Wild Lilly

Willow Creek #1

by Ann Mayburn

Connecticut socialite Lilly Brooks intends to fulfill a childhood dream when she inherits a huge tract of land in Caldwell, Kansas in 1876. She travels there in search of the romance and excitement of the Wild West. She finds her excitement—in the form of angry Indians, smelly dogs, and drunk cowboys who won't take no for an answer. Romance comes in the form of a ruggedly handsome rancher named Paul McGregor who could devastate her chastity with just a glance of his faded blue eyes. Too bad he calls her a whore within the first minute of their acquaintance.

Paul has spent three years trying to hold his family and his ranch together after the death of his parents. When he saves a stunning blonde, wearing a scandalous dress that only a soiled dove would own, from a group of drunken ranch hands, he tries to do the right thing and get her work at a good saloon. He soon finds out the woman whose favors he would love to buy is the heiress who owns the land that is the key to his family's financial future, not the prostitute he thought she was. Paul decides to use his best weapon to win Lilly over and get her seduction.

A wicked cattle baron wants her land as well and will kill anyone who stands between him and what he wants. Paul will have to decide what he wants more, the woman or her land.

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical, Westerns, Erotic Romance, Romance, Western Romance, Erotica

258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 9, 2011

About the author

Ann is Queen of the Castle to her wonderful husband and three sons in the mountains of West Virginia. In her past lives she's been an Import Broker, a Communications Specialist, a US Navy Civilian Contractor, a Bartender/Waitress, and an actor at the Michigan Renaissance Festival. She also spent a summer touring with the Grateful Dead(though she will deny to her children that it ever happened).

From a young age she's been fascinated by myths and fairytales, and the romance that often was the center of the story. As Ann grew older and her hormones kicked in, she discovered trashy romance novels. Great at first, but she soon grew tired of the endless stories with a big wonderful emotional buildup to really short and crappy sex. Never a big fan of purple prose, throbbing spears of fleshy pleasure and wet honey pots make her giggle, she sought out books that gave the sex scenes in the story just as much detail and plot as everything else-without using cringe worthy euphemisms. This led her to the wonderful world of Erotic Romance, and she's never looked back.

Now Ann spends her days trying to tune out cartoons playing in the background to get into her 'sexy space' and has learned to type one handed while soothing a cranky baby.

Reviews

[Books & Vodka Sodas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not read a ‘historical romance’ that gave me everything in one book. I have action, romance, sexiness, and a solid storyline that kept me guessing, and sometimes weeping, all at the same time. It has been quite sometimes since I read a historical, it was my first foray into the romance genre, and as I discovered all the other options: fantasy, paranormal, erotic. I have sense left it behind for bigger things, demanding a more detailed and complicated storyline.

This book delivers and doesn’t stop till the last page and you are going, Wait, I’m not done yet!

The love story wasn’t something that just fell into place. It had hiccups, natural derailments that made me cry at times. Ann asked me what parts I was getting weepy over and I will let that out now. The scene when they get ‘taken hostage’ by the Indians, and Paul turns into an abominable idiot and insults Lilly and she stands up to him and tells him off. I was sobbing, I thought it was over, I could see so much more I had to read on the percent bar of my Kindle but I was like mumbling to myself how it wasn’t going to work out this time. And then he gets the grand idea to marry her and then…

Yeah, I’m totally not going to spoiler, you all have to read this book for yourself.

I like to call Ann my diamond in the rough. That I realized her greatness as a writer, and I’m so lucky to get early copies of her book and even copies to review in general. For me, she has yet to write something that hasn’t gotten down deep inside me.

This story just validates Ann as a relevant author today. She can write anything. She can take us to the old west and make it sexy as hell, even giving me a train robber scene!!!!!!! I was whooping when I read that and wanted to just hug and kiss Ann like crazy. If it was something that happened in the old west, Ann managed to wrap it in the clever package of ‘Wild Lilly’. If you haven’t read an Ann Mayburn yet, because you aren’t sure about sci-fi or paranormal, then here is your ticket to literary wonderment right here!

You won’t be disappointed, and you will find yourself hunting down her other books on Amazon and taking a chance on things you normally wouldn’t.

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wild Lilly is a delightfully naughty Western Historical. Don't be fooled because it's WAY more than just two people falling in lust then love!!! Wild Lilly has drama, suspense, humor, emotional scenes that go beyond just the H/h and their budding relationship and yes HOT SMEXIN!!!

For the complete review please click this link
http://www.guiltypleasuresbookreviews...

[WildAboutBones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, a historical cowboy romance from Ann Mayburn, author of paranormal romance, erotic paranormal, erotic Sci-Fi romance and erotic romance; yee haw is it good.

This is not your every day Gunsmoke, High Chaparral or Rifleman episode. Sexy cowboys, sexy Indians, a damsel in distress, dance hall girls, land grabbing abusive men, no-account varmits, intended betrayal, two romances, several sub-plots and great sex fill the pages of this new genre foray by Mayburn.

Lilly is the youngest daughter of a Connecticut merchant in 1876. At 20, she's bored with the eligible men around her; they are so not husband material for her. Thanks to her uncle's letters, she's in love with the west (Kansas) and wants her a cowboy. When her uncle leaves his ranch to her, she sees her chance to live her dream. She doesn't know two men want the land.

Paul is a sexy cowboy with baggage who sees Lilly in town and thinks she's a stunning creature. He comes up with a plan to win her heart, take her land and break her heart. He doesn't plan on a sexy Indian making a play for her as well or the nasty neighbor wanting her land too.

I don't usually read cowboy romance, not because I don't like them, but because they are not paranormal and therefore not usually something I pick up first but after reading this, two stories by Vickie Lewis Thompson and Moira Rogers' Wilder's Mate (steampunk paranormal western romance), I think I may have to rethink this behavior because I can't wait to read more in this new series.

This story makes me think of the song with the lyrics "save a horse; ride a cowboy". It is a very sexy read that pulled me in from the beginning and I stayed up all night reading it because I couldn't put it down.

I loved the character of Lilly's father. And her grand mere reminded me a little of Gigi's aunt in the Maurice Chevalier/Leslie Caron movie version. Ann Mayburn wrote them so well that even after a week, these characters with very short parts have stayed with me.

Even if historical western romance isn't what you normally read, start 2012 off by reading something different and read this. You'll be glad you did.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

GREAT WESTERN ROMANCE


Lily Brooks a spoiled socialite from Conneticut inherits a large piece of land from her uncle. Lily intends to travel to Caldwell Kanas and experience living in the Wild West for herself. Her family are horrified, but Lily has a wild streak and longs for adventure. She manages to secure a position as the towns school teacher. So Lily sets out on the biggest adventure of her life.

Upon arrival in Cladwell Lily excitedly decides to explore the town. Unaware that she has wandered into a less than salubrious part she's accosted by a group of men, but a stranger steps in to save her, Paul McGregor is a local rancher, tall and handsome he takes Lily's breath away till he opens his mouth and mistakes her for a whore from the local saloon.

I won't say any more about the story, except that it is filled with a rich tapestry of characters that come alive on the page. There are many twists and turns to the plot, but at the centre of the story is the romance between Lily and Paul. I really liked this story loved the connection and the chemistry between the two leads.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! I wasn't sure if I wanted to put it in my cowboy-romance or historical romance-section. It fit a little bit of both and it fits nicely! I hope this book becomes a series because I am so interested in reading about the relationship between Catherine and Sleeping Bear.

[Lizzie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like the characters. The H was so unlikable and immature. The whole thing was not my kind of book. Definitely forgettable.

[Susi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ann Mayburn is known for her hot and highly erotic romances and when I heard that she planed to write one in a historical setting that also had cowboys I just had to grab my chance. In Wild Lilly we meet not only sexy cowboys but also soiled doves aka dancehall girls, some very nice Indians and a bunch of bad guys- some not as bad as it seems.

The story is all about Lilly, a girl from a wealthy family who yearns for freedom and adventure. When her uncle dies and leaves his land in the west in her care she knows without a doubt that she has to grab her chance. Lilly is a daring and adventurous young woman. She’s a free spirit and is more liberated than it was usual at this time. But she also can be rather naive at times which I have to admit irked me to no end. At times I just wanted to grab her and shake her real hard. How could she not see what really happened?

On the other hand we have Paul- the rough and gruff cowboy who steals Lilly’s heart. He is a nice guy at heart and only wants to take care of his family but he can be a rather selfish asshole. He’s so focused on his life and goals that he sometimes doesn’t seem to realize what he is actually doing to others. He judges others for selfishness and in essence he wasn’t very much different. His deceiving of Lilly really made me angry. I know I shouldn’t care so much, but I HATE liers and he just didn’t stop. I was so angry at times that I really felt like throwing the ereader against the wall. This was a rather big problem for me.

I really loved the sidecast though. Estrella was such a vivid and believabkle character. She really had fire- I loved that. Also Sleeping Bear was great and I liked his character for too many reasons to list- and well he was hot. *wink* And Lilly’s grand-mère was a riot.

The plot was a bit too cluttered for my taste. So many things happened and while nearing the end my thoughts actually only consisted of “Not really.” With so many incidents, twists and surprises I felt overwhelmed. The story lost a bit of it’s credibility.

All in all Wild Lilly was a really fast paced and erotic historical romance with a vast variety of characters. It’s full of action, not only between the sheets. If you like your historicals hot this might be the read for you. I already cant wait to see what the next novel in this series will bring.

I give Wild Lilly 3 out of 5 stars.

[Gigi staub · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have to write my review still, but LOVED it :)

Having read some of Ms. Mayburn’s other books, which are primarily paranormal, sci-fi and contemporary I did not know what to expect with her first Historical Romance. For her first…I say she has a smashing success on her hands!
The story is about Lilly Brooks, who is left a ranch in Kansas by her uncle. Lilly decides to buck conventionality and go on an adventure by trying to make a go of the ranch and teach school to the local children. I like that Lilly is strong and adventurous, though like all of us wants to love and be loved. That is where Paul McGregor comes in…he is her neighbor and rancher. The sparks fly between them from the first meeting, even though he mistakenly calls her a whore.
I love that this story is packed with adventure, suspense and spicy love scenes. Her attention to detail really draws you in and makes you feel a part of the story/time period. Another thing I enjoyed is that not only are main characters focused on, but the supporting characters. I really loved Sleeping Bear (the Comanche warrior)and Estrella (the mistress) and hope to read more about them? Even Lee Krisp is perfectly written and believable as the evil cattle baron.
The story comes to and exciting climax that I will not give away here…you will have to read it to find out what happens.

[Lynde Shaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read multiple Ann Mayburn books and when she said she was re-releasing a historical, I was stoked. She also mentioned that it was her third book written, and based on her current work, I could tell. It started out well. We're introduced to Lilly who isn't your typical Eastern rich and spoiled socialite. She's adventurous and longs for life in the West, where her favorite uncle has lived and shared stories about. After Lilly travels there to teach and experience the wonders of the area she is rescued by her neighbor Paul from men who thinks she's a soiled dove. Thus begins a lust as first sight courtship. However, the courtship is based on more than lust. It's also based on the need for her land. Enter a shady character who also wants the same land. It's a common theme for a lot of historical romances, but this time the execution was dull. I didn't care about either character. Nothing about either character made them that like able. I skimmed a lot of this book. The sex scenes were hot, if occasionally unbelievable (the teepee scene), but the rest of the book was pretty boring and uninteresting. I'll stick with Ms. Mayburn's current work.

[Becky Condit · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars from Lady McNeill!

I absolutely loved this book and here are the top 10 Reasons why I think you should read this book!
10. Who doesn’t love a historical western with all the excitement of the gold rush, the hazards of living near Indians, saloons, an evil land baron, ranches and hot cowboys? I love to take a step back in time and read about the Wild West but this one had the added benefit of a hot romantic love story.
9. The cover! What you say you don’t find the cover important?!? Well take a look at this one! I’ll admit in the end the cover doesn’t determine if I liked a story or not, but when I have a lot of books to choose from and the blurbs all sounds interesting, a good cover can be the tie breaker. The cover features a sexy shirtless Paul and then Lilly looks as innocent and pure as she came across in the story.

See the rest of Lady McNeill's countdown of the Top Ten Reasons you MUST read this book! http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....

[Sassy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book very much and look forward to reading the next in this series. It was aptly named!

Lilly was a very strong heroine and not some weepy, whiny crybaby. She was a fighter and fought for her rights and beliefs to keep and dispose of her inheritance as she believed was the right and proper thing to do. I loved both men that were attracted to her and either one could have ended up with her in the end, but it still ended HEA.

A couple of things I was not sure existed in 1876 though...like, -tuberculosis (don`t think they knew it as that back then)
-patio`s out in the boonies....hmmm -- dusty roads and wooden sidewalks, wouldn`t think people would want to be sitting outside to have lunch in those circumstances.
-marble counter-tops...did they have those back then
-Boutiques...in the boonies....hmmm

Other than that, it was an enjoyable read.

[Sissy's Romance Book Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book one in the "Willow Creek" series . Lilly Brooks inherits some land and a small house in Caldwell, Kansas. She quickly decided to move their from and leave her family and Victorian type environment. Once of the train she is quickly involved with a some men who think she is a salon girl. She tries to get away from them but unable too until Paul McGregor shows up to help. At first he too thinks she is that type of girl but when the Mayor comes looking for her as she was to meet him off the train., The mayor quickly clears up who she is. Paul finds that she is the neighbor to his land and he has been trying to buy that land. He tries to make amends so that he can get a chance at the land. But Lilly isn't wanting to sell yet if at all. Paul and Lilly start a friendship but they find they are both attracted to each other. I enjoyed this story and hope that you will too.

[LoveRomance]

2/26/12: About half way through, and it's feeling a little slow and a little shallow.

3/5/12: A little further now, and she's added a whole nother story line -- an assassin/kidnapper plot has been hatched. Just having trouble moving forward. Have managed to read 4-5 other books in the meantime (I don't read books in between books ever!)

[V · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Meh....this was a good book in places and alittle slow (for me) in others. The story itself is good and not predictable (well not much anyway) but there was just something missing, and i cant put my finger on what exactly. The chemistry between the two characters was moderate and ill admit to being disappointed the their first love scene together.

3-3.5 stars

[~*Bhook-Junkhie~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has everything I love!...Sexy and strong characters, action, suspense, a bit of angst, love, and delicious wanton sex...I devoured it in almost 1 sitting...I CAN NOT wait for the next book...I need more Mr Bear...lol..Loved it~!

[Melissa Vasquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good story. It is the first I have read of Ann Mayburn and I can say it most likely will not be the last. Some intense moments where you hold your breath until you know what is going to happen.

[Elisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing in this story is very good as I have come to expect from Ann but I just don't like the H. He is a bit of a slime ball for most of the book and I don't really feel like he redeemed himself.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it! When is the rest of the series coming out?!

[Romancing the Book · Rating 2 out of 5]

http://romancing-the-book.com/2012/06...

[Keri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lilly

wonderful romance plenty of heat some language but skipped over it adventure every page great story can't wait for next book

[Dahlia (yadkny)]

NOR