Sunday, January 4, 2015

Joan Johnston -- Shattered

Joan Johnston -- Shattered

Rated: - ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡   {-5.00}

Setting:       Houston, Texas
Era:             Present Day (2010)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Never, Never, Never have I picked up a book that was so disappointing that I literally cried at what the author had done.

Having just spent the past couple of months doing re-reads of Joan Johnston's books to "remember" what happened to all the characters leading up to Kate and Jack's story, it was finally time to pick up Jack and Kate's book, Shattered, the eighth book in The Bitter Creek Series.   To say I was devastated was an understatement.

When Kate had sex with Wyatt the first time, I kept thinking, No, No, No, No.   Please, Joan, don't do this!   I struggled to keep reading and made it to page 192 before finally putting this book down.   I couldn't keep reading this book.

And Joan Johnston got crossed off my "Favorite Authors" list.   I don't care how entertaining I find her books and her gift of telling a story . . . to make us fall in love with Jack and Kate and to wait and wait and wait for their happily-ever-after and to split them up!   It's Unforgivable!

I refused to keep reading as Johnston kept trying to make Wyatt and Holly worthy "happily-ever-afters" to Jack and Kate.   If Jack and Kate weren't going to end up together -- the book just wasn't worth reading.
--Vonda M. Reid (Sunday, January 4, 2015 : 6:04 p.m.)     [355]

Books In The Series: "The Bitter Creek Series"
# Date Title Hero Heroine
01.02-2000The CowboyTrace Blackthorne: eldest sonCallie Creed: eldest daughter
  secondary story:Jackson "Blackjack" Blackthorne: family patriarchLauren "Ren" Creed: family matriarch
02.03-2001The TexanOwen Blackthorne: Texas RangerBayleigh "Bay" Creed: veterinarian
  secondary story:Jackson "Blackjack" Blackthorne: family patriarchLauren "Ren" Creed: family matriarch
  secondary story:'Bad' Billy Coburn: dirt poor, town bad boySummer Blackthorne: spoiled little rich girl
03.03-2002The LonerBilly Coburn: dirt poor, town bad boySummer Blackthorne: spoiled little rich girl
  secondary story:Jackson "Blackjack" Blackthorne: family patriarchLauren "Ren" Creed: family matriarch
  secondary story:Sam Creed: eldest sonEmma Coburn: Billy's sister
04.03-2003The PriceLuke Creed: Houston D&B attorneyAmelia "Amy" Hazeltine Nash: his high school sweetheart
  secondary story:Drew Dewitt: Houston D&B attorneyGrayson Choate: Houston D&B attorney
05.09-2004The RivalsDrew DeWitt: wealthy playboySarah Barndollar: Teton County Deputy Sheriff
  secondary story:Clayton "Clay" Blackthorne: U.S. Attorney GeneralElsbeth "Libby" Grayhawk: back-country guide
06.09-2005The Next Mrs. BlackthorneNorth Grayhawk: Texas and Wyoming rancherJocelyn Montrose: socialite
  secondary story:Jack McKinley: former NFL quarterback, playboyKatherine "Kate" Grayhawk: UT freshman
  secondary story:Clayton "Clay" Blackthorne: new Federal JudgeElsbeth "Libby" Grayhawk: wilderness guide
07.07-2007A Stranger's GameBreed Grayhawk: FBI AgentGrace Caldwell: framed for murder
  secondary story:Jack McKinley: Texas RangerKatherine "Kate" Grayhawk Pendleton: mother of twins
08.01-2010ShatteredWyatt Shaw: billionaireKatherine "Kate" Grayhawk Pendleton: physical therapist
  secondary story:Jack McKinley: Texas RangerHolly Gayle Tanner McKinley: pediatric oncologist
09.04-2012Texas Bride [1]Jacob "Jake" CreedMiranda Wentworth
10.01-2013Wyoming Bride [1]Flint CreedHannah Wentworth McMurty
10e03-2014A Bitter Creek Christmas. . .. . .
11.01-2014Montana Bride [1]Karl NorwoodHetty Wentworth
12.05-2014SinfulConnor Flynn: widower, Delta ForceEve Grayhawk:
[1]   These books are listed as a Historical Romance Sub-Series entitled "The Mail Order Brides".

Characters Found In "Shattered" {up to page 192}
Character Description
Wyatt Shaw[Hero] a tall, rangy man with silver-streaked black hair and steel-gray eyes (9) quiet, raspy voice; ruthless gray eyes; lean, powerful body coiled behind a stone-and-glass desk, like a silent predator stalking unsuspecting prey; indecently wealthy (11) office on 80th floor of Shaw Tower; 6'4" (12) enigmatic man (13) biological father of Kate's twin sons (14) extraordinarily good-looking young man with silver wings in his black hair; used new Centurion black AMEX card; infamous father; bastard son to Dante D'Amanto (14) net worth over half a billion; woman found strangled in his bed 6-wks-a; mother died under suspicious circumstances when he was 12; Feds monitored every dollar in an out of his many business activities , looking for enough evidence to bring down his empire (16) never been married (17) lived a life without strings, a life without human connections (18) thick lashes; sharp cheekbones; steel-gray eyes; raspy voice; powerful body; broad shoulders; whorls of black hair on his chest (24) 38-y-o (25) lips were pressed flat and bracketed by deep grooves; his deep set gray eyes reminded Kate of thunderous storm clouds; wearing a Savile Row suit that should have made him looked civilized; instead she saw the tension beneath the masterfully tailored cloth, the power in corded sinew and bone; long-fingered hands (26) accused of graft and corruption, of extortion and murder (29) ruthless man capable of anything (63) hates cats (94) had his emotions well contained (95) arrogant as sin; wealthy as hell (101) D'Amanto sent him to exclusive prep schools, then Harvard (104) broad shoulders; six-pack abs (166) wealth evidence of his intelligence; inventive; integrity (185)
Katherine "Kate" Grayhawk Pendleton[Heroine] 4-month-long coma (7) when 19-y-o, impetuously married J.D. Pendleton when rejected by Jack (8) long black hair (9) strikingly beautiful (14) lives in San Antonio; Texas governor's daughter-in-law; widowed 18-mo-a; shot last October by assassin trying to kill governor; in coma for 4 months; 6 weeks in rehab (19) had never been a good liar (28) 30-y-o (54) physical therapist to amputees at Brooke Army Medical Center (65) fell for Jack at 19, 10-y-o when a University of Texas student (113) enjoyed matching wits with Wyatt (172)
. . .. . .
Jack McKinley[Hero] Texas Ranger; the love of Kate's life (8) dark brown eyes; sun-streaked chestnut hair; tall; skin was burnished by the sun and wind (35) fractious 9-year marriage; 15-y-o when met Holly; high school football quarterback (39) went to University of Houston at Austin on football scholarship (40) a pro football quarterback had been driven from the game, accused, but not tried and convicted, of shaving points in the Super Bowl. He'd lost the restaurant he'd opened in Austin to the IRS for unpaid taxes; because of his suspected involvement in a national gambling scandal, he had been offered the chance to work undercover as a Texas Ranger to bring down a mob-controlled gambling syndicate; saw Holly at 15th high school reunion; proposed the next day (40) undercover assignment; investigating a businessman Houston (45) uniform: a crisp, long-sleeved white Western shirt with a bolo tie with a silver clasp, Wrangler jeans, a Western hat and cowboy boots; SIG Sauer P226 (47) his teammates had refused to play with him; he'd been forced from the game of football, and his name had been forever blackened (112) meet Kate when 32, trying to put his life back together (113) Sergeant (117) reliable; responsible (152) good looking (153) 43-y-o (157)
Holly Gayle Tanner McKinley[Heroine] Jack's soon-to-be-ex-wife; lives in Kansas (38) fractious 9-year marriage; 13-y-o when met Jack; long curly auburn hair; leaf-green eyes; freckled nose; wide, friendly smile (39) renowned pediatric oncologist (40) 41-y-o (51) had always loved Jack but never trusted him (147) growing up in small East Texas town like Kountze hadn't been easy for girl with big dreams and a drunk for a father; eldest of five (147) brains could get her a scholarship; beauty would get her just about anything else; fascinated to discover how much feminine power residing in her hourglass figure; had a tiny waist set off by both generous breasts and sexy hips, exotic green eyes, a pretty smile, a pert, lightly freckled nose and curly red hair that she enhanced with henna rinse; made the most of her looks; got straight A's; planned her escape from Kountze (148) extremely self sufficient (152) had become so engrossed in her work that she'd forgotten the time and ended up missing supper and sometimes Ryan's bedtime (156) 41-y-o (157)
. . .. . .
Big Doc[Animal] Lucky's horse (89) quarter horse (90)
Clay Blackthorne[No Appearance] [Book 6 / The Next Mrs. Blackthorne] Federal District Court Judge; Kate's father (111)
Dallas [Blackthorne][No Appearance] Kate's sibling; Clay and Libby's child (111)
Houston [Blackthorne][No Appearance] Kate's sibling; Clay and Libby's child (111)
Jackson "Blackjack" Blackthorne[No Appearance] [Featured in: The Cowboy, The Texan, The Loner] Kate Grayhawk Pendleton's paternal grandfather; owned a ranch the size of Vermont in South Texas called Bitter Creek; lifelong enemy of King Grayhawk (15)
Libby [Grayhawk] [Blackthorne][No Appearance] [Book 6 / The Next Mrs. Blackthorne] Kate's mother; having a late-in-life baby; lived in Austin (111)
Bruce[Secondary Character] taller than Wyatt; heavier than Wyatt; gargantuan man in a cheap brown suit, who reminded Harry of the enforcers he'd seen in Mafia movies (12) ugly scar on his cheek and a crooked, many-times-broken nose; took a military man "at ease" stance, his meaty hands behind is back, his tree-trunk legs spread wide; dark eyes, under heavy black brows focused (13) thick-knuckled fingers; hefty arms; substantial girth (21) giant with the face of a gargoyle (68)
Dante D'Amanto[Secondary Character] mob boss; father to Wyatt Shaw (14) legitimate sons had been killed by car bomb; on trial for RICO-related offenses; bought mistress a home in Houston; supported her and son (30) grim faced man with silver-winged hair (31) half a dozen bodyguards around him at all times; his home in Houston is impregnable; his cars are kept in underground garages; he has no family left except the bastard son, whose security is even tighter than his father's (75) nearly as tall as Wyatt Shaw; reedlike body; receding hair was silver; heavy brows black; piercing blue eyes, set deep in a narrow, wrinkled face; had arthritis in his fingers, with knobs at every joint; surrounded himself with a half-dozen brutes of various shapes and sizes (115)
Harry Dickenson[One Appearance] Private Investigator (11) hired by Governor Pendleton to hunt down the biological father of her daughter-in-law's twin sons (13) dreamed of buying a small fishing boat and a condo on the Gulf near Corpus Christi and be set for life (16)
Harley[Animal] dog that Lucky and Chance got for their birthday last year; black Lab, runs really fast like J.D.'s Harley-Davidson (90)
Breed Grayhawk[No Appearance] [Book 7 / A Stranger's Game] FBI Special Agent; Kate's uncle; invested in Twin Magnolias with Jack (113) Kate's best friend (129)
King Grayhawk[No Appearance] Kate Grayhawk Pendleton's maternal grandfather; owned and equally impressive ranch called Kingdom Come in Wyoming, where he served as that state's governor; lifelong enemy of Jackson Blackthorne (15)
North [Grayhawk][No Appearance] [Book 6 / The Next Mrs. Blackthorne] Kate's uncle; friends with Jack; asked Jack to watch over Kate during "Bomber Brown" trial (114)
Little Doc[Animal] Chance's horse (89) quarter horse (90)
Frank McKinley[No Appearance] Jack's father (90) owed syndicate $321,800, who wanted his son to shave points in Super Bowl to save him (111) gambled away every penny he had ever earned and more; every time they lost their home, had wept and promised he would quit gambling; but he never had; Jack hated him for so long he didn't know what it was like to feel any other way (112)
Rose McKinley[No Appearance] Jack's mother (90)
Ryan McKinley[Secondary Character] Jack's 6-y-o son (38) tall for his age; chestnut hair (40) joy of Jack's life (41)
Micah[Secondary Character] worked for Wyatt; heavyset man; barrel chest; long-sleeved plaid, western-cut shirt, worn blue jeans and cowboy boots (92) takes care of the house; a terrific cook (93)
Ann Wade Pendleton[Secondary Character] imposing older woman dressed in a black St. John knit suit and Chanel tuxedo heels; Kate's mother-in-law; Texas governor; presidential hopeful (7) wasn't upset that Kate had cheated on J.D., but that Kate's misstep might interfere with her political career (8) short, perfectly coiffed hair (74) shrewd; full of guile; willingness to do the hard thing (75)
Chance Pendleton[Secondary Character] Kate's son (7) 8-y-o twin (8) mother's blue eyes and black hair (13) long and lanky, square chin, strong nose, and high cheekbones like father (14) identical twin (19) thinks more, feels more, argues less (99)
Jonas David Pendleton, Jr.[No Appearance] Ann Wade Pendleton's husband; J.D's father (72) passed good looks and athletic ability to son; taught son to charm a woman, to lie to her and cheat on her and still smile at her without a hint of guilt; (71) had gambled his oil money on every half-assed hare-brained investment scheme that came along and passed the trait on to his son (72)
Jonas David "J.D." Pendleton, III[Secondary Character] Kate's husband; University of Texas football hero with wavy blond hair and striking blue eyes; a man without honor; a spoiled child of privilege; cheated on Kate a month into the marriage; faked his own death (8) deserted his military post; fled to South America after blackmailing his own mother (9) died serving in Afghanistan 18-mo-a (19) selfish lover; womanizer (31) not dead; left for Brazil the day after Kate was shot; threatened to kidnap the twins and take them to South America if Kate didn't pay him a quarter of a million dollar to get out of her life; had gambled away her personal trust fund within a few years after she gotten control of it when she turned 25; Ann Wade had paid him to disappear (32) traded military weapons for heroine in Afghanistan; blew up ammo dump in Afghanistan and faked his death to avoid paying the consequences for skimming profits on the arms-for-heroine deals he was negotiating; absconded with $20 million worth of heroine that didn't belong to him; the bad guys are closing in on him (33) inherited father's good looks and athletic ability; tall; blond; blue eyes; a star football player; learned at the master's knee how to charm a woman, how to lie to her and cheat on her and still smile at her without a hint of guilt; now a gaunt figure with shaggy blond hair and sunken blue eyes (71) married a woman with enough money to keep them living in luxury their entire lives and frittered it away in a few years; enormous unpaid gambling debts had gotten him into trouble with D'Amanto and given the mobster the leverage he needed to involve him in the brokering of guns for heroine that had led to his ruin (72) like mother, shrewd, used guile, and willingness to do the hard thing (75)
Lucky Pendleton[Secondary Character] Kate's son (7) 8-y-o twin (8) mother's blue eyes and black hair (13) long and lanky, square chin, strong nose, and high cheekbones like father (14) identical twin (19) A positive blood type (76) he always lead; he's more confident, more brash; born 5 minutes earlier than twin (99)
Roberto[One Appearance] one of D'Amanto's henchmen (141)
Scratch[Animal] cat that Lucky and Chance got for their birthday last year (90)
__ [Shaw][No Appearance] Wyatt Shaw's mother; Dante D'Amanto's mistress; died under suspicious circumstances when Shaw was 12 years old (16)
Wolf[Animal] German Shepard dog at Wyatt's home (92)

Locations, Organizations Found In "Shattered" {up to page 192}
Location / Organization Description
Bitter CreekJackson Blackthorne's ranch; a ranch the size of Vermont in South Texas (15)
Brazilwhere J.D. Pendleton went the day after Kate was shot (32)
Brooke Army Medical Centerwhere Kate worked as a physical therapist to amputees (65) BMAC (162)
Centurion black AMEX Cardsupposedly unlimited credit (14)
Channel 12 Newswhere Kate learned the name of the father of her twins (9)
Children's Cancer Hospitalpart of the M.D. Anderson Hospital; Holly would be doing research there (45)
Four Seasons Hotelin Austin; where Kate had hooked up with Wyatt 9-y-a and conceived the twins (14)
Houston, TexasBook Setting: where Shaw Tower was built (11)
Kansaswhere Holly and Ryan McKinley live (38)
Kingdom ComeKing Grayhawk's ranch in Wyoming (15)
Kountze High Schoolhigh school that Jack and Holly attended (40) small town in the piney woods northeast of Houston (39)
Longhorn GrilleJack's restaurant had gone belly-up for unpaid taxes (127)
M.D. Anderson Hospitalin Houston, Texas; Holly accepted position there (45)
Mexican Mafiahad started as a California prison gang and morphed into a ruthless and violent nationwide drug trafficking, auto theft and gambling operation (117)
Midland, Texaswhere Ann Wade Pendleton's ranch home was located (71)
RICORacketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (Rico) Act:
San Antoniowhere Kate Grayhawk Pendleton lives (19)
Secret Serviceassigned protection detail for Ann Wade Pendleton (118)
Shaw TowerWyatt's newest and grandest; a combination hotel, condominium and office building in downtown Houston, Texas (11)
Texas Department of Public Safetyassigned protection detail for Ann Wade Pendleton (118)
Texas Rangersweren't the same as other law enforcement agencies; worked as lone wolves, independent law men whose ingenuity and courage and determination made than the best at what they did; a part of history that reached back to a time when the Texas Rangers provided law and order for the brand-new Republic of Texas, formed in 1836 with its own president and its own army and navy (41)
Twin MagnoliasJack's ranch west of Austin (42) Jack invested with Breed Grayhawk; Jack took his parents there to keep them safe (113)
University of Texas at Austinwhere Jack went to college on football scholarship (40)
U.S. Justice Departmenthad been unable to prove that Wyatt Shaw's gains were ill-gotten (16)

"Shattered" Quotations
53She looked up at Jack through a veil of tears.   "It's not fair, Jack.   It's like fate is conspiring against us."   (Kate)
54"If you love me as much as I love you, we can get through this together."   (Jack)
177"Parenting is a hair-raising proposition."   (Kate)

"Joan Johnston -- Shattered" Review and Information Links
Rated Posted Site Notes, Comments, Etc.
----Joan Johnston's WebsiteAuthor
----Joan Johnston's FacebookAuthor
. . . . . . . . .. . .
3.51 average{55 reviews}Amazonas of: January 4, 2015
3.50 average{54 ratings}Barnes & Nobleas of: January 4, 2015
1.0012-30-2009Book Binge--Casee // my sentiments exactly
positive12-29-2009Book Junkie--Brande // given a copy of book
3 cups--Coffee Time Romance--Maura // brief PR review, not enough detail
D01-22-2010Dear Author--Jane // good review
----Fantastic FictionList of Joan Johnston's Books
----Fict FactList of Books In The "Bitter Creek" Series
----Fiction DBList of Joan Johnston's Books
2 hearts01-13-2010Fiction Vixen--Sophia // good review
Article06-24-2014Fresh FictionJoan Johnston -- The Challenges of Writing a Series
3.98 average{371 ratings}Good Readsas of: January 4, 2015 // jenjn79 said it beautifully
3.29 average{14 ratings}Library Thingas of: January 4, 2015
2.0 and 5.001-01-2010Love, Romance, Passion--Karin // a PR review
C+01-18-2010Lovin' Me Some Romance--Vamp Fan Girl // excellent review
4.00 average{93 ratings}Paperback Swapas of: January 4, 2015
----Order of BooksList of Joan Johnston's Books
4.0012-01-2009Romance Junkies--Destiny Booze // brief PR sounding review
A Keeper12-22-2009Romance Reader At Heart--Angela Arno // okay-ish review
B / Warm01-16-2010Romance Rookie--Jill D. Winter // good review
3.11 average{9 reviews}Shelfarias of: January 4, 2015
2.0002-05-2010Smexy Books--Mandi // good review
3.50--The Bibliophilic Book Blog--Monica // didn't read previous books of series
-5.0001-04-2015Wolf Bear Does Booksshorter post on Amazon, Fiction DB, Good Reads, Library Thing, Shelfari

Notes:
♥   Disclaimer:   I Purchased This Book
♥   Very Subjective Rating

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