Kathleen Eagle
Eagle, Kathleen - LAST TRUE COWBOY, THE (Avon - 2/99) (5)
Kathleen Eagle has done it again. Just when you think she couldn't possibly top THE NIGHT REMEMBERS, she comes up with
this graceful, poetic contemporary that will leave you longing for a cowboy of your own.
K.C. Houston is a rogue and a drifter, who will lend his special touch with horses to anyone with the money; his magic is a combination of his own talent and everything he's learned from all the old cowboys he's ever met. His special touch with the ladies is thrown in free. When he shows up in Wyoming expecting a job, he finds three grieving women and a ranch in trouble. The cowboy cannot resist the challenge.
Sally Weslin and her granddaughters, Dawn and Julia, are divided over whether to sell out. They are cattle ranchers, but the horses are what hold their hearts. As for Julia, it is as much K.C.'s way with the wild mustangs as the warmth of his kisses that makes her melt. By the time she decides to put forth the effort to save the ranch, K.C. is wondering if he has the nerve to stop running and grab for what he wants: Julia and the High Horse.
"Don't fall in love with a cowboy" is the rule of the Weslin women, but Julia falls like her mother and grandmother before her. It's no wonder—K.C. is a sexy, extraordinary man who will linger in your memory long after this book is over. Kathleen Eagle's love of the American West and deep respect for the working cowhand is evident in every line of THE LAST TRUE COWBOY. It deserves all the accolades it garnered when it was released in hardback. Buy this book and treat yourself to a work of art. ~Anne Kirby for Bookbug on the Web
Eagle, Kathleen - NIGHT REMEMBERS, THE (Avon - 1998) (5)
Angela Prescott is living a nightmare. She has fled halfway across the country to get away from an obsessive man who is determined to control her with threats and intimidation. He is so public and powerful that even her family is convinced she is paranoid, thus unwilling to help her. Because she would risk discovery by using credentials from her old life, she ends up in an urban ghetto where no one looks too closely at who you are or where you've been.
We soon meet Tommy T, a streetwise twelve-year old who has survived on the streets for most of his young life...alone, except for an older brother who has already succumbed to gang life. The hero, Jesse Brown Wolf, is a man with a tortured soul who lives an "underground" existence, both literally and figuratively. During the day he is a handsome repairman who does everything from building playgrounds to fixing plumbing for the neighborhood residents. At night he emerges from his secret underground cavern to become "Dark Dog," a fearless, shadowy figure who shows up periodically to make the streets safer for kids, including Tommy T.
This book contains many elements that make for interesting reading. There are descriptive references to Native American folklore, such as ways of healing and various tribal rituals, which Ms. Eagle skillfully blends with realistic depictions of the negative circumstances affecting many Native Americans. It is obvious to me that she has an "insider's" insightful grasp of the best and worst of the Native American culture as it exists today.
THE NIGHT REMEMBERS examines the life of Native Americans in an urban ghetto, and depicts urban street life with its drug dealers, prostitutes and violence. The focus, however, is on the real heroes of the neighborhoods: the women who plant flowers on stoops, and the mothers who raise their own children —plus the castoffs from other families—with a love and determination that is remarkable. For these reasons, and because it is also a wonderfully-written and beautiful love story, I highly recommend THE NIGHT REMEMBERS. ~Connie R. (C1rams@aol.com)
Eagle, Kathleen - NIGHT REMEMBERS, THE (Avon - 1998)
(Very Highly Recommended)
Jesse Brown Wolf is a Sioux who is running from his past. Angela Prescott is running from an abusive relationship. Jesse is a handyman, and what he does at night is protect a 12-year-old boy, Tommy T, and Angela from the thugs and druggies in the neighborhood (although they aren't aware of his true identity). Tommy T believes his life will be better when his mother returns, but until then he wanders the streets, sleeping wherever he can find space. Jesse becomes his superhero. This is a heartwarming story of redemption—a wonderful, fulfilling book that had me rooting for the hero, heroine, and Tommy T from beginning to end. ~Elizabeth C. (Elizabeth_Coogan@brown.edu)
Eagle, Kathleen - WHAT THE HEART KNOWS (Avon HC - 7/99) (4+)
A summer affair between Helen Ketterling, a teacher on the Bad River Sioux Reservation, and Reese Blue Sky ended after Reese told her he wanted to pursue a professional basketball career. He was surprised when Helen left unexpectedly, not even leaving
a good-bye note.
Several years later, after an early retirement due to injuries, Reese returns to the South Dakota reservation when his father Roy is killed by a hit-and-run driver. To his surprise, he encounters Helen at the funeral and discovers she has only been back on the reservation for a short period, working as a blackjack dealer at the casino and, before the fatal accident, spending time with Roy. Reese has nothing pressing on his calendar, so he decides to stay for a while, carrying out the ritual of saying good-bye to his father and trying to discover the identity of the hit-and-run driver.
It doesn't take long before the attraction between the former lovers rekindles, but certain circumstances could possibly tear their happy reunion apart. Helen holds two secrets from Reese: the real reason she is back on the reservation and working at the casino, and the twelve-year-old mystery of why she disappeared years ago without a word. Reese also has a secret regarding the injuries that caused his retirement, and his disability could affect someone Helen loves. As Reese takes over his father's seat on the reservation council, he discovers Roy had been calling for an investigation of the company hired to run the casino. Was his father's death truly an accident or had someone deliberately killed him? And what will happen to the growing love between Reese and Helen when all their secrets are revealed?
WHAT THE HEART KNOWS is another feather in Kathleen Eagle's cap. Once again she delivers a superb story filled with love, danger, and compelling secrets, as she enlightens readers about the Native American culture. Her in-depth knowledge of the Lakota Sioux greatly enhances this emotional tale, providing a fresh, interesting approach to a familiar plot. All of the characters are well defined and appealing, especially Reese and Helen—their repartee is amusing and their interaction is sizzling. Although WHAT THE HEART KNOWS is lighter than some of Kathleen Eagle's previous novels, it is an outstanding read and I highly recommend it. ~Sharon Laird for Bookbug on the Web
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