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Hell's Eight #2
Sam's Creed
Known for making up his own rules of right and wrong, Texas Ranger Sam "Wildcard" MacGregor takes what he wants when he wants it, especially when it comes to women. But seduction is the last thing on his mind when he stumbles across a beauty crouching in fear beside a burned-out wagon.
Isabella may look feminine and unassuming, but she's hell in a bodice with gunslinging skills to match any man's. The woman the townsfolk call "cursed" is hiding secrets too dangerous to face alone. Luckily, she sees in Sam what he can barely glimpse in himself—a virtuous man in a hard country bent on breaking him. A man who, under it all, craves a passionate woman willing to risk everything….
Isabella may look feminine and unassuming, but she's hell in a bodice with gunslinging skills to match any man's. The woman the townsfolk call "cursed" is hiding secrets too dangerous to face alone. Luckily, she sees in Sam what he can barely glimpse in himself—a virtuous man in a hard country bent on breaking him. A man who, under it all, craves a passionate woman willing to risk everything….
423 pages, Trade Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
65 people are currently reading
1591 people want to read
About the author
Sarah McCarty
56 books1,068 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
(1)romance author
Sarah has traveled extensively throughout her life, living in other cultures, sometimes in areas where electricity was a concept awaiting fruition and a book was an extreme luxury. While she could easily adjust to the lack of electricity, living without the comfort of a good book was intolerable. To fill the void, she bought pencil and paper and sketched out her own story. In the process, Sarah discovered the joy of writing.
Sarah writes what she loves to read; fast paced stories with vivid dialogue, intense emotion and well developed characters. Her attention to detail in her stories has earned her multiple awards and a reserved spot on Keeper shelves everywhere.
Sarah writes for Ellora's Cave, Harlequin HQN, Harlequin SPICE, Berkley HEAT and Berkley SENSATION.
(1)romance author
Sarah has traveled extensively throughout her life, living in other cultures, sometimes in areas where electricity was a concept awaiting fruition and a book was an extreme luxury. While she could easily adjust to the lack of electricity, living without the comfort of a good book was intolerable. To fill the void, she bought pencil and paper and sketched out her own story. In the process, Sarah discovered the joy of writing.
Sarah writes what she loves to read; fast paced stories with vivid dialogue, intense emotion and well developed characters. Her attention to detail in her stories has earned her multiple awards and a reserved spot on Keeper shelves everywhere.
Sarah writes for Ellora's Cave, Harlequin HQN, Harlequin SPICE, Berkley HEAT and Berkley SENSATION.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
August 4, 2017
I really liked Sam and Bella's book. I liked it more than the first book. But I still wish there was more plot details instead of sexual details. Pages, pages and pages of sex. I am great with Erotica but I prefer straight Erotica to be in short stories or to have more plot to it. I thought Sam and Bella were both very likable and had a great connection. I also liked the story line. It would have been a 5 star read if not for 2 things. 1. it could have had one or two less sex scenes and 2. some of the sex was hard to believe. Bella was a virgin but the second time she has sex it's on a horse and anal. I mean really Anal horse riding sex????? For someone who has only had sex once before. That was just too much! Though those things didn't take away to much from this read and it was still really enjoyable.
June 22, 2008
Loved it, loved it, loved it! This is the erotic western romance I've been waiting for! I have absolutely no complaints about it, except that I hated to see it end!
This is book 2 in the Hell's Eight series and it picks up where book 1 ("Caine's Reckoning") left off. Sam "Wilcard" MacGregor is searching the wild 1858 Texas countryside, trying to track Ari, the sister of Desi (his friend Caine's wife), who was kidnapped by Comancheros in "Caine's Reckoning". He never expects to stumble upon beautiful, fiery, bossy little Isabella Montoya, a woman on the run from the notorious bandito, Tejala.
Bella's been on the run for months, trying to avoid capture by Tejala and his men. It seems that Bella's parents had been forced under duress to promise her in marriage to the vile Tejala. But Bella wants no part of him--she only wants a man of her choosing.
Sam, being a Texas Ranger, wants to escort her back home, while still keeping a lookout for Ari. But getting her back home is not as easy as it sounds. Tejala controls a lot of the Texas territory, and many people are under his thumb. Sam must fight off many attempts on his life while trying to protect Bella, or as he calls her, Duchess. And he must fight the growing feelings he has for the feisty spitfire.
Sam and Bella are pure magic together. There's lots of verbal sparring, tremendous sexual tension, and plenty of violence as Sam does everything in his power to escort Bella back home, where he hopes she will be safe from the evil Tejala. What he doesn't expect is to fall in love with her. But of course, Sam is one of those heroes who doesn't think he's good enough for the heroine, or that he deserves a HEA. So it's up to the somewhat pampered, aristocratic, yet very brave Bella to set him straight. She adores Sam, and won't let him ride off into the sunset without a fight.
The book builds to a dramatic conclusion with Tejala, coming very close to being heartbreaking. It takes a very brave move on Bella's part to save the day, and convince Sam that he deserves a HEA after all.
For those who care to know, this book is not laced with one sexual scene after another. The story comes first, but the few scenes(maybe 5) that there are are very hot, erotic, yet loving in nature and very satisfying. You can really sense the H/H are falling in love. And what's not to love about Sam? Not only is he handsome, sexy, and ultra protective, but also lonely and vulnerable, with a heartbreaking past. And Bella is no slouch either. Brave and beautiful, with a temperment that perfectly compliments Sam's. I was really hoping it would all work out for them in the end!
The story also introduces Tucker, another member of Hell's Eight, who I am sure will get his own story as he takes up the task of looking for the missing Ari. I look forward to reading the continuing adventures in this fine series!
This is book 2 in the Hell's Eight series and it picks up where book 1 ("Caine's Reckoning") left off. Sam "Wilcard" MacGregor is searching the wild 1858 Texas countryside, trying to track Ari, the sister of Desi (his friend Caine's wife), who was kidnapped by Comancheros in "Caine's Reckoning". He never expects to stumble upon beautiful, fiery, bossy little Isabella Montoya, a woman on the run from the notorious bandito, Tejala.
Bella's been on the run for months, trying to avoid capture by Tejala and his men. It seems that Bella's parents had been forced under duress to promise her in marriage to the vile Tejala. But Bella wants no part of him--she only wants a man of her choosing.
Sam, being a Texas Ranger, wants to escort her back home, while still keeping a lookout for Ari. But getting her back home is not as easy as it sounds. Tejala controls a lot of the Texas territory, and many people are under his thumb. Sam must fight off many attempts on his life while trying to protect Bella, or as he calls her, Duchess. And he must fight the growing feelings he has for the feisty spitfire.
Sam and Bella are pure magic together. There's lots of verbal sparring, tremendous sexual tension, and plenty of violence as Sam does everything in his power to escort Bella back home, where he hopes she will be safe from the evil Tejala. What he doesn't expect is to fall in love with her. But of course, Sam is one of those heroes who doesn't think he's good enough for the heroine, or that he deserves a HEA. So it's up to the somewhat pampered, aristocratic, yet very brave Bella to set him straight. She adores Sam, and won't let him ride off into the sunset without a fight.
The book builds to a dramatic conclusion with Tejala, coming very close to being heartbreaking. It takes a very brave move on Bella's part to save the day, and convince Sam that he deserves a HEA after all.
For those who care to know, this book is not laced with one sexual scene after another. The story comes first, but the few scenes(maybe 5) that there are are very hot, erotic, yet loving in nature and very satisfying. You can really sense the H/H are falling in love. And what's not to love about Sam? Not only is he handsome, sexy, and ultra protective, but also lonely and vulnerable, with a heartbreaking past. And Bella is no slouch either. Brave and beautiful, with a temperment that perfectly compliments Sam's. I was really hoping it would all work out for them in the end!
The story also introduces Tucker, another member of Hell's Eight, who I am sure will get his own story as he takes up the task of looking for the missing Ari. I look forward to reading the continuing adventures in this fine series!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2009
This book kinda lumbered along for me. For the first 300 pages, I felt like I was reading the same scenes over and over again. The last 100 pages picked up a bit, but this book just never really hooked me. It wasn't bad in any sense, just rather average.
Sam's Creed is the second book in Sarah McCarty's erotic historical western Hell's Eight series which is about a group of men who banded together after tragedy tore their lives apart as children.
Sam MacGregor is out on a mission searching for a missing woman (Ari, sister of the heroine in book 1) when he stumbles upon a caravan that was attacked by bandits. He thinks all were killed when he finds a woman still alive and hiding. Isabella Montoya is on the run to keep her freedom. Cruel, immoral Tejala is determined to have her as his, but Bella wants no part of him so she goes on the run. Sam offers his protection until Tejala can be dealt with. So the two start traveling together. There is attraction between them and Bella, who believes capture by Tejala is inevitable, decides she'd rather give her innocence to Sam by her own choice. Sam doesn't go alone so easily. He wants her, but his conscience argues with him. Eventually he gives in, but Sam believes that once Bella is free of the threat of Tejala she'll no longer want him. It's up to Bella to convince him otherwise.
I don't in any way consider this a bad book, but I didn't necessarily find it to be a good book. For one, nothing about it stood out for me. The characters were just kind of there, the romance fairly average, and the storyline a little blah. And second, there were just too many things that I didn't particularly like that kept if from being more than average.
The first 300 pages were rather boring and rather repetitive. Bella and Sam travel, exchange sexual advances, and fight some bad guys. Then lather, rinse, repeat. I just wanted the story to get on already. And what was up with all the violence in this book? I mean, sheesh, it had a body count higher than an old school slasher flick.
And some scenes really dragged, especially some of the sexual ones. I think one scene is like 30 or so pages of foreplay. I actually put it down in the middle and went to sleep for the night.
Bell and Sam are okay as characters. Though I must admit something about Bella tweaked my buttons the wrong way. I didn't really like the sort of casual bickering that was constant between them.
There are also some logic/reality issues. Bella was awfully put together for someone who'd been in the wilderness for six months. She should have been a bit ragged and worn down. I mean, she was gently bred after all, not a frontier woman. And second, why in the world would Sam just leave her at her family's ranch the way he did when someone was after her? I just thought that was rather ridiculous. It was so obvious something bad was going to happen.
But I think one of the things I disliked most about the book was that it's a Hell's Eight story, yet I felt like the author did a really poor job integrating that theme. Except for Tucker's involvement in the last chunk of the book, the extent of it is just Sam saying "I'm Hell's Eight" or something to that effect numerous times. From reading book 1 I knew in general what that was, but if I'm remembering right, there's no explanation at all as to what exactly Hell's Eight is in this book. That didn't make sense to me. It makes the whole concept very nebulous. And for a group that is supposed to be very tightly bonded, it was weird that the rest were so completely uninvolved. For a book in a series, I want it to feel more like part of the series.
So I found this installment a bit of a disappointment. I just didn't really connect with the story. But it wasn't horrible. I didn't have trouble finishing it. I just didn't love it, or like it a lot in any way.
WARNING, this book contains: explicit sex, explicit language, anal sex, mildly used bondage & spanking, a "cozy" scene on a horse, quite a bit of violence, and an attempted rape scene.
Sam's Creed is the second book in Sarah McCarty's erotic historical western Hell's Eight series which is about a group of men who banded together after tragedy tore their lives apart as children.
Sam MacGregor is out on a mission searching for a missing woman (Ari, sister of the heroine in book 1) when he stumbles upon a caravan that was attacked by bandits. He thinks all were killed when he finds a woman still alive and hiding. Isabella Montoya is on the run to keep her freedom. Cruel, immoral Tejala is determined to have her as his, but Bella wants no part of him so she goes on the run. Sam offers his protection until Tejala can be dealt with. So the two start traveling together. There is attraction between them and Bella, who believes capture by Tejala is inevitable, decides she'd rather give her innocence to Sam by her own choice. Sam doesn't go alone so easily. He wants her, but his conscience argues with him. Eventually he gives in, but Sam believes that once Bella is free of the threat of Tejala she'll no longer want him. It's up to Bella to convince him otherwise.
I don't in any way consider this a bad book, but I didn't necessarily find it to be a good book. For one, nothing about it stood out for me. The characters were just kind of there, the romance fairly average, and the storyline a little blah. And second, there were just too many things that I didn't particularly like that kept if from being more than average.
The first 300 pages were rather boring and rather repetitive. Bella and Sam travel, exchange sexual advances, and fight some bad guys. Then lather, rinse, repeat. I just wanted the story to get on already. And what was up with all the violence in this book? I mean, sheesh, it had a body count higher than an old school slasher flick.
And some scenes really dragged, especially some of the sexual ones. I think one scene is like 30 or so pages of foreplay. I actually put it down in the middle and went to sleep for the night.
Bell and Sam are okay as characters. Though I must admit something about Bella tweaked my buttons the wrong way. I didn't really like the sort of casual bickering that was constant between them.
There are also some logic/reality issues. Bella was awfully put together for someone who'd been in the wilderness for six months. She should have been a bit ragged and worn down. I mean, she was gently bred after all, not a frontier woman. And second, why in the world would Sam just leave her at her family's ranch the way he did when someone was after her? I just thought that was rather ridiculous. It was so obvious something bad was going to happen.
But I think one of the things I disliked most about the book was that it's a Hell's Eight story, yet I felt like the author did a really poor job integrating that theme. Except for Tucker's involvement in the last chunk of the book, the extent of it is just Sam saying "I'm Hell's Eight" or something to that effect numerous times. From reading book 1 I knew in general what that was, but if I'm remembering right, there's no explanation at all as to what exactly Hell's Eight is in this book. That didn't make sense to me. It makes the whole concept very nebulous. And for a group that is supposed to be very tightly bonded, it was weird that the rest were so completely uninvolved. For a book in a series, I want it to feel more like part of the series.
So I found this installment a bit of a disappointment. I just didn't really connect with the story. But it wasn't horrible. I didn't have trouble finishing it. I just didn't love it, or like it a lot in any way.
WARNING, this book contains: explicit sex, explicit language, anal sex, mildly used bondage & spanking, a "cozy" scene on a horse, quite a bit of violence, and an attempted rape scene.
March 30, 2009
OMG!!! I think I am in love with the men of Hell's 8. I wish there was a time travel machine to go back in time to late 1850's to Texas!! HOLY CANNOLIS BATMAN!!!
How do I describe this one and not give away the story!! Gee I hate this!!
Ok, Isabella has been on the run for 6 months from her intended, Tejala. He is a ruthless, a-hole of a man who is Hell bent in owning Isabella only for her ranch and not her. So Isabella runs and runs smack dab into one of Hell's 8 own, Sam "Wildcard" MacGregor, Sam is a Texas Ranger, a hard one at that, and he is attracted to the little Spanish spitfire from the time he finds her admidst a massacre. But Sam has demons of his own to fight through.
Just an incredible story of 2 people, very stubborn and prideful, coming to terms with their wants and needs. The sex is not bad either!! Whoa, sit on an iceberg when you read this one. I never thought that making love on horseback was possible. I mean there are some logistical difficulties I could foresee, but they did it and OMG they did it. Whew, need a cold shower after that scene, UHUM.
I am now desperately awaiting the 3rd installment. Who out of the remaining 6 it will be I can only speculate. But Lord what a speculation that will be!!
Ok, Just went to her website, Tucker's Claim will be #3 int he Hell's 8 series and it will come out April of 2009
How do I describe this one and not give away the story!! Gee I hate this!!
Ok, Isabella has been on the run for 6 months from her intended, Tejala. He is a ruthless, a-hole of a man who is Hell bent in owning Isabella only for her ranch and not her. So Isabella runs and runs smack dab into one of Hell's 8 own, Sam "Wildcard" MacGregor, Sam is a Texas Ranger, a hard one at that, and he is attracted to the little Spanish spitfire from the time he finds her admidst a massacre. But Sam has demons of his own to fight through.
Just an incredible story of 2 people, very stubborn and prideful, coming to terms with their wants and needs. The sex is not bad either!! Whoa, sit on an iceberg when you read this one. I never thought that making love on horseback was possible. I mean there are some logistical difficulties I could foresee, but they did it and OMG they did it. Whew, need a cold shower after that scene, UHUM.
I am now desperately awaiting the 3rd installment. Who out of the remaining 6 it will be I can only speculate. But Lord what a speculation that will be!!
Ok, Just went to her website, Tucker's Claim will be #3 int he Hell's 8 series and it will come out April of 2009
October 6, 2017
Some things about the blurb that don't really match up to the story: I don't recall Bella being cursed or really much of a gunslinger although she has no problems in wading in to the fight.
Bella is a cute and fiesty Hispanic heroine; Sam is a big hunky protective Texas lawman and a member of Hell's Eight. Hell's Eight is a pseudo band of brothers in Texas that fights evil where it raises its ugly head, pardner. Sam's nickname is Wild Card which would have been a better title.
Plot? Who cares? But okay. Sam finds Bella, protects Bella, tries to fend off Bella's attentions, then ends up seducing the bejeezus out of her anyway. An evil villain is after Bella, and its Sam's job to protect her from the villain as well as Sam.
Fun times and about as accurate about the Old west as Galaxy Quest is to space travel. If you like hunky heroes, sassy heroines, and a hint of honor tossed with light BDSM then read away.
More than a hint of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the movie.
Bella is a cute and fiesty Hispanic heroine; Sam is a big hunky protective Texas lawman and a member of Hell's Eight. Hell's Eight is a pseudo band of brothers in Texas that fights evil where it raises its ugly head, pardner. Sam's nickname is Wild Card which would have been a better title.
Plot? Who cares? But okay. Sam finds Bella, protects Bella, tries to fend off Bella's attentions, then ends up seducing the bejeezus out of her anyway. An evil villain is after Bella, and its Sam's job to protect her from the villain as well as Sam.
Fun times and about as accurate about the Old west as Galaxy Quest is to space travel. If you like hunky heroes, sassy heroines, and a hint of honor tossed with light BDSM then read away.
More than a hint of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the movie.
July 25, 2016
Well I can honestly say this book had a first for me. Anal sex while
Hahahaha
July 20, 2008
If you like the strong and silent alpha (not brooding, just not Chatty Charlie) and one firecracker of a heroine then this is a must read! Sam’s Creed is an excellent story whether you like western romances or not –and they’re rarely my first pick.
This is sooo much better than Caine’s Reckoning, the first in the Hell’s Eight series. It’s a lot “gentler” in terms of romance and steam but in no way takes away from the sun blistering sex! Very erotic without being one of those “squash the meat” icky reads. The sexual tension is exceptionally well done. McCarty sloooowlyyyyyy draws you in and tightens the string until you can’t take it anymore. You’ll find yourself holding your breath and then suddenly you’re gasping out an “OMG! OMG”!
There are some horrific after effects of violence scenes in the book that just make your skin crawl but there is also a beautiful love story here too. McCarty does a brilliant job of painting Sam as this hard as nails cowboy who only says what’s necessary and no more. It’s one liners all the time from this guy. He’s so reserved, however under it all lies this strength and passion that when unharnessed he will do anything, anything, anything(!) to make Isabella happy.
The way Sam and Isabella trade barbs is so much fun to read and it’s all part of that sexual tension build up that makes the time spent talking about or actually riding the ol’ baloney pony a feast for the senses ;D
This is sooo much better than Caine’s Reckoning, the first in the Hell’s Eight series. It’s a lot “gentler” in terms of romance and steam but in no way takes away from the sun blistering sex! Very erotic without being one of those “squash the meat” icky reads. The sexual tension is exceptionally well done. McCarty sloooowlyyyyyy draws you in and tightens the string until you can’t take it anymore. You’ll find yourself holding your breath and then suddenly you’re gasping out an “OMG! OMG”!
There are some horrific after effects of violence scenes in the book that just make your skin crawl but there is also a beautiful love story here too. McCarty does a brilliant job of painting Sam as this hard as nails cowboy who only says what’s necessary and no more. It’s one liners all the time from this guy. He’s so reserved, however under it all lies this strength and passion that when unharnessed he will do anything, anything, anything(!) to make Isabella happy.
The way Sam and Isabella trade barbs is so much fun to read and it’s all part of that sexual tension build up that makes the time spent talking about or actually riding the ol’ baloney pony a feast for the senses ;D
March 13, 2009
5+ stars – Western/Historical Romance/Erotica
I L-O-V-E-D this book! McCarty’s Hell’s Eight historical western romance/erotica series is brilliantly written, exciting, gritty, emotionally gripping, sensual, and action-packed and features such strong, realistic, well-developed characters. It is now one of my top favorite series!
The Hell’s Eight are a group of Texas Rangers who have banded together after losing their families in a brutal massacre of their town years before. They own thousands of acres in the Texas territory in the late 1850’s (known as Hell’s Eight land) and fight injustice and right wrongs on their terms.
Sam’s Creed is the second book in the series and centers around Texas Ranger Sam “Wildcard” MacGregor’s rescue and protection of feisty and proper Isabella “Bella/Duchess” Montoya while on the trail in search of a kidnapped woman named Ari, who is the sister of the heroine Desi from Caine’s Reckoning. There’s a monster villain named Tejala after Bella, which provides for some fairly gruesome and gut-wrenching moments. The romance between Sam and Bella is slow-moving and the sex scenes aren’t quite as frequent or erotic as in Caine’s Reckoning, but it’s still a very sensual read.
I don’t think I can cover this book any better than Auntee, so I recommend checking out her great review. I’ll just say that Sam’s Creed is an exceptional western romance and I hated for it to end. I can’t wait for book three Tucker’s Claim to come out, and I so look forward to reading more books in this fabulous series! The Hell’s Eight are some seriously smoking hot cowboys!
I L-O-V-E-D this book! McCarty’s Hell’s Eight historical western romance/erotica series is brilliantly written, exciting, gritty, emotionally gripping, sensual, and action-packed and features such strong, realistic, well-developed characters. It is now one of my top favorite series!
The Hell’s Eight are a group of Texas Rangers who have banded together after losing their families in a brutal massacre of their town years before. They own thousands of acres in the Texas territory in the late 1850’s (known as Hell’s Eight land) and fight injustice and right wrongs on their terms.
Sam’s Creed is the second book in the series and centers around Texas Ranger Sam “Wildcard” MacGregor’s rescue and protection of feisty and proper Isabella “Bella/Duchess” Montoya while on the trail in search of a kidnapped woman named Ari, who is the sister of the heroine Desi from Caine’s Reckoning. There’s a monster villain named Tejala after Bella, which provides for some fairly gruesome and gut-wrenching moments. The romance between Sam and Bella is slow-moving and the sex scenes aren’t quite as frequent or erotic as in Caine’s Reckoning, but it’s still a very sensual read.
I don’t think I can cover this book any better than Auntee, so I recommend checking out her great review. I’ll just say that Sam’s Creed is an exceptional western romance and I hated for it to end. I can’t wait for book three Tucker’s Claim to come out, and I so look forward to reading more books in this fabulous series! The Hell’s Eight are some seriously smoking hot cowboys!
November 24, 2008
Reviewed for www.thcreviews.com
In my opinion, Sam's Creed had a lot of potential, but ended up having enough plot holes to make swiss cheese. First, Bella has supposedly been on the run from the evil bad guy, Tejala, for six months by the time she met Sam. Considering that they were being attacked almost immediately and constantly for the short time span of the story, I cannot fathom how she could have survived, seemingly without any friends or allies, for six days much less six months. Also, as soon as Bella meets Sam, she decides that she wants to loose her virginity on her terms, because Tejala is likely on their heels and when he catches them will take her by force. If she had been on the run for six months, I just couldn't understand the sudden urgency for this and why she hadn't thought of it sooner other than it being an excuse for the protagonists to have sex early and often. Finally, I can't for the life of me figure out why Sam left Bella alone with her mother whom they had presumed was supportive of Bella's arranged marriage with Tejala, and how anyone could have gotten past the Montoya ranch hands who were supposedly fiercely protective of Bella, without half of them being killed. Once again, this seemed like little more than a weak plot device to lead into an action-packed climax. These were just a few of the many things that weren't very well explained and didn't quite make sense to me. While this certainly wasn't the worst book I've ever read, I felt that it was plagued with a lack of substantial plot to hold together numerous scenes of sex and violence. In fact Sam and Bella carried the entire first ¾ of the book on their own with no secondary characters to even speak of, and their interactions during this part of the story basically consisted of riding through the desert, having sex and getting into a shoot-out then repeating the process for 300 pages.
Besides the weak plot, there were some other things which either bothered me about the story or I felt simply lacked credibility. First and foremost was the romance which was basically lust at first sight. I have said in numerous other reviews that love at first sight plots are not my favorites, but I can buy into them if the author gives me a strong emotional connection to the characters. Unfortunately, I found that to be lacking in Sam's Creed, as most of their scenes, especially early on, were basically fueled by lust. There were a few tender moments that I enjoyed, such as when Sam gave Bella a sponge-bath on their first night together, but overall I never really felt that all-important emotional connection between them and wasn't really sure when or why they fell in love. Their scenes together just never exhibited that swoon-worthy quality which is a must for me in romance. Another big thing for me was the love scenes. While I give Ms. McCarty kudos for thinking outside the box (not one of the numerous love scenes took place in a bed), all I could think of almost every time they made love was how at the very least that had to be uncomfortable and at worst possibly not even doable, particularly the acrobatic “relations” on horseback. Also, I couldn't help but think of how unpleasant certain said “relations” would be after long days on a hot, dusty trail with nary a bathtub or even a watering hole in sight. When I'm being dragged out of the heat of the moment by thoughts like that it is very distracting to my enjoyment of the overall story. In addition, I was a bit bothered by the violence level, which I felt, for the most part, was rather gratuitous. The body count was very high and some scenes were bloody with Sam being the one who was inflicting most of the damage. Even though it was always in self-defense or in defense of Bella, it just made him seem like a bloodthirsty killer to me, even though I'm sure that wasn't intentional. I just think the violence could have been toned down a little and still packed a good punch.
Sam and Bella were two basically good people with several positive traits, but I was never completely able to relate to either one of them. Sam was an extreme alpha who kept his heart locked up tight and never did fully release it in my opinion. He was just so hard and stubborn, lacking the consistent tenderness and vulnerability that I prefer in my heroes. I had been aware of Sam's heartbreaking boyhood experience surrounding his mother's death from reading Caine's Reckoning, but I never felt like the author added much to that backstory in this book. In fact, Sam didn't even open up enough to tell Bella about the incident and his fears and feelings surrounding it. Bella just intuited on her own that something from the past haunted him, and then the knowledge of it came from Tucker. Even that was done off the canvas, barely getting a passing mention which was disappointing to me. I thought Bella was admirable for her spunk and independence, and I liked that she was so willing to give of herself emotionally and physically to Sam. Still, I can't say that I'm a big fan of heroines, especially historical ones, who are quite so forward in their seductiveness and propositioning. Also, she could be just as hard and stubborn as Sam, which left them butting heads on one thing or another for the entire book. Although this wasn't as grating to my nerves as it has been in other books I've read, I'm also not a fan of the hero and heroine constantly vying for dominance in the relationship either. Overall, I thought that both characters would have needed a little more depth and exhibited a bit more vulnerability for me to truly understand them.
I really thought the book could have used better editing as well. There were many scenes that moved so slowly I found myself beginning to loose interest and just wanting it to get to the point. On the flip side there were other scenes that I found difficult to imagine or just plain confusing because they lacked enough detail. The dialog suffered from this same affliction, as I often found it problematic to discern who was speaking, especially if there were more than two people conversing at a time. This was also a problem I had with Caine's Reckoning, so I'm wondering if this is an issue with all of Ms. McCarty's books or just this series. In addition, there were a myriad of small continuity errors which I found rather irritating, such as someone sitting down but then suddenly they are standing again without any explanation or someone had their shirt off and then suddenly it is back on without explanation. The worst one was a poor dead prostitute whose name kept changing from Betty to Sally four different times over just a couple of pages. This one left me scratching my head in bewilderment as to how such a blatant mistake could have gotten past the proofreaders. Each of these were pretty small things in themselves, but when put together added up to one big distraction which caused the overall narrative to lack a smooth flow.
I realize that I have spent the better part of this review criticizing Sam's Creed, but even though I thought it could have been much better, I didn't exactly dislike it. In spite of the problems I had with the book, I still found Sam's Creed to be a mostly worthwhile read. I will also allow that I can see how it would appeal to some readers. Anyone who enjoys a strong alpha male hero, a spitfire heroine and/or lot's of steamy creative sex scenes should definitely check it out. However, unlike Caine's Reckoning, it's predecessor in the Hell's Eight series, I would not be likely to re-read it. I was rather disappointed that the only other member of Hell's Eight to appear in Sam's Creed was Tucker, but a few extra details being added to his character and the introduction of his presumed lady love have intrigued me enough to definitely continue the series when his book, Tucker's Claim, is released next spring. In the meantime, I will likely explore Sarah McCarty's backlist, as I know that she has the ability to write books that I can greatly enjoy even though I can't count Sam's Creed among them.
Note: This book contains explicit language, violence, and sexual situations, including light bondage, domination/submission, spanking and anal sex, which some readers may find offensive.
In my opinion, Sam's Creed had a lot of potential, but ended up having enough plot holes to make swiss cheese. First, Bella has supposedly been on the run from the evil bad guy, Tejala, for six months by the time she met Sam. Considering that they were being attacked almost immediately and constantly for the short time span of the story, I cannot fathom how she could have survived, seemingly without any friends or allies, for six days much less six months. Also, as soon as Bella meets Sam, she decides that she wants to loose her virginity on her terms, because Tejala is likely on their heels and when he catches them will take her by force. If she had been on the run for six months, I just couldn't understand the sudden urgency for this and why she hadn't thought of it sooner other than it being an excuse for the protagonists to have sex early and often. Finally, I can't for the life of me figure out why Sam left Bella alone with her mother whom they had presumed was supportive of Bella's arranged marriage with Tejala, and how anyone could have gotten past the Montoya ranch hands who were supposedly fiercely protective of Bella, without half of them being killed. Once again, this seemed like little more than a weak plot device to lead into an action-packed climax. These were just a few of the many things that weren't very well explained and didn't quite make sense to me. While this certainly wasn't the worst book I've ever read, I felt that it was plagued with a lack of substantial plot to hold together numerous scenes of sex and violence. In fact Sam and Bella carried the entire first ¾ of the book on their own with no secondary characters to even speak of, and their interactions during this part of the story basically consisted of riding through the desert, having sex and getting into a shoot-out then repeating the process for 300 pages.
Besides the weak plot, there were some other things which either bothered me about the story or I felt simply lacked credibility. First and foremost was the romance which was basically lust at first sight. I have said in numerous other reviews that love at first sight plots are not my favorites, but I can buy into them if the author gives me a strong emotional connection to the characters. Unfortunately, I found that to be lacking in Sam's Creed, as most of their scenes, especially early on, were basically fueled by lust. There were a few tender moments that I enjoyed, such as when Sam gave Bella a sponge-bath on their first night together, but overall I never really felt that all-important emotional connection between them and wasn't really sure when or why they fell in love. Their scenes together just never exhibited that swoon-worthy quality which is a must for me in romance. Another big thing for me was the love scenes. While I give Ms. McCarty kudos for thinking outside the box (not one of the numerous love scenes took place in a bed), all I could think of almost every time they made love was how at the very least that had to be uncomfortable and at worst possibly not even doable, particularly the acrobatic “relations” on horseback. Also, I couldn't help but think of how unpleasant certain said “relations” would be after long days on a hot, dusty trail with nary a bathtub or even a watering hole in sight. When I'm being dragged out of the heat of the moment by thoughts like that it is very distracting to my enjoyment of the overall story. In addition, I was a bit bothered by the violence level, which I felt, for the most part, was rather gratuitous. The body count was very high and some scenes were bloody with Sam being the one who was inflicting most of the damage. Even though it was always in self-defense or in defense of Bella, it just made him seem like a bloodthirsty killer to me, even though I'm sure that wasn't intentional. I just think the violence could have been toned down a little and still packed a good punch.
Sam and Bella were two basically good people with several positive traits, but I was never completely able to relate to either one of them. Sam was an extreme alpha who kept his heart locked up tight and never did fully release it in my opinion. He was just so hard and stubborn, lacking the consistent tenderness and vulnerability that I prefer in my heroes. I had been aware of Sam's heartbreaking boyhood experience surrounding his mother's death from reading Caine's Reckoning, but I never felt like the author added much to that backstory in this book. In fact, Sam didn't even open up enough to tell Bella about the incident and his fears and feelings surrounding it. Bella just intuited on her own that something from the past haunted him, and then the knowledge of it came from Tucker. Even that was done off the canvas, barely getting a passing mention which was disappointing to me. I thought Bella was admirable for her spunk and independence, and I liked that she was so willing to give of herself emotionally and physically to Sam. Still, I can't say that I'm a big fan of heroines, especially historical ones, who are quite so forward in their seductiveness and propositioning. Also, she could be just as hard and stubborn as Sam, which left them butting heads on one thing or another for the entire book. Although this wasn't as grating to my nerves as it has been in other books I've read, I'm also not a fan of the hero and heroine constantly vying for dominance in the relationship either. Overall, I thought that both characters would have needed a little more depth and exhibited a bit more vulnerability for me to truly understand them.
I really thought the book could have used better editing as well. There were many scenes that moved so slowly I found myself beginning to loose interest and just wanting it to get to the point. On the flip side there were other scenes that I found difficult to imagine or just plain confusing because they lacked enough detail. The dialog suffered from this same affliction, as I often found it problematic to discern who was speaking, especially if there were more than two people conversing at a time. This was also a problem I had with Caine's Reckoning, so I'm wondering if this is an issue with all of Ms. McCarty's books or just this series. In addition, there were a myriad of small continuity errors which I found rather irritating, such as someone sitting down but then suddenly they are standing again without any explanation or someone had their shirt off and then suddenly it is back on without explanation. The worst one was a poor dead prostitute whose name kept changing from Betty to Sally four different times over just a couple of pages. This one left me scratching my head in bewilderment as to how such a blatant mistake could have gotten past the proofreaders. Each of these were pretty small things in themselves, but when put together added up to one big distraction which caused the overall narrative to lack a smooth flow.
I realize that I have spent the better part of this review criticizing Sam's Creed, but even though I thought it could have been much better, I didn't exactly dislike it. In spite of the problems I had with the book, I still found Sam's Creed to be a mostly worthwhile read. I will also allow that I can see how it would appeal to some readers. Anyone who enjoys a strong alpha male hero, a spitfire heroine and/or lot's of steamy creative sex scenes should definitely check it out. However, unlike Caine's Reckoning, it's predecessor in the Hell's Eight series, I would not be likely to re-read it. I was rather disappointed that the only other member of Hell's Eight to appear in Sam's Creed was Tucker, but a few extra details being added to his character and the introduction of his presumed lady love have intrigued me enough to definitely continue the series when his book, Tucker's Claim, is released next spring. In the meantime, I will likely explore Sarah McCarty's backlist, as I know that she has the ability to write books that I can greatly enjoy even though I can't count Sam's Creed among them.
Note: This book contains explicit language, violence, and sexual situations, including light bondage, domination/submission, spanking and anal sex, which some readers may find offensive.
January 2, 2009
Texas Ranger, Sam "Wildcard" MacGregor was just passing through when he saw the burnt out shells of wagons. Not wanting to check but knowing he couldn't live with himself if he didn't, he moved forward to investigate. Among the carnage and wreckage, he found Isabella Montoya. She's a tiny little lady with more sass than sense and a decidedly regal air about her that made his palms itch at the thought of taming this wildcat. Isabella has been running for six months from Tejala, the man whose been trying to force her to the altar and she's just about out of steam when she meets Sam. One of the notorious Hell's Eight, Sam's not deterred by the threat of outlaws on her trail and drags her with him despite her protests. He sets off for her home, determined to reunite her with her mother and set Tejala straight. Isabella is Hell's Eight now and he wants everyone to know it.
Sam was a gorgeous hunk of man and good Lord I wouldn't kick him out of my bed for eating crackers. He was forceful and amusing and not too broody, which I liked. He was a hard man, a man forged in the Wild West and while he had his inner demons, Isabella charmed her way right into his heart. Isabella was adorably mischievous, like a wayward little kitten. I found her charming and her lilting spanish tinged accent was really cute. I really liked the way Sarah McCarty made her sound and I also thought the way Sam would gently correct her broken english to be a fun game. Bella was a sweet, brave and honorable little lady and her steadfast determination to not let Tejala get the better of her was heartening, as was Sam's cold fear at the thought of what Bella would do if she was caught. These two were an adorable couple. He was hard and she was soft and they both made each other laugh which for me, is what I want most in a book.
Their sex was hot as all get out. They have a lot of "relations" while atop their horse and while it takes a stretch of the imagination to envision what they are doing and how they are doing it, it was certainly intriguing. There is some fun lite spanking and other bits of naughtiness and like I said before, I wouldn't kick Sam out of my bed for eating crackers.
The story of this book was good, too. Isabella's ranch is in her name and only she can pass it on to the husband of her choice. Tejala is determined that that man will be him and if he has to run her down like a rabid dog, then that's what he'll do. Luckily for Isabella, Sam is Hell's Eight and that name strikes fear into the hearts of all evil doers so they think twice before taking him on and taking what is his. We get some fun characters in the ranch hands at Isabella's ranch and a fellow Hell's Eight member in Tucker. This was a fun entertaining read and I can't wait to read more in the Hell's Eight series by Sarah McCarty.
Sam was a gorgeous hunk of man and good Lord I wouldn't kick him out of my bed for eating crackers. He was forceful and amusing and not too broody, which I liked. He was a hard man, a man forged in the Wild West and while he had his inner demons, Isabella charmed her way right into his heart. Isabella was adorably mischievous, like a wayward little kitten. I found her charming and her lilting spanish tinged accent was really cute. I really liked the way Sarah McCarty made her sound and I also thought the way Sam would gently correct her broken english to be a fun game. Bella was a sweet, brave and honorable little lady and her steadfast determination to not let Tejala get the better of her was heartening, as was Sam's cold fear at the thought of what Bella would do if she was caught. These two were an adorable couple. He was hard and she was soft and they both made each other laugh which for me, is what I want most in a book.
Their sex was hot as all get out. They have a lot of "relations" while atop their horse and while it takes a stretch of the imagination to envision what they are doing and how they are doing it, it was certainly intriguing. There is some fun lite spanking and other bits of naughtiness and like I said before, I wouldn't kick Sam out of my bed for eating crackers.
The story of this book was good, too. Isabella's ranch is in her name and only she can pass it on to the husband of her choice. Tejala is determined that that man will be him and if he has to run her down like a rabid dog, then that's what he'll do. Luckily for Isabella, Sam is Hell's Eight and that name strikes fear into the hearts of all evil doers so they think twice before taking him on and taking what is his. We get some fun characters in the ranch hands at Isabella's ranch and a fellow Hell's Eight member in Tucker. This was a fun entertaining read and I can't wait to read more in the Hell's Eight series by Sarah McCarty.
October 26, 2008
This book went into my 'Purgatory' shelf where I send the books that didn't even get finished. Depending on the 'credits' or good reviews it gets, Sam's Creed may get a second chance sometime in the future.
To be fair, the only reason why I've abandoned Sam's Creed is because I got stuck at the deflowering scene. Sam took so bloody long to do the deed and I didn't have time to read that many pages in one sitting so it was like days and Sam was still at foreplay! Based on what little I've read, Caine's Reckoning was much better but I haven't totally given up on Sam and may take him out again one day. I like Sam but the heroine is just so-so. I'd yet to see a trait that warmed me to her but I gave up rather early so all I got was a virgin trying to unload her virginity and I tend to find such heroines annoying.
If I didn't have any other books to read, I guess I would have stuck it out (flip the pages, at least) but unfortunately, I happened to buy JD Robb's first book, Naked in Death, and the pacing was worlds apart. For all I know, Sam's Creed could turn out to be an action-packed page-turner. So, if I read more good reviews giving me reasons why I should retrieve it then I may.
To be fair, the only reason why I've abandoned Sam's Creed is because I got stuck at the deflowering scene. Sam took so bloody long to do the deed and I didn't have time to read that many pages in one sitting so it was like days and Sam was still at foreplay! Based on what little I've read, Caine's Reckoning was much better but I haven't totally given up on Sam and may take him out again one day. I like Sam but the heroine is just so-so. I'd yet to see a trait that warmed me to her but I gave up rather early so all I got was a virgin trying to unload her virginity and I tend to find such heroines annoying.
If I didn't have any other books to read, I guess I would have stuck it out (flip the pages, at least) but unfortunately, I happened to buy JD Robb's first book, Naked in Death, and the pacing was worlds apart. For all I know, Sam's Creed could turn out to be an action-packed page-turner. So, if I read more good reviews giving me reasons why I should retrieve it then I may.
October 10, 2010
This is a historical erotic romance. The hero is a gunslinger who has enough honor to choke a horse, which sometimes can be a handicap. The heroine is a feisty young Spanish heiress fleeing for her safety through the Texas wilderness. Her character has him falling in love in spite of himself. She is enthralled by his gentleness with his horse and his dog.
Sparks fly as he is determined that he shall not dishonor her innocence and she is determined that he will take her in every way known to man. With bandidos on thier heels, it makes for a great story.
I've put the rest of the series on my wishlist.
Sparks fly as he is determined that he shall not dishonor her innocence and she is determined that he will take her in every way known to man. With bandidos on thier heels, it makes for a great story.
I've put the rest of the series on my wishlist.
September 24, 2017
Reread Aug. 2017 - Just as awesome & HOT as I remembered! A Page Burner!
4.5 stars - What a great book! I loved it. This was one of the sexiest historical westerns that I've ever read. The romance was so sweet and yet so bad!! Loved the anticipation and the time the author spends building up to a frenzy of desire, want, and need between this badass hero and sassy heroine. A must read!
4.5 stars - What a great book! I loved it. This was one of the sexiest historical westerns that I've ever read. The romance was so sweet and yet so bad!! Loved the anticipation and the time the author spends building up to a frenzy of desire, want, and need between this badass hero and sassy heroine. A must read!
June 7, 2009
Sam’s Creed is book two in the Hell’s Eight series about Sam “Wildcard” MacGregor, who was first introduced in Caine’s Reckoning, book one. Sam is part of Hell’s Eight, a group of men who uphold the law as Texas Rangers set in Texas during the mid 1850’s. This is the time of the Wild West where men used their guns proudly to defend their honor. The Hell’s Eight have such a scary reputation that you do not want to mess with any of them and who they lay claim to. Sam is on a mission to find the missing sister of Desi, who is Caine’s wife. Sam does find a woman but she is not the one he is looking for. He and his trusty sidekick dog, Kell, find a group of wagons that were ambushed. He doesn’t think he will find another living soul since the ground is littered with dead bodies. He is wrong, because under one of these wagons, is a young Spanish woman very much alive and one who is very annoyed. Isabella is the last person alive from this wagon train heading to San Antonio where her family home is. She is on the run from Tejala, a nasty man who wants to marry Isabella because of her fortune and her nice ranch spread. Sam, being the man that he is, decides to bring Isabella safely to her family.
Isabella has a lot of sass and doesn’t mine telling Sam the way to do things. She has become one of my favorite McCarty heroines because of this. Isabella is no weeping violet and will defend herself, even against Sam. Sam threatens to beat her butt too many times to could because she doesn’t listen to him and if Isabella wanted to, she would bend over and allow Sam to have his way. Isabella may be a virginal little miss, but she believes the evil Tejala will get his way even with Sam protecting her. She fears she will be raped by Tejala, so, why not give up her innocence to a man like Sam? Sam would love nothing more to introduce Isabelle to sex. Sam just can’t get over the fact that he is not good enough for his Spanish Duchess. Still, this doesn’t stop Sam from giving Isabella some interesting foreplay, which leads to some eye popping love scenes.
If you have read Sarah’s erotic westerns in the past, you know about one such act that Sam introduces Isabella to. I call it, “fun with the butt-butt”, but not only does this intimacy happen out in the wide open desert, but on a horse while it is in motion! Of course there are some other straight forward intimacies that I have enjoyed between these two. The majority of them happen in a cave or as they are camping down for the night. But again, since this is the desert and with that lack of water, well, bathing is not really an option. I would say both Sam and Isabella have been traveling for a few days to a week, but that doesn’t stop Sam and Isabella from having fun, which includes Sam rubbing a certain type of fluid into Isabella’s skin as to mark her as his own.
Overall, I found Sam and Isabella to have nice chemistry and Isabella is a wonderful heroine who stands by her man. I would have liked to see Sam act a bit more alpha, like most of Sarah’s heroes have been in the past, but Sam was quieter and more subdued which seemed to work especially as Sam tries to handle Isabelle. It was nice to see one of Sarah’s heroines take control of the relationship for a change. Sarah also showed that the Wild West is a place where the townspeople don’t always smile and welcome strangers with opens arms. It is a harsh vast wilderness and if two people such as Sam and Isabella can find some sort of happiness, then, more power to them.
Isabella has a lot of sass and doesn’t mine telling Sam the way to do things. She has become one of my favorite McCarty heroines because of this. Isabella is no weeping violet and will defend herself, even against Sam. Sam threatens to beat her butt too many times to could because she doesn’t listen to him and if Isabella wanted to, she would bend over and allow Sam to have his way. Isabella may be a virginal little miss, but she believes the evil Tejala will get his way even with Sam protecting her. She fears she will be raped by Tejala, so, why not give up her innocence to a man like Sam? Sam would love nothing more to introduce Isabelle to sex. Sam just can’t get over the fact that he is not good enough for his Spanish Duchess. Still, this doesn’t stop Sam from giving Isabella some interesting foreplay, which leads to some eye popping love scenes.
If you have read Sarah’s erotic westerns in the past, you know about one such act that Sam introduces Isabella to. I call it, “fun with the butt-butt”, but not only does this intimacy happen out in the wide open desert, but on a horse while it is in motion! Of course there are some other straight forward intimacies that I have enjoyed between these two. The majority of them happen in a cave or as they are camping down for the night. But again, since this is the desert and with that lack of water, well, bathing is not really an option. I would say both Sam and Isabella have been traveling for a few days to a week, but that doesn’t stop Sam and Isabella from having fun, which includes Sam rubbing a certain type of fluid into Isabella’s skin as to mark her as his own.
Overall, I found Sam and Isabella to have nice chemistry and Isabella is a wonderful heroine who stands by her man. I would have liked to see Sam act a bit more alpha, like most of Sarah’s heroes have been in the past, but Sam was quieter and more subdued which seemed to work especially as Sam tries to handle Isabelle. It was nice to see one of Sarah’s heroines take control of the relationship for a change. Sarah also showed that the Wild West is a place where the townspeople don’t always smile and welcome strangers with opens arms. It is a harsh vast wilderness and if two people such as Sam and Isabella can find some sort of happiness, then, more power to them.
January 1, 2016
This is a historical erotic romance. What a great book!
My heart is making room for the men of Hell's Eight. Flew through this one.
Sam's Creed is the 2nd in the Hell's Eight series, and I read it right after the first book of the series. I read first book in the Promises series about a year ago and then kept putting this book and another to the back burner because the back cover story didn't sound so appealing.
Read the first book in this series, 3 days ago. Excellent story.
Good read in the Hell's Eight historical western series.
Great recommendations :D
My heart is making room for the men of Hell's Eight. Flew through this one.
Sam's Creed is the 2nd in the Hell's Eight series, and I read it right after the first book of the series. I read first book in the Promises series about a year ago and then kept putting this book and another to the back burner because the back cover story didn't sound so appealing.
Read the first book in this series, 3 days ago. Excellent story.
Good read in the Hell's Eight historical western series.
Great recommendations :D
July 22, 2008
Funny! I laughed with the antics of the two main characters. It was refreshing, but the "I need you to help me get rid of my...problem" got old for me. Isabella wanted to be deflowered BEFORE she became the property of Tejala (bad guy).
This book had a lot of potential for me, but it was just too much...you know. Got old and boring and the ending was silly. For me, there were many scenes in this one and book #1, "Caine's Reckoning" that didn't make sense. One minute they were doing one thing and several pages later they were doing the same thing, but different (if you get my drift?). I kept thinking, "Did I miss something?" Even in the action scenes. Not sure if "stuff" was edited out or I just couldn't follow the actions of the characters, but it happened a lot.
Good characters, though! I just need more content and suspense with my books.
This book had a lot of potential for me, but it was just too much...you know. Got old and boring and the ending was silly. For me, there were many scenes in this one and book #1, "Caine's Reckoning" that didn't make sense. One minute they were doing one thing and several pages later they were doing the same thing, but different (if you get my drift?). I kept thinking, "Did I miss something?" Even in the action scenes. Not sure if "stuff" was edited out or I just couldn't follow the actions of the characters, but it happened a lot.
Good characters, though! I just need more content and suspense with my books.
March 11, 2013
This is Sam's story.
Another Hell's Eight hot, sexy, alpha man!
In this story, contrary to Caine's, Sam is the one who struggles with his demons. Bella is the one who know, almost since the beginning, that she wants Sam and she's doing everything she can to get him.
The dialogue is so spakly and fun. Bella is a force to be reckoned with. She knows exactly what to say and what to do to get Sam's attention, even if she's a virgin and inexperienced. Sam is fighting and fighting, but Bella is so determined that you know that he doesn't have a chance. Yeah, go Bella!!! :D
Another Hell's Eight hot, sexy, alpha man!
In this story, contrary to Caine's, Sam is the one who struggles with his demons. Bella is the one who know, almost since the beginning, that she wants Sam and she's doing everything she can to get him.
The dialogue is so spakly and fun. Bella is a force to be reckoned with. She knows exactly what to say and what to do to get Sam's attention, even if she's a virgin and inexperienced. Sam is fighting and fighting, but Bella is so determined that you know that he doesn't have a chance. Yeah, go Bella!!! :D
May 11, 2020
Well, this managed to be cute, extremely steamy, and really gripping all at once. Bella was strong, stubborn, and went after what she wanted with a vengeance. Sam was hard, a bit prideful, and lonely. When these two met, Bella was on the run from a man trying to force her into marriage, and Sam was out doing his job as a Texas Ranger. Finding Bella hiding in the remnants of a wagon train completely changed things for Sam, who'd never been the settling type. Watching these two banter, butt heads, and develop feelings along with the ones in their pants was fun. And when the suspense picked up, I was all in. By now, I know to expect certain content in this author's work that isn't for me, but even so, this was a really good example of a Western historical romance that leans heavily on the erotic side.
March 8, 2017
This one was perfect and much more enjoyable than the first I think. 5 steamy stars, I didn't feel like things were left unanswered/unacknowledged. It was purrfect...
Sam "wildcard" MacGregor - the emotionless Texas Ranger that's quick to kill with little regard to his own life, and also has huge reputation with the ladies. But he's also a tortured soul whom has reasons to suppress all emotions
Isabela Montoya - sassy little Spaniard who would rather bark the orders than be given them. She's also running a demented man who is trying to make her his own.
I liked them so much better than Caine and Desi, although I prefer the tortured hero to the tortured heroine any day. As usually with the Hells Eight boys, Sam wants to protect Bella but not take her for his own. He would rather kill the enemy so that she can then go off to marry a respectable man and live a peaceful life. Well Bella wants none of that, although young and still with her "innocence", she knows what she wants and she fights for it. She's pretty much trying to get in his pants the entire time... I loved the humor this book as well, her grasp on some of the English words made those parts even more enjoyable.
I'd say you could read this as a stand alone but I'd still recommend reading the first. By doing so you get a better grasps of Hells Eight, since Caine's Reckoning gave a little bit better of a back story...
FYI - they have sex on a horse ***insert big cheesy grin here***
Sam "wildcard" MacGregor - the emotionless Texas Ranger that's quick to kill with little regard to his own life, and also has huge reputation with the ladies. But he's also a tortured soul whom has reasons to suppress all emotions
Isabela Montoya - sassy little Spaniard who would rather bark the orders than be given them. She's also running a demented man who is trying to make her his own.
I liked them so much better than Caine and Desi, although I prefer the tortured hero to the tortured heroine any day. As usually with the Hells Eight boys, Sam wants to protect Bella but not take her for his own. He would rather kill the enemy so that she can then go off to marry a respectable man and live a peaceful life. Well Bella wants none of that, although young and still with her "innocence", she knows what she wants and she fights for it. She's pretty much trying to get in his pants the entire time... I loved the humor this book as well, her grasp on some of the English words made those parts even more enjoyable.
I'd say you could read this as a stand alone but I'd still recommend reading the first. By doing so you get a better grasps of Hells Eight, since Caine's Reckoning gave a little bit better of a back story...
FYI - they have sex on a horse ***insert big cheesy grin here***
August 31, 2016
Spoiler Ahead This was book 2 in the "Hell's Eight" series and this one maybe my favorite in this series. Texas Ranger Sam "Wildcard" MacGregor takes what he wants when he wants it, especially when it comes to women. Sam was passing by a burnt out shells of wagons when he went to check it out he found a woman hiding. Isabella Montoya has been running for six months from Tejala, the man whose been trying to force her to the altar and she's just about out of steam when she meets Sam. He sets off for her home, determined to reunite her with her mother and set Tejala straight. Isabella is Hell's Eight now and he wants everyone to know it. I really liked both of these character's. Sam is the hot sexy cowboy who was forceful and wild he also had his own demons. Isabella was a sweet, brave and sassy and her steadfast determined to not let Tejala get to her she could also shot like a gunslinger. The sex between these two was hot I they did it on top of a horse and this is my second time reading about doing on a horse. Isabella's ranch is in her name and only she can pass it on to the husband of her choice. Tejala is determined that that man will be him and if he has to run her down like a rabid dog, then that's what he'll do. Luckily for Isabella, Sam is Hell's Eight and that name strikes fear into the hearts of all evil doers so they think twice before taking him on and taking what is his. This book was well written like the first book in this series with no errors in grammar or spelling. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series
Sam
Sam
January 19, 2015
3.5 Stars
Sam "Wildcard" MacGregor a Texas Ranger and part of the infamous Hell's Eight has no idea what's hit him when he discovers the beautiful Isabella. Bella has been on the run for 6 months from the mad man she was forced to become betrothed to and when she is rescued by Sam she knows she has found an honorable man to help her. As they travel together their desire heightens and Bella is forced to seduce Sam in to giving into their passion.
I love a Sarah McCarty book! I am guranteed a hot cowboy who likes to take control, some smoking hot sex scenes and a little gunslinging action, what more could a girl ask for? Sam's Creed was no different, Sam was a fantastic hero, strong and in control but with a hint of vulnrability that only the woman he loves can soothe, it sounds a little (a lot) cliche when I write it down, but that didn't stop me from enjoying this book one bit.
Bella was also a really good character, she was fiesty and it was funny watching her try and order Sam round and the way the two of the bantered back and forth. It was also refreshing to see a woman doing the seducing! Together they really had chemistry and you could feel the relationship deepening between them as the pages progressed and they became closer and closer.
This was a great read, sexy, romantic and exciting, Bella and Sam really gave off sparks and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
March 1, 2010
Good read in the Hell's Eight historical western series. This one has an action plot - Sam rescues Isabella from the site of a massacre. She says she wants to go San Antonio and very little else. Sam knows there is more going on but takes her along with him. [He is actually looking for Desi's sister from the previous book.:] Bit by bit the story comes out - Isabella is in really big trouble. As they travel, they keep running into bands of thugs who want to kill him and take Isabella. Virginal Isabella decides she wants our hero to make love to her so her first time won't be rape when the chief thug gets her back [she figures this is inevitable:]. Sam tries to be noble, he tries really, really hard...
I enjoyed the book and the plot kept me turning the pages. There are fun bits; mostly having to do with Isabella's attitude and occasional mangling of slang phrases. Sam is another strong male character with issues. Isabella is managing woman who could give stubborn lessons... It doesn't have the horrific elements found in the first book; although the theme is touched on.
Hell's Eight Erotic Adventures
Caine's Reckoning (2007)
Sam's Creed (2008)
Tucker's Claim (2009)
I enjoyed the book and the plot kept me turning the pages. There are fun bits; mostly having to do with Isabella's attitude and occasional mangling of slang phrases. Sam is another strong male character with issues. Isabella is managing woman who could give stubborn lessons... It doesn't have the horrific elements found in the first book; although the theme is touched on.
Hell's Eight Erotic Adventures
Caine's Reckoning (2007)
Sam's Creed (2008)
Tucker's Claim (2009)
June 30, 2008
Sarah McCarty is a favorite of mine. I really liked Mac's Law and the Promise series.
I LOVED Caine's Reckoning. Her books sent me into a cycle of reading and re-reading Westerns. Books that I thought I'd outgrown, that I thought I didn't like anymore. She helped me remember how much I love books about the West. Most importantly, it was through her writing that I came to understand romance and erotica as genre I could read.
I was very disappointed with Running Wild and Sam's Creed. I never fell in love with the characters or the stories. I was never able to dive in, escape into her world. I hate that. I read to get away. Both books left me feeling luke warm. Down there and up here. I will continue to read her work because when she's good, she is very very good. I look forward to revisiting Hell's Eight.
I LOVED Caine's Reckoning. Her books sent me into a cycle of reading and re-reading Westerns. Books that I thought I'd outgrown, that I thought I didn't like anymore. She helped me remember how much I love books about the West. Most importantly, it was through her writing that I came to understand romance and erotica as genre I could read.
I was very disappointed with Running Wild and Sam's Creed. I never fell in love with the characters or the stories. I was never able to dive in, escape into her world. I hate that. I read to get away. Both books left me feeling luke warm. Down there and up here. I will continue to read her work because when she's good, she is very very good. I look forward to revisiting Hell's Eight.
September 20, 2016
3.5 stars
I liked this one much more than the first book in the series, Caine's Reckoning. I'm really happy I didn't give up after reading the first one. I hope the others are more like this one and not like Caine's Reckoning.
I missed some (more) interaction with the rest of the Hell's Eight and towards the end the story started to drag for me and I even skipped the last love making scene. But overall a decent book. I adored Bella and Sam. They had great chemistry and wonderful dialogue. I really liked Bella, she was an engagin heroine, a little spitfire, and Sam was perfect.
I liked this one much more than the first book in the series, Caine's Reckoning. I'm really happy I didn't give up after reading the first one. I hope the others are more like this one and not like Caine's Reckoning.
I missed some (more) interaction with the rest of the Hell's Eight and towards the end the story started to drag for me and I even skipped the last love making scene. But overall a decent book. I adored Bella and Sam. They had great chemistry and wonderful dialogue. I really liked Bella, she was an engagin heroine, a little spitfire, and Sam was perfect.
September 15, 2015
Very good book. Texas Ranger Sam is searching for a kidnapped woman when he comes across Isabella, the only survivor in the attack on some wagons. Discovering that she's been on the run for six months, he's determined to return her safely to her home. Finding out why she's running has him equally intent on ending the threat to her.
Bella ran from home when her parents were forced to promise her to local bad guy Tajela. Her father was killed while trying to protect her. Tajela is a particularly nasty sort who wants her land first and her body second. Bella's not interested as she wants a man she can love and respect.
I liked Sam a lot. He's the strong silent type with a very definite code of honor. I also found that he had a pretty good sense of humor. Isabella isn't exactly the meek and obedient kind of woman, and from the beginning he finds himself constantly challenged by her. He's protective, even though she tells him she doesn't want his help. Getting her back home won't be easy, as he's right in the middle of the area that Tajela controls.
I loved Sam and Bella together. She is quite a spitfire, who has no trouble telling him what she does and does not want. Sam listens, then goes on and does just as he intended in the first place. He thinks of her as a spitting kitten and finds her pretty amusing. He's also very attracted to her, and though he has quite the reputation with women, he sees her as an innocent and his honor won't let him do anything about it. Bella is just as attracted to him, and convinced that Tajela will eventually catch up with her, would rather give herself to Sam. She is determined to have her way with him. The heat between them builds, and when they finally give in, it is scorching. Sam fought it hard, but once he gave in I loved seeing how Sam brought out the passionate woman in her.
I loved seeing their relationship develop. Sam is a man whose past has him believing that he isn't someone who deserves love. But there is something about Bella that he just can't resist, and it's more than just her body. As things go on, he sees past the brave and feisty front to her fear of what could happen and is determined to protect her. On her side, I loved the way that Bella saw past Sam's notorious reputation to the lonely man that he didn't let anyone suspect. She had a terrific way of getting past his control and right to the heart of him. I loved the fact that she wasn't going to just let him ride off into the sunset at the end.
The action side of the book, with Sam working to get Bella back to safety, was really good. Sam and Bella were under constant threat, and several of the attacks were especially violent. I thought that Bella held up very well, though she certainly gave Sam a few bad moments during some of them. By the time the final confrontation with Tejala came I was ready to see the end of him. It was very intense, with the potential for ending badly. It wasn't easy to see how it all worked out, but it did.
I loved the time spent with Sam's Hell's Eight brother, Tucker. His support for Sam and Bella was crucial. I also enjoyed seeing his interaction with the Quaker woman. I have a feeling that she has an important role in his life. I also liked his way of making Sam see just how important Bella is to him. There were also a couple great scenes with the men who work for Bella's ranch. One is where they make Sam see that she is more than just their boss. The next is a fun one where it's a kid that calls Sam out on his relationship with Bella and just where it should be headed.
Bella ran from home when her parents were forced to promise her to local bad guy Tajela. Her father was killed while trying to protect her. Tajela is a particularly nasty sort who wants her land first and her body second. Bella's not interested as she wants a man she can love and respect.
I liked Sam a lot. He's the strong silent type with a very definite code of honor. I also found that he had a pretty good sense of humor. Isabella isn't exactly the meek and obedient kind of woman, and from the beginning he finds himself constantly challenged by her. He's protective, even though she tells him she doesn't want his help. Getting her back home won't be easy, as he's right in the middle of the area that Tajela controls.
I loved Sam and Bella together. She is quite a spitfire, who has no trouble telling him what she does and does not want. Sam listens, then goes on and does just as he intended in the first place. He thinks of her as a spitting kitten and finds her pretty amusing. He's also very attracted to her, and though he has quite the reputation with women, he sees her as an innocent and his honor won't let him do anything about it. Bella is just as attracted to him, and convinced that Tajela will eventually catch up with her, would rather give herself to Sam. She is determined to have her way with him. The heat between them builds, and when they finally give in, it is scorching. Sam fought it hard, but once he gave in I loved seeing how Sam brought out the passionate woman in her.
I loved seeing their relationship develop. Sam is a man whose past has him believing that he isn't someone who deserves love. But there is something about Bella that he just can't resist, and it's more than just her body. As things go on, he sees past the brave and feisty front to her fear of what could happen and is determined to protect her. On her side, I loved the way that Bella saw past Sam's notorious reputation to the lonely man that he didn't let anyone suspect. She had a terrific way of getting past his control and right to the heart of him. I loved the fact that she wasn't going to just let him ride off into the sunset at the end.
The action side of the book, with Sam working to get Bella back to safety, was really good. Sam and Bella were under constant threat, and several of the attacks were especially violent. I thought that Bella held up very well, though she certainly gave Sam a few bad moments during some of them. By the time the final confrontation with Tejala came I was ready to see the end of him. It was very intense, with the potential for ending badly. It wasn't easy to see how it all worked out, but it did.
I loved the time spent with Sam's Hell's Eight brother, Tucker. His support for Sam and Bella was crucial. I also enjoyed seeing his interaction with the Quaker woman. I have a feeling that she has an important role in his life. I also liked his way of making Sam see just how important Bella is to him. There were also a couple great scenes with the men who work for Bella's ranch. One is where they make Sam see that she is more than just their boss. The next is a fun one where it's a kid that calls Sam out on his relationship with Bella and just where it should be headed.
July 7, 2015
Flew through this one. I think I liked it better than Caine's story, though to me Sam was a notch lower on the alpha-intensity it seemed. A small notch, but a notch nonetheless. I liked it though, he didn't come off as quite so... pushy, sexually. Isabella, though, was a delight. She was spunky and knew what she wanted, and wasn't afraid to demand it. She was not a traumatized heroine like Desi was, but she did face dangers of her own. If it weren't for Sam, she would have ended up traumatized, or dead. I loved how Bella teased and tried to wrap Sam around her finger, she was playful, and even though she faced many risks, she was not afraid to tell Sam she wanted him. The way their personalities came together was fun to read. There were the steamy scenes as well, which were... interesting. Some of them left me wondering just how in the world it would even work, like the . I liked their chemistry though. I didn't like Sam's fussin' about her being too young for him, that was a lame excuse for him to try to push her away, especially as it wasn't that large a difference. I was glad she told him it was stuff and nonsense. She did that a lot, told him some of his notions were just not gonna work with her. I liked how she wasn't at all afraid to stand up to him when he tried to bully her.
There was plenty of outlaw action too. More than once the intrepid couple was set upon in their travels. It was nice to see that while Sam was as tough as nails and a hell of a fighter, he was not invincible, and took his fair share of battle wounds. I started to think it was a habit of his! Oh! On that note, of injuries and stuff, I need to mention the dog, Kell. I liked him. I liked how he definitely held his own during the danger, and when he was That was good. Then there was a climactic showdown with the head villain, the one who's been after Bella, and it was pretty exciting. I could totally feel Sam's blind rage in wanting to charge in and rescue her. When they find the villain, and see what he's doing to Bella, I was right there in wanting to kill the piece of scum. What they did to him, though, was awesome. Definitely made me wince, but it was nothing less than the bastard deserved. I was like... gasp! Followed by an evil laugh ;)
Of course, there's a happy ending, but I was a little bummed that we didn't get to see the couple go back to the Hell's Eight compound to see the others again. I did like how Sam finally decided to take on the responsibility of Bella's family ranch, though, even if it meant staying there and not going back to the others. I liked the characters on the ranch that we met, the Lopez brothers and the other men who were so loyal to Bella. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing some of them again later on.
I'm looking forward to the next one, the set-up of Tucker (who seems intriguing) with the religious Sally Mae with her thees and thous looks like it might be interesting. I'm definitely curious to see how it'll work out. I'm really diggin' this author's style.
There was plenty of outlaw action too. More than once the intrepid couple was set upon in their travels. It was nice to see that while Sam was as tough as nails and a hell of a fighter, he was not invincible, and took his fair share of battle wounds. I started to think it was a habit of his! Oh! On that note, of injuries and stuff, I need to mention the dog, Kell. I liked him. I liked how he definitely held his own during the danger, and when he was That was good. Then there was a climactic showdown with the head villain, the one who's been after Bella, and it was pretty exciting. I could totally feel Sam's blind rage in wanting to charge in and rescue her. When they find the villain, and see what he's doing to Bella, I was right there in wanting to kill the piece of scum. What they did to him, though, was awesome. Definitely made me wince, but it was nothing less than the bastard deserved. I was like... gasp! Followed by an evil laugh ;)
Of course, there's a happy ending, but I was a little bummed that we didn't get to see the couple go back to the Hell's Eight compound to see the others again. I did like how Sam finally decided to take on the responsibility of Bella's family ranch, though, even if it meant staying there and not going back to the others. I liked the characters on the ranch that we met, the Lopez brothers and the other men who were so loyal to Bella. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing some of them again later on.
I'm looking forward to the next one, the set-up of Tucker (who seems intriguing) with the religious Sally Mae with her thees and thous looks like it might be interesting. I'm definitely curious to see how it'll work out. I'm really diggin' this author's style.
August 1, 2015
McCarty’s writing is so sinfully hot that she’ll heave you unequivocally satisfied yet dying for more. Emotion seeps from every page, while action is never far around the corner. Her picturesque descriptions bring the Texas territory to life allowing readers to step back in time for this action packed, love filled tale.
The character accents and drawls really carry through into the dialogue. It flows easily & naturally, drawing you deep into the characters’ conversations. The conflict raging within Sam for most of the novel is palpable. I really felt for him. I also thoroughly liked him as a person. Bella made me laugh. She is such a contradiction and her reasoning was priceless. It was so easy to see why these two were together. Their chemistry is off the charts and their intrinsic beliefs and values mesh together well, even if their personalities may clash from time to time. They made a captivating couple and definitely did this story justice.
As a whole, this was a fantastically unforgettable novel that I had trouble putting down. I hated to see it end but can’t wait to get back with Hell’s Eight for the next novel in the series.
The character accents and drawls really carry through into the dialogue. It flows easily & naturally, drawing you deep into the characters’ conversations. The conflict raging within Sam for most of the novel is palpable. I really felt for him. I also thoroughly liked him as a person. Bella made me laugh. She is such a contradiction and her reasoning was priceless. It was so easy to see why these two were together. Their chemistry is off the charts and their intrinsic beliefs and values mesh together well, even if their personalities may clash from time to time. They made a captivating couple and definitely did this story justice.
As a whole, this was a fantastically unforgettable novel that I had trouble putting down. I hated to see it end but can’t wait to get back with Hell’s Eight for the next novel in the series.
March 10, 2013
Book 2 in the Hell's Eight series, Western Historical-leaning towards the realistic- series (not pretty erotica romance), but definitely not lacking in heat.
3.25 stars. Liked this book, story itself was good, but it DRAGGGED at times. The timing on this one was kinda strange, seemed to move verrry slow, then fast, then sloww again. At times I felt like i was on the ride across the endless desert with them (and I live in desert and know what it's like)! I would have timed it different if i was the writer. (this is where the author may interject "try your hand at it, then!")
The H & h are both likeable and sympathetic. I REALLY liked Sam's character, he is one hot handful. I begrudgingly like Bella as well- I think I say that because she is somewhat immature, but out of fairness she is quite young.
LOTS of sex talk, not as much action as book 1, but they are traveling a lot. It is quite a sensuous ride, and was a fine read overall. I don't regret reading it. Don't miss it if you are reading the series.
3.25 stars. Liked this book, story itself was good, but it DRAGGGED at times. The timing on this one was kinda strange, seemed to move verrry slow, then fast, then sloww again. At times I felt like i was on the ride across the endless desert with them (and I live in desert and know what it's like)! I would have timed it different if i was the writer. (this is where the author may interject "try your hand at it, then!")
The H & h are both likeable and sympathetic. I REALLY liked Sam's character, he is one hot handful. I begrudgingly like Bella as well- I think I say that because she is somewhat immature, but out of fairness she is quite young.
LOTS of sex talk, not as much action as book 1, but they are traveling a lot. It is quite a sensuous ride, and was a fine read overall. I don't regret reading it. Don't miss it if you are reading the series.
August 10, 2019
Endless, repeated conversations that are just the same circular argument over and over. Long, boring foreplay scenes (Seriously. Boring foreplay. Apparently it's a thing.).
And then...
Trigger and spoiler warning...
This book is super rapey. We relive Sam witnessing his Mom's rape, then the heroine pesters Sam over and over and over again to have sex with her because she wants to have good sex before the bad guy rapes her (and, you guys, it's not okay for anyone to pester anyone else for sex, no matter their sitiation or gender), and then at the end we are led to believe for many pages that the heroine has been raped by the bad guy.
This author is actually a good writer, but the first 2 books in the series are so fixated on rape, I know I can't stomach anymore (and I know for certain at least one other heroine later in the series has also been gang raped). As a fiction author, you have the power to make the world be whatever you want it to be. Relying on sexual violence to show vulnerable women in power struggles has been done. It's lazy. Do better.
And then...
Trigger and spoiler warning...
This book is super rapey. We relive Sam witnessing his Mom's rape, then the heroine pesters Sam over and over and over again to have sex with her because she wants to have good sex before the bad guy rapes her (and, you guys, it's not okay for anyone to pester anyone else for sex, no matter their sitiation or gender), and then at the end we are led to believe for many pages that the heroine has been raped by the bad guy.
This author is actually a good writer, but the first 2 books in the series are so fixated on rape, I know I can't stomach anymore (and I know for certain at least one other heroine later in the series has also been gang raped). As a fiction author, you have the power to make the world be whatever you want it to be. Relying on sexual violence to show vulnerable women in power struggles has been done. It's lazy. Do better.
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