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yolireadsss's review against another edition
3.0
This novel was written by one of my favorite authors. I gave the book only 3 stars because the story was prolonged. The beginning of the book was great but somewhere in the middle I was thinking please get to the point or ending already. The characters held my interest enough to finish and I am a sap for a love story. The downside of reading multiple books by one author is the comparison and this book left me disappointed.
pjgal22's review against another edition
4.0
Western historicals are my favorite romance category, and this one didn't disappoint. A marriage of convenience turns to true passion, but both the hero and heroine hide secrets that threaten their future together. I'll definitely seek out more historicals by Sandra Brown.
waterfairy's review against another edition
1.0
A typical bodice-ripper of the 80s. The male lead(Ross) is a alpha-hole and the female lead (Lydia) is your typical tragic Mary-Sue. So plot summary first: Lydia is pregnant, on the run from somebody. At the opening of the book, we find her giving birth to a still-born baby (which she wants to die because she was raped). She is found by two boys a traveling train and nursed by their mother. Ross, then has his wife going into labour and dies as she gives birth to a baby boy. Lydia is then tasked to nurse the baby boy - which she seems to without having any residual feelings for her own baby.
So these two start living together in the same wagon. Ross thinks of Lydia as a whore/slut for 2/3rds of the book. Giving birth to a baby boy without a marriage and because he's attracted to her makes her a slut. And he acts like a dog-in-manger. He's jealous of any other man paying attention to her. And he's a hole because he constantly compares her to his first wife Victoria who was a pure and white as snow. Lydia, on the other hand, is a radiant Mary Sue - small, petite with radiant, beautiful hair.
Both characters had possibilities. After all, Lydia was sexually abused and Ross was a part of the Jesse James. I was hoping for character growth through out. But no, Ross didn't have any appreciable change. Lydia didn't seem to have any hang-ups from her abuse. And then this scene happens: I nearly DNFd it but I wanted to see how it ends. It didn't get any better. A disappointing offer from Sandra Brown.
So these two start living together in the same wagon. Ross thinks of Lydia as a whore/slut for 2/3rds of the book. Giving birth to a baby boy without a marriage and because he's attracted to her makes her a slut. And he acts like a dog-in-manger. He's jealous of any other man paying attention to her. And he's a hole because he constantly compares her to his first wife Victoria who was a pure and white as snow. Lydia, on the other hand, is a radiant Mary Sue - small, petite with radiant, beautiful hair.
Both characters had possibilities. After all, Lydia was sexually abused and Ross was a part of the Jesse James. I was hoping for character growth through out. But no, Ross didn't have any appreciable change. Lydia didn't seem to have any hang-ups from her abuse. And then this scene happens:
Spoiler
After getting drunk and jealous, Ross RAPES Lydia. Lydia later enjoys this and it makes it ok in her book? WTF??solshines68's review
3.0
3.5 Stars - I'm not normally a fan of bodice rippers but I am a fan of Sandra Brown's later mysteries and historical fiction in general. Mama loaned this to me for my 12 hour drive home and I'm so glad she did! The story is a good one and the narrator did a fabulous job with the voices and accents.
serialromancelibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Been sitting on this review awhile. I’ll keep it succinct. This book was angsty and there was a lot of passion. Yes, our H was a complete jerk to the h, but his reactions were realistic (I think!) for the time period. I loved our h. She was pragmatic and brave. I was upset that she let shame stop her from disclosing her evil stepbrother’s mal-intent, but I get that was the conflict the book needed in order to resolve. I have read spoilers about the next book in this series and have decided to stop and not read Bubba’s story. This book really did it for me. I love these characters SO MUCH.
kimberlycarrington's review against another edition
4.0
taisie22's review against another edition
medium-paced
1.0
I've been on an American Western historical kick lately, so I've been looking for books in that genre. I like Sandra Brown's suspense romance books, so I thought I'd give this one a try. What a mistake!
First of all, I've read the Wheel of Time books, but Ms. Brown has nothing on Robert Jordan when it comes to mentioning breasts. Yes, the heroine Lydia is a wet nurse, but it seemed like every paragraph had a mention of her prominent breasts, yearning nipples, etc. She makes Mr. Jordan look like a novice when he only mentions pushing arms under her breasts instead of 'impudent nipples.'
The story itself is pretty weak. Ross, the hero, is pretty unlikeable throughout the book, and poor Lydia needs some severe counseling in dealing with him. She's a rape victim who's abused again and again - just ugh. The rest of the characters on the wagon train are pretty banal, and the villain is just a caricature of evil.
This is not a book I'd recommend at all.
First of all, I've read the Wheel of Time books, but Ms. Brown has nothing on Robert Jordan when it comes to mentioning breasts. Yes, the heroine Lydia is a wet nurse, but it seemed like every paragraph had a mention of her prominent breasts, yearning nipples, etc. She makes Mr. Jordan look like a novice when he only mentions pushing arms under her breasts instead of 'impudent nipples.'
The story itself is pretty weak. Ross, the hero, is pretty unlikeable throughout the book, and poor Lydia needs some severe counseling in dealing with him. She's a rape victim who's abused again and again - just ugh. The rest of the characters on the wagon train are pretty banal, and the villain is just a caricature of evil.
This is not a book I'd recommend at all.
arlom's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexism, Child death, Death, Hate crime, Murder, Rape, Racism, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
rachelfayreads's review against another edition
1.0
*spoilers* *TW/Rape*
I couldn’t finish this book. Ross infuriated me. I can’t support this book when the so called “hero/endgame love interest” rapes the female lead. Once I got to the rape scene, I stopped. I know how this book ends because I read the sequel, “Another Dawn” before reading “Sunset Embrace”.. (I enjoyed “Another Dawn”)so I know Ross and Lydia end up together. I can’t wrap my head around how Sandra Brown could have her female main character end up with a man that rapes her. Excusing this behavior and portraying Ross as the hero of the story is an awful message. Both “Another Dawn” and “Sunset Embrace” are time pieces, so I expected them to be somewhat sexist. However, this stepped way over the line.
I couldn’t finish this book. Ross infuriated me. I can’t support this book when the so called “hero/endgame love interest” rapes the female lead. Once I got to the rape scene, I stopped. I know how this book ends because I read the sequel, “Another Dawn” before reading “Sunset Embrace”.. (I enjoyed “Another Dawn”)so I know Ross and Lydia end up together. I can’t wrap my head around how Sandra Brown could have her female main character end up with a man that rapes her. Excusing this behavior and portraying Ross as the hero of the story is an awful message. Both “Another Dawn” and “Sunset Embrace” are time pieces, so I expected them to be somewhat sexist. However, this stepped way over the line.