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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Book is okay. Better than some of Joan Johnston’s other books.
Basically everyone in the two main families are fighting each other. And OMG!, everyone seems to be sleeping with everyone else. Hard to keep track of who fathered who. Peyton Place has nothing on these people.
At first, it appears that incest may be going on but then we find out that the father really isn’t the father. Sheesh!!!! Apparently only two families live in Bitter Creek!
It okay.
Basically everyone in the two main families are fighting each other. And OMG!, everyone seems to be sleeping with everyone else. Hard to keep track of who fathered who. Peyton Place has nothing on these people.
At first, it appears that incest may be going on but then we find out that the father really isn’t the father. Sheesh!!!! Apparently only two families live in Bitter Creek!
It okay.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Grief, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment
Loving and being loved is never easy. Especially when those that claim to be looking out for your best interest take every chance to tear you down. I received an ARC of Shameless in exchange for an honest review. This is a story that has it all. Pippa naively fell for a man that did not share her feelings. Now pregnant, ashamed and scorned she is faced with another change when her father up roots the family and heads to America. This was a drastic decision but his heart was in the right place, he wanted to protect his child. It was a self sacrificing decision that he made knowing his own family issues. This is an emotionally frustrating story that is as heartbreaking as it is inspiring. There is so much I can praise about Joan Johnston's story of love and courage, but to me experiencing it is better than hearing about it.
This is the first book I've read from this series and I found that I really enjoyed it. I found there was too much going on with different storylines and different points of view but overall it was a good quick read and I can't wait to read more!!
The continuing story of the Grayhawks and the Flynns. In the previous book, Sinful, Matt Grayhawk had moved his family from Australia back to his estranged father's ranch in Wyoming. The timing was good, in his opinion, because his twenty year old daughter is pregnant with a married man's baby and suffering from the small-minded attitudes of the locals. Moving to America will give her a fresh start.
But things aren't going smoothly. Matt's treatment of his half sisters, who were expecting the ranch to be theirs, is particularly nasty, and in turn they take out their frustrations on Pippa. Riding out to escape the tension, she meets Devon Flynn, a neighboring rancher and son of her grandfather's bitterest enemy. He provides a calm port in the turbulent storm of her life, and she accepts his offer of refuge at his home.
Devon is the youngest of the "Wild Flynns" and the one who avoids his family whenever possible. He has his own ranch a good distance from the rest of his family, where he works his land and cares for the injured animals he finds. He sees a lot of similarities between Pippa and those animals, and is determined to help her too.
Devon and Pippa are attracted to each other from the beginning, but there are reasons to fight it. Pippa is still recovering from her broken heart and is wary of trusting another man. She's also carrying that man's baby and believes that would ruin any chance of a relationship with Devon. On his side, Devon is related to Pippa, he's older than she is, and there is the feud between their families. But he can't deny what is happening between them.
They began by becoming friends, attempting to bury the feelings of attraction. Working together with his animals and around the ranch, they took the time to get to know each other. There were many things they had in common and they grew closer. The attraction was also burning hotter and becoming harder to fight. Pippa knows she has to tell Devon about her pregnancy before they move to the next step, but she's afraid of what his reaction would be.
At the same time, there is major drama going on with the rest of the family, with a lot of secrets being kept. Pippa grew up without her mother, believing that the woman is dead. Thanks to manipulation and lies by their parents, Matt and Jennie had been separated. Through some devious efforts, Matt had taken custody of Pippa and fled to Australia, leaving Jennie behind. When all the truth comes out, there are hurt and angry feelings on all sides, with Matt deserving a great deal of what he gets. In the meantime, Devon, who has often felt different and isolated from his family, learns some devastating news that explains a lot. This, on top of finding out about Pippa's pregnancy, throws him into turmoil of his own. Then there is something going on between Angus Flynn and King Grayhawk, where Angus has been plotting some serious revenge that has dire consequences for the entire Grayhawk family. At the end of the book, two family members are missing in a forest fire, and their fate is unknown.
As everything comes to a head, Devon and Pippa have to decide if they can move past their own fears to a life together. In spite of what a jerk he can be, I liked the way that Angus Flynn provided a good example to Devon as to what was possible. I also liked seeing the way that Pippa discovered that she had the strength of will to go after what she wanted.
But things aren't going smoothly. Matt's treatment of his half sisters, who were expecting the ranch to be theirs, is particularly nasty, and in turn they take out their frustrations on Pippa. Riding out to escape the tension, she meets Devon Flynn, a neighboring rancher and son of her grandfather's bitterest enemy. He provides a calm port in the turbulent storm of her life, and she accepts his offer of refuge at his home.
Devon is the youngest of the "Wild Flynns" and the one who avoids his family whenever possible. He has his own ranch a good distance from the rest of his family, where he works his land and cares for the injured animals he finds. He sees a lot of similarities between Pippa and those animals, and is determined to help her too.
Devon and Pippa are attracted to each other from the beginning, but there are reasons to fight it. Pippa is still recovering from her broken heart and is wary of trusting another man. She's also carrying that man's baby and believes that would ruin any chance of a relationship with Devon. On his side, Devon is related to Pippa, he's older than she is, and there is the feud between their families. But he can't deny what is happening between them.
They began by becoming friends, attempting to bury the feelings of attraction. Working together with his animals and around the ranch, they took the time to get to know each other. There were many things they had in common and they grew closer. The attraction was also burning hotter and becoming harder to fight. Pippa knows she has to tell Devon about her pregnancy before they move to the next step, but she's afraid of what his reaction would be.
At the same time, there is major drama going on with the rest of the family, with a lot of secrets being kept. Pippa grew up without her mother, believing that the woman is dead. Thanks to manipulation and lies by their parents, Matt and Jennie had been separated. Through some devious efforts, Matt had taken custody of Pippa and fled to Australia, leaving Jennie behind. When all the truth comes out, there are hurt and angry feelings on all sides, with Matt deserving a great deal of what he gets. In the meantime, Devon, who has often felt different and isolated from his family, learns some devastating news that explains a lot. This, on top of finding out about Pippa's pregnancy, throws him into turmoil of his own. Then there is something going on between Angus Flynn and King Grayhawk, where Angus has been plotting some serious revenge that has dire consequences for the entire Grayhawk family. At the end of the book, two family members are missing in a forest fire, and their fate is unknown.
As everything comes to a head, Devon and Pippa have to decide if they can move past their own fears to a life together. In spite of what a jerk he can be, I liked the way that Angus Flynn provided a good example to Devon as to what was possible. I also liked seeing the way that Pippa discovered that she had the strength of will to go after what she wanted.
It was okay. Heroine was really naive. Dad did an unforgiveable thing so I don't know if I could get over his lie of omission. This family drama was a big circle of lies, omissions and vengeful acts.
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
Pippa Greyhawk, thought that she was in love with a fellow ranchhand that worked with her father. But then she learns that she is pregnant, and that Tim is actually married. She is burned from the scandal of it all, and her father takes her and her brother from their home in Australia, back to the states. In some ways, Pippa isn't sure that America is any better for her. She is despised by her father's sisters, but there is one man that treats her more humanely than anyone else does...Devon Flynn. Devon runs a horse ranch, and his land is right next to the Greyhawks. But then he meets Pippa on the mountain, and they start becoming good friends. Pippa moves in with him for a short time, when things at home get too intense for her. Soon their fragile friendship turns into something more. But both Devon and Pippa are keeping secrets from each other. Secrets that could tear apart what they have built together.
Devon Flynn, is the youngest of the Flynn boys. Devon always felt that he was blamed for his mothers death and that there has always been a hidden secret about her but has never been able to discover the real truth. Devon is intelligent and has a talent for horses. Devon has been honest about his intentions toward Pippa. Devon is upfront and full of integrity. What I liked about his character is his stubborn tenacity when it comes to Pippa. She is stubborn about taking their relationship to the next level, but Devon is as driven as a bull in mating season. He knows that Pippa is the real thing, and refuses to give her up. I really liked his character, because Devon is one of those characters that takes everything in stride and fights for what he wants.
Pippa Greyhawk is her fathers daughter in many ways but in other ways I feel like she could have had a tougher backbone. She is 20 years old, but she doesn't stand up for herself as much as I thought she was able at times. Most especially when her aunts are pretty mean to her. But Pippa in other moments, I grew to really like. She is more reserved and keeps to herself, but she also is courageous in moments that matter. My big issue with her was her denial when it came to her relationship with Devon. She is always pushing him away, but I honestly couldn't understand her persistence in keeping their relationship platonic when its obvious she wants more than that. So in some ways her character was contrary in ways that didn't completely make sense. But I grew to like her in the end.
Shameless is a story that I have been waiting for since I read Sinful. I love that Johnston has returned back to the rivalry. In Shameless we don't see the family rival tension as much as we did in Sinful. Which I was kinda looking forward to, but Shameless has a softer tension to it. I felt that Joan Johnston handled the secret pregnancy pretty well. I never do like secrets like this, and even though I felt like Pippa kept the secret a bit too long, it did add certain conflict to the relationship that I felt was needed for these two. From the beginning, I was hooked on their romance. It starts out sweet and gentle and I love the flow of these two together. They have instant sparks, but the focus is building up the friendship first and then slowly the sexual chemistry builds between them. What I do admire about Joan Johnston is that she doesn't place tons of sex into her romance and delivers a beautiful love story every time that I read her. That holds true for this one. Even though there are some moments that I had some issues--but in all honesty as a whole...this was a story that was utterly enjoyable and had its fun delicious moments.
The side characters int he story really added depth to the plot. What I find interesting was seeing a different side to Matt's sisters (Matt is Pippa's father). In Sinful, we see more of their side but in Shameless we see how difficult it is for Matt and his kids. They are treated like lepers, both of them Pippa and her younger brother who I believe is only seven at the time of this story. I really liked the brother. He was so adorable, and it was quite enchanting seeing Pippa's relationship with him. You can tell they are very close, and she understands him in ways her father never will because he has been gone a lot in their lives running the family ranch in Australia. We also have a side romantic plot dealing with Matt and Pippa's mother Jennie. There was a bit of a cliff hanger dealing with these two. I am hoping in the next book, we see more of their romance.
But as a whole, Shamless is a story that I loved and couldn't get enough of. Way to go Joan Johnston....keep more books coming.
I adore this cover....so sweet and romantic. I love the pose here, sitting on the rock (which is very relevant to the story), and I love her dress. So classy.
Shameless is a vibrant and tender romance that kept me captivated from the beginning. Joan Johnston has added a wonderful addition to this Bitter Creek Series that will leave you breathless for more!!
Summary
Pippa Greyhawk, thought that she was in love with a fellow ranchhand that worked with her father. But then she learns that she is pregnant, and that Tim is actually married. She is burned from the scandal of it all, and her father takes her and her brother from their home in Australia, back to the states. In some ways, Pippa isn't sure that America is any better for her. She is despised by her father's sisters, but there is one man that treats her more humanely than anyone else does...Devon Flynn. Devon runs a horse ranch, and his land is right next to the Greyhawks. But then he meets Pippa on the mountain, and they start becoming good friends. Pippa moves in with him for a short time, when things at home get too intense for her. Soon their fragile friendship turns into something more. But both Devon and Pippa are keeping secrets from each other. Secrets that could tear apart what they have built together.
The Hero
Devon Flynn, is the youngest of the Flynn boys. Devon always felt that he was blamed for his mothers death and that there has always been a hidden secret about her but has never been able to discover the real truth. Devon is intelligent and has a talent for horses. Devon has been honest about his intentions toward Pippa. Devon is upfront and full of integrity. What I liked about his character is his stubborn tenacity when it comes to Pippa. She is stubborn about taking their relationship to the next level, but Devon is as driven as a bull in mating season. He knows that Pippa is the real thing, and refuses to give her up. I really liked his character, because Devon is one of those characters that takes everything in stride and fights for what he wants.
The Heroine
Pippa Greyhawk is her fathers daughter in many ways but in other ways I feel like she could have had a tougher backbone. She is 20 years old, but she doesn't stand up for herself as much as I thought she was able at times. Most especially when her aunts are pretty mean to her. But Pippa in other moments, I grew to really like. She is more reserved and keeps to herself, but she also is courageous in moments that matter. My big issue with her was her denial when it came to her relationship with Devon. She is always pushing him away, but I honestly couldn't understand her persistence in keeping their relationship platonic when its obvious she wants more than that. So in some ways her character was contrary in ways that didn't completely make sense. But I grew to like her in the end.
Plot and Story Line
Shameless is a story that I have been waiting for since I read Sinful. I love that Johnston has returned back to the rivalry. In Shameless we don't see the family rival tension as much as we did in Sinful. Which I was kinda looking forward to, but Shameless has a softer tension to it. I felt that Joan Johnston handled the secret pregnancy pretty well. I never do like secrets like this, and even though I felt like Pippa kept the secret a bit too long, it did add certain conflict to the relationship that I felt was needed for these two. From the beginning, I was hooked on their romance. It starts out sweet and gentle and I love the flow of these two together. They have instant sparks, but the focus is building up the friendship first and then slowly the sexual chemistry builds between them. What I do admire about Joan Johnston is that she doesn't place tons of sex into her romance and delivers a beautiful love story every time that I read her. That holds true for this one. Even though there are some moments that I had some issues--but in all honesty as a whole...this was a story that was utterly enjoyable and had its fun delicious moments.
The side characters int he story really added depth to the plot. What I find interesting was seeing a different side to Matt's sisters (Matt is Pippa's father). In Sinful, we see more of their side but in Shameless we see how difficult it is for Matt and his kids. They are treated like lepers, both of them Pippa and her younger brother who I believe is only seven at the time of this story. I really liked the brother. He was so adorable, and it was quite enchanting seeing Pippa's relationship with him. You can tell they are very close, and she understands him in ways her father never will because he has been gone a lot in their lives running the family ranch in Australia. We also have a side romantic plot dealing with Matt and Pippa's mother Jennie. There was a bit of a cliff hanger dealing with these two. I am hoping in the next book, we see more of their romance.
But as a whole, Shamless is a story that I loved and couldn't get enough of. Way to go Joan Johnston....keep more books coming.
The Cover
I adore this cover....so sweet and romantic. I love the pose here, sitting on the rock (which is very relevant to the story), and I love her dress. So classy.
Overall View
Shameless is a vibrant and tender romance that kept me captivated from the beginning. Joan Johnston has added a wonderful addition to this Bitter Creek Series that will leave you breathless for more!!
Shameless by Joan Johnston is a 2015 Dell publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked the first book in this arc, which is a part of the long running Bitter Creek series. I knew Pippa’s story was next in line, and I was curious about her, so I’ve been looking forward to reading this one.
I was a tiny bit concerned about reading a book centered around a girl Pippa’s age, since, with only one or two exceptions, I have long since jumped off the New Adult bandwagon. So, I was counting on the adult characters to even things out a little, if things got too angsty.
As it turns out, Pippa was exasperating at times, but to be fair, she was very isolated and sheltered while growing up and didn’t have a mother figure in her life. She has a lot on her plate, and no support system. What about her father, Matt, you ask? Well, I had a very difficult time with him. He was more worried about how Pippa’s pregnancy would reflect on him when people learned she was not married and the baby’s father abandoned her because he was already married.
He was controlling and ill tempered, was quick to resort to physical violence, and then he dropped a bombshell that sealed the deal for me. I couldn’t wrap my brain around the logic behind his decisions, and thought he was the ultimate hypocrite. So, no, I felt like Pippa was left floundering with hormones and a house filled with hate, and her father’s disapproval and attempts to manipulate her.
Thankfully, she meets Devon, who turns out be just the stable, patient sort of person she needs right now. But, the odds are against them from the get go, because Devon is one of the dreaded Flynn brothers and of course Pippa is a Grayhawk. (For those just tuning in, the Flynn’s and Grayhawk’s have a long running, bitter family feud, that would give the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s a run for their money) Not only that, Devon discovers a dark family secret of his own, and Pippa is withholding vital information from him, and insisting they keep their relationship platonic.
If you like a good sudsy drama with lots of plot twists and dark family secrets, you will love this one. Every once in a while, this type of book is just what I’m in the mood for. But, I had a few problems with some areas in the book, most of which had nothing to do with the writing or plot, but with my personal feelings about the characters. Matt for one, and then the way Pippa was treated like a high school teen, when she is nearly twenty. She’s old enough to make her own decisions, but she squirmed under her father’s thumb entirely too long. She didn’t appear to be making any plans for how she was going to support herself or her child, but did manage to get herself to a doctor, finally. The concern over her feelings for the baby’s father was absurd, in my opinion. Women love their babies no matter what the situation is with the father. (In most cases)
The guys in this story were just terrible. They were so busy nursing their own wounded pride and hurt feelings to give much thought to what was going on with Pippa. I mean, she is alone, about to have baby, and had just learned some pretty shocking information about her family, and was trying to cope with the feelings she had for Devon. Did she do the right thing at all times? No, and I did wonder what the big deal was, and why she couldn’t tell Devon the whole truth. But, then again, after the way Matt treated her, I could kind of understand her reluctance.
For some reason, the attitudes and actions in this story seem outdated. Many women have children without benefit of marriage and aren’t scorned by the community. Pippa didn’t intentionally begin an affair with a married man, she was just naïve, not to mention the “raising another man’s child’ thing, and the pressure to put the baby up for adoption. This is 2016, and yes, being a single parent is hard work, but it also has its rewards, and it certainly won’t prevent someone from going to school, having a full time career, getting married to the right man, or living a full, happy, contented life. Pippa’s life may have been sidetracked, but she didn’t seem like the college bound, career driven, “I’ve got big plans” type of girl to start off with.
As for some critical plot issues, there are a few open ended threads that were left hanging. Those circumstances were pretty dire and to have Pippa and Devon enjoying a HEA under that cloud didn’t seem right. It was almost too flippant, but, the author did assure us those issues will be addressed in the next book. Hopefully, Matt will get a story of his own, someday, so he can redeem himself. That will be an interesting story, for sure, since he as dug himself quite a hole. But, for now, the cliffhanger parts of this story will have to be addressed first.
Judging by my previous statements it would seem I didn’t care for this installment, and no, it wasn’t as good as the first book, in my opinion, but it was also strangely absorbing and I found myself invested in the characters and going through periods of empathy and righteous indignation, so despite some of my reservations I didn’t completely dislike the book, and I am still interested in seeing how things play out in the next book. Devon did eventually come around, got over his wounded pride and hurt feelings and stepped up for Pippa in a big way, redeeming himself nicely. So, despite their unconventional and rocky road to romance, I ended up liking this couple and am pulling for them all the way.
Naturally, I struggled with how to rate this one, so I’ll go with a nice, safe, middle of the road 3. It was okay, and does have a solid enough entertainment value.
I really liked the first book in this arc, which is a part of the long running Bitter Creek series. I knew Pippa’s story was next in line, and I was curious about her, so I’ve been looking forward to reading this one.
I was a tiny bit concerned about reading a book centered around a girl Pippa’s age, since, with only one or two exceptions, I have long since jumped off the New Adult bandwagon. So, I was counting on the adult characters to even things out a little, if things got too angsty.
As it turns out, Pippa was exasperating at times, but to be fair, she was very isolated and sheltered while growing up and didn’t have a mother figure in her life. She has a lot on her plate, and no support system. What about her father, Matt, you ask? Well, I had a very difficult time with him. He was more worried about how Pippa’s pregnancy would reflect on him when people learned she was not married and the baby’s father abandoned her because he was already married.
He was controlling and ill tempered, was quick to resort to physical violence, and then he dropped a bombshell that sealed the deal for me. I couldn’t wrap my brain around the logic behind his decisions, and thought he was the ultimate hypocrite. So, no, I felt like Pippa was left floundering with hormones and a house filled with hate, and her father’s disapproval and attempts to manipulate her.
Thankfully, she meets Devon, who turns out be just the stable, patient sort of person she needs right now. But, the odds are against them from the get go, because Devon is one of the dreaded Flynn brothers and of course Pippa is a Grayhawk. (For those just tuning in, the Flynn’s and Grayhawk’s have a long running, bitter family feud, that would give the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s a run for their money) Not only that, Devon discovers a dark family secret of his own, and Pippa is withholding vital information from him, and insisting they keep their relationship platonic.
If you like a good sudsy drama with lots of plot twists and dark family secrets, you will love this one. Every once in a while, this type of book is just what I’m in the mood for. But, I had a few problems with some areas in the book, most of which had nothing to do with the writing or plot, but with my personal feelings about the characters. Matt for one, and then the way Pippa was treated like a high school teen, when she is nearly twenty. She’s old enough to make her own decisions, but she squirmed under her father’s thumb entirely too long. She didn’t appear to be making any plans for how she was going to support herself or her child, but did manage to get herself to a doctor, finally. The concern over her feelings for the baby’s father was absurd, in my opinion. Women love their babies no matter what the situation is with the father. (In most cases)
The guys in this story were just terrible. They were so busy nursing their own wounded pride and hurt feelings to give much thought to what was going on with Pippa. I mean, she is alone, about to have baby, and had just learned some pretty shocking information about her family, and was trying to cope with the feelings she had for Devon. Did she do the right thing at all times? No, and I did wonder what the big deal was, and why she couldn’t tell Devon the whole truth. But, then again, after the way Matt treated her, I could kind of understand her reluctance.
For some reason, the attitudes and actions in this story seem outdated. Many women have children without benefit of marriage and aren’t scorned by the community. Pippa didn’t intentionally begin an affair with a married man, she was just naïve, not to mention the “raising another man’s child’ thing, and the pressure to put the baby up for adoption. This is 2016, and yes, being a single parent is hard work, but it also has its rewards, and it certainly won’t prevent someone from going to school, having a full time career, getting married to the right man, or living a full, happy, contented life. Pippa’s life may have been sidetracked, but she didn’t seem like the college bound, career driven, “I’ve got big plans” type of girl to start off with.
As for some critical plot issues, there are a few open ended threads that were left hanging. Those circumstances were pretty dire and to have Pippa and Devon enjoying a HEA under that cloud didn’t seem right. It was almost too flippant, but, the author did assure us those issues will be addressed in the next book. Hopefully, Matt will get a story of his own, someday, so he can redeem himself. That will be an interesting story, for sure, since he as dug himself quite a hole. But, for now, the cliffhanger parts of this story will have to be addressed first.
Judging by my previous statements it would seem I didn’t care for this installment, and no, it wasn’t as good as the first book, in my opinion, but it was also strangely absorbing and I found myself invested in the characters and going through periods of empathy and righteous indignation, so despite some of my reservations I didn’t completely dislike the book, and I am still interested in seeing how things play out in the next book. Devon did eventually come around, got over his wounded pride and hurt feelings and stepped up for Pippa in a big way, redeeming himself nicely. So, despite their unconventional and rocky road to romance, I ended up liking this couple and am pulling for them all the way.
Naturally, I struggled with how to rate this one, so I’ll go with a nice, safe, middle of the road 3. It was okay, and does have a solid enough entertainment value.
This is book 10 in the Bitter Creek series and it features Pippa Grayhawk and Devon Flynn. Theirs is a type of insta-love. Even though it was quick, I wasn’t really feeling the connection. Unlike the other books I’ve read in this series, I couldn’t feel the emotions rolling of the pages. Pippa is 19 years old and she acts like it. Devon is 28 and he’s so stubborn it’s almost irritating. Pippa’s father, Matt, is a real jerk. I realize things have happened to him in the past but he’s behaving horribly to his half-sisters he doesn’t even know.
This book was good but not my favorite. I’m looking forward to reading more of this series.
This book was good but not my favorite. I’m looking forward to reading more of this series.