Only His, Only Mine, Only You, Only Love – Mostly great stories His and Mine are two faves.

Only His

Escaping the ravages of the Civil War, a gently reared lady must leave behind everything she knows — and trust her life and her future to a dangerous gunfighter with a passion for vengeance.A team of prize Arabian horses is all that Willow Moran has left — and Caleb Black is the only man who can help her reach her brother in the Colorado Rockies. But she fears this stranger who burns to avenge the wrongs of treacherous men. For Caleb is as wild and unpredictable as the uncivilized land he loves. Yet, though she challenges him at every turn, the spirited southern lady knows this proud, enigmatic loner is her destiny. And no matter what peril awaits, they must face it together — for Willow has become a fever in Caleb’s blood … awakening a need so fierce that he would defeat the devil himself to possess her.

Caleb is a Old Testament kind of man and doesn’t let you forget it. I know little to nothing of the old west or the way of life. I guess you could say all I know I learned in romance and Deadwood so I take it all with a LARGE grain of salt. So were people as godly and bible quoting in the old west? Couldn’t say… it makes sense in a way… those were thought to be lawless times where it was common to not use your full name or even your real one. So who would they be accountable to? Either way it works in Caleb’s character.

Of course these same godly men, are the men who frequent whore houses and widow then expect sisters, daughters, and wives to be treated with respect (aka don’t fuck them unless you marry them). And the parallel drawn between Cal and Willow and what Cal is trying to avenge is really funny.

Caleb can be the biggest bastard in romance land to the ‘fancy lady’ he takes to find her husband. And it does take a lil piece of skin to make him admit to himself he cares for ‘the southern lady’ and she isn’t a whore but only his. There are some phrases repeated over and over, men are rough, women are evil, the land is harsh, and true virginity conquers all. This is something of a repeated theme with many Elizabeth Lowell books, but some how, it works (although I think each exheroine should introduce herself to the heroine of current book as “Hi my name is X, I have never screwed your hero, am not in love with him, nor he me.” because it would save mucho grief).

My copy of Only His will need to be replaced soon because it isn’t one of the reprints and is falling apart. Yes it is complete with the no shirt hero and very perky almost bare heroine set back, from 1991, although I like the horses in the background. My copy has been read more times than I recall and has seen better days. But I love a good western and I love a road romance and this is one of the best – and on horseback!

The bastard son of a viscount and a Cheyenne shaman’s daughter, Wolfe Lonetree agrees to rescue the pampered Lady Jessica from an unwanted impending wedding — but only if she will be his wife.Naive and shockingly innocent, Lady Jessica Charteris tricked a rugged, handsome stranger into a marriage in name only in order to escape a union with a vile British lord. Totally unprepared for the hardships awaiting her in America, she is terrified by the prospect of life in the harsh and magnificent land at the edge of the Rockies. But even more frightening is Wolfe himself — a man whose raw sensuality leaves her breathless. Her proud, virile new “husband” is not one to be trifled with, nor will he be denied what his heart fervently desires — for only in Wolfe Lonetree’s arms can Jessica truly learn the unparalleled joy of becoming the right man’s woman.

Nothing like rescuing a woman you have always wanted and then treating her like crap. Wolfe is a great character we met in Only His, where he is nice and kind to morph into rat bastard a la Caleb in Only His. So of course Caleb plays the sweetie now on.

Wolfe is tough on Jessica and if they would just talk, well the story would have been much shorter. But yeah I loved it. I liked seeing the English miss love the west and give it her all. Just wish Wolfe had been a little better about it. Even saying this book has only been read twice, well maybe three times.

Only You

With nothing left to wager but her innocence, the wily cardsharp “Evening Star” stares across the poker table at the killer who destroyed the two people she loved most in the world … and deals the winning hand to a rugged, unsuspecting stranger.Matt “Reno” Moran can’t believe that the conniving beauty he “won” in a card game has run off with all his winnings — including the map to a gold mine. He should never have trusted Evelyn Starr Johnson, a tawny-haired lovely hardened by poverty and loss. But the temptress cast a spell on him, making him careless by enflaming his passions as no woman ever has before. And now the only way Reno can reclaim what is rightfully his is by joining forces with the scheming, remarkable lady on a perilous treasure hunt that could cost the handsome sharpshooter everything … including his heart.

Reno is an ass. He was an ass when he found Willow in Only His, and he continues to be an ass here. There is nothing stupider than a man bitching about women fucking men being no good whores. Unless he himself is a virgin. Which I don’t think there is a virgin hero in EL books.

I really liked Eve. And I really like that she got to save the day then picked up her shit and left his ass. Again this is mostly a road type thing while they search for gold and when it is just Eve and Reno’s mouth isn’t turned on stupid, it is great. How they meet is great and the end is wonderful. You can give me a give me a stupid ass hero as long as he get beat over the head a few times by the end.

Only Love

A beautiful woman alone in the Colorado Rockies, Shannon’s last hope lies with a rugged loner.

Proud and courageous, cast adrift by the War Between the States, Shannon Conner has carved out a life for herself in the mountains. But now that she’s become a target of the vile, predatory Culpepper brothers, she must turn to a stranger for help — Rafael “Whip” Moran, an enigmatic wanderer tied to no place or promise. Intrigued by this intoxicating “widow” with a walk like honey and a tight grip on her shotgun, Whip is resolved to defend Shannon’s honor and her life. But no peril in this high, lonely place is greater than the intense passion the lady inspires within him — for it threatens to cost Whip the freedom that is as much a part of him as his soul.

The yondering man searching for the next sunset… This is the book I have read twice so the details are vague at best.

I was going to try and reread it before I posted this but what the hell. I have written down I liked it. Does that help ;).

Same song different verse… very Elizabeth Lowell… and good. Not the best and Whip really did drive me crazy with how long it took him to come around. And Shannon is a touch TSTL in thinking she will be ok living there alone. But I can so see NOT wanting to live with the family of the man who was too stupid to know you were the best thing to happen to him.

Say what you will about romance, about the authors, about the history used, use the word wallpaper all you like but Elizabeth Lowell does seem to research the hell out her books. Her settings and plots are characters in and of themselves be it Utah Territory, Ruby Mountains, Colorado, gold digging, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Jade, Dimonds or just the old west. Elizabeth Lowell is a treat to read and a big part of why I haven’t read her Romantic Suspense (beside not really liking the genre much) is I mourn the loss of her westerns, her contemporary romances and even her bastard alpha heros with pet names on repeat.

If you are a fan of her RS, you should at least try one of her westerns, Only His or Winter Fire get my vote. If you have never read a western and never want to, I would still suggest trying one of hers. You could hate it. You could never want to read her again. But she is a romance experience, a true classic, dated as the books can be they are worth a read. And then a glom and reread… imho.