The Taming of Shaw MacCade

by Judith E. French

Only the love of a good woman could claim his wild heart...Four years ago, hell-raiser Shaw MacCade departed Missouri for the gold hills of California, leaving behind the bitter feud that had plagued his family for generations. Now he has returned to bring his brother's murderer to justice and put an end to the legacy of bloodshed between the Raeburns and MacCades. But Shaw is not prepared for the changes that greet him at his home on the banks of the river, especially those in the captivating Rebecca Raeburn. Enemies by birth, the two are soon brought together by a common destiny and an attraction that neither can resist. But will a love as tempestuous as the raw country that reared them heal the sins of the past...and gentle one man's restless soul?

Genres: Historical Romance

Paperback

First published February 27, 2001

About the author

ABOUT JUDITH E. FRENCH

Judith E. French captures the essence of passion and brings her special characters alive on every page. A multiple award winner, including RT's Historical Romance Lifetime Achievement Author, Best Historical Author of the Year, The PEARL award for Best Anthology, and The Delaware Diamond Award for Literary Excellence, she is best known for her American frontier historical fiction. A master storyteller, she finds inspiration in her Scottish, Irish, Welsh, English and Lenni-Lenape ancestry near Chesapeake Bay, where the French family has made its home for more than 300 years. Judith’s novels have sold millions and been translated into French, Spanish, German, Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Bulgarian, and Mandarin. She appeals to readers of Christi Caldwell, Mary Balogh, C. J. Petit, Shirleen Davies, Karen Kay, Madeline Baker, Elle Marlow, Ellen O'Connell, Vonna Harper, Kathryn Le Veque, Colleen French, Julie Garwood, Cecelia Mecca, Caroline Fyffe, and Hannah Howell. She is the mother of bestselling novelist Colleen French.

Reviews

[Maria Dariotis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Taming of Shaw MacCade
by Judith E French

If you’re looking for a fast paced edge of your seat frontier western romance this one is it!
Shaw MacCade left Missouri and everything he held dear, especially Rebecca Raeburn, the woman he can’t ever imagine to have as his own. Their families have been feuding and hating each other for the last century, Rebecca and Shaw have been secretly nurturing their friendship since they were youngsters. What they had when young had turned into a fiery declaration of forbidden love.

Four years later Shaw comes back to a murdered brother and an undeniable passion for Rebecca. Searching for his brothers murderer brings many emotions and secrets to the front, family betrayals and secrets once exposed will bring chance for both the Shaw’s and Raeburns.

This was undeniably a fantastic well written story! I loved the Shaw and Rebecca he deserved the benefit of the doubt and Rebecca was a little hesitant in giving it but she showed maturity of character. The secondary characters were well developed as well. Overall this is an intriguing story with plenty of passion and mystery. Judith E. French is a gifted storyteller that vividly brings her characters to life. I definitely will be looking for more of her books.

“I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review”

[Margaret Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adventure, romance and an impossible family feud are the basis of this story. Whilst Ms French does bring out the historical background to the era, the MacCades and Raeburns seem almost too dreadful to be real. As Rebecca and Shaw struggle to find a path through the somewhat irrational stand-off between their families, not everything is as it seems. I enjoyed the main characters in this book as Shaw and Rebecca seemed to have more common sense than the rest of their kin. The love that sprung up whilst they were still in their youth has never died and if anything, the flame is stronger than ever. When Rebecca decides to distance herself from the warring families and takes off to find her sister, the story became more exciting and interesting for me. Shaw's protectiveness of Rebecca, despite her independence, is endearing. The final chapters brought clarity on a number of issues, and as the truths started to spill out, family members were forced to step back and reassess their position. The story ended on a positive note and even the least worthy had their happy ending. The book is generally well written and is a standalone with a number of very strong characters. I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.

[Martha B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like novels that feature heated clan feuds (like the Hatfields and McCoys, or Romeo and Juliet), you will definitely like this pre-Civil War saga about two Missouri families. Their hatred-filled feud dates back many centuries to their origins in Scotland, and even includes a plausible curse. However, when cupid gets involved in the drama, the feud sprints past deadly in the point of having devastating consequences.

Since I'm not a fan of stories that feature star-crossed lovers, I had a difficult time stepping into The Taming of Shaw MacCade. However, because Judith French is a master with plots, characters, descriptions, and dialogue, I eventually found myself engrossed in this drama. Thinking I knew how Ms. French was going to effect a happy ending, I was surprised by a number of dramatic twists. All in all, this was an entertaining stand-alone read with a happy ending and satisfying epilogue.

Content alert: There is some swearing (mild by today's standards), some passionate kissing and some fade-out very mildly described intimacy.

Disclosure: I received this book for free from eBook Discovery via Prolific Works. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review, which I also posted with Amazon.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shaw McCade left Missouri for the gold country and ended up in California. He decided to come back home and found out that everyone thought him to be dead. But he walked right back into the same Hatfield/McCoy type family feud with the Raeburn's that had been going on for generations. The only problem is he loved Becca Raeburn and he doesn't understand why she is being mean to him. Both Becca and Shaw are stubborn and hard headed. Despite being from the wrong families they are attracted to each other and know how the other persons mind works. There are several trips to be had and same with secrets. A lot of the secrets get spilled by the end thankfully. I really could not have handled a cliff hanger like that with so many secrets out there at the beginning of the book.
I liked this book. None of the characters were hard to deal with.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review. The opinions in this review are 100% my own

[Toyenlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Raeburn and MacCade families have been at war with each other from time immemorial. The feud is a very serious one that has led to several deaths and continuous clashes between the two families. But in the midst of all these chaos and feuds, Becca Raeburn and Shaw MacCade met at a young age and that was the beginning of their friendship and which later turned to love. But can their love thrive in the face of their families' enmity and war? This is an interesting read and I recommend it. "I received this book for free from eBook discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review ".

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast paced adventure story. It has plenty of detail about the surroundings, particularly when in St. Louis. Becca and Shaw were from different sides of two warring families but were obviously just right for each other. There were numerous strong personalities within each family. They were a few mysteries to be solved and some eventful journeys to be taken. Overall, it was an entertaining read. I received a copy from eBooks Discovery and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shaw MacCade has come back home. But, what a greeting he received from his long lost love, Rebecca Raeburn. She drives the Ferry that crosses the river, between the MacCades property and the Raeburns property. Both these families have had this hateful feud going on since she was born. And Rebecca is still mad as hell at Shaw MacCade. Shaw has returned with revenge for his brother's death. Rebecca and Shaw are brought together again by unexpected events. What A Great Read To The Last Page !!

[2Winters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book twice now. It's a Romeo & Juliet type theme. The second time I started reading this book I almost quit because of the actions of the h right off the start. Never really liked the h so gave this book a 4 1/2 star rating. I'm also not a fan of the theme where one of the MC pushes the other away. But a great H, he made it an exciting/passionate story. Author is a good writer, story intense at times. I recommend it and her book McCenna/s Bride which was even better.

[Gwen Hight · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gaming of Shaw MacCade Historical Romance

A very good story about love and family feuds the Raeburn and MacCabe family. They have fought for years but the Raeburn women could not resist the McCabe men

[Betty McCorkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable

We have all heard of the fued




Even a hundred year family war could not keep two people who are in love apart. I enjoyed their journey to a happy ending.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

What can I say? I'm on vacation. Found this little gem in the library at the Oasis Resort. Perfect poolside read.