Heartless

Namesaken #3

by Michaela Wright

Welcome to Cheyenne, 1883

The West is no place for a woman.

Tell that to Cadence Delacouer. Cadence isn't afraid of anything and certainly has no time for superstition. She's seen handsy drunks and barroom brawls, and handled it all fearlessly. The Red Onion is her greatest pride, and much to her stepfather's chagrin, it's her name on the deed. A woman has to be tough when she's running the best saloon in town. Yet, nothing could have prepared her for the monster to come.

As a new nightmare comes to Cheyenne ...

When a stranger brings carnage to her door, Cadence witnesses the brutal murders of her kin. Despite her innocence, the town's suspicion quickly turns her way. As a mob cries for her blood, it's a mysterious native man named Joseph who helps her escape.

The man who fires her deepest desires may be her only hope.

Joseph is unlike any man she's known before; tall and lean, with a long black mane and a mischievous grin always peering from beneath the brim of his hat. His dark gaze is enough to steal the air from a room. Cadence soon discovers he knows a great deal about the monster that murdered her friends - the man he calls a Wendigo. As they track the murderer through the plains, Cadence is drawn to Joseph in a way she's never felt before. Despite the danger of their quest, his touch soon proves irresistible.

Joseph will do anything to find this monster and help clear her name. But can he keep her alive long enough to prove her innocence? And will he still believe in her when he discovers what she's done?

249 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 5, 2017

About the author

Michaela Wright is the author of the Gothic Romance Mystery series, The NAMESAKEN GOTHICS. Michaela spent years as a historical interpreter, and her regular stints in the countryside of Scotland helped to inspire her steamy love stories. Given her love of the haunting side of history, her writing has been known to keep readers up at night in more ways than one.

Michaela writes from Chelmsford, Massachusetts, where she lives with her family.

You can reach Michaela at

MichaelaWrightAuthor@gmail.co

Reviews

[Christine Tellach · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured the first two books in this series in a single day! If you crave a spicy, moody historical romance with a Gothic edge, this is your perfect match. Heartless blends the allure of Jane Eyre with the mystery of the Hound of the Baskervilles, all set against a rugged Western backdrop.

The heroine is a fierce, independent woman battling societal constraints, while the Native American hero offers protection and unwavering support despite racial prejudice. Their chemistry is electric, and the author masterfully weaves in supernatural elements to create a truly captivating world.

I loved the unexpected twists and the deep dive into the heroine's psyche. This is a must-read for fans of historical romance with a touch of the supernatural.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

She has done what no other woman had before she was running a bar. She loves it but when a murder happens and all eyes look at her. A man arrives and knows she is innocent as he is chasing the monster. She goes with him as he tries to prove she did not do it. Follow their adventures

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A throughly imaginative story with a strong set of characters who gave this book life. The author wrote something here that I've never read before and it was fascinating. Well written and very intriguing.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nadea Croix · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good read, entertaining and engaging with tender moments as the story comes through the pages.

[Angela Bowes · Rating 2 out of 5]

very odd

Cannibalism is a weird basis for a story. And the fact that it just went deeper into it and got gross and twisted was too much.

[sherri jones-teachout · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story takes place in the old west and involves Native American mysticism and a mythical creature called a Wendigo. Cadence meets two attractive mysterious strangers at her saloon on the same night. Shannon comes into her saloon, attracting her attention and drawing her in. Later, outside the saloon, Joseph a native american indian stops her from being hurt and raped. He is attractive and makes her feel safe, but he disappears. Shannon stirs her desires, and just when she thinks they will come together, she finds her stepfather and two employees murdered and their hearts removed, done by Shannon who says he won't hurt her, and then disappears, leaving her in the middle of the carnage. She is blamed for the murders, runs, and Joseph appears, helping her. He says they must capture Shannon to absolve her of the crimes. As they travel together they fall in love, but she is still drawn to and almost every time Shannon appears to her she doesn't try to capture him. She is under his spell even though she loves Joseph. This story has so many surprises, and twists right up to the end. Cadence is strong and loyal and stands up for Joseph, not letting the whites treat him as a second class citizen. Joseph is strong and very loving and protective of her. Shannon seems to care also but sometimes when she sees him he doesn't seem to know or recognize her. Which man is the one for her? The one who is possibly a monster, or the man who can't live in the open with her because of his heritage.

[Julie Jefferies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cadence owns the local bar, The Red Onion, Burlesque girls and all, but being the time it is, her step dad Calvin manages it. Between running the bar, keeping an eye on Calvin, the mysterious Shannon, who effects her in ways she doesn't like, and the Intense Native man who saved her life, there just seems to be so much going on. When they find the man accused of cannibalism, something seems off. When everyone she cares about and the man she hates the most is murdered, Cadence becomes the prime suspect. When she is kidnapped by the Native man, Cadence learns the truth about the man she thought she loved. Strange things keep happening, Cadence isn't sure who she trusts, and when the one she fears the most almost drowns her in the guise of protecting her, she is so confused. Why isn't fully disclosing the truth to the one who seems to be protecting her. Feeling ashamed that despite what he'd made her do, the lies he said, the secrets he made her keep, Cadence will fight to protect the man she loves.
I loved this story, I must admit parts of it shocked me, and in the middle I was struggling with the choices Cadence was making, but as I read on in, I was shocked as to why she made the choices she did, but the made perfect sense. Definitely a different story, but so well written, and I did thoroughly enjoy it.
I received an ARC for an honest and fair review