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Into the Wild #2
Tempted
Book Two of the acclaimed INTO THE WILD series by two-time RITA-award winning and Bestselling author Molly O'Keefe
Denver, 1869
Annie Denoe has fought hard for her independence. She has a new life and new freedom as the assistant to a doctor, and though she risks both propriety and her safety, she is determined to be happy in a life on her own.
Steven Baywood is trying to rebuild his shattered life, even though the ghosts of his harrowing stay in Andersonville prison still haunt him. He craves Annie and her quiet strength, but he can't give her the love she deserves. When a tragedy changes everything for Annie, can Steven find peace with his past in order to give Annie a future?
Denver, 1869
Annie Denoe has fought hard for her independence. She has a new life and new freedom as the assistant to a doctor, and though she risks both propriety and her safety, she is determined to be happy in a life on her own.
Steven Baywood is trying to rebuild his shattered life, even though the ghosts of his harrowing stay in Andersonville prison still haunt him. He craves Annie and her quiet strength, but he can't give her the love she deserves. When a tragedy changes everything for Annie, can Steven find peace with his past in order to give Annie a future?
180 pages, ebook
First published July 21, 2015
321 people are currently reading
348 people want to read
About the author
Molly O'Keefe
108 books2,135 followersThis author is also published under: M. O'Keefe.
Molly O'Keefe has always known she wanted to be a writer (except when she wanted to be a florist or a chef and the brief period of time when she considered being a cowgirl). And once she got her hands on some romances, she knew exactly what she wanted to write.
She published her first Harlequin romance at age 25 and hasn't looked back. She loves exploring every character's road towards happily ever after.
Originally from a small town outside of Chicago, she went to university in St. Louis where she met and fell in love with the editor of her school newspaper. They followed each other around the world for several years and finally got married and settled down in Toronto, Ontario. They welcomed their son into their family in 2006, and their daughter in 2008. When she's not at the park or cleaning up the toy room, Molly is working hard on her next novel, trying to exercise, stalking Tina Fey on the internet and dreaming of the day she can finish a cup of coffee without interruption.
Molly O'Keefe has always known she wanted to be a writer (except when she wanted to be a florist or a chef and the brief period of time when she considered being a cowgirl). And once she got her hands on some romances, she knew exactly what she wanted to write.
She published her first Harlequin romance at age 25 and hasn't looked back. She loves exploring every character's road towards happily ever after.
Originally from a small town outside of Chicago, she went to university in St. Louis where she met and fell in love with the editor of her school newspaper. They followed each other around the world for several years and finally got married and settled down in Toronto, Ontario. They welcomed their son into their family in 2006, and their daughter in 2008. When she's not at the park or cleaning up the toy room, Molly is working hard on her next novel, trying to exercise, stalking Tina Fey on the internet and dreaming of the day she can finish a cup of coffee without interruption.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
did-not-finish
August 1, 2023DNF 55% this book was beyond traumatic.
This doesn’t need a review so much as a list of content warnings, so here we go:
😱 on page suicide of a minor
😱 domestic abuse
😱 drug use and addiction
😱 gun violence/ knife violence
😱 gore
😱 atrocities of war
😱 rape
This book is under 200 pages, I got through just over 100 of them and I couldn’t go any further. I stopped at a scene where *triggers hidden behind spoiler tags* what the fuck?!
Never again with this author. The first book was depressing but this book is disturbing and dark. It’s not marketed that way so I’m not happy.
This doesn’t need a review so much as a list of content warnings, so here we go:
😱 on page suicide of a minor
😱 domestic abuse
😱 drug use and addiction
😱 gun violence/ knife violence
😱 gore
😱 atrocities of war
😱 rape
This book is under 200 pages, I got through just over 100 of them and I couldn’t go any further. I stopped at a scene where *triggers hidden behind spoiler tags* what the fuck?!
Never again with this author. The first book was depressing but this book is disturbing and dark. It’s not marketed that way so I’m not happy.
April 2, 2024
the setup…
It’s postwar 1869 and Anne Denoe finally has the independent life she always dreamed of having. She’s living in Denver, owns a boarding house and is the assistant to a doctor who is fighting his own demons. But that allows her to do more doctoring when he’s incapacitated. Steven Baywood has made something of himself following the horrors of the war but even though he’s financially successful, the repercussions of his incarceration plague him emotionally. He’s not oblivious to Anne’s affection for him but cannot imagine ever being able to overcome that which would keep them apart.
the heart of the story…
I admired Anne for her self awareness and fortitude, finding a way to fulfill her dreams in spite of her gender and physical disability. I also liked Steven who lived through the ravages of the war and didn’t succumb to the normal pitfalls, finding independence and sustenance through smart investing. Both were honest to a fault and when they struggled with their feelings for each other, that straightforwardness served them well. Their romance was lovely as they found a way to connect and reach each other.
the bottom line…
There’s a level of intimacy here that’s extraordinary and hard to describe. I felt it throughout, overwhelming at times as it was consuming in a beautiful way. It’s a characteristic of this series that sets it apart from most in the genre. That said, it doesn’t shy away from the gritty realities of the era. It’s the combination of both that makes it special.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
It’s postwar 1869 and Anne Denoe finally has the independent life she always dreamed of having. She’s living in Denver, owns a boarding house and is the assistant to a doctor who is fighting his own demons. But that allows her to do more doctoring when he’s incapacitated. Steven Baywood has made something of himself following the horrors of the war but even though he’s financially successful, the repercussions of his incarceration plague him emotionally. He’s not oblivious to Anne’s affection for him but cannot imagine ever being able to overcome that which would keep them apart.
the heart of the story…
I admired Anne for her self awareness and fortitude, finding a way to fulfill her dreams in spite of her gender and physical disability. I also liked Steven who lived through the ravages of the war and didn’t succumb to the normal pitfalls, finding independence and sustenance through smart investing. Both were honest to a fault and when they struggled with their feelings for each other, that straightforwardness served them well. Their romance was lovely as they found a way to connect and reach each other.
the bottom line…
There’s a level of intimacy here that’s extraordinary and hard to describe. I felt it throughout, overwhelming at times as it was consuming in a beautiful way. It’s a characteristic of this series that sets it apart from most in the genre. That said, it doesn’t shy away from the gritty realities of the era. It’s the combination of both that makes it special.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
March 17, 2017
"I want to be what you need, but I ...don't know if I can be what you want."
The second installment of Molly O’Keefe’s’ Into the Wild series continues with exploration of how the terrible toll of the Civil War affected its survivors.It’s dark, gritty, and messy but also moving and uplifting tale. There are scenes there that are not for the faint-hearted and some that are downright uncomfortable as real life can be. Was it a perfect book? No, it’s not. There are few developments that I wish the author explored more. But I was so invested in the story, I couldn’t put it down, it brought a whole gamut of emotion. Every time I thought: “oh, now, we’ll be entering the dreaded suspend-believe territory”, the author proved me wrong and I’m grateful for it.
The story picks up shortly after the events in the first book where we saw Anne Denoe leaving for Denver to pursue her independence. Now in Denver, she works as an assistant to a doctor whose chloroform addiction leaves him unable to do his job. That gives Anne an opportunity to practice her medical skills she learned at the side of her doctor father. As a girl, her mother had called Anne unnatural because she wanted more in life than stated conventions. And now, in Denver, she is doing just that and striving.
Blue columbine grew in scrappy, determined clumps amongst the broken glass and drunks. That was her. She was blue columbine, growing where she was planted. Her unnaturalness in Georgia before the war was now… well, it was lovely.
Steven Baywood is a damaged man. He survived the notorious Andersonville prison but left with PTSD so severe that he is unable to be touched.The emptiness around him made the emptiness inside him so much worse. Conversely, he could not stand to be in crowds, the accidental touches, the heat and noise of humanity. So he was caught.
He only survives by carefully building walls around himself and his emotions and concentrating on his work as a new railroad investor.Anne and Steven are bound by a deep connection that started in book 1 after she nursed him back to health from a gunshot wound. This is a friends -to -lovers story that defines convention of this often used trope. The author handles progression of their relationship with heartwarming realism and tenderness. Nothing felt contrived. Because of Steven’s aversion to touch, physical intimacy, which in romance is often used to release the tension between the main characters, becomes the source of tension and conflict here. And when the walls crumbled, when emotional chains became no more- well you just have to read the story. And the epilogue was like a cherry on top.
September 23, 2016
I read both this book and the first in the duo (Seduced) not knowing that they were the earlier books in the series to O’Keefe’s ‘Redeemed’, which was easily my favourite of the set of novellas in Gambled Away: A Historical Anthology . They’re both similar in tone to that novella. Post-war and appropriately dark (and I really do mean dark) and brooding. There’s a lot of angst, but O’Keefe’s writing is just deft enough to keep it from being too much, after all, this is romance: there does need to some lightness.
Seduced
I’ve given this 4 stars but it’s probably just about over 3.5 stars. The writing here is wonderful. Melody’s post-war unhappiness and her trauma at being stuck in a horrid marriage is palpable. She’s a true Southern Belle and she loses everything. She’s also forced to confront the kind of woman she was before the war and who she is after it. It’s an interesting exploration to me. A woman raised to marry well and do all of the things to get to that goal is positively useless in a war, and even more useless when the economic and social underpinnings of her world are wrecked at the end of the war. Melody finds she is able to survive and, actually, in exceedingly difficult circumstances she does pretty well. That she doesn’t lose some of the meanness and selfishness she had before the war was satisfying to me. Cole was less well characterised. I think it was too easy to have him be the tortured assassin who would never love.
The little weakness of the story was the conflict keeping Melody and Cole apart. He doesn’t think he can love (tortured assassin) and she doesn’t want to let anyone in given how terribly things have gone when she’s done just that. Both of those things felt a little lazy, but then they’re too easily resolved.
The writing on the way there is marvellous though. And O’Keefe writes some great sex and I so I can forgive the weaknesses in the romance.
Book one also proves a great set up to book two. I was wholly invested in Annie and Steven by the end of it and moved straight on to find out what would become of them.
Tempted
This was just off five stars. It’s not five stars because it’s not, but it’s damned good.
It was a fuller novel than Seduced. More of a sense of place and a cast of characters, all of whom are well realised. Dr Madison (perhaps my judgment is coloured by having read Redeemed, in which he is the hero) was particularly good and it was nice to have a love rival come between our H/h rather than just their own demons.
Annie is a fantastic heroine. She goes to Denver to strike out on her own, to make a living and a difference and she’s doing just that. She’s brave and canny and I liked her just as much in this novel as I had done in book one. Stephen is also brilliant. “Full of ghosts. Full of horrors.” (doc 418) but willing to confront all of that when he’s faced with losing Annie. Their romance is wonderful and progresses naturally and thoughtfully, nothing about it feels contrived or jarring. I especially liked that, in the epilogue, you are reminded that things are not easy for these two characters and it will need work going into the future. It was a nice touch of realism, but didn’t temper the romance.
The writing, again, is magic:
“That kiss would not go to bed. (loc 190)
“He stepped in closer, then reeled her in with their linked hands. Until the very edges of their clothes touched. That was all – the buttons of her shirt, the loose edges of his vest became acquainted.” (loc 1407)
“… He sighed, his fingers tracing the flute of her collarbone, the shadowy dip of her skin beneath it." (loc 1442)
The sex was great. But sadly, there was not full sex. Not that I wouldn’t read masturbation and oral sex scenes all day long if O’Keefe is writing them, but I did feel sad we didn’t get a ‘proper’ wedding night.
I’d heartily recommend reading both books in this series because it really adds to the experience of the second book, and I’m sure I’d have got even more out of Redeemed if I’d read it after book two.
Seduced
I’ve given this 4 stars but it’s probably just about over 3.5 stars. The writing here is wonderful. Melody’s post-war unhappiness and her trauma at being stuck in a horrid marriage is palpable. She’s a true Southern Belle and she loses everything. She’s also forced to confront the kind of woman she was before the war and who she is after it. It’s an interesting exploration to me. A woman raised to marry well and do all of the things to get to that goal is positively useless in a war, and even more useless when the economic and social underpinnings of her world are wrecked at the end of the war. Melody finds she is able to survive and, actually, in exceedingly difficult circumstances she does pretty well. That she doesn’t lose some of the meanness and selfishness she had before the war was satisfying to me. Cole was less well characterised. I think it was too easy to have him be the tortured assassin who would never love.
The little weakness of the story was the conflict keeping Melody and Cole apart. He doesn’t think he can love (tortured assassin) and she doesn’t want to let anyone in given how terribly things have gone when she’s done just that. Both of those things felt a little lazy, but then they’re too easily resolved.
The writing on the way there is marvellous though. And O’Keefe writes some great sex and I so I can forgive the weaknesses in the romance.
Book one also proves a great set up to book two. I was wholly invested in Annie and Steven by the end of it and moved straight on to find out what would become of them.
Tempted
This was just off five stars. It’s not five stars because it’s not, but it’s damned good.
It was a fuller novel than Seduced. More of a sense of place and a cast of characters, all of whom are well realised. Dr Madison (perhaps my judgment is coloured by having read Redeemed, in which he is the hero) was particularly good and it was nice to have a love rival come between our H/h rather than just their own demons.
Annie is a fantastic heroine. She goes to Denver to strike out on her own, to make a living and a difference and she’s doing just that. She’s brave and canny and I liked her just as much in this novel as I had done in book one. Stephen is also brilliant. “Full of ghosts. Full of horrors.” (doc 418) but willing to confront all of that when he’s faced with losing Annie. Their romance is wonderful and progresses naturally and thoughtfully, nothing about it feels contrived or jarring. I especially liked that, in the epilogue, you are reminded that things are not easy for these two characters and it will need work going into the future. It was a nice touch of realism, but didn’t temper the romance.
The writing, again, is magic:
“That kiss would not go to bed. (loc 190)
“He stepped in closer, then reeled her in with their linked hands. Until the very edges of their clothes touched. That was all – the buttons of her shirt, the loose edges of his vest became acquainted.” (loc 1407)
“… He sighed, his fingers tracing the flute of her collarbone, the shadowy dip of her skin beneath it." (loc 1442)
The sex was great. But sadly, there was not full sex. Not that I wouldn’t read masturbation and oral sex scenes all day long if O’Keefe is writing them, but I did feel sad we didn’t get a ‘proper’ wedding night.
I’d heartily recommend reading both books in this series because it really adds to the experience of the second book, and I’m sure I’d have got even more out of Redeemed if I’d read it after book two.
March 13, 2024
A heart breaking story featuring a shell of a man suffering PTSD from the war and the woman he loves who's battling her own demons. Great story!
December 20, 2017
Hmmm . . . 3.5 Stars
The magic of book 1, Seduced - which was a solid 5 star read for me - was somehow missing from this one.
While the writing still definitely had some moments of greatness...
But there's still a lot to recommend in this book. Both Anne and Steven were interesting characters: she's determined to make it on her own in a world that disdains female independence, and he's dealing with the psychological after-effects of being imprisoned at Andersonville, the infamously horrific Civil War POW camp. If only these themes had been better developed...
The magic of book 1, Seduced - which was a solid 5 star read for me - was somehow missing from this one.
While the writing still definitely had some moments of greatness...
But what she felt for him was a different animal than friendship, and it did not come to heel when called. It ran wild through her....the story of Anne and Steven fell a bit flat for me.
But there's still a lot to recommend in this book. Both Anne and Steven were interesting characters: she's determined to make it on her own in a world that disdains female independence, and he's dealing with the psychological after-effects of being imprisoned at Andersonville, the infamously horrific Civil War POW camp. If only these themes had been better developed...
September 19, 2017
2.5 stars. Some parts I loved, some parts I didn't. It's funny because I loved Annie and Steven in the first book, but they kind of fell flat for me in this one. I just felt a disconnect with them. While their story is heartfelt, it didn't affect me as much as I wanted it to. I also think I loved the first book in the series so much that I wasn't instantly drawn in to Tempted. So with a slow beginning and a slow end, I couldn't rate it higher. The middle I did like though. And I really enjoy O'Keefe's writing. One of my biggest issues was Steven's issue with being touched. While I was sad for him, what happened to him in the war didn't translate to his aversion with being touched. If that makes sense? Also, it kind of ruins the romance aspect of the book. So don't read it if you enjoy sex scenes, if you know what I mean ;)
April 2, 2016
This is the second book in the 'Into The Wild' series (easily read as a standalone though both characters were introduced in book 1, Seduced) and gives the reader a different view of the American West, specifically a post civil war look at Denver Colorado in 1869. In this story, Annie has found a place for herself as a doctor's assistant, leaving her sister Melody and Melody's husband Cole to find her own way and future for herself. In her heart she longs for Steven, Cole's brother and the man whom she nursed back to health from a gunshot wound when she and her sister first came west. But Steven suffers from PTSD from the war and his time in Andersonville prison, believing himself wholly unworthy of Annie. Annie might have been able to heal Steven's body, but can she help him heal his mind and open his heart too?
There is a bluntness to this story that is rare to find, no sugar coating here of the tragic effects of the American civil war and the cost of it on families and society as a whole. Those who've worked their way west are looking for something better, but still bring with them the memories of war - whether it be the starvation, the cruelty, the loss of a way of life, or the deaths of friends, comrades, and family. On the surface Steven is a successful and well adjusted businessman investing in the newly formed railroad, adept for the most part at hiding his demons. But he is indeed a wounded soul - a man who almost lost his humanity in prison, but managed an escape that nevertheless resulted in a fear of someone else's touch, no matter whom that person might be. That he cares for Annie isn't of much consequence for him, as he believes they can be friends but no more. For if he can't stomach even being with a whore, how can he manage to be with the one woman who is a light to his darkness? Or more aptly, why would she want to be with a man who can't give her what she needs? Yet when he finds out that the doctor Annie works for has proposed to her, his façade cracks and he realizes that he will lose her forever if he doesn't try to get over his phobia. Annie on the other hand is thriving in this new place. Always fascinated by her father's work as a doctor despite the eventual morbidity associated with his mostly hopeless efforts on the battlefield, as a woman with a club foot and no marriage prospects she has found a respect and admiration from the local townspeople that she would never have gotten at home. This causes her some guilt to be sure, that the war has actually benefited her personally when it has torn apart the people around her. However the past can't be changed, and she is determined to put her skills to good use. Her friendship with Steven is complex, being initially one of gratitude on his part for saving his life, to one of shared confidences and trust. Eventually though, this isn't enough for either of them, and they attempt to progress the relationship to a more intimate one.
Their attempts at intimacy follow a step forward, step back pattern. But Steven is determined to work through his issues. Annie is no magic fix which I liked because to think that someone with Steven's experience would be 'cured' by a woman would be unrealistic. Instead what she is, is patient and loving and kind and understanding - just what he needs.
Interestingly, one of the key settings in this book is a brothel - but not for the sex. While the social mores of the east would have been scandalized, Annie has a friendly working relationship with the prostitutes there as their medical caregiver and it is treated in the story as the business that it is, providing a service and a living for the women who work there. While Steven may not approve of Annie sometimes being there, it's mostly because he fears for her safety and not because of any perceived impropriety.
There are events that happen that affect them both deeply and spur them towards finally admitting their feelings for each other. The result is a touching and bittersweet story, with an overall feeling by the end of hope and a sweet romance between two people deserving of love and healing. 5 stars.
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the author for review.
Note 2: this review appears as a blog post at: http://straightshootinbookreviews.com...
There is a bluntness to this story that is rare to find, no sugar coating here of the tragic effects of the American civil war and the cost of it on families and society as a whole. Those who've worked their way west are looking for something better, but still bring with them the memories of war - whether it be the starvation, the cruelty, the loss of a way of life, or the deaths of friends, comrades, and family. On the surface Steven is a successful and well adjusted businessman investing in the newly formed railroad, adept for the most part at hiding his demons. But he is indeed a wounded soul - a man who almost lost his humanity in prison, but managed an escape that nevertheless resulted in a fear of someone else's touch, no matter whom that person might be. That he cares for Annie isn't of much consequence for him, as he believes they can be friends but no more. For if he can't stomach even being with a whore, how can he manage to be with the one woman who is a light to his darkness? Or more aptly, why would she want to be with a man who can't give her what she needs? Yet when he finds out that the doctor Annie works for has proposed to her, his façade cracks and he realizes that he will lose her forever if he doesn't try to get over his phobia. Annie on the other hand is thriving in this new place. Always fascinated by her father's work as a doctor despite the eventual morbidity associated with his mostly hopeless efforts on the battlefield, as a woman with a club foot and no marriage prospects she has found a respect and admiration from the local townspeople that she would never have gotten at home. This causes her some guilt to be sure, that the war has actually benefited her personally when it has torn apart the people around her. However the past can't be changed, and she is determined to put her skills to good use. Her friendship with Steven is complex, being initially one of gratitude on his part for saving his life, to one of shared confidences and trust. Eventually though, this isn't enough for either of them, and they attempt to progress the relationship to a more intimate one.
He kissed her forehead just above the rim of her glasses, and her head jerked back. They were face to face, and again he didn't think. Couldn't think. He leaned down and kissed her. Her lips tasted of tears. She was holding her breath, and perhaps he was holding his too. He waited for panic, but it never came and he let himself breathe. Let himself feel her. Taste her. And slowly, carefully, she did the same. Her lips softened. Her breath eased out and then in again. He felt the current of it against his face. The urge was there to open his mouth. To taste her more deeply. But he pulled away from the kiss.
"You kissed me," she whispered.
"You kissed me back," he whispered.
Both things felt like minor miracles. And both things felt like enough in and of themselves. They did not need more or to be examined or pressed.
Their attempts at intimacy follow a step forward, step back pattern. But Steven is determined to work through his issues. Annie is no magic fix which I liked because to think that someone with Steven's experience would be 'cured' by a woman would be unrealistic. Instead what she is, is patient and loving and kind and understanding - just what he needs.
Interestingly, one of the key settings in this book is a brothel - but not for the sex. While the social mores of the east would have been scandalized, Annie has a friendly working relationship with the prostitutes there as their medical caregiver and it is treated in the story as the business that it is, providing a service and a living for the women who work there. While Steven may not approve of Annie sometimes being there, it's mostly because he fears for her safety and not because of any perceived impropriety.
There are events that happen that affect them both deeply and spur them towards finally admitting their feelings for each other. The result is a touching and bittersweet story, with an overall feeling by the end of hope and a sweet romance between two people deserving of love and healing. 5 stars.
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the author for review.
Note 2: this review appears as a blog post at: http://straightshootinbookreviews.com...
February 11, 2018
Good follow up o the first book. Some serious themes. The hero had pretty severe PTSD. It seemed short.
February 25, 2018
"I want to be what you need, but I don't know if I can be what you want."
Anne is a woman who yearns to be touched and wanted by Steven. Steven wants to be with Anne but his time in the Andersonville prison during the war has changed him irrevocably. He cannot abide being touched, in any way, by anyone.
It's a tragic story I imagine happened to many of those affected by the horrors of war. Never able to get past the events that not only shaped a nation but changed who we are as a society.
This was so moving in the beginning. The imagery and the dialogue were incredibly raw. However the last 15% of the story fell apart for me. I dearly wanted to be able to look past it but the discerning reader in me could not let it go. 3.5 stars
Anne is a woman who yearns to be touched and wanted by Steven. Steven wants to be with Anne but his time in the Andersonville prison during the war has changed him irrevocably. He cannot abide being touched, in any way, by anyone.
It's a tragic story I imagine happened to many of those affected by the horrors of war. Never able to get past the events that not only shaped a nation but changed who we are as a society.
This was so moving in the beginning. The imagery and the dialogue were incredibly raw. However the last 15% of the story fell apart for me. I dearly wanted to be able to look past it but the discerning reader in me could not let it go. 3.5 stars
September 23, 2015
This series feel very intimate. My favorite part is the historical aspect which brings unusual challenges and obstacles for the characters. Post Civil War era is a fascinating time for me. The whole country is in flux, re-evaluating its values, restructuring its government, westward expansion by both individuals and big business (especially the railroads), dealing with the personal aftermath of a war in which the enemy could've been your neighbor.
Even though it is a fairly short book, the author does an outstanding job developing her characters. Her characters are flawed both emotionally and physically. How Molly O'Keefe resolves the major issues is unusual and in this case, very sensual. So good.
This cements it. I'm pretty much going to read anything Molly O'Keefe writes. I've read three of her books in the last month. Her stories are emotionally evocative and her writing is beautifully intense and memorable.
Even though it is a fairly short book, the author does an outstanding job developing her characters. Her characters are flawed both emotionally and physically. How Molly O'Keefe resolves the major issues is unusual and in this case, very sensual. So good.
This cements it. I'm pretty much going to read anything Molly O'Keefe writes. I've read three of her books in the last month. Her stories are emotionally evocative and her writing is beautifully intense and memorable.
July 6, 2022
You can find this review in English below.
Esta historia ha sido preciosa. Aún más bonita que su antecesora, que también me encantó. En conjunto ha sido casi perfecta, con una combinación magistral de todos los ingredientes: amor, dolor, miseria, esperanza, lucha…
Me ha parecido muy realista. La autora ha elegido a la perfección el escenario donde se podrían dar todas estas circunstancias sin caer en modernidades ni imprecisiones históricas. El marco histórico en el que está ubicada ha sido un acierto. Me ha enganchado de principio a fin.
Y lo que más me ha impactado ha sido que está llena de sentimientos y emociones. Aquí el diálogo interior de los personajes sirve para decirnos qué les pasa, qué sienten, qué quieren, qué no quieren y cómo piensan conseguirlo. Ha sido maravilloso experimentar sus deseos, sus necesidades, sus esperanzas y desesperanzas, sus intentos de mejorar sus vidas, su amor, sus miedos… perfecto.
Es lo que habitualmente echo de menos en los romances, esas ganas de estar juntos, esa sensación de que están hechos el uno para el otro sin que toda la emoción recaiga en los brazos de la lujuria, que la hay, pero en compañía de otros sentimientos.
Muy interesante (y original) el bagaje que la autora les da a sus protagonistas. Tengo debilidad por los personajes imperfectos. Me parecen más reales y encantadores que toda esa belleza y perfección ficticia de la que este género tanto abusa.
A pesar de ser la segunda en la serie se puede leer como una historia de por sí. Pero no te pierdas la primera porque es también una maravilla.
En fin, que todo lo que diga va a ser poco y no le va a hacer justicia. Me ha encantado. Si te van los romances y el western y las historias de superación personal, esta te va a encantar.
Gracias de nuevo, Lyuda, por descubrirme esta joya ;)
***
This one is a wonderful story. Even more than its predecessor, which I loved too. On the whole it has been almost perfect, with a masterful mix of its ingredients: love, grief, misery, hope, struggle…
And it has felt realistic. I don´t think it could have been settled in another time or place. The author selected the perfect setting where all the facts can happen avoiding the dreaded historical inaccuracy. It has hooked me from beginning to end.
And what I liked the best had been that it´s full of emotions and feelings. The characters used their inner monologues to tell us how they feel, what they desire, what are their fears, their hopes, what are they going to do to get what they want… It had been wonderful to experience their wants, needs, hopes, despairs, love… so perfect.
That´s exactly what I usually miss in my romances, the longing to be together, the feeling that they belong together without the lust carrying all the weight of the relationship, although there is lust, mind you, but it accompanies more feelings.
And the emotional baggage that the author gives her MC´s has been so interesting and original. I have a fondness for flawed characters. I´m always draw to them, they are so much believable and lovable than all the beauty and fictional perfection this genre abuses.
This is the second installment in the series and it can be read as a stand-alone, but don´t miss the first one because it´s wonderful too.
Whenever I say, I´m not going to do justice to the story. I loved it. If you love romances and westerns and flawed characters, this one is for you.
Thank you again, Lyuda, for bringing these gems to my attention ;)
Esta historia ha sido preciosa. Aún más bonita que su antecesora, que también me encantó. En conjunto ha sido casi perfecta, con una combinación magistral de todos los ingredientes: amor, dolor, miseria, esperanza, lucha…
Me ha parecido muy realista. La autora ha elegido a la perfección el escenario donde se podrían dar todas estas circunstancias sin caer en modernidades ni imprecisiones históricas. El marco histórico en el que está ubicada ha sido un acierto. Me ha enganchado de principio a fin.
Y lo que más me ha impactado ha sido que está llena de sentimientos y emociones. Aquí el diálogo interior de los personajes sirve para decirnos qué les pasa, qué sienten, qué quieren, qué no quieren y cómo piensan conseguirlo. Ha sido maravilloso experimentar sus deseos, sus necesidades, sus esperanzas y desesperanzas, sus intentos de mejorar sus vidas, su amor, sus miedos… perfecto.
Es lo que habitualmente echo de menos en los romances, esas ganas de estar juntos, esa sensación de que están hechos el uno para el otro sin que toda la emoción recaiga en los brazos de la lujuria, que la hay, pero en compañía de otros sentimientos.
Muy interesante (y original) el bagaje que la autora les da a sus protagonistas. Tengo debilidad por los personajes imperfectos. Me parecen más reales y encantadores que toda esa belleza y perfección ficticia de la que este género tanto abusa.
A pesar de ser la segunda en la serie se puede leer como una historia de por sí. Pero no te pierdas la primera porque es también una maravilla.
En fin, que todo lo que diga va a ser poco y no le va a hacer justicia. Me ha encantado. Si te van los romances y el western y las historias de superación personal, esta te va a encantar.
Gracias de nuevo, Lyuda, por descubrirme esta joya ;)
***
This one is a wonderful story. Even more than its predecessor, which I loved too. On the whole it has been almost perfect, with a masterful mix of its ingredients: love, grief, misery, hope, struggle…
And it has felt realistic. I don´t think it could have been settled in another time or place. The author selected the perfect setting where all the facts can happen avoiding the dreaded historical inaccuracy. It has hooked me from beginning to end.
And what I liked the best had been that it´s full of emotions and feelings. The characters used their inner monologues to tell us how they feel, what they desire, what are their fears, their hopes, what are they going to do to get what they want… It had been wonderful to experience their wants, needs, hopes, despairs, love… so perfect.
That´s exactly what I usually miss in my romances, the longing to be together, the feeling that they belong together without the lust carrying all the weight of the relationship, although there is lust, mind you, but it accompanies more feelings.
And the emotional baggage that the author gives her MC´s has been so interesting and original. I have a fondness for flawed characters. I´m always draw to them, they are so much believable and lovable than all the beauty and fictional perfection this genre abuses.
This is the second installment in the series and it can be read as a stand-alone, but don´t miss the first one because it´s wonderful too.
Whenever I say, I´m not going to do justice to the story. I loved it. If you love romances and westerns and flawed characters, this one is for you.
Thank you again, Lyuda, for bringing these gems to my attention ;)
April 30, 2017
4.5 stars...a really good continuation of the Into the Wild series. This book is about Annie and Steven, sister and brother to Melody and Cole from the first book. Both of these books deal with the aftermath of the U.S. Civil War and how traumatic events from the war are still affecting so many survivors. Annie & Steven were attracted to each other from the beginning but Steven suffers from what we now call PTSD and cannot stand to be touched. Annie is a woman just coming into her own and is determined to get what she wants out of life. She wants Steven but doesn't quite know how to help him and wonders if they can have a future together given his aversion to touch. I think Molly O'Keefe did a good job portraying their issues and Annie didn't just magically cure him with one romp in the hay. It was actually very sensual, the time they spent together slowly getting to know each other sexually. I really like this author's work and although I generally prefer historicals, I think I will check out some of her CR also.
November 5, 2017
Another emotional and gritty Western romance, with a hero and heroine coping with the aftermath of the Civil War. I normally find novellas lacking, with not enough length for the depth of character and romantic development I want, but Molly O'Keefe fit a lot into relatively few pages. Not only that, but the supporting characters were nicely written too, especially the heroine's employer -- a chloroform-addicted doctor who is the hero of the third book in this series. Looking forward to reading that one.
Want to read
February 8, 2018 Currently FREE (02/08) http://amzn.to/2EcUreG
July 21, 2015
O'Keefe's TEMPTED, the second in the Into the Wild series, after SEDUCED, is as moving, well-written, and perceptive as the first. Hero and heroine, Steven and Annie, whom we met in the first volume, are compelling characters. Steve, in particular, is near-broken after the horrors of surviving Andersonville Prison. Anne, a self-declared wallflower, now lives and heals in Denver. Their friendship is beautiful, but they sit in their respective corners loving and yearning for the other. There aren't any obstacles to love for Anne and Steven, but there are to intimacy. How love helps them learn to touch and be touched is tender and poignant, but it isn't easy, or pat. And THAT is signature O'Keefe, who has given readers story after story that breaks convention and fulfills it in the best way possible. My only quibble with TEMPTED remains as SEDUCED, it ends too soon. If you'd like to read a more extensive review, please follow the link:
http://missbatesreadsromance.com/2015...
I received a courtesy e-copy from the author.
http://missbatesreadsromance.com/2015...
I received a courtesy e-copy from the author.
August 15, 2015
I didn't like this one as much as the first book in the series, but it was still a really great read. I loved the friends-to-lovers angle of the romance, and I like how the author is working some surprises into her westerns. In the first book, it was the fact the heroine was already married. In this book? There's a secondary character who proposes to the heroine within the first couple of chapters (although there's not much a "love triangle" to speak of - so if you hate those like I do, never fear!). Really tender in spots, but also with grit and some dark edges. Looking forward to the next book in the series!
July 1, 2017
My expectations were too high and sadly it went in a more cliched direction with him wanting to protect her and blah blah. So, not my favorite in the series but O'Keefe sure does gritty and emotional really well.
Read
August 14, 2015Even more so than the first book, this has a "if Deadwood went all in on the romance plot" vibe. And that's a total compliment.
(When I have a moment, I'll post more about it on my blog, promise.)
(When I have a moment, I'll post more about it on my blog, promise.)
April 15, 2016
I liked Tempted, but I wish that there was more emotional depth. I also wish that there was more exploration of the time and place.
September 1, 2016
Oh, this was just so good! Exquisite!
I love this whole series, so intense and powerful!
I love this whole series, so intense and powerful!
February 3, 2018
Oh, man. Annie and Steven were both so...actually, I can't even say they were both broken. Steven certainly was. The war left its mark on him and, as much as he might want to, he's unable to step out of his protective shell. Until Annie needs him to, that is.
On the other hand, Annie is fiercely independent. FIERCELY. While she might intellectually understand Steven's issues, she's also out of her element when it comes to dealing with them. Good thing there's a wise, kind-hearted but still tough as nails madam in town willing to share her experience. That sounds a little sordid. It's not. I meant her experience with men dealing with the aftermath of the war. Delilah has her own demons and she's kind enough to help Annie and Steven out when they need it.
This isn't Delilah's story, though. Annie and Steven have to figure out how to make things work. When a man is physically unable to stand being touched, that makes things a wee bit difficult. It isn't until Annie survives a terrible incident and her fierce shell cracks that Steven finds the strength to push forward despite his own fears.
This series is seriously good. Gritty. Sometimes brutal. But still hopeful. Annie and Steven are just so...good together. You know, once they actually get together. *thumbs up*
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
On the other hand, Annie is fiercely independent. FIERCELY. While she might intellectually understand Steven's issues, she's also out of her element when it comes to dealing with them. Good thing there's a wise, kind-hearted but still tough as nails madam in town willing to share her experience. That sounds a little sordid. It's not. I meant her experience with men dealing with the aftermath of the war. Delilah has her own demons and she's kind enough to help Annie and Steven out when they need it.
This isn't Delilah's story, though. Annie and Steven have to figure out how to make things work. When a man is physically unable to stand being touched, that makes things a wee bit difficult. It isn't until Annie survives a terrible incident and her fierce shell cracks that Steven finds the strength to push forward despite his own fears.
This series is seriously good. Gritty. Sometimes brutal. But still hopeful. Annie and Steven are just so...good together. You know, once they actually get together. *thumbs up*
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
August 30, 2021
It has been a while since I listened to or read a historical western, and it took me a bit to get back into the ebb and flow of it. Once I did, I remembered how much I truly loved them! This is post civil war Denver and Annie and Steven have a previous connection. I hadn’t read the previous book, and it was easy to get to know them without that information. The sadness and despair of the situation they are both in is beautifully conveyed in the narration. The words that tell their story keep you riveted as it unfolds. The affection and care they have for each other is evident and being with them as they discover how to express and share it was beautiful!
April 26, 2020
Very sweet romance.
Not entirely safe for me:
I did not like the part where the main male character visited a brothel to try and fix his aversion to touch. Even though nothing happened, it was disappointing, because I’ll always be wondering whether it would have gone further than a touch on the wrist had the screaming and situation with Sam not occurred. Even though he claimed to be doing it for the heroine, I rather wish that part wasn’t included. Even more so because the heroine was so open to experimenting with him.
Not entirely safe for me:
I did not like the part where the main male character visited a brothel to try and fix his aversion to touch. Even though nothing happened, it was disappointing, because I’ll always be wondering whether it would have gone further than a touch on the wrist had the screaming and situation with Sam not occurred. Even though he claimed to be doing it for the heroine, I rather wish that part wasn’t included. Even more so because the heroine was so open to experimenting with him.
May 31, 2022
Either I have a new thing for post civil war romances OR Molly O'Keefe can truly make me read anything.
I loved this one even more than the previous. More intense in everything, more intimate, angstier, more emotional, more graphic. It's both heartbreaking and stunning. O'Keefe has a knack for delivering gritty yet sweet romances. It's a real talent. She dips into dark topics and yet manages to make her romance so uplifting.
I didn't want Annie and Steven story to end. Once again, it was too short!!!
I loved this one even more than the previous. More intense in everything, more intimate, angstier, more emotional, more graphic. It's both heartbreaking and stunning. O'Keefe has a knack for delivering gritty yet sweet romances. It's a real talent. She dips into dark topics and yet manages to make her romance so uplifting.
I didn't want Annie and Steven story to end. Once again, it was too short!!!
February 16, 2018
Touching and triumphant
Words can not express how touching and triumphant this story was. Steven suffered so much because of his ordeal during the war and it was so heartbreaking to experience what he suffered and so wonderful to be a part of his victory over it. Anne was just the perfect woman to help him with his recovery and to give him the love and acceptance he so desperately needed and deserved. Excellent story that truly touched my heart.
Words can not express how touching and triumphant this story was. Steven suffered so much because of his ordeal during the war and it was so heartbreaking to experience what he suffered and so wonderful to be a part of his victory over it. Anne was just the perfect woman to help him with his recovery and to give him the love and acceptance he so desperately needed and deserved. Excellent story that truly touched my heart.
October 31, 2021
Tempted is the second in Molly O’Keefe’s Into the Wild series, set in the foothills of the Rockies in the aftermath of the Civil War.
Steven Baywood is one of those men damaged by his time in the war. Annie Denoe’s physical issues have kept her from seeing the traditional paths for women as something for her. Their friendship eventually gives them the foundation to build on and find some measure of healing and joy.
Beautifully written.
Steven Baywood is one of those men damaged by his time in the war. Annie Denoe’s physical issues have kept her from seeing the traditional paths for women as something for her. Their friendship eventually gives them the foundation to build on and find some measure of healing and joy.
Beautifully written.
February 10, 2018
The hero and heroine, Annie and Steven met in the previous Into the Wild book Seduced. You don't have to have read the previous book, but it might help. It would explain how the met and give you an idea about their history. It is a sweet and sexy read, but also deals with the aftermath of war and the effects of PTSD on the hero.
February 10, 2018
I liked the character development, the raw and edgy descriptions, the plot that could only end with a 'teach me' scene, and how the author built up to it all without becoming long-winded or boring. The editing is clean enough, the story interesting enough, and the overall entertainment value good enough. A solid 4 star romance with spice.
December 3, 2019
Good but mostly depressing
This is an interesting story. It is set at a time, after the civil war, when things were really tough. The two main characters Ann and Steven are loaded with problems. That and some of the things that happen make this kind of depressing. I prefer more light hearted romances. It did end on a high note.
This is an interesting story. It is set at a time, after the civil war, when things were really tough. The two main characters Ann and Steven are loaded with problems. That and some of the things that happen make this kind of depressing. I prefer more light hearted romances. It did end on a high note.
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