Nate

Devils on Horseback #1

by Beth Williamson

Amidst the post-war chaos that rains down around them, a controlling man and a desperate woman must choose between life and love.

Nate Marchand grew up as the only son of the town drunk. As a Confederate soldier, he found that order in the chaos was the only thing that kept him sane. Numbers, information, keeping everything in its proper place became second nature. The chaos of the war and its aftermath sent him into a rigid state that he couldn't seem to overcome.

He and his friends, nicknamed Devils on Horseback, leave behind the aftermath of war to start fresh in the west. Their new business venture flounders and desperation drives them to take whatever work they can. The Devils are hired to remove the Taggert family from land claimed by Samuel O'Shea, the largest landowner in Grayton, Texas.

When he meets Elisa Taggert, his entire world shifts beneath him. Attracted, bewildered, and off-kilter, Nate ignores his conscience in favor of his wallet. The simple task of removing a woman, a boy, and an old man, along with a small herd of cattle, resembles a Medieval siege.

Nate wrestles with what he knows is right with what he must do. Will his love for Elisa overcome his need for survival? Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, violence.

Genres: Historical, Romance, Historical Romance, Westerns, Erotica, Ebooks, Historical Fiction

235 pages, Paperback

First published September 25, 2007

About the author

Beth Williamson, who also writes as Emma Lang, is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of both historical and contemporary romances. Her books range from sensual to scorching hot. She is a Career Achievement Award Nominee in Erotic Romance by Romantic Times Magazine, in both 2009 and 2010, and a quarter-finalist in the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest.
Beth has always been a dreamer, never able to escape her imagination. It led her to the craft of writing romance novels, fueled by Reese’s and tenacious pursuit of the perfect story. She’s passionate about purple, books, and her family. She has a weakness for shoes and purses as well as bookstores.
Life might be chaotic, as life usually is, but Beth always keeps a smile on her face, a song in her heart, and a cowboy on her mind. ;)

Reviews

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, and violence.

Still not sold? Then read on:

Nate is the first book in the Devils on Horseback series and an exciting, sexy. historical romance. This story is set during the post Civil War era when many men found themselves on the wrong side of the war - or the “law”, as the case may be - and looking to start a new life.

Nate Marchand grew up as the only son of the town drunk. As a Confederate soldier, he found that order in the chaos was the only thing that kept him sane. Numbers, information, keeping everything in its proper place became second nature. The chaos of the war and its aftermath sent him into a rigid state that he couldn't seem to overcome. He and his friends, nicknamed Devils on Horseback, leave behind the aftermath of war to start fresh in the west. Their new business venture flounders and desperation drives them to take whatever work they can.

The Devils are hired to remove the Taggert family from land claimed by Samuel O'Shea, the largest landowner in Grayton, Texas. When he meets Elisa Taggert, his entire world shifts beneath him. Attracted, bewildered, and off-kilter, Nate ignores his conscience in favor of his wallet. The simple task of removing a woman, a boy, and an old man, along with a small herd of cattle, resembles a Medieval siege. Nate wrestles with what he knows is right with what he must do. Will his love for Elisa overcome his need for survival?

For the most part, I really enjoyed this story. It's funny, romantic, poignant, thought provoking and most definitely sexy. The Devils on Horseback world Beth Williamson has created is a compelling one, and I enjoyed getting to know Nate and learning more about his life before the war. He had it rough, that's for sure, but that life helped make him the man he became, the man Elisa Taggert needed him to be.

Elisa is, to say the least, a woman out of place in her times. She’s outspoken, demanding… a real spitfire, and while she was too stubborn for my liking, I still came to care about her and her plight. She was strong, determined and willing to do whatever she had to to win, and I wanted that for her.

I know that by rating this 3 stars I'm in the minority amongst my friends. But the thing is, this had the potential to be a 5 star read for me if Elisa hadn't been so over the top stubborn and if the dialog had felt less strained, bordering on cheesy. That aside, I really did enjoy this story and am looking forward to reading Jake’s, Zeke’s, Lee’s and Gideon’s stories, too.

[Auntee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won't spell out the plot of this post- Civil War story since other reviewers have done it so well, but I will say that I loved this little western romance; it was extremely fast paced, had a good plot, and really held my interest. At times it was also very erotic. Nate and Elisa were sympathetic characters; each had pasts filled with emotional pain.

Elisa was not your typical romance heroine; she was uneducated, rough around the edges, tomboyish. She was a tough little soldier--she had a lot of responsibility placed on her shoulders at a young age. She was also bold, stubborn and strong willed. By the time she met Nate she was almost completely worn out. She really needed someone to help lighten the load.

Nate was esentially a southern gentleman, poor but educated. The war turned his life upside down. Circumstances hardened him to near desperation and forced him to choose between survival and doing what he knows is right. His feelings for Elisa initially confuse him, and he trys to fight it but can't. He has a deep sense of reponsibility, is an honorable man, and I liked that about him.

The romantic interludes, while not many, were intense and erotic. I liked the fact that Elisa was often the aggressor, sometimes comically. She also had a cute 'pet' name for Nate that was funny. I felt that both of these characters just really deserved, and needed, someone to love.

This is a start of a new series, and I can well imagine each of the other four "devils" with a story of their own. There was just enough background on each of the friends to have me intrigued about what path their stories would take.

This one's a keeper, one I highly recommend! 4 1/2 stars.

[Juliana Philippa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointing. Both main characters are unbelievably immature and go from one extreme to the other within the space of seconds. They also do things that make no sense. And fall in love for absolutely no reason, since they don't even know each other yet. The entire read is very juvenile. It took me a month, but I got halfway through and then decided to call it quits.

I loved Ruthless Heart (thank you for the rec, Ruth!), which is by the same author, but under her pseudonym Emma Lang. That one was my first by this writer and I so enjoyed it that I was really looking forward to raiding her backlist. I bought several of these and this is the first one I tried. Hope the others are better, or else what a waste of money. Off it goes to PBSwap.

{ Funny Quote }

"A few nights ago, after she caught me at the river alone, she forced me to take my clothes off and somehow we ended up having sex."

"Somehow?" Gideon raised one brow.

"Okay, it was the usual way only it was against a tree. My point is that I didn't mean for it to happen since she was a virgin." [...]

"You took her virginity against a tree?" Gideon punched the ground. "What the hell were you thinking?"
(p117-118)

[Kathrynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was a lot missing from this book. For me, the characters were not so great and I didn't care for the overall plot. I saw where it was going and that's where it went. This was not erotic, either. It was just blah.

I thought the heroine was too tough and aggressive for being a virgin. The DH (Devil's on Horseback) boys were just trying to survive (post Civil War), but it was just "off" with how they were going about it. They were starving for crying out loud. All they could catch were squirrels. What? In that time period, they should have been able to fend for themselves much better especially since they chose to leave the South and head West.

My pet peeve of reading a scene, then having to read characters telling other characters that same scene ran rampant in this book. Annoying!

[Laurie Garrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a free read this was ok. I did like the mystery behind Elisa and her father. I didn’t like Elise at all to over baring and loud for me. I was expecting this to be erotic, but to tell you the truth I have read just regular historical romances hotter then this one. Nate didn’t to much cut it for me either. He could have found out how to help Elise way before he did.
Overall I found this book hard to believe by the way the heroine acted for this time period.

[Adrienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to reading this as I'm a bit of Beth Williamson fan. It didn't disappoint. The first book in series about ex confederate soldiers making their way in life together after the Civil War. And is the story of Nate and Elisa. The story reads at a fast choppy pace.....which is exactly like Elisa. She's, well, loud and brash and fiesty whilst Nate is a perfect Southern Gentleman who always treats her with great respect. The story starts with them being opponents in a land ownership feud. Nate becomes invloved with Elisa and finds out the truth behind the feud which ultimately brings about the right conclusion to this matter.
The relationship between Elisa and Nate is funny (the way she first entices him into making love with her is so unexpected... had me laughing quietly to myself... and her attitude to him after wards just so her!) Poor Nate really didnt stand a chance.
A great story with nnumerous hot scenes.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVED the heroine in this story. A firecracker forced by circumstances to manage her parents' ranch under great stress from a mean ole villain who wants it. She's lived the life of the West and is a smart hard-nut, but also passionate. Loved her. The plot is a little bit formulaic, but it flows really nicely, has a few twists and turns in it to hold your attention and the characters are well-described. Thankfully, the author has made all the Devils quite unique, so you dont need a cribsheet to figure out who is whom.

One bit in particular I really liked was the description of total desperation at the beginning, after the Devils return from war. It's not a big part of the book, but it really made it real. These men were starving, homeless and with no family. I haven't read a huge number of romances set in this period, but this struck the right note for me - one of desperation and survival - as well as a great romance.

[July · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nate Marchand and his friends come home from the war hungry and ready to work but they find most people poor and struggling. They put up an advertisment in the general store offering to work doing odds and ends what needs to be done.
A man by the name of Samuel O'Shea hires them to get the Taggert family off his land. When Nate meets the feisty Miss Elisa Taggert she tells him they aren't going anywhere. And she proceeds to get the best of Nate and his friends.
This book has alot of humor in it. Although it does start out slow. Keep up with it because the story is great.

[Ni_kii · Rating 5 out of 5]

The “devils” are a band of ex-confederate soldiers that are running from the persecution that follows being on the wrong side of the war. Made brothers by the sheer amount of death and destruction they have seen, and been part of, the Devils form a small company to make ends meet. DH Enterprises take on any task; everything is considered in the quest to stay alive and out of jail. On a trip into the town to get supplies, Nate meets Samuel O’Shea, a local landowner. He hires the devils to “remove” some squatters on land he owns. The squatters in question are Elisa Taggert and her family, and the land in question is her family home, bought after her mother’s suicide for a mere 20 dollars. Nate has never quite met anyone like Elisa. She dresses like a man, fights like a man and is as prickly as a cactus. On their very first meeting she calls him an “enemy” for working for O’Shea. She elicits feelings in him that he thought had been beaten away by the horrors of war. The devils need the money; it has been months since they had stability, and the threat of being arrested by the Yankees’ is constant. But try as he might, Nate can’t seem to treat her as simply an obstacle to be removed for a hell of a lot of money.

Elisa has never had the time to simply be a girl. She has been running the ranch, whilst taking care of her little brother, for as long as she can remember. She can’t afford to develop feelings for Nate; she has no time to be anything other than the protector of her ranch against a new threat. Unfortunately for Elisa, no matter how much she tries to blend in as “one of the boys”, the way she responds to Nate is distinctly feminine. The clever southern gent makes her remember that she has needs outside of food and water.

This book was an unexpected gem. The little town in the Wild West, made a perfect setting for a lovely little book. Grayson was a vividly written town with small town politics and western ways of settling differences. I enjoyed reading about all the characters, from the local bargirl to the shopkeeper; every character was a joy to read. All of the devils captured my imagination. We had Gideon, the unofficial leader of the bedraggled crew, who was sure and gentlemanly. Next we had Jake, the suave red-head, who could charm the paint off walls (I’m looking forward to his book next!). Then we had Zeke the quiet and brooding soldier, who doesn’t have a lot to say but what he does is always important. Last, but definitely not least, we have the physically damaged Lee, a man who is hurting so much on the inside he comes across as irritable and snarky. I have a feeling his will be the book to make me cry! All of these men have a camaraderie that is beautiful to read. It is clear that the only thing these men have is each other, that home to them is anywhere that they are all together. I love a good bromance and this one was definitely one!

Nate is the epitome of a perfect southern gentleman. Obviously educated, he has all the fancy words and manners to be the perfect spokesman for the Devils. On meeting Elisa, all those manners seem to go out of the window. The way he acts towards her isn’t trained or schooled. His actions towards her are almost desperate and I adored the way he couldn’t keep up his facade with her. His behaviour towards her is almost primal (there is a scene against a tree....it’s very good!). At one point someone points out to him that he acts towards her like she’s his mate and I have to say this is a good analogy. He is possessive, protective and completely without reason. When he wants turn on the charm he can, but the second he loses control that southern smoothie disappears and the man is replaced with heat and passion. I loved him, he acted towards her exactly the way that I expect a good alpha hero to behave. There is a scene where he bears his soul to protect her brother, exposing deep wounds that he had never shared to try to save her from having to bear the heartache of losing a brother. If I had any doubts towards him, they would have buggered off and left at that point. I adored him.

Elisa is a product of her upbringing. She is a mixture of what she wants to be and what she needs to be. She needs to be the protector of the household; her daddy fell apart after her mother’s suicide and now he is next to useless. She needs to be hard and tough so people don’t threaten the ranch. What she wants to be is a normal 19 year old girl, with that girl’s hopes, dream and problems. She reacts to Nate with such untapped passion and naivety that I found her incredibly sweet. She talked tough because she didn’t know another way of proving that she could handle everything on her plate, but the second she got within spitting distance of Nate, all the toughness disappeared to be replaced with lust and insecurity. The scenes where she is the aggressor in their relationship are quite comical, both in her techniques and Nate’s shocked reaction to them. I enjoyed her character and willed Nate to get her out of the horrible mess she was in and teach her how to just be herself. This isn’t what I would call an erotic romance, but what sex scenes there are hot and satisfying. The heat between them is real and undeniable, with the resulting moments being packed full of forbidden lust and unrealised feelings.

There were twists in this book that I didn’t see coming. It isn’t a simple loves story; there is real danger for Elisa and her family. The only questions is do Nate and the devils sort out the sticky mess she is in, or become part of her downfall?

[WildAboutBones · Rating 2 out of 5]

This, the first of the Devils on Horseback series, reads like episode of Gunsmoke, The High Chaparral or a Lifetime Made for Television movie.

Set in Texas just after the Civil War, this has everything the quintessential western needs - the bad guys, the good guys, a tough as nails damsel in distress, a wrong that needs righted, a romance and a touching and/or shocking revelation.

While I do enjoy the occasional western and reruns of these old westerns, westerns are not my favorite thing to read. However, if I was to start reading them occasionally, I'd definitely read the rest in this series.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wish there were a half star as this would be 2.5. I really would like to give it 3 but just can't. I'm not usually prudish, but I thought there was a bit of gratuitous cursing that really didn't add anything to the characters. Also, I usually love strong female characters, but Elisa irritated me - 19 or not. It was a fairly easy read and the story was there, just not as strong as I expected.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this even though the reviews are so so, because I wanted to read the rest of the series and I didn't want to be missing out on anything. I have enjoyed other Beth Williamson/Emma Lang books. I didn't think the heroine was half as bad as others have made her out to be and I could appreciate that the hero wasn't so perfect. That said it was okay. Not my favorite.

[Anna Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok. I liked the characters, felt the attraction, etc, but their language was just off somehow. Their conversations didn't feel appropriate for the time period to me. I'm sure I'll continue the series.

[Bonnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were tears in my eyes at the end of the book, but overall, I thought the details of the story were shallow. Parts of the story were good, but the relationships moved too fast and were not believeable for that time period.

[D.G.]

Found the plot too silly and couldn't finish it.

[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. It ended too soon! Now I'm interested in the other Devils and what happens to them. Good story and I loved Elisa. She is one tough girl!

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book did not hook me on the series. I'm not a big western or cowboy fan, so the story has to be super good to impress me which this one did not.

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

AFter the prologue it's a rocky start, but then gets going. Enjoyable.

[Vivacity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Held my interest, good plot

This book's plots and subplots kept me engaged until the end. If not for a few errors, I would give it a 5.
I do wish she had researched cattle ranching, as there is no way 200 bovine had plenty of grass on only 50 acres in Texas. 50 acres may seem big to a city-big town person, but even 200 acres would be way to small. This particular error may not irk other readers, but I live on a farm surrounded by farm country.

[Joan Miers Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, enjoyed it so much I could not put it down until I finished it. Enjoyed it so much I have ordered the next one Jake.

I enjoyed this book because it had excitement, happiness, romance and sadness. All of these things were done together with a cleverness that keeps a happy reader.

[sally mcelroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovable hero ; heroine snaps!

The Devils are intriguing group with appealing dynamics. Rough and tumble action and fiery romance within post civil war Texas made this entertaining read.

[Sandra Newton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous read

I love the Devils in Horseback and what a very loyal group of friends. Very entertaining and exciting story. A story with mystery, murder, stealing and love. I highly recommend you read this story and continue on to book two in this series. Happy reading🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟💖💖💖💖💖

[Jan Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good story!!

Was caught up in the entire plot and honestly surprised at the reveals towards the end. Looking forward to the next devil.

[Carrie Billig · Rating 1 out of 5]

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[R. Beach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a huge fan of all the random sex happening near the group of men. This book went off the rails alot and the killing of her 'dad' and the cows seemed excessive when that man had been living there before and could have just forced Elisa to marry him then he would have been able to take over both ranches. Guess maybe he didn't think about that. Then we have the Army captain chasing this group of men around. I would think he'd want to get on with his life and not be bogged down with these men who escaped 'his hold' on them because the war ended. Just a meh story .

[Michelle K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed at Another Look Book Reviews
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I wanted to love this book, Nate. I really did. Nate just came across as a unmemorable story for me that lacked incentive for me to continue with reading the rest of the series. I liked it well enough but just not enough to read on.

I didn't connect with the heroine, Elisa at all. For me, the strength of a book usually rests on the heroine's shoulders. At every turn Elisa was an immature perplexing woman that changed moods and story direction with each page. Even though her family was wronged in the most atrocious manner, I couldn't pull any character growth from her. One moment she was cunning, brave and highly protective of her family and then in the next moment she was an inexperienced virginal cowgirl seducing the educated former soldier, Nate. She lost her virginity to him up against a tree and then she rides away as if nothing happened. The next day, she shoots and injures his best friend. Elisa was like a B rated action movie all on her own. I haven't a clue how or why Elisa and Nate fell in love.

Another component to Elisa that I found off-putting was that she was described as dirty and wearing thread bare pants. For a rancher girl I totally get that. But when it came to intimate scenes, I wish there was a mention of how clean she was at that particular time or some blurb indicating that she'd had a bath or washed her hair. I kept picturing a mess of a woman and I just wanted to hose her down or something.

What I did like about the book was the scheme and the creative twist the book had to offer. It was interesting how the story unfolded and how the story-centered real estate deal disentangled. I enjoyed the friendship between the Devils on Horseback men and their camaraderie is worth more than a mention. They are as loyal as they come and their alliance with one another is embedded in a deep history. The group of men have been through a lot of life changing events together. The risks they are willing to take for one another was highly admirable.

Teasers: brotherly love, honey poop covered trap, tied up cowboy, cattle massacre

[Jessica Alcazar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn't love a nice little erotic western? Ms Williamson has once again sucked me in with this series. I have loved all the books that I've read by her and this one was just as good. There is one comical thing that always gets me in these type on novels and that is how the author will go to great lengths to describe how wonderful each person taste during their sexual interludes and I'm reading thinking ... um, gross, when was the last time they brushed their teeth?!?!?! I know, I know, I find humor in everything I read LOL there is always one tidbit I can find humorous!
All kidding aside, This group of men have a bond since childhood and it carried them thru the war and we now get to see them find their HEA.
I feel the book could have been more detailed with not only Nate's background, but also Elisa's and others. I honestly feel like it could have been twice as long to make the story more poignant. There just wasn't enough information to wow me. I enjoyed what I read, but it left me wanting to know more....and I thought that maybe I would get it in the rest of the books in bits and pieces, but alas, I was mistaken because they are all like that. So they all lost a star for it :[

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book in the Devils on Horseback series. The war between the states is over and Nate and his friends go west to start new lives. They are hired to drive off a family from their land by a large landowner in Texas. But then Nate meets Elisa Taggert and finds himself playing the white knight instead.

It was alright. Not enough plot and story in my opinion.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Beth Williamson novel and I found her writing style quite interesting. The Devils on horseback series has captured my attention and I will be continuing to read the other four devil's adventures and loves.

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thankfully this was a freebie on Kindle. I read 1 chapter and deleted it.