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The Marker
When her father loses her in a poker game, Lexie Markland is sent to work in the household of Nicholas Wetherby for one year to pay off the debt. Innocent, but not naïve, she is savvy enough to know she must maintain her distance from this man, who frustrates her with his relentless teasing but whose kisses bring her to her knees. Because although she may be just another conquest to him, it’s not just her heart in jeopardy should she succumb to Nicholas’ considerable charms. Since his brother's death almost a year before, nothing has held Nicholas’ attention for long—not women, not booze, not even an excellent hand at cards. Nothing, that is, until he meets the woman he won in a drunken night of poker. Intrigued by his prize and her chilly reserve, he makes it his mission to crack Lexie’s cool demeanor. But even as passion explodes between them, the question will Nicholas be able to take the ultimate risk...and gamble on love?
287 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 14, 2011
163 people are currently reading
487 people want to read
About the author
Meggan Connors
10 books55 followersMeggan Connors is a wife, mother, teacher and award-winning author who writes primarily historical and steampunk romances. As a history buff with a love of all things historical, she enjoys visiting both major and obscure museums, and reading the histories of the Old West and the British Isles. She makes her home in the Wild West with her lawman husband, two children, and a menagerie of pets. When she's not writing, she can usually be found hiking in the mountains, playing in the snow, or with her nose in a book. Favorite vacation destinations include the sun-kissed hills of California, any place with a castle or a ghost (and both is perfect!), and the windswept Oregon coast.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
April 6, 2016
I really enjoyed the book. I didn't like the repetition of feelings and thoughts throughout the book, same thing again and again... But still, nice fun read.
November 28, 2017
A long and tedious read. I think Nick and Lexie are both pathetic and maudlin. It is wrong and unreasonable for him to blame himself of his brother's and his brother's family's deaths. Accidents do happen to both the good and the wicked. It is stupid to assign blame to anyone, not even to God. The Almighty does not exist for our own pleasures. As for Alexandra, it is also hypocritical of her to be offended by Nicolas' failing to inform her about Claire O'Connor's offer (for employment as well as reparation for Markland's marker) thereby depriving her of a choice when she herself has deprived Nick of the same when she did not tell him of Buchanan's threat on Nick's life not to mention being pregnant with Nick's child. I have no patience for this kind of shilly~shallying. There is just too much unnecessary angst between the two of them. The only good that I can find in this book is the presence of the secondary characters like the O'Connors, James Campbell and Mrs. Ferguson.
September 5, 2013
Good lord, the heroine was dumb. So much unnecessary drama all because she was so damn stupid. I liked her at first, thought was spunky, but that changed near the end. Stupid. Anyway, not bad for a bodice ripper. I've read worse and better.
June 2, 2018
Connors's The Marker had such an interesting premise, but the book itself was a letdown.
The characters were fairly interesting in the beginning but that quickly changed once Lexie was living in Nicholas's house. Their interactions started out cute enough but then their stubbornness (or what have you) soon made them downright silly, and sometimes so infuriating. You could say that this is a character-driven story in that all the drama is created by all the bad decisions and intentional miscommunication.
No matter how low Lexie's self-esteem due to her upbringing and previous life experience, it really felt like a disservice to her character to have her make such bad decisions. Nicholas, too, with all his faults, was too reliant on Lexie's love to make himself a better person. Didn't he just realize that he owed it to his brother's memory to be a better man? Tsk tsk.
At least we're rewarded with a happy ending, although it was quite unsatisfying after all the drama you had to get through to get there. The "big problem" was solved so easily and without much resistance that (again) it just made the characters seem silly and not particularly good at problem-solving.
The characters were fairly interesting in the beginning but that quickly changed once Lexie was living in Nicholas's house. Their interactions started out cute enough but then their stubbornness (or what have you) soon made them downright silly, and sometimes so infuriating. You could say that this is a character-driven story in that all the drama is created by all the bad decisions and intentional miscommunication.
No matter how low Lexie's self-esteem due to her upbringing and previous life experience, it really felt like a disservice to her character to have her make such bad decisions. Nicholas, too, with all his faults, was too reliant on Lexie's love to make himself a better person. Didn't he just realize that he owed it to his brother's memory to be a better man? Tsk tsk.
At least we're rewarded with a happy ending, although it was quite unsatisfying after all the drama you had to get through to get there. The "big problem" was solved so easily and without much resistance that (again) it just made the characters seem silly and not particularly good at problem-solving.
May 15, 2012
A fun read and one you don't want to miss.
Ms.Connor transports us back to a time when making a go of it in the old west was a challenge...especially for women. Riviting plot and delightful characters keep the reader engaged.
Looking forward to more from this talented author
Ms.Connor transports us back to a time when making a go of it in the old west was a challenge...especially for women. Riviting plot and delightful characters keep the reader engaged.
Looking forward to more from this talented author
March 23, 2020
The Marker
Nicholas Wetherby won Alexandra Maryland in a card game from her father. Lexie was to go work for Nick for one year. Lexie was already lost to Mr. Buchanan as a fiancé after that year would be over by her father. Lexie and Nick fell in love but she was to save herself for her fiancé. If she did not Mr. Buchanan would kill Nick and have Lexie and her father put in prison. She is expecting a child by Nick but Nick asked her to marry him and he would pay Mr. Buchanan off.
Nicholas Wetherby won Alexandra Maryland in a card game from her father. Lexie was to go work for Nick for one year. Lexie was already lost to Mr. Buchanan as a fiancé after that year would be over by her father. Lexie and Nick fell in love but she was to save herself for her fiancé. If she did not Mr. Buchanan would kill Nick and have Lexie and her father put in prison. She is expecting a child by Nick but Nick asked her to marry him and he would pay Mr. Buchanan off.
September 22, 2020
Too Stubborn
While I am okay with the heroine being strong and not falling for the charms of the hero, Lexie was too stubborn. It was ridiculous. Some of the calamities that fell on her were her fault. Too afraid to tell the truth about her farce of an engagement? Too afraid to tell Nicolas how she felt? Come on! And the whole silent treatment thing was sooooo stupid. It was not sexy. I wish I had liked this story more. The premise was awesome, the development left much to be desired.
While I am okay with the heroine being strong and not falling for the charms of the hero, Lexie was too stubborn. It was ridiculous. Some of the calamities that fell on her were her fault. Too afraid to tell the truth about her farce of an engagement? Too afraid to tell Nicolas how she felt? Come on! And the whole silent treatment thing was sooooo stupid. It was not sexy. I wish I had liked this story more. The premise was awesome, the development left much to be desired.
March 17, 2018
The Marker
The love story Alexandra and Nickolas. Alexandra's father is a camber, who is very bad at it. He has promise Alexandra's hand in marry to a man to pay his debt than he loss her in a hand as a servant to another man for a year. Will Alexandra marry a man that may kill her or will find love? Great story.
The love story Alexandra and Nickolas. Alexandra's father is a camber, who is very bad at it. He has promise Alexandra's hand in marry to a man to pay his debt than he loss her in a hand as a servant to another man for a year. Will Alexandra marry a man that may kill her or will find love? Great story.
May 8, 2018
Ended a little abruptly for my tastes
Lexie's father is a drunk and a wastrel. He has gambled himself and her into days of little to no food and mounting debts, in the cardgame that begins the story he throws his virginal daughter into the pot, as if she is nothing. As well she may be, as he has already contracted her life and virginity to another. A beast of a man.
Lexie's father is a drunk and a wastrel. He has gambled himself and her into days of little to no food and mounting debts, in the cardgame that begins the story he throws his virginal daughter into the pot, as if she is nothing. As well she may be, as he has already contracted her life and virginity to another. A beast of a man.
May 12, 2018
Everybody wins!
This was another new author for me and I was delighted with the book. The characters were well written and the storyline flowed from page one. The few twists weren't easily forseen and it was a nice balance of good over evil with a bit of Cinderella in the mix for good measure. A really enjoyable light read.
This was another new author for me and I was delighted with the book. The characters were well written and the storyline flowed from page one. The few twists weren't easily forseen and it was a nice balance of good over evil with a bit of Cinderella in the mix for good measure. A really enjoyable light read.
May 20, 2018
Beautiful love story.
It was a page turner. I even cried...what the heck? I really cared about the characters. I wish there was a more satisfying ending. There are a few characters that I can't say but...seriously???? I wanted to read it, I wanted it to be sooooo nasty, I almost need it. So the author needs to write a short story and GIVE IT!!!!
It was a page turner. I even cried...what the heck? I really cared about the characters. I wish there was a more satisfying ending. There are a few characters that I can't say but...seriously???? I wanted to read it, I wanted it to be sooooo nasty, I almost need it. So the author needs to write a short story and GIVE IT!!!!
May 9, 2018
Closer to 2 and a half stars. It wasn't a bad book, but everything could have been solved right away if the heroine had been honest. And the "bad guy" wasn't as bad as he was made out to be. But it was an enjoyable read even with these issues.
May 12, 2018
Review
This is the first book of yours that I have read and I really enjoyed reading it, I truly recommend this book to everyone who likes romance stories, I liked everything about the story and it had a great ending, thank you
This is the first book of yours that I have read and I really enjoyed reading it, I truly recommend this book to everyone who likes romance stories, I liked everything about the story and it had a great ending, thank you
May 22, 2018
Good Read
I liked this book. Lexie was a bet in a card game that Nicholas won. Interesting story. At times Lexie was a little too strong willed for her own good. Everything worked out despite the lies and deception.
I liked this book. Lexie was a bet in a card game that Nicholas won. Interesting story. At times Lexie was a little too strong willed for her own good. Everything worked out despite the lies and deception.
August 26, 2018
Ok
An improving premise that promises a great story. It had many parts that were very good. They showed the authors skill. I have read subsequent books Th a probe it. This is ok but don't read it frictionless you like to reading provider coming skill
An improving premise that promises a great story. It had many parts that were very good. They showed the authors skill. I have read subsequent books Th a probe it. This is ok but don't read it frictionless you like to reading provider coming skill
December 2, 2018
Good interesting read
Interesting in that on several occasions you wanted to "throttle them" because " assuming is actually - "ass of me". To bad so many humans of today "assume" too much
Interesting in that on several occasions you wanted to "throttle them" because " assuming is actually - "ass of me". To bad so many humans of today "assume" too much
December 6, 2017
An escape
Mostly an entertaining look at California life in 1874 ... love, honor, gambling, drinking, brawling... Realizing that unreasonable guilt is just that, unreasonable.
Mostly an entertaining look at California life in 1874 ... love, honor, gambling, drinking, brawling... Realizing that unreasonable guilt is just that, unreasonable.
May 12, 2018
A bargain?
Was Lexie a bargain, or a pain to Nick? Monetarily, a bigger problem couldn't be found. Love, however, doesn't come with a pricetag. A great read.
Was Lexie a bargain, or a pain to Nick? Monetarily, a bigger problem couldn't be found. Love, however, doesn't come with a pricetag. A great read.
May 13, 2018
DNF 35%
May 20, 2018
Really enjoyed this story.
What a fantastic way to fight for what you want and that was true 💘 love. Wasn't sure for awhile if they would make it but boy it's a very 🔥 romance.
What a fantastic way to fight for what you want and that was true 💘 love. Wasn't sure for awhile if they would make it but boy it's a very 🔥 romance.
January 24, 2019
Not bad
This was a decent story with likable characters. Some parts seemed like they repeated at times. Definitely needs an epilogue.
This was a decent story with likable characters. Some parts seemed like they repeated at times. Definitely needs an epilogue.
February 17, 2022
The Marker
The ending to this story made me ask why it took so long to get to that ending. So in many ways it seemed a bit disappointing. I felt Lexie should have realized the answer sooner. The reason for the 4 stars was I recognize that I wanted to continue reading even with knowing how to solve the situation. I would guess the idea of some one buying a person to solve a debt was what was fascinating for me.
The ending to this story made me ask why it took so long to get to that ending. So in many ways it seemed a bit disappointing. I felt Lexie should have realized the answer sooner. The reason for the 4 stars was I recognize that I wanted to continue reading even with knowing how to solve the situation. I would guess the idea of some one buying a person to solve a debt was what was fascinating for me.
April 6, 2016
Melodramatic and mediocre "historical" romance
I found the main characters to be so full of angst that no happily ever after could alter the psychological effect on the reader. The h and h were profoundly broken by their past and yes I believe love can overcome much but I was left with a dark melodramatic hangover. The author's repeated defence of her character's flaws and the choices they made out of their false sense of self- inflicted guilt seemed to be the theme or morale of the story, but its expression was far from subtle. I'm not fond of graphic sexuality in media but its use in this book at least was not disgusting-- I finished it, but it included more intimate scenes than I felt necessary for the plot. Primarily, in a historical novel I expect to learn something about the era and locale (showing research and knowledge invested by the author) and that was mostly missing. One should learn what it could have been like to live then and there through the characters experience. This book was "historical" only because of the date used and the undergarments women wore, along with modes of transportation. I would not say the story was badly written; the subplots and minor characters were skillfully used, just not impressively so. My apologies to the author, but there are too many novels available in this genre far better executed to invest precious time reading one that is merely mediocre.
I found the main characters to be so full of angst that no happily ever after could alter the psychological effect on the reader. The h and h were profoundly broken by their past and yes I believe love can overcome much but I was left with a dark melodramatic hangover. The author's repeated defence of her character's flaws and the choices they made out of their false sense of self- inflicted guilt seemed to be the theme or morale of the story, but its expression was far from subtle. I'm not fond of graphic sexuality in media but its use in this book at least was not disgusting-- I finished it, but it included more intimate scenes than I felt necessary for the plot. Primarily, in a historical novel I expect to learn something about the era and locale (showing research and knowledge invested by the author) and that was mostly missing. One should learn what it could have been like to live then and there through the characters experience. This book was "historical" only because of the date used and the undergarments women wore, along with modes of transportation. I would not say the story was badly written; the subplots and minor characters were skillfully used, just not impressively so. My apologies to the author, but there are too many novels available in this genre far better executed to invest precious time reading one that is merely mediocre.
July 28, 2012
Not sure how the character’s dress really fit the book but the title was just perfect since Lexie is won as a marker in a poker game. One in which her own father put her into the pot. And again later as she continues to feel “purchased”. I don’t read many American historical novels set in the west but I’m glad I read this one. Not sure I’d say I could relate or feel as if I was the heroine in this story but I could say I felt more like a friend. Perhaps maybe a friend like Claire. Lexie has suffered and sacrificed so much since her mother’s death and in the end her sacrifice opens the heart of a man who thought he couldn’t give his heart. Connors did an excellent job in describing her characters mannerisms in each scene that I felt like I was there watching the whole incident. I felt disgust for her father and her fiance as well as warmth, protection, and love from the other characters. I’m looking forward to James’ story so I’m hoping she’s got it in the works.
March 28, 2016
This book was a giant disappointment. It started out really well, and started building to a great story - to start the characters seemed like works in progress with a lot of potential. However, instead of improving as the story went on, the two main characters became bi-polar, irrational, and extremely annoying. Their emotions vacillated so wildly that is was impossible to follow the thought process, let alone the sentiment. They would be ranting and raving in their own head having some kind of argument with themselves that the reader didn't get all the details to. It was very difficult to finish, because the characters were so childish and illogical that you didn't feel what they were feeling in any way. There weren't any redeeming qualities of which they supposedly found to love in each other so much. Nicholas is a vapid drunk who has no idea what he even wants, and Lexie is a childish idiot who has no vision or imagination to see how to solve her own problems.
November 17, 2012
I absolutely loved this book! When Nicholas, a bored, self destructive business man finds himself in a poker game with a man desperate enough to use his daughter to cover a bet, he decides to teach the man a lesson by accepting. When Nicholas wins, he has no intention of taking the man’s daughter, but wants to scare him so that he won’t do it again. However, when Nicholas meets Lexie, he forgets his plan and takes her – telling himself she would be better off with him, but he gets more than he bargained for.
The story is packed with chemistry between Nicholas and Lexie. I really enjoyed the humor in their relationship, and the love scenes were sexy but not overly explicit. The other characters were equally entertaining. The historical accuracy of the settings really added to the story. I look forward to more romance books from this author.
The story is packed with chemistry between Nicholas and Lexie. I really enjoyed the humor in their relationship, and the love scenes were sexy but not overly explicit. The other characters were equally entertaining. The historical accuracy of the settings really added to the story. I look forward to more romance books from this author.
May 20, 2013
I am surprised this was free. It's a really well written and engaging story. I thought the chemistry between Nicholas and Lexie was off the charts. Both characters were complex with lots of well-written layers. I did think it was a little unrealistic that Lexie's father didn't tell Nicholas the truth about Lexie from the get-go, but it did make for exciting drama. My only complaint is that it ended really abruptly.
I don't normally read historical romance, but I'm glad I read this one. I look forward to reading other titles by Meggan Connors!
I don't normally read historical romance, but I'm glad I read this one. I look forward to reading other titles by Meggan Connors!
August 29, 2016
Love knows only what it wants
A love story brought forth from a life of selflessness after a loss. I loved this story. Time and again we read story's of a damsel in distress that's saved from the torment of her life by the dashing rich prince who makes everything better. Each story is a slight bit different, but the sentiment is the same. We build these stories because we have an innate need to want to be saved from our mistakes, to have someone strong to support us and a partner to share our lives. A dream of rising from the bottom to the top and getting what we have always dreamed. Reading others dreams always allows escape and interest, and I was no exception. I loved this story and lexis personality shined through the writing and allowed me to enter this dream and live it. I'd love to read more by this author.
A love story brought forth from a life of selflessness after a loss. I loved this story. Time and again we read story's of a damsel in distress that's saved from the torment of her life by the dashing rich prince who makes everything better. Each story is a slight bit different, but the sentiment is the same. We build these stories because we have an innate need to want to be saved from our mistakes, to have someone strong to support us and a partner to share our lives. A dream of rising from the bottom to the top and getting what we have always dreamed. Reading others dreams always allows escape and interest, and I was no exception. I loved this story and lexis personality shined through the writing and allowed me to enter this dream and live it. I'd love to read more by this author.
October 24, 2016
The thing that bothered me most about this book was the random changing of character. You'd be reading from Lexi's point of view and then all of the sudden it was Nick's-in the same paragraph even! It was odd, confusing, and rushed. There also weren't any breaks for time. You'd be reading one paragraph to the next and an entire day or week would have gone by with no indication of it. Then when there would be a significant break in the reading (usually to mark the change of time, the change of perspective, or just to conclude one thought before moving to the next) it would have no meaning whatsoever; like someone just decided that a bit of blank space would look good there. Possibly for shits and giggles, I don't know. The fluency was just lacking in general.
Also, am I the only person who noticed the girl on the cover has blonde hair and Lexi is supposed to have black?
Also, am I the only person who noticed the girl on the cover has blonde hair and Lexi is supposed to have black?
May 18, 2014
I loved these characters! They are written so well that three days after finishing the book, I miss their company. So I was hoping hoping hoping, that Meggan Connors had written more books about these characters. I was deeply disappointed until I read and was thrilled that she is writing James' story and cannot wait for that to come out.
I felt the gamut of emotions while reading this book. Sadness, interest, excitement, thrill, frustration, heart wrenching, hopeful, and then finally happy and content with the ending except that I didn't want to leave the characters.
More please, Meggan...
I felt the gamut of emotions while reading this book. Sadness, interest, excitement, thrill, frustration, heart wrenching, hopeful, and then finally happy and content with the ending except that I didn't want to leave the characters.
More please, Meggan...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews