Hawke's Pride

It was a good book. it leaves you on the edge on what is going to happen next

We meet Rue DeLawney on her way to her grandparents. Skinny, skrawny and not much to look at at nineteen and finally recovering from small pox. Rue has long been soured on men's attitude to women and declares that she will never marry.Her half brother, Jimmy has been her protector where their lecherous step-father was concerned and Rue gained Sly Burford's hatred when he tried to attack her one night. [Way to go, girl -grin]Hawke Mason is returning to Colorado from Nebraska after attending his brother, Ben's funeral and helping his father,Jeb to settle the affairs of the farm and to take Ben and Sara's children back to his ranch, Hawke's Pride.Oh, you will sense and like the humor in Hawke's meeting of Rue and the misunderstandings that lead up to their marriage.Talk about no communication on the long trip across Colorado. Wow. Rue has this niggling feeling of being watched. Hawke and Rue stop overnight at the mountain man, Adams, cabin on their long trek. I did like this character.Typical of the man, Hawke does not tell Rue that his father, Jeb is arriving with his nephew, Tommy and niece, Susie and that she is expected to care for them.I do think that Hawke got what he deserved for carrying on with the neighbor's wife, Lillie Meyers, and her treatment of Rue when they stopped at the Meyers ranch.Another key character will be Little Star and his grandfather, Native Americans living a few hours away from Hawke's ranch.Ah, then there is Uncle Wolf, brother to Little Star and Tiny Fist's father, he desires Rue for a wife. And what happens to Josh Malone, he falls in love with Rue.When that rascal Adams rescues Rue - she then meets his woman, Rainy, "Rains On The Face" who becomes friendly with Rue.Of course, you will have guessed that Lillie wants to get rid of Rue so that she can have Hawke. chuckle, chuckle! Hawke has already lost his taste for Lillie.EXCELLENT AND HIGHLY RECOMMENDED -- you will love it.

My first Norah Hess, not my last. Hawke, traveling back home after attending a funeral at his father's home stops at a 'shack' to water his horse and meets Rue, a young woman but having small pox scars on her face and greasy hair, finds her ugly. He takes her with him to care for his niece and nephew and soon finds she is in fact beautiful. She wants nothing to do with him as she has known very few good men. I loved this story. A man constantly putting his foot in his mouth trying to win the love of a woman that wants nothing to do with men, as they all want women for one thing only...

I loved this book! A rancher travels across the wilds to settle his late brother's affairs, when he's more or less forced into offering marriage to a poor and neglected young girl...he takes her home but despises her thinking her dirty and loose -- and doesn't want her near his late brother's children...

Growing up with a prostitute mother and a lazy, good-for-nothing, lecherous stepfather, Rue had never known true happiness for more than a fleeting moment. Disgusted with the long line of men passing through her mother's bedroom, Rue wants nothing to do with them. Passing through town on his way home, Hawke Masters finds himself repelled by the dirty-faced, skinny, sharp-tongued girl he assumes is a whore like her mother. Rue's stepfather, seeing a chance to get rid of the girl and make a buck in the process, offers to sell her to Hawke. Hawke has no intention of doing so, until Rue's grandfather, hoping this will be the opportunity for Rue to escape her miserable life, forces the two to undergo a shotgun wedding. As they travel to Hawke's home, Hawke makes it clear that he despises her in just about every way imaginable. In fact, my only criticism of the book is that the cruelties are a little TOO cruel for my taste. When they arrive home, however, and Rue gets a chance to recover from the chicken pox and wash her hair, Hawke is surprised to see how beautiful she is. Discovering her inner beauty is makes her even more appealing. But she despises him! How can he show her his repentance for his past behavior and entice her to fall in love with him?This is a book that will keep any reader engrossed until the very end.