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3.23 AVERAGE
3.23 AVERAGE
emotional
medium-paced
the most dramatic problem wasn’t the gunslinger conflicted with his inner demons and that says a lot about the plot imo
This is a good one.
There are very strong female characters who don’t change into simpering kittens after the men give them some attention, but keep their back straight even while loving.
There are definitely things which were a bit too much, like him hitting her, but she also hit him back, so in my book that means they were both in the wrong.
There was enough angst, and the plot was quite good.
There are very strong female characters who don’t change into simpering kittens after the men give them some attention, but keep their back straight even while loving.
There are definitely things which were a bit too much, like him hitting her, but she also hit him back, so in my book that means they were both in the wrong.
There was enough angst, and the plot was quite good.
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4/5 stars!
This book would of been a 5/5 stars if it wasn’t for the last 100 pages. Why does every vintage historical romance have to include so much violence against women? I knew going into in that a western novel would have violence. I do love the Wild West it is such an interesting part of history I love western films, video games, books etc. I knew it would have grit. But this is a romance. If it was a Tolstoy tragedy it would be a different story. But as soon as Jake hits Victoria I instantly knew this wasn’t going to be smooth sailing.
Before the last 100 pages I thought the book was so good. Romance, grit, action and I love the relationship between Emma, Celia and Victoria. A gripping story about revenge with steamy romantic scenes.
But for some reason the author decides that she needs to create a divide between the main love interests. She for some reason writes in that Jake thinks the baby isn’t his. Which then turns him violent. Psychically and verbally. He hits her and insults her. It doesn’t actually make any sense. Then they stop talking to each other, other than to insult one another. Also a massive needless tragedy happens which completely changes the dynamic of the story. It long becomes a romance but to a tragedy. If you want a gritty romance than read this but if you want something warm and fluffy I would stay away!
This book would of been a 5/5 stars if it wasn’t for the last 100 pages. Why does every vintage historical romance have to include so much violence against women? I knew going into in that a western novel would have violence. I do love the Wild West it is such an interesting part of history I love western films, video games, books etc. I knew it would have grit. But this is a romance. If it was a Tolstoy tragedy it would be a different story. But as soon as Jake hits Victoria I instantly knew this wasn’t going to be smooth sailing.
Before the last 100 pages I thought the book was so good. Romance, grit, action and I love the relationship between Emma, Celia and Victoria. A gripping story about revenge with steamy romantic scenes.
But for some reason the author decides that she needs to create a divide between the main love interests. She for some reason writes in that Jake thinks the baby isn’t his. Which then turns him violent. Psychically and verbally. He hits her and insults her. It doesn’t actually make any sense. Then they stop talking to each other, other than to insult one another. Also a massive needless tragedy happens which completely changes the dynamic of the story. It long becomes a romance but to a tragedy. If you want a gritty romance than read this but if you want something warm and fluffy I would stay away!
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault
.
Well Hell. It's Linda Howard, so of course it was well written and the characters could practically climb outta the pages. But still, there were things that made me not love it.
The story starts and ends with violence. In fact there was quite a bit of violence.
Two boys have their parents murdered and their futures stolen by their father's deceitful foreman.
Twenty years later 'The General' as the murderer likes to call himself decides to buy a wife from the South after it was gutted in the war. Victoria agrees to marry him if he will pay for her parent's old age and take care of her little sister and cousin as well.
Once she arrives on the ranch she questions her decision... and their safety. Especially her little sister Celia, who is too pretty for her own good and a beacon of innocence. All the ranch hands (and guns) watch them like predators. Especially Jake Roper.
Twenty years is a long time to plan vengeance.
I loved the characters but there are some spoilers below for the safety gang. And I gotta say, these are the reason it wasn't a 5 star read for me. I was also unimpressed with the romance between Jake's brother and Vic's cousin Emma. I thought Ben was a douche nozzle.
romance safety
There's a side romance between Jake's brother Ben and Vic's cousin Emma. He swears he will never marry so she refuses to have sex with him. So after a few months, he goes to Santa Fe and pays for a night with a prostitute.
Violence safety
There are a few shootouts. An evil stallion that the General owns kills one of the mexican workers and also Celia. That part really threw me. I thought Celia's romance with Luis was the most romantic part of the story and then LH just kills her off. Grrrrr.
Jake hits Victoria so hard she falls down and has trouble talking for days. He did this over a misunderstanding that he later grovels for. And I really did feel that he regretted it. Vic slaps Jake when he calls their baby a bastard.
Well Hell. It's Linda Howard, so of course it was well written and the characters could practically climb outta the pages. But still, there were things that made me not love it.
The story starts and ends with violence. In fact there was quite a bit of violence.
Two boys have their parents murdered and their futures stolen by their father's deceitful foreman.
Twenty years later 'The General' as the murderer likes to call himself decides to buy a wife from the South after it was gutted in the war. Victoria agrees to marry him if he will pay for her parent's old age and take care of her little sister and cousin as well.
Once she arrives on the ranch she questions her decision... and their safety. Especially her little sister Celia, who is too pretty for her own good and a beacon of innocence. All the ranch hands (and guns) watch them like predators. Especially Jake Roper.
Twenty years is a long time to plan vengeance.
I loved the characters but there are some spoilers below for the safety gang. And I gotta say, these are the reason it wasn't a 5 star read for me. I was also unimpressed with the romance between Jake's brother and Vic's cousin Emma. I thought Ben was a douche nozzle.
romance safety
Spoiler
Jake is 33 and Vic is 21. She's a virgin because the General couldn't get hard because of PTSD. At about 20% Vic catches Jake in flagrante delicto with the tinker's daughter. But he did feel ashamed that Vic had seen them and wanted to run after her and declare that it was meaningless (like the would help). He stays true to her after that.There's a side romance between Jake's brother Ben and Vic's cousin Emma. He swears he will never marry so she refuses to have sex with him. So after a few months, he goes to Santa Fe and pays for a night with a prostitute.
Violence safety
Spoiler
There's a lot of raping and threats of rape. The book starts with the boy's mother being raped by the General before he shoots her dead. Then Jake manages to stab him a couple times before running away to survive. The General rapes the housekeeper's daughter. Both the General and his foreman Garnet, plan to rape Vic's little sister Celia.There are a few shootouts. An evil stallion that the General owns kills one of the mexican workers and also Celia. That part really threw me. I thought Celia's romance with Luis was the most romantic part of the story and then LH just kills her off. Grrrrr.
Jake hits Victoria so hard she falls down and has trouble talking for days. He did this over a misunderstanding that he later grovels for. And I really did feel that he regretted it. Vic slaps Jake when he calls their baby a bastard.
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is not rateable. I was furious every single moment of it but I couldn’t put it down so idk what that means
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence
This would have gotten a better rating from me if I had liked the hero. He wasn’t a very good romantic leading man. This was my first Howard book. I think I will read more but I may search out other authors first.
adventurous
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes