Burnett Books

I've got to say that this book definitely made me care about the narrator and feel for the amazing amount of sacrifice and difficult situations that he and his family endured in service of our National Parks. And it's very hard to knock that ever, especially from someone who seems so genuinely likeable and friendly. However... this is not the greatest book. The combination of acronyms and Shakespeare quotes seems quirky and interesting at first, but quickly gets old. The "people are idiots" theme gets somewhat overplayed. Many of these stories and humorous anecdotes are the tough-day-at-work/funny quote type of thing I would put in an e-mail to family or laugh about with friends, not the kind of thing that I would record for posterity.
The last chapter of the book, among other things, earnestly advises you not to get high and jump off a cliff. If you are the kind of person who would responsibly read a book of back-country safety tips and stories, you are probably not also the person who would take some hits of acid and decide to roll off a cliff. Or you are. But that's on you and no books will help you at that point.
I like the author and his family. I feel for his struggles and sacrifice and find the humor in some of his stories. But I can't call this a great book.

I've always enjoyed visiting national parks and camping, so this book appealed to my interests. The stories turned out to be a lot of fun, and I've given copies of the book to several friends. If you want a really good laugh, (especially you ladies)don't miss the boat ramp tale about the "L.A. Launch." "Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!" is my other favorite chapter, followed closely by "Don't Feed the Skunks." It is truly amazing what antics visitors to national parks are capable of. Mr. Burnett is a natural storyteller and this is a fun read. It was also featured as one of the fun bedtime reads on "The Price is Right" when they had a bedroom suite to give away.

This is a great book that is fun to read, each chapter can stand alone, so you can pick it up at your leisure. A great book to take on vacation.
It tells humorous stories of misadventures in our National Parks written in a way that you feel Mr. Burnett is talking to you. It gave me a good laugh and some good advice for visiting these or any parks.
(Snake in the cold water is my favorite story!)

I just finished reading Hey Ranger and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was an easy read and it held my attention - I didn't want to put the book down! Anyone who has visited the National Parks, or just spent time in the outdoors, can probably relate to at least one tale in the book. For me personally, my family has done alot of boating and I was laughing hysterically during the chapter on boating, including mishaps that occur when launching a boat! I think anyone who enjoys the great outdoors and humorous real life tales will enjoy this book.

In this book, Jim Burnett collects amusing stories about visitors in the national parks. These people are normally called "tourons," though Burnett doesn't use the term here. Some of the stories come from his career as a park ranger, while other stories come from other rangers who told them to Burnett. He also includes some background on each park where he was stationed during his career (Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Buffalo National River, Glacier National Park, Colonial National Historical Park, and Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial). An appendix provides advice on how not to get hurt being stupid in the national parks.

The book suffers in comparison with other memoir-writers, especially my current favorite, game warden Terry Grosz. Most of Burnett's stories are only mildly amusing, though there are a few good ones. More problematic is the way he tells them - - he gets to the punchline much too fast, so that these stories only last a couple of pages. The second-hand stories are even shorter, more like one-liner jokes. Grosz, in contrast, can spin a tale out much more effectively.

All in all, the book is pleasant enough, and I purchased it at very deep discount, so it's not really disappointing. But there are better options out there.

Ring Around The Moon is a moving novel about a family in rural Virginia during the 1940s. The story is told throughthe voice of Amy the 11 year old. She descibes the life of her family and life for the outside the home- school, segregation, etc. The books seems as though it could be autobiographical describing both the good and the bad of this family and the community. The author brings dignity to the characters and to their surroundings. Amy and Aunt Minne were my favorites. Though a dysnfunctional family there still is a story of hope, survial,and endurance. I look forward to reading other books by Mary Burnett Smith.

Ring Around The Moon is a moving novel about a family in rural Virginia during the 1940s. The story is told throughthe voice of Amy the 11 year old. She descibes the life of her family and life for the outside the home- school, segregation, etc. The books seems as though it could be autobiographical describing both the good and the bad of this family and the community. The author brings dignity to the characters and to their surroundings. Amy and Aunt Minne were my favorites. Though a dysnfunctional family there still is a story of hope, survial,and endurance. I look forward to reading other books by Mary Burnett Smith.

Ring Around The Moon is a moving novel about a family in rural Virginia during the 1940s. The story is told throughthe voice of Amy the 11 year old. She descibes the life of her family and life for the outside the home- school, segregation, etc. The books seems as though it could be autobiographical describing both the good and the bad of this family and the community. The author brings dignity to the characters and to their surroundings. Amy and Aunt Minne were my favorites. Though a dysnfunctional family there still is a story of hope, survial,and endurance. I look forward to reading other books by Mary Burnett Smith.

This is an excellent book. Some mentioned, what was the point and what was the storyline? There were several points and stories relevant to those interested in African American history and the African diaspora. Among those points are issues of skin color and hair among people of color. Specifically, issues that all types of people of color (all over the color spectrum) deal with and how some of these backwards ideas were planted. Issues regarding alcoholism and its effects on the family and future generations are also brought up. In addition to these issues, sibling relationships are explored and the story of a marriage tearing apart is told. There are also many more issues in this book. Some reviewers mentioned the lack of "closure" in the book. I don't see a problem with this lack of closure. Does everything in our own lives as human beings end elegantly and neatly? This book adds one perspective to the question,"What does it mean to be human?"

I was amazed at how well the author lived through 11 year old Amy's life. This is an excellent book. When I started it, I could not put it down. I highly recommend it!

If you enjoy reading books about the childhood occurrences spoken from an adult's retrospective point of view, then you'll enjoy Ring Around the Moon.

The setting is the 1940s and the main character is Amy, which is short for Amelia. Amy recants her childhood struggles of growing up as a poor, redheaded Black child whose alcoholic father was also a womanizer and wife batterer. Her struggles include witnessing her father's drunkenness, his womanizing, and the battering(s) he gave her mother as well as her older brother Lonnie, with whom Amy also has issues.

Amy's childhood involves more downs than ups. Amy, however, is able to make the most of being a product of a dysfunctional, poor, 1940s Black American family.

WOW THE PICTURES ARE THE BEST BUT WE NEED MORE PIC. THE INFORMATION OF THE EVENTS, CHAPTERS, WEB PAGE, THE ROSWELLIANS AND OTHERS THINGS.I LIKE THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CHAPTERS WAS JUST NICE.

Good book for fans of Roswell and the growing fanbase that missed the show because of lack of access to the WB and/or UPN. (Thank goodness for DVDs!)
Includes timelines and lots of info on the show, cast and Roswell.

To fans of the book series, the television show and the books are distinctly different, though a similar premise and same characters. They should be each looked at on their own merits - don't knock the televison series (or give this book only one star) because you don't appreciate the television series. Yes, the show was based on the books, but did you know that the show was picked up by the WB before the books were even done? (see The Roswell High featurette, Roswell Season 1 DVD set)

OK...I know that a lot of people love the Tv show Roswell, but before the show was created, I was a hardcore fan of the books that the show was supposed to be based on. I was so excited when I found out they were making the show, but I could not have been more disappointed. Seriously, if you want to read something good, read Roswell High by Melinda Metz. It's the original story about Max, Liz, Michael, Maria, Alex, and Isabel. It's an awesome series and it's soooo much better than the show ever was!

This book is filled with information that any Roswell fan or anyone interested in how and why a television show could have such a dedicated fan base would love. It is obviously written by a fan whose painstaking research created a thorough tribute published in 2002, the same year Roswell ended.

The book begins with a breif, yet detailed history of the Roswell incident that many believe proves the existence of extra-terrestrial life. This information is vital to anyone interested in the show because it is what the show is based on.

There are decent mini-biographies of each of the major cast members including how they got their roles on Roswell and what they had done previously. Accompanied to the biographies of the stars are biographies of their characters and their relation to the other characters.

There is a detailed account of the fan participation, the reason that Roswell remained on the air for three seasons instead of only one. This is relevant and exciting because most of the information regarding the various fan events and efforts is scattered and different depending on who one talks to. It is nice to have an account composed of various sources in one location.

There is a chapter dedicated to the "shippers," or fan groups who have given themselves names according to which people or groups they are affiliated with.

This book included a section for several fan websites. This information loses reliability as time goes on because of the instability of fansites, but it is nice to have in case the sites are still available.

There are quizzes to judge one's knowledge of the show which are very fun, especially for fans who want to prove their obsession.

There is a "Why did the chicken cross the road" section with responses by each of the characters, including minor ones. It is mildly funny and makes sense only to the hard core fans, but pays tribute to the creativity of the fans on www.crashdown.com, the main Roswell website from which the idea was taken.

The pages are littered with photographs, both in color inserts and black and whites. Many are from private collections from fans, meaning most are rare candids.

The bulk of the text is the synopsis, review, and fun fact section for each of the episodes. These include the air dates, the guest cast list, alienisms which refers to references of aliens or powers used, soda moments which refer to pop culture references and their explanations, cool facts which include behind the scenes information, and the music played during each episode. This information was published before the DVDs, so the music listed is that which was played during the television air date, not on the DVDs.

Finally, the book includes a detailed and organized bibliography that includes all of the many sources that Burnett derived her information from.

Overall, this is an excellent book and tribute to a wonderful television show with dedicated fans.

I bought this book because I couldn't remember the details of all of the episodes and I wanted to learn more.
For your money you get a chapter on the history of the real Roswell crash, told just a little differently than what I'd read in the past. This is followed by cast biographies & pictures (this part is now getting just a little out of date), chapters 3-7 consist of things about the fans, conventions/ charity work inspired by the show, a few websites (one of which identifies film locations)& trivia stuff-and quite a few pictures.
The bulk of the book is an episode guide for all three seasons, complete with air dates cast ,guest cast, episode synopsis and various little sections on different aspects of each episode. I liked the fact that the author would often put in a little criticism of script flaws and I especially liked the way some episodes were identified as having mistakes (a couple of episodes have film crew members at least partially visible).
I liked having a listing for the music on each episode but this may not be of much use to DVD owners as some of the music will be changed from the broadcast version of the show.
My main gripe is that I would've liked more information (some of the stuff here was obviously written during the shows run but not reedited)but this book will certainly get you by.

I guess a little revolution every now and then is a good thing, because the "advice" dispensed in here mainly belongs in the dustbin of history.

Just finished the book (which took me a couple of hours) and I have to say it was an interesting memoir of the great admen of all time. The book pinpointed certain questions and tired to find some correlation between the greats (and I think it succeeded in some ways)

But do not let the title of the book fool you to believe that it will help you in any shape or form in becoming a finer copywriter. In fact, the book will most likely only offer you a good read on a Sunday afternoon.

On a particular note, the interview with Reeves was the most interesting part of the book. A worthy buy indeed but do not expect to become a super copywriter after or you will be very disappointed.

I love anything that is an interview with a person. It allows us to hear the information from the horses mouth, as opposed to a journalist paraphrasing him or her. My favorite interviews were with Bernbach and Rosser Reeves. However, I don't think this book is really about the "Art" of writing advertising. I think the book should have been called "Conversations about Advertising." Because the book isn't made to be a teacher, it's simply a good book to read and enjoy if you're interested in hearing another perspective about the business.

The book is very helpful in that is gives you the thoughts behind some of the builders of today's advertising industry. I had read "Ogilvy on Avdertising"; the interview with David Ogilvy presents the same kind of thought. But I had never read anything by Burnett, Gribbin, Bernbach or Reeves and that is where most of my benefit from this book came.

There's pleanty of useful info here to help you write better copy - look for the inherent drama of the product, if in doubt ask the manufacturers why they make it, do your research, keep stuff simple. You just have to look for it. Great photos too.

I loved reading this aloud to my daughter - it has lots of illustrations and notes which help since the story is so old and set in other countries. I plan on giving these as gifts.

Wonderful insight from the biography to the footnotes - nice choices for illustrations as well.
I have likes all of the "annotated" series that I have read so far and hope to collect them all.
I am a history lover, an art lover and a children's book lover so this series hits all of that.

Burnett's original novel is delightful and inspiring, and continues to be a great find for readers of all ages. The classic tale remains inspiring and charming, and the illustrations in this edition allow readers to joyfully trace the cultural evolution of the story, and its many representations.

However, the "annotations" in this edition are largely obtuse and uninspired. They offer little to the actual study of the novel, and readers would do much better to buy a traditional publication and make up their own minds.

This beloved children's classic is a welcome addition to Norton's Annotated Series, the tale accompanied by comments about the text, emphasizing the historical details of Mary Lennox's magical journey. The imagery is powerful- spoiled little girl, ill cousin, a lonely childhood and a garden in England that yields life-changing secrets. If one is already familiar with the story, the annotations enhance the text; personally, I have always found annotations distracting, but these are enjoyable for me because I am already familiar with the novel and curious about the information included in the commentary. In this context, I find the remarks interesting, if not vital.

The illustrations throughout are wonderful- black and white, full color, pen and ink- reminiscent of an era when Colonialism is a natural extension of England's empire, children cared for by ayah's and nurses, until, of course, the tragedy that sends little Mary to the lonely English moors and her secret garden. To a child, such pictures are the stuff of imagination, a magical country where anything is possible, even deliverance from the cruel vagaries of fate.

Gerzina's preface highlights Burnett's personal experiences, interests and prolific writing life, this novel much applauded when it first appeared in 1911, falling into obscurity until the illustrated edition once more captures the public's attention. Of eclectic religious tastes, Burnett's spiritual inclinations are formed by her experiences, a classic Victorian thrust into reality by circumstances and a growing emphasis on scientific investigation, deeply frightened by any specter of unhappiness and extremely sensitive to the suffering of others. How much of the author's spiritual inclinations affect her writing is left to the reader to determine.

The preface offers insights into the inspiration and focus on the magic components of hope: "The Literary Influences of The Secret Garden", "The Slow Devolution of a Classic", interpretations of the novel and Burnett's perspective in children's literature It is the background of the story as well as Burnett's history that offers a unique perspective to Mary Lennox's drama, inspired by the difficult life of a woman who continued to write despite significant obstacles. Luan Gaines/ 2007.

The name Frances Hodgson Burnett now conjures images of fusty Victorian morality stories. The Annotated Secret Garden analyzes her most well known work and reveals Burnett to have been a far more complicated writer who, while she did intend to impart a moral message, followed a theology more heterodox and diffuse than her reputation suggests.

Mary Lennox is a neglected child who is sent back to England after a cholera epidemic in India kills her parents. She is given a home at Misselthwaite Manor by her uncle, who is a self-absorbed hypochondriac. Her only friends are a servant girl and a small bird, who helps her find a secret garden in the grounds of the manor. Eventually, Mary becomes healthier, both physically and mentally, and through her efforts to revive the secret garden she finds renewal not just for herself but for her cousin Colin and her uncle as well. Burnett's theological beliefs, a mixture of Christianity, and "New Thought" or what we now call Positive Thinking, are well developed and used to good effect throughout the story.

The real pleasure of annotated volumes like this are the many notes which explain and expand on what has become confusing or obscure over time. This volume is also a pleasure because of the many fine illustrations, both in color and black and white, drawn from the many different editions. The Annotated Secret Garden will appeal to children being introduced to it for the first time and to adults who, while familar with the story, may not be so aware of the background and beliefs of its author.

How Images Think never quite lives up to its clever title or Douglas Coupland's glowing endorsement on the back cover. Ron Burnett's wide-ranging interests, as evident in his excellent bibliography, too often distract from his focus on the way images work in today's computer mediated world.

Burnett is constantly skidding off on some new tangent, (entire chapters go off track) seemingly compelled to tell the reader everything he knows, even as it muddles the difficult argument he is trying to make about the locus of meaning and intelligence in an increasingly hybridized and mediated world, an argument that never becomes entirely clear.

How Images Think is admirable in its ambition and presents many welcome invitations to investigate the artists and thinkers who intrigue Burnett. In the end, I was reminded of Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, which I read in high school with the similar anticipation and finally disappointment in its lack of rigor.

What a wonderful experience! This books is both personal and critical. I was impressed with the author's range of knowledge and desire to bring new ideas to the reader. His range is wonderful!!

Ron Burnett's "How Images Think" is a major contribution to the current discussion surrounding images and the digital universe, and is essential reading for anyone interested in thinking about the implications of our relationship to analog and digital media. The book itself is gorgeously designed, with a luminous cover; each chapter is absorbing, and the reading experience is enhanced by the inclusion of additional sidebar comments/text, and interesting photographs. Most importantly, the text is full of intelligent and honest ideas about the contemporary process of interacting with images. It is academic and personal, complex and readable. The author's discussion of the internet as a "gateway" that transforms the computer from a device into a portal (ref. Chapter 6 "Humans--Machines"), is very astute, as are his thoughts on how current discussions of mind/consciousness often draw on metaphors used in computer science and engineering. A great book, overall, which I recommend to all.

The first chapter of this book examines a photograph taken by the
author. He use the photo to meditate on the Holocaust. It reminded
me of the work of Roland Barthes. Overall, a great book!

The author's breadth really impressed... a handsome book, well-written, well-designed. The cover is unique. The book should be excellent for college level courses. I loved reading it.

Just like the first book, these stories keep you smiling! You simply have to enjoy being able to read a short story that makes your laugh AND then be able to share it with your friends and family. That is what Jim Burnett gives you with this book. Mr. Burnett painstakingly sets up the stories so that you see the trouble coming and that is where my grin starts to grow! A definite camp-fire read for those who want to laugh instead of jump!

I had high expectations for this book but I had to put it down after a couple of chapters. There were too many instances where Mr. Burnett tried way too hard to make a story funny that really wasn't funny. The book is basically about stupid people asking stupid questions and doing stupid things. My advice is to just tell the stories and let the reader decide if it's funny, sad, ironic, etc. Also, there are way too many cliche's. I really hate reading books with cliche's. They should be stricken from every piece of literature ever written!
Anyway, there are some funny stories but the writing is just not really worth wading through.

I would first like to thank and congratulate Mr. Burnett for his hard work serving our parks. I didn't read the first one and I didn't know what I expected from this one, but I was very disappointed. The book seemed to lack solid substance. Most chapters seemed to drag on by the addition of filler text that made it simply boring to read. For example, there were several pages dedicated to the "humorous" events of trying to scare a snake out of a canoe. Or an in-depth analysis of how people were confused over his mailing address when he lived in one area but his mail was delivered to some other area. As time went on in reading the book, I simply had to start skimming the pages rather than reading them until I found something that was potentially interesting. Unfortunately, this isn't a book that I would even give to another family member to read.

This sequel to the author's first Hey Ranger book is a lot of fun to read, and if you pay attention to the reasons the characters in this book had a misadventure, there's some good information to be gained as well. I enjoy his folksy, conversational style and the occasional acronyms he invents to describe some of the situations in the book. The short chapters make this a good book for travel reading.

Having enjoyed Mr. Burnett's first book, I was eager to read his sequel. This book was also fun to read. A good vacation book that as each chapter is short and can stand alone.
It's hard to believe that people come to our National Parks so ill-prepared. It taught me a lot of what not to do!
This is a book that is great for the whole family - I shared it with my 85 year old mother and she is still laughing.

Very happy to obtain a copy of this book. Could have taken months haunting used book stores. In very good condition, esp considering it's age.

I adore "the Secret Garden" and "the Little Princess", so I was excited to see this book for adults by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It was ok, but not great. It features a plucky heroine, but there's just not very much character development or attention to detail.

Quite delightful little novella - written about 1884 or somewhere in those Victorian times. A woman's romance from start to rather abrupt finish.

No one understood the fantasies of late Victorian and early twentieth-century England better than Frances Hodgson Burnett. THE MAKING OF A MARCHIONESS (and its sequel collected in this volume, THE METHODS OF LADY WALDERHURST) spoke to the fantasies of many a schoolgirl in the very early twentieth century that anyone uncomplainingly slavish enough to the titled classes might be rewarded with a prince... or at least a marquis. What makes this novel so peculiarly perverse is that it is as if Burnett had just enough class consciousness to realize the inherent bizarrity of the class fantasies this book illuminates to exploit them for all their creepy masochistic potential. The heroine, Emily Fox-Seton, is distantly related to the aristocracy; though she can barely make ends meet, she is so delighted to be allowed to attend her social and economic betters in their fabulous garden estates that she doesn't mind being their devoted dogsbody. Ultimately she finds true happiness with the widowed Marquis of Waldenhurst, who is not handsome nor clever nor even terribly sensitive, but who is rich beyond the dreams of Croesus--which is apparently all that matters. What he and Emily will find to talk about after their marriage is given little thought, but apparently a ruby on an engagement ring "as big as a trouser-button" were all that Edwardian schoolgirls wanted in marriage, because this book was an enormous success in its day.

Though famous for her children't books nowadays, this is one of Burnett's books for grown-ups. It is a sort of cheesy romance, but oh is it fun! Republished by Persephone Books, an independant published in London, this book is well worth purchasing: you'll read it again and again whenever you're looking for a fun, light, and well-written book on a rainy day.

Written a hundred years ago, there is a sort of paternalistic-bordering-on-rascist attitude towards the Indian characters, but I don't think it's anything too egregious.

When you've read this book, read "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day," by Winifred Watson and also published by Persephone.

Burnett and Mantovani have written the only book that gets to the heart of the unprecedented judicial inquisition taking place in Italy today. Noone who wishes to understand contemporary Italian politics can do without it. Charles Loveridge, Cullen International.

This is a description of a major event in Italy, the causes of which were concealed and distorted in Italian medias at the time of the trials and afterwards. It is a new approach to one of the "Italian misteries"

Luca Mantovani is a public-relations-man of the Italian Party "Forza Italia", allied with the ex-fascist "Alleanza Nazionale". The Forza Italia's leader Silvio Berlusconi was very very close to the Socialist Party ex-leader Bettino Craxi, who was one of the most corrupted politician in Italy. It seems that Craxi gave many many favours to Berlusconi, who seems to have something to hide about these favours and his own past. It's true, it's possible that there was somebody behind the judges in the Operation "Clear Hands", maybe the ex-Communist Party "PDS". But the point is that I don't accept any judgement from Mantovani, extremely involved in this dramatic and confused situation, in which his own party is more interested to fight what they call "the judge party" and to save their leader, than to think about the real needs of Italian People.

Il volume di Burnett e Mantovani contribuisce a chiarire il pericoloso processo di supplenza del potere democraticamente legittimato, quello parlamentare, da parte del potere giudiziario. Dietro allo sconto fra magistrati e politici, emerge il più ampio e inquietante processo di trasformazione dell'Italia in Stato etico, che taluni hanno semplificato, non senza acume, in un ritardato scontro fra modello calvinista e modello cattolico. Insieme ad altri libri editi in questi anni, tra i quali è doveroso citare l'opera di Ciro Sbailò (anch'egli, come Luca Mantovani, uomo comunicazione di Forza Italia), Davanti alla Legge, pubblicato in Italia nel 1997, The Italian Guillotine ha un solo limite, grave: non essere ancora stato tradotto in italiano. Fatto strano apparentemente, ma che la lettura stessa del volume rivelerà come inevitabile, in un Paese dove la magistratura difende le proprie illegalità colpendo, anche economicamente, chi le denuncia.

An excellent book to understand many important events in recent Italian history. A good antidote against many oversimplifications and false commonplaces about Italian politics and society. THe book is more journalistic than scholarly, and sometimes presents less evidence for its claims that it should. But the evidence exists elsewhere, so all the main arguments of the book are sound. It urgently deserves and Italian translation.

Melanie Blake is desperate. She is a speech writer for the governor of Montana and when she stumbles across a cover-up she needs to get out of the state. Someone tried to break into her house and without any proof, she needs to find a way to implicate the governor without risking her life. Watching from the stands at a rodeo, she picks saddle bronc rider Steve McCall to help her when her intuition tells her that he is an honest man. Stowing away in his camper, she waits for the right moment before making herself known.


Steve McCall is dead tired. After five rodeos in four days, the last thing he needs is the pretty redhead he noticed in the stands, "kidnapping" him at gun point. He knows Red must be running from someone and all his protective instincts are raging to the surface. When she tells him what she is running from, he decides to take her to his Ranch; no one will look for her there.


As Melanie finds a safe place with Steve, she begins to realize that her initial attraction to him might be more than a simple attraction. Steve wants nothing more than to keep Melanie safe and by his side, but there is someone else that has a different plan for Melanie's future. Can Steve keep the woman he loves safe from the threats against her?


I love a good cowboy and Steve definitely lives up to the name. Fiercely protective of Melanie, I loved this rugged man. Melanie is a perfect match for him and I can't wait to read more books in this series by Sage Burnett. Melanie's Protector is a fabulous read, one that I enjoyed immensely.

Through the lens of her camera Karly Jackson is capturing images of rodeo cowboys for a book she is working on. But none of them have captured her until she looks at Hawk Rivers. Hawk knows that he isn't good enough for Karly, but that doesn't stop him from seeking her bed whenever they meet. Karly knows that she is going to be hurt by this cowboy when he won't even volunteer the simplest of information to her.


As Karly and Hawk fall into bed, Karly realizes that she needs more from this man that she is falling for. But will Hawk ever be able to give her what she wants? Hawk knows that he has to deal with his past before he can ever have a future. But will Karly still want him if he confesses the truth?


Karly and Hawk are an incredible couple, and I loved reading about their journey together. Hawk has been hurt horribly in the past, and he isn't ready to acknowledge that he may need another human. Karly is able to get in under his skin, and I loved how understanding she was, although she certainly was no pushover. Karly's Drifter is an exceptional read and I recommend it to anyone that loves a good cowboy!

Shannon
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I completely enjoyed this story as it takes you thru the world of cowboys not as being glorious but what happens in real life.

I would recommend this to anyone who wants a good book to curl up with. From beginning to end this book kept me captivated.

I wanted a good, hot, cowboy book and I thought I found it with this book. WRONG! The author doesn't seem to have a CLUE about the western lifestyle/cowboys/rodeo. Her story lines are weak and her references to western anything seem to either be inaccurate or not make any sense. This whole book was a waste because of the lack of details, depth and accurate portrayals of cowboys. She DID NOT do the western lifestyle justice. Rodeo was more attractive before she tried to put her spin on it! Also...if she bothered to do her homework AT ALL, she would realize that anyone who knows anything about rodeo wouldn't buy this book just because of her cover! What respectable REAL cowboy would wear a $5 smashed up Billabong cowboy hat....? I did my best to give this book a shot, I overlooked her horribly inaccurate cover, read the first 15 pages, and now on the shelve it will sit. Sorry, I can NOT recommend this book to anyone mildly knowledgeable on the western way of life.

This book is a totally enjoyable read. All three stories take place at rodeos, but each book is unique with different characters in each story. If you like sexy cowboys, then I would recommend it. Great romance stories and very hot!

MELANIE'S PROTECTOR
Melanie is in big trouble. While working as a speech writer for the governor, she accidentally comes across information about a cover-up and kickbacks. The governor catches her with the open computer file, since then she's been in serious danger. She's on the run and needs help, which she finds in a saddle bronc rider, Steve.

Melanie picked Steve because he looked honest. She follows him out to his truck and camper and when he leaves the camper unlocked, she seizes the opportunity to hide inside. Her intention is to make him drive her to Bozeman where she can catch her flight, only she wasn't counting on her hand-picked cowboy's unwillingness to go along with her plan. Even with her holding a gun on him, he calmly talks to her, makes coffee, and then goes to bed. Melanie falls asleep with the gun still in her hand but wakes up when she feels him attempting to relieve her of the weapon and they end up in a wrestling match that arouses them both. Steve fully intends to find out what Melanie is so terrified of that she'd go to these extremes. There's no way he'll allow any harm to come to her. Until she's ready to tell him what's going on, there are other things they can do to occupy their time and relieve some of the sexual tension between them. Will he be able to protect Melanie from the high-powered men who are after her?

MELANIE'S PROTECTOR is the first book in Sage Burnett's RODEO COWBOYS series starting it off with a bang. This book is fast paced and will delight readers with the interactions between Melanie and Steve. Melanie is just an innocent woman who accidentally saw some incriminating files in the governor's office. Steve is a cowboy whose mama taught him to always help a lady in trouble and he takes her teachings to heart. Melanie didn't want to involve Steve in her problems but from the minute she kidnapped him, he takes on her worries as his own.

KARLY'S DRIFTER
Karly Jackson is a freelance photographer. She's spent a month traveling the rodeo circuit snapping pictures for a book. Most of the cowboys she comes across are thrilled at the opportunity to be immortalized in her book, but the one man who really intrigues Karly flat out refuses to have any part of it.

Karly is inexplicably drawn to Hawk despite his gruff attitude and refusal to sign the release form to allow her to use the pictures she's taken of him. Her lack of fear and refusal to back down to him arouse Hawk far more than he cares to think about. After the final competition, Hawk pays a visit to Karly's motor home with the intention of taking the film that contains pictures of him. He doesn't get the film but it turns out to be a trip well worth making. Without any preamble he suggests they go to bed, according to him there's no need for courtship stuff is a waste of time and Karly couldn't agree more. Hawk swears that he's bad for her and they can't have a permanent relationship, but Karly's already half in love with him. Will she get her heart broken and what is this big secret that he insists on keeping to himself?

KARLY'S DRIFTER is the second book in Sage Burnett's RODEO COWBOY series. This story packs quite a wallop with the fast paced storyline, hot sex, and unforgettable characters. I adored Karly's quick witted banter with Hawk and the fact that she didn't let him intimidate her. Hawk is the strong silent type and right from the first page you get the sense that he's been very hurt in the past. It's a refreshing change of pace to be able to view rodeo cowboys as people with very real problems and a life outside of the rodeo circuit.

JOSIE'S HEARTBREAKER
Josie Landford is finally free of a twenty-year oppressive marriage and her son has gone away to college. She's decided that it's time for her to live out her sexual fantasies with a rodeo cowboy. With that goal in mind, she attends her very first rodeo and finds her ideal candidate in number twenty-seven, Rex West.

Josie may know exactly what she wants from Rex - scorching sex, but his old-fashioned ideals aren't going to allow for her to take the lead in any relationship that develops between them. He believes in courtship, even if it is just a short one before going to bed with a woman. Josie would rather try to keep their encounters sexual but Rex's insistence on opening doors and dinner dates is causing a riot of emotions that she isn't ready for and, quiet honestly, didn't anticipate. After their first dinner date, Josie and Rex end up back at her place. Surprisingly, rather than jumping into bed, Josie becomes nervous. She has no doubt that she wants Rex but first she wants to establish some ground rules. Her first rule is that they will not have a one-night stand. The second rule - no strings attached. She lets him pick rule number three, his rule - one night a week. What will happen when their one night a week affair turns out not to be enough?

JOSIE'S HEARTBREAKER is the final book in Sage Burnett's RODEO COWBOY series. Don't worry if you haven't read the first two stories, each of the books can be read independently. I particularly liked JOSIE'S HEARTBREAKER because the main characters are more mature; both have been in long term marriages and have no qualms about who they are or what they want from each other. Rex's gentlemanly qualities quickly won me over, I was continuously tantalized with his rough and ready cowboy attitude. The combination of the two traits is enough to keep any girl salivating! Josie had a simple affair all planned out; an affair devoid of complicated emotional attachment. Rex turns out to be unlike any man she's ever known and she's not sure how to deal with her developing feelings. This is truly a fun tale that will feed your fantasies about cowboys, yet leave you hungering for more.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)