User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
I jumped at the chance to read about a woman working on a pipeline. It's a job I didn't know much about and after reading Ms. Fullmer's story, I have learned that it is a strenuous and nomadic job that is done in extreme conditions. But to those engineers, welders, pipeliners, equipment operators, etc., who work on a pipeline, it is a fine-tuned process that depends on "everyone doing their job and doing it well".
Andy graduated from college and received an offer from her elusive grandfather Buck by being his assistant engineer to help build a pipeline. Her mother regaled her with terrible stories about her grandfather, and Andy jumped at the chance to get to know him. So she persevered and assisted her grandfather by hauling supplies on top of West Virginia mountains through mud and downed trees; by staking out the right of way for the pipeline; by building cribs that held the pipes; and by helping calculate how to bend the pipe joints to fit the terrain. And in the middle of all this tiring work, Andy is attracted to a cocky and arrogant foreman of the tie-in crew, aptly named Rooster. But she can't jeopardize her reputation being the only woman on the pipeline. It's hard enough getting past the stereotype that a woman can't do this job.
Rooster grew up homeless with his mother and is counting on this job to learn from Buck Brennan, the pipeline legend, and possibly work with him more in the future. Rooster has always wanted to work for Buck because of his fair treatment of his crew and his unerring judgment in building a pipeline. But why on earth would Buck have a girl working for him? She's too small. There's no way she can last very long. But surprisingly, he is impressed with her determination, endurance, and intelligence in a job where many men would be gone within days. He can't risk the future he's worked so hard to build for a woman, and Buck Brennan's granddaughter at that.
I was impressed with Andy's strength and bravery to work in such a masculine setting and earning the respect of the crew. Her relationship with Rooster is a subtle one at first while she is building on her skills as an engineering assistant, but when they earn each other's respect and give in to the sexual tension it is inevitable. Let's not forget about Andy's relationship with her stern, but loveable grandfather, Buck, who turns out to be so much more than he seems.
Overall, this is a fascinating and funny coming of age story about a young insecure woman who finds her confidence and strength to take charge of her life. Recommend highly!
Thank you to Ms. Fullmer for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
Rating: really liked it
I obtained this free e-book from Amazon and I am voluntarily writing a review. Andrea (Andy) has taken time off from her studies before going to graduate school for communications to go to work with her estranged grandfather on a pipeline for a gas company as his assistant engineer. Never mind she has no experience or no clue about what the job entitles or the conditions she will be working in. She needed something different and she has a chance to get to know her grandfather. Buck is Andy's grandfather and she does not know that he is a well respected, well known engineer and highly sought after for job sites. In the pipe liner's world if you have the opportunity to work under Buck it pretty much guarantee's you steady work. Rooster(Travis ) is the tie in foreman of the crew and he is anxious to work with Buck and earn a name in the business. He is against woman working the right of way, they either will get hurt or cause one of the men to get hurt by being a distraction. Too bad she is one heck of a distraction.
Rating: really liked it
Fascinating story! I really enjoyed this book. It's quite the story, with Andy learning to work on the pipeline with her grandfather, Buck. Back home, she was a pampered daughter, with only her studies to think about. But when she wants to leave with Buck to get to know him, and to do something different, her parents aren't that thrilled with her. As Andy goes through the first days of the pipeline job, she's unprepared for the pure physical labor and the mud and the endless climbing up mountains. She is amazed at the technical job her grandfather does with all his calculations and figures to make sure the pipeline ends up in the right places. As she learns how to be his assistant, she catches on a lot quicker than she thought she would and is surprised at the sense of accomplishment she has. But being the only woman on a tough men's job is not easy, and the men think of her as just an object, a woman to tease and harass. Andy even has a hard time liking a particular foreman, Travis, because he seems to think that this job is no place for a woman. The story is full of surprising struggles and twists as Andy comes into her own to find a place to belong. It's a very good book, and I highly recommend it.
Rating: really liked it
5 Cranky Stars
I never even thought about Pipelining before. Never considered how our natural gas got to our homes or what life must be like for the workers. This story explained everything to me and added really relatable people that I fell in love with. I'm sad that the story ended.
Andy is a greenhorn to the pipeline and the only woman. Working with her grandpa Buck is hard and gruelling but so rewarding. With time she is able to prove her worth and even catch the eye of Rooster.
Rooster has a past that keeps him motivated to never lose his home. He loves his job and most of the guys he works with. They're a family. When Andy walks in things change and so does his prospective.
This story shows how even the strongest family units have issues. Life can be hard but your outlook on it can change everything. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author.
Rating: really liked it
I received a copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This was an enjoyable read. The story was slow in the beginning, but it picked up as the story. The characters were great. The author made her characters very authentic and real. I felt the struggles that Andrea aka Andy went through as a female engineer in the pipeline business was very interesting. However, the romance between Andy and Rooster was really enjoyable. I felt their connection and it was cute to see how they tried to stop their attraction, but could not. It was a nice love story. I really enjoyed Grandpa Buck's character the most. He was rough around the edges, but still has a heart of gold type of character. He did a lot of things for his family. He made a lot of sacrifices, but still provided for his family. The ending was sweet. I am glad it was a happy ending. Overall, a great read.
Rating: really liked it
A Nice StoryI enjoyed this love story. It was not the Great American Novel but it was a very easy-going read.
Some themes were obvious like the sexism at the workplace. Not a surprise with one woman on a pipeline crew -- BUT WRONG!
the story was very predictable but fun.
I recommend this easy flowing novel.
Rating: really liked it
A new strong heroine and a meaningful romance
Author Kirsten Fullmer has worked in the field of engineering, has been a teacher at the college level, was a freelance consultant, and has an affinity for art. Now retired, she has published ten novels including her six part HOMETOWN SERIES, SUGAR MOUNTAIN, and now, LOVE ON THE LINE.
One kindred spirit in Kirsten’s romance novels is the presence of strong female characters and how they cope with love, life and relationships, as is apparent in her opening chapter as we meet Andrea: ‘Andrea couldn’t ignore her boots. Not only were they stiff and chafing her ankles, they were clean. Practically spotless. Then again, it wasn’t like the men were staring at her feet. Hunching her shoulders, she clutched at the ends of her shirtsleeves, gripping them over her fingers like a cocoon. It was too warm for her heavy coat, but downright chilly without it. “You take them papers on over to the man behind the desk,” Grandpa Buck instructed, pointing toward the office manager. She peered up at the tall, thin man who’d brought her to the mountains of West Virginia, and her mother’s words rang in her mind for the umpteenth time. ‘He’s no good, Andrea; you can’t depend on him.’ But Andy had her own opinions of her Grandpa’
The author’s summary outlines the plot: ‘‘Andrea never thought she’d live in a camp trailer or work outdoors in inhospitable climates; but eager to leave the stress and tedium of grad-school behind, she sets off with her estranged grandpa, Buck, to build a pipeline through the rugged mountains of West Virginia. She’s determined to understand the man and the family divide that drove him away. Once the job starts, she forms an unlikely friendship with Nick, the rough and tumble foreman of the bending crew. Most of the guys aren’t willing to accept her, and Rooster, the handsome, cocky, tie-in foreman, is determined that she’s a ridiculous distraction. But building a pipeline is fraught with danger, fatigue, and confrontation as egos collide. Caught up in the all-male social microcosm, Andrea can’t help but understand the pecking order, and she’s at the bottom. Being a woman makes it even more unlikely she’ll be accepted. Buck proves to be a taskmaster, but a kindhearted teddy bear of a man under a gruff exterior, and Andrea comes to love him, opening herself up to the pain of his past. Rooster and Andrea are drawn to each other, yet they know an on-the-job romance will only cause problems. Rooster is tormented by his own past, and determined to prove himself to Buck, a pipeline ledged. Messing with the old man’s granddaughter is a line Rooster refuses to cross. But as Andrea shows herself to be a hard worker and a valuable member of the crew, she earns Rooster’s respect and he can’t keep his distance. It seems the couple can’t go back, they can’t move forward, and they can’t let go. Both will have to make sacrifices and take a chance on ruining their credibility in order to be together.’
Kirsten is at the top of her game with this fine novel. Fast paced and full of thoughtful insights into family and romance. Recommended.
Rating: really liked it
This was a very informative and entertaining book for me. The story of self-discovery, rebuilding lost family connections, and finding love made this story really interesting but the strong, smart woman (Andy) proving herself in a "mans world" and refusing to bow down to pressure, mockery and out right discrimination was the main selling point. Kirsten's passion for this story was palpable and how could you not love a book that is clearly so close to the author’s heart.
Rating: really liked it
What really intrigued me in the first place was the fact that this book features a woman who works in a male-dominated workplace. I wanted to see in which direction the author would go and how she would represent our heroine. Fortunately for me, our heroine-Andy- was empowering. Guys, she starts working
on a pipeline with other strangers- who are all
men- and still manages to not lose it ! Let that sink in.
Rating: really liked it
This book turned out to be so much more than a turbulent love story and for me that made the story so much more impactful. I really enjoyed seeing the growth of Andy as a woman and the development of the relationship between Buck, the grandfather, and Andy was very touching. There are so many pieces to the story; Managing a new job in an especially challenging environment, an "office romance" and family drama, make the book really true to life. 5 stars for an entertaining and relatable book!
Rating: really liked it
Excellent informative writingThis romance is so much more than it seems.
Love on the line was my introduction to the work by Kristen Fullmer and I quite enjoyed it. I was never curious about pipelining but this story gave such detailed insight. Hats off to these men and women who work in this field, daily throughout the many seasons in the year.
Andy, a young girl trying to find herself, decides to work with her maternal grandfather, Buck, learning his engineering work with pipelining. Andy has never done this type of work before, and she is not very close to her grandfather.
Rooster enjoys his work and wants to make a big impression on the legend Buck. However, as much as he respects women, he cannot understand why Andy is there every day and why she gets to work with the legend.
These two have their walls built up around them to keep each other at bay. Yet the attraction is strong. Can they have a relationship in this male-dominated workforce? Will Andy also have a relationship with her grandfather after all of this?
I will be reading some more of Kristen Fullmer's work!
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Easy-to-read, Entertaining, Informative, Original, Romantic, Realistic, Wonderful characters
Rating: really liked it
Andrea - Andy - is a young woman who decides to go work as engineering assistant to her estranged grandfather. Working in a man-dominated environment is hard for her, but she is stubborn and I was impressed with her dedication to succeed. Intense cold and later on heat, mud everywhere, intense labor while she is a small woman. Wow!
Tristan (Rooster) is one of the foremen and is against Andy working at the pipeline. She is too small he deems and the work is too dangerous and physical. He is however attracted to Andy. His goal is to make a good impression on the engineer and discovering that's Andy's grandfather makes it difficult. And when the job ends, Rooster will go on to another pipeline-job while Andy will go home.
I thought this was quite an interesting book. Not your usual romance! The only thing I disliked was the family misunderstanding, that could have been resolved easily years ago. There could have been a bit more at the end, an epilogue would have been nice!
I requested and receiced an ARC via Netgalley and this is my voluntary review.
Rating: really liked it
I don't often leave reviews for romance novels, but this one is an exception.
I found the subject matter very interesting and a refreshing change from the usual occupation of the heroine and hero.
The plot was good and lacked the usual pages upon pages of erotic scrambling, which was a relief! Many romance novels nowadays use a weak storyline tacking the sex together.
I do recommend this one, for its novelty value and reasonably practical down-to-earth freshness.
Rating: really liked it
Andy is taking time off from Grad school to go work with her Grandpa Buck in West Virginia, and she is going to be his engineering assistant on a pipeline. Her parents aren’t too thrilled, especially her mother that continues to hold a grudge against Buck over his going to work on a pipeline years ago. Even worse is the reception Andy gets from all of the other pipeline workers, which are all men. Either ignored or the butt of immature comments and jokes, Andy presses on with the hardest job she’s ever done. Then there is Rooster (Travis), who isn’t sexist like a lot of the other men, but feels Andy is a distraction to the workers and that she’s too small and petite to do this job. Yet, he can’t keep his eyes off of her…
Andy was an incredible, honest, humble character that I loved! Besides the obvious physical challenges of being a woman working on a pipeline, she never gave up no matter how many times she screwed up or was humiliated. And she had soooo many hilarious moments where I truly felt bad for her but couldn’t help but laugh. It was as if she went seeking out impossible situations to get herself into, but she still held her head high.
Andy caught on to the job, however, and soon began earning the respect of others – specifically the handsome Travis. Sparks flying between the two of them just added to this already fantastic story. It was interesting to watch the character development in this novel in that everyone seemed to change and grow as a result of Andy working the pipeline, not just Andy herself. The best character, however, is sweet, old Buck. Not just a Grandpa type, he was a good teacher that lost his patience sometimes but also didn’t keep Andy on a short leash. He let her make mistakes, but she learned.
Love on the Line is a fantastic example of a woman’s strength and perseverance and I was cheering for her the entire time. This was so different from things I have read and it was a joy to read a novel about a woman’s physical and emotional challenges of taking a job where women are not the norm. It was my pleasure to read and review this novel and cannot wait to read more from this author in the future!
*Thanks to the author for providing a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review!
Rating: really liked it
Fantastic Read!!!Was so great to read about a woman learning a difficult trade in a man's world and earning the respect of everyone around her. Plus, the romance woven into the plot was great as well.
