. Leave it to a woman. And I don’t even care how that sounds. She’s done one dumb thing after another that was klutzy, but this takes the cake. I don’t like when the women do something as stupid and wrong as this.
As they’re running out of the cave to avoid the blast of whatever she set off, he notices another tripwire and tells her to jump, and even lifts her arm up to urge her to jump, but the toe catches on it and the bomb goes off. Way to go!
It was sweet when Owen made the decision to use the injector on Bay instead of himself, because he could only find one. He knew it meant he would die, but he let her have it anyway.
It was absolutely disgusting the way Blackjack was remembering his good sex with Eve. And he was looking at her because she didn’t have a bra on. I admit I was surprised when he turned down her offer for sex.
It was sweet to know that Owen funded a camp for kids with disabilities and named it Sam’s Place, after Bay’s brother Sam, who he accidently hurt. Bayleigh finally forgives him, which I expected her to be touched by it, but it figures that only with something big like this would she forgive him.
WTH?! Is all I have to say. I never guessed Jackson would cheat on his wife, especially with Dora, Billy’s mother. I was so disgusted I felt like throwing up. He got her pregnant, and Billy is the kid. Which means that Billy and Summer are half-siblings. Jackson cheated on his wife, which was bad enough, but it would have been better had it been with Ren. But no, it was with Dora, the women with the same poor status as Billy, who isn’t good enough for Summer because of it, yet I guess the same rules didn’t apply for Jackson. And this was after he “loved” Ren, which was absolutely, completely, 100% unforgivable. What disgusting kind of crap is this? Just when I think the author isn’t all bad she has to ruin it with this. The book would’ve been good if the other side characters weren’t in here. I don’t know why she decided to change perspectives in this one when she didn’t do it in the first book.
Blackjack is the devil, and his wife is no different. Blackjack goes and ties Billy up and has 2 men stretch him until he cracks a rib, and then has him knocked unconscious, all to get him away from Summer. It turns out that Summer isn’t his kid, which was what I was hoping for. This story is just spiraling out of control and it’s ruining Bayleigh’s and Owen’s story. The side characters shouldn’t have this much time in someone else’s story.
The stories are so messed up. Everybody treats murder like they’re talking about the weather. They don’t mind accusing someone else, or their own families, of cold-blooded murder. Nobody minds cheating on their spouse, committing adultery with someone they don’t know; they don’t mind having sex with someone they’ve known for only a short time, and they don’t mind marrying someone when they love someone else. Everybody’s getting pregnant with their husband’s children and Bob down the street in a one-night stand. I know this kinda stuff happens, but I don’t want to read about it. It’s disgusting. And the behavior is deplorable. I want characters with standards and morals. Not cheating men and lying, conniving women who sleep with married men and get pregnant after a one night stand because they’re too ignorant or uncaring to use some form of birth control, and don’t know that, yes, sex can result in pregnancy. I feel like they all skipped out on sex-ed in elementary school and didn’t know that you have to use protection.
These women sure do have the problem of saying they can’t be with the man and telling them they have to stop, yet letting him kiss them because they “need it.”
Owen tells her he loves her, and she says she doesn’t love him, so he’s hurt. She tries to kiss him, and he moves away, and she’s all: So. That was it. He hadn’t really loved her. He’d only been saying the words. She’d been right not to trust him with her heart.
You just told him you didn’t love him. What did you expect? Dumb broad. And the whole she’s-been-raped, used, lied to thing…not good.
I found it quite convenient that Bayleigh just happened to do a research paper for every predicament they got into. Nerve gas, so she knew the effects it would have on them. Medicinal plants, so she could nurse Owen back to health. Hydraulics, and the best 1 yet: airplane crashes, so she could advise Owen to soar when the plane’s engine broke down. Now, I’m not pursuing a degree in the veterinary field, so Idk for sure, but why would a veterinary student do research papers on medicinal plants, nerve gas, hydraulics and air planes? Very convenient.
It was so crappy how Jackson let Eve get her way just because she blackmailed him about Summer’s real father. He didn’t want Summer to know he wasn’t her father, so he stayed married to Eve. And when he told Ren about Billy, I expected her to feel hurt and betrayed, but all she said was “poor boy,” about Billy. Idiot. And she needed to know the truth about Jackson’s true nature, what he did to Billy, but he didn’t tell her. I wanted her to find out so she’d finally rethink of her unconditional love for him.
Typical for a romance book, the ending was predictably and nauseously perfect. They get married, and it turns out Bayleigh is pregnant . . . which is surprising because she was supposed to be barren. I didn’t see that one coming, making a barren woman pregnant. And guess what? She’s having twins! I’m so sick of that. I’m a twin myself, but I really get sick of the run of the mill conclusion that ends with a wedding and twins.
I must say that this book was 10 times better than the 1st. I love a story where they’re out in the wilderness, and this didn’t disappoint. Owen and Bayleigh out on the trail was enjoyable and there were a lot of sweet and funny moments between them. The book went downhill when the drama of the other characters came into play. It would have been better without that crap. Idk if I’ll continue with the series. There are certain patterns I’m noticing, like the women clinging to their family responsibilities and insisting they can’t be together because of the feud. And I have a feeling that everyone else’s story will drive me insane, because they probably won’t be anywhere near as good as this one. -
Wow! This book, for me, was a page turner. I really enjoyed the twists and turns, the suspense, and that there were several stories going on at the same time. There was the main story of Owen and Bayleigh then the side stories of Billy and Summer and the triangular conflict between Lauren Creed, Jackson Blackthorne and Eve Blackthorne. Some real surprising revelations in this book!
Not too many people probably read books back to back like I do, so for many there probably won't be difficulty with the storyline. For me there was difficulty reconciling the start of this novel with the end of The Cowboy. This book doesn't give a clear timeline of how much time has passed between the end of The Cowboy and the start of The Texan. At the end of The Cowboy Bayleigh had not finished college. Right off the bat in The Texan she is an experienced and practicing veterinarian. While everyone seemed fine at the end of The Cowboy with the marriage of Trace Blackthorne and Callie Creed, The Loner starts off with some serious hostility and animosity by Luke Creed against the Blackthorne clan! Yet Luke is benefitting from the money brought in by the work his mom is doing training cutters for Jackson Blackthorne and his handicapped brother, Sam, is benefitting from all the assistance and faith from Trace Blackthorne. Luke continues to live in the home he was born in and grew up in because of the goodness and generosity of a Blackthorne. Yet he is very hostile towards and viciously "biting the hand that feeds" him! I do understand how a catalyst is needed to kickstart the story, and the story is very good, it was just difficult for me to reconcile the end of novel one with the start of novel 2.
I have already started the third novel in the trilogy, The Loner, and that reconciliation difficulty isn't there. -
I enjoyed the read, but gave it only 3 stars because honestly, the characters were hard to like and a little annoying. Sam was the worst, but Luke at least got better by the end. Bay was fine at first, but despite constantly saying she wasn't a quitter, she just seemed to always be throwing herself a pity party when it came to loving Owen and not just giving him a chance. I know she had some really bad experiences with guys in her past, but Owen showed time and time again how he was different, especially after she finally told him her big secret and he said that didn't matter to him. And Owen was a nice enough character, but seemed a little nieve to me for a cop, especially a Texas Ranger. Like, I figured the bad guy out pretty early on and he just couldn't grasp it. The little side story with Summer and Billy was cute. I just wish they could've gone their separate ways with less animosity. And I'm not going to go into detail on the parents, because they were just annoying as all heck, especially the Blackthornes. All-in-all, not a bad read, but I probably won't be reading the other books in the series.
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Another tale of the Blackthorne and Creed family. Owen Blackthorne is a Texas Ranger and Bayleigh Creed at veterinarian. Their families have been feuding for years- with occasionally romancing and marriages interspersed. Bay's father was murdered by someone hired by Owen's mother, though it isn't clear whether the target was Bay's father or mother. Lots of intrigue going on here and that isn't even the main part of the story. Bay's brother,Luke, is convinced that Owen's twin, Cole, Texas State Attorney General, is behind the disappearance of some VX nerve gas canisters and the murder of Owen's best friend, Texas Ranger Hank Richardson. When Luke goes missing, Bay insists that Owen help her find him. They head into the west Texas desert together and their attraction to each other heats up as much as the desert. They meet danger and must count on each other to survive.
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Not a bad read. Of course you knew there was going to be quite a few secrets revealed. The series kind of reminds me of Dynasty… but I’m not really sure why because I’ve never actually watched dynasty. But I guess it has a lot of secret soap opera type things going on so that’s probably where I get it. Anyway Bailey and Owen sure make an interesting team. I felt like I was reading part Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman and part... actually I’m not sure. But trust me it works.
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Managed to pluck this book out of a box that a friend gave me and did not realize until the end that I was reading the second book in a series!! Now I need to find the others!!! I'm in a light reading, let me relax mode and this fit in well. Good plane ride reading.
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I really enjoyed reading this book for the most part; however towards the end a character describes a desire to blow up “wetbacks.” I was really bothered by this. The denigration of immigrants that served as a backdrop was not something I could ignore and stole from my enjoyment of a cheap beach read.
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yes.
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Spectacular suspenseful novel!
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Good
I enjoyed this book very much and can’t wait to read the next book in the series. It was full of danger around every corner. Kept me riveted. -
Wow, what a story line! Great characters and page turning action = I LIKE IT.
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Sweet storyline.
