Wild Winds

Western Wind #5

by Janelle Taylor

Searching for the men who had framed her stepbrother, spirited Maggie Malone meets Hawk Reynolds, a man determined to find the men who had killed his parents, and together they are plunged into a world of deceit and betrayal where a fiery passion emerges between them. Reprint.

Genres: Historical Romance, Westerns, Historical, Romance

380 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

The legendary Janelle Taylor was born on June 28, 1944 in Athens, GA. In 1965, she married Michael Taylor with whom she had two children, Angela Taylor-MacIntyre and Alisha Taylor Thurmond. Ms. Taylor attended the Medical College of Georgia from 1977 to 1979 and Augusta State University from 1980-1981. She withdrew from the latter after she sold her first two novels. Today, she is the author of thirty-nine novels, three novellas, and many contributions to other collections. There are thirty-nine million copies of her works in print worldwide and she has made The New York Times Bestseller List eight times. Ms. Taylor's works have also been featured ten times on the "1 million +" bestseller's list at Publisher's Weekly.

Some of Ms. Taylor's most recent books include By Candlelight, Someday Soon, Lakota Dawn, and Lakota Winds (due out in paperback in May 1999). She has also made contributions to other books including The Leukemia Society Cookbook, Christmas Rendezvous, and Summer Love. In addition, readers can see her as co-host of the QVC/TV Romance Book Club Show.

Ms. Taylor's interests include collecting spoons, coins from around the world, ship models, dolls, and old books. She loves to fish, ride horses, play chess, target-shoot, travel (especially in her motorhome and out West), hunt for Indian relics, and take long walks with her husband. Reading, in particular books set before 1900 and current Biographies, Thrillers, Horror, or Fantasy novels, is also one of Ms. Taylor's favorite activities. She is also extremely active with charity work and was even featured on the cover of Diabetes Forecast in February of 1998.

She lives in the country on seventy-nine acres of woods and pasture with a lake and a catfish pond. She writes her novels in a Spanish cottage which overlooks a five-acre lake, a working water mill, gazebo, and covered bridge.

Reviews

[Anne Patkau · Rating 4 out of 5]

**** "Wild Winds" are the passionate feelings evoked when undercover US marshal Hawk meets incognito investigator Southern belle Maggie. Janelle Taylor fans the tempest to explicit hurricane scenes after the couple marry. Maggie's recently re-wed mother thinks her new stepson is innocent of bank robbery, and in danger in Yuma prison. Hawk trails a gang of thieves who murdered his parents and brother. If Maggie can free her step-brother, the prisoner can lead them to the gang, if he is guilty. So we have mystery, action, lust, history, and geography in one story.

[Riley · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was just really bad. The dialogue is so unnatural. The “suspense” isn’t that interesting. There was a lot of unnecessary information - including lengthy outfit descriptions, what and when they ate, and several paragraphs that were essentially just, “At 8:30, she curled up with a novel. At 10:00, she blew out the candle and climbed into bed. She went to so-and-so’s office, but learned nothing and walked down Main St., took a left onto 7th. Ave, walked a few blocks, and then turned right to enter the hotel.”

Some of the dialogue was literally like:
“Thank you, kind sir.”
“You’re welcome, ma’am. You’re beautiful and smart.”
“Thanks for the compliment. You’re handsome and smart.”
“Thanks.”
“I’m going to leave now. Sleep well.”
“You, too.”
“Goodbye, kind sir.”
“Goodbye.”

Steam level was very low. I didn’t really care for or like any of the characters. And we find out Ben was guilty (not a big surprise) but then there’s only a few pages where he’s actually there, and then he gets killed. Like, what was the point? I also found the scene where Maggie finds the cabin very hard to believe - a psychopathic gunslinger who has killed men for looking at him wrong just lets her babble on forever? Okay then.

This was the first Janelle Taylor book I’ve read. Overall, not impressed.

[Phylisha Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was a interesting book, but I don't think it was based on the true reality of the role of women at that time. Even in the late 1800's women were still second class citizens and did not have the same freedom of men. You also had the hot handsome half native American, a stepbrother who was actually a bank robber in a gang (which his father didn't believe) until almost the end of the book, because the son tried to kill the stepdaughter because he knew he was bad. Lot's of clichés in this book.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love author Janelle Taylor, however, this story was just ok for me.... No big thrills..... just a basic Western Romance. I give it 3 1/2 stars. I did like the characters but they just didn't stand out like the other ones in the Western Wind series. It is still a nice read though. I do recommend reading it. Hope my review helps.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked reading about Maggie's adventures in the Arizona towns that either I lived in or have visited. This was well written and plotted out.

[Startled Green · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars

Rather boring and sloooow. Not enough conflict between the H/h. They love eachother from the first meeting and continue on a slow and happy path to HEA. Did I say boring.

I started skimming 1/3 of the way through and finished skimming till the end just to find out what happens to Ben.

Bla Bla Bland

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a romantic and thrilling story of romance in the wild west. I enjoyed the characters and amazing story.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay story, I liked the characters, the romance was decent...