Jayne Ann Krentz books aren't usually set in the Southwest, but
her heroes come from the stuff of legends of that area. They are usually
cowboys and pioneers in one form or another, even if they drive Porsches
instead of riding horses. Or do they? In Saxon's Lady, Jayne Ann Krentz's
hero is a definite throwback to the cowboys of the last century.
Garth Saxon was a man from a small farming and ranching town in
California. He was solid, dependable, and truthful to the point of being
blunt. He was wealthy, but most of his money went back into his horse farm
Hawk's Flight. He was also a man who had waited a year to marry his bride.
Ms. Devon Ellwood, said bride in question, had stipulated that she needed a
year of freedom before she would marry him. The year is up and now our hero
has come to claim his bride.
The story begins the day Devon's "Year of Freedom" is over. She had
spent the last 6 years before raising her two teenage brother, but once the
youngest had gone off to college, she decided that she was going to taste
city life for herself. Unfortunately she doesn't reckon on her good friend
Garth Saxon having plans of his own. Garth has decided that Devon would
make him the perfect wife. When he hears of Devon's plans he sweeps her off
her feet for a night of passion where he gets her to agree to marry him.
Well, one year later, 364 days to be precise, Garth comes to San Francisco to
get his bride and bring her back to Hawk Springs, California. However, much
to his chagrin, Devon has adapted beautifully to city life, and now has
doubts about marrying Garth. Garth, however, gets Devon to agree both to
marriage and to going back to Hawk Springs.
Once there however, Devon makes big changes in Garth Saxon's life. She
plans a large wedding and a reception for 200 with a week in Hawaii for the
honeymoon rather than the small wedding at the house with a weekend
honeymoon looking at farms and horses that Garth was planning. She cooks
food like pasta primavera and chicken curry rather than just pot roast or
steak. She convinces him to help his step-brother Ryan out with his new
computer business. And of course in the end she makes him realize how much
they love, as well as trust each other.
One of the main reasons I enjoyed this book was Garth Saxon, because he
reminds me of many of guys I know. Honest and sweet, but arrogant and sure
they know what is best for you. The way he lets Devon wrap him around her
little finger and make changes in his life gives me hope. Saxon's Lady
sort of reminds me of "Green Acres," with the city sophisticate lady and the
gentleman farmer. But Devon is much more accomplished at country living that
Eva Gabor's character ever was, and Garth, like most of JAK's heroes, is very
capable and sure of himself.
I especially like this book because the conflict was not so much the
hero and heroine against each other, for whatever reason, but more like the
hero and heroine knowing and liking each other and the conflict being about
how they tolerate each others "quirks." Garth tolerating Devon's living
room and never knowing what will be for dinner, and Devon dealing with
Garth's moods and I-know-what's-best attitude.
Although compared with some of her earlier heroes, Garth is an absolute
pussycat, and he rides to her rescue at least twice in the book: once
against a mean gossipy old neighbor and then again rescuing her from the
clutches of a drunk, slick, computer salesman. But it is not all
one-sided. Devon makes is her goal to have her husband-to-be relax more,
laugh more, and have fun. You know almost from the beginning of the book (at
least by the end of the first chapter) that these are two people who will do
very well together. They respect and like each other, as well as being hot
for each other (I have to say that I did like the sex scenes in this book,
they were cracking jokes and teasing each other, and it was very cute).
My overall rating for this book is a A-. Not her best book ever (that
was "Grand Passion"), but it was up there among the 5 best. Her secondary
characters were nicely done here as well as her primary characters. The
housekeeper, the farm hands, and acquaintances of the couple are nicely
fleshed out in this book. I think it was used as a way of showing the
closeness of the Hawk's Springs community. Though the reader knows more
about Ryan, Garth's brother, you get a lot of background information on
Devon's brother. Again this helps the reader to get a better understanding
of the conflict going on in the heroine's head. Why she was so reluctant to
go back to the small town where she was born and raised. All in all this
was a sweet, fun read; great for a gray, muggy day like today was.
S. D. Buddhu
I received my first taste of JAK's writing through my introduction to the
Stephanie James books published by Silhouette Desire in 1982. Twenty-four
S. James books later and I was well and truly hooked. Fortunately, I kept
all of those originals when I subscribed to that series. This was unusual
for me as I normally traded or passed paperbacks on to friends or
relatives. But I couldn't seem to part with those S James books. Over
the years I have re-read these twenty-four books several times. I've
enjoyed all of them, certain ones more than others. Saxon's Lady which
happens to be the last book JAK wrote as Stephanie James, Second Wife and
The Challoner Bride were the only ones that I found somewhat disappointing.
These were the last three books JAK wrote for the Desire series. It is my
opinion that at this point JAK had become somewhat insipid within the
confines of the Desire story line constraints. Let's just say these last
three Silhouette Desire titles did not have the spark and sparkle of their
predecessors. But nevertheless I thought my first Desire's review would
be of Saxon's Lady because it was JAK's last Desire book and also because
so many of our "JAK site sisters" have mentioned it on the BB and the Ask
JAK page.
Devon Elwood should have known she couldn't hide from Garth Saxon (she
wasn't even trying to very hard). "But the logical, rational part of her
had been so sure the year of freedom would have done its job, so certain
that the rash promise she'd made exactly 364 days ago would have been
forgotten." (HA! An alpha male never forgets!) But Devon is only deluding
herself because Garth Saxon has an inexorable granite-hard quality that
very little in life can effect. Once he has made his choice there is no
deviating from his path. He can be compared to a dog with a bone, talk
about an overly alpha to say the least. Garth is also an "I told you so"
kind of guy, all knowing despite his own insecurities. (Can you tell that
Garth is not one of my favorite JAK guys?)
Devon on the other hand knows there is not much softness to Garth (her work
is cut out for her with this guy). He has no masculine beauty except for
his long-lashed gray eyes, which are described as being either cold or warm
pursuant to his mood. He is a big, well-muscled, practical man with a calm
determination who will hold Devon to the promise he coaxed from her one
year ago during a night of "seemingly endless passion" (JAK's flashback
description of that night was satisfyingly sensual). So Garth can be
summed up as an early version JAK alpha guy. My problem with him was his
lack of balance as evidenced by his stubborn determination to have things
all his own way. His compromises were always grudgingly given. JAK did
not quite reach the balance between the alphaness and sensitivity that she
usually accomplishes with the majority of her heroes. We know Garth has a
sensitive side because at times we are privy to his thoughts throughout
this book. If he would just share a little of those thoughts with Devon, I
for one could have been won over. But a-lack, he didn't – the hard head!
Devon is an attractive ex-country girl who is playing at being a
sophisticated city girl. While Garth, the ex-city guy, only wants the
quiet county life of a horse breeder with the country girl, Devon used to
be. Conflict ahead, will these two find harmony? Of course and we
wouldn't want it any other way!
As for Devon, for a JAK heroine she is somewhat ambivalent. 'Oh I love, I
want him but can I stand to live with him?' I got really aggravated with
her. Like -- take him or leave him already but for goodness sake make up
your mind. Quit jerking the guy around, you've made him wait a whole year,
now get on with it. Oh, I forgot, this ambivalence is what drives this
plot. So I said to myself, but she does have a good reason to hold back
from a commitment with Garth. Geez, I'm starting to sound like Devon
myself! (If you want to know Devon's reason but can't get this book to
read I'll gladly spill the beans.)
To sum it up, I didn't particularly like this book mainly due to the
dialogue. It just kind of sat there. I know JAK has done better as
evidenced by the twenty-one other Desire books I've read and reread
countless times. But hey, I guess we are all entitled to an off day or an
off book. I did like the development of Devon's intervention on behalf of
Ryan, Garth's younger brother. Ryan shared Devon's interests and need for
city lights as well as being nearly the same age. Of course I like the
fact that JAK, as in all her books imparted that sense of integrity and
loyalty within this hero and heroine. When all is said and done the
heroine does come through for the reader by effecting a change for the
better within this hero. Although in this book it was a somewhat belabored
effort. Sorry JAK fans, but when I go for a re-read Saxon's Lady is not
one of the JAK Desire book I gravitate towards. But for a JAK fan it's
still a book you'll want to at least read if not add to your collection as
a keeper. It did have its moments.
Rebecca Kona
