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Raven
Ante-Up
When Raven's two-bit gambler husband ordered her to entertain a handsome cowboy at dinner, she didn't dare refuse, not even when she learned that he had promised the good-looking stranger a night in her bed for $1,000.
Game of Chance
After their night of passion, Chance McGruder couldn't get the dark-haired little beauty out of his mind. So he was both tantalized and tormented when she showed up at the neighboring ranch, newly widowed but no less desirable. What kind of wife would agree to sell herself to another man? What kind of a widow could make him burn to possess her? And what kind of man was he to ignore his doubts and gamble his heart that when she gave her body this time, it would be for love?
When Raven's two-bit gambler husband ordered her to entertain a handsome cowboy at dinner, she didn't dare refuse, not even when she learned that he had promised the good-looking stranger a night in her bed for $1,000.
Game of Chance
After their night of passion, Chance McGruder couldn't get the dark-haired little beauty out of his mind. So he was both tantalized and tormented when she showed up at the neighboring ranch, newly widowed but no less desirable. What kind of wife would agree to sell herself to another man? What kind of a widow could make him burn to possess her? And what kind of man was he to ignore his doubts and gamble his heart that when she gave her body this time, it would be for love?
401 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 1999
60 people are currently reading
214 people want to read
About the author
Norah Hess
52 books94 followersAlways a daydreamer, and often scolded for it by the grandmother who raised her, Norah Hess always wanted to be a writer. At eighteen, she was sent to Chicago to live with an aunt after her grandmother's death. It was there that she met her husband. After raising three children, Norah decided to write her first novel, and since then has had fifteen published romances. After her husband passed away, she and her two cats moved to Palm Springs, where the desert and mountains inspire her to write her Western romances.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 13, 2020
I thought the premise sound interesting so I started reading. Well written story that have way more plot twists than I ever expected.
October 11, 2011
2 1/2 stars. Parts I liked and parts I just rolled my eyes. The story started with big potential for me, from the back cover I could tell it was things I liked. Raven's abusive husband uses her and her looks as a distraction to cheat his opponents at poker. Chance, the hero, doesn't fall for it, but is in mad lust for Raven so he offers Raven's husband $1000 for a night with her in his bed. The total jerk husband sells her for the night and is then killed for his cheating which leaves Raven with $1000 and a chance at a new life. Neither one, Raven or Chance, can forget their night together. There scenes were pretty sexy for an older book. It is lovelust at first sight for both of them and they both had such appeal to me; her-strong and innocent, him- sexy, dominant yet gentle (a rich cowboy works for me too). Raven's brother shows up and takes her away to his ranch and a good wholesome town in Montana which just happens to be next door to Chance. It gets a little silly/simple in the plot, big events happen with 3 different kidnapping/disappearing, amnesia, murder subplots (throw in a few whore houses) and they always work out immediately with minimal development.
I can overlook the plots underdeveloped depth with its twist and turns because there were some things that I liked and were a little stirring to me such as the jealousy, mistaken love triangles and the cat and mouse game they played with each other. This is my problem with the story, they are madly in love with each other, neither willing to take the first step, but yet they never have a nice word to say to each other until like page 300...really, come on, it lost me by then. They had such great chemistry that if just a few sensitive, sweet words were said the book would have been so much better. I liked the side characters, and there were many, I liked the raunchiness and the jealousy that the author created, but it didn't go deep enough. I doubt I would read anymore from this author.
April 15, 2020
A disappointing read considering how much I like her books. Too much stubbornness shown by both H and h in confessing their love. Usually I'm OK with that as Ms. Hess still lets them indulge in their base instincts while keeping the conflict alive. It didn't happen in this one which dropped the books sensuality ratings. Besides it didn't have any plot whatsoever. The secondary characters are introduced but never fully explored and their stories not resolved properly. I've been reading her books in chronological publishing order and it's evident her characters become tamer with each new book.
Hope future books are much more better than this one.
Hope future books are much more better than this one.
July 1, 2011
This is the first book by Norah Hess that I've read and I thought it was pretty good. I'd give it 3 1/2 ** if I could.
While I was reading this book I got the feeling that I was reading a Diana Palmer book but with hotter sex scenes. That's not ment to be a bad thing and sometimes I really need a book that's a nice easy read, were evil is clearly evil and good is clearly good. There is no grey areas with Diana Palmer or in this book by Norah Hess. We have the jerky H, who doesn't mean to be a jerk but when ever he runs into the h he just can't help himself and when he leaves he feels bad and swears never to act like that again. We have the sweet h, that everyone loves. The evil other woman and other perfect background characters.
Raven (h) has been sold for the night by her husband who needs more gambling money to a very handsome stranger for 1000.00. She hates it, it's the first time her husband has done this but she knows that he'll kill her if she doesnt go through with it. Good thing he's handsome and makes her blood boil just looking at him. In their one night of passion he treats her like her husband never has, loving and cherished. Now she'll never forget him.
Chance (H), just needs a woman for the night but when he sees Raven and her husband offers her to him for the night he can't refuse. Only one night with her will never be enough. When he wakes the next morning though she's gone.
When Raven sneeks out the next morning she goes to join her husband and give him the money, only she finds that someone has caught him at cheating and killed him. Now what is she going to do???
I have another one of Norah Hess's books in my tbr and I will look forward to reading it when I need another easy read. =)
While I was reading this book I got the feeling that I was reading a Diana Palmer book but with hotter sex scenes. That's not ment to be a bad thing and sometimes I really need a book that's a nice easy read, were evil is clearly evil and good is clearly good. There is no grey areas with Diana Palmer or in this book by Norah Hess. We have the jerky H, who doesn't mean to be a jerk but when ever he runs into the h he just can't help himself and when he leaves he feels bad and swears never to act like that again. We have the sweet h, that everyone loves. The evil other woman and other perfect background characters.
Raven (h) has been sold for the night by her husband who needs more gambling money to a very handsome stranger for 1000.00. She hates it, it's the first time her husband has done this but she knows that he'll kill her if she doesnt go through with it. Good thing he's handsome and makes her blood boil just looking at him. In their one night of passion he treats her like her husband never has, loving and cherished. Now she'll never forget him.
Chance (H), just needs a woman for the night but when he sees Raven and her husband offers her to him for the night he can't refuse. Only one night with her will never be enough. When he wakes the next morning though she's gone.
When Raven sneeks out the next morning she goes to join her husband and give him the money, only she finds that someone has caught him at cheating and killed him. Now what is she going to do???
I have another one of Norah Hess's books in my tbr and I will look forward to reading it when I need another easy read. =)
Read
April 4, 2011Pretty dire.
In the category of " me Tarzan, you Jane: let's shag"
Raven married a professional gambler when she was only 17. He was violent towards her and used her to distract men at the tables. One night he is offered 1000 dollars for a night with her and accepts. Raven does not even appear to overly protest and it turns out that she is instantaneously attracted to Chance Mcgruder and has a really good time in bed with him but when he passes out, she takes the money and runs. Her husband is killed, her brother turns up and they head off to the ranch he has bought.
Chance had a notion for Raven but can not find her. He calls on his new neighbour and discovers Raven. He is obnoxious and tells her that she still owes him as he didn't get a full nights worth etc. A few days later he turns up at the house, is again obnoxious, but as soon as he kisses her, she is overcome with lust and they shag some more. It doesn't appear that they have even spoken 50 words to each other but why should that matter....
The book is particularly descriptive about just about every male characters continuous use of whores and there is a female nymphomaniac who shags anything that moves going from one man immediately to another and who the hero suggests to the heroine's brother that the next time he has her, he should take her to the bunk house to share with the other men.
The story line goes from bad to worse, taking a trip through just about every stereotypical cliche possible.
Chance really wants Raven and considers marrying her, however every single time he comes across her, he pretends to be interested in other women and either ignores her or is obnoxious. He spends his nights in town with a particular whore, no sex involved, but no one else knows this and the heroine is told he has a favourite whore that he goes o regularly. He really needs to work on his courting technique.
Raven gets attacked and kidnapped on her way home and hits her head during the rescue. Thereafter of course she suffers from amnesia.
Chance uses this opportunity to pretend that they are engaged and to try and court her properly. However he finds this all too much as kisses on the cheek are just not doing it for him and eventually begs her to sleep with him again.
As he tells her that they have done this before, it seems she has no qualms and off to bed they go. as soon as he enters her, her memory comes back. She loves him but hates him. How could he do all of this to her etc etc. Her brother finds them and brings out the shot gun whereupon a trip to the preacher ensues.
Raven is furious about the marriage and angers Chance. He thinks the best place to spend his wedding night is in a brothel, with his favourite whore ( although he doesn't have sex with her). Of course Raven finds out and hates him even more.
The brother gets gored by a bull and when she is helping him, the nympho tells Raven that Chance will divorce her and marry Janine come the spring. Despite the fact that no one respects Janine at all and that she has slept with most men in the area and that Chance has shown no interest in her, Raven decides this obviously must be the truth. The doctor tells Raven that she is pregnant.
The next step is of course to run away. Into the wilderness. By herself. For some reason her brother decides not to go after her or tell Chance that she has gone for a period of time. After all what could happen to a lone woman in the middle of the Montana mountains in early spring? She almost drowns in a river but is rescued by the borther's love interest. Chance goes after her but is told that she was swept down river and died.
Raven ends up dressed as a man helping the cook on Chance's cattle trail. Her Husband discovers her and they go off by themselves. They eventually declare their love , shag some more and somehow manage not to kill each other.
The writing style is pretty off putting and failed spectacularly in respect of the historical context. The author has everyone address each other with casual informality regardless of sex or status from the start, there is frequent swearing by all ( which would have been unacceptable in front of a lady at the time), there is no sense of societal norms or morals of the time period what so ever and at one stage she even refers to the area where the brothels are situated as the red light district!
Not a keeper!
I will not be reading anything by this author again
In the category of " me Tarzan, you Jane: let's shag"
Raven married a professional gambler when she was only 17. He was violent towards her and used her to distract men at the tables. One night he is offered 1000 dollars for a night with her and accepts. Raven does not even appear to overly protest and it turns out that she is instantaneously attracted to Chance Mcgruder and has a really good time in bed with him but when he passes out, she takes the money and runs. Her husband is killed, her brother turns up and they head off to the ranch he has bought.
Chance had a notion for Raven but can not find her. He calls on his new neighbour and discovers Raven. He is obnoxious and tells her that she still owes him as he didn't get a full nights worth etc. A few days later he turns up at the house, is again obnoxious, but as soon as he kisses her, she is overcome with lust and they shag some more. It doesn't appear that they have even spoken 50 words to each other but why should that matter....
The book is particularly descriptive about just about every male characters continuous use of whores and there is a female nymphomaniac who shags anything that moves going from one man immediately to another and who the hero suggests to the heroine's brother that the next time he has her, he should take her to the bunk house to share with the other men.
The story line goes from bad to worse, taking a trip through just about every stereotypical cliche possible.
Chance really wants Raven and considers marrying her, however every single time he comes across her, he pretends to be interested in other women and either ignores her or is obnoxious. He spends his nights in town with a particular whore, no sex involved, but no one else knows this and the heroine is told he has a favourite whore that he goes o regularly. He really needs to work on his courting technique.
Raven gets attacked and kidnapped on her way home and hits her head during the rescue. Thereafter of course she suffers from amnesia.
Chance uses this opportunity to pretend that they are engaged and to try and court her properly. However he finds this all too much as kisses on the cheek are just not doing it for him and eventually begs her to sleep with him again.
As he tells her that they have done this before, it seems she has no qualms and off to bed they go. as soon as he enters her, her memory comes back. She loves him but hates him. How could he do all of this to her etc etc. Her brother finds them and brings out the shot gun whereupon a trip to the preacher ensues.
Raven is furious about the marriage and angers Chance. He thinks the best place to spend his wedding night is in a brothel, with his favourite whore ( although he doesn't have sex with her). Of course Raven finds out and hates him even more.
The brother gets gored by a bull and when she is helping him, the nympho tells Raven that Chance will divorce her and marry Janine come the spring. Despite the fact that no one respects Janine at all and that she has slept with most men in the area and that Chance has shown no interest in her, Raven decides this obviously must be the truth. The doctor tells Raven that she is pregnant.
The next step is of course to run away. Into the wilderness. By herself. For some reason her brother decides not to go after her or tell Chance that she has gone for a period of time. After all what could happen to a lone woman in the middle of the Montana mountains in early spring? She almost drowns in a river but is rescued by the borther's love interest. Chance goes after her but is told that she was swept down river and died.
Raven ends up dressed as a man helping the cook on Chance's cattle trail. Her Husband discovers her and they go off by themselves. They eventually declare their love , shag some more and somehow manage not to kill each other.
The writing style is pretty off putting and failed spectacularly in respect of the historical context. The author has everyone address each other with casual informality regardless of sex or status from the start, there is frequent swearing by all ( which would have been unacceptable in front of a lady at the time), there is no sense of societal norms or morals of the time period what so ever and at one stage she even refers to the area where the brothels are situated as the red light district!
Not a keeper!
I will not be reading anything by this author again
December 20, 2020
By and1515
Raven was married to a black hearted lying cheating snake who expected her to help him fleece people and then he wanted her to entertain some cowboy.
Chance couldn't believe his good furtune she was a beautiful woman however she was gone the next morning.
The next thing he knew she's living on a near by spread with some other man and he's about fit to be tied with jealousy until he finds out the man is really her brother.
However nothing goes quite right between these two stubborn people who are firey and passionate and it'll take a lot for them to realize there perfect together
Raven was married to a black hearted lying cheating snake who expected her to help him fleece people and then he wanted her to entertain some cowboy.
Chance couldn't believe his good furtune she was a beautiful woman however she was gone the next morning.
The next thing he knew she's living on a near by spread with some other man and he's about fit to be tied with jealousy until he finds out the man is really her brother.
However nothing goes quite right between these two stubborn people who are firey and passionate and it'll take a lot for them to realize there perfect together
July 4, 2017
Captivating
I am never disappointed reading Norah's book not enough time in the day once I start reading its hard to put down.
I am never disappointed reading Norah's book not enough time in the day once I start reading its hard to put down.
January 26, 2018
I enjoy her books
May 27, 2020
Raven
Great book! Never found a dull moment. The interesting characters were great and read the entire book in full before putting it down
Great book! Never found a dull moment. The interesting characters were great and read the entire book in full before putting it down
August 16, 2020
Good book
Good read, anyone who likes historical romance. It keeps you wondering as the book goes on. Ty for reading my opinion.
Good read, anyone who likes historical romance. It keeps you wondering as the book goes on. Ty for reading my opinion.
September 29, 2023
Great
I enjoyed the storyline. I enjoyed the characters. Twist and turns. Funny in some parts. Would have like to read Tory and Amy story!
I enjoyed the storyline. I enjoyed the characters. Twist and turns. Funny in some parts. Would have like to read Tory and Amy story!
September 21, 2015
Way too long
This book has so many unnecessary subplots going on it is distracting to the point of boring. For example, why did the author create the brother of Jadine? It was totally unnecessary and added nothing to the plot. The so-called love scenes lack sensuality and are juvenile! Too much of a yawn to recommend.
This book has so many unnecessary subplots going on it is distracting to the point of boring. For example, why did the author create the brother of Jadine? It was totally unnecessary and added nothing to the plot. The so-called love scenes lack sensuality and are juvenile! Too much of a yawn to recommend.
May 8, 2009
Wasn’t the best Romance I've ever read. It went off on lots of little tangents, that weren’t necessary to the story. It’s like it wanted to be a suspense romance but just didn’t have quite enough gusto for the job.
January 25, 2009
if you like books that are set in the 1886 time frame, then this is a good romance book.
i normally don't read these kinds of books but it was good.
i normally don't read these kinds of books but it was good.
September 23, 2010
One of my all time fav's.
November 12, 2010
really liked would read again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 21, 2012
Excellent
March 2, 2015
Predictable
I enjoyed the book but I felt like I knew the ending before it was done. But a good story.
I enjoyed the book but I felt like I knew the ending before it was done. But a good story.
July 2, 2020
A walk into the western days of time! A book of hard work, respect and learning to love.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews