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Coleman Family Saga #1
Sunset Embrace
Lydia and Ross have both been hurt in the past. However, they find themselves thrown together, fighting the same enemy and unable to stop the events that will eventually pit one man's vengeance against the strength of a woman's love.
14 pages, Audible Audio
First published January 1, 1985
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About the author
Sandra Brown
343 books19.4k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Sandra Brown is the author of more than sixty New York Times bestsellers, including STING (2016), FRICTION (2015), MEAN STREAK (2014), DEADLINE(2013), & LOW PRESSURE (2012), LETHAL (2011).
Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages.
In 2009 Brown detoured from romantic suspense to write, Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving historical fiction story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.
Brown was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer’s Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Sandra Brown is the author of more than sixty New York Times bestsellers, including STING (2016), FRICTION (2015), MEAN STREAK (2014), DEADLINE(2013), & LOW PRESSURE (2012), LETHAL (2011).
Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages.
In 2009 Brown detoured from romantic suspense to write, Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving historical fiction story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.
Brown was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer’s Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 278 reviews
January 16, 2015
DNF-ing at about 65%.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS!!!! Don't read on unless you want the details.
I read this book in the past and remember liking it, although I do recall that the hero was a standout jerk at first. Upon this reread, I confirmed my earlier thoughts but honestly, he went way beyond jerk territory into complete asshole.
The premise is already an uncomfortable one at the beginning. In the opening scene, Lydia is giving birth to a stillborn baby conceived through rape via her stepbrother. She's ready to die and okay with the fact that the baby is dead. A couple of boys from a passing wagon train stumble upon her and the baby, and their ma and pa take her in. Coincidentally, Ross Coleman's wife dies in labor a few days later and Lydia is needed as a milk cow to keep the baby alive.
Ross is an unbelievable ass. I understand that he is grieving, but the way he treats others says so much about him. Lydia is dealing with a horrific past and a shaky, scary present, and yet she maintains her dignity and poise. Ross just turns into a mean, nasty person. He loves calling her a whore, treating her like a second class citizen, making her feel like a burden to him, and constantly letting her know how she could never measure up to his dead wife.
The cherry on the top of his degradation of Lydia is when he rapes her...literally holds her down, bruises her wrists, fucks her raw, and does this while she's screaming and crying out in pain, begging him to stop. There's no forced seduction here, nothing titillating or pleasing about this encounter. And yet somehow, when Lydia...who has never known sex to be anything but rape...thinks about this encounter the next day with tenderness and longing. What the actual fuck? This is the point where I lose interest in the story, because no matter what happens from here on out, I can't get past the rape, and I can't imagine a woman who is brutalized that way romanticizing it the very next day. I know sometimes I enjoy stories with forced seduction and scenes that ride fine line between that and rape. I have no excuses except that often there are subtleties that influence my opinion, and I don't feel the need to make excuses for my preferences. They are what they are
Seeing as how I'm a romance reader and let's face it...romance is often predictable...I'm fairly certain I know how the book will play out. But I'm listening to the audiobook, and still have something like four or five hours to go before the end. I'm just not interested in investing that much more time in it.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS!!!! Don't read on unless you want the details.
I read this book in the past and remember liking it, although I do recall that the hero was a standout jerk at first. Upon this reread, I confirmed my earlier thoughts but honestly, he went way beyond jerk territory into complete asshole.
The premise is already an uncomfortable one at the beginning. In the opening scene, Lydia is giving birth to a stillborn baby conceived through rape via her stepbrother. She's ready to die and okay with the fact that the baby is dead. A couple of boys from a passing wagon train stumble upon her and the baby, and their ma and pa take her in. Coincidentally, Ross Coleman's wife dies in labor a few days later and Lydia is needed as a milk cow to keep the baby alive.
Ross is an unbelievable ass. I understand that he is grieving, but the way he treats others says so much about him. Lydia is dealing with a horrific past and a shaky, scary present, and yet she maintains her dignity and poise. Ross just turns into a mean, nasty person. He loves calling her a whore, treating her like a second class citizen, making her feel like a burden to him, and constantly letting her know how she could never measure up to his dead wife.
The cherry on the top of his degradation of Lydia is when he rapes her...literally holds her down, bruises her wrists, fucks her raw, and does this while she's screaming and crying out in pain, begging him to stop. There's no forced seduction here, nothing titillating or pleasing about this encounter. And yet somehow, when Lydia...who has never known sex to be anything but rape...thinks about this encounter the next day with tenderness and longing. What the actual fuck? This is the point where I lose interest in the story, because no matter what happens from here on out, I can't get past the rape, and I can't imagine a woman who is brutalized that way romanticizing it the very next day. I know sometimes I enjoy stories with forced seduction and scenes that ride fine line between that and rape. I have no excuses except that often there are subtleties that influence my opinion, and I don't feel the need to make excuses for my preferences. They are what they are
Seeing as how I'm a romance reader and let's face it...romance is often predictable...I'm fairly certain I know how the book will play out. But I'm listening to the audiobook, and still have something like four or five hours to go before the end. I'm just not interested in investing that much more time in it.
March 19, 2021
This was so beautifully angsty. I loved the scathing verbal hate that Ross repeatedly punished Lydia with when they were first forced to be together, and then off and on through the rest of the story. I know that's wrong, but asshole heroes are my sickness.
Poor Lydia had such a horrific past and had very little self esteem left by the time she was found and rescued by the good people she came to know as friends. Ross's hateful name calling and rude assumptions of Lydia reduced her confidences even more. Her verbal abuses were heartbreaking to experience in this story. I loved every word until towards the ending when Lydia suddenly lost her brain and started making ridiculous decisions that were not only deadly to her friends, but more importantly, to her immediate family.
Those frustrating pages of Lydia's stupidity almost had me knocking off an entire star from this story. Aside from the part of the story where I wanted to throttle Lydia myself, I adored every bit of the rest of this angsty goodness. And despite Lydia acting like a moron for a while, I know I'm going to re-read this one again in the future when I need a good angst fix, so the star is staying on and now I'm off to read the next story in this saga.
July 16, 2025
Do you know what you get when you search the internet for “historical romance novel with asshat hero?”
You get a historical romance novel with an asshat hero. What I hadn’t counted on was enjoying the story five stars worth until the two thirds mark, when the heroine turned blindingly stupid and selfish and tanked the last third of the book.
When two boys find her in the Tennessee woods after giving birth to her stillborn baby, Lydia is praying for death. After the boys’s parents rescue her and bring her back to their Texas-bound wagon train to nurse to health, Lydia is persuaded to wet-nurse a newborn in the same wagon train, whose mother just passed away in childbirth. Sick with grief, Ross, the baby’s father is harshly judgmental:
She was a whore all right. Born to be one. He had been with too many not to recognize the signs, not to see the unspoken challenge lurking in her eyes, not to sense the hot blood that flowed in her veins. She was the antithesis of his genteel, ladylike wife, Victoria. That was reason enough to despise the girl.
But when faced with the choice of Lydia or his son’s death, he grudgingly agrees to accept her help.
He continues to act—as advertised—an asshat. Lydia has a temper and fights him when provoked. so the inevitable happens and attraction and close quarters overcome animosity and they begin to feel safe with each other…
…as the circle of enemies hunting them starts to close in.
When the first of those enemies shows up to disturb Lydia’s peace, she decides to keep his presence and his demands a secret:
She heard Ross calling her from outside and hurriedly wiped away her tears. He mustn’t know. If at all possible she must keep him from finding out. He would despise her. It would make him sick to learn that he had turned the care of his son over to a woman who had been intimate with someone like Clancey. Not to mention the revulsion he would feel at having been with her himself. She would do everything possible to keep him from finding out.
In protecting Ross’s regard for her, she puts herself under the thumb of a sadist, betrays a family who had been nothing but kind to her , and endangers Ross, his son, and every other person on the wagon train. From that moment on, her unwillingness to reveal her secrets causes nothing but harm to befall the people she loves.
That level of stupidity and selfishness—plus a wild and unbelievable ending—cost two stars off my rating, in spite of a compelling story, good writing, and unforgettable characters.
You get a historical romance novel with an asshat hero. What I hadn’t counted on was enjoying the story five stars worth until the two thirds mark, when the heroine turned blindingly stupid and selfish and tanked the last third of the book.
When two boys find her in the Tennessee woods after giving birth to her stillborn baby, Lydia is praying for death. After the boys’s parents rescue her and bring her back to their Texas-bound wagon train to nurse to health, Lydia is persuaded to wet-nurse a newborn in the same wagon train, whose mother just passed away in childbirth. Sick with grief, Ross, the baby’s father is harshly judgmental:
She was a whore all right. Born to be one. He had been with too many not to recognize the signs, not to see the unspoken challenge lurking in her eyes, not to sense the hot blood that flowed in her veins. She was the antithesis of his genteel, ladylike wife, Victoria. That was reason enough to despise the girl.
But when faced with the choice of Lydia or his son’s death, he grudgingly agrees to accept her help.
He continues to act—as advertised—an asshat. Lydia has a temper and fights him when provoked. so the inevitable happens and attraction and close quarters overcome animosity and they begin to feel safe with each other…
…as the circle of enemies hunting them starts to close in.
When the first of those enemies shows up to disturb Lydia’s peace, she decides to keep his presence and his demands a secret:
She heard Ross calling her from outside and hurriedly wiped away her tears. He mustn’t know. If at all possible she must keep him from finding out. He would despise her. It would make him sick to learn that he had turned the care of his son over to a woman who had been intimate with someone like Clancey. Not to mention the revulsion he would feel at having been with her himself. She would do everything possible to keep him from finding out.
In protecting Ross’s regard for her, she puts herself under the thumb of a sadist, betrays a family who had been nothing but kind to her , and endangers Ross, his son, and every other person on the wagon train. From that moment on, her unwillingness to reveal her secrets causes nothing but harm to befall the people she loves.
That level of stupidity and selfishness—plus a wild and unbelievable ending—cost two stars off my rating, in spite of a compelling story, good writing, and unforgettable characters.
December 20, 2016
Nuestra reseña en A la cama con... un libro
Me lo he pasado bomba leyendo este libro
Me lo he pasado bomba leyendo este libro
November 16, 2010
I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. It arrived with a signed copy of Long Time Coming.
I have mixed feelings about this book. This is my first time reading Sandra Brown and I didn’t know what to expect. This is also one of her earlier books. I enjoyed the story, but I absolutely despised the characters.
Sunset Embrace takes place on a wagon train ride out west. Our heroine Lydia is discovered nearly dead after giving birth to a stillborn son in a pile of leaves by two members of the wagon train. Lydia is taken in by Ma Langston and she continues on with the wagon train. A short while later, a woman dies during childbirth. Her husband Ross is inconsolable with grief and the baby is near death. Lydia is recruited to be that child’s wet nurse. And so begins a rather annoying relationship.
I think what bothered me the most was Ross’ treatment of Lydia. Lydia was never as good, as pure, and as perfect as his late wife Victoria. He constantly calls Lydia a whore, yet he is jealous when anyone pays any attention to Lydia. Lydia is damaged goods. She comes from an abusive background where her stepbrother took pleasure in raping and degrading her.
Ross’ character had possibilities. After all, he was a member of the Jesse James gang. That alone could have provided endless interest. But Ross was just plain mean. Sure he had his tender moments, but raping your wife sure doesn’t fall into that category.
I understand why Lydia put up with Ross’ behavior. She didn’t know any better and life in those times was difficult for an unmarried, unchaperoned woman. Lydia did stand up for herself, but I really wished she had revealed her abuse earlier.
I do have a copy of Sandra Brown’s newest book Ricochet. I am interested to see how her writing style has evolved over the years.
I have mixed feelings about this book. This is my first time reading Sandra Brown and I didn’t know what to expect. This is also one of her earlier books. I enjoyed the story, but I absolutely despised the characters.
Sunset Embrace takes place on a wagon train ride out west. Our heroine Lydia is discovered nearly dead after giving birth to a stillborn son in a pile of leaves by two members of the wagon train. Lydia is taken in by Ma Langston and she continues on with the wagon train. A short while later, a woman dies during childbirth. Her husband Ross is inconsolable with grief and the baby is near death. Lydia is recruited to be that child’s wet nurse. And so begins a rather annoying relationship.
I think what bothered me the most was Ross’ treatment of Lydia. Lydia was never as good, as pure, and as perfect as his late wife Victoria. He constantly calls Lydia a whore, yet he is jealous when anyone pays any attention to Lydia. Lydia is damaged goods. She comes from an abusive background where her stepbrother took pleasure in raping and degrading her.
Ross’ character had possibilities. After all, he was a member of the Jesse James gang. That alone could have provided endless interest. But Ross was just plain mean. Sure he had his tender moments, but raping your wife sure doesn’t fall into that category.
I understand why Lydia put up with Ross’ behavior. She didn’t know any better and life in those times was difficult for an unmarried, unchaperoned woman. Lydia did stand up for herself, but I really wished she had revealed her abuse earlier.
I do have a copy of Sandra Brown’s newest book Ricochet. I am interested to see how her writing style has evolved over the years.
October 27, 2023
3'5
Reseña completa:https://masromance.blogspot.com/2023/...
Creo que es una novela que no ha envejecido bien. Leída en su momento (no descarto que lo hiciera porque me suena muchísimo todo) sería de 5 o 4.5
Apenas pasa nada y todo está concentrado al final, pero la forma de escribir enganchan hasta tal punto que lo he leído en apenas dos sentadas. Personajes muy bien definidos y un viaje muy realista hacia el oeste,.
Mi problema es que lo he leído ahora y por mucho que me convenza de que está escrito en los 80 y el tema de la violación (sí, hay violación) entre los protagonistas era algo ya esperado, la continua actitud de él hasta casi el final le ha bajado medio punto más.
Si es algo que no os afecta, adelante... es un novelón
Una historia bonita y tierna solamente enturbiada por un Ross que se me ha atragantado
Reseña completa:https://masromance.blogspot.com/2023/...
Creo que es una novela que no ha envejecido bien. Leída en su momento (no descarto que lo hiciera porque me suena muchísimo todo) sería de 5 o 4.5
Apenas pasa nada y todo está concentrado al final, pero la forma de escribir enganchan hasta tal punto que lo he leído en apenas dos sentadas. Personajes muy bien definidos y un viaje muy realista hacia el oeste,.
Mi problema es que lo he leído ahora y por mucho que me convenza de que está escrito en los 80 y el tema de la violación (sí, hay violación) entre los protagonistas era algo ya esperado, la continua actitud de él hasta casi el final le ha bajado medio punto más.
Si es algo que no os afecta, adelante... es un novelón
Una historia bonita y tierna solamente enturbiada por un Ross que se me ha atragantado
May 13, 2012
A typical bodice-ripper of the 80s. The male lead(Ross) is a alpha-hole and the female lead (Lydia) is your typical tragic Mary-Sue. So plot summary first: Lydia is pregnant, on the run from somebody. At the opening of the book, we find her giving birth to a still-born baby (which she wants to die because she was raped). She is found by two boys a traveling train and nursed by their mother. Ross, then has his wife going into labour and dies as she gives birth to a baby boy. Lydia is then tasked to nurse the baby boy - which she seems to without having any residual feelings for her own baby.
So these two start living together in the same wagon. Ross thinks of Lydia as a whore/slut for 2/3rds of the book. Giving birth to a baby boy without a marriage and because he's attracted to her makes her a slut. And he acts like a dog-in-manger. He's jealous of any other man paying attention to her. And he's a hole because he constantly compares her to his first wife Victoria who was a pure and white as snow. Lydia, on the other hand, is a radiant Mary Sue - small, petite with radiant, beautiful hair.
Both characters had possibilities. After all, Lydia was sexually abused and Ross was a part of the Jesse James. I was hoping for character growth through out. But no, Ross didn't have any appreciable change. Lydia didn't seem to have any hang-ups from her abuse. And then this scene happens: I nearly DNFd it but I wanted to see how it ends. It didn't get any better. A disappointing offer from Sandra Brown.
So these two start living together in the same wagon. Ross thinks of Lydia as a whore/slut for 2/3rds of the book. Giving birth to a baby boy without a marriage and because he's attracted to her makes her a slut. And he acts like a dog-in-manger. He's jealous of any other man paying attention to her. And he's a hole because he constantly compares her to his first wife Victoria who was a pure and white as snow. Lydia, on the other hand, is a radiant Mary Sue - small, petite with radiant, beautiful hair.
Both characters had possibilities. After all, Lydia was sexually abused and Ross was a part of the Jesse James. I was hoping for character growth through out. But no, Ross didn't have any appreciable change. Lydia didn't seem to have any hang-ups from her abuse. And then this scene happens: I nearly DNFd it but I wanted to see how it ends. It didn't get any better. A disappointing offer from Sandra Brown.
February 27, 2023
5 Stars
Western Historical Romance
Triggers galore! If you're a sensitive reader, turn around and run for the hills.
BEWARE OF SPOILERS
This book was written in the 80's; it's very old-school, a bodice-ripper on steroids. I was actually shocked at some of the things I read in this one, but I was also not surprised considering when it was written and the setting of the book. Personally, I enjoy old-school romance, and 'Sunset Embrace' worked for me. Sure, there were things that bothered me...like the sexist, slut-shaming BS. But when it comes to fiction, I'm not overly sensitive to these issues. And ridiculously macho heroes? They're my catnip and I'm not ashamed to admit it--because fiction. Anywho, Sandra Brown hooked me with Ross Coleman. He was a colossal jerk, and I love (and hate) these types of heroes.
I did have some issues with Sunset Embrace:
Ross said and did things to Lydia (our heroine) that were extremely harsh and because of that, I expected an epic grovel from him, which I didn't really get. My biggest pet peeve was that even though Lydia was a little spitfire, she was still a doormat. I understand that she didn't have many choices and was only trying to make the best out of her wholly unfortunate situation, but I wish she hadn't been so accommodating, not end up at the hero's feet all the damn time. I always find that maddenning. Admittedly, I felt a small sense of dissatisfaction when I finished the book, because I wanted more atonement from the hero. Also, there was no epilogue. Ugh.
Something that made me very uncomfortable was reading about the sexual abuse Lydia experienced by her disgusting, hillbilly stepbrother. It was awful *gags and shivers*
So why 5 Stars?
√ The awesome angst factor. This one has the dead wife theme, and I was dying to know if the heroine would be the hero's greatest love. She was<3 “You are my love. My dearest love that I’ll go on loving and needing every day of my life.”
√ Ross Coleman. I found his entire backstory highly intriguing, some of it even appealing; he was a WANTED man! Swoon. And I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I even loved his western mustache.
√ The steam factor. Explicit af. It was incredibly and fabulously steamy.
√ Sandra Brown's storytelling ability. My first Sandra Brown romance. I'm hoping to find another gem in that pile of newly discovered books.
HEA: Yes
Triggers:
stillbirth (graphic)
rape (graphic)
murder (not graphic)
cheating: Physically? Not really but some might still consider it cheating. Emotionally? He still loved his deceased wife, but he always felt more for the heroine.
Western Historical Romance
Triggers galore! If you're a sensitive reader, turn around and run for the hills.
BEWARE OF SPOILERS
This book was written in the 80's; it's very old-school, a bodice-ripper on steroids. I was actually shocked at some of the things I read in this one, but I was also not surprised considering when it was written and the setting of the book. Personally, I enjoy old-school romance, and 'Sunset Embrace' worked for me. Sure, there were things that bothered me...like the sexist, slut-shaming BS. But when it comes to fiction, I'm not overly sensitive to these issues. And ridiculously macho heroes? They're my catnip and I'm not ashamed to admit it--because fiction. Anywho, Sandra Brown hooked me with Ross Coleman. He was a colossal jerk, and I love (and hate) these types of heroes.
I did have some issues with Sunset Embrace:
Ross said and did things to Lydia (our heroine) that were extremely harsh and because of that, I expected an epic grovel from him, which I didn't really get. My biggest pet peeve was that even though Lydia was a little spitfire, she was still a doormat. I understand that she didn't have many choices and was only trying to make the best out of her wholly unfortunate situation, but I wish she hadn't been so accommodating, not end up at the hero's feet all the damn time. I always find that maddenning. Admittedly, I felt a small sense of dissatisfaction when I finished the book, because I wanted more atonement from the hero. Also, there was no epilogue. Ugh.
Something that made me very uncomfortable was reading about the sexual abuse Lydia experienced by her disgusting, hillbilly stepbrother. It was awful *gags and shivers*
So why 5 Stars?
√ The awesome angst factor. This one has the dead wife theme, and I was dying to know if the heroine would be the hero's greatest love. She was<3 “You are my love. My dearest love that I’ll go on loving and needing every day of my life.”
√ Ross Coleman. I found his entire backstory highly intriguing, some of it even appealing; he was a WANTED man! Swoon. And I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I even loved his western mustache.
√ The steam factor. Explicit af. It was incredibly and fabulously steamy.
√ Sandra Brown's storytelling ability. My first Sandra Brown romance. I'm hoping to find another gem in that pile of newly discovered books.
HEA: Yes
Triggers:
stillbirth (graphic)
rape (graphic)
murder (not graphic)
cheating: Physically? Not really but some might still consider it cheating. Emotionally? He still loved his deceased wife, but he always felt more for the heroine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2021
Raw and beautiful. It doesn't shy away from dirty side of humanity. It showcases inane goodness of humans. It delves into the constant conflict one has over the matters of heart. Both H and h showed growth throughout the story overcoming their pasts as well as present circumstances. The book always kept the sexual angst at the edge through the first half before fully exploring the passion between the two protagonists in the second half.
July 15, 2018
#RetoRita2 #RitaBrown
4,5 estrellas
Me encanta como escribe Sandra Brown. De ella sólo había leído Odio en el paraíso y, aunque ya hace un tiempo y no lo tengo muy fresco en la memoria, me gustó. Esta nueva incursión me ha encantado. Su estilo directo te mete de lleno en la historia. Es dura cuando tiene que serlo, descriptiva cuando toca, más intimista en otros momentos. He disfrutado los momentos íntimos de los personajes, como se va cociendo su historia poco a poco, como se van aferrando a esta nueva relación impuesta, como se van haciendo imprescindibles el uno para el otro. Los personajes secundarios igual de maravillosos y sumamente necesarios.
He degustado el libro y si algo le quita puntos quizá sea el desenlace. Todo se resuelve rápidamente y en un abrir y cerrar de ojos. Y sí, quizá ESA ESCENA sea ofensiva para muchos, el hecho en si y los pensamientos y reacciones de los personajes, pero creo que hay que considerarla en el momento histórico y en las relaciones de la época, aunque no tenga excusa.
Continúo ya con Un nuevo amanecer, porque estoy deseando saber que nos depara Jake/ Bubba, ese hombre de boa fácil, y Banner, que presumo mujer de pechos deslumbrantes como su madre (¿He mencionado que he acabado hasta el * de los senos de Lydia? Pues eso).
4,5 estrellas
Me encanta como escribe Sandra Brown. De ella sólo había leído Odio en el paraíso y, aunque ya hace un tiempo y no lo tengo muy fresco en la memoria, me gustó. Esta nueva incursión me ha encantado. Su estilo directo te mete de lleno en la historia. Es dura cuando tiene que serlo, descriptiva cuando toca, más intimista en otros momentos. He disfrutado los momentos íntimos de los personajes, como se va cociendo su historia poco a poco, como se van aferrando a esta nueva relación impuesta, como se van haciendo imprescindibles el uno para el otro. Los personajes secundarios igual de maravillosos y sumamente necesarios.
He degustado el libro y si algo le quita puntos quizá sea el desenlace. Todo se resuelve rápidamente y en un abrir y cerrar de ojos. Y sí, quizá ESA ESCENA sea ofensiva para muchos, el hecho en si y los pensamientos y reacciones de los personajes, pero creo que hay que considerarla en el momento histórico y en las relaciones de la época, aunque no tenga excusa.
Continúo ya con Un nuevo amanecer, porque estoy deseando saber que nos depara Jake/ Bubba, ese hombre de boa fácil, y Banner, que presumo mujer de pechos deslumbrantes como su madre (¿He mencionado que he acabado hasta el * de los senos de Lydia? Pues eso).
July 31, 2018
Típico culebrón ochentero(lo digo por el año de publicación y no por la época en la que transcurre la trama), donde los malos son muy malos y la prota muy buena y a veces pasada de boba, y no me pudo entretener más, no podía soltarlo, me lo bebí. Me hizo rabiar a montones, hay una parte que es hard topic para mi y eso me hizo bajarle estrellas 3,5⭐
April 9, 2016
Que historia más bonita, me ha gustado un montón ... En algunos momentos Ross me ha sacado de quicio, vaya cabezota, pero Lydia me ha parecido muy dulce y comprensiva. Recomendable 100%
December 10, 2015
The first book in the Coleman Family Saga by Sandra Brown. Lydia Bryant is on the run and pregnant. She gives birth to a still-born baby in the wilderness. She is found by two young boys who bring her to their wagon train. Also in the wagon train is Ross Coleman and his pregnant wife. Ross's wife, Victoria ends up dying after giving birth to a baby boy. Lydia is needed to keep the baby alive.
I read this years and years ago and reread it recently and still loved it. About 2 people thrown together by necessity and slowly learn to love despite their circumstances. Both had their flaws and issues with the past but eventually love prevails.
I read this years and years ago and reread it recently and still loved it. About 2 people thrown together by necessity and slowly learn to love despite their circumstances. Both had their flaws and issues with the past but eventually love prevails.
January 28, 2010
This is one of Sandra Brown's earlier books way back when she was writing historical romances instead of mysteries. I read this book years ago after reading rave upon rave about how fantastic, how romantic, how wonderful, how classic a romance, etc. I found it disturbing, horrific and migraine inducing. The hero is this sullen, angry, vindictive brute of a man who infuriated me page after page. Ten years later I *still* remember what a cretin I thought him and that's saying a lot since some days I can't remember my own name.
June 5, 2017
I liked this book very much, however I reckon it was epic when I was younger. Still you can't go wrong with Sandra Brown.
August 30, 2022
I discovered this book through a r/RomanceBooks post on Reddit for "the best worst heroes in historical romance". TW: rape in the past, multiple on-screen deaths, death of a baby, rape by the hero!! (so unnecessary & didn't fully fit with his personality, he had never done that to a woman before. I hated it!), the N-word, slut-shaming (??)
The hero in this book, Ross Coleman, was pretty cruel to the heroine at the beginning of the book because he thought she was a whore and associated her with the bad aspects of his past life. He was the son of a prostitute and an outlaw in the past. Lydia was running away from her abusive stepbrother who raped her when her baby was born stillborn and she was discovered in the woods by two teenage boys from a wagon train. Ross Coleman's wife had just died giving birth, and the baby was going to die unless he could be breastfed. Lydia moved into Ross's wagon as a wet nurse for his son.
I thought the setting of a wagon train heading West was really interesting, and the beginning of the book...what a way to begin the book! However, after that, I was slowly warming up to the book. It was 3 stars, sort of a comfort read. I wasn't the biggest fan of the hero being rude to Lydia. It was funny how all the scenes of Lydia breastfeeding Lee were like lactation porn. Sandra Brown wrote how Ross was jealous of his son for tasting Lydia LOL. The words "imprudent nipples" was used too many times.
Then there was a whole LOL subplot of one of the girls from the wagon train being very horny and trying to seduce multiple men, including one of the teenage boys who discovered Lydia. At the end of the book, she becomes a prostitute to get away from her prim and hateful mother. That whole subplot gave the reader the smut before the main hero & heroine got down and dirty. I enjoyed the smut of that subplot, but it was annoying how Priscilla & Bubba kept on being interrupted.
The ending was great and really exciting. I didn't see how they were going to have a happy ending.
I just felt bad for Ross's first wife, Victoria, because Ross didn't seem to be sad that she died at the end of the book. Also, she never met her real soulmate. It's always tricky to write a romance with the dead ex because even when the hero realizes that the second woman (the heroine) is a better fit for him, I always feel bad for the first one. I felt this way too in the rockstar's book by Charisse Spiers. In this book and that one, the hero reflected that the first one didn't enjoy sex with him as much or was primmer and didn't want to be subjected to all the things he wanted to do sexually (i.e. oral sex).
I also didn't like how Ross raped Lydia the first time they had sex, as I said above in my trigger warnings. I thought it was dumb how Lydia didn't tell Ross about the bad guy like in other books, but I thought she was stupid to
Anyways, the new cover of this book is so hot. I like it better than the older, more historical one, though this one looks contemporary.
The hero in this book, Ross Coleman, was pretty cruel to the heroine at the beginning of the book because he thought she was a whore and associated her with the bad aspects of his past life. He was the son of a prostitute and an outlaw in the past. Lydia was running away from her abusive stepbrother who raped her when her baby was born stillborn and she was discovered in the woods by two teenage boys from a wagon train. Ross Coleman's wife had just died giving birth, and the baby was going to die unless he could be breastfed. Lydia moved into Ross's wagon as a wet nurse for his son.
I thought the setting of a wagon train heading West was really interesting, and the beginning of the book...what a way to begin the book! However, after that, I was slowly warming up to the book. It was 3 stars, sort of a comfort read. I wasn't the biggest fan of the hero being rude to Lydia. It was funny how all the scenes of Lydia breastfeeding Lee were like lactation porn. Sandra Brown wrote how Ross was jealous of his son for tasting Lydia LOL. The words "imprudent nipples" was used too many times.
Then there was a whole LOL subplot of one of the girls from the wagon train being very horny and trying to seduce multiple men, including one of the teenage boys who discovered Lydia. At the end of the book, she becomes a prostitute to get away from her prim and hateful mother. That whole subplot gave the reader the smut before the main hero & heroine got down and dirty. I enjoyed the smut of that subplot, but it was annoying how Priscilla & Bubba kept on being interrupted.
The ending was great and really exciting. I didn't see how they were going to have a happy ending.
I just felt bad for Ross's first wife, Victoria, because Ross didn't seem to be sad that she died at the end of the book. Also, she never met her real soulmate. It's always tricky to write a romance with the dead ex because even when the hero realizes that the second woman (the heroine) is a better fit for him, I always feel bad for the first one. I felt this way too in the rockstar's book by Charisse Spiers. In this book and that one, the hero reflected that the first one didn't enjoy sex with him as much or was primmer and didn't want to be subjected to all the things he wanted to do sexually (i.e. oral sex).
I also didn't like how Ross raped Lydia the first time they had sex, as I said above in my trigger warnings. I thought it was dumb how Lydia didn't tell Ross about the bad guy like in other books, but I thought she was stupid to
Anyways, the new cover of this book is so hot. I like it better than the older, more historical one, though this one looks contemporary.
July 28, 2018
4.5 ☆
A pesar de haber tenido mis "disgustos" con este libro, no puedo darle menos puntuación porque entonces no sería sincera.
Me gustan las historias que crea Sandra Brown y la manera en como las dirige, aunque los finales me resulten algo abruptos.
En este caso Ross me ha gustado mucho, y eso que le he dejado pasar algunas cosas que a lo mejor en otras novelas hubiera castigado mucho más.
Lydia me ha parecido un personaje femenino estupendo, valiente, que plantaba cara cuando había que hacerlo y contestar a Ross cuando se merecía una buena réplica.
No puedo quejarme de mi experiencia con esta autora porque la verdad es que está siendo muy satisfactoria.
A pesar de haber tenido mis "disgustos" con este libro, no puedo darle menos puntuación porque entonces no sería sincera.
Me gustan las historias que crea Sandra Brown y la manera en como las dirige, aunque los finales me resulten algo abruptos.
En este caso Ross me ha gustado mucho, y eso que le he dejado pasar algunas cosas que a lo mejor en otras novelas hubiera castigado mucho más.
Lydia me ha parecido un personaje femenino estupendo, valiente, que plantaba cara cuando había que hacerlo y contestar a Ross cuando se merecía una buena réplica.
No puedo quejarme de mi experiencia con esta autora porque la verdad es que está siendo muy satisfactoria.
May 26, 2011
Fabulous book! Lots of hardships for the H&h and definitely had some choke up/ teary moments for me. The book is about a wagon trail heading to Texas and is set back in early America after the Civil War has ended. The hero, Ross and the heroine, Lydia, are in parallel situations. An almost dead Lydia is found by some young boys laying in the woods after she had just given birth to a baby boy (which I think was strangled by its umbilical cord). She wants to die because of the cruel life she is living and is glad the baby isn't being brought into it. She is saved by a wonderful family. Meanwhile Ma, the mother of Lydia's saving family, a day later is called away to deliver Ross and his upper class wife, Victoria's, baby. Victoria dies in childbirth, but Ross's son, Lee, lives. Ross is devastated by his wife's passing and when Lydia is presented to Ross as a wet nurse to save Lee, Ross hates and resents her and says vicious things. He thinks she is a prostitute, since she doesn't have a husband, and wants her nowhere near Lee or himself. Lydia is described beautifully and I just loved her. She was an innocent temptest (not sure if this is a word, might have made it up) with all the right alluring parts and Ross hated her because she distracted him from his perfect wife's memory. Ross had a sordid past as well and the dead Victoria made him respectable by marrying him and bringing him into her upper class world. I also loved Lydia because she stood her ground against Ross's insults and bad tempers, loved his son, and didn't try to take over Victoria's position in Ross's heart. She did it naturally and became loved by everyone.
Lots of meat to this story and many crisscrosses. There were so many rich secondary characters and even though Ross was a hurtful, horrible jerk through half the book I respected him for his honorable and loyal ways. Good side stories and BAD villains too. Very fulfilling read!
March 26, 2019
As a lover of Sandra Brown's later thrillers/romantic suspense I was interested to go back to the 80's when she started writing. And from the cover to what's in between this is bodice ripper territory! What a blast from the past for as a naughty teenager this is the type of book I devoured secretly sandwiched between more respectable tomes back in the day.
Honestly for nostalgia's sake I quite enjoyed this although reading it with today's eyes there was some really unpalatable themes especially the one involving . There is a whole feminist discussion there concerning the impact of such books but I'm not going to debate that here as I put it into the category of it is book written in a certain time and thankfully we have moved on from that.
3.5 stars
Honestly for nostalgia's sake I quite enjoyed this although reading it with today's eyes there was some really unpalatable themes especially the one involving . There is a whole feminist discussion there concerning the impact of such books but I'm not going to debate that here as I put it into the category of it is book written in a certain time and thankfully we have moved on from that.
3.5 stars
February 12, 2010
This was recommended to me but about 75 pages in I realized that the hero in this book dies in the next one which I had already read. That just sucked the fun right out of this one. I think in romance novels there is a covenant that exists between author and reader and that is the sacredness of the happy ever after. In regular fiction anything goes but in romance, a hero/heroine should never be killed off no matter how many books later unless you are writing a totally separate story about their descendants 300 years later.
Historical takes place on a wagon train going west. She has had a baby who died and his wife died in childbirth and she nurses his baby.
Historical takes place on a wagon train going west. She has had a baby who died and his wife died in childbirth and she nurses his baby.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2019
Aunque la historia es dulce y tiene sus momentos bonitos, a mi Ross me molestaba y frustraba más de lo que lo pude llegar a amar, me parece que era demasiado duro e hiriente en momentos con Lydia y ella no se merecía algunas palabras ni acciones 🥺 En general fue un libro que me entretuvo pero no me gustó como esperaba.
January 16, 2025
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this very much. But I'm glad to be proven wrong. All that lustful hatred and angst made this a very entertaining read.
May 20, 2010
After all the 5 star reviews, I'm wondering what in the world is going on? Did I miss something? Am I this "different" from the rest of the world? I feel like I've entered the twilight zone!
I won't rehash the plot, but here is why I feel so bothered and disturbed by this book. Ross Coleman, the "hero" of this book is not a nice man. It is important to me, as a romance novel lover, to "like" the hero. I don't need to love him or even want him for my worst enemy but I need to at least have some care in my heart for him. Ross just wasn't nice enough to like...even a little bit.
He:
- calls Lydia a "[...:]" and treats her like one right up until the very end.
- rapes Lydia during their first "sexual" encounter (how's that for romance!)
- is ungrateful to Lydia for all she does for his son
- is mean with his actions and word towards Lydia for almost the entirety of the book
- doesn't trust Lydia...ever (not even in the end after he knew her story!)
- uses Lydia for his own pleasure and when she FINALLY experiences pleasure...he assumes it's because of all her "experience" as a "[...:]"...yuck!
There is nothing remotely romantic about this man....Lydia traded one abuser for another....Not romantic in the least!
If you like this plot line...try Night in Eden by Candace Proctor. It has a similar plot line that is executed perfectly. Happy Reading.
I won't rehash the plot, but here is why I feel so bothered and disturbed by this book. Ross Coleman, the "hero" of this book is not a nice man. It is important to me, as a romance novel lover, to "like" the hero. I don't need to love him or even want him for my worst enemy but I need to at least have some care in my heart for him. Ross just wasn't nice enough to like...even a little bit.
He:
- calls Lydia a "[...:]" and treats her like one right up until the very end.
- rapes Lydia during their first "sexual" encounter (how's that for romance!)
- is ungrateful to Lydia for all she does for his son
- is mean with his actions and word towards Lydia for almost the entirety of the book
- doesn't trust Lydia...ever (not even in the end after he knew her story!)
- uses Lydia for his own pleasure and when she FINALLY experiences pleasure...he assumes it's because of all her "experience" as a "[...:]"...yuck!
There is nothing remotely romantic about this man....Lydia traded one abuser for another....Not romantic in the least!
If you like this plot line...try Night in Eden by Candace Proctor. It has a similar plot line that is executed perfectly. Happy Reading.
June 12, 2019
A lot of extremely successful Romantic-Suspense authors started with Historical-Romance and Sandra Brown has a few. This book blends both the genres and very well. With the Civil War ended a group from Tennessee is traveling by wagon train to Texas. Even though some of the situations wouldn't pass muster these days, it was reality in the 1800's. Well written, fully developed characters and the Audio was fantastic.
Lydia escaped the hell of her life, giving birth to a stillborn baby in the woods. She is found by boys from the wagon train and taken in by a wonderful family. Soon after, Ross's wife, Victoria, dies in child birth and the baby would die too unless he would feed and the only available wet nurse is Lydia. Ross is not receptive to the wanton looking woman who gave birth with no husband. Both Lydia and Ross have dark histories and it takes a lot for them to find their way to each other. Unfortunately, those dark histories are not going to stay history and the past is stalking them both.
3 1/2-Stars
Lydia escaped the hell of her life, giving birth to a stillborn baby in the woods. She is found by boys from the wagon train and taken in by a wonderful family. Soon after, Ross's wife, Victoria, dies in child birth and the baby would die too unless he would feed and the only available wet nurse is Lydia. Ross is not receptive to the wanton looking woman who gave birth with no husband. Both Lydia and Ross have dark histories and it takes a lot for them to find their way to each other. Unfortunately, those dark histories are not going to stay history and the past is stalking them both.
3 1/2-Stars
June 29, 2017
Inkvotary
This is the first book of the Coleman Family Saga.
I know Sandra Browns books since many years, and I personally believe she is at her best, when she´s writing thrillers. Yes, she has one or two good books in the other genres she´s written about, but Sunset Embrace isn´t one of them. I missed the brilliance in her writing style, her fantastic use of the words she usually has and of course the lack of the thrill. Sure, the story of Sunset Embrace has some kind of thriller elements, there are a lot of hot scenes, shooting, dead people and a wonderful love story is developing between Ross and Lydia; but the rest?
Sandra Brown tells in this novel the story about some families and how they make their way to Texas. Lydia was found by the eldest son of Ma Langston and brought to the trek and Ma took care of her when she recovered from giving birth to a still born. And Ma Langston is it, who sees the solution when Ross Coleman´s wife Victoria dies during the birth of his son Lee. The widowed father is now alone with his baby boy and it looks like the baby is following his mother.
Ross Coleman – what a man. His dark past and what he´s done many years back have changed him in many ways. He killed, he tricked during Poker games and he had no conscious about whatsoever. But when he met Victoria, the daughter of a rich man, he saw his chance of becoming something, he wasn´t from birth.
Oh yes – Ma Langston is one heck of a woman! She fears nobody, no matter if woman or man, and she says what she has to say, but only when the time is right. She takes not only care of her own bunch of kids, but also of Lydia and Ross and she is it, who kind of saves Ross just like that by walking bye from giving in into his dark soul.
This novel isn´t one of the best, Sandra Brown has ever written no doubt about that. And only because two figures could really convince me, I gave three stars. Otherwise there would´ve been none.
This is the first book of the Coleman Family Saga.
I know Sandra Browns books since many years, and I personally believe she is at her best, when she´s writing thrillers. Yes, she has one or two good books in the other genres she´s written about, but Sunset Embrace isn´t one of them. I missed the brilliance in her writing style, her fantastic use of the words she usually has and of course the lack of the thrill. Sure, the story of Sunset Embrace has some kind of thriller elements, there are a lot of hot scenes, shooting, dead people and a wonderful love story is developing between Ross and Lydia; but the rest?
Sandra Brown tells in this novel the story about some families and how they make their way to Texas. Lydia was found by the eldest son of Ma Langston and brought to the trek and Ma took care of her when she recovered from giving birth to a still born. And Ma Langston is it, who sees the solution when Ross Coleman´s wife Victoria dies during the birth of his son Lee. The widowed father is now alone with his baby boy and it looks like the baby is following his mother.
Ross Coleman – what a man. His dark past and what he´s done many years back have changed him in many ways. He killed, he tricked during Poker games and he had no conscious about whatsoever. But when he met Victoria, the daughter of a rich man, he saw his chance of becoming something, he wasn´t from birth.
Oh yes – Ma Langston is one heck of a woman! She fears nobody, no matter if woman or man, and she says what she has to say, but only when the time is right. She takes not only care of her own bunch of kids, but also of Lydia and Ross and she is it, who kind of saves Ross just like that by walking bye from giving in into his dark soul.
This novel isn´t one of the best, Sandra Brown has ever written no doubt about that. And only because two figures could really convince me, I gave three stars. Otherwise there would´ve been none.
February 20, 2022
En los años ochenta, Sandra Brown publicó, sobre todo, historias cortas tipo harlequin. Pero también escribió tres novelas largas ambientadas en el Oeste. Esta es una de ellas, y aguanta bastante bien el tipo, a pesar de que, al ser de aquellos años, ya sabéis, muchas veces la violación formaba parte del cortejo. Horrible.
Lydia, una pobre chica bastante baqueteada por la vida para lo joven que es, acaba en una caravana hacia el Oeste, dando de mamar a un recién nacido que no es hijo suyo, sino del viudo Ross Coleman. Hostiles, porque él la desprecia, luego el roce hace el cariño.
Pero hay cosas que amenazan la felicidad de estos dos. Cuando el pasado les alcance y todo eso. Recuerdo mucho una figura femenina bastante ponderosa, Mamá Langston. Y una representación de la «conquista del Oeste» algo más realista de lo que es habitual en romántica.
Crítica más amplia, en mi blog.
Lydia, una pobre chica bastante baqueteada por la vida para lo joven que es, acaba en una caravana hacia el Oeste, dando de mamar a un recién nacido que no es hijo suyo, sino del viudo Ross Coleman. Hostiles, porque él la desprecia, luego el roce hace el cariño.
Pero hay cosas que amenazan la felicidad de estos dos. Cuando el pasado les alcance y todo eso. Recuerdo mucho una figura femenina bastante ponderosa, Mamá Langston. Y una representación de la «conquista del Oeste» algo más realista de lo que es habitual en romántica.
Crítica más amplia, en mi blog.
June 29, 2012
4.5 stars... What a pleasant surprise Sunset Embrace was. I wasn't expecting this book to evoke such deep emotions in me from the beginning.
We meet Lydia in the woods writhing in pain as she is birthing a child that she doesn't want and was made with violence and hate. She is taken in by a beautiful family that takes wonderful care of her and she also finds herself needed by Ross who just lost his wife during childbirth. Lydia has milk to feel baby Lee and this is where the story takes off.
This is my first novel by Sandra Brown I found her writing to be so realistic and honest. Her description of nursing, pregnancy and motherhood was refreshing. I gave me flashback to nursing my own children.
I cannot wait to read the next book in the Coleman Family Series.
We meet Lydia in the woods writhing in pain as she is birthing a child that she doesn't want and was made with violence and hate. She is taken in by a beautiful family that takes wonderful care of her and she also finds herself needed by Ross who just lost his wife during childbirth. Lydia has milk to feel baby Lee and this is where the story takes off.
This is my first novel by Sandra Brown I found her writing to be so realistic and honest. Her description of nursing, pregnancy and motherhood was refreshing. I gave me flashback to nursing my own children.
I cannot wait to read the next book in the Coleman Family Series.
April 25, 2020
Been sitting on this review awhile. I’ll keep it succinct. This book was angsty and there was a lot of passion. Yes, our H was a complete jerk to the h, but his reactions were realistic (I think!) for the time period. I loved our h. She was pragmatic and brave. I was upset that she let shame stop her from disclosing her evil stepbrother’s mal-intent, but I get that was the conflict the book needed in order to resolve. I have read spoilers about the next book in this series and have decided to stop and not read Bubba’s story. This book really did it for me. I love these characters SO MUCH.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
nope-no-hea-for-main-couple
December 29, 2017Safety --
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