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The Larkville Legacy #3
Taming the Brooding Cattleman
Alexandra Patterson swaps city chic for the dusty outback when she arrives at Werrara Stud Ranch. As the new vet, she may be more used to pampered puppies than prized stallions, but Alex is determined to show that she can cut it.…
Brooding rancher Jack Connor is in for a shock - the women in his life have only ever caused him pain and anguish…and Alexandra was supposed to be Alexander. Instead, the person before him is a petite blonde with a pink suitcase and is distractingly, infuriatingly attractive!
188 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2012
18 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Marion Lennox
782 books137 followersWriting romance sounds fascinating. Huh?
I'm a writer. I'm boring. Day after day I sit behind a word processor making up people in my head. Why do I do it? I love it. My husband, Dave, gets up in the morning, puts on a suit and heads out into the ice and cold of Ballarat's winter. (Sadly I live in one of the tiny parts of Australia that qualifies as cold.) I make myself another cup of coffee, head up to my study, choose what music I want and sit and daydream. And I get paid for doing it. Hooray!
My first attempt at writing romance, 'Dare To Love Again', a Medical Romance, was published by Harlequin Mills and Boon in 1990. It still stands today as a monument to my family's ability to survive on cheese sandwiches and spaghetti.
Since then I've written over 80 Romances for Harlequin Mills and Boon, with more on the drawing board. (I used a pseudonym - Trisha David - for the first few Romances but suffered with a split personality and have since reverted to being Marion Lennox all the time.) In between romances, I've co-authored a non-fiction history, (I love local history) done the odd (very odd) spot of housework and done a heap of travelling - research :-)
I come from a farming community. You can probably tell this from my books. There's not a skyscraper in sight. I'm very much a pets person. Chloe and Harry were my constant canine companions for many years as I wrote, demanding walks and air freshener at frequent intervals. Sadly I lost them, and for a while I vowed not to get another. My heart was broken and my study smelled so clean! But.. The cat and I missed them so badly we weakened and bought Mitzi. Mitzi's a black and silver mini-schnauzer who makes me and the cat laugh. Expect to find her in future stories.
If you're interested in formalities, I hold a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a teaching diploma. I have a couple of kids and a huge extended family who look on me with affectionate tolerance. Marion? The crazy one who talks to people in her head... I've had nine nominations for the Rita, winning twice, and fourteen for the Australian Book of the Year. After years of thinking of my writing as a hobby I guess I finally now qualify as a `real' writer.
Thank your for taking the trouble to check out my web page. Now try my books. We might even end up having fun together. And write to me. I show my family - `See? Real people do like the things that go in in my head.'
I'm a writer. I'm boring. Day after day I sit behind a word processor making up people in my head. Why do I do it? I love it. My husband, Dave, gets up in the morning, puts on a suit and heads out into the ice and cold of Ballarat's winter. (Sadly I live in one of the tiny parts of Australia that qualifies as cold.) I make myself another cup of coffee, head up to my study, choose what music I want and sit and daydream. And I get paid for doing it. Hooray!
My first attempt at writing romance, 'Dare To Love Again', a Medical Romance, was published by Harlequin Mills and Boon in 1990. It still stands today as a monument to my family's ability to survive on cheese sandwiches and spaghetti.
Since then I've written over 80 Romances for Harlequin Mills and Boon, with more on the drawing board. (I used a pseudonym - Trisha David - for the first few Romances but suffered with a split personality and have since reverted to being Marion Lennox all the time.) In between romances, I've co-authored a non-fiction history, (I love local history) done the odd (very odd) spot of housework and done a heap of travelling - research :-)
I come from a farming community. You can probably tell this from my books. There's not a skyscraper in sight. I'm very much a pets person. Chloe and Harry were my constant canine companions for many years as I wrote, demanding walks and air freshener at frequent intervals. Sadly I lost them, and for a while I vowed not to get another. My heart was broken and my study smelled so clean! But.. The cat and I missed them so badly we weakened and bought Mitzi. Mitzi's a black and silver mini-schnauzer who makes me and the cat laugh. Expect to find her in future stories.
If you're interested in formalities, I hold a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a teaching diploma. I have a couple of kids and a huge extended family who look on me with affectionate tolerance. Marion? The crazy one who talks to people in her head... I've had nine nominations for the Rita, winning twice, and fourteen for the Australian Book of the Year. After years of thinking of my writing as a hobby I guess I finally now qualify as a `real' writer.
Thank your for taking the trouble to check out my web page. Now try my books. We might even end up having fun together. And write to me. I show my family - `See? Real people do like the things that go in in my head.'
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 15, 2018
Truly enjoying this series and the places or takes you. Now on another continent the Larkville legacy continues and I can’t wait to see what the next book brings
June 2, 2020
A book filled with love and emotions. I cried by the time I finished reading this book.
March 9, 2023
Alex and Jack are the characters in this Australian setting story. Kindness, sharing and love are important
October 7, 2023
Exactly what is expected of a Mills & Books book. There are repetitions of phrases & feelings but .. that's part of the deal, I guess. I wasn't looking for a literary gem anyways!
October 13, 2024
Una historia de superación y responsabilidad de una mujer que juega con las cartas que le llegan y un veterinario que aprovecha lo que le llega
November 8, 2012
My Larkville Legacy reading journey continues! This time, we find ourselves in Australia, on a horse farm. Alex Patterson is a large animal vet, and she wants nothing more than to work at a large horse breeding operation, but the big names in the US will barely give her the time of day because of her lack of experience. When her father uses his connections to land her a job in the Outback for six months, she is overjoyed. She’ll be earning some practical experience, so she will have something to put on her resume. She isn’t even bothered by the knowledge that she will also have to pitch in as a farm hand. She is hard-working and determined, and she will do whatever is asked of her. Did I mention that there are horses?
I found the premise a little hard to swallow, but quickly set that aside. Perhaps Jack could be confused and think that Alex was a guy. Perhaps Alex’s father, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s, could have either misled him or truly been confused about his child’s gender. Perhaps Jack would be adamantly against hiring a woman, given the primitive conditions. Jack inherited the horse breeding operation from his grandfather, a harsh man he grew to despise, and he hasn’t been back to the farm in years. He was too busy trying to take care of his younger sister, who suffered from deep and overwhelming depression. After her death, he left the big city to get away from any possibility of human entanglement. At the ranch, he is dismayed to see how run down it has become. The overseer was stealing from him, the house is in ruins, and entire place needs a ton of TLC. At least the horses were well cared for, but this is obviously no place for a woman.
When Jack is confronted with Alex for the first time, he rails against her for lying about her gender. Quick to take the defensive, she argues that she never said she was a man. When Jack tells her that her father pitched the skills of his “son” Alex is aghast. Then she’s infuriated. What difference does it make, whether she’s a woman or a man? All she wants is the opportunity to prove herself. While I had a few issues buying into the idea of Alex’s mistaken gender, I did like Alex and how she quickly put Jack in his place. I loved how she pushed him out of his comfort zone for the entire book. He’s cold and determined to stay detached from his feelings. Alex isn’t about to let him do that. Even if it means overcoming her distaste for the scary outhouse behind the house. The plumbing in the house needs serious attention, and for someone used to much more luxurious surroundings, the lack of indoor plumbing is almost a deal breaker. More so than Jack’s unwelcoming attitude. After recently suffering from a lack of running water when our well went out, I could completely sympathize with Alex. No flush toilet would be more of a challenge than a rude, dismissive employer for me, too!
Alex quickly proves that she is worth her weight in gold by saving a mare and her foal. Alex shows Jack that she is a competent vet, and against his better judgment, he agrees that she can stay the six months. He will even have the plumbing repaired. Yay! I thought, the question of her worth was quickly answered. But then the demons in Jack’s past pop up, challenging him with every encounter with Alex. She dares him to care for the unhappy boy who lives with his step-mom on Jack’s land. She dares him to re-establish emotional bonds with the people around him. Like a skittish colt, he constantly pushes back, unwilling to be hurt again. I found Alex’s willingness to put her own heart on the line admirable, and I grew impatient with Jack. For every attempted outreach she made, he stubbornly rejected her. He’s not nice about it, either, but Alex takes his rejections in stride and never gives up on him. Bravo!
While certain aspects of the story did not work for me, I found the characters so engaging that I overlooked my skepticism. I wonder what is next for the Larkville Legacy crew?
Grade: B
I found the premise a little hard to swallow, but quickly set that aside. Perhaps Jack could be confused and think that Alex was a guy. Perhaps Alex’s father, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s, could have either misled him or truly been confused about his child’s gender. Perhaps Jack would be adamantly against hiring a woman, given the primitive conditions. Jack inherited the horse breeding operation from his grandfather, a harsh man he grew to despise, and he hasn’t been back to the farm in years. He was too busy trying to take care of his younger sister, who suffered from deep and overwhelming depression. After her death, he left the big city to get away from any possibility of human entanglement. At the ranch, he is dismayed to see how run down it has become. The overseer was stealing from him, the house is in ruins, and entire place needs a ton of TLC. At least the horses were well cared for, but this is obviously no place for a woman.
When Jack is confronted with Alex for the first time, he rails against her for lying about her gender. Quick to take the defensive, she argues that she never said she was a man. When Jack tells her that her father pitched the skills of his “son” Alex is aghast. Then she’s infuriated. What difference does it make, whether she’s a woman or a man? All she wants is the opportunity to prove herself. While I had a few issues buying into the idea of Alex’s mistaken gender, I did like Alex and how she quickly put Jack in his place. I loved how she pushed him out of his comfort zone for the entire book. He’s cold and determined to stay detached from his feelings. Alex isn’t about to let him do that. Even if it means overcoming her distaste for the scary outhouse behind the house. The plumbing in the house needs serious attention, and for someone used to much more luxurious surroundings, the lack of indoor plumbing is almost a deal breaker. More so than Jack’s unwelcoming attitude. After recently suffering from a lack of running water when our well went out, I could completely sympathize with Alex. No flush toilet would be more of a challenge than a rude, dismissive employer for me, too!
Alex quickly proves that she is worth her weight in gold by saving a mare and her foal. Alex shows Jack that she is a competent vet, and against his better judgment, he agrees that she can stay the six months. He will even have the plumbing repaired. Yay! I thought, the question of her worth was quickly answered. But then the demons in Jack’s past pop up, challenging him with every encounter with Alex. She dares him to care for the unhappy boy who lives with his step-mom on Jack’s land. She dares him to re-establish emotional bonds with the people around him. Like a skittish colt, he constantly pushes back, unwilling to be hurt again. I found Alex’s willingness to put her own heart on the line admirable, and I grew impatient with Jack. For every attempted outreach she made, he stubbornly rejected her. He’s not nice about it, either, but Alex takes his rejections in stride and never gives up on him. Bravo!
While certain aspects of the story did not work for me, I found the characters so engaging that I overlooked my skepticism. I wonder what is next for the Larkville Legacy crew?
Grade: B
October 17, 2013
“La luna scivolò dietro una nube e la notte divenne più buia. Come la sua vita senza Alex. Ma non aveva scelta. Se la amava, doveva lasciarla andare.”
Ogni amore ha una storia e ogni storia ha un lieto fine, se l’ha scritta Marion Lennox. In questo romanzo, della collana Harmony, Jolly, c’è una lettera che non precisa bene che il nuovo aspirante veterinario, della tenuta australiana di Werarra, Alexander Patterson, in realtà, è una lei. Scoprirlo, non è facile per il mandriano, Jack Connor, che detesta le donne, soltanto perché non vuole correre il rischio di legarsi a nessuno, che, prima o poi, sarà costretto ad andarsene. Jack non vuole dover soffrire più.
Alex vuole solo poter lavorare con i suoi amati cavalli, ma deve fare i conti con ciò che vede nel suo datore di lavoro. È amore non a prima vista, ma sicuramente nasce al secondo incontro, quando lui abbassa la guarda e le mostra il suo lato umano.
Il loro rapporto è nel mezzo tra una love story nella magica tenuta australiana di Faraway Downs, come nel film Australia, e un continuo alterco romantico alla Orgoglio e Pregiudizio di Jane Austen. Ma funziona perfettamente e piace a chi sa apprezzare la magia dell’amore.
Per Jack, che ha sempre considerato le donne un optional, scoprire che Alex ha tenacia e sa fare bene il suo lavoro, gli permette di vederla sotto una luce diversa. Lei rappresenta quel cambiamento che può portare la sua vita su una nuova rotta. È un amore che sboccia a contatto con la natura e che fa riscoprire il valore della famiglia.
Ogni amore ha una storia e ogni storia ha un lieto fine, se l’ha scritta Marion Lennox. In questo romanzo, della collana Harmony, Jolly, c’è una lettera che non precisa bene che il nuovo aspirante veterinario, della tenuta australiana di Werarra, Alexander Patterson, in realtà, è una lei. Scoprirlo, non è facile per il mandriano, Jack Connor, che detesta le donne, soltanto perché non vuole correre il rischio di legarsi a nessuno, che, prima o poi, sarà costretto ad andarsene. Jack non vuole dover soffrire più.
Alex vuole solo poter lavorare con i suoi amati cavalli, ma deve fare i conti con ciò che vede nel suo datore di lavoro. È amore non a prima vista, ma sicuramente nasce al secondo incontro, quando lui abbassa la guarda e le mostra il suo lato umano.
Il loro rapporto è nel mezzo tra una love story nella magica tenuta australiana di Faraway Downs, come nel film Australia, e un continuo alterco romantico alla Orgoglio e Pregiudizio di Jane Austen. Ma funziona perfettamente e piace a chi sa apprezzare la magia dell’amore.
Per Jack, che ha sempre considerato le donne un optional, scoprire che Alex ha tenacia e sa fare bene il suo lavoro, gli permette di vederla sotto una luce diversa. Lei rappresenta quel cambiamento che può portare la sua vita su una nuova rotta. È un amore che sboccia a contatto con la natura e che fa riscoprire il valore della famiglia.
August 4, 2012
Good book. Alex had left New York for this job in Australia. She wants to work with horses and no one at home will give her a chance because she's small, blond and female. She gets a rude awakening when she arrives, as the ranch is a mess and the owner thought she was a man. He doesn't want a female there, but when an emergency comes up he has to admit she knows what she's doing. Jack is a loner. He keeps himself emotionally closed off as caring has only brought him pain and he's done with that. But Alex can't let that go on. There's a family nearby that's in distress and Alex forces him to take action. The young boy idolizes Jack, even though Jack refuses to pay him any attention because that's just one more step toward caring. Alex just keeps chipping away at Jack's isolation. They have intense attraction to each other and Alex tells Jack that they can enjoy it for the rest of her time there, no strings. That intent starts to disappear pretty quickly on her part, and she finds herself dreaming of what might be. Jack still refuses to let himself care, and things start to fall apart. A near tragedy finally shows Jack that he already cares and that he can't let his fears of what might happen stop him from living. Alex is the sister of Ellie (from Book 2 Slow Dance with the Sheriff) and we learn a little more of the back story of this series.
September 21, 2012
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Marion Lennox is one of my favorite category romance authors, because I really enjoy her inclusion of animals (in this case, horses) in her books. This was a fun read, and despite being part of a series, it easily stands on its own. I would have rated it a bit higher, but I found Alex to be very pushy and somewhat insensitive to Jack's feelings.
Marion Lennox is one of my favorite category romance authors, because I really enjoy her inclusion of animals (in this case, horses) in her books. This was a fun read, and despite being part of a series, it easily stands on its own. I would have rated it a bit higher, but I found Alex to be very pushy and somewhat insensitive to Jack's feelings.
October 3, 2012
Great little story although it had nothing to do with a cattle ranch. Loved that the Heroine was very strong, seemed to know what she wanted and worked towards it. Our Hero was the damaged soul. He almost didn't find himself in time. A very enjoyable read.
July 16, 2014
Titles like this always crack me up.
August 11, 2022
This was totally amazing! It's such a cute short romance, perfect for my reading slump! The only thing I hate here other than the story being absolutely underrated was it's book cover lmaoo
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December 27, 2014Miniseries: The Larkville Legacy
Category: Classic Romance
Category: Classic Romance
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September 23, 2018This was bland and not particularly interesting, but I needed something light and predictable and contained after finishing the Machineries of Empire trilogy. I ended up more frustrated by Lennox's particular writing style (all the ellipses, and so many fragments and one-line paragraphs) than engaged by her characters. I did like how Alex saw Pride & Prejudice overlaid on her relationship with Jack and how she had a "Don't you dare Mr. Darcy me!" moment.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews