Update: CONTEST will close Sunday 8/30/09 @ midnight CST. Post a link to your review for either Hell’s Eight Book in the comments (Caine’s Reckoning, Sam’s Creed) and I will enter you twice (info in the comments).
Have we got a treat for you today! In celebration of The Great Western Drive, we have ourselves a tasty excerpt from Sarah McCarty‘s next book, Tucker’s Claim, which is due out on October 1, 2009!
But wait, there’s more! More, you ask? What could be cooler than a tasty excerpt? Well how about a chance to win a copy of the book. Thanks to the fine folks at Harlequin, we’ll be giving away one copy of Tucker’s Claim to one random commenter on this post. Please note: This will be a final copy of the book (not an ARC) and will be sent to the winner closer to the book’s publication date. Read on, comment, and good luck!
TUCKER’S CLAIM
Copyright © 2009 by Sarah McCarty
Permission to reproduce text granted by Harlequin Books S.A.
Sally stood in front of her mirror, studying her reflection. Tucker McCade was waiting for her out in the woods. The illicit thrill that went through her was very much out of place, but exciting. Staring at the mirror, she wondered what he saw in her. She was a plain woman with plain ways, wearing a plain dress. She had nothing frilly under her dress, such as the saloon girls wore to entice a man. No fancy scents to please his senses. She was just Sally Mae Schermerhorn, widow of Jonah Schermerhorn, mother to none, daughter to none. A woman who’d come west in the hope of finding the sense of belonging that she’d never had, even amidst the accepting arms of the people who had taken her in when she was ten. Even in the arms of her husband.
She touched the demure white cap she always wore over her coronet of braids. Nothing like what was worn by the other women Tucker had known, she was sure. Tucker, with his big bones, big muscles and bold face with the aggressive slash of his cheekbones beneath his incredible silver eyes was a harshly exotic, handsome man. There was nowhere he went that women’s eyes didn’t follow. A dart of insecurity pierced her anticipation. Which meant he could have his pick.
She pulled the cap off slowly, watching in the mirror as it revealed the tightly pinned braids. Suddenly she hated the hairstyle and all it represented. Conformity. Control. Acceptance.
Tonight, she wanted to be the woman that Tucker imagined. Someone as fanciful as a moonbeam. She studied the cap, her image. Tonight, for whatever reason, he wanted her. And tonight she wanted to be more than plain Sally Mae. Tonight she wanted to drown in the attraction between them and just bury the pain that festered inside beneath some sort of joy. Since that horrible night when the sheriff had brought her Jonah’s bloody body, along with his last words, she’d been silently screaming. She didn’t want to be silent anymore, locked in her mind with her screams. And tonight she didn’t have to be. Tonight she could give Tucker what he wanted and take a little for herself. No promises would be made. No one would be hurt. Just two bodies coming together to satisfy separate needs. And when it was over, she’d go back to her silence and plain ways and Tucker would go about his wild ones. There was no worry that he would gossip. The added benefit of taking a man with Indian blood as her lover was that he wouldn’t—couldn’t—say a word for fear of being strung up. She didn’t personally care about his heritage. God created all men and women equally, but societal issues did offer her that guarantee.
Another pause as she considered how selfish she was being, using a man to relieve pain. But then she remembered the look in Tucker’s eyes as he’d stood in the back of the cemetery on one of her recent visits. He had stalked over the rise like some wild cougar, his torn-off shirtsleeves and leather vest showcasing his massive chest and powerful muscles, giving him a primitive intimidation, making everyone and everything else seem insignificant. The ever-present bullet hanging on the leather thong around his neck completed the image of a cold, lethal predator. Until his silver gaze met hers. There hadn’t been any sympathy there. No pity. But as she stared into his eyes, understanding arced across the distance between them, and she saw the pain he, too, felt.
Sighing, she put the cap on the polished vanity top. She was going to take a lover. A man not of her race, not of her beliefs. A man who, supposedly, was built of nothing but violence and darkness. Sally knew there was a wildness in her that could match the wildness in Tucker, but knowing it and experiencing it were two different things. Raking her teeth across her lips to give them a bit more fullness and color, she turned away from the mirror. She would have to do as she was. Jonah had always enjoyed taking her hair down for her. Maybe Tucker would enjoy it, too. Smoothing her skirts, she headed down the stairs and into the sweetness of the night.
*falling all over myself to put my name in the drawing*
(Yes, I’m an unabashed fangirl of Ms McCarty)
Haven’t read a western with a Native American hero for a long time.
Put my name down for the give away, thanks.
P.S The Great Western Drive is bad for my purse.
lol you don’t even have to review it az 😉
good luck arani
Oh how I would love to win this book! Am a huge Sarah fan!!!
Please enter me! I <3 her Hell’s Eight series and a lot of her other books too 😀
Ohh I would love to enter this giveaway. I love Sarah McCarty’s books especially her Hells 8 and Promise series. Also looking forward to her vamp cowboys 😀
love sarah’s western all of them are fantastic. Would love to win this.
scrtsbpal at yahoo dot com
It’s been on my wishlist since Amazon put it up. And in a happy coincidence I just finished reading all the Promises (again). I’d be the happiest fan girl alive if I scored a copy of this before release.
Oh…my…that is one sizzling excerpt! I have never read Sarah McCarty’s books, but I think I will start with this one! I am really liking being on this Great Western Drive. 😉
I love Sarah McCarty’s books and would be thrilled to get this one early! It seems like it has been a long time since she’s had a new book.
Oye, Crossing my fingers on this one. LOVE Sarah McCarty, actually read a book of hers last night! Ha, talk about coincidence. She has a GREAT way of writing characters and her stories are always so heartfelt and sincere.
Can’t wait for this one!! 🙂
I’m dying to get my hands on this book!
Please add me to the contest and thanks for running it!
Also dying for this book. Can’t wait!!!
Enter me, please! This looks amazing!
Whew! What an excerpt! Must. Read. More. Please, add my name to the draw. Thank you, Sarah McCarty and Harlequin!
It feels like I’ve been waiting for this book for forever! Thanks for the excerpt. Now I’m all itchy having to wait another month or so. Please add me to the list.
Enter me too please! I really enjoy Sarah’s books.
I’ve never read of her books! I guess I should check out her backlist before this comes out, lol.
What a great excerpt, thank you and Sarah!
It seems like forever since Caine’s Reckoning and I would love to get a copy of Tucker’s story even a day earlier!
Wow – sounds sweet AND my hubby’s name is Tucker! I think that means I am fated to read this book… hopefully I win it!
Thanks – Miranda
Sounds like another keeper from Sarah!
Winning a copy would be great. =)
Oh I would love to win a copy of this book!
This sounds like a great read and I love Sarah’s work. Please count me in.
I’ve been waiting for this one since her first scene in Sam’s Creed. October seems so far away, winning it early would take the edge off.
If Sarah’s the author, it is an auto buy. Would love to be put in the drawing!
Oh this sound like a fantastic read please put me in the drawing! I have heard a lot about Sarah’s books and would love to read one.
I love this excerpt. I would love to win this book. I love Sarah’s work as well. Please, enter me i the drawing.
Carol L.
I would love to get a copy of Tucker’s Claim. McCarty’s books are a treat.
I’m a huge fan of Sarah’s as she started me on the path of reading erotica with Caine’s Reckoning. And the book covers are pretty nice too!!
I’ve been waiting anxiously for this to come out and would love to win a copy.
OMG thank you so much for the excerpt. It seems like readers have been waiting forever for a new book by Sarah. I love her novels, and Tucker’s Claim looks to be another great read. Crossing my fingers and hoping that I win!!!
This is such a great series, I love Sarah’s men, and I can’t wait to read Tucker’s story.
Oooh…I love Sarah McCarty’s books. Please add my name to the hat. *crossing my fingers*
I love Sarah McCarty and really can’t wait for this book! It’s been way to long since we have had a new one in this series
Definitely my favorite cover of the series. Sally and Tucker’s story sounds like a winner. 🙂
I’ve been toying with the idea of getting this one, I have the first two. Sign me up.
oo! Cant wait for this book! Thanks for arranging this giveaway!
Can’t wait to see this one. I love all of her books, and the Hell’s Eight series is awesome!
Big fan of the author!
Great excerpt! I’ve been waiting forever it seems like for this one!! Very nice cover too.
Me, Me, Me! Pretty please with honey on it! 🙂
Oh please enter me too.
I am so in dire need of a McCarty fix!!
Her website hasn’t been updated in ages, thought we were due a book from her.
I love this series, I would really love to win!
Oh, I would love this book. I hope I’m not too late to the party!
wow this book looks great, very compelling! please enter me in the contest if it is not to late!
This looks awesome! I hope it’s not too late for me to enter!
*Gasping* Am I too late? Oh please, oh please, oh please tell me I’m not too late! I’ve been waiting for this book’s release *FOREVER*!
I love the western drive it’s awesome and I’ve always been a huge fan of westerns! OH I hope it isn’t to late can I still enter as well.
Sarah is a new author for me. I’d love to read “Tucker’s Claim”!