Shannon C.’s review of Lawless by Emma Wildes
Historical western erotic romance ebook published 1 Apr 08 by Samhain Publishing
I love westerns, and I don’t even really have a problem with violence in my books, so Lawless looked interesting to me. Bad-boy hero? Nothing sexier. Heroine who probably wouldn’t drive me crazy? I am so there. And at first, I loved the book. Lawless started out extremely well, with an action scene that got me immediately hooked on the story and the characters. Unfortunately, the early promise of that scene quickly fizzled, and it took me much longer than it should have to actually finish. And this is one of Samhain’s shorter novels.
Laurel Daniels is returning home to Colorado from Boston, where she’s been visiting relatives, when her train is attacked. Cal Riker, the most notorious lawman in the west, rescues her from the group of outlaws who’ve kidnapped her. The two of them immediately acknowledge their attraction, but they must face Cal’s past, which slowly catches up to them.
This book seems to be part of a series. There were definitely characters who clearly had their own stories, and a couple were destined for sequel-bait. Thankfully, I was able to follow the action without being confused, which is always good in a series.
I liked Laurel well enough. She is smart, she knows what she wants, and is extremely sensible. I liked that she didn’t do anything TSTL, and I liked that she wasn’t all aflutter with maidenly dismay at being touched. Unfortunately, I found her characterization to be a bit flat. I never really connected with her, nor did I understand why Cal was drawn to her.
Cal fares little better, though. He has a tortured past, of course, and a reputation that, we quickly learn, is largely exaggerated. Quite frankly, I found him extremely whiny. Yes, we get that he has a tortured past. But I was kind of expecting more from his aforementioned tortured past than there actually was. And I really didn’t like how his character arc was resolved, with everybody basically shrugging and saying, “Oh well. Sometimes that stuff happens.”
The sex scenes here were nice, although since I never really connected with the characters, I didn’t really feel the chemistry. In fact, I felt more chemistry between the sheriff and his wife, clearly the hero and heroine of a previous book, who get a shortish sex scene for no apparent reason, than I did from Cal and Laurel.
The plot starts out with a bang and then gradually peters out and becomes a tad predictable. I wish that the villains had not been dispatched quite so quickly, because I never really felt much out of the climax.
I know I’ve nitpicked quite a bit, but the book did have its good points. Ms. Wildes can write some amazing action sequences, and her prose is extremely readable. I am intrigued enough to read more from her about the characters in this universe.
Grade: C+
Summary:
An unlikely hero—until Fate steps in.
Cal Riker isn’t just a wanted man. His skill with a gun makes his name synonymous with notoriety. Deserved or not, a deadly reputation can sometimes come in handy for things like saving a beautiful woman from a ruthless outlaw gang. They’re all afraid of him—all except his enticing captive.
Laurel Daniels is furious at being abducted, even more so at the indignity of being purchased with ill-gotten money. Then she’s terrified when she realizes the cool, silver-eyed stranger who bought her is none other than an infamous, legendary killer.
Is he truly as lawless as they say? As she discovers an interesting side to this renegade cowboy, Laurel starts to wonder…
Warning: Strong sexual content, lawless bad boys, language, some violence.
You can read an excerpt here
