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Love and Cherish
Book by Garlock, Dorothy
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1980
About the author
Dorothy Garlock
79 books394 followersDorothy Garlock was a best-selling American author of over 60 historical romance novels, most of them set in the American West. More than 20 million copies of her books are in print, in 18 languages. Her books have been on the New York Times best seller list seven times. She was named one of the 10 most popular writers of women's fiction four years in a row, from 1985-1988. In 1997, she was awarded the Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award. Garlock is also a member of the Romance Writers Hall of Fame.
Garlock worked as an editor, agent and publicist for most of her writing career. She was a native of Texas who grew up in Oklahoma then married and moved to Iowa. Garlock donated many of her manuscripts and other unpublished writings to the University of Iowa libraries.
Pen names include:
Johanna Phillips
Dorothy Phillips
Dorothy Glenn
Garlock worked as an editor, agent and publicist for most of her writing career. She was a native of Texas who grew up in Oklahoma then married and moved to Iowa. Garlock donated many of her manuscripts and other unpublished writings to the University of Iowa libraries.
Pen names include:
Johanna Phillips
Dorothy Phillips
Dorothy Glenn
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 17, 2018
Because I’ve read all of her books on the shelf at the library, I didn’t realize that she had written a lot more books. While skimming thru the library’s digital selection, I found a ton of her books in ebook format. Yeah! :)
This one takes place in the 1770’s KY which is different from the usual historical romance time periods.
It was a pleasant story. The dialogue is a little hard to get thru at times but that’s b/c the writer tried to make it as authentic as possible. (proper English grammar wasn’t common w/backwoods people then)
Cherish is an enchanting character. Sloan is the sexy hero that you can’t help but cheer on.
I also liked all the secondary characters. There was some humor as well.
It lagged a bit in the middle with their journey to Sloan’s cabin but once I realized the purpose was for the characters getting to know each other & slowly falling in love , I rolled with it.
This one takes place in the 1770’s KY which is different from the usual historical romance time periods.
It was a pleasant story. The dialogue is a little hard to get thru at times but that’s b/c the writer tried to make it as authentic as possible. (proper English grammar wasn’t common w/backwoods people then)
Cherish is an enchanting character. Sloan is the sexy hero that you can’t help but cheer on.
I also liked all the secondary characters. There was some humor as well.
It lagged a bit in the middle with their journey to Sloan’s cabin but once I realized the purpose was for the characters getting to know each other & slowly falling in love , I rolled with it.
February 22, 2017
3.5 out of 5 stars
October 20, 2021
Rating: 3 / 5
At first, I wasn't going to write a review for this book because I didn't have much to say about it, and then I realized that even not having much to say about it is something that's worth reviewing, for my own future reference if nothing else.
SO, um, right, let's get right down into it.
Basically, there was nothing in this book either to impress or disappoint me. It made use of the typical harlequin and historical romance tropes, including:
- fast (not immediate though) love between the heroine towards the hero, but then a lot of time for him to reciprocate
- jealous female characters who complicate the plot
- surviving wilderness in a damsel-in-distress-y way, with a few moments of surprising spunkiness
- everyone thinking that the heroine is the most beautiful person they've ever seen and so all the side characters (except the jealous females) are immediately under her spell
So, yeah, pretty typical stuff, but not anything to affect me one way or the other.
If I had to pick out one thing that's missing from this story, then I'd say that it's the hero, Sloan's perspective. Basically, this entire story is told mostly if not just from the point of view of Cherish and how she's falling in love, but we basically get no input from Sloan or how he's feeling, even though he seems to be a more complex character in terms of his history and how his heart works. But meh, oh well, can't have everything.
Just like I can't give this book any more nor less than 3 stars. So...voila et finis.
At first, I wasn't going to write a review for this book because I didn't have much to say about it, and then I realized that even not having much to say about it is something that's worth reviewing, for my own future reference if nothing else.
SO, um, right, let's get right down into it.
Basically, there was nothing in this book either to impress or disappoint me. It made use of the typical harlequin and historical romance tropes, including:
- fast (not immediate though) love between the heroine towards the hero, but then a lot of time for him to reciprocate
- jealous female characters who complicate the plot
- surviving wilderness in a damsel-in-distress-y way, with a few moments of surprising spunkiness
- everyone thinking that the heroine is the most beautiful person they've ever seen and so all the side characters (except the jealous females) are immediately under her spell
So, yeah, pretty typical stuff, but not anything to affect me one way or the other.
If I had to pick out one thing that's missing from this story, then I'd say that it's the hero, Sloan's perspective. Basically, this entire story is told mostly if not just from the point of view of Cherish and how she's falling in love, but we basically get no input from Sloan or how he's feeling, even though he seems to be a more complex character in terms of his history and how his heart works. But meh, oh well, can't have everything.
Just like I can't give this book any more nor less than 3 stars. So...voila et finis.
October 21, 2009
I've read this book a hundred times, and I still cry everytime! It's sick...I know!
May 21, 2022
Was just okay.
The book was quite boring because a lot of it dwells on the hardship of their trek away from the villains at the start until they get to the camp of the Hero which is almost half of the book.
The heroine had run away from the people she was going west with, since they were planning to sell her. The Hero finds her and manages take her away. Everyone is so enchanted w her beauty 🙄 and so is the Hero. He asks her ot marry him almost immediately but she refuses. He wants to take her back to his settlement to watch over his little niece.
Next is the long trek which is sooo tedious. Anyway the finally arrive at camp. They are happy for a few weeks. The heroine bonds with the baby niece, who calls her Mama. She is finally in love w the Hero and they have sexy times, but she still wont marry him since he has not said the 3 most important words! 🤦🏻♀️
Enter evil sister in law (bio mom of the little niece)…She has the hots for the Hero, she wants to take her kid and she lords it over the heroine. Since heroine did not marry the Hero when she could have, she now does not have authority over this evil OW 🙄 ugh, to be so powerless in the face of a bully. Not to mention the Hero is tooo worried this woman will have he power to take his beloved niece away from him, he constantly humors this OW, and tells the heroine to put up w her! So frustrating but actually the book picks up at this point.
Some other conflicts happen. The heroine gets kidnapped by some white slavers who want to rape her and sell her to indians before the Hero and his friend can appear and save the day.
The evil OW makes the mistake of insulting and whipping an Indian girl, who isn’t wimpy and wont wont take these insults sitting down. ANd she stabs the OW in the chest. 😂😂😂 Best part!! LOL
Hero writes to the uncle of the OW, that she fell ill and died 😂
The H declares his love for the heroine. They promise to marry each other as soon as another preacher reaches their area. HEA
The book was quite boring because a lot of it dwells on the hardship of their trek away from the villains at the start until they get to the camp of the Hero which is almost half of the book.
The heroine had run away from the people she was going west with, since they were planning to sell her. The Hero finds her and manages take her away. Everyone is so enchanted w her beauty 🙄 and so is the Hero. He asks her ot marry him almost immediately but she refuses. He wants to take her back to his settlement to watch over his little niece.
Next is the long trek which is sooo tedious. Anyway the finally arrive at camp. They are happy for a few weeks. The heroine bonds with the baby niece, who calls her Mama. She is finally in love w the Hero and they have sexy times, but she still wont marry him since he has not said the 3 most important words! 🤦🏻♀️
Enter evil sister in law (bio mom of the little niece)…She has the hots for the Hero, she wants to take her kid and she lords it over the heroine. Since heroine did not marry the Hero when she could have, she now does not have authority over this evil OW 🙄 ugh, to be so powerless in the face of a bully. Not to mention the Hero is tooo worried this woman will have he power to take his beloved niece away from him, he constantly humors this OW, and tells the heroine to put up w her! So frustrating but actually the book picks up at this point.
Some other conflicts happen. The heroine gets kidnapped by some white slavers who want to rape her and sell her to indians before the Hero and his friend can appear and save the day.
The evil OW makes the mistake of insulting and whipping an Indian girl, who isn’t wimpy and wont wont take these insults sitting down. ANd she stabs the OW in the chest. 😂😂😂 Best part!! LOL
Hero writes to the uncle of the OW, that she fell ill and died 😂
The H declares his love for the heroine. They promise to marry each other as soon as another preacher reaches their area. HEA
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2013
Loved this book!! From beginning to end I did not know what to expect next. This book had everything to give: suspense, romance, the right amount of angst, and plenty of drama. Once I started the book I did not want to put it down. A great read! One that I would not hesitate to read again.
May 12, 2015
I loved this book.
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March 28, 2011Dorothy Garlock was the first ever romance books I read, I was in 9th grade. They have stayed in my memory as great reads. Two series stick out in my memory, the Wind series and the River series. I found them for my kindle and am going to re-read them and see if they are still as magical as way back then
December 31, 2012
I am so happy I found this book!! This book I finished within two days..... I wish it never ended!! This is prob. the oldest of the books I have read... most of the ones i read are 1800s to late 1800s. this book took place in the late 1700's and its not the typical western I am used to reading. I am very interested in more books like this and can't wait to discover more from this Author!
May 31, 2011
i really did like this book. it was suspensful at times and creative in others. but i knew what was gonna happen next after the first few sentences of the chapters. in all honesty, it wasnt a "have to read" it was a good read
May 30, 2026
Love and Cherish by Dorothy Garlock is a frontier historical romance set in the rugged backwoods of 1779 Kentucky. Cherish Riley is a young woman running for her life when a back woodsman named Sloan Carroll rescues her. Much of the story is about the development of their relationship as they travel through dangerous woods to get to safety and his homestead.
I enjoyed this book. I haven’t read a western historical romance in a few years and I found this tale engaging. I cannot even remember how I stumbled across it, but I’m glad I did. Cherish is a sweet resilient soul, who must push herself past her own physical limits to survive. She is young and very naive, but intriguing as a character. I enjoyed the fact that her outward beauty is devastating to see and that she is unaware of it. The hero Sloane Carroll is a tough handsome man with a mysterious past. He needs a woman to care for his deceased brother’s infant and so he proposes a marriage of convenience. Cherish agrees to assist him but not to marry him and this decision has far reaching implications. Garlock introduces a villain about half way through the book who is the perfect femme fatale that I loved to hate.
There are a number of steamy moments throughout the book. I felt transported back to a dangerous time in American history. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author.
I enjoyed this book. I haven’t read a western historical romance in a few years and I found this tale engaging. I cannot even remember how I stumbled across it, but I’m glad I did. Cherish is a sweet resilient soul, who must push herself past her own physical limits to survive. She is young and very naive, but intriguing as a character. I enjoyed the fact that her outward beauty is devastating to see and that she is unaware of it. The hero Sloane Carroll is a tough handsome man with a mysterious past. He needs a woman to care for his deceased brother’s infant and so he proposes a marriage of convenience. Cherish agrees to assist him but not to marry him and this decision has far reaching implications. Garlock introduces a villain about half way through the book who is the perfect femme fatale that I loved to hate.
There are a number of steamy moments throughout the book. I felt transported back to a dangerous time in American history. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author.
March 25, 2022
This story takes place along the Kentucky river when our country was still young and the area around Kentucky wasn't settled. Cherish is seventeen and alone. She's running into the Kentucky wilderness from a family that tried to sell her. Suddenly, a tall, buckskin-clad man with a large brown dog appeared before her and offered his protection. He asked her to come with him and help him with a child back at his home. He also, asked her to marry him, she refused. He will learn that to win this beautiful Cherish's heart, he had to lose his own. A good read.
October 22, 2024
Picked this up from the library on a whim.
It had the feel of a 80's romance. Good guys and bad guys clearly defined.
It was set in the late 1700's and the author made a strong effort to throw in some authenticity.
Lots of wild adventures with the trappers and the different indigenous tribes.
The pace kept up pretty well.
I liked the main character with her strength and kindness. The supporting characters were colorful and interesting. The romance was kind of sweet.
The dialogue bugged me with vernacular coming and going. Just leave it all out and say they sounded drunk or had an accent.
Violence. Sex. Swearing. Lots of trigger stuff.
It had the feel of a 80's romance. Good guys and bad guys clearly defined.
It was set in the late 1700's and the author made a strong effort to throw in some authenticity.
Lots of wild adventures with the trappers and the different indigenous tribes.
The pace kept up pretty well.
I liked the main character with her strength and kindness. The supporting characters were colorful and interesting. The romance was kind of sweet.
The dialogue bugged me with vernacular coming and going. Just leave it all out and say they sounded drunk or had an accent.
Violence. Sex. Swearing. Lots of trigger stuff.
March 29, 2020
And adventure along the way......
I have this author's books in paperback edition but had to get it in my kindle library, oh these read so much better now... this author is one of my "go to" author's when I need a good love story with a laugh and a cry...
I have this author's books in paperback edition but had to get it in my kindle library, oh these read so much better now... this author is one of my "go to" author's when I need a good love story with a laugh and a cry...
May 18, 2020
I have read a lot of Dorothy Garlock books. This one was so heart warming because, it seemed every major character was really seeking love. The story revolves around a beautiful young lady fleeing from a bad situation, who is saved by a man who seeks to win her heart.
April 7, 2024
Such as great story
April 20, 2025
1.5 stars.
June 13, 2019
Cherish Riley is on the run; looking for her long overdue brother, Roy, and avoiding 2 men who have ‘bought’ Cherish. A frontiersman named Sloan Carroll crosses her path and saves her from the 2 ruffians.
Sloan is on his way to a settlement to find a woman to care for his dead brother’s child, 2-year-old Orah Delle. Sloan asks Cherish if she would like the job – oh, and would she like to marry him? He reminds Cherish that this is a dangerous land and as a young woman (17 years), she needs a protector.
At this point, the reader does not know why Sloan does not want to fall in love with any woman; he insists that he doesn't want a woman to have emotional control of him. Cherish realizes that she hardly knows the man, but she trusts him. She agrees to take care of the baby but turns down his offer of marriage.
Cherish settles into Sloan’s home and things are going well when the baby’s mother arrives and wants her baby back. Ada broke her husband’s (Sloan’s brother) heart when she left him, soon after the baby was born. He died and left the child in his brother’s care.
Ada makes a major play for Sloan and says she wants him, the baby and Ada to become a family. However, she displays huge swings in temperament, threatens the other women in the house and beats her bonded woman. She threatens to take the baby away if Sloan doesn't want her.
I felt it was over-the-top that all the women wanted Sloan and all the men wanted Cherish. Of course, Cherish and Sloan were extremely beautiful and handsome. On the other hand, this story is action-packed and the pacing is wonderful. I finished the book in a day because I couldn't bear to set it aside.
Sloan is on his way to a settlement to find a woman to care for his dead brother’s child, 2-year-old Orah Delle. Sloan asks Cherish if she would like the job – oh, and would she like to marry him? He reminds Cherish that this is a dangerous land and as a young woman (17 years), she needs a protector.
At this point, the reader does not know why Sloan does not want to fall in love with any woman; he insists that he doesn't want a woman to have emotional control of him. Cherish realizes that she hardly knows the man, but she trusts him. She agrees to take care of the baby but turns down his offer of marriage.
Cherish settles into Sloan’s home and things are going well when the baby’s mother arrives and wants her baby back. Ada broke her husband’s (Sloan’s brother) heart when she left him, soon after the baby was born. He died and left the child in his brother’s care.
Ada makes a major play for Sloan and says she wants him, the baby and Ada to become a family. However, she displays huge swings in temperament, threatens the other women in the house and beats her bonded woman. She threatens to take the baby away if Sloan doesn't want her.
I felt it was over-the-top that all the women wanted Sloan and all the men wanted Cherish. Of course, Cherish and Sloan were extremely beautiful and handsome. On the other hand, this story is action-packed and the pacing is wonderful. I finished the book in a day because I couldn't bear to set it aside.
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May 8, 2012One of my favorites !!!!!
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September 12, 2016Early settlers in Kentucky. Always enjoy Dorothy Garlock.
April 29, 2014
Read this one a long time ago. I was in mood to re-read it. I don't read historical romances as much anymore.
April 29, 2026
One of my absolute favorite books. I can read it over and over and never be bored.
January 31, 2019
Thanksgiving wasn't widely celebrated in the 1700s... this bothered me. Meh book
May 18, 2016
Frontier orphan girl is thrown in with a French trapper. Danger from Indians, nature, a mad woman and rough frontiersmen ensues along with their romance.
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June 7, 2016NOT IN CATALOG 6-6-16
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews