Sandy M’s review of Unbridled by Beth Williamson
Contemporary Erotic Romance published by Berkley Trade 6 Jul 10

I’ve been on a little bit of a western kick lately, so I was looking forward to this book when I heard about it. Unfortunately, I have a huge issue with the heroine, one that just never let me warm up to her until it was much too late. But this book cover did sate my cowboy/western fixation for a while.

Alex has just lost her husband, David, a gay man twice her age who has looked after her for the last ten years. He has sheltered her since she left home at age 16 when her mother died and her father abandoned her. Now it’s time for Alex to faces her past so she can move on with her life. She’s Wyoming bound to confront whatever comes head on, her father being first on the list.

Only problem is, when she gets there, Alex has such an attitude, is rude most of the time, that I wanted to shake her, slap her, whatever to get her to fly right. She’s just too whiny. Her father has passed away, so she can’t have the knock-down drag-out she wants. But everyone should still make way for her because she’s the one who’s been wronged and she’s going to take her time getting over it in her own way.

She’s never gotten over the fact her father left her and her mother when they needed him most. Her home — the one that she left — is now a guest ranch and that sticks in her craw. Her half brother, Daniel, is the son her father always wanted, so she doesn’t want anything to do with the boy. Her stepmother was with her father the day he returned to the ranch, which just happened to be the day of her mother’s funeral, so that woman is on her list too. She bullies her way into working in the business because she doesn’t trust the word of anyone around her and she does want to contribute, even though she hates the idea of the ranch. Alex has an excuse for every one of her attitudes she tosses out to people. She never lets up.

She’s an intelligent woman, but we don’t see that intelligence at certain important points throughout the story, especially when it comes to the smarmy enemy who will try to get Finley Ranch any way he can, and he does some pretty sneaky and outrageous things, but Alex excuses him at every turn until it’s nearly too late. Her smarts don’t pop up when she needs them.

But enough of Alex.

It’s Connor who saves this book.  He’s part owner in the Finley Ranch, having been taken in by Alex’s father when he was on a very destructive path in his younger days. He lives and breathes the ranch and is nervous about what Alex is going to do with the new-found knowledge she also owns a portion of it, as does Daniel. Connor will buy her out before he’ll let her sell to their bastard neighbor.

Of course, his attraction to and lust for her is a complication he doesn’t need, but neither of them can fight it and they give in to it nearly every chance they get. The sex is hot, hot, hot. On a desk, in a chair, when people are standing only feet from them, these two get it on and burn up the pages. They’re both adventurous enough to keep the lust alive between, even despite their opposition on nearly every other front.

While Connor does have his own moment or two when I wanted to smack him as well, that didn’t last long because I know it’s Alex who’s pushing his buttons. All in all, he’s a likable hero, he handles Alex fairly well when she’s not in a snit, and puts her in her place when she is.

I wish Alex did work for me. But where others will think she’s strong and outspoken, she’s just brazen and rude in my eyes. By the time she opens her eyes to really see and embrace those around her, along with the way of life at the ranch, she’s just beaten the life out of her character for me.

I did enjoy Ms. Williamson’s writing, with the exception of some dialogue in a few places that sound stilted and awkward, but, again, I attribute that to Alex and her attitude. What Alex won’t do is keep me from reading another Williamson book. I refuse to give her that power.

Grade: C-

Summary:

Hell hath no fury like Alex Finley…

For as long as Alex could remember, life had taken everything from her. Her father had abandoned her and her dying mother, only to return upon her death to reclaim the family’s Wyoming ranch—with a new wife. Alex’s rage drove her away to Los Angeles to live with a man who could never satisfy her.

Only after ten years does she come home—and she hits the town with a vengeance, unleashing her pent-up lust on willing cowpoke Connor Matthews. But she’s in for several shocks. It turns out that the ranch is now a resort, that her late father split the estate between Alex and her young step-brother, and that Connor—the bucking bronco she wants in her bed—is running the place.

Now, Alex is torn between accepting a new family, and a lover who can give her everything she needs—or selling out to a smooth-talking neighbor and leaving the past behind her. But only when her life is on the line does she realize what she desires most of all…

Read an excerpt.

Another terrific day was had when Beth Williamson was here for her Duck Chat at the pond. We’d like to thank her very much for all the fun!

We won’t keep you in suspense any longer! Using that handy-dandy random number generator, here’s our winner of Beth’s The Education of Madeline:

**** Willa (5)

Congrats, Willa! Send your snail mail address to lighthousetagger (at) gmail (dot) com and we’ll contact Beth for you!

We’re glad you could make it back to Duck Chat!

Beth Williamson is our guest today. Can you say cowboys? Sexy cowboys? I bet you can!

With more than twenty books on her backlist, Beth has become synonymous with western romance, but did you know she also writes contemporary erotica? A few of those have a western flare, but others like On His Knees and her The Perfect Score series don’t.  But it’s her Mallory family and her Devils on Horseback series that her fans clamor for. And her latest western releases, Hell for Leather, The Education of Madeline, and The Redemption of Micah are also fan favorites.

Beth was born and raised in New York but know lives with her husband and their two sons just outside Raleigh, North Carolina. She will be popping in and out today, so leave a meaningful comment or question for Beth. She’s graciously offered a copy of The Education of Madeline for a giveaway, so you want to make sure you’re in the running! So let’s chat!

DUCK CHAT: Beth, what was it that first drew to you the western genre of writing romance?
BETH WILLIAMSON: Well, I grew up watching Westerns, child of the 70s with the fantastic Clint Eastwood movies that my oldest brother loved to watch. So I did too and I became fascinated with westerns. Then when I started reading romance as a young teenager, I loved the historicals the best. When I found western romances, that was when everything clicked for me. Aha!

DC: If you could retire any question and never, ever have it asked again, what would it be? Feel free to answer it.

BW: Hm, probably, where do you get your ideas from? That’s a common question in most interviews. I never know how to answer it because there is never a single answer. LOL.

DC: Let’s talk about your Malloy family series first. How did this series come about? Has it evolved as you thought it would after completing the first book? Would you give us an overview of the series as a whole?

BW: Ah, the Malloys. My second family. I started writing The Bounty about fourteen years ago and it took me about eight years to get a version written well enough to be published. I didn’t know then I’d be writing seven books in the series, but as soon as I’d written the second, The Prize, I knew then that I needed to write much more. The only Malloy without a full-length book is Ethan, the second oldest.
The series as a whole contains seven books. It begins with the only girl in the family, Nicky, then ends with Nicky’s adopted son, Noah. The books include, in order:

The Bounty
Hero: Tyler Calhoun
Heroine: Nicky Malloy

The Prize
Hero: Jack Malloy
Heroine: Rebecca Connor

The Reward
Hero: Malcolm Ross y Zarza
Heroine: Leigh Wynne

The Treasure
Hero: Raymond Malloy
Heroine: Lillian Wickham

The Gift
Hero: Trevor Malloy
Heroine: Adelaide Burns

The Tribute
Hero: Brett Malloy
Heroine: Alexandra Brighton

The Legacy
Hero: Noah Calhoun
Heroine: Rosalyn Benedict

DC: I’ve heard writers often say their stories take them in surprising directions, or dialogue flows from some unknown place. Is it the same with you? Do your characters surprise you sometimes?

BW: Oh, absolutely true. My imagination seems to be a separate entity from my brain. Scary sounding, isn’t it? LOL. You see, the characters take on a life of their own and will fight me tooth and nail if I try to force them into how I plotted the book. I can tell immediately if I’m doing it wrong because the words simply don’t flow. I will creep along in a scene and that’s when I stop what I’m doing, back up, and turn left to where the characters are waiting for me.

DC: The last book released in the series was The Legacy in April of 2008. Are there any more books planned at this point in time? Do you know how many books will be in the series once it’s complete?

BW: At this point I don’t have any more books planned, but I’ve been asked if Ethan will get his story told, or if I’ll do the second generation Malloy series. Like many of my readers, I love series and I understand not wanting to let go of characters who have become like family to you. I did write a free story at Christmas time for Ethan called The Present. I left it kind of wide open for another book, so perhaps…

DC: Do you ever argue with your characters while you’re writing? Who usually wins?

BW: Haha, who told you? Yes, I do argue with my characters. It’s the pushy ones who think they can boss me around. Unfortunately usually they win because I can’t keep writing unless I give in.

DC: Your Devils on Horseback series is also popular with readers. Can you tell us a little about this series?

BW: Oh, my Devils. It’s a series of five planned books centering around five men, Civil War veterans from Georgia, who struggle to find their place in post-war Texas. Each of them has their own unique emotional or physical (or both) issue to overcome. This series is grittier, bloodier, more violent, and an emotional roller coaster for the reader (and the writer!).

DC: What is sure to distract you from sitting down and working/writing?

BW: My husband. A book or a good movie. I am a movie whore in addition to being a book whore. *sigh* I can’t help it!

DC: So far we’ve seen Nate, Jake, and Zeke. Any more Devils in the future?

BW: Yes, there sure is. I’m in the middle of editing Lee’s story before submitting it to Samhain for publication. Lee’s book has been the most difficult because he’s not only the angriest devil, he also has only one arm. Then the last book will be Gideon’s — he’s the caretaker for the group and, of course, he will be last to receive his happily ever after.

DC: How do you feel your male or female characters have evolved over your career? Do you think you write them differently now than you did when you started?

BW: I don’t know if it’s specific to the characters, but my writing has definitely evolved over the years. I think I’ve honed my writing with each book, and I’ll continue to do so the rest of my life. I think that’s true of any artist in whatever medium they choose to create something in. I have tackled some tough issues in my more recent books, such as being homeless, disabled, or an alcoholic.

DC: Tell our readers about The Perfect Score series, please.

BW: That was simply fun to write.   It’s a three-novella series written for Loose Id — one is an interracial (heroine is white, hero is Japanese), one is a BBW, and the other is an F/F. They were all different, and the interracial was my first, whereas the F/F was by far the most challenging. They are erotic, really hot and still emotional. I think one of my best gifts is the characters and their emotions — just because I write erotica doesn’t mean there’s no romance or emotions.

DC: Is there a genre you haven’t tackled but would like to try?

BW: Yes, I’d love to write a Medieval. Oh, those knights! My second favorite genre is Medievals and the only thing holding me back (aside from time!) is the research involved. I’ve become adept at writing historical westerns and have my resources lined up. Medievals are an entirely different ballgame, but one day, I will write my knight!

DC: Your two latest single titles are The Education of Madeline, which released in March of this year, and The Redemption of Micah, which hit the shelves just a couple of weeks ago. First, are the books related in any way at all? Would you tell us a little about each of them?

BW: Yes, they are related. There are three books in the series and these are the first two. Madeline’s story is a BBW about an intelligent, wealthy woman in 1872 Colorado who has spent her life in a small town, without a man, without love. She hires our hero, Teague, to teach her what it means to be a woman and, in the process, finds herself and her strength. Teague, on the other hand, recovers his soul and loses his heart to Maddie.

Micah’s story picks up where Madeline’s ends — he’s her friend and the lover of her best friend, Eppie, who is left in a coma at the end of Madeline’s story. Micah’s story is three years later when Eppie finally awakens from the coma to discover a sad-eyed man and a three-year-old daughter she doesn’t know. It’s got a ton of emotion, an interracial love between a mulatto and a white southern man, alcoholism, and some hot sex too. This is a highly gut-wrenching novel requiring at least a dozen tissues to get through.

Special treat! Excerpt from The Redemption of Micah:

Eppie had just gotten herself settled in the chair when she heard the crash and the girl screaming. She jumped up with more energy than she thought she had and darted out the door. The sheer size of the house made her eyes goggle and she wondered if he’d been telling more truth than she realized.

She spotted him at the bottom of the steps, the tray of foot scattered around him. The girl sat beside him smacking his cheek.

“Daddy, wake up.”

Eppie made her way down the stairs, clutching the thick mahoghany banister. When she made it to the bottom, the little girl looked up at her with tears in her eyes.

“Daddy sleep?”

“I’m not sure, honey.” Eppie’s fear was that he’d died before she figured out if he was telling the truth, or worse, that he was truthful and didn’t get a chance to tell her everything about herself. She’d be trapped in a house she didn’t know with a child she didn’t know in a town that was as unfamiliar as the people around her.

She knelt down and put her hand on his chest, and felt the steady beat of his heart. A breath of relief whooshed out of her. He must have just knocked himself unconscious when he fell. She didn’t think she knew much about being a doctor, but she did feel for any broken bones and was glad to find none.

“He bumped his head and went to sleep.”

Instead of reassuring the girl, she started screaming and shaking Micah by the shoulders. “No, Daddy, wake up!”

Eppie didn’t know what to do to calm the girl down. Her reaction made no sense.

“He’ll wake up in a minute or two. Why don’t you get a pillow for his head?”

The girl sobbed even louder but she nodded her head and stuck her doll under his neck. The sight made Eppie want to laugh, but she swallowed the chuckle. She started picking up the broken plate and the pieces of biscuits. Without being asked, Miracle helped clean up even as she continued to cry.

Eppie didn’t know if that was common for her, but she knew it was unusual for a girl that age to have such a sense of responsibility. After they’d picked up the mess, Micah still hadn’t roused. Eppie wasn’t really worried, but she was getting concerned.

“Where is the kitchen?”

The girl pointed to room down the hall.

“Can you go get a glass of water for your daddy?”

“Why?” Precocious little thing.

“To help him wake up.”

The child looked at her as if she’d sprouted horns, but went to the kitchen just the same, frowning fiercely and crying all the way. It gave Eppie an opportunity to study Micah up close without feeling self-conscious about it. She could see the resemblance between he and the girl, a glimmer of his cheekbones and chin. The hair, of course, was identical.

He had a terrible scar that ran from his jaw line down his neck. It was deep and made by something sharp. He had a whisper of whiskers on his cheeks, and shadows permanently etched below his eyes. There were very light brown baby hairs around his hairline. Without even thinking about it, she reached out to brush the hair from his forehead.

“Don’t touch.”

Miracle’s stern admonishment made her heart skip a beat. Eppie turned around and managed a small smile.
“I was making sure he was okay.”

The doubtful expression didn’t leave her little face. She thrust the cup of water forward, splashing some on both of them.

“Thank you, Miracle.” Eppie’s stomach was jumping around like crazy, but she put her hand behind his neck and trickled water into his mouth. He swallowed, thankfully, then he sighed, the smell of lemon tickling her nose.

His eyelashes fluttered and her relief knew no bounds when those silver orbs peeped up at her.

“Eppie?”

“You fell down the stairs and knocked yourself silly.” She set the glass down and let his head back down onto the doll.

“I did? Oh damn, the water, I forgot.” His eyes widened. “Is Miracle okay?”

“She’s fine. A little upset.” An understatement, but she didn’t want to scare him.

“I here, Daddy.” She inserted herself between them, the warmth of her little body seeped into Eppie’s. It startled her and she shifted back to escape from the sensation. She definitely wasn’t ready to be physically close to anyone, much less a child calling her “Mama”.

“Thank God.” Micah took Eppie’s hand in his. “You have my gratitude.”

She wanted to snatch her hand away, but at the same time, his dry slender hand felt comfortable in hers. A shiver ran up her spine at the thought.

“It’s not hard to be kind to people in need.” She managed to extract her hand and sat back on the step above him. “Do you think you can get up?”

He frowned and shifted, wincing as he did. “I think so, but it’s going to take me a few minutes. I think I bruised my back.”

Although she didn’t want to touch him, she helped him to his feet. Even if her head and her heart didn’t remember him, it appeared her body did. She wasn’t sure if it was just being close, his scent or something else entirely. Whatever it was, as soon as her arm went around his waist, her body warmed to his and heat flowed between them.

To her astonishment, even her nipples hardened. She hoped to God he didn’t feel those against his side. She’d be absolutely mortified if he did. It was hard enough to forget everybody she knew, but to have no control over her body made it even worse.

“I help.” Miracle jumped around the other side of her father and together they steadied him.

“Where is your room?”

“Upstairs next to Miracle’s. It’s the largest room in the house and Madeline insisted on me taking it.” He smiled sadly. “I think perhaps she thought you and I might use it together.”

Eppie wanted to let him fall on his head for trying to manipulate her. He had to understand she didn’t forget him on purpose. She’d give anything to remember one shred of who she was. If he kept pushing her, eventually she would shut the door on any possibility of a relationship with him. One thing she did know about herself is she didn’t like to be forced into decisions.

She’d been doing a lot of thinking since she’d woken up. There were a lot of decisions to make and she wasn’t done making them. Micah would just have to be patient.

Somehow they made it up the stairs and none of them fell back down. Micah straightened and took hold of the banister and Eppie let him go. Her body yelled at her to grab him again but she listened her head instead and crossed her arms, stepping away.

“Thank you.” He took a shaky breath. “I’ll be okay. I’m going to splash some water on my face.” He laughed. “Although I might have had enough water for the day.”

Eppie couldn’t help the smile that escaped. His charm was a surprise. “I’ll be in, well, in my room I suppose.” She ducked away and escaped before he could call her back.

She leaned against the door and pressed a hand to her chest, trying to will her heart to slow down the blood as it raced through her. Since she didn’t even feel comfortable being in the house with him, it made no sense that she tingled just being next to Micah.

Winded and exhausted from too much so fast, she climbed into bed and pulled up the quilt. Within minutes, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

DC: What advice would you give to your younger self?

BW: Hindsight is 20-20, right? That’s a damn true statement. My advice to my younger self is to not wait until I was 36 years old to get published. LOL. I’ve got author friends who are still teenagers getting published. When I think about how much time I hemmed and hawed about submitting to a publisher. Time wasted!

DC: You’ve also started a new contemporary erotic series, Private Lives. Can you let us know where the idea for the series came from? And then tell us about the first book, On His Knees, which was published in May.

BW: The idea came from being a married, forty-something woman in the prime of my life and still learning who I am and what I like. There is a lot of erotica centered around single women, usually twenty-something, and I wanted to do something different for those of us who live in the real world. And thus, Private Lives was born.

On His Knees is a story about a BBW who is newly divorced and has spent the last year discovering just how strong she is. When her ex-husband literally falls at her feet, she decides to demonstrate for him just who she’s become. Lots of really hot sex, female domination, and, of course, emotions.

DC: If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

BW: I love this question! Hm, let’s see — “Strap yourselves in and hang on because the ride’s gonna be bumpy and a little crazy.”

DC: What would be your “voice’s” tagline?

BW: My voice? Oh that little thing that talks to me all the time. How about: “Secrets, sex and passion all rolled into one.”

DC: The Stranger’s Secrets is a book set for release in January 2010. Is it possible to give us a sneak peek? Please?

BW: Ah, yes, book 3 in my Brava series. The Stranger’s Secrets is Sarah Spalding’s story — sister to Micah. She is my first disabled heroine and walks with a cane. Sarah is also outspoken, intelligent, and stubborn as hell. She embarks on a journey from Virginia to Colorado on a train with a northerner, Whitman Kendrick, who has his own secrets he’s keeping from Sarah. Somewhere along the way they fall in love and come to terms with the secrets between them.

DC: If you had never become an author, what do you think you would be doing right now?

BW: Laundry. Wait, no, that’s what I’m doing right now and I am an author. My day job is as a technical writer, so even if I hadn’t made the plunge to write books, I’d probably still be a tech writer. It does still pay the mortgage.

DC: Who’s your favorite author?

BW: Oh, unfair question! I would say the author I’ve learned the most from is Stephen King. The author who introduced me to the western romance genre is Elizabeth Lowell. I have too many other favorites to pick one!

DC: What’s on the horizon for Beth Williamson?

BW: Beth is going to continue writing for Samhain and love every second of it. Emma Lang will begin publishing for Kensington in April 2010 as Beth’s alternate pen name. Emma will write hot western romances and start things with a bang with a runaway Mormon scientist and the assassin sent to kill her sister in 1872 Utah.

Lightning Round:

- dark or milk chocolate?  – milk
- smooth or chunky peanut butter? – smooth
- heels or flats?   – flats
- coffee or tea?  – coffee
- summer or winter?  – summer
- mountains or beach? – beach
- mustard or mayonnaise?  – mustard
- flowers or candy?  – flowers
- pockets or purse?  – Purse (I am a total purse whore)
- Pepsi or Coke?  – Diet coke!
- ebook or print?  – Either! (I am a total book whore too!)

And because we still like them:

1. What is your favorite word?  – Passion.
2. What is your least favorite word?  – Colonoscopy.
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?  – Hot, sweet sex full of emotion.
4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally?  – Selfish assholes.
5. What sound or noise do you love?  – The sound of the ocean.
6. What sound or noise do you hate?  – Car alarms.
7. What is your favorite curse word?  – Bullshit.
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?  – I’m living my dream now! But perhaps I’d like to be a millionaire.
9. What profession would you not like to do?  – Crab fisherman in the Bering Sea.
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?  – “Howdy, I’m glad you’re here.”

DC: Beth, thanks so much for chatting with us today!

Limecello’s review of On His Knees (Private Lives, Book 1) by Beth Williamson
Contemporary erotic romance released by Samhain Publishing on 1 May 09

Although I read the blurb for On His Knees, I was still a little surprised at the content. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it very much, and will definitely look into more of Beth Williamson’s books. Also, yes, this cover. *cringe* Sometimes, it’s better to see the book blurb without the cover image; this is one such case. At least, for me, it’s not a selling point.

Renny Johnson (what a name) is a typical romance heroine, yet atypical at the same time. She’s newly divorced and taking back her life, but she’s not overly obsessive about it or annoying. She’s still her own person and the same person, more importantly, just better. She’s also the injured party here, but doesn’t let that cripple her life – at least, not any more. I also liked that Renny was generally sensible, and learned from her experiences. For example, the first time someone breaks in (her husband) she figures out what to do and what not to do the next time someone breaks in. (Not her husband.) Renny also has a lot of personality, so reading about her is entertaining.

Nicholas is an interesting hero, in some ways. In many ways, he’s nondescript – your run of the mill tall, dark, and handsome hero. What makes him different, however, is that he’s a submissive. Also, he’s still madly in love with his ex-wife, even though he’s the one that initiated the divorce proceedings.I felt a lot more warmly toward him because his reasons for breaking into Renny’s home. (It all seems very odd, but Ms. Williamson explains and writes it well, so it’s all quite sweet.) Nicholas also is a really good guy, and you can’t help but like him. (Even though he starts out as being the bad guy.)

There were some elements to the story that I didn’t find very believable, or that were non sequitur. For example, if someone broke into my house, even if it was my ex-husband, I wouldn’t be so mad I’d masturbate in front of him. Even after clubbing him with a baseball bat and tying him up. (Yes, that really happens.) Nevertheless, that’s what the heroine does, and it works for her and the hero. Which, you know, is nice. I have to admit, I really liked the “twist” Ms. Williamson put on her book, with the hero being the submissive in the relationship. And it works – it’s not just a sexual quirk to write a hot story, but something that fits well with the character’s personalities.

I also see that On His Knees is book one of her series Private Lives, which puts a smile on my face. I’m wondering what book(s) will come next, and how Ms. Williamson will top this one. On His Knees is a short, entertaining story that is a bit different from the rest, and packs quite a punch with an emotional story, and lots of hot sex. And I have to admit, the unique story is really what set this novella apart from the rest. But even more than that, the manner in which Ms. Williamson wrote it.

Grade:C+

Summary:
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Hell hath no fury like a scorned woman—with toys.
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Renny Johnson has no idea why her ex-husband broke into her house in the middle of the night. She plans to find out—right after he wakes up from a close encounter with his own baseball bat. As long as she’s got him tied up, she might as well make him answer every unanswered question about their divorce.
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Nicholas sneaked into the house, hoping to retrieve his precious autographed bat without having to face Renny’s wrath. He didn’t expect her to knock him out with it. Then again, who can blame her? He left her to take a walk on the wild side, to search for that missing something he thought he couldn’t find in his marriage.
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Now that he’s completely at her mercy, he’s about to find out how merciless—and how incredibly sexy—his ex can be. The night becomes a wild roller coaster ride of amazing sex, dominance and submission, and maybe the beginning of a brand new chapter in their lives.
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Unless the flames burn out of control…
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Warning: This title contains a dominant woman, a sexy submissive man, and lots of nekkid, smokin’ hot sex.
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Read an excerpt here.

Sandy M’s review of The Tribute (Malloy Family, Book 6) by Beth Williamson
Historical Western Romance published by Samhain 25 Dec 07

I’ve had Ms. Williamson’s Malloy Family books on my wishlist for quite a long time. I delayed purchasing them and now I’ve got six more of those Malloy siblings to catch up with, but I’m looking forward to it because they are a tight-knit family who are each passionate and independent in their own way. That’s one of the things that’s keeping me on track to read the rest of this series – the family aspect of these books. On top of that, they’re heartfelt, sexy, fun, and serious when called for.

Brett is the silent loner of the family. He sometimes even felt he never fit in with their large, boisterous gang. So when he wins a ranch in a poker game, he bides his time until the previous owner has passed away and then begins to build home for himself. What makes the whole thing special to Brett is the fact that the entire ranch will be his. He doesn’t have to share it with anyone. He loves his brothers and sisters, but he’s tired of hand-me-downs and second-hand anything.

Amid all this he also realizes he wants a wife and family of his own. He wants what his other siblings have found, peace and contentment with children running around the house. Knowing the pickins are slim in town, he turns his sights to Alex, the lady doctor he though he would marry twelve years ago. She’d be the perfect wife for him. If only she’d have him back. Guess it’s time he found out. Too bad for him the doc has a long memory. I have to give Brett kudos, though. He doesn’t give up easily when he goes after what he wants. He keeps going back for more and more, good or bad.

But Alex will have none of him. She’s still furious with him about the note he sent to her to call it quits between them all those years ago. She’s a strong woman with a career. She’s independent and doesn’t need a man to make her life complete. I loved how she gives Brett what-for in the beginning, doesn’t let him get away with just waltzing right back into her life like nothing happened.

And although she keeps her fury with him front and center, she can’t keep her heart and her body from reacting when the man is near. She can only hold out so long, though. When real love is right and in the air, I don’t think most women can hold out all that long. It’s a cute scene when Brett is all fired up to ask Alex to marry him, but nothing even close to proposing comes out of his mouth when he confronts her. They’re a nice couple together and you root for them when the bully of the town begins to terrorize them

King Dawson really does think he’s king of all he surveys and he acts like it. He doesn’t even bat at eye at murder. But every time he throws his best evil at Brett and Alex, they prove that being in love and sticking together no matter what is all it takes to persevere. Ms. Williamson pulls no punches when it comes to tossing serious wrenches into her stories. Several bad events happen that throw the characters for a loop, but said events are all well-placed and well-timed to end up being a huge lesson, especially for Brett, when it comes to family.

If you’re a western romance fan, I think you’ll enjoy this series.

Grade: B

Summary:

Can a man who lives in the shadows and a woman who lives in the light find a place to belong together?

Brett Malloy has always been considered a loner, a man apart from the Malloy clan. Quiet, reserved and intense, Brett hides from the world on his new ranch with only an ex-gunslinger and a runaway boy for company. When circumstances put him flat on his back, his childhood crush, Doctor Alexandra Brighton arrives to nurse him back to health.

Alex has always loved Brett despite the fact that a more difficult man couldn’t be found on the face of the earth. A woman who firmly believes everyone should live life to the fullest, Alex takes Brett’s quiet surliness as a mission. She’s going to teach him what it means to live, and how to find love and passion in the most unexpected places.

When rancher King Dawson claims Alex as his own, Brett has to choose between the darkness of his shadows and the light of Alex’s love.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Shannon C.’s review of Hell for Leather by Beth Williamson
Historical erotic romance ebook released by Samhain 17 Jun 08

I understand that Beth Williamson is a popular author over at Samhain, and that she has written a lot of westerns. This book was my first exposure to her books, and while I found it a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours, I’m not sure I’m a convert yet.

My problem with this book was largely compounded by the fact that I’ve been having the same problem with the last few westerns I’ve tried. Namely, I find former gunslingers angsting about their pasts extremely *unsexy*, and in this case, the whining also included a fair bit of petulance which irritated me.

Cade Brody has moved to New Mexico to bury his past. (Literally, as it turns out.) Unfortunately, solitude isn’t as easy as he’d like it to be. He seems to have an unwelcome visitor leaving him surprises outside his cabin, the townsfolk seem to regard him with suspicion, and he’s way too attracted to Sabrina, the local storekeeper. Sabrina, who tends the store and also lives with her painfully shy sister, is drawn immediately to Cade, and is driven to uncover the secrets of his past–secrets he doesn’t want to share with her.

I’ll start with Sabrina. I liked her. She was a widow, and so she knew what she wanted from Cade. She could have been a martyr, but I just never got that vibe from her. Also, it’s Sabrina who does a lot of the pursuing of Cade, which I really enjoyed.

Cade… Oh, Cade. I suspect he would not have bothered me nearly as much as he did were it not for the fact that he makes the third whiny gunslinger I’ve run across in my reading lately. He needed a good shaking, and while, of the three gunslingers I’ve read about, he’s got the far more convincingly rough past, I thought he stomped around and acted more like a [pouty teenager than a grown adult one too many times]. Thankfully, a few of the characters call him on this, which makes me feel better.

The secondary characters worked well. I really like Bernice, a young woman Cade befriends, and Antonio, the saloon keeper, was also fun. Some of the rest of the town seem destined to being sequel baits, but the characters whose stories I would read were all female, so I wasn’t really as bothered by that.

The plot was good, with action that kept me reading. I had a few questions about some things that didn’t seem entirely historically plausible, and there’s a random paranormal element that seems kind of jarring, but the romance was pleasant. Also, I kept wondering what was up with this title as it seems like a cliche from the book of western phrases just inserted there randomly. (That’s a nitpick, I know, but still… I did wonder why nobody was actually riding hell for leather anywhere.)

Overall, this was a fun read. Probably not one I’d recommend going out of your way to acquire, but definitely a quick, amusing read.

Grade: C

Summary:
Exile…or love. Life…or death. His demons will force him to choose.

Gunslinger Kincaid has traded his black clothes and pistols for a homespun shirt and trousers. Now he’s Cade Brody, a man with dark hair, dark eyes and an even darker past. The blood money he’s earned bought him a small piece of property in New Mexico territory, at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. But it can’t buy him peace.

Sabrina Edmonds, a tough, no-nonsense widow, runs the post office and store in the small town of Eustace. She’s made her way in life with an independent streak a mile wide. Sabrina doesn’t want to get involved with Cade, but she finds herself drawn to the dark stranger who hides in his mountain retreat.

Cade wants nothing more than to be left alone, but an elusive wild child who delights in tormenting him, and a town full of people determined to befriend him, conspire to intrude upon his self-imposed exile. Then there’s Sabrina, who should be afraid of him—but isn’t.

Not even when the deadly demons of his past catch up with him.

Warning: This title contains lots of smart-ass remarks, a kick-ass heroine, a dark hero and some kickin’ hot sex.

You can read an excerpt here

This just in…

Brava has recently signed two new authors, Beth Williamson and Mary Wine, to join their already distinguished list. And they’re getting ready to release books from a couple of your faves.

~ Beth Williamson writes about sexy cowboys and their strong, independent women in her western-themed books. She is scheduled to release a total of three books.

~ Mary Wine will take you from the fascination of outer space to the secrets of the past in her books. Her first release is a Scottish time travel, with two more books to follow.

~ New Brava releases include three books by Shelly Laurenston, including The Beast in Him, the second book in her Pride series and was out last month, and When He was Bad, a two-story book with Cynthia Eden, to come out May 27

~ Donna Kauffman is also slated to have three new Bravas released, titles and dates to be announced

Consider yourself flashed.

This just in…

Now who to be happier for… Kate Duffy for signing such an awesome author? Beth Williamson for signing a 3 book deal with Kensington with Kate as her editor.

Or me… cuz this means more westerns… for you know… me.

hmmm yes I know!

Me . LOL Congrats Beth.

The first book is going to be The Education of Madeline coming in 3/09

the second to be The Redemption of Micah coming in 7/09

Consider yourself flashed.

Who’s the lucky duck who is getting INSTANT gratification?

An amazing western romance writer and one of our favorite people, Beth Williamson, tells us just how sexy delayed gratification and anticipation can be.  Read on and be prepared to fan yourself.

And don’t forget to pick up Beth’s latest print release, The Tribute (Malloy Family, Book 6) (Samhain, 25 Dec 07), and her next ebook, Devils on Horseback: Jake (Samhain, 25 Mar 08).

It’s All about the Preparation, Don’t Ya Know

For me, romance is all about the attention to details and the anticipation, I’m talking about preparation y’all. Now spur of the moment romantic episodes are good, but the truly great moments take preparation. It heightens the senses, making the experience more than memorable. Here’s a real life for example:

Last year, my DH and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary (I was 12 when I got married, I swear ). Let me tell ya, it can be hard (no pun intended) to keep the romance alive without new ideas. So DH gets the prize for details and anticipation…

One Saturday night, I heard him fussing around in the laundry room. I had no idea what he was doing, but he had to be stealthy and smart, after all we’ve got two boys (12 and 16).

I head out to the laundry room to get to the garage and there on the dryer (not so romantic but hey it worked) was a dozen purple roses in a vase, a pair of fabulous purple satin thong panties that matched the roses and a note that said, “I’d be honored if you wore these tonight.”

*wipes brow at the memory*

Now that was not only romantic, but it was sexy as hell. I wore those damn (damp) panties all day until that evening… the anticipation was definitely worth every second of it.

Oh yeah, let me tell y’all, pay attention to the details (rose color and panty color) and heighten anticipation and it’ll all be amazing. I promise.

Beth Williamson

So, readers, tell us YOUR stories about delayed gratification, anticipation, and desire and you’ll be entered for a chance to win a download of the book of your choice from Beth’s backlist.

Beth Williamson, author and favorite blogger, shares with us some of her favorite holiday treats.  Wonder if a cowboy is on the list…

Don’t forget to check out Beth’s new releases:

The Tribute, 25 Dec 07 – Print release

Devils on Horseback: Jake, 27 Mar 08 -  eBook release

My 12 Favorite Holiday Treats (in no particular order)

 1. Molasses cookies.  My mom used to make these when I was a kid and I make them now. They’re kind of like gingerbread only with a bit more kick and very sweet. If you want the recipe, let me know!

 2. Candy canes.  Okay, I’m all for the new-fangled ones like Gobstopper flavors and Jolly Rancher flavors, but I am also a true believer in standard peppermint candy canes. Ya know, when you peel down the plastic and get red stuff on your hands and lips. Oh yeah, I love them – big or small (and hey they can double as a tease for your DH, too

 3. Decorated sugar cookies.  Yum, yum, yum. I especially like the ones with gobs of frosting and sprinkles.

 4. Homemade rolls.  Another tradition in my house, these homemade knot rolls are scrumptious hot out of the oven with loads of butter.

5. Chocolate covered pretzel rods.  A friend of mine introduced me to these about five years ago. So simple to make, but absolutely addicting. The sweet of the chocolate and decorations and the salty of the pretzel. Perfect salty/sweet treat.

 6. Ribbon candy.  Remember this stuff? The most beautiful candy treat at Christmas.

 7. Pumpkin bread.  I make some really awesome pumpkin bread – very moist with the right bit of spice. Delicious with a hot cup of tea or coffee.

 8. Gingerbread.  I made gingerbread this weekend – a dark, sweet treat that’s perfect with a big ol’ dollop of whipped cream. Served slightly warm, of course.

  9. Fresh donuts.  Okay I don’t make these, Mr. Dunkin’ does, but nothing’s nicer than a calorie laden donut on Christmas morning with hot coffee. I can almost taste the bavarian cream now…

 10. Homemade pizza.  A family tradition – we’ve made homemade pizza on Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember. Everyone gets their favorite toppings and we make individual pan pizzas in my house.

11. Peanut butter cookies.  I’ve been making these since I was about 11. I know they’re not very holiday-like, but they are my absolute favorite cookie, and generally speaking, I only make cookies during Christmas time. When polled, my family all voted them their number one cookie to make. Three dozen lasted four days.

 12. Belgian waffles.  I make these from scratch with yeast and everything. Strawberries, blueberries, whipped cream, powdered sugar and syrup – it’s all included. These come out an inch high and slightly crisp, golden brown. I think I gained five pounds thinking about them.

What about you?  What do you indulge in over the holidays that you don’t usually indulge the rest of the year?  What “treat traditions” does your family have?

Our Guest Author, Beth Williamson, shares a peek into her TBR pile… 

 

My books reside in a beautiful 7 foot tall bookcase that stands in the corner of my living room. The paperbacks are double-stacked and some have a row in front of them (triple-stacks  :)   ). I have a bunch of ebooks too, but I tend to read those faster since I can bring my ebook reader anywhere. Even though I have dozens in my TBR pile, I still buy more. Gads, what is it about books that’s so addictive?

I find great pleasure in being the first person to crack a book open and read it. That bookstore bag taunts me in the car on the way home, or the Amazon box on the counter. Oh, baby, I loooove boks. I suppose that’s a requirement for writing them though, isn’t it?

 I’m currently reading High Plains Bride by Jenna Kernan. I love the way it started (a woman with a gun in her hand) and I’m hooked on it. Hopefully will get back to it soon so I can find out what happened.

 I just finished Reason to Believe by Maureen McKade and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Both of them were hard books to read because there’s a lot to absorb, the failings of human beings and what they can do to each other. However, the triumph of the heart and the spirit made them completely worthwhile.

So what’s on my TBR pile? A lot.

Heart’s Delight by Ruth Ryan Langan
Fletcher’s Woman by Carol Finch
Her Outlaw by Geralyn Dawson
  

His Boots Under Her Bed by Ana Leigh
Blood Ties by Lori Armstrong (autographed)
Sam’s Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson
  

Klondike Wedding by Kate Bridges
Warrior or Wife by Lyn Randal
McKettrick’s Luck by L[inda]L[ael]M[iller]

Blood Secrets by Vivi Anna (autographed)
The Lawman’s Bride by Cheryl St.John
The Warrior Trainer by Gerri Russell

Sinful Pleasures by Mary Reed McCall
Highland Warrior by Connie Mason (autographed)
The Leopard Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt

Promise me Forever by Lorraine Heath
Lady of Sin by Madeline Hunter
The Secret Passion of Simon Blackwell by Samantha James

Love is Blind by Lynsay Sands
Simply Love by Mary Balogh
Long Hard Ride by Lorelei James

Another Man’s Wife by Denyse Bridger
I Feel Bad About My Neck: And other thoughts on being a woman by Nora Ephron

Her TBR might be bigger than ours!  Thanks, Beth!

well was anyway…

Devil’s Kiss by Brenda Williamson

U.S. Marshal Jack McCay tracks outlaws for a profession and sweet-talks women out of their clothes for pleasure.

When he begins to hunt a vicious killer, he meets one beautiful woman resistant to his charm.

Tessa Jane Creager searches for her family’s murderer. The wanted poster says dead or alive — prefer dead. While on the trail, she gains the unwanted help of a marshal-turned-bounty hunter intent on catching the killer and bedding her.

In pursuit of the renegade, Jack and Tessa Jane have to deal with the harshness of the Wild West and with their shared desires. However, can a handsome man with secrets and a beautiful woman with a violent past overcome their stubborn ways to share everlasting love? Or will an outlaw destroy them by revealing all their secrets?

“Project: Man” by Alexis Fleming

So is he, or isn’t he? Gay, that is!

Forced to take Federal Agent Nicholas Farley into her home while she translates a mysterious ancient Egyptian papyrus, Professor Emily Payne finds herself the centre of a federal government case, not to mention the unwitting target for a thief bent on stealing the papyrus.

If that isn’t bad enough, she finds herself seriously lusting after the agent, a man she believes is gay, a man who seems to react as strongly to her as she does to him.

There’s only one thing for a learned girl like Emily to do—start a new project, the aim to initiate Nicholas into the joys of loving a woman.

Could there possible be a future for the crazy professor and the sexy, macho federal agent?

Honestly they are both new and I have no clue if they are good or not. But Samhain is almost alway good. You can always buy it for me and I will read it for you and tell you if it is any good. Yeah I know… I am good people.

Or try: The Bounty by Beth Williamson (western), Learning Charity by Summer Devon (historical), 72 Hours by Shannon Stacey (romantic suspense), Hunter’s Pride by Shiloh Walker(paranormal), Colters’ Woman by Maya Banks (Red Hot!), Betting Hearts by Dee Tenorio (Romantic Comedy), and/or Joker’s Wild:Call Me by Lena Matthews (Contemporary).

I have read and would recommend any of those. hmmm well I haven’t read this version of Call Me by Lena Matthews. I do believe the author said it has been edited and expanded from its LSB vs. So read it and tell me if it is better *g*.

Or if you would rather go print… Gypsy Heart by Sash White or Screwing with Perfect by Louisa Trent are great to add to your library.

Publisher Note: The Experiment was previously released elsewhere as a free story. It has been revised and expanded…..

This is a note I have seen on more than a few ebooks lately.

The Bounty, a recent read, was just release by Samhain after being edited and added too. Beth Williamson’s books that follow The Bounty in her Mallory series will follow as well at Samhain. Gypsy Heart by Sasha White, although I don’t think GH was expanded just edited, has been made available again. Is this good?

In the case of The Bounty, I think it rocks because I needed it. But I am not sure why it went out of print… was it because of the want to edit, and LSB wouldn’t do it or because Samhain made a better offer? Or did LSB make it go out of print. Do Epub’s let books go out of print?

Should previously free story be sold later after the author has something of a following? Angela Knight is dusting off some older stories, she use to have a yahoo group she fed with free stories while she was trying to publish (and I believe during her early days of publishing) which was later moved and archived to another yahoo group. Now they will all be gone (sort of), I am not sure if they will all be published or not but it looks like many will.

Out of Print books are the devil, nothing is worse for readers. Really, what is worse than hearing of a GREAT read and then finding out you can’t get it. Or you will have to cut open a vein to get a copy off Ebay. So I am very very pro out of print books going epubished. And hope Moxie Press has good luck (2009 note: they are no more)with bring us some gems (may I suggest Glitter Baby? Oh come now SEP it would be fun! (2009 note:It has been reprinted by Avon AND ::head desk:: edited by SEP) Or those old Lisa Kleypas novels!).

Sasha White is very up front in her newsletter saying if you have a copy of GH, you don’t need to buy a new one. Which I think is awesome, nothing would piss me off more then to pay for a new copy expecting edits and ‘expanded’ story and getting a few more (or less commas).

I have to admit I have the original ecopy of The Switch by Diane Whiteside. The EC copy that was printed with a Marly Chance story. As well as Berkley copy, which was ‘expanded’. Honestly I am not sure I would do that again for a book, it was my OCD at work. That one book could have ended up costing me over $35.

With the cost of books as high as it is, do you buy ‘updated’ or reedited books? Or just stick with the copy you have? Or do you only buy them when you don’t have a copy already or have never read them before. Or are you like me, telling yourself you WON’T buy it, and then the curiosity kills you until you pick it up? Money is tight and there are soooooo many books out there to want, can we add reissues, reprints and re-edited books?

What do you think of ‘re-edited’ works that are still pretty new? Samhain has a book that was published not too long ago and they plan to reissue it with edits. Eloisa James is talking about a new chapter to The Taming the Duke. And said she was try to get them included in the future printing of the book. If not the chapters will go up on her site.

You have to cheer the authors for seeing something lacking in the book and wanting to add, fix or expand to make it better. At the same time I want to bop the editors on the head for not seeing the things that need fixing BEFORE the release.

The only case mentioned above I really see as a brainstorm in ‘how do we make more money from author x’ would be the case of ‘free stories’ going pro. Virgin Seeks Bad-Ass Boy By Ruth D. Kerce, there isn’t even a note that it was a free story, nor is there a disclaimer it has been edited or expanded. Honestly, I don’t think it was. So really, why the fuck sell it?

With Angela Knight, I think it has to do with the fact she is hot, hot, hot right now, and publishers would like to print more books from her. But an author can only write so fast. If they are dusted off, edited and expanded – in some cases with new stories added to anthologies, does that make them worth the cost of buying what is most likely going to be a trade size book?

That leads us to another issue… three books, two I have, Mercenaries by Angela Knight, Really Unusual Bad Boys and Dead and Loving It by MaryJanice Davidson (I don’t have the second one. So really MDJ, feel free to mail me a copy when you mail KarenS her book, along with Mysteria and whatever else you want to send to me. yes yes yes, I am just a nice girl like that. I gots them all) Are all anthologies that include previous ebooks and one new story. And I think they are all trade size novels, is $14 a good price for one new novella and a cover? Or is this just a nice nice for the fans?

And if you have read the books, do you feel there is a difference? Angela Knight seems to have a ‘cleaner’ writing style now vs when she was an unknown eauthor. Same can be said for MJD. Her Ebooks are much ‘hotter’ than the current work. Although I say that having three TBR.

So what do you guys who have read them all think? Can you mesh ‘ebooks’ with a ‘print’ book style? Are you willing, able or wanting to fork cash over for these? And authors, what is your motivation for changing epub housing, re-editing and reissuing books? What steps do you take to make sure your readers know they are out there and that they are ‘new’ again books vs new new. Publishers, why do you want them? And do you want a certain amount of time to pass before taking on a book that has been published before elsewhere? And why do you want old ‘free’ books to sell?