Product Description

Libby Blue ran from her past--a ruthless father and a privileged life--and never looked back until Remington Walker came into her life. With a wall of lies between them, is the one great Truth they shared enough to unite them forever?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #554482 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

From the Back Cover
Her only chance was to hide. His only choice was to find her. When Libby Blue ran from her ruthless father and her privileged life, she never looked back. In the West, she could run a ranch, be whoever she wanted, and, most importantly, never have to trust a man again. Remington Walker would take any risk to find Libby, as long as he was paid for it. Once he had the money he would take revenge on Libby’s father, the man who had destroyed his own father. But soon he found that, while vengeance wasn’t nearly enough for life, confession could be fatal to love. With a wall of lies between them, was the one great Truth they shared enough to unite them forever?

About the Author
Published by Tyndale, Zondervan, WaterBrook, Multnomah, HarperCollins, Avon, Silhouette, and Leisure, there are nearly six million copies of her books in print in fourteen countries. A frequent speaker to writers' and women's groups, Robin is a past President of Romance Writers of America, Inc., a professional writers’ organization with over 8,400 members worldwide. In recognition of her efforts on behalf of literacy, Laubach Literacy International (now known as ProLiteracy Worldwide) named "The Robin Award" in her honor.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Loving Libby Copyright © 1995, 2005 by Robin Lee Hatcher Previously published as Liberty Blue by HarperCollins Publishers Requests for information should be addressed to: Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hatcher, Robin Lee. Loving Libby / Robin Lee Hatcher. p. cm. Originally published as Liberty Blue. New York: Harper, 1995. (revised content) ISBN-10: 0-310-25690-9 ISBN-13: 978-0-310-25690-8 I. Title. PS3558.A73574 L68 2005 813'.54—dc22 2005010117 All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher. Interior design by Michelle Espinoza Printed in the United States of America 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 /?DCI/ 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 One May 1890 Blue Springs Ranch, Idaho Territory “Not again, Bevins,” Libby whispered to herself as she peered at the horseman’s approach through the latticework of sunlight and shadows. “Not as long as I’ve got breath in my body.” Obscured by the thick grove of cottonwoods and pines, the rider stopped his horse. Libby had difficulty keeping track of him as dusk settled over the barnyard. Whatever he was up to, it wasn’t good. It never was with Timothy Bevins. She stepped back from the window until certain she couldn’t be seen, then moved to the front door, checking to see if it was tightly latched. It was. A small sigh of relief escaped her. But her relief was shortlived. Bevins wouldn’t break into her house. No, that method was too direct and could get him in trouble with the law. He would take an underhanded approach. Well, you can’t scare me off. She pressed her lips into a determined line. She wasn’t going anywhere, frightened or not. And she wouldn’t wait for Bevins to make the first move either. She wouldn’t give him a chance to do his dirty work. Not this time. She grabbed the double-barreled shotgun that rested against the wall. Then, fortifying herself with a deep breath, she walked to Sawyer’s bedroom, peeking inside at the boy lying on the bed. “Sawyer, something’s got the horses worked up. Probably another coyote. I’m going out to run it off. If you hear anything, don’t be scared. It’s just me.” “I don’t scare so easy, Libby.” He raised his scabbedover chin to a brave tilt. “I know you don’t.” And neither do I. She hurried through the kitchen to the back door, opened it silently, and stepped outside. Evening had changed the colors of the earth and sky into varying shades of gray and black. The trees were threatening silhouettes, looming overhead, their scraggly arms reaching toward her. Bevins could be anywhere. Perhaps he watched her even now. She sidled along the side of the house, making her way toward the wide clearing at the front, searching every shadow. You can’t scare me, you yellow-bellied snake in the grass. You can’t run me off my land. Libby quit running over six years ago. This was her home, her land. Aunt Amanda had entrusted the ranch to Libby, and she meant to protect it and everyone on it. She wouldn’t let Timothy Bevins run her off, no matter what he did, no matter what he threatened to do. And he wouldn’t get another chance to hurt Sawyer either. Spooking the boy’s horse was the last straw. Absolutely the last straw. She heard the snap of a twig off to her right. Startled, she turned and, in the waning light, saw him stepping out of the trees. More important, she saw the rifle in his hand. She reacted instinctively, raising the shotgun and firing before he had a chance to do the same. The kick of the gun slammed her back against the side of the house as she squeezed off the second shot. She gasped for air, her ears ringing, her shoulder throbbing. Had either shot hit Bevins? She hoped not. She only meant to scare him. As her vision cleared, she looked across the yard and saw him lying in the dirt. He didn’t move. Oh, Lord. Don’t let him be dead. Don’t let me be guilty of murder. Gulping down panic, she dropped the shotgun and cautiously made her way toward him, uncertain what she would do if he was dead, uncertain what she should do if he wasn’t. She reminded herself that Bevins was to blame for the death of Dan Deevers, Sawyer’s father. Dan, her ranch foreman, had been out in that January ice storm because Bevins ran off more of her sheep. He’d been stealing them a few at a time for the past year. She knew it was him, but she couldn’t prove it. Just like she couldn’t prove he’d spooked Sawyer’s horse on purpose yesterday. The boy could have broken his neck in that fall. The Good Book said not to hate a man, but Libby had a problem with that command when it came to Bevins. Reaching him, she steeled herself against a bloody sight, then looked down. Father God, what have I done? Libby dropped to her knees and stared at the man she’d shot. It wasn’t Bevins. It wasn’t one of Bevins’s hired thugs. It was someone she’d never seen before. God forgive her. She’d killed an innocent man. The stranger groaned. With a quick prayer of thanks that he wasn’t dead after all, Libby sprang into action. She had to stanch the bleeding. No time to wonder who he was or what he’d been doing, sneaking around her place at this time of evening. She raced to the house, wishing for once that she hadn’t forsaken her long skirts and petticoats for the freedom of denim britches. Cotton petticoats made good bandages. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Sawyer, bracing himself against the jamb of his bedroom. “What happened, Libby? What’s out there?” A heartbeat’s hesitation, then she hurried forward. She couldn’t stop and explain. “Go back to bed, Sawyer.” “Libby—” “Now!” Before Sawyer turned away, Libby caught a glimpse of tears in his eyes, but she knew better than to apologize. Sawyer was every bit as proud as his father had been and wouldn’t want her to see him crying. She grabbed a blanket off her bed. It was almost dark and the temperature was dropping. She had to get the stranger inside. In another few minutes, it would be black as pitch out there, not to mention bone-chilling cold. Her heart pounding, Libby returned to the wounded man. She laid the blanket on the earth beside him, then paused to assess the situation. The long and lanky stranger had a good sixty pounds on her, if not more.

Customer Reviews

Loving Libby
Running away from her cruel and domineering father, Olivia Vanderhoff has forsaken her former privileged life and taken shelter in the wilderness of Idaho, under the name of Libby Blue. Finally free from a miserable existence, Libby has become accustomed with her new life. She owns and runs Blue Springs Ranch, entrusted to her by Amanda Blue, a kindly lady who helped Libby escape her father.

However, Libby's safety is compromised when her father, Northrop Vanderhoff, hires one of the best detectives to track her down. Remington Walker has found Libby and plans to report to Vanderhoff. But Libby, mistaking him for a dangerous neighbor prowling around her land, shoots him with her rifle. Horrified by her disastrous actions, Libby nurses Remington back to health, unsuspecting of the true reason for his being there.

While getting to know Libby, Remington finds that he has no desire to turn her over to her father, and instead to protect her from being found. In turn, though Libby had vowed to never again let a man have power over her, with Remington she feels safe. Can she learn to love him, or will the reason Remington has come to her ranch destroy any chance for happiness?

Love overcomes deceit, revenge and fear
Reviewed by Kim Peterson for Reader Views (2/06)

When Remington Walker trespasses on Blue Springs Ranch, Libby Blue thinks he is her ruthless neighbor Bevins skulking in the shadows. She fires her shotgun in warning, but she shoots him. Fearing she has committed murder, she discovers the wounded man is not who she thought. Libby drags him inside and nurses him back to health. Soon Remington becomes involved in the joys and sorrows of the hard-working ranch life. He befriends Sawyer-son of the deceased ranch foreman-whom Libby is raising. He intervenes when Bevins threatens Libby. He helps with the cooking and other chores.

Remington and Libby fall in love, but their relationship is built on a shaky foundation of lies. More than six years ago, Libby fled her controlling father, Northrop, who insisted on a loveless marriage for her that would bring him greater wealth. Loath to marry a man who didn't share her faith, Libby eluded her father by changing her name and hiding on the sheep ranch. Relentless in his quest to get her back, Northrop has hired one of the best detectives to locate her-Remington.

The detective doesn't tell Libby who he is or how he came to Idaho. As they work to save the struggling ranch and keep it out of Bevins's control, Remington wrestles with his role in ruining Libby's life and forcing her to go home. He resolves to deny finding her, return his fee to her father and stay in Idaho. But he doesn't come clean soon enough and, in the way of all lies, the deception is too complicated for truth to triumph easily. Their lives may be destroyed when another of Northrop's detectives finds them both.

Hatcher's book offers enough attraction and romance to make the developing relationship interesting. She also depicts Libby's faith well. She is an example to Remington who renounced his beliefs years ago when Northrop ruined his father. Remington slowly returns to his relationship with God, abandoning his methodical pursuit of revenge. Truth prevails and love overcomes deceit, revenge and fear.

WOW
This is such a wonderful story!!! I never read any books by this author so when I saw this one I thought I would give it a try. It was a perfect book to sit and read on a rainey day. I couldnt put it down. I will defently be reading more books my this author in the future.