Touching western romance
932458
I realize "touching" is not the usual word associated with Sarah McCartys' westerns but that is the first word that popped in my head when finishing this novel. Gritty, raw, brutal and erotic are probably used more often but something about this erotic western romance really got to me. I loved Maddie as our struggling heroine who was forced into prostitution at age 8 as she was born to a prostitute in a brothel. She did not felt sorry for herself but at the same time she did not see herself as anything but a whore. But how exciting to watch her build her little business into something that finally gave her some confidence to live a successful life. I loved Caden, he had feelings for Maddie from the beginning but didn't know what to do with them. Even though he made one disparaging remark to her in anger after his shotgun wedding, I knew throughout the book that he never thought of her as a whore even though she called herself that many times. And that is what I admired about him, he was able to see inside her soul. I was fascinated watching their love for each other grow despite all of the obstacles thrown their way. I have read all of the Hell's Eight novels and thought this was one of the best. There were a few unanswered questions, however, that left me a bit confused. What exactly was the promise he made his father that was holding him back, who sent the claim jumpers after them and will they live together running the bakery? I cannot wait for the last 2 novels to finish the Hell's Eight.
2934840
This is a very engaging contemporary western romance. The lovely 50-something widowed mother of the loving, funny Thompson clan finds love again with a successful dashing 50-something cowboy who is also ready for a mended heart. This is a great read.
4700706
I love Western romances, especially when they end well and are part of a series.  This book fits all those qualities!  Very enjoyable reading!
2912974
I enjoyed this book from cover to cover. As a reader who avidly reads animal stories, I enjoyed this romance that was centered in horse country, although not a horse story. The character development was rich, allowing me to enter their lives and feel actively engaged in the intertwined relationships. I found myself rooting for all the characters, hoping that each one would find the one thing that they were searching for.
3338104
What more could you ask for in a story than to have a strong caring hero like Dalton. He is thoughtful and protective as well as strong and dominant. Lilly has a struggle adjusting to his world and living by his rules. She is sassy and independent. Add in a mystery and it makes this story a page turner. This is a sweet western romance.
3783921
A Frontier Montana Romance,  A Cowboy's Temptation by Michelle Beattie.  Likable characters and heart warming dialogue.  I'll be looking forward to reading more books by Michelle Beattie and more books in this series.
595557
I read several works by the author and enjoyed all of them because no matter the genre, the people and relationships shine through as real.
This is her first work in what I"d call Western Romance; not a genre I'm really familiar with but this story held my attention from beginning to end. The people were drawn realistically, and were fully fleshed characters. The troubles they had to work through neededddd them to do the work themselves but as shown in the book, having a friend to help lighten the emotional load helps. The romantic tone of the story was well written, and made me feel warm but not smarmy. The external parts of the story (outside of their internal and interpersonal growth) seemed well drawn to me also (although this was my first "western" and it is a 20th century western not 19th. I strongly recommend this book.
2717319
I really enjoyed this Sweet Western Romance. I was given this book for free and have voluntarily chose to review it. This whole story was wrapped around the world of rodeo's. The hero is a bull rider and the heroine is a graphic artist. Lots of interesting situations throughout this story. I really liked the ending.
3349691
I'll admit it. I love books set in the American west. A trip through those vast open spaces, filled with rowdy cowboys and adventurous heroines, is my idea of a great escape. And if there's romance involved, so much the better! After reading an excerpt from TOUGHER THAN THE REST, I knew this was a book I'd enjoy.

In the book's dramatic prologue, author Shirleen Davies introduces us to the four young MacLaren brothers. After raiders murder their father and mother, they leave Ohio and head to their uncle's ranch in Arizona Territory, hoping he'll take them in. The oldest brother Niall is their leader. The majority of the book takes up the story twelve years later. Niall now runs his uncle's ranch and plans to marry a wealthy widow he doesn't love with the goal of making the ranch even greater. But then Katherine enters the scene. She's a young woman traveling from Philadelphia to California for a teaching position. When her stagecoach is involved in an accident, she and Niall meet and both their lives change.

One thing I enjoyed about the book was the strong heroine--Kate. She's educated, self-sufficient, and speaks up for herself without being strident. Although a blow to the head has caused her to forget her past, Kate does her best to pitch in and contribute to the McLaren household, where she's staying while she recuperates and tries to recall her history. She's a sympathetic character who I liked from the moment she was introduced.

With likable, believable characters, a strong plot, and descriptions that drew me into the setting, I enjoyed reading TOUGHER THAN THE REST from start to finish. I recommend this book to readers who like historical romances in a western setting. Since this is the first book in the MacLarens of Fire Mountain series, I'm looking forward to the stories of the other brothers too.
2654669
I enjoyed this book very much. The characters and the way they interacted kept the pages turning. It was a little repetitive now and again, but not enough to make me put the book down or stop me from reading the other two in this series. I would recommend this book to any romance lover with a western heart.
4423887
Especially liked this story. The family has a strong bond. They support each other and that gives the reader a good feeling. I also like the way the author can paint a mind picture of the land, scenery, a little history and a feeling of the way the west was. But then I love a good western.  Mr. Johnstone makes you feel you are there.
3790333
The bride train has arrived in Centralia, Kansas; twelve women for one hundred men.  Men who need brides in order to claim land rights.  Constantine Valentine unexpectedly finds himself in need of wife in order to keep the deed he won in a poker game, which may also be the key to reversing his misfortunes.  However, one look at bashful Rose Muldoon and Val realizes he may be in more trouble than he realized.

Valentines Rose was an incredibly sweet story largely due to Roses innate goodness and steadfast nature.  Roses hard life growing up and the tragedies she suffered, affected her self-esteem and made her doubt herself but it also gave her a unique perspective that aided Val more than once.  Vals desire to make up for his past mistakes almost caused him to lose his most precious possession, Rose.  The two of them together caused me to have many awww moments.

If you're a fan of sweet romances or historical westerns, then I highly encourage you to pick up Valentines Rose.
1722733
When Mariah Callahan inherits a small ranch from the cowboy father who abandoned her and her mother, she's down to her last dime after being fired from the wedding planning job she loved. She heads to Jubilee, Tex., thinking to sell her shabby spread quickly, but is surprised by the connection she feels to the land and to the father she thought she hated. Young widower Joe Daniels, her nearest neighbor, had vowed to hate Mariah, thinking she neglected her father, who was his best friend and mentor--but he can't deny their sparks, and her side of the story gets under his skin.

The Cowboy Takes a Bride is a sweet and appealing story. Joe is the alpha male, but with great qualities of compassion and sincerity. Joe needs someone in his life to challenge him and keep things varied, which Mariah does, but she comes off as a character that can be a bit self-deprecating and contradictory. Mariah spends a great deal of time trying to break down Joe's walls and help him realize that loving again is possible. When he finally starts believing in her, she starts to question him and gets insecure instead of being elated.

This is the first book I've ready by Lori Wilde and it won't be the last. I will look for more of her works and hopefully these characters will spill over to another nice read. I truly enjoyed this book.
4246660
After the poor review I gave a western romance yesterday, I can't say enough good things about this story.  It was delightful and somewhat different from many of the mail order bride stories.  In other words, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Now I'm going to take a look at the synopsis for another book I see written by her.
4771002
I haven't read a Western in a while and thought this would be a good change of pace.  I was not disappointed.

Tame a Wild Bride is the third book in the series, but can be read as a stand alone.  I have not read the other 2 books, so I don't have any back story.  However, I had not trouble keeping pace with the characters or the story line.

Tame a Wild Bride is the story of Rosie, a mail order bride, escaping from her city life to claim a life of her own.  True to the way of life in the early Western days, Tame a Wild Bride shows the hardships, trials, and joys of frontier life.  At the same time, Rosie and Tom discover feelings and a love for each other.

Ms. Woolf does a wonderful job of showing the struggles of frontier life as well as developing a story line that follows a good Western movie: hardships, characters that struggle, a mystery to be solved, and a family that learns to love.  Rosie and Tom's story pulled at my heartstrings and delivered great steamy, love scenes.  Makes me wish for my own cowboy.
4751377
Newly widowed, Rosa Garner and her mother-in-law return from Mexico to Garner land in Texas where they find that the family farm is hopelessly buried in back taxes...with only three months to earn the money. With the friendship of extended family, Rosa and Louise join in the social life of the community while Rosa works at every opportunity, using creativity, ingenuity, diligence, and all her strength to earn enough to pay the taxes. Her efforts are confounded by the attraction which grows between her and Weston Garner, a heart-broken widow who feels he could never marry again. More complications exist in the form of Rosa's new friend who has her heart set on handsome Weston and his successful ranch. There's also a scary, wife-beating neighbor prowling around Rosa causing her to fear for her safety and reputation in the already prejudiced town.

Rosa and Weston make you love them. Author Jennings creates characters that feel so real...you wish they were. Rosa's loyalty to family (that she didn't even know until recently), her generosity, her optimism, her sense of fairness, and attempts to fit in - even when she feels she must hide her own heritage - just endear her to the reader. Weston's sense of chivalry, morals, generosity, and honor make him a lovable white knight. Even better - a great-looking cowboy! Their kind hearted attitudes and efforts to act out their Christian religion despite hardships, misunderstandings, and sadness makes these characters shine. A terrific Western romance!

*Complimentary copy received for this review, does not affect my opinion in any way*
1315385
Awesome western romance. This is another example of why i enjoy reading Ms. Davies books. Quinn is one of the well-known McLaren's, originally from Scotland. They made the US their home and worked hard so their chikdren would have better lives. This particular story is about Quinn. He is tough, stubborn and works hard. Emma has had her heart set on Quinn for years but he refuses to acknowledge their feelings. He's afraid of what happens when you lose the one you love so he stays away from her. In the Old West there were many trial and tribulations that occurred when ranching. The story keeps the readers attention throughout the book. There is action, intrigue and suspense. I received a complementary copy of this book and chose to write a review. I look forward to reading future books by this author.