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Dry Creek #11
Shepherds Abiding in Dry Creek
A Home For The Holidays
That's what Marla Gossett sought when she moved to Dry Creek, Montana. She wanted a safe haven to raise her kids, far from the troubles of the past. Then an unusual theft cast suspicion on her family...and brought Deputy Sheriff Les Wilkerson into the struggling widow's life.
In Marla's young son, Les saw a lonely child in need of a guiding hand. In the plucky single mother, he saw a woman he could love. But a crisis threatened to destroy Marla's fragile trust. Unless the deputy could convince her that her family had a special place in the community…and in this bachelor
's heart.
That's what Marla Gossett sought when she moved to Dry Creek, Montana. She wanted a safe haven to raise her kids, far from the troubles of the past. Then an unusual theft cast suspicion on her family...and brought Deputy Sheriff Les Wilkerson into the struggling widow's life.
In Marla's young son, Les saw a lonely child in need of a guiding hand. In the plucky single mother, he saw a woman he could love. But a crisis threatened to destroy Marla's fragile trust. Unless the deputy could convince her that her family had a special place in the community…and in this bachelor
's heart.
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 2007
7 people are currently reading
172 people want to read
About the author
Janet Tronstad
85 books305 followersJanet grew up in the wide open spaces of rural Montana and now lives in the urban spaces of Pasadena, California. She's used both of these locations in her books. Her Dry Creek, Montana series numbers over twenty novels now and her Pasadena books, The Sisterhood of the Dropped Stitches, number four.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 24, 2024
Such an old fashioned story. Not very pc at all.
August 27, 2009
another excellent book!
I was pretty far into the book before recognizing Les was Lester from A Hero for Dry Creek.
This series is great.
I was pretty far into the book before recognizing Les was Lester from A Hero for Dry Creek.
This series is great.
October 17, 2021
It was not in any way possible to like this book, I'm sorry to say.
First, it's a "Luv Inspired"... which can mean it's benign and sweet and if I'm *REALLY* lucky Biblical, but not this time. This is a leftist version of churchianity, at best. How do you know? Well... how many verses are quoted in this book? ZERO. How many hymn lyrics? ZERO. How Bibles are opened? ZERO. How many prayers (not including 'Our Father')? ZERO, although there are vague references to people praying. And there's a vague reference to the heroine 'getting born again' late in the book. But a church and a pageant inserted into a book do not make the thing 'Inspirational'. AT ALL. This church is a social club at best.
Then there's the fun that Dry Creek has a population of 200, with a handful of ranches scattered around it... and yet there are something like TWENTY love stories here, in her series? No, really. I... can't even.
Getting past that, we have a woman who doesn't see herself as a woman, a widow, a single mother... no, she spends ALL of her time considering herself *HISPANIC*. Defining herself by race. *CLASSIC* leftist behavior. She has a cross and saw her dying husband staring at it, so she's interested in religion... but not really. If her son hadn't got sentenced to service at a church, she wouldn't have gone there. She won't even open her doors, or talk to people - because they might judge her for being Hispanic. And when she does talk to them, she wants to talk Hispanic topics. And cook Hispanic foods. And push her Hispanic in their faces.
The kicker? She's HALF Hispanic, and so was her husband. Ridiculous.
Then there's the whole (Hispanic) gang thing. She moves with NOTHING to her name with her kids to an derelict house in Montana - they have a card table and sleeping bags, hello - with NO job and hardly any money. She does this because her 11yo son is tailing along a street gang in L.A. while she's nursing her dying husband. She wants to get him out of there before he becomes an 'amigo'.
Fine. But the likelihood of gang members driving MOTORCYCLES all the way from L.A. to Montana for no reason IN THE DEAD OF WINTER is absurd. And there's absolutely no motive - the kid doesn't have anything they want, didn't take anything, didn't do anything, wasn't even a gang member. He's a little angel in the book who gets tied up and never did nuthin' t'deserve it. ((((Whatever.)))) Because we couldn't have any really bad things happen in CookieCutter Bookland. It was so stupid, I couldn't stand it.
Also, for someone who wrote that her heroine shouldn't be judged for her (not-even-really) race? The author was ALL about judging Byron. Just because someone is a ranch hand living in crew quarters doesn't mean he's not dad material, hello. And just because he's friendly with ladies doesn't mean he's a smarm, either. Sheesh. But we're ALLLLL about judging, in this book. But only the people the AUTHOR wants you to judge. FYI.
The townspeople are ridiculous, too. The heroine had THREE encounters with the deputy, and suddenly they're kicking people out of a restaurant in hope that he'll propose to her? Seriously? On the FIRST DATE? And the author has Elmer playing the HARP for them in the diner under twinkle lights? Are you kidding me.
But what REALLY pissed me off was when she wrote "Just because a person can carry a gun doesn't mean they should". WHAT the what?!?! I'm sorry, but no self-respecting sheriff's deputy would EVER dis the constitution like that. They pledge to DEFEND the right to bear arms, hello... and the second amendment gives EVERYONE the right to carry. I was so pissed, I nearly tossed the thing. Forced myself to finish what I started, but... that's NOT okay.
I burned the book. It was worthless, horrible, badly written, and not something I would ever pass on to anyone. Not a chance. Read something else. ANYTHING else.
First, it's a "Luv Inspired"... which can mean it's benign and sweet and if I'm *REALLY* lucky Biblical, but not this time. This is a leftist version of churchianity, at best. How do you know? Well... how many verses are quoted in this book? ZERO. How many hymn lyrics? ZERO. How Bibles are opened? ZERO. How many prayers (not including 'Our Father')? ZERO, although there are vague references to people praying. And there's a vague reference to the heroine 'getting born again' late in the book. But a church and a pageant inserted into a book do not make the thing 'Inspirational'. AT ALL. This church is a social club at best.
Then there's the fun that Dry Creek has a population of 200, with a handful of ranches scattered around it... and yet there are something like TWENTY love stories here, in her series? No, really. I... can't even.
Getting past that, we have a woman who doesn't see herself as a woman, a widow, a single mother... no, she spends ALL of her time considering herself *HISPANIC*. Defining herself by race. *CLASSIC* leftist behavior. She has a cross and saw her dying husband staring at it, so she's interested in religion... but not really. If her son hadn't got sentenced to service at a church, she wouldn't have gone there. She won't even open her doors, or talk to people - because they might judge her for being Hispanic. And when she does talk to them, she wants to talk Hispanic topics. And cook Hispanic foods. And push her Hispanic in their faces.
The kicker? She's HALF Hispanic, and so was her husband. Ridiculous.
Then there's the whole (Hispanic) gang thing. She moves with NOTHING to her name with her kids to an derelict house in Montana - they have a card table and sleeping bags, hello - with NO job and hardly any money. She does this because her 11yo son is tailing along a street gang in L.A. while she's nursing her dying husband. She wants to get him out of there before he becomes an 'amigo'.
Fine. But the likelihood of gang members driving MOTORCYCLES all the way from L.A. to Montana for no reason IN THE DEAD OF WINTER is absurd. And there's absolutely no motive - the kid doesn't have anything they want, didn't take anything, didn't do anything, wasn't even a gang member. He's a little angel in the book who gets tied up and never did nuthin' t'deserve it. ((((Whatever.)))) Because we couldn't have any really bad things happen in CookieCutter Bookland. It was so stupid, I couldn't stand it.
Also, for someone who wrote that her heroine shouldn't be judged for her (not-even-really) race? The author was ALL about judging Byron. Just because someone is a ranch hand living in crew quarters doesn't mean he's not dad material, hello. And just because he's friendly with ladies doesn't mean he's a smarm, either. Sheesh. But we're ALLLLL about judging, in this book. But only the people the AUTHOR wants you to judge. FYI.
The townspeople are ridiculous, too. The heroine had THREE encounters with the deputy, and suddenly they're kicking people out of a restaurant in hope that he'll propose to her? Seriously? On the FIRST DATE? And the author has Elmer playing the HARP for them in the diner under twinkle lights? Are you kidding me.
But what REALLY pissed me off was when she wrote "Just because a person can carry a gun doesn't mean they should". WHAT the what?!?! I'm sorry, but no self-respecting sheriff's deputy would EVER dis the constitution like that. They pledge to DEFEND the right to bear arms, hello... and the second amendment gives EVERYONE the right to carry. I was so pissed, I nearly tossed the thing. Forced myself to finish what I started, but... that's NOT okay.
I burned the book. It was worthless, horrible, badly written, and not something I would ever pass on to anyone. Not a chance. Read something else. ANYTHING else.
February 6, 2020
Dry Creek is a welcoming small town, unless you join the town being prepared for people to mistrust or look down on you. When a young boy steals a shepherd, the mother learns just how forgiving and welcoming Dry Creek can be, even if her family is different.
June 1, 2017
Christian romance at Christmastime. Haven't read any of the others in the series. Has a bunch of interesting characters.
July 18, 2017
Single mom moves to Dry Creek to start over. Lovely story.
February 11, 2016
I have been wanting to read all of the Dry Creek stories. I love that town and everyone in it! I got a bunch I haven't read and thought why not get to the Christmas one first? I love the Christmas setting for any story! Especially in summer months when I need a little holiday spirit! And I loved the shepherd theme. As much as I love a dashing hero, I love the heroes like Les who are just honest-to-goodness good guys.
June 3, 2008
a great book full of hope and ... i wish i lived in Montana! i truly DO wish that there ARE small town communities like Dry Creek still left in this country!! i have a feeling not, but ... sure wish the small town i was in was like that one!!!
wouldn't it be great if we could climb inside a book and live there?!
wouldn't it be great if we could climb inside a book and live there?!
January 8, 2015
Started out strong but then turned stupid and simplistic. Gang teens coming from LA all the way to Montana for no reason. Not likely. Marla acting like a n overly proud dope. Too bad. This could have been a great story.
March 16, 2016
Marla has moved her son and daughter and herself to Dry Creek to avoid the LA gangs. Les is filling in for the sheriff while he's on his honeymoon. Will they learn to trust one another?
September 14, 2016
After reading three of Janet Tronstad's Dry Creek novels, I am ready to move to the friendly community of Dry Creek, Montana. I have enjoyed these novels.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews