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Harvey Girls #2
The Lawman's Bride
Kidnapped as a child, sold to a con man, she'd fast learned how to sweet-talk her way out of trouble. Now all Sophie wanted was to be left alone to build a new life—one that was honest and decent, based on truth, not trickery.
Clay Connor was the last man she should care about. Upright and honorable, the town's marshal deserved better than a woman with a tainted past. But if only Sophie could learn to trust again, she might find this lawman would make her new life complete…
Clay Connor was the last man she should care about. Upright and honorable, the town's marshal deserved better than a woman with a tainted past. But if only Sophie could learn to trust again, she might find this lawman would make her new life complete…
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 30, 2007
About the author
Cheryl St. John
72 books556 followersCheryl is the author of more than fifty historical and contemporary romances. Her stories have earned numerous RITA nominations, Romantic Times awards and are published in over a dozen languages.
In describing her stories of second chances and redemption, readers and reviewers use words like, “emotional punch, hometown feel, core values, believable characters and real-life situations.”
With a 4.9 star rating on amazon, her bestselling non-fiction book, Writing With Emotion, Tension & Conflict by Writers Digest Books is available in print and digital.
In describing her stories of second chances and redemption, readers and reviewers use words like, “emotional punch, hometown feel, core values, believable characters and real-life situations.”
With a 4.9 star rating on amazon, her bestselling non-fiction book, Writing With Emotion, Tension & Conflict by Writers Digest Books is available in print and digital.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 18, 2019
Another book by this author that I loved.
The heroine is carrying secrets from a sad and abusive past. She only wants to be left alone to do her work and save up enough money. Since she is very lovely, it’s difficult for her to remain in the background.
She slowly falls for the honorable and upstanding marshal of the town, but knows that he may never accept the past she was forced into to survive.
SPOILERS:
As a child the villain bought her and sexually abused her. Then used her as an accomplice in his con games.
I liked how their relationship developed, though it was a bit fast. The Hero is so wonderful and gentle to the heroine that she slowly allows herself to believe in love.
❤️🥰🥰
The heroine is carrying secrets from a sad and abusive past. She only wants to be left alone to do her work and save up enough money. Since she is very lovely, it’s difficult for her to remain in the background.
She slowly falls for the honorable and upstanding marshal of the town, but knows that he may never accept the past she was forced into to survive.
SPOILERS:
As a child the villain bought her and sexually abused her. Then used her as an accomplice in his con games.
I liked how their relationship developed, though it was a bit fast. The Hero is so wonderful and gentle to the heroine that she slowly allows herself to believe in love.
❤️🥰🥰
March 23, 2019
Wow does Sophia have the worst back story a women can have. Thank god for Clay and his big open heart. I think he would be the only man to get her to open up and be the women we knew she could be.
July 6, 2017
This one was flat for me, making a sum total of two CstJ books I've read so I'm evenly split in how I reacted (the first I quite enjoyed & what prompted me to nab this one when on sale).
Nothing really happened but we got told a lot about what we should have been shown. I don't know why the leads (suddenly) came to love each other, who they actually were, or any of that. They appeared, there was good Western window-dressing, and events all followed like pearls on a strand, connected and one to the next but uniform and expected. Some places for interest went the way of convenience, others assured they were Big Deal but didn't land that way for me. Started skimming about 1/3rd in & never became involving.
Nothing really happened but we got told a lot about what we should have been shown. I don't know why the leads (suddenly) came to love each other, who they actually were, or any of that. They appeared, there was good Western window-dressing, and events all followed like pearls on a strand, connected and one to the next but uniform and expected. Some places for interest went the way of convenience, others assured they were Big Deal but didn't land that way for me. Started skimming about 1/3rd in & never became involving.
April 13, 2010
I liked this book. Good feel of the times. The Harvey girl angle was interesting and different. Characterizations were good, particularly that of Sophia. Although Clay's characterization was nice too it would have been a bit better with more time spent in his POV. I did feel like the whole story happened in a bit too brief of a time. But that's a minor quibble. This fed my hunger for good western romance very well.
February 20, 2016
Me costó engancharme. Sophie actúa de manera bastante indiferente ante todo, no se permite sentir nada, y Clay, su mayor logro puede ser tener cariño hacia su pobre viejo perro, Sam. Ambos me dejaron bastante fría pero luego mejora un poco, no tanto.
May 20, 2024
Cheryl St. John knows what a cowboy romance enthusiast (me) wants and she serves it just right!
March 18, 2020
This book was a bit "eh" for me. It was pretty predictable and, as the story went on, the plot got a lot harder to believe. St. John's books are something of a hit-or-miss for me. I really enjoy most of them, but some wind up being too fluffy or... wholesome? for my taste. This is not one of the wholesome one though.
The characters themselves all had believable and fleshed-out motivations. I never felt like the characters were doing things just to advance the plot, which happens in so many romances (ex. Rakish male-lead hangs out with sexy ex-lover whom they no longer care for, just in time for sensible female-lead to see them, assume male-lead had no character development, and flounce so male-lead has to chase them down to apologize). I feel like that tangent seems really specific, but I can think of at least 5 different books where that happened. But yeah, the best part of the book was the character motivations and backstories.
My main gripes focus around the plot progression (and the title really). Based on the title, I expected Sophia and Clay to wind up married rather early on and then have "the liar revealed" plot the rest of the book. Yeah, they don't get married until the very end, instead spending most of the book courting. There is still a "the liar revealed" plotline but it seemed to lack any real meat. Clay really believed in Sophia the entire time (which was completely in character) so the reveal didn't seem to change much. The villain was completely one dimensional (unrepentingly evil because... they just are) and was unceremoniously killed off. Most of the story's angst comes from Sophia feeling bad about her life and Clay feeling bad for her!
I don't feel like the characters went through satisfying character arcs. Sophia winds up being more open and honest by the end, but she starts off as a good person (just with a nasty habit of lying). Still, she is smart, hardworking, kind to her coworkers, and willing to lend a helping hand all at the start of the book. None of that changes by the end. She's just honest about her past (which, frankly, I wouldn't blame her for lying to people about because its horrifying). Clay doesn't change at all. He starts out liking Sophia, then quickly is 100% in love and willing to go to bat for her. He does not grow as a character.
The characters themselves all had believable and fleshed-out motivations. I never felt like the characters were doing things just to advance the plot, which happens in so many romances (ex. Rakish male-lead hangs out with sexy ex-lover whom they no longer care for, just in time for sensible female-lead to see them, assume male-lead had no character development, and flounce so male-lead has to chase them down to apologize). I feel like that tangent seems really specific, but I can think of at least 5 different books where that happened. But yeah, the best part of the book was the character motivations and backstories.
My main gripes focus around the plot progression (and the title really). Based on the title, I expected Sophia and Clay to wind up married rather early on and then have "the liar revealed" plot the rest of the book. Yeah, they don't get married until the very end, instead spending most of the book courting. There is still a "the liar revealed" plotline but it seemed to lack any real meat. Clay really believed in Sophia the entire time (which was completely in character) so the reveal didn't seem to change much. The villain was completely one dimensional (unrepentingly evil because... they just are) and was unceremoniously killed off. Most of the story's angst comes from Sophia feeling bad about her life and Clay feeling bad for her!
I don't feel like the characters went through satisfying character arcs. Sophia winds up being more open and honest by the end, but she starts off as a good person (just with a nasty habit of lying). Still, she is smart, hardworking, kind to her coworkers, and willing to lend a helping hand all at the start of the book. None of that changes by the end. She's just honest about her past (which, frankly, I wouldn't blame her for lying to people about because its horrifying). Clay doesn't change at all. He starts out liking Sophia, then quickly is 100% in love and willing to go to bat for her. He does not grow as a character.
February 25, 2026
DNF. Way too heavy and depressing topic for me..
So a personal preference for me here... The bulb describes her being kidnapped as a child (by Sioux warriors), then sold to a con man. What it does NOT tell you is (and you will read this in the prologue/first chapter, so no huge spoiler here) that the con man that bought her is a sexual predator creep of some sort. The book opens with our heroine a 14-yr old in an alley trying to escape him, he catches her and demands that she hop into bed naked with him, because she should feel so grateful that he "rescued her" from the Sioux. Chapter 1 then starts off about 7 years later when she has her freedom as a waitress at some chain restaurant called Harvey's.
Of course the heroine comes across as a cold fish, after her years of imprisonment with her con man... so I don't buy the romance that starts playing out with the sheriff.
I just felt so bad for her, I kinda found myself not wanting to read more. So I stopped about midway thru. This actually was way more of a murder mystery, drama than a romance for the first half. Maybe the last half gets better...
So a personal preference for me here... The bulb describes her being kidnapped as a child (by Sioux warriors), then sold to a con man. What it does NOT tell you is (and you will read this in the prologue/first chapter, so no huge spoiler here) that the con man that bought her is a sexual predator creep of some sort. The book opens with our heroine a 14-yr old in an alley trying to escape him, he catches her and demands that she hop into bed naked with him, because she should feel so grateful that he "rescued her" from the Sioux. Chapter 1 then starts off about 7 years later when she has her freedom as a waitress at some chain restaurant called Harvey's.
Of course the heroine comes across as a cold fish, after her years of imprisonment with her con man... so I don't buy the romance that starts playing out with the sheriff.
I just felt so bad for her, I kinda found myself not wanting to read more. So I stopped about midway thru. This actually was way more of a murder mystery, drama than a romance for the first half. Maybe the last half gets better...
June 5, 2021
-3 stars, maybe 2. average/ok.
a few plot holes that bothered me. she's supposedly saving her money to start her own business, and seems in real danger of losing that job. except she sure seems to be frivolously spending her money instead. riding the train away just for a weekend vacation in a hotel and a shopping spree. regularly buying and smoking $2 cigars when a beer in a bar only costs a quarter. instructing the laundry to go ahead and just burn her clothes if they cant get the smell of smoke out of them. in todays money, if a draft beer in the bar cost $5, that'd be like spending $40 on a cigar on a regular basis. not something you'd do daily if you were a girl -meaning you're lucky to even have a job- saving your money in the 1800's.
summary: kidnapped as a child and hiding out/on the run from the conman who bought her and used her, sophie is trying to live an honest new life. she has a job and friends and is falling in love. but then the conman finds her and threatens the lives of those around her if she doesn't do as he says and help out in another con.
a few plot holes that bothered me. she's supposedly saving her money to start her own business, and seems in real danger of losing that job. except she sure seems to be frivolously spending her money instead. riding the train away just for a weekend vacation in a hotel and a shopping spree. regularly buying and smoking $2 cigars when a beer in a bar only costs a quarter. instructing the laundry to go ahead and just burn her clothes if they cant get the smell of smoke out of them. in todays money, if a draft beer in the bar cost $5, that'd be like spending $40 on a cigar on a regular basis. not something you'd do daily if you were a girl -meaning you're lucky to even have a job- saving your money in the 1800's.
summary: kidnapped as a child and hiding out/on the run from the conman who bought her and used her, sophie is trying to live an honest new life. she has a job and friends and is falling in love. but then the conman finds her and threatens the lives of those around her if she doesn't do as he says and help out in another con.
January 8, 2018
The Lawman’s Bride is an excellent book. The heroine has a very trying young life but escapes and tries to find happiness in her new found freedom but her past comes back to haunt her. Luckily she finds love and happiness, finally, with the Lawman.
October 25, 2019
The premise was good, but the rest didn't quite live up to the promise. 3 stars. I admit, I skipped a chunk between 2/3 through to the ending. H and h were so so. Tw: rape which occurs early on.
April 12, 2021
Una novela entretenid ay fácil de leer
April 30, 2024
A quick, cosy, read by an author that I love!
Sophia’s life was hard, but watching her overcome everything she went through and end up happy with the man she loved was worthwhile!
Sophia’s life was hard, but watching her overcome everything she went through and end up happy with the man she loved was worthwhile!
March 14, 2025
The queen of western romances: Cheryl never disappoints
June 15, 2019
With this book, Cheryl St. John starts a new series about one of the most uniquely American businesses in our history -- the Harvey Houses. The Harvey Houses were restaurants and hotels that offered similar accommodations and meals, so travelers along the railway knew the level of quality they would receive before they arrived. In other words, Mr. Harvey nationalized the travelers' expectations, like the Holiday Inn or the Hyatt.
Girls came from around the US to get a job at the Harvey Houses because the salaries were good and the young women were fed and housed in a quasi-family atmosphere.
Our heroine, Sophie Hollis, is a true victim. After watching her family being killed on a wagon train, the Sioux kidnapped Sophie and her mother. After some years, she was sold to a white man, who turned Sophie into a con artist (to work with him). At the time of this story, Sophie has escaped from Tek Garrett and been living on her own for two years. She works at a Harvey House in Kansas. Sophie wants to earn enough to start her own business and be independent.
She accidentally bumps into Clay Connor a couple of times and he is taken with her. He soon realizes that, unlike most of the Harvey Girls, she is not interested in marriage. Of course, Tek Garrett (as Mr. Monte Morgan) finds Sophie and ensnares her roommate, Amanda -- as a means to get to Sophie.
I did not realize at the outset that this was a trilogy. I recommend that you read them in order; this book refers (and interacts with) the main characters of THE DOCTOR'S WIFE in this novel. This story is well-paced and so engrossing that I read it in one sitting; I just couldn't put it down. However, I was disappointed with the too-pat ending.
Harvey Girls
1. The Doctor's Wife (1999)
2. The Tenderfoot Bride (2003)
3. The Lawman's Bride (2007)
Girls came from around the US to get a job at the Harvey Houses because the salaries were good and the young women were fed and housed in a quasi-family atmosphere.
Our heroine, Sophie Hollis, is a true victim. After watching her family being killed on a wagon train, the Sioux kidnapped Sophie and her mother. After some years, she was sold to a white man, who turned Sophie into a con artist (to work with him). At the time of this story, Sophie has escaped from Tek Garrett and been living on her own for two years. She works at a Harvey House in Kansas. Sophie wants to earn enough to start her own business and be independent.
She accidentally bumps into Clay Connor a couple of times and he is taken with her. He soon realizes that, unlike most of the Harvey Girls, she is not interested in marriage. Of course, Tek Garrett (as Mr. Monte Morgan) finds Sophie and ensnares her roommate, Amanda -- as a means to get to Sophie.
I did not realize at the outset that this was a trilogy. I recommend that you read them in order; this book refers (and interacts with) the main characters of THE DOCTOR'S WIFE in this novel. This story is well-paced and so engrossing that I read it in one sitting; I just couldn't put it down. However, I was disappointed with the too-pat ending.
Harvey Girls
1. The Doctor's Wife (1999)
2. The Tenderfoot Bride (2003)
3. The Lawman's Bride (2007)
July 23, 2015
I really like how Cheryl writes. There's something simple yet intriguing about her stories. If you're looking for a just a simple quiet read her books are it. The Lawman's Bride is about a woman trying to turn over a new leaf after playing fiddle to a con man for so many years. While it was predictable it was a good a read.
April 1, 2017
I wonder sometimes if authors cringe when they find out what title their publisher has elected to slap on their baby. 8-( Not a bad story, not quite as emotional as my favorite St. John but quite acceptable.
July 26, 2016
4/5; 4 stars; A-
Cheryl St. John excels at characterization and this is another example. Sophia comes across as a very sympathetic protagonist, despite her awful childhood.
Cheryl St. John excels at characterization and this is another example. Sophia comes across as a very sympathetic protagonist, despite her awful childhood.
January 22, 2013
Heart-wrenching, exciting, judicially and emotionally satisfying.
December 14, 2022
Amazing story! Loved it!
January 15, 2018
Entretenida, para pasar el rato y disfrutar de una historia sin muchas complicaciones...
Read
May 3, 2019good
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews