This was as much a history lesson as a historical romance. And the romance is ...well... very hot and cold and rapey. He just rips off her gown on mulThis was as much a history lesson as a historical romance. And the romance is ...well... very hot and cold and rapey. He just rips off her gown on multiple occasions and takes her as was the custom when this was written. Still its not terrible. I learned a lot about the American Indian civil war, maybe more than I wanted and the Audible version has George. Guidall narrating so that was good....more
Opening Line: "Moments stolen...never to be regained."
What a great ending to an absolutely fabulous trilogy. I actually hunted down these books used bOpening Line: "Moments stolen...never to be regained."
What a great ending to an absolutely fabulous trilogy. I actually hunted down these books used because of the rave reviews and am I ever glad I did. This series will definitely be getting a reread. Lorraine Heath can tell a story, flawlessly capturing the emotions of her characters and never giving them an easy route to love. I always enjoy how our couples fall in love slowly, almost like it’s a surprise to them while they struggle through numerous hardships. And her heroes… jeez. Big, tough, damaged cowboys, willing to do anything for their women and usually causing this reader to tear up once or twice in the process.
Here we get youngest Leigh Brother Austin’s story which is made all the sweeter because we’ve watched him grow up throughout the previous books. When we left him last (5 years ago) he had just gone to prison for a murder he didn’t commit, all in the name of protecting his sweetheart.
Upon his release from prison Austin is devastated to learn that Becky hasn’t waited for him, in fact she’s married his best friend. I really appreciated how lost he was during this time; life had moved on during his incarceration, children had been born and grown, he didn’t know anyone including himself and no longer felt like he had a place in the world. I was also moved by the loss of Austin’s music as he gives up his violin because he can no longer hear the songs in his head. Heartbreaking.
Setting off for the capital to find the real killer and clear his name Austin gets delayed when his horse goes lame. Finding his way to a rundown farm he comes across a shy, innocent (and often barefoot) young woman with a sweet smile who is living in seclusion and has secrets and nightmares of her own. Of course romance blooms and these two damaged souls seek comfort in each other. Never one to shirk his responsibilities Austin marries Loree when he learns she is with child (whoopsie) returning to the Leigh homestead to build a future together and presumably purchase a lot of sugar.
Austin and Loree are a fantastic couple who are virtual strangers when they marry and watching them grow and and ultimately love each other is just beautiful. Much like in book 1 (Texas Destiny) it’s also a story of two wounded souls finding and healing each other however here we also have big a secret hanging over their ultimate HEA. I didn’t figure out this mystery until I was right on top of it and was surprised and pleased with the outcome.
In the background of Loree and Austin’s romance we also spend considerable time with the other brothers and their wives and while it was fun catching up with Dallas and Huston I did get a bit tired of all the children and babies being born and felt that the book kind of stalled out for a while with all the family stuff going on in the middle (over Christmas) The series concludes with a fantastic epilogue taking us 10 years into the future which I loved -it wasn’t the future I’d expected but it was so satisfying.
As others have mentioned Rawley Cooper really shines in this story and I can only hope Heath has given him a story of his own as he definitely deserves a HEA. 5 star series 332jb4 ...more
Another excellent addition to Lorraine Heath’s Texas trilogy, it doesn’t quite live up to the awesomeness of (Texas Destiny) but its damn close and a Another excellent addition to Lorraine Heath’s Texas trilogy, it doesn’t quite live up to the awesomeness of (Texas Destiny) but its damn close and a really emotional read. Such a shame that Heath is no longer writing these historical westerns because they’re just so good and this (out of print) series in particular is worth hunting down.
Here in book 2 we get Dallas’ story. He’s the oldest Leigh brother and figured prominently in the last book, standing by helplessly as his mail-order bride fell in love with his younger brother Houston. It’s now 5 years later and Dallas is still consumed by his desire for a son, wanting an heir to leave his ever expanding empire to or all his hard work will have been for nothing.
Women however are in short supply in 1881 West Texas so when a land rights dispute develops with a neighboring rancher and Dallas learns that the man has a daughter he takes full advantage, essentially trading a parcel of his acreage for her hand in marriage (nice!) The deal isn’t complete until she provides him with a son.
Poor Cordelia, sheltered, subservient and terrified of Dallas, especially after her brothers fill her head with stories about what a horrible tyrant he is, of course his gruff and intimidating manner don’t help matters either. Having grown up with an abusive father Cordelia spends her wedding night hiding under a desk. Dallas is at a loss, and clueless about how to put his new bride at ease, I mean despite his demeanour he’s not a bad man it’s just that after commanding during the Civil war he seemed to have lost the capacity to ask for things or share his feelings in any social way. And this is where I wondered how on earth these two would ever get it together because everything Dallas did only succeeded in pushing his timid wife further away.
Over time though, Cordelia really comes into her own, given free rein and a little support, her confidence just soars enough so that they begin to relax and enjoy each other, discovering that they work well together. Once again Heath shines at showing our couple slowly falling in love; the changes their personalities go through make it even harder to witness the tragedy that nearly takes everything away.
"I can't stay. I can no longer give you what you want." Dallas stepped off the veranda and extended a bouquet of wildflowers toward her. "Then stay and give me what I need." *Sigh*
We also get updates on Huston and his ever expanding brood of girls, an absolutely tragic subplot involving a young boy named Rowley and poor Austin, superbly set up for the next book (Texas Splendor). As far as historical western romances go this one has it all. Cheers. 331jb4...more
~4.5~ Opening Line: "Alec Kenleigh tossed back the last of his brandy and savored its heat as it scorched a path to his stomach."~4.5~ Opening Line: "Alec Kenleigh tossed back the last of his brandy and savored its heat as it scorched a path to his stomach."...more
Opening Line: "I didna kill anyone." Connor Mackinnon glared at his two brothers, heavy fetters biting into has wrists and ankles, the iron cold and hOpening Line: "I didna kill anyone." Connor Mackinnon glared at his two brothers, heavy fetters biting into has wrists and ankles, the iron cold and hard."
Guess who was waiting for me in my mailbox tonight when I got home??? CONNOR!! (I wish it was him literally but) damn he is looking good. Can't wait to dive in...
Dove in, swam the river, traipsed through the forest, braved the bad guys, -hello forced marriage, shudder, I wish! High anxiety (how are they going to get out of this?) Cried a bit, fell in love a lot, Joseph sigh, Connor big sigh, 1000 lashes, are you freakin kidding me!? -and I thought Iain had it bad! And then surprisingly in the end Wentworth grows worthy of a sigh too and all's well at the Mackinnon farm. Big contented smile :) Buggy is happy.
Opening Line: “Major Morgan Mackinnon lay on his belly, looking down from the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain to the French fort at Ticonderoga below.”Opening Line: “Major Morgan Mackinnon lay on his belly, looking down from the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain to the French fort at Ticonderoga below.”
Och lassies, Pamela Clare has done it again. Tis no fair, I dinnae ken i twas possible for her to top the sheer bonnie-ness of Surrender (I’ll stop now) or that she could possibly create another hero capable of capturing my heart the way Iain did (yes Iain of the hundred lashes Iain) but then I hadn’t properly met his brother Morgan yet either and damn if this brave, sexy Mackinnon brother hasn’t also stolen my heart.
Yes, Untamed is equally as good as the first book and in some ways I suppose even better because I’m now more familiar with the Scottish brogue and also have a better understanding of the French/British war being fought in the Colonies of 1759. This book was also interesting on a personal level because I have family in French Canada so I enjoyed reading the heroine Amalie's Français and some of the history as to why my country is bilingual. As others have mentioned this also sent me on a historical search (which a romance novel has never done before) to learn more about the battle of Trois Rivières and the time period in general.
There isn’t a whole lot I can add about this amazing series as I’m a little late to the party and there are already so many great reviews out there. All the praise is worthy though; Pamela Clare is simply an amazing writer, giving us characters that you won’t be able to let go of. The romance here is just perfect; sweet, passionate (hello waterfall sex), tear jerking and sighworthy. What a fantastic couple. In fact I loved everything about this; the suspense, the humour, the language, the history, the secondary characters (Joseph, Connor, Iain & Annie, the Rangers and even William) I was also never certain where this story was going to go, jeez the choices Morgan was forced to make, eventually becoming the enemy of both the French and the English.
Untamed starts shorty after Surrender and sees Scottish warrior Morgan MacKinnon still reluctantly fighting for the English. Upon his brother’s release Morgan is now in command of the Rangers and in the opening chapter we join him in the midst of a horrific battle, which see’s our boy gravely wounded and taken hostage by the French. His loyal Rangers assume he’s dead (or soon will be) and are so moved by his final heroics that they write a ballad in his honor (Loved it)
Incapacitated, Morgan is shackled to a bed where the French plan to interrogate him before turning him over to the Abenaki -who will then burn him alive for crimes against their people. It’s not looking very good for ole Morgan. Bearing two festering musket holes he wills himself to die rather then turn traitor on his men or burn at the stake, but it’s not going to be that easy. Enter his nursemaid, sweet, innocent, young and beautiful Amalie. Raised in a convent and now upon the death of her father (at the hands of British) the ward of Chevalier de Bourlamaque who will either see her returning to the nunnery and marrying god or one of his chosen French officers. Amalie however has other plans and has decided that this man must live.
“Morgan fought the urge to touch her, crossed his arms over his chest. “You have no’ answered my question, lass. Why are you here? And dinnae tell me it’s the summer heat that brings you, for ‘tis hot in my bed too.” She looked away again, distress on her face. ”I…I needed…” “Needed what?” He knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it from her. When she spoke, her words were but a whisper “I needed to be…near you.”
Opening Line: “His was not a face that women carried with them into their dreams”
Oh how I loved this one. I actually sought out a used copy of Texas DOpening Line: “His was not a face that women carried with them into their dreams”
Oh how I loved this one. I actually sought out a used copy of Texas Destiny because it had received such rave reviews and WOW am I ever glad I did. I knew going in I was going to like this because I’ve got such a soft spot when it comes to the tortured heroes but I never expected to be as moved as I was by this beautiful story. Just know any review I attempt here really won’t do this justice.
I fell in love with both the hero and heroine and literally couldn’t stop reading mostly because Lorraine Heath never took the easy route with their story. Just when I thought I had it all figured out she went the opposite way or moved things past where I thought she was going to. She also gives us multifaceted characters who only over the course of the book manage to reveal their whole selves.
Our couples back stories are both heartbreaking, talk about wounded souls finding each other. Unfortunately for them our heroine has already promised herself to another and the hero doesn’t feel anywhere near worthy of fighting for her love, especially up against his successful, good looking, older brother.
But the heart wants what the heart wants, and sometimes it isn’t a fancy house and lots of frills but a quiet life in a one room cabin with small dreams, a few horses and a man that makes your toes curl regardless of what he looks like.
Amelia Carson has just arrived on the Fort Worth train, she’s a mail order bride trying to leave the horrors of war-ravaged Georgia behind and start a new life for herself in Texas. She’s been corresponding with Dallas Leigh for a year now, agreeing to marry him and in exchange for travel expenses signing a promissory note. (Its 1876 so the deed is as good as done.) Now all she can hope is that Dallas is everything she imagined he’d be from his letters.
However it’s not Dallas who meets Amelia’s train (due to a broken leg he’s been unable to travel.) The tall cowboy keeping to the shadows is his younger brother Houston and she’s going to be stuck with the scarred and bad tempered man for the entire three week wagon journey back to Dallas’s ranch. Houston doesn’t talk much and almost always keeps his face turned away, but Amelia’s an optimistic character and it doesn’t take long before she’s able to break down Houston’s defences.
Missing an eye and badly disfigured this weary, ex-Civil War soldier has survived the war but its left him scarred inside and out and he now prefers the company of horses to people. Amelia has brought something back to life in him though and he can’t help wishing things were somehow different. As it stands his memories are going to have to last a lifetime because she belongs to his brother and he’s going to deliver her to him and watch them get married because Amelia deserves so much more then he could ever hope to give her.
Of course the return trip doesn’t go quite as smoothly as planned and Houston and Amelia are forced to rely on each other to survive, growing ever closer and falling in love. And this is where things got interesting because I expected the brother to be a mean horrible man (makes for an easy story right) but no, he’s a nice guy, who would make an excellent husband, remaining true and providing Amelia with a good life. This makes her decision very difficult especially when the one she really wants keeps pushing her away.
Opening Line: "Nicholas leaned back in the wooden tub, closed his eyes, let the hot water soak the chill from his bones."
This was easily one of the beOpening Line: "Nicholas leaned back in the wooden tub, closed his eyes, let the hot water soak the chill from his bones."
This was easily one of the best historical romances I've read. Now I know why everyone keeps recommending Pamela Clare. I just can't seem to bring myself back from the frontier of 1763, nor do I want to, and then there’s Nicholas... Sigh
There isn’t much I can say really that hasn’t been said already, Ride The Fire is an epic read, with characters that will stay with you long after you’ve finished. By the end I couldn’t believe how far they’d come and what they’d been through. And the detail paid to historical accuracy here is simply amazing. Down to the smallest of facts, including actual soldiers, battles, forts, and sieges. You’ll have no trouble being transported away and imagining yourself there. And how fun was the inclusion of “Ben” in the closing chapters?
In regards to the romance (big sigh) Bethie and Nicholas are just perfect; with a realistic, slow building love forming between two equally wounded souls. I love a tortured hero and Nicholas is about as good as it gets without being a bully (as most tend to come off before they fall in love) and I appreciated how his dark secrets weren’t given away all at once either. I was on pins waiting to hear exactly what had taken place after he was tortured and why he continued to live amongst the Wyandot. Surprisingly though it wasn’t his brutal torture but the scene where he drops to his knees in front of his mother and begs forgiveness that got to me. There were no TSTL moments on the heroine’s part here, no dumb misunderstandings to plod through or exaggerated conflict it was all just beautifully done.
I should also mention that while this is the third part of a trilogy I read it as a stand alone with no problems whatsoever. I have of course just ordered the first two books because I can’t seem to find anything else to read that even comes close to capturing the magic I found here. Cheers...more
"I would not make a good husband. I do, however, make an excellent lover"
This was a great read that kind of snuck up on me, especially once I started "I would not make a good husband. I do, however, make an excellent lover"
This was a great read that kind of snuck up on me, especially once I started picturing Johnny Depp as our roguish hero. Yes indeed, he would make a fine British cowboy, ala Jack Sparrow on a cattle drive, attempting to woo the heroine into bed with his clever, wicked tongue and laughing eyes. Anyways that’s what gets me through the day.
Harrison Bainbridge is a scoundrel and I absolutely adored him. The second son of an English earl “Harry” has been banished by his father for his substantial gambling debts and womanizing and sent to the wilds of 1865 Texas to clean up his act. Partnering up in a cattle muster isn’t really his idea of a good time, (it is actual work after all) however Harry can’t resist the opportunity to spend time with the saloon keepers outspoken daughter. Her daring business venture is a gamble and that is of course what Harry lives for.
Jessye Kane has dreams of wealth and independence after having her heart and reputation destroyed by her first love. She doesn’t trust men, doesn’t want or need a husband and certainly isn’t going to fall for the smooth talking Harry. He’s just heartache waiting to happen. However during the long months on the dusty trail the two get to know each other and Jessye realizes that there’s more to Harry then the devil-may-care attitude he portrays to the world. In fact Harry may just have a conscience and he might also be just as damaged and vulnerable as she is. Isn’t that a scary thought, because that’s a man she could love…
The flirty back and forth banter between our couple here as they try not to fall for each other is really fun; in fact I enjoyed most of the dialogue and definitely chuckled through Harry’s one liners. I also loved how we never really knew for sure if he was cheating at cards or not. I swear that man would wager his very soul.
It was towards the end of the book though that Lorraine Heath managed to capture my heart with this story too. After Harry is horribly injured, Jessye attempts to nurse the now stubborn, bitter man back to health. He can’t stand her pity or the way she looks at him these days and may just break her heart to recapture the outspoken sassy girl he used to know.
This is part 2 from the Rogues in Texas trilogy. And while I read this as a stand alone I wouldn’t recommend it as there were holes in the story that were never completely filled in and the beginning chapters were a bit confusing. Besides from what I can tell Harry’s brother's story (A Rogue in Texas) which continues on here, looks super good. ...more
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