Jackson Rule

Author Sharon Sala writing as Dinah McCall.

Some dedications written by authors are poignant, give thoughtful insight to the novel, and linger in a reader's mind as inspiration. This novel's dedication is one such example:

"The world is full of heroes. The teacher who made a difference in a small child's life. An organ donor who thought of someone else's life rather than his or her own. The person who had the guts to speak out against injustice or abuse. The child who does not make friends by the color of skin. The deaf and the blind, who do not believe themselves to be handicapped. And the dying, who do not lose faith in God.

I dedicate this book to those people, and the many, many others like them, who go through life making the small,

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quiet differences."

I can't say that the book cover enticed me to pick up this novel. Perhaps that is why it waited so long on my "to read" pile but having read other novels by Sharon Sala, I knew I should at least read a few pages. Read a few pages and as usual I didn't care what the cover looked like.

It might be tagged as a contemporary romance but the author has much more to unfold with the characters of this story. It brings to mind all the daily television news coverage and the sea of listeners so ready to react to a scandalous headline and stand as judge and jury before the commercial even begins.

“Her thoughts were in turmoil. He was telling her to be careful? But it was too late. She had just met her dear-departed mother's worst nightmare—an unsuitable man.”

Is Jackson Rule unsuitable? Or is he a hero beyond her father and friend Pete's wildest imagination? show less

This was a disappointing read for me. I had been super excited to read it based on the unusual pairing of a preacher's daughter and an ex-con, but as I was reading it I could swear I heard the story's squeaky little voice begging to be heard from under a mountain of plot and bland telling.

Andrew Jackson Rule, newly released from Angola prison after serving 15 years for the murder of his father, heads to New Orleans to start putting his new life together. After walking into town when a short run-in with a woman at a country store causes him to miss his bus, he sets himself up in a dingy apartment in a bad part of town. Now 32, he's determined to keep his head down and work hard to make a living for himself and his mentally ill sister. He show more buys an old Harley from a junk shop and sets out to find himself a job.

Just outside the city, Rebecca Hill runs a garden shop and nursery, with her father's friend as her lone employee. Looking for an additional set of hands around the place, she'd taken out an ad in the newspaper. When the man who had saved her from falling into traffic outside a country store walks in to apply, she's intrigued by the gruff stranger. Even after he divulges his history, she decides to take a chance and hire him on, remembering her preacher father's exhortations to judge not lest ye be judged.

So I think your average romance reader can predict how the story goes. They'l be wildly attracted to each other. He'll push her away boorishly because he thinks he's not good enough. The preacher father will disapprove of Jackson then have a crisis of faith over being judgemental. She'll be feisty and martyr-like, becoming more and more enthralled with him the more he withdraws. Circumstances will change, some sort of truth will out and the HEA bursts onto the scene.

But, whatever. I don't necessarily begrudge a formula. I read Harlequins by the milk crate. What I do begrudge is a formula plainly told to me. I don't like being managed.

What McCall failed to do was make her idea for a story come to life. She was constantly telling me what people did and what exactly they were thinking. Lest I ever wonder what anybody might be thinking at any point, she liberally hops from head to head to let me know. No character is spared, no matter how ephemeral their presence.

As a result, the plot is just so obvious. I had started to wonder early-on if maybe he'd be a virgin, since he'd been in custody since he was 16. No sooner had I wondered than I was informed on page 35 that he wasn't.

The memory of his fifteenth birthday and an older and obliging woman who'd lived in a trailer near theirs came swiftly, along with the lessons she had taught him. By the time he'd reached sixteen, Jackson had been well-versed in the ways of making love.

Right then, we'll just have to take her word that he's a great lover. He also had a comfortable bank balance sitting around from when he was working at a grocery as a 14 and 15 year old. Could she have contrived any more obviously to fit him to the genre standard for heroes?

Unfortunately, the whole of the book's character development is engineered in this bloodless sort of way. Jackson's goodness is displayed by saving Rebecca from two bizarre near-rapes, performing CPR on his co-worker, romping with a homeless shelter full of woefully undeveloped plot moppets and so on and so forth. Since it's all just told to me, I felt rather beaten over the head with it. "Yes, I get you, he's the hero and has a heart of gold. Can we get on to giving these people personalities yet?" Unfortunately, talking to 15 year old books does not yield results, and the characters ended the book the shallow plot vehicles they began.

I'm not sure why I was so turned off by this book when so many people list this as a favorite. I can see the potential, and I'm more than aware of what the author was going for, but the propensity for telling and the over-obvious symbolism completely prevented me from connecting to the characters. What a shame. show less

Lovely book. Good strong characters. I loved Jackson, convicted of murdering his abusive father and vigorous in his assertion that he was glad he killed him and would do it again a hundred times. Rebecca is a preacher's daughter who lives by the judge not lest you be judged rule who gives him a job after prison. Her father, the preacher, is a more realistic portrayal of a preacher as a failable man not all goody two shoes as many preachers are written. Even though some of the things that happened in the book were not real surprises, the book as a whole was well written. One of the best parts for me was when Rebecca decided she loved him, she was firm in her love and didn't continually doubt him and his worth. I did find it a bit of a show more stretch that a 16 year old boy went to prison for 15 years for killing his abusive father when both he and his sister were beat bloody. Self defense anyone? I also thought that 15 years seemed a bit long for hysterical amnesia but I really don't know about that as I'm not a doctor. But for good romance I loved it. show less

Jackson Rule spent 15 years in a Louisiana State Prison for killing his abusive father. Now 31 Jackson is released into society with one goal in mind. To try and build a life for him and his traumatized sister.

When Rebecca Hill is saved from being hit by a car by a cold eyed man she is instantly intrigued, but this man wants no thanks from her. When the same man, Jackson Rule, answers a want ad for her landscaping and greenhouse business it seems to be kismet, except when she learns he has just been released from prison. Despite the knowledge that Jackson killed his father Rebecca is still determined to hire him, despite her own misgivings and the warnings of her preacher father.

As I have said before, contemporary romances usually show more aren't my favorites and certainly ones that have even a slightly religious bent don't inspire me. But, in this case I'd have to say that the writing, characters and story certainly made this a much better read than I expected. Both main characters were very interesting and easy to like, Rebecca's father on the other hand...well, I don't think we were meant to take a shine to him right away. This story had a lot of old school ideas when it came to characterization that I enjoyed. I liked the idea of Jackson being an ex-con with a hidden heart of gold. He kept all the different parts of his life separate which rings true for a lot of guys. I also liked that he was allowed to be a "traditional" hero, riding in to save the girl on a couple occasions. That's a plot device that may have been overused years ago but is rarely seen today because our heroines all have to be uber strong and self-reliant. Rebecca was a great character because she never lost faith in him and worked hard to help him overcome his own insecurities. The bedroom scenes were nicely done, not totally fade to black, but certainly not overly steamy. For me it was Jackson's interactions with the children in the story that really set it apart. They were touching and sweet.

If I were to voice one complaint it would be that nearer the middle to end of the book the author started using a lot of foreshadowing type phrases which always tend to annoy me.

Overall a very nice story that reminded me of "One Summer" by Karen Robards that I read many, many years ago and also really enjoyed. show less

The book begins with Jackson's release from prison and follows his path to a satisfactory life on the outside. This may be one of McCall's best books ever, including the ones published as Sharon Sala. An emotional read and an indictment of those who abuse children and a celebration of those who make a difference in the lives of others.
Deserves the praise it received from the 'romance' community when it first appeared. Jackson Rule received a best book award in 1996.

For me this novel was a non-stop pager turner..I was drawn to the characters and could not wait to see what was going to happen. Th subplot concerning Jacksons sister Molly was heart wenching and the scenes with the Children at the shelter were endearing.

Typical Sharon Sala/Dinah McCall fare. Fast paced.