Helpful Score: 4
Often prohibitively expensive to purchase from any of the usual online used book sources, Conor's Way is an early effort by Laura Lee Guhrke (her 3rd book, I believe) that stands head & shoulders above the rest. This book is a post-Civil War historical that reminds me of a really good Maggie Osborne novel.
Olivia Maitland is a woman struggling to care for her adopted daughters in the aftermath of the Civil War. Her hired man has recently passed away, and she is in desperate need of a helping hand with the overwhelming responsibilities of caring for her family and her nearly bankrupt & dilapidated plantation. She prays for help, and soon finds it in the form of one Conor Branigan, a prizefighter and aimless drifter, who Olivia finds beaten and unconscious on the side of the road. Olivia drags Conor home and tends to his injuries, but quickly discovers that he's not the sort of man she feels comfortable with having under her roof. He's prone to swearing and violent nightmares, and when Olivia discovers that he's a prizefighter and a gambler, it's the final straw.
Being a Christian do-gooder however, Olivia is reluctant to toss Conor out on his ear before his injuries are fully mended, and thus the stage is set for a sweet and touching cabin romance that has earned a well-deserved spot on my keeper shelf.
Conor is a very tortured hero with an intriguing past, and Olivia a reluctant spinster (her father's possessiveness following the death of Olivia's mother being the root cause of her spinsterhood), who packed away her dreams of love & marriage along with her party dresses, following the war and some of the more brutal hardships of life. They are strongly attracted to each other for reasons that often seem to mystify them both, but Olivia is afraid to ask Conor to stay, and Conor is blatantly terrified of becoming attached to anyone, or allowing himself to want a wife & family.
Without revealing too much of the plot, suffice it to say that Conor has some of the most valid reasons I've ever seen in a romance novel to fear commitment, so his persistent avoidance of settling down came across in a genuine way. Olivia wants Conor, but is unwilling to press the issue, but when they are caught in a compromising position by some nosy townspeople, Conor agrees (very reluctantly) to marry Olivia, rather than walk away knowing that she faces losing custody of her adopted daughters. Of course, this feels contrived but is still a workable conflict. Olivia feels terrible about it, but she's willing to do literally anything to keep her children, and while Conor is initially angry, he doesn't go to unforgivable extremes in his resentment over being trapped into marriage. And as Olivia's friend Sarah so aptly phrases it: "If a man can't afford to pay for the dinner, he shouldn't even be looking at the menu." - or words to that effect.
In short, Conor may be a reluctant hero but he's a standout at delivering when it really counts.
I gave Conor's Way an A+, and highly recommend it... if you're among the fortunate few who can actually manage to lay hands on a copy.
I'm keeping mine - forever; I will definitely read it again.
Sensuality Rating: R
Olivia Maitland is a woman struggling to care for her adopted daughters in the aftermath of the Civil War. Her hired man has recently passed away, and she is in desperate need of a helping hand with the overwhelming responsibilities of caring for her family and her nearly bankrupt & dilapidated plantation. She prays for help, and soon finds it in the form of one Conor Branigan, a prizefighter and aimless drifter, who Olivia finds beaten and unconscious on the side of the road. Olivia drags Conor home and tends to his injuries, but quickly discovers that he's not the sort of man she feels comfortable with having under her roof. He's prone to swearing and violent nightmares, and when Olivia discovers that he's a prizefighter and a gambler, it's the final straw.
Being a Christian do-gooder however, Olivia is reluctant to toss Conor out on his ear before his injuries are fully mended, and thus the stage is set for a sweet and touching cabin romance that has earned a well-deserved spot on my keeper shelf.
Conor is a very tortured hero with an intriguing past, and Olivia a reluctant spinster (her father's possessiveness following the death of Olivia's mother being the root cause of her spinsterhood), who packed away her dreams of love & marriage along with her party dresses, following the war and some of the more brutal hardships of life. They are strongly attracted to each other for reasons that often seem to mystify them both, but Olivia is afraid to ask Conor to stay, and Conor is blatantly terrified of becoming attached to anyone, or allowing himself to want a wife & family.
Without revealing too much of the plot, suffice it to say that Conor has some of the most valid reasons I've ever seen in a romance novel to fear commitment, so his persistent avoidance of settling down came across in a genuine way. Olivia wants Conor, but is unwilling to press the issue, but when they are caught in a compromising position by some nosy townspeople, Conor agrees (very reluctantly) to marry Olivia, rather than walk away knowing that she faces losing custody of her adopted daughters. Of course, this feels contrived but is still a workable conflict. Olivia feels terrible about it, but she's willing to do literally anything to keep her children, and while Conor is initially angry, he doesn't go to unforgivable extremes in his resentment over being trapped into marriage. And as Olivia's friend Sarah so aptly phrases it: "If a man can't afford to pay for the dinner, he shouldn't even be looking at the menu." - or words to that effect.
In short, Conor may be a reluctant hero but he's a standout at delivering when it really counts.
I gave Conor's Way an A+, and highly recommend it... if you're among the fortunate few who can actually manage to lay hands on a copy.
I'm keeping mine - forever; I will definitely read it again.
Sensuality Rating: R
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