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In Wilde Country #1
Pride
Billionaire Luca Bellini is angry as hell. Everything he grew up believing has turned out to be a lie. He’s not in the mood for a confrontation with a beautiful but opinionated woman like Cheyenne McKenna…unless it’s in a hot, anything-goes session in bed. The problem? Cheyenne takes command. Luca, an Alpha male all the way, vows he’ll never let that happen again. He’ll teach Cheyenne the pleasure of submission, tame her with silk and lace—and awaken a passion in them both that will change everything they believe about love.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2014
34 people are currently reading
169 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Marton
674 books540 followersI've been a writer, one way or another, all my life. Before I could read, I made up poems and my mom wrote them down for me. In elementary school, my teachers almost always let me write poems or stories instead of requiring me to do art projects. Always, I dreamed of becoming a published writer...and that dream came true! I write novels about sexy, powerful men and independent-minded women, and what happens when they find each other and fall in love. My books are sexy and romantic, and they've very often full of romantic suspense. I write the kinds of books I love to read, and I hope that makes my readers happy.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 22, 2016
What do you get when you combine passion as hot and chemistry as undeniable as that shared by Luca and Cheyenne? Intensified by stubborn and domineering personalities, you get FIREWORKS!!! Sandra Marton has done it again! Another great addition to the In Wilde Country series. Two thumbs up!
February 5, 2018
Luca is one dominating man. He knows what he want and he won’t stop till he has it. Cheyenne is one complicated strong woman. They,are for one explosive couple. Loved there story.
December 28, 2018
Wow, she is a bitch! Surprised he got through to her.
Read
July 31, 2022Hot one and love the epilogue
July 4, 2024
Predictable but entertaining.
August 16, 2025
First of all—the cover! Nothing like the character’s descriptions.
Secondly, the plot…what was it again? Yea
Third, some pretty hot love scenes for a little book!!! A little bit kinky! A little.
Secondly, the plot…what was it again? Yea
Third, some pretty hot love scenes for a little book!!! A little bit kinky! A little.
October 3, 2014
A deliciously sensual contemporary romance! Taken from my review at RomanceJunkies.com:
Growing up in Sicily with an emotional Sicilian mother and a cold American father who was mostly absent, Luca Bellini needed to be tough to make it. He made a success of his life and is now a famous architect with estates over the world, including a ranch where he raises Arabian horses. To get as far as he has, Luca must stay in control. His recent discovery that he and his siblings may be illegitimate has left him angry. While hashing out the situation at his father’s ranch with his three siblings and six half-siblings, Luca makes the acquaintance of a beautiful woman who has a rundown ranch nearby. He knows she looks familiar, but he cannot place her.
Cheyenne McKenna grew up with a manipulative, alcoholic mother and no father. A traumatic experience resulted in Cheyenne being placed in a foster home. To make a success of her life, she has also had to be tough and always in control. She became a top model, but now her determination to be in control of everything around her has made her unpopular with photographers and even her own agent. When she meets Luca, the attraction is so strong that the air around them nearly sizzles. But she refuses to give up control to a man.
Luca longs to dominate Cheyenne, but after surrendering to their passion for each other, he soon becomes interested in more than just sex with her. He wants her trust. As he slowly leads her toward that goal, by using blindfolds and scarves, he begins to learn a lesson himself. Is their real problem about control, or is it just pride?
Deliciously sensual, PRIDE, the first book in USA Today bestselling author Sandra Marton’s IN WILDE COUNTRY series, is a scorching hot contemporary romance that will leave readers fanning themselves. This series represents the Sicilian faction of the Wilde family, who have the same father, a military general, as their American counterparts. To his six American offspring, the general is an oft-absent military leader while to his four Sicilian progenies, he is a rarely-there spy. It is not until his Sicilian ‘wife’ dies, that her children discover that they may be illegitimate since their father also has an American wife. With the Sicilian contingent descending upon their American siblings at the family ranch in Texas, there is plenty of bitterness to go around. At the outset, each side believes the other siblings received the lion’s share of their father’s attention growing up, until they begin to really communicate.
Luca has always put his trust in his father, even though he has often been letdown. So he is especially bitter because of his father’s deception. Cheyenne’s tragic background has also forced her to not count on anyone but herself. So at first, Luca and Cheyenne clash as each tries to wrest control from the other. I enjoyed watching the interaction between these two as together they discover what neither knew they wanted.
I am a huge fan of Ms. Marton’s work and have read every book in the various series covering the WILDE family. Each novel is a gem! Just her name on the cover lets me know that I am in for a treat! PRIDE is packed with action, sizzling sensuality, beautiful Sicilian scenery, clever dialogue, family dynamics, tender emotion, humor, romance and love, providing readers with a very heated, yet heartwarming, saga. Just when I think Ms. Marton’s stories cannot possibly get any better, she proves me wrong. For a delightfully captivating tale of humor, heat and heart, be sure to pick up a copy of PRIDE!
Dottie, RomanceJunkies.com
Growing up in Sicily with an emotional Sicilian mother and a cold American father who was mostly absent, Luca Bellini needed to be tough to make it. He made a success of his life and is now a famous architect with estates over the world, including a ranch where he raises Arabian horses. To get as far as he has, Luca must stay in control. His recent discovery that he and his siblings may be illegitimate has left him angry. While hashing out the situation at his father’s ranch with his three siblings and six half-siblings, Luca makes the acquaintance of a beautiful woman who has a rundown ranch nearby. He knows she looks familiar, but he cannot place her.
Cheyenne McKenna grew up with a manipulative, alcoholic mother and no father. A traumatic experience resulted in Cheyenne being placed in a foster home. To make a success of her life, she has also had to be tough and always in control. She became a top model, but now her determination to be in control of everything around her has made her unpopular with photographers and even her own agent. When she meets Luca, the attraction is so strong that the air around them nearly sizzles. But she refuses to give up control to a man.
Luca longs to dominate Cheyenne, but after surrendering to their passion for each other, he soon becomes interested in more than just sex with her. He wants her trust. As he slowly leads her toward that goal, by using blindfolds and scarves, he begins to learn a lesson himself. Is their real problem about control, or is it just pride?
Deliciously sensual, PRIDE, the first book in USA Today bestselling author Sandra Marton’s IN WILDE COUNTRY series, is a scorching hot contemporary romance that will leave readers fanning themselves. This series represents the Sicilian faction of the Wilde family, who have the same father, a military general, as their American counterparts. To his six American offspring, the general is an oft-absent military leader while to his four Sicilian progenies, he is a rarely-there spy. It is not until his Sicilian ‘wife’ dies, that her children discover that they may be illegitimate since their father also has an American wife. With the Sicilian contingent descending upon their American siblings at the family ranch in Texas, there is plenty of bitterness to go around. At the outset, each side believes the other siblings received the lion’s share of their father’s attention growing up, until they begin to really communicate.
Luca has always put his trust in his father, even though he has often been letdown. So he is especially bitter because of his father’s deception. Cheyenne’s tragic background has also forced her to not count on anyone but herself. So at first, Luca and Cheyenne clash as each tries to wrest control from the other. I enjoyed watching the interaction between these two as together they discover what neither knew they wanted.
I am a huge fan of Ms. Marton’s work and have read every book in the various series covering the WILDE family. Each novel is a gem! Just her name on the cover lets me know that I am in for a treat! PRIDE is packed with action, sizzling sensuality, beautiful Sicilian scenery, clever dialogue, family dynamics, tender emotion, humor, romance and love, providing readers with a very heated, yet heartwarming, saga. Just when I think Ms. Marton’s stories cannot possibly get any better, she proves me wrong. For a delightfully captivating tale of humor, heat and heart, be sure to pick up a copy of PRIDE!
Dottie, RomanceJunkies.com
October 2, 2014
Pride, (In Wilde Country 1), Sandra Marton.
Genre: Contemporary romance, Erotic romance.
Review from jeannie zelos book reviews
I saw this was a first in series book and requested it, as its always easier to follow a series if you’ve read the first book. Sadly I didn’t research further, and there’s not only a prequel book for this series but two other connected series about other family members. As there’s ten sisters and brothers, plus of course for some of them their partners, its a potentially huge cast of characters and I think I would have got more from this book if I'd read at least some of the other books. But I hadn’t so...
Well, Luca I liked, very Alpha male, ( note: I like them in romances, in reality I think I’d be a bit like Cheyenne – and argue back!) and he’s come with his siblings to visit his new found half brothers and sisters and give them the news that they’re not the only family! It doesn’t go well at first, as they know nothing about the second family...but they find common ground and are sharing a breakfast when Cheyenne bursts in. She’s angry as she’s been waiting at her newly bought ranch for one of the brothers to come and advise her on renovations. Luca is attracted and takes over and meets her at Sweetwater ranch, which she wants to transform into an equestrian therapy centre ( for children not for horses as Luca first thinks!) They butt heads, she wants to renovate, he advises clearing and rebuilding, and its anger all round with that simmering sexual tension sparking between them. A few hot and angry words and – its too much, and they end up taking a room in a motel and having a quick, frenzied sex session. They don’t part on the best of terms.
They meet again that night when Luca attends a charity function, only to find its her equine charity project that's the beneficiary – they have more angry words, more sparking sexual attraction, and soon they are in the throes of a torrid, passionate affair. Each want control though – their backgrounds have made them need to be the one giving the orders, even down to relationships. They need to find a balance if they are to continue and the heat and sensuality when they do is incredible.
I did enjoy this, but didn’t feel totally connected to either of them – there were things that irritated me about both, and maybe if I’d read the other books I’d have felt closer at least to Luca. As it was I felt both were at times arrogant and selfish, rather than trying to work on a relationship. I liked the way the background was shown to the reader to explain the way they learned to be over the years, but still I felt a little detached from them. I need to like my main characters, to want them to succeed at romance, and I felt Luca was trying but at times Cheyenne was using her background as an excuse for not meeting him partway. Still, there was some hot and erotic well written scenes between them and a decent story backing it up.
Stars: Four, I needed more connection with them to rate higher than this, its a good story but I felt a bit apart from them, like an onlooker rather than there in the story with them.
ARC supplied by publishers.
Genre: Contemporary romance, Erotic romance.
Review from jeannie zelos book reviews
I saw this was a first in series book and requested it, as its always easier to follow a series if you’ve read the first book. Sadly I didn’t research further, and there’s not only a prequel book for this series but two other connected series about other family members. As there’s ten sisters and brothers, plus of course for some of them their partners, its a potentially huge cast of characters and I think I would have got more from this book if I'd read at least some of the other books. But I hadn’t so...
Well, Luca I liked, very Alpha male, ( note: I like them in romances, in reality I think I’d be a bit like Cheyenne – and argue back!) and he’s come with his siblings to visit his new found half brothers and sisters and give them the news that they’re not the only family! It doesn’t go well at first, as they know nothing about the second family...but they find common ground and are sharing a breakfast when Cheyenne bursts in. She’s angry as she’s been waiting at her newly bought ranch for one of the brothers to come and advise her on renovations. Luca is attracted and takes over and meets her at Sweetwater ranch, which she wants to transform into an equestrian therapy centre ( for children not for horses as Luca first thinks!) They butt heads, she wants to renovate, he advises clearing and rebuilding, and its anger all round with that simmering sexual tension sparking between them. A few hot and angry words and – its too much, and they end up taking a room in a motel and having a quick, frenzied sex session. They don’t part on the best of terms.
They meet again that night when Luca attends a charity function, only to find its her equine charity project that's the beneficiary – they have more angry words, more sparking sexual attraction, and soon they are in the throes of a torrid, passionate affair. Each want control though – their backgrounds have made them need to be the one giving the orders, even down to relationships. They need to find a balance if they are to continue and the heat and sensuality when they do is incredible.
I did enjoy this, but didn’t feel totally connected to either of them – there were things that irritated me about both, and maybe if I’d read the other books I’d have felt closer at least to Luca. As it was I felt both were at times arrogant and selfish, rather than trying to work on a relationship. I liked the way the background was shown to the reader to explain the way they learned to be over the years, but still I felt a little detached from them. I need to like my main characters, to want them to succeed at romance, and I felt Luca was trying but at times Cheyenne was using her background as an excuse for not meeting him partway. Still, there was some hot and erotic well written scenes between them and a decent story backing it up.
Stars: Four, I needed more connection with them to rate higher than this, its a good story but I felt a bit apart from them, like an onlooker rather than there in the story with them.
ARC supplied by publishers.
October 6, 2014
Sandra Marton delivers another hot read about the Wilde family with Pride book #1 in the In Wilde Country series. This book has a sexy hero in Luca Bellini (AKA Luca Wilde), Luca and his siblings find out their dad wasn't legally married to their mother and to make it worse their dad had another wife and family in America leading to many problems and emotions. Our heroine is Cheyenne McKenna who has many issues, a lot of them dealing with her childhood. Luca and Cheyenne are both strong people and upon meeting the chemistry and spark starts. Their relationship is combustible for both of them with plenty hot (and I mean HOT) encounters. If you like books that have strong family ties and emotions, hot sex, heart-breaking family backgrounds, romance and a HEA, then this book is for you!! Sandra's writing just sucks a reader in so that you do not want to put this book down. Looking forward to reading more about this side of the Wilde family. The cover even fits with my picturing Luca-HOT!!! Check out Sandra Marton's other books about the Wilde family you will not be disappointed!
October 1, 2014
Luca Bellini came to U S with his brother and two sisters, to meet his half brothers and sister. They had found out their father was a bigamist. He had an american wife and a wife in Sicily, although they weren't legally married. They came to El Sueno to meet but they all seemed to want to argue. The Bellini's were getting ready to leave when beautiful Chyenne McKenna came in looking for Travis. He was going to check out her new property for her and let her know what it would take to repair it. She wanted to donate it to Horse Sense and organization for abused children. This is a great love story as Luca and Cheyenne stuggle with control issues and a lot of darkness from their pasts. You will love this story. It does contain explicit sex scenes so it is not for everyone. That is all I will tell you. You will have to read it for yourself
October 1, 2014
Cheyenne McKenna has seen and endured things that no child should ever face. She believes her past has made her broken, incapable of love, until she meets a fiery take charge Sicilian....Luca Bellini didn't have time for a relationship and he definitely didn't believe in love, but why should he after revealing the depth of his father's deceptions. Then one fateful day this broken women and angry man collide and their world's will never be the same.
This story will make you cry and make you laugh as you watch these two characters heal each other. They may not believe in love, but fate has a surprise in store for them!
This story will make you cry and make you laugh as you watch these two characters heal each other. They may not believe in love, but fate has a surprise in store for them!
October 12, 2014
In Control
I loved reading this book and couldn't put it down. Luc and Cheyenne were definitely made for each other. They are a lot alike. Both want their way in everything and fight to be the one in control. It is fun to watch. I would have liked to see them working on the house that Cheyenne bought. I can't wait to read the other books in the series.
I loved reading this book and couldn't put it down. Luc and Cheyenne were definitely made for each other. They are a lot alike. Both want their way in everything and fight to be the one in control. It is fun to watch. I would have liked to see them working on the house that Cheyenne bought. I can't wait to read the other books in the series.
October 1, 2014
As always this author keeps you turning the pages, and hanging on every word. A relationship with obstacles to overcome. A need for control throws Luca and Cheyanne into a battle of wills. Fun, sexy and entertaining this is a must read for romance fans!
February 12, 2015
Ah so so so so so so hot!
I've followed this series and the spins off, and Luca is up there as a favourite. Cheyenne definitely gives him a run for her money, he does spend a while chasing her but I loved it!
Looking forward to the next one!
I've followed this series and the spins off, and Luca is up there as a favourite. Cheyenne definitely gives him a run for her money, he does spend a while chasing her but I loved it!
Looking forward to the next one!
January 31, 2015
Pride: Wilde to the next
A solid four star plus sexy tale. The next story in the Wilde family saga with a lusty romance from the Sicilian side of the newly discovered family. Hot!!
A solid four star plus sexy tale. The next story in the Wilde family saga with a lusty romance from the Sicilian side of the newly discovered family. Hot!!
March 6, 2016
Loved the insta-love aspects. A sweet fantasy story with an HEA popping up out of nowhere. No surprises here, but lots of action and stubbornness!
February 9, 2016
It's okay
contemporary-but-not-hq
January 15, 2019Billionaire Luca Bellini is angry as hell. Everything he grew up believing has turned out to be a lie. He’s not in the mood for a confrontation with a beautiful but opinionated woman like Cheyenne McKenna…unless it’s in a hot, anything-goes session in bed. The problem? Cheyenne takes command. Luca, an Alpha male all the way, vows he’ll never let that happen again. He’ll teach Cheyenne the pleasure of submission, tame her with silk and lace—and awaken a passion in them both that will change everything they believe about love.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews