A lot of hullabaloo on the prairie.
Jack Clausen has led a hard, lonely life, but he’s content with a good job as a cowboy, a faithful horse, and the Lord. But when a near tragedy flings him into the path of a lovely young lady, Jack’s resolve to stay single and alone wavers.
Hazel Meissner has everything a young man could hope for–kindness, gentleness, and just enough playfulness to keep … enough playfulness to keep things interesting, but when accusations tear at their relationship, Hazel’s true strength emerges.
Without forgiveness, many lives will be irrevocably changed.
Jack is the first book in the Ballads from the Hearth series. This book was inspired by the old ballad, “Cowboy Jack” and Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing.
more
My favorite book so far by this author. I enjoyed reading the inspiration behind the story and it had me already in its clutches. I loved the vulnerability in Jack even though he was a cowboy. This is a story of finding peace and putting the past behind you to find what God has in store for you in the present. Giving and receiving forgiveness gives us freedom to move on. I loved the character of Hazel and thought she was perfect for Jack. I found myself smiling and getting tears in my eyes as I had multiple emotions evoked from this story. This would make a great movie as I found it very entertaining. I think this needs a sequel as I want more please.
I received a complimentary copy from CelebrateLit. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
Chautona Havig has done it again. This time she’s written a book of a different genre-westerns! She reminisces about the Country and Western songs she grew up listening to on the radio and from her Dad’s guitar playing. What memories that evoked for me, too, as I grew up listening to my Mom sing and my Dad whistle many a Country and Western song! Their favorite-Marty Robbins. But I digress.
Jack Clausen rescues a toddler from a herd of cows being rounded up near the stockyards of Kansas City. In the process, he hurts his head and draws the admiration of Hazel Meissner, a woman way out of his league, which suits him just fine.
I enjoyed reading about the lives of the people in Jack. Each one was distinctive for very different reasons. The banter between two of the characters was especially witty and delightful. Havig has a way of drawing you into the story with her reliable and realistic portrayal of its characters and endears them to you. Her depiction of daily living during the 1800s rings true, also.
All of Havig’s books have a strong faith element and Jack is no exception. From forgiveness to trust, she covers faith well.
I received Jack from Celebrate Lit. However, I was under no obligation to post a review.
Jack is a cleverly written retelling of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing with a cowboy ballad thrown in just to make it it’s own unique story. Taking place in the old west on the prairie with cowboys, true love, and all the characters that made the original story memorable.
I enjoyed seeing how the author pays homage to Shakespeare’s characters and yet made the story her own. The spiritual aspect was refreshing and the lessons on forgiveness were poignant. One of the things that drew Jack to Hazel was his ability to ask forgiveness from those he wronged and to make restitution of the sins he committed against others. Jack had the right attitude…almost. He needed to learn to forgive as well. Such a hard lesson for all of us, that is why it is so important. And so Jack and Hazel’s journey to love takes on a deeper understanding on what it means to forgive as you have been forgiven.
Dirk and Deborah kept me chuckling with their oh so witty banter and their tentative love/hate relationship. If you like cowboys and Shakespeare this is one tale that is worth picking up and enjoying.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
For the most part I found Jack to be entertaining and often humorous. Hazel and Jack were fairly interesting characters but at times I felt that their reactions to life situations were just a bit extreme. I will not give more details here because to do so would create spoilers. I did like the fact that although raised with every advantage Hazel seemed to be mostly unspoiled, compassionate, and generous. On the other hand Jack had a most difficult childhood that led to later behavior that he was not at all proud of and struggled to overcome the guilt despite his salvation and lifestyle changes.
Besides the obvious romance the reader expects between Jack and Hazel, they will discover another possible romance in the works as the tale progresses. The verbal battles between Deborah and Dirk were amusing for awhile but later became somewhat tedious to me. Is it possible that their apparent disdain for each other covered their actual attraction?
Jack was easy to read and I appreciated the frequent references to the faith of the characters. A tale filled with action, romance, betrayal, and high emotions, this novel should satisfy those who enjoy a simple western tale.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
Christian storyteller, Chautona Havig, has written an inspirational romantic, historic story that is delightful in her offering “Jack, Ballads of the Heart.” Fans of various genre will be happy with this book. I was invested immediately.
This is the tale of cowboy Jack Clausen. He is mostly a loner and does not want to open himself up for a broken-heart. Beginning with a rough childhood, he has grown up not trusting women. He grew up on the streets of New York. It is also the tale of Hazel Meissner. She comes from a well to do family, very different from Jack’s.
Hazel witnesses Jack do something heroic, and immediately she is intrigued with the good looking cowboy. That’s just the opening of this fabulous tale. The author quickly took me to the dusty, rowdy streets of old Kansas City. She wrote with such finesse and descriptions that it was hard to imagine she had not lived there.
The characters are charming and believable. Some are like friends that I did not want to leave. The story had humor, inspiration, life lessons, and all things that make a western historical romance fun to read.
I really enjoy the author’s style of writing. Her style is easy to read and follow. The story flows smoothly at a good pace.
She writes sincere dialog, and then she can turn things around and make me chuckle. The spiritual messages are my favorite thing about her books. This one tackles family issues, redemption, and forgiveness.
I recommend this inspirational book to anyone, especially western fiction readers. It has a sweet, clean romance and an inviting historical story. I am eagerly awaiting Book Two. It receives 5 out of 5 stars from me. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my honest words.
First of all, I love that the inspiration for the story was one of the songs her father used to sing– I thought that was awesome!! Reading in the prologue about her dad and the songs he used to sing really made me want to read the book . Now onto the story… I really enjoyed the first three quarters of the book, but I have to admit that the last quarter was a bit of a struggle for me. Almost immediately, I fell in love with both Jack and Hazel, and I really enjoyed reading how they fell in love, and about how Jack’s past had overcome his past mistakes; however, I felt that everything they had worked so hard to overcome fell apart in the last quarter of the story.I’ll be honest, I thought about not finishing the book because I was mad at Jack (if you read the book, you’ ll understand) and now that I read the extra note from the Author, I do fell silly, because I didn’t realize that this story also has a little bit of Shakespeare in it and I’m not a huge fan of his stories (which is probably why I didn’t care for the end) Overall, I really liked that it had a sweet story line, and that there is a happy ending, but honestly if it weren’t for Dirk and Deborah, I don’t think I would have finished the book. I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars, because although I didn’t like the end, it was a good story and was very well written. Special thanks to Chautona Havig, Celebrate Lit and Bookfunnel for allowing me to read and review this book — all opinions are my own.
First, go read the section about the history of this book. I’m not crying, you’re crying. You see, I also had a grandpa who played the guitar and sang all the fun old mountain songs. Sadly, my grandpa passed away almost five years ago now in his 90’s. I still miss him and seeing him play his guitar so ready the why and how of this book made me tear up.
Okay, sad part out of the way. Now onto the book!
Chautona Havig is one of my favorite authors that I only discovered since becoming part of the Celebrate Lit blogging team. She writes such fun but strong faith books that I can’t help but devour them as soon as they come to me. Most come via e-copy so at least I don’t have to wait too long!
Jack is a fun book. You have this fun cowboy character who’s taciturn and maybe a pinch too grumpy from past experiences. But under that gruff is a caring heart. And then there is the woman who falls in love with him (and that he won’t admit that he cares about) and all your love lost and found dreams can come true.
As with most of Chautona Havig’s books, the secondary characters steal the show too and you want to hear more of their stories! This one has all kinds of fun characters too. Verbal sparring at it’s best and you will find those Shakespeare characters the most fun!
I love that this book has a strong faith element(again something you will find with all of her books). You’ll love it! Definitely go get yourself a copy and read it today! Preferably not right at bedtime or you’ll stay awake way too late!
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received through Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
If I could find a way to make this book into a movie I would. Yes it is that good. The hero of the story had my heart as soon as he spoke. Jack is a man who has carried around a gut wrenching feeling that he was never wanted. His mother holds the key to his hardened heart and his mistrust of women. What I liked was that he was broken inside but still treated everyone with respect. The author does an amazing job of giving us a character who admits his flaws and seeks to be better. I loved that he was a cowboy who worked hard and asked for no handouts. I would say he was a little prideful, but that is something he will be working on.
Hazel was someone I liked but I think she fell hard for Jack a bit too soon. Was it because of his charm or that she liked the idea of being in love? I did like that she accepted Jack for who he was and never looked down on him. She has her heart set on a man who is fragile in his feelings and has one foot out the door if he feels rejected or wronged. Her steadfast faith brings a breath of fresh air to the story. She sees past the person and finds his worth deep inside.
The story is good and I especially liked finding out about Jack’s past. I can’t imagine going through life not knowing how to read or write. The one thing that spoke to me the most in the story was about forgiveness. Jack has carried around anger and bitterness because of his mother for so long. His eyes are blinded to a woman who is good and kind. The misunderstanding they have is proof that Jack doesn’t trust women. He never gives Hazel a chance to explain but jumps on his horse and leaves. This is where I believe God wanted him to be at this point in his life. God has a plan and a divine appointment for Jack.
Through a series of events Jack searches his heart and knows that forgiving is the key to freedom. Those precious moments in the book make this a powerful lesson we can all learn from. Don’t wait till it’s too late to ask for forgiveness. Jack represents each of us who are prideful and want to hold on to bitterness. The author allows us to witness “that God never leaves us nor forsakes us.”
I loved the book and wanted to have the story continue. There are a few funny moments in the story where characters remind me of fumbling bumbling I don’t know what I’m doing people. I think they need to rethink having a new sheriff in town. The ending is wonderful and I wouldn’t mind a revisit to see how Jack and Hazel are doing.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
If you enjoy a romantic western you will enjoy this book. I really like Hazel and Jack has a lot of good points also. Hazel is young but knows who she is. Jack has to figure out some things from his past before he can really move on. This is funny and inspirational. I like the minor characters also. I especially like Deborah. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
Hearing the word ballad calls to mind images of Davy Crockett and of men sitting around a campfire. I love the author’s inspiration for this novel, basing it on a ballad she heard as a child and simultaneously remaining true to the original while also handling the ending a bit differently. In literature, a ballad and an epic poem can be very similar, so with that in mind it does not seem much of a stretch to go a step further to novel format. Although not necessarily a defining attribute, I tend to associate ballads with highly dramatized action and heroic feats, and with a subtitle of “a lot of hullabaloo on the prairie”, I figured that this book was going to fit the bill.
One aspect of the (too few) Chautona Havig books that I’ve read to date that I particularly enjoy is the combination of sincerity and humor, and “Jack” showcases this especially well. On the one hand, there is the cowboy Jack, a drifter of sorts with a checkered past that began on the streets of New York as a young boy and has caused him to keep his distance from women—until he meets Hazel Meissner, who could marry into high society but chooses a wary cowboy instead. However, the course of true love never did run smooth, and the same can be said for Dirk and Deborah, whose clever verbal jousting belies their mutual affection. The most amusing character, by far, is Sheriff Hawmutt, whose brief interlude offers a reprieve from an emotional section of the story and provides comic relief in the form of hilarious malapropisms.
A strong Christian faith element suffuses the narrative, focusing on forgiveness and trust. One of my favorite quotations from the book sums it up so well: “You can’t have it both ways. Either the Lord is good and what He says is also good, or the Lord is a liar and a liar cannot be good.” While it is easy to become frustrated with Jack because he trusts someone he knows is dishonest over Hazel, who has never given him reason to doubt her, it’s the same thing that we do all too often. We listen to the lies of the enemy rather than the truth of God. Our reaction when hurt or wronged should be to forgive others and trust God, as Hazel does, but how often do we actually do that? For as implausibly perfect as I found Hazel to be, I have to admire her Christlike attitude throughout the story. As the apostle Paul implores us in Ephesians 5:1-2, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
Jack: A Lot of Hullabaloo on the Prairie is probably my newest favorite I have read by Chautona Havig. I adored this story so much. I loved the chemistry between Hazel and Jack. They had a lot of struggles to overcome. I never knew what was going to happen next and had to keep reading to find out. It had quite a few of twists and turns that kept me engaged and interested. It is a beautiful tale of learning how to forgive, having second chances and keeping faith in God.
I am giving Jack: A Lot of Hullabaloo on the Prairie a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy clean and sweet Historical Romance. I will most definitely be looking for more like this one from Chautona Havig in the future.
I received Jack: A Lot of Hullabaloo on the Prairie from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.