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Men of Defiance #5
Agnes and the Renegade
The Men of Defiance series continues with the long-awaited conclusion to Chayton’s story!
The Artist...
Alone on the remote prairie in Wyoming Territory, Agnes Hamilton plans to spend a summer painting landscapes of the rugged terrain…until she comes face to face with the renegade Lakota warrior hiding out in the bluffs above her rented cabin. As wild as the territory, haunted by all he’s lost, the warrior becomes the focus of her art, filling canvas after canvas like a madness.
…And the Warrior
Chayton has lost everything to the white invaders—his family, his people, his world. He lives in the hunting grounds stolen from his tribe, a Lakota warrior, feared by all, claimed by none…until she invades his valley—and his heart. Something about the blue-eyed woman draws him out of the dark place he’s existed in for so long, but loving her means he’ll have to step into her world and claim the heritage left him by his white mother…and that he will never do.
The Artist...
Alone on the remote prairie in Wyoming Territory, Agnes Hamilton plans to spend a summer painting landscapes of the rugged terrain…until she comes face to face with the renegade Lakota warrior hiding out in the bluffs above her rented cabin. As wild as the territory, haunted by all he’s lost, the warrior becomes the focus of her art, filling canvas after canvas like a madness.
…And the Warrior
Chayton has lost everything to the white invaders—his family, his people, his world. He lives in the hunting grounds stolen from his tribe, a Lakota warrior, feared by all, claimed by none…until she invades his valley—and his heart. Something about the blue-eyed woman draws him out of the dark place he’s existed in for so long, but loving her means he’ll have to step into her world and claim the heritage left him by his white mother…and that he will never do.
375 pages, ebook
First published February 18, 2014
34 people are currently reading
170 people want to read
About the author
Elaine Levine
38 books527 followers"Elaine Levine is a wonderfully fresh and original voice in western romance.
RACHEL AND THE HIRED GUN is full of fast-paced action and powerful emotions. I loved it!"
-- Joan Johnston, New York Times bestselling author of A STRANGER'S GAME
"A pair of appealing, well-matched protagonists (with a bit of a history), a slimy villain, well-drawn secondary characters, and plenty of action make this rough-and-ready Western one that fans are sure to enjoy."
--Library Journal on AUDREY AND THE MAVERICK
"A beautiful romance…keeps the reader hooked from the first page to the last.” -New York Times Bestselling Author Catherine Anderson about LEAH AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER
Though this is the third book of a romance trilogy, the story stands quite well on its own. Elaine Levine gives us a multi-level story about trust and being able to overcome personal fears to achieve a goal. Set in the post-Civil War era, Leah and the Bounty Hunter gives us a window into the rough-and-tumble lives of our settler-forefathers and what they did to succeed against lawlessness and the incredible challenges to settle the old West. An enjoyable read, recommended. --Monica E. Spence, Historical Novels Review on LEAH AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER
* * *
ABOUT ELAINE:
Elaine Levine is an agoraphobic who lives in her son’s basement and runs doggie daycare for his pack of hounds. Her mind, however, is irrepressible, and she fills the endless moments of endless days crafting romance fiction from dystopian headlines she reads online. Be warned—her stories are addictive and dangerously appealing to those with similarly twisted minds and hopeful hearts.
RACHEL AND THE HIRED GUN is full of fast-paced action and powerful emotions. I loved it!"
-- Joan Johnston, New York Times bestselling author of A STRANGER'S GAME
"A pair of appealing, well-matched protagonists (with a bit of a history), a slimy villain, well-drawn secondary characters, and plenty of action make this rough-and-ready Western one that fans are sure to enjoy."
--Library Journal on AUDREY AND THE MAVERICK
"A beautiful romance…keeps the reader hooked from the first page to the last.” -New York Times Bestselling Author Catherine Anderson about LEAH AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER
Though this is the third book of a romance trilogy, the story stands quite well on its own. Elaine Levine gives us a multi-level story about trust and being able to overcome personal fears to achieve a goal. Set in the post-Civil War era, Leah and the Bounty Hunter gives us a window into the rough-and-tumble lives of our settler-forefathers and what they did to succeed against lawlessness and the incredible challenges to settle the old West. An enjoyable read, recommended. --Monica E. Spence, Historical Novels Review on LEAH AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER
* * *
ABOUT ELAINE:
Elaine Levine is an agoraphobic who lives in her son’s basement and runs doggie daycare for his pack of hounds. Her mind, however, is irrepressible, and she fills the endless moments of endless days crafting romance fiction from dystopian headlines she reads online. Be warned—her stories are addictive and dangerously appealing to those with similarly twisted minds and hopeful hearts.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 6, 2015
*3.5 stars*
January 29, 2018
Oh wow, is this book good. I am not sure what I was expecting from this book. I just wanted to know what had happened to Chayton after he dropped off his daughter at Logan's ranch.
You have Agnes, who has her own past to deal with, renting a cabin from Logan so she can paint. You can feel her pain of the past and see how it effects her now. Then you have Chayton, who is scorned and not welcome when he comes into Defiance.
Come on the journey the Elaine Levine will take you on as these to people get to know each other. You can feel the emotion of both. You can see the visions they both have of the land they are sharing and of each other. Then the twists, that will get you going, anger, love, fear, scared.
You have Agnes, who has her own past to deal with, renting a cabin from Logan so she can paint. You can feel her pain of the past and see how it effects her now. Then you have Chayton, who is scorned and not welcome when he comes into Defiance.
Come on the journey the Elaine Levine will take you on as these to people get to know each other. You can feel the emotion of both. You can see the visions they both have of the land they are sharing and of each other. Then the twists, that will get you going, anger, love, fear, scared.
February 28, 2014
It is a very beautiful book, the message is clear, the characters so true to themselves. Many times during my reading I stopped to highlight beautiful messages, views,phrases. Chayton is impossible no to love, an honest warrior, a proud sad man, a pure soul, and a powerful heart. Agnes is goodness, a deep soul artist, she is brave and nice. And White Bird is enchanting, she is her father's daughter but also she is so Logan. It made me so happy to see the whole gang here too because I have missed them all. I enjoy this book so much that I am sad there are no more pages unread waiting for me.
February 23, 2014
I didn't think that EL was ever going to get through with this, but it was well worth the wait! Very emotional at times. I think that EL did a great job of portraying Chayton's sadness over the loss of his way of life. I loved hearing that this isn't the end of the series!
March 18, 2015
Another moving, beautifully written story of Wyoming when it was still wild and dangerous to the white man and Native Americans alike. I was so excited when I realized this had been released today, I packed up my desk and went home to enjoy the story of Chayton, the Lakota warrior, whose world had been torn apart by the white man.
Aggie is an artist from Denver who has come to build a portfolio of landscape canvases in hopes of having enough of them worthy of selling. An orphan at a young age from the East, she is adopted by a lonely artist who needs someone to look after him. When he discovers her artistic abilities, he spends the last years of his life teaching everything he knows about the world of art. As the end is near for him he tells her that his biggest regret is that he never found someone to share his heart and implores her not to make the same mistake with her life
While Agnes is waiting for Logan and Sarah to show her the cabin she will be living in for the summer, an Indian rides into town and she is mesmerized. the townsmen see him staring at her, they take offense and proceed to start a fight. While she attempts to jump into the fray, to his rescue, she gets a glimpse of what his life must be like to be so different. This is the first of many encounters with Chayton who both terrifies her and fascinates her and becomes the subject of her canvases.
Chayton can not stop looking at the beautiful Agnes who represents everything he hates in this world. The white man who has taken his people, his land and his family. He died when they died and now he spends his days hunting to trade with Logan and watching over his herd of ponies in the Valley of Painted Walls. After years of being alone, he is drawn to the cabin that houses the white woman and he can't stay away. When he discovers her in a trance as she bring his valley to life on canvas, he succumbs to the need to protect her as she clearly is not capable of protecting herself.
As with the previous stories of the Men of Defiance, this is an emotional tale that draws you in and visuals that keep you there.
Aggie is an artist from Denver who has come to build a portfolio of landscape canvases in hopes of having enough of them worthy of selling. An orphan at a young age from the East, she is adopted by a lonely artist who needs someone to look after him. When he discovers her artistic abilities, he spends the last years of his life teaching everything he knows about the world of art. As the end is near for him he tells her that his biggest regret is that he never found someone to share his heart and implores her not to make the same mistake with her life
While Agnes is waiting for Logan and Sarah to show her the cabin she will be living in for the summer, an Indian rides into town and she is mesmerized. the townsmen see him staring at her, they take offense and proceed to start a fight. While she attempts to jump into the fray, to his rescue, she gets a glimpse of what his life must be like to be so different. This is the first of many encounters with Chayton who both terrifies her and fascinates her and becomes the subject of her canvases.
Chayton can not stop looking at the beautiful Agnes who represents everything he hates in this world. The white man who has taken his people, his land and his family. He died when they died and now he spends his days hunting to trade with Logan and watching over his herd of ponies in the Valley of Painted Walls. After years of being alone, he is drawn to the cabin that houses the white woman and he can't stay away. When he discovers her in a trance as she bring his valley to life on canvas, he succumbs to the need to protect her as she clearly is not capable of protecting herself.
As with the previous stories of the Men of Defiance, this is an emotional tale that draws you in and visuals that keep you there.
March 15, 2014
Not every book leaves me thinking about the characters days later. This book has done this, as much as when Laughs-Like-Water died and Chayton gave White Bird in to Logan's care. I was gutted when she died. How do you start to live again after such tragedies? For me this story has been eagerly awaited. I needed to know what would become of Chayton and White Bird.
Chayton's journey, strength, anguish, pride, and beliefs are beautifully written in to his story and entwine so perfectly with Aggie's emotions and gift. I love seeing how White Bird has grown, and this series has always been more than the lead characters. I sit back and feel like I've just caught up with friends and family.
Elaine do you paint? I kept wondering this throughout the whole book. I was enchanted by Aggie's painting.
This book is a gift. Thank you. I want to write more, but I hate 'spoilers' so I will stop here.
Chayton's journey, strength, anguish, pride, and beliefs are beautifully written in to his story and entwine so perfectly with Aggie's emotions and gift. I love seeing how White Bird has grown, and this series has always been more than the lead characters. I sit back and feel like I've just caught up with friends and family.
Elaine do you paint? I kept wondering this throughout the whole book. I was enchanted by Aggie's painting.
This book is a gift. Thank you. I want to write more, but I hate 'spoilers' so I will stop here.
February 26, 2014
I loved this book. This book connected more than the other four before, not that they were not good books, I was just totally invested to the main characters in a different way. I think that Aggie was so unique in the way that she interacted with the world and that Chayton needed that difference. This story of two different people who don't quite fit in with what is considered normal in that period of upheaval.
February 25, 2014
Loved this one. So beautifully written. Anges and Chayton are very deep characters. The reader comes to understand them both. Not many authors can do this so well. EL can and does. The description of the scenery and Anges talent are so well done. Well done !
December 13, 2018
I don't even know where to start:
I really liked the idea of this story. I love Amerindian history. I had great hope!
Anyway: they met for the first time in the valley, he almost kill her. Next, she calls him "her Indian". He avoids her and after few brief meeting, he already tells her the story of his life and his sorrow. I thought that he hated every white man/woman... Next, she spend some time with him dressed only in her undergarments and an apron, then invited him in her bed to talk. He avoided and hated people, next he want to marry her. Her tenants immediately agrees with that. Yes! Interracial couples were common, bot not social accepted and nobody are shocked or said something against it. When he ask her to stay and marry him, she is not afraid/shocked/etc. She don't even think the possibility. She accepts, then he told her that he will marry her next day and make her his woman. Then she has a moment of thinking and she anticipated the sex.
"Taking a Lakota warrior as a lover may not be the smartest thing she’d ever done, but it would certainly be a chapter in her life that she’d never forget. And after everything they’d each been through, weren’t they due a little joy?"
After she already told him that she is a virgin and that she loves him! 😱😱 Next, the sex scene is sooo bornig and plain and...she ask him to fill her! Jesus! Where did she learned what sex means and stuff? She didn't even had a mother to tell her. After that he told her that he loves her!!!!!
And that was the first half of the book I forced myself to read.
The writing is very poor and there is no introspection. Just a few emotions enumerated and that's all. The scenes are changing very fast and you don't even have time to understand an action or a gesture. And that's because the author don't even explain them! A waste of time!
I really liked the idea of this story. I love Amerindian history. I had great hope!
Anyway: they met for the first time in the valley, he almost kill her. Next, she calls him "her Indian". He avoids her and after few brief meeting, he already tells her the story of his life and his sorrow. I thought that he hated every white man/woman... Next, she spend some time with him dressed only in her undergarments and an apron, then invited him in her bed to talk. He avoided and hated people, next he want to marry her. Her tenants immediately agrees with that. Yes! Interracial couples were common, bot not social accepted and nobody are shocked or said something against it. When he ask her to stay and marry him, she is not afraid/shocked/etc. She don't even think the possibility. She accepts, then he told her that he will marry her next day and make her his woman. Then she has a moment of thinking and she anticipated the sex.
"Taking a Lakota warrior as a lover may not be the smartest thing she’d ever done, but it would certainly be a chapter in her life that she’d never forget. And after everything they’d each been through, weren’t they due a little joy?"
After she already told him that she is a virgin and that she loves him! 😱😱 Next, the sex scene is sooo bornig and plain and...she ask him to fill her! Jesus! Where did she learned what sex means and stuff? She didn't even had a mother to tell her. After that he told her that he loves her!!!!!
And that was the first half of the book I forced myself to read.
The writing is very poor and there is no introspection. Just a few emotions enumerated and that's all. The scenes are changing very fast and you don't even have time to understand an action or a gesture. And that's because the author don't even explain them! A waste of time!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2019
The power of love
What an extraordinary finale to this series. Each book has exp!need the depth of trust and love and family. In thinking interwoven is bridging two worlds- that of the settlers and indians. I didn't want this book to end because this series would end. When I turned the last page - I hope there might be more to come. However, the reading adventure that this book and series has given me, will remain with me forever. Elaine Levine authors some of the most romantic scenes ever, not rushing them but letting them unfold. In this book her talents were amazing.
What an extraordinary finale to this series. Each book has exp!need the depth of trust and love and family. In thinking interwoven is bridging two worlds- that of the settlers and indians. I didn't want this book to end because this series would end. When I turned the last page - I hope there might be more to come. However, the reading adventure that this book and series has given me, will remain with me forever. Elaine Levine authors some of the most romantic scenes ever, not rushing them but letting them unfold. In this book her talents were amazing.
March 5, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have the paperback version so did not use Kindle. This is the second time I have read it. He is the last of the free Lakota warriors. A half breed that was raised as a Lakota warrior but not permitted to enter the reservation with his people because his white grandmother sees him as an the heir to her vast wealth. She is an artist that ends up in his beloved valley and on meeting him starts to paint him. This story is about the trials they face before happiness sees them together as man and wife. He becomes the link between the two different cultures.
August 4, 2019
I really adored this story. I cried, real tears. what a talented author.
the description of the painting creation was incredible.
I loved the depth she gave the geroes, all of them and of course of Aggie aka Agkhee and of Chayton, how she described his journey to recovery and to love, his thoughts a,nd the difficulty to adapt to a total foreign world. GFreat great Job.
and having Rick Mora on the cover was a positive addition. I'll read it again soon or at least some of my fav chapters.
the description of the painting creation was incredible.
I loved the depth she gave the geroes, all of them and of course of Aggie aka Agkhee and of Chayton, how she described his journey to recovery and to love, his thoughts a,nd the difficulty to adapt to a total foreign world. GFreat great Job.
and having Rick Mora on the cover was a positive addition. I'll read it again soon or at least some of my fav chapters.
August 6, 2019
Different and enchanting.
Wow, such a lot to read and become part of the lives of these people. The difference in cultures brought together realistically and romantically. Loved it. Could not put it down.
Wow, such a lot to read and become part of the lives of these people. The difference in cultures brought together realistically and romantically. Loved it. Could not put it down.
October 27, 2020
Good conclusion to this series. Made me sad though for all the atrocities we humans wreck on each other.
August 9, 2024
I read this to finish the series, but the main characters didn’t quite do it for me. Definitely not as great as the other books in this series, although I loved reconnecting with all the characters from the other books.
May 26, 2016
I've read this one several times and enjoyed the experience each time. However, when I try and identify the specific things about the book, I'm stumped. One word comes to mind when I contemplate this story - relaxing. This is a wonderful story to enjoy after your last overly angsty read. You'll be smiling before you know it.
December 6, 2018
Historical and romantic
I love history and these romantic books are very good at providing a history lesson within the love story. I am a fan and wish I had found them sooner. Read the whole series for the whole adventure.
I love history and these romantic books are very good at providing a history lesson within the love story. I am a fan and wish I had found them sooner. Read the whole series for the whole adventure.
June 7, 2014
I thought the book was a great different story to add to the series.
October 19, 2014
wow sad to leave this series, what awesome writing, hey everybody, read this series and you will be hooked on Elaine's writing also
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews