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McLoughlin Trilogy #1
Caress of Fire
With her dream of opening a millinery shop in Chicago, Lisette Keller joins Gil McLoughlin's cattle drive in order to raise the necessary funds and discovers that true happiness may be waiting for her in Gil's arms. Original.
- GenresHistorical Romance
446 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1992
About the author
Martha Hix
22 books114 followers I’m a Texan. Born and bred. I wish I could say I grew up on a cattle ranch or had pump jacks working in my backyard, but I can’t. I’m from Dallas. My people were doctors, lumbermen, a tinker, merchants, plus a guy in Corrigan who owned a hotel-bar-livery stable. He also ran his own personal loan agency.
But I did have the good fortune to spend a great deal of time all over the state as a child, a lot of it in West Texas and in the Hill Country. I’ve spent most of my adult life in Austin, San Antonio, and the Hill Country, which ain’t a bad gig. I get to go to Luckenbach, Texas, whenever I please, although Willie and Waylon are never there. I do know quite a bit about Texas beer joints.
As a kid, I didn’t mind listening to stories about how at least five earlier generations of my ancestors had been in the Lone Star State for a long, long time. Well, in Texas that just meant more than a hundred years. This weird kid soaked up the stories. I never got tired of listening. My curiosity sure came in handy when I took up the obsession known as genealogy. That was ions before Ancestry.com came about, back when you had to travel to courthouses or sit and go through reel after reel of census records and so forth to figure out your own little green leaves. My interest in general history really came in handy when I took up writing both fiction and non-fiction.
There are a lot of great things to be said about writing fiction and true stories—I concentrated on stories about people and the history of businesses—but we won’t get into that. I will brag on myself and say that my romance novels were translated into many foreign languages, some of them very foreign, like Japanese, Greek, and Turkish.
On the home front, I’m still in the fabulous Texas Hill Country with my husband and our spoiled four-legged kids. The two-legged young’uns have grown up and moved on. We have four fabulous grandkids—a granddaughter and three grandsons, plus a wee great-granddaughter. I find it simply amazing that I—still a young chick writing hot love stories and cleaner stories about men and women trying to tame this place called Texas!—have lived long enough to enjoy a great-grandchild. Me—that chick with great-grandparents who were involved in the Civil War. Two were Confederates, one was a Union soldier, and then there was the fellow who owned slaves but wouldn’t fight for the South. Don’t get me started—I have lots of tales to tell!
I do love to write about historical events and oddball people. Oh! I forgot to tell you. I hail from a family of writers.* On the Yankee side of my family. I wouldn’t have known that if I hadn’t listened to what the elders had to say. And, boy howdy, could they spin the tales. See there. You pick up all sorts of stories, when you listen to what the old folks have to say.
*One is an author hereabouts, but I won't embarrass her by naming her!
Thanks for stopping by and listening to what I have to say. If you've read one of my books and enjoyed it, thank you. If you didn't enjoy it, try another one. I think I've finally come to realize what makes these stories tick. This new method got started with HIS RIP-ROARIN' BRIDE. Would appreciate if you'd let me know what you think.
But I did have the good fortune to spend a great deal of time all over the state as a child, a lot of it in West Texas and in the Hill Country. I’ve spent most of my adult life in Austin, San Antonio, and the Hill Country, which ain’t a bad gig. I get to go to Luckenbach, Texas, whenever I please, although Willie and Waylon are never there. I do know quite a bit about Texas beer joints.
As a kid, I didn’t mind listening to stories about how at least five earlier generations of my ancestors had been in the Lone Star State for a long, long time. Well, in Texas that just meant more than a hundred years. This weird kid soaked up the stories. I never got tired of listening. My curiosity sure came in handy when I took up the obsession known as genealogy. That was ions before Ancestry.com came about, back when you had to travel to courthouses or sit and go through reel after reel of census records and so forth to figure out your own little green leaves. My interest in general history really came in handy when I took up writing both fiction and non-fiction.
There are a lot of great things to be said about writing fiction and true stories—I concentrated on stories about people and the history of businesses—but we won’t get into that. I will brag on myself and say that my romance novels were translated into many foreign languages, some of them very foreign, like Japanese, Greek, and Turkish.
On the home front, I’m still in the fabulous Texas Hill Country with my husband and our spoiled four-legged kids. The two-legged young’uns have grown up and moved on. We have four fabulous grandkids—a granddaughter and three grandsons, plus a wee great-granddaughter. I find it simply amazing that I—still a young chick writing hot love stories and cleaner stories about men and women trying to tame this place called Texas!—have lived long enough to enjoy a great-grandchild. Me—that chick with great-grandparents who were involved in the Civil War. Two were Confederates, one was a Union soldier, and then there was the fellow who owned slaves but wouldn’t fight for the South. Don’t get me started—I have lots of tales to tell!
I do love to write about historical events and oddball people. Oh! I forgot to tell you. I hail from a family of writers.* On the Yankee side of my family. I wouldn’t have known that if I hadn’t listened to what the elders had to say. And, boy howdy, could they spin the tales. See there. You pick up all sorts of stories, when you listen to what the old folks have to say.
*One is an author hereabouts, but I won't embarrass her by naming her!
Thanks for stopping by and listening to what I have to say. If you've read one of my books and enjoyed it, thank you. If you didn't enjoy it, try another one. I think I've finally come to realize what makes these stories tick. This new method got started with HIS RIP-ROARIN' BRIDE. Would appreciate if you'd let me know what you think.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 25, 2021
Not entirely awful but I cannot get behind a hero who refers to his penis as "Old Son." Just no. No.
May 11, 2018
The Cattleman takes a Shrew.
This book was ridiculous and trying. Lisette , tired of being treated like a slave by her brother and sister in law, confronts a rancher named Gil on main street to ask for a job. Shocked by her request Gil turns her down explaining a woman has no place with a bunch of men on a cattle crossing/drive. She takes matters into her own hands and joins him in route pretty much forcing the situation which results in their marriage.
Lisette causes chaos and openly challenges Gil as the trail boss making the book a frustrating read. Lisette is such a loud mouth shrew that it's hard to believe she would have been in a slave like existence at her brother's home. She acts to much like a woman from present day that it makes the book too unrealistic.
The couple fight pretty much the entire time and the author treats their behaviors as they would be treated today not in the 1800s. If I wanted a contemporary romance I would have read one.
Should you read this? If your like me and want your historical romances realistic, no. If you, you know what? No matter what, you should pass on this one.
This book was ridiculous and trying. Lisette , tired of being treated like a slave by her brother and sister in law, confronts a rancher named Gil on main street to ask for a job. Shocked by her request Gil turns her down explaining a woman has no place with a bunch of men on a cattle crossing/drive. She takes matters into her own hands and joins him in route pretty much forcing the situation which results in their marriage.
Lisette causes chaos and openly challenges Gil as the trail boss making the book a frustrating read. Lisette is such a loud mouth shrew that it's hard to believe she would have been in a slave like existence at her brother's home. She acts to much like a woman from present day that it makes the book too unrealistic.
The couple fight pretty much the entire time and the author treats their behaviors as they would be treated today not in the 1800s. If I wanted a contemporary romance I would have read one.
Should you read this? If your like me and want your historical romances realistic, no. If you, you know what? No matter what, you should pass on this one.
January 31, 2026
This was pretty good, but it got frustrating when the H kept comparing the h to his ex-wife, when they were nothing alike at all! The h made the mistake of sleeping (just one time) with the wrong man, because she felt scared and vulnerable, at that point in time, and needed to feel loved, and also thought he would marry her. That's a far cry from the 304 ex who got naked with more guys than she could count just because she felt horny!
And the h tried to tell the H she wasn't a virgin but he wouldn't listen. (Of course, it would have helped if she had said the words in English, instead of German.) And later, after he realized it didn't matter and was ready to put the past in the past, he goes and acts accusatory (and ridiculous) because the h looks more pregnant than she should, thinking she's trying to pass another man's baby off as his, like his ex did. (The reason for her looking larger than average was made clear when she gave birth, and gave everyone - especially the H - quite a surprise!)
Aside from the H (way too often) comparing the h to his ex, this was a good story, though also a sad one, as a secondary couple didn't get their HEA. A lot goes on to keep the book a page turner, but one thing I wish i hadn't had to read in those pages was the H referring to his penis as "Old Son". WHAT????
I swear, if the h had started to refer to her vagina as "Old Daughter", I'd have dropped the book and run!
And the h tried to tell the H she wasn't a virgin but he wouldn't listen. (Of course, it would have helped if she had said the words in English, instead of German.) And later, after he realized it didn't matter and was ready to put the past in the past, he goes and acts accusatory (and ridiculous) because the h looks more pregnant than she should, thinking she's trying to pass another man's baby off as his, like his ex did. (The reason for her looking larger than average was made clear when she gave birth, and gave everyone - especially the H - quite a surprise!)
Aside from the H (way too often) comparing the h to his ex, this was a good story, though also a sad one, as a secondary couple didn't get their HEA. A lot goes on to keep the book a page turner, but one thing I wish i hadn't had to read in those pages was the H referring to his penis as "Old Son". WHAT????
I swear, if the h had started to refer to her vagina as "Old Daughter", I'd have dropped the book and run!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2019
The Cattleman Takes a Wife (McLoughlin Trilogy)
It would seem that having a woman on a trail drive would bring enough trouble along without two of the stubbornest people in Texas in the mix too. Misunderstandings galore and not just because she spouts the German language at the most inconvenient times, when she really needs to say it plain and simple - in English - or maybe Scottish. But then, you've got to have someone willing to listen before anything can make sense, even to a bullheaded Texan. I loved this book, I really think that I like this author. I think I'll have to keep watching to see what she comes up with next. BRAVO 👏👏BRAVO 👏
It would seem that having a woman on a trail drive would bring enough trouble along without two of the stubbornest people in Texas in the mix too. Misunderstandings galore and not just because she spouts the German language at the most inconvenient times, when she really needs to say it plain and simple - in English - or maybe Scottish. But then, you've got to have someone willing to listen before anything can make sense, even to a bullheaded Texan. I loved this book, I really think that I like this author. I think I'll have to keep watching to see what she comes up with next. BRAVO 👏👏BRAVO 👏
April 11, 2022
My rating went up and down while reading this, ranging from a 2.5 to a 4 for a short period. Best parts were when they were on the trail with the cowhands before they made it to the town and other characters were introduced.
July 31, 2018
Easy to read. A very enterprising woman, that wife.
April 24, 2019
This was a great story. Gil and Lisette have a hell of a journey to take to get on common ground. Add in some trouble from the past and you have a story to keep you entertained.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews