∎ Read Gratis A Lady of the West Linda Howard 9780671019730 Books

A Lady of the West Linda Howard 9780671019730 Books

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A Lady of the West Linda Howard 9780671019730 Books

I've read quite a few Linda Howard books. Her earlier work which this book is, is much better than her more recent work (ie Ice & Prey)
Ok so first up the controversial hero Jake. Yes he did hit Victoria across the face but what were the circumstances??
He thought Victoria was trying to pass another mans baby (his nemesis by the way) as his baby. Do I agree with what he did? NO WAY but stop & remember this was 1800's in those days women had no value & a woman in this position could've been killed by an aggrieved husband & no one would've blinked.
Victoria GAVE AS GOOD AS SHE GOT. She moved out of their bedroom & gave Jake the silent treatment for 3 MONTHS!! Jake apologised soon after the slap but Victoria didnt accept his apology or talk to him.
Then the next 6 months Jake (after realising his mistake & trying to make amends) knew Victoria still hadn't forgiven him & was probably going to leave him after the baby was born. She made him feel miserable for 9 months to pay for what he did.
So given her limited resources & status as a woman of 1800 I think Victoria did admirably to stand up for herself & protect her family. Yes she was prissy but that's how all women were raised in those days.
This is definitely not a warm & fuzzy or humourous romance. There was a pervasive dark cloud over this ranch & much tragedy but once Jake let go of the past he was able to build a happy healthy future with Victoria. So this book isn't for everyone but I enjoyed it


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A Lady of the West Linda Howard 9780671019730 Books Reviews

Yes, Jake hits her at one point. But she doesn't just brush it off like so many do. She really gives him hell for it and he deserves every bit. But his character is so relatable and I can see where his mind was going in different parts of the book. Altogether, a good read
Linda writes such exciting down to earth books. Onto the next one! You can just picture yourself with her characters.
This is one of those books that you finish and immediately start reading it again!! I loved this story! The characters were wonderful, the setting/time period was interesting, and the tough guys loved their women. And, as in all Linda Howard books, the sex scenes were great! She is absolutely my favorite author.
I love Linda Howard books. They seem to be ageless. I read them time and again.
Not one of Linda's best, but mildly enjoyable. It's rough around the edges and a bit bumpy story line, but Victoria, main character, is well developed and very likeable.
One of my favorite Linda Howard books. It was really believable with truthfully drawn characters. A real Western experience. Don’t miss her other western story, Angel Creek.
SPOILERS BELOW

Usually when I don't like a book, it's because I don't connect with the writing style or the story just doesn't interest me. It's rare - like in this case - when I find issues with the mechanics of the story. There were just too many things that rubbed me the wrong way to think this book was anything more than 'okay.'

It's the 1800's. Victoria is marrying McLain, a rich landowner, purely for the fact that her family is poor and starving. The have a prestigious name, but wars don't care what your name is. They were destitute and her only choice was to marry a man with money.

The land isn't McLain's. He stole it from the rightful owners by killing the entire Sarrett family. Little does he know the two boys he shot, survived. And the eldest, Jake, is back to take it back. He's under disguise as a hired gunman who lives on the ranch, working for McLain.

It doesn't take long until Jake and Victoria are pulled together with an invisible thread. Victoria is attracted to the rugged, strong, cold gunman, and Jake begins to be enthralled with Victoria. It doesn't take long until he decides he's going to have her.

There were a lot of sexual scenes in this book that were just nauseating. A couple of graphic rape scenes, and the disturbing times McLain tries to consummate his marriage and fails. Lots of rape going on. It's not that rape bothers me - I read bodice rippers for goodness sakes. But it was just graphic in nature, and not something someone who can't handle it would want to read.

The first fifty percent of the novel was a little slow for me. Jake is getting his plan ready to take back his land, while trying to get Victoria to sleep with him under his boss's nose.

And then the second half hits. Jake's brother and their men ride in and they take back their land.

There's a little problem with Victoria having been married to McLain because now she owns the land. Jake decides he's going to have to marry her.

I have no idea how I feel about their first time in the sheets. It was a serious forced seduction, where it was almost rape. She tells him no like ten times and he ignores her, "making her melt" a little more each time. I couldn't decide who I was annoyed at, really. I kinda felt like if he didn't persuade her the way he did, she would be a virgin until the end of time. She wasn't tormented or emotionally distraught over it; instead she was pleased with finally doing the deed. So rape? Idk. Something I think that's subjective.

I really spaced out for a while. It seemed Jake flipped a switch, and I just didn't like him so much the second half. Victoria was upset because she wanted his love, and he was just using her as a lightskirt each night.

Then, Victoria tells Jake she's pregnant. Know what he does? Hits her so hard she flys into a wall and crumbles to the floor, her face black and blue. At this point, I was just shaking my head. I'm not a newbie to a hero hitting a woman. I read so many historical novels, it's like second nature. I've even loved novels where the man hits his woman. i.e. The Golden Dynasty, Fires of Winter and many more. But the way the hero did it....and why he did it...good god.

He was certain she was lying to him and the child was actually McLain's. He doesn't believe her when she insists that McLain and her never consummated their marriage, that he was incapable.

So how does he finally believe she's telling the truth? Well, he certainly doesn't believe her; he believes the ranch light-skirt when she admits McLain was incapable with Victoria. She reminded him of the Sarrett woman he raped.

So you're thinking there should be some grovel, right? I'm thinking he better get on his knees and stay there for days. But instead, he only rapes her again. You heard right. He doesn't grovel. He forces her to have sex with him.

It was almost salvageable for me if he would have groveled his butt off; but, that just never came.

And this is where I decided I just could not rate this more than two stars.

A prized stallion, one meaner than spit - who has already killed one ranch hand - stomps Victoria's little sister to death. Victoria wants the stallion gone, wants him dead. Rightfully so, he killed her little sister! Jake doesn't listen to Victoria. He doesn't want to lose the horse because he'd lose money.

This was the last straw for me.

Victoria goes out and sets the horse loose on her own. Jake is angry at first, but eventually accepts it.

I just never felt that Jake actually cared for Victoria. There was too much bad on his part than there was good.

Idk. I wasn't really emotionally affected by this story at all. I was sometimes annoyed, other times mildly entertained.

I get how it can be an angsty ride for some. Just wasn't for me.
I've read quite a few Linda Howard books. Her earlier work which this book is, is much better than her more recent work (ie Ice & Prey)
Ok so first up the controversial hero Jake. Yes he did hit Victoria across the face but what were the circumstances??
He thought Victoria was trying to pass another mans baby (his nemesis by the way) as his baby. Do I agree with what he did? NO WAY but stop & remember this was 1800's in those days women had no value & a woman in this position could've been killed by an aggrieved husband & no one would've blinked.
Victoria GAVE AS GOOD AS SHE GOT. She moved out of their bedroom & gave Jake the silent treatment for 3 MONTHS!! Jake apologised soon after the slap but Victoria didnt accept his apology or talk to him.
Then the next 6 months Jake (after realising his mistake & trying to make amends) knew Victoria still hadn't forgiven him & was probably going to leave him after the baby was born. She made him feel miserable for 9 months to pay for what he did.
So given her limited resources & status as a woman of 1800 I think Victoria did admirably to stand up for herself & protect her family. Yes she was prissy but that's how all women were raised in those days.
This is definitely not a warm & fuzzy or humourous romance. There was a pervasive dark cloud over this ranch & much tragedy but once Jake let go of the past he was able to build a happy healthy future with Victoria. So this book isn't for everyone but I enjoyed it