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Men of Defiance #1
Rachel and the Hired Gun
From a captivating new voice in romance comes a sexy, intriguing tale set amidst the rugged grandeur of the American frontier...
When Rachel Douglas left her aunt's house in Virginia for the wilds of the Dakota Territory, she knew the journey would be long and arduous. But she didn't realize that she had been summoned west to be used as a pawn in a ranch war with her father's neighbor—or that her fierce, sudden attraction to Sager, her father's hired gun, would put her heart and her life in jeopardy.
Seducing Rachel and feeding a bitter feud between the two ranches was Sager's plan of vengeance against those who slaughtered his Shoshone family. Instead, Rachel's guileless mix of courage and vulnerability touches the conscience he thought he'd buried long ago, and draws them both into a passion without rules, without limits—one that will change their destinies forever.
When Rachel Douglas left her aunt's house in Virginia for the wilds of the Dakota Territory, she knew the journey would be long and arduous. But she didn't realize that she had been summoned west to be used as a pawn in a ranch war with her father's neighbor—or that her fierce, sudden attraction to Sager, her father's hired gun, would put her heart and her life in jeopardy.
Seducing Rachel and feeding a bitter feud between the two ranches was Sager's plan of vengeance against those who slaughtered his Shoshone family. Instead, Rachel's guileless mix of courage and vulnerability touches the conscience he thought he'd buried long ago, and draws them both into a passion without rules, without limits—one that will change their destinies forever.
341 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
371 people are currently reading
834 people want to read
About the author
Elaine Levine
38 books527 followers"Elaine Levine is a wonderfully fresh and original voice in western romance.
RACHEL AND THE HIRED GUN is full of fast-paced action and powerful emotions. I loved it!"
-- Joan Johnston, New York Times bestselling author of A STRANGER'S GAME
"A pair of appealing, well-matched protagonists (with a bit of a history), a slimy villain, well-drawn secondary characters, and plenty of action make this rough-and-ready Western one that fans are sure to enjoy."
--Library Journal on AUDREY AND THE MAVERICK
"A beautiful romance…keeps the reader hooked from the first page to the last.” -New York Times Bestselling Author Catherine Anderson about LEAH AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER
Though this is the third book of a romance trilogy, the story stands quite well on its own. Elaine Levine gives us a multi-level story about trust and being able to overcome personal fears to achieve a goal. Set in the post-Civil War era, Leah and the Bounty Hunter gives us a window into the rough-and-tumble lives of our settler-forefathers and what they did to succeed against lawlessness and the incredible challenges to settle the old West. An enjoyable read, recommended. --Monica E. Spence, Historical Novels Review on LEAH AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER
* * *
ABOUT ELAINE:
Elaine Levine is an agoraphobic who lives in her son’s basement and runs doggie daycare for his pack of hounds. Her mind, however, is irrepressible, and she fills the endless moments of endless days crafting romance fiction from dystopian headlines she reads online. Be warned—her stories are addictive and dangerously appealing to those with similarly twisted minds and hopeful hearts.
RACHEL AND THE HIRED GUN is full of fast-paced action and powerful emotions. I loved it!"
-- Joan Johnston, New York Times bestselling author of A STRANGER'S GAME
"A pair of appealing, well-matched protagonists (with a bit of a history), a slimy villain, well-drawn secondary characters, and plenty of action make this rough-and-ready Western one that fans are sure to enjoy."
--Library Journal on AUDREY AND THE MAVERICK
"A beautiful romance…keeps the reader hooked from the first page to the last.” -New York Times Bestselling Author Catherine Anderson about LEAH AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER
Though this is the third book of a romance trilogy, the story stands quite well on its own. Elaine Levine gives us a multi-level story about trust and being able to overcome personal fears to achieve a goal. Set in the post-Civil War era, Leah and the Bounty Hunter gives us a window into the rough-and-tumble lives of our settler-forefathers and what they did to succeed against lawlessness and the incredible challenges to settle the old West. An enjoyable read, recommended. --Monica E. Spence, Historical Novels Review on LEAH AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER
* * *
ABOUT ELAINE:
Elaine Levine is an agoraphobic who lives in her son’s basement and runs doggie daycare for his pack of hounds. Her mind, however, is irrepressible, and she fills the endless moments of endless days crafting romance fiction from dystopian headlines she reads online. Be warned—her stories are addictive and dangerously appealing to those with similarly twisted minds and hopeful hearts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
July 24, 2018
While I didn't read the MOD series in order (I actually read Leah's book first (book 3) and fell in love with Elaine's writing there), once I discovered Eleaine's series I had to go back and get them all - and I'm so glad I did!!! I absolutely adore Rachel and Sager's story! I couldn't put it down once I started! It's one of my fav historical books ever! I love watching the two fall in love. There were so many sweet moments, tense moments, and just enough drama to keep it exciting, but not so much I was rushing through it. I have lost track at how many times I've read and reread this book!!!
April 9, 2017
This book ended up being DNF for me. I had read another one in the series and although I didn't really enjoy the story, I found the writing okay and decided to give this one a try.
In this book, the first one in the series, writing seemed a bit uneven. Clumsy sentences here and there, sometimes with unclear meaning or a small plot hole. At other times, the writing flowed quite well, particularly in the romantic scenes.
The small problems with the writing would not have bothered me if I had enjoyed the story more, but I found some aspects really frustrating. At times, I could not understand what was going on and why the characters were behaving the way they did.
To start with, the heroine, Rachel, is separated from her wagon train because a four year old girl suffering from fever wanders off and Rachel and the girl's parents go looking for her.
The wagon train agrees to wait for two days for them to find the child. They don't find the little girl, which is puzzling. How far can a sick four year old walk? The search party sets off with horses and provisions, and when the two days are up, the parents return to join the wagon train and Rachel continues the search on her own.
I could not understand why the whole wagon train was not involved in the search. Then it dawned on me that the little girl had not wandered off when they were camped for the night but at some point while the wagon train was still on the move and it took them two hours to realize she was gone. Presumably, they had stopped somewhere two hours earlier and the sick little girl had managed to climb down from the wagon and walk off without anyone noticing.
So, the parents and Rachel, who was travelling with the family party, return to that last stopping place. There is no explanation as to why no one else helps, even though many of the men on the wagon train are supposed to have the hots for Rachel.
For two days, three people search for this little girl, who wondered off because she was thirsty, which presumably means she would be along the river, but they don't find her. Then the parents return to the wagon train. Because they abandon their search, they are portrayed as cowardly, bad people, even though back at the wagon train they have four other children they need to look after, at least two of them younger than four.
Surely, instead of continuing to search for a missing child who by now must be assumed dead, any responsible parent would go back to ensure the safety of the four children who are still alive? Otherwise, those four children would be left alone and defenceless on the prairie after the rest of wagon train pulls off. Or am I missing something here?
On the fourth day, Rachel finds the child. There is no explanation as to how, or why they couldn't find her before, or how this sick child has survived alone, without shelter or food on the prairie.
Sager, the hero, has been employed by Rachel's father to go and meet the wagon train and escort Rachel to her father's ranch. Sager reaches the wagon train and finds out Rachel is out searching for the child. He persuades the wagon train to stop again and goes to find Rachel, who by now is reunited with the child. It then takes Rachel and Sager and the child a full day of hard riding to reach the wagon train which has been in motion for a day, two at the most. Wagon trains only travel around 10 miles a day. You can ride that in less than an hour.
This is just an example of the sort of practical things I found confusing. However, my main source of frustration was Rachel and Sager, who they were and what they wanted. Their lives are shrouded in mystery. There are constant little hints about their past or their intentions, and the reader is left to try to piece it together.
For example, Rachel is assumed to be a finely educated lady who was brought up by her uncle and aunt in the East and went to finishing school. Instead, a picture begins to form that she was abused by her uncle and aunt and pretty much used as a slave in their household. There are clues to this, but just fragments, not properly explained, and I just found it frustrating to try to figure out what was going on.
In her mind, when Rachel is thinking about the past, she is desperately afraid that she'll be forced to go back. She has escaped her uncle, and it is implied that he has sent people to recapture her. On the other hand, we are told that her father has paid the fee for her join the wagon train, including extra money for the wagon master to give her his protection, and her father has employed Sager to ride out to join the wagon train to provide additional escort.
We are told that Rachel's uncle and aunt made her believe her father hated her, but yet she received letters from him. We are told Rachel never had any friends, never received any kindness, but we are also told that the tutor hired for her cousins secretly educated her in the evenings. We are told that since she was fourteen she's had to fight men off, but she's never met any kindness. Are we to believe that all those men were predatory, not single decent one among them?
Rachel tells Sager she was occasionally allowed to write back to her father, but she was not sure if her uncle ever posted her letters. Why did she need their permission to write? The tutor gave her lessons in secret - surely she could have written letters in secret and asked the tutor to post them, unless the problem was just money to send the letters.
Sager intends to use Rachel for revenge. Rachel is earmarked as a wife for Sager's half brother, and Sager's plan is to seduce her, presumably to present his half brother with a bride who is spoiled goods. He never goes ahead with the plan. It is not really spelled out, but it seems that as he starts to develop feelings for Rachel, he feels unable to use her as a tool for his revenge.
However, he is crazed with lust for her. Rachel, to use her own words, is barely surviving her hunger for him. They kiss, they simmer and stew in their mutual attraction. After they separate from the wagon train, they spend their nights sleeping in each other's arms. Rachel plainly tells Sager she is willing to make love with him - brazenly forward for the times, and leaves us in complete darkness about why she is not in the least bit worried about becoming a ruined woman.
And yet, nothing intimate happens between them.
I just cannot believe that two people so attracted to each other and spending night after night huddled together in a tent can stop acting on that attraction - however it appears they don't even kiss any more. Is Sager so honourable that he refuses to touch her? If so, why did he concoct the revenge plan to start with? It is not a plan of an honourable man. Or would he have been able to take his revenge if he were not attracted to Rachel? Which does not sound heroic at all - feel free to ruin ugly girls but treat pretty ones with respect.
Or, now that he is developing feelings for Rachel, and she is very openly throwing herself at him, why does Sager not combine two things - get his revenge and claim Rachel for himself.
Sager's past also has mysteries. His father seems to mourn for the loss of Sager's mother, but Sager believes he had her killed. Why would Sager not have confronted his father and sought out the truth earlier?
When it starts to become clear that there is something odd about Rachel's life in the East, why doesn't Sager ask her about it? She talks about not having had any friends, about not being allowed to write to her father. Sager and Rachel spend days together on the trail. What do they talk about in the evenings? It is odd they don't discuss any of these things, which would also allow the reader to find out a bit more.
I assume the author wanted to maintain tension by having all these secrets gradually unfold, but I found it frustrating to be bombarded with hints about the past without being able to build a proper picture of what had been going on.
Also, I did not enjoy the clichéd characterisation. In particular, Sager's stepmother seemed to be a cardboard villainess, a snobbish, manipulative woman without any morality at all. She appeared to do things just for the sake of being evil, even when those things didn't really make sense.
Added to that, there were times when I felt the story was not moving forward. They kiss, they lust, they pull back. They kiss, they lust, they pull back. How many times can you rinse and repeat the same cycle before they give in to their attraction, particularly as the lust appears to be supported by budding feelings of love on both sides. After a point, it just got wearisome and did not feel natural.
All that said, most other people have enjoyed the book, so once again I find myself in the minority.
In this book, the first one in the series, writing seemed a bit uneven. Clumsy sentences here and there, sometimes with unclear meaning or a small plot hole. At other times, the writing flowed quite well, particularly in the romantic scenes.
The small problems with the writing would not have bothered me if I had enjoyed the story more, but I found some aspects really frustrating. At times, I could not understand what was going on and why the characters were behaving the way they did.
To start with, the heroine, Rachel, is separated from her wagon train because a four year old girl suffering from fever wanders off and Rachel and the girl's parents go looking for her.
The wagon train agrees to wait for two days for them to find the child. They don't find the little girl, which is puzzling. How far can a sick four year old walk? The search party sets off with horses and provisions, and when the two days are up, the parents return to join the wagon train and Rachel continues the search on her own.
I could not understand why the whole wagon train was not involved in the search. Then it dawned on me that the little girl had not wandered off when they were camped for the night but at some point while the wagon train was still on the move and it took them two hours to realize she was gone. Presumably, they had stopped somewhere two hours earlier and the sick little girl had managed to climb down from the wagon and walk off without anyone noticing.
So, the parents and Rachel, who was travelling with the family party, return to that last stopping place. There is no explanation as to why no one else helps, even though many of the men on the wagon train are supposed to have the hots for Rachel.
For two days, three people search for this little girl, who wondered off because she was thirsty, which presumably means she would be along the river, but they don't find her. Then the parents return to the wagon train. Because they abandon their search, they are portrayed as cowardly, bad people, even though back at the wagon train they have four other children they need to look after, at least two of them younger than four.
Surely, instead of continuing to search for a missing child who by now must be assumed dead, any responsible parent would go back to ensure the safety of the four children who are still alive? Otherwise, those four children would be left alone and defenceless on the prairie after the rest of wagon train pulls off. Or am I missing something here?
On the fourth day, Rachel finds the child. There is no explanation as to how, or why they couldn't find her before, or how this sick child has survived alone, without shelter or food on the prairie.
Sager, the hero, has been employed by Rachel's father to go and meet the wagon train and escort Rachel to her father's ranch. Sager reaches the wagon train and finds out Rachel is out searching for the child. He persuades the wagon train to stop again and goes to find Rachel, who by now is reunited with the child. It then takes Rachel and Sager and the child a full day of hard riding to reach the wagon train which has been in motion for a day, two at the most. Wagon trains only travel around 10 miles a day. You can ride that in less than an hour.
This is just an example of the sort of practical things I found confusing. However, my main source of frustration was Rachel and Sager, who they were and what they wanted. Their lives are shrouded in mystery. There are constant little hints about their past or their intentions, and the reader is left to try to piece it together.
For example, Rachel is assumed to be a finely educated lady who was brought up by her uncle and aunt in the East and went to finishing school. Instead, a picture begins to form that she was abused by her uncle and aunt and pretty much used as a slave in their household. There are clues to this, but just fragments, not properly explained, and I just found it frustrating to try to figure out what was going on.
In her mind, when Rachel is thinking about the past, she is desperately afraid that she'll be forced to go back. She has escaped her uncle, and it is implied that he has sent people to recapture her. On the other hand, we are told that her father has paid the fee for her join the wagon train, including extra money for the wagon master to give her his protection, and her father has employed Sager to ride out to join the wagon train to provide additional escort.
We are told that Rachel's uncle and aunt made her believe her father hated her, but yet she received letters from him. We are told Rachel never had any friends, never received any kindness, but we are also told that the tutor hired for her cousins secretly educated her in the evenings. We are told that since she was fourteen she's had to fight men off, but she's never met any kindness. Are we to believe that all those men were predatory, not single decent one among them?
Rachel tells Sager she was occasionally allowed to write back to her father, but she was not sure if her uncle ever posted her letters. Why did she need their permission to write? The tutor gave her lessons in secret - surely she could have written letters in secret and asked the tutor to post them, unless the problem was just money to send the letters.
Sager intends to use Rachel for revenge. Rachel is earmarked as a wife for Sager's half brother, and Sager's plan is to seduce her, presumably to present his half brother with a bride who is spoiled goods. He never goes ahead with the plan. It is not really spelled out, but it seems that as he starts to develop feelings for Rachel, he feels unable to use her as a tool for his revenge.
However, he is crazed with lust for her. Rachel, to use her own words, is barely surviving her hunger for him. They kiss, they simmer and stew in their mutual attraction. After they separate from the wagon train, they spend their nights sleeping in each other's arms. Rachel plainly tells Sager she is willing to make love with him - brazenly forward for the times, and leaves us in complete darkness about why she is not in the least bit worried about becoming a ruined woman.
And yet, nothing intimate happens between them.
I just cannot believe that two people so attracted to each other and spending night after night huddled together in a tent can stop acting on that attraction - however it appears they don't even kiss any more. Is Sager so honourable that he refuses to touch her? If so, why did he concoct the revenge plan to start with? It is not a plan of an honourable man. Or would he have been able to take his revenge if he were not attracted to Rachel? Which does not sound heroic at all - feel free to ruin ugly girls but treat pretty ones with respect.
Or, now that he is developing feelings for Rachel, and she is very openly throwing herself at him, why does Sager not combine two things - get his revenge and claim Rachel for himself.
Sager's past also has mysteries. His father seems to mourn for the loss of Sager's mother, but Sager believes he had her killed. Why would Sager not have confronted his father and sought out the truth earlier?
When it starts to become clear that there is something odd about Rachel's life in the East, why doesn't Sager ask her about it? She talks about not having had any friends, about not being allowed to write to her father. Sager and Rachel spend days together on the trail. What do they talk about in the evenings? It is odd they don't discuss any of these things, which would also allow the reader to find out a bit more.
I assume the author wanted to maintain tension by having all these secrets gradually unfold, but I found it frustrating to be bombarded with hints about the past without being able to build a proper picture of what had been going on.
Also, I did not enjoy the clichéd characterisation. In particular, Sager's stepmother seemed to be a cardboard villainess, a snobbish, manipulative woman without any morality at all. She appeared to do things just for the sake of being evil, even when those things didn't really make sense.
Added to that, there were times when I felt the story was not moving forward. They kiss, they lust, they pull back. They kiss, they lust, they pull back. How many times can you rinse and repeat the same cycle before they give in to their attraction, particularly as the lust appears to be supported by budding feelings of love on both sides. After a point, it just got wearisome and did not feel natural.
All that said, most other people have enjoyed the book, so once again I find myself in the minority.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2017
OMG OMG OMG this book was soooooo very good!!!!
I love Western Historical Romance and usually only read very limited number of authors in this genre but I will definitely be putting this author in that very limited list. Elaine Levine can write with the best of my favorite authors. Rachel and Sager both had a very painful childhood but yet both grow into strong adults despite this. They find complete healing in the love they come to have for each other. The Romance is just the icing on the cake for this book boosts of a true to life gritty Western. This book is not to be missed. The only thing I didn't like about this book is that Rachel's hateful aunt and uncle didn't get their just dues. It was a wonderful read!!! I will be reading this author again!!!
I love Western Historical Romance and usually only read very limited number of authors in this genre but I will definitely be putting this author in that very limited list. Elaine Levine can write with the best of my favorite authors. Rachel and Sager both had a very painful childhood but yet both grow into strong adults despite this. They find complete healing in the love they come to have for each other. The Romance is just the icing on the cake for this book boosts of a true to life gritty Western. This book is not to be missed. The only thing I didn't like about this book is that Rachel's hateful aunt and uncle didn't get their just dues. It was a wonderful read!!! I will be reading this author again!!!
April 22, 2017
This book has everything I love a book to incorporate. A half-Breed hero, a feisty spitfire heroine, deception, revenge, and a beautiful love story. Rachel And The Hired Gun by Elaine Levine is one of my all time favorite books, I read it 10+ years ago and never forgot about it, so when I found it again, I knew I had to re-visit Sager and Rachel. Absolutely a phenomenal book and highly recommend it to anyone who loves a great western historical romance.
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May 22, 2017
This is my first Elaine Levine book and I loved it so it won't be my last! Rachel is a naive and sweet young lady that has had a terrible life living with her aunt and uncle in Virginia. She was sent to them by her father after the tragic death of her mother. She has been summoned by her father to return to Nevada and is supposed to wait for an escort her father is sending. She runs away and strikes out on her own to begin the dangerous journey. Rachel has no idea what awaits her in the Dakota Territory and on the journey there. Her father and Sanger, the hired gun that has been sent to escort Rachel, have no idea how much Rachel is going to change their plans and their lives. Awesome read.
September 13, 2019
I first read this book years ago and enjoyed it. I was in the mood for a Western and thought I'd do a reread of this one since I had fond memories. And since the ebook was free...
I enjoyed it this time around too. Rachel had led a Cinderella type life living with her aunt and uncle back east. But when her uncle started looking at her funny she knew it was time to make her escape and headed west to reunite with her father. The wagon train isn't such a good experience either as she has taken on the burden of looking after another family to help pay her way.
This all changes when she meets Sager, a hired hand of her father who has come to escort her. Because he is looked down on by others in the wagon train Rachel is kicked off and she and Sager make their way on their own. Though she doesn't know it, Sager plans to use her for revenge against his father and step brother who are neighbours of Rachel's father. He has a good reason to hate, though it's misdirected as we see later.
He scuttles his plans though the more he gets to know Rachel. There is a strong connection between the two of them and while he is hesitant to act on it, Rachel is all in.
This is like an old time western. I can see it being a movie with the strong silent type as the hero and the very innocent but likeable heroine. This is the first of the series and it gets things off to an excellent start. I think I have the rest of them as ebooks so as I get time I'm going to read more of these old west characters.
I enjoyed it this time around too. Rachel had led a Cinderella type life living with her aunt and uncle back east. But when her uncle started looking at her funny she knew it was time to make her escape and headed west to reunite with her father. The wagon train isn't such a good experience either as she has taken on the burden of looking after another family to help pay her way.
This all changes when she meets Sager, a hired hand of her father who has come to escort her. Because he is looked down on by others in the wagon train Rachel is kicked off and she and Sager make their way on their own. Though she doesn't know it, Sager plans to use her for revenge against his father and step brother who are neighbours of Rachel's father. He has a good reason to hate, though it's misdirected as we see later.
He scuttles his plans though the more he gets to know Rachel. There is a strong connection between the two of them and while he is hesitant to act on it, Rachel is all in.
This is like an old time western. I can see it being a movie with the strong silent type as the hero and the very innocent but likeable heroine. This is the first of the series and it gets things off to an excellent start. I think I have the rest of them as ebooks so as I get time I'm going to read more of these old west characters.
January 19, 2013
Ahhhh, Rachel Douglas, what have you gotten yourself involved in?
Her mother died years before the start of her story. Her father sent her to live with his wife's family back east who were not the upstanding kind people others thought them to be. At 18 years of age she runs away to find her father, now living in the Oregon territory. On the way she meets Sager, a hired gun her father sent to bring her safely to him for the remaining trip. Yes, there are some inconsistencies but overall the narrative was quite good for a western historical romance.
The story has an interesting opening that will pull the reader in. Rachel and Sager both have secrets and their time together at the start is a little bumpy, (I believe) written that way intentionally. The tension and chemistry between the two is good. Older, Sager is a hard man and has had a rough life but Rachel slowly softens his ways. He learns to care about someone and show it. A plus is that they talk about what is bothering them instead of the usual bickering found in so many other romances. It was enjoyable to see them mature in different ways.
The secondary characters are interesting, too. So much so that you want them to have their own story. AUDREY AND THE MAVERICK is the second story in the series and I hope just as good.
Her mother died years before the start of her story. Her father sent her to live with his wife's family back east who were not the upstanding kind people others thought them to be. At 18 years of age she runs away to find her father, now living in the Oregon territory. On the way she meets Sager, a hired gun her father sent to bring her safely to him for the remaining trip. Yes, there are some inconsistencies but overall the narrative was quite good for a western historical romance.
The story has an interesting opening that will pull the reader in. Rachel and Sager both have secrets and their time together at the start is a little bumpy, (I believe) written that way intentionally. The tension and chemistry between the two is good. Older, Sager is a hard man and has had a rough life but Rachel slowly softens his ways. He learns to care about someone and show it. A plus is that they talk about what is bothering them instead of the usual bickering found in so many other romances. It was enjoyable to see them mature in different ways.
The secondary characters are interesting, too. So much so that you want them to have their own story. AUDREY AND THE MAVERICK is the second story in the series and I hope just as good.
July 19, 2016
The overall flow is not bad at all. But I found the relationship development non-existing. Sager and Rachel went from not knowing each other at all to Sager calling her "Rach" as if they were old friends. I kept asking myself: what did I miss? The relationship is missing something for me.
January 9, 2016
I wish I remember what my review was for this- but I know I had really liked it yet, for some reason, my review and rating to each of the books in this series has been deleted from GR. :(
June 10, 2017
This is a book that twist and turn and knot in your stomach. The scars inside Sager are the lasting kind....until he meets Rachel Douglas. She was such a strong woman and never gave up on him. Although I was a little disappointed with the language in the last half, I loved this story of forgiveness and the need to be loved.
August 24, 2012
Reviewed by Heather
Rachel Douglas leaves her aunts home to return to her father’s. The journey is long and treacherous, but she is accompanied by her father’s hired gunman, Sager. Rachel feels an immediate attraction to Sager, but she has no idea of his real intentions.
Sager knows that Rachel is being summoned home so that she may be married off to his step-brother. He is dead set on revenge and plans to seduce her and ruin her before the marriage can take place. What Sager doesn’t plan on are his feelings toward Rachel.
I have been on a historical romance kick lately and when a twitter friend heard this she pointed me in the direction of this author. I am thrilled that she did.
I loved this book. From the very first chapter the reader is pulled into the world written by Levine. It reminded me of the romance books that I used to sneak and read when I was a teenager. Rachel and Sager fight their attraction and chemistry with all they have until finally, it all boils over and they can no longer keep their hands off each other.
This book definitely has a slow burn between the two of them and at one point I did find myself yelling at my kindle, “Just take her already!” but being that Sager knew that she was intended for another and as usual, he felt that he was no good for her, he fought his attraction. But when they finally do come together, oh yeah, it’s hot.
I was thrilled when I learned that this was just the first book of an entire series called Men of Defiance. I will definitely be checking out the next book.
Rachel Douglas leaves her aunts home to return to her father’s. The journey is long and treacherous, but she is accompanied by her father’s hired gunman, Sager. Rachel feels an immediate attraction to Sager, but she has no idea of his real intentions.
Sager knows that Rachel is being summoned home so that she may be married off to his step-brother. He is dead set on revenge and plans to seduce her and ruin her before the marriage can take place. What Sager doesn’t plan on are his feelings toward Rachel.
I have been on a historical romance kick lately and when a twitter friend heard this she pointed me in the direction of this author. I am thrilled that she did.
I loved this book. From the very first chapter the reader is pulled into the world written by Levine. It reminded me of the romance books that I used to sneak and read when I was a teenager. Rachel and Sager fight their attraction and chemistry with all they have until finally, it all boils over and they can no longer keep their hands off each other.
This book definitely has a slow burn between the two of them and at one point I did find myself yelling at my kindle, “Just take her already!” but being that Sager knew that she was intended for another and as usual, he felt that he was no good for her, he fought his attraction. But when they finally do come together, oh yeah, it’s hot.
I was thrilled when I learned that this was just the first book of an entire series called Men of Defiance. I will definitely be checking out the next book.
September 4, 2017
Rachel's father Old Jack, sends a hired gun, Sager to fetch his daughter who has left Virginia with a wagon train heading to the Dakota territory. Sager came upon Rachel and a wolf about to attack her as he was trying to save a little girl. He arrived in time to save both. He stayed a bit on the wagon train until they could both get to her father's ranch. Sager was not accepted well as he is half indian half white man. The other people were not to kind. Rachel did not care she thought Sager was a nice man, but rough around the edges. He gets her home to the ranch a few weeks later. In the mean time they both feel an attraction to each other but Sager has a plan for Rachel that she is not aware of. Everyone seems to know but her.
This was one of my fun reads from my TBR pile in between review books. I enjoyed the banter between the characters.. Rachel is trying to learn to be independent and Sager is rough but shuts everyone out. Old Jack is one of my favorite characters along with Logan. Logan is Sager's brother he is a white man and lives with their father Sid. It was touching to see a father on relationship come together.
The setting was good makes you feeling like you are in the territory as well. The villains are pretty good as well and makes you want to see what is going to happen. A page turner for me.
This was one of my fun reads from my TBR pile in between review books. I enjoyed the banter between the characters.. Rachel is trying to learn to be independent and Sager is rough but shuts everyone out. Old Jack is one of my favorite characters along with Logan. Logan is Sager's brother he is a white man and lives with their father Sid. It was touching to see a father on relationship come together.
The setting was good makes you feeling like you are in the territory as well. The villains are pretty good as well and makes you want to see what is going to happen. A page turner for me.
February 16, 2015
I don't read historical romance, and in fact I got this book accidentally but then figured why not read it. Rachel has left her abusive uncle and is returning to her father's ranch. The trek across the west is long and she is accompanied by her father's hired gun, Sager who was raised with Indians until he was 14 and plans on using Rachel in his revenge. Sager is bringing Rachel to the ranch to be married to his step brother but plans to seduce her and ruin her before she marries. However, he finds himself deeply attracted to Rachel and decides not to use her in his revenge. Sager fights his attraction to Rachel, feeling he isn't good enough for her. Rachel on the other hand wants Sager and doesn't make it easy for him to stay away from her. The romance is a slow build and I really enjoyed that. Once they did come together it was pretty hot, in fact probably not that realistic for historical. After all, they kept having sex in public places where they could be caught. There was no real worry about "ruining' her even though that had been his original plan. Overall, I enjoyed it for a nice change of pace.
June 10, 2017
This is my first book by Elaine Levine, and it won't be the last book I read by her. My problem is it is late at night, so I can't go to a store to look for more books written by her, and no money at this time if I find the books. I am very excited that I have four more books in this series, and the other series set in modern times looks just as intriguing.
What can be better, then the wild west, indians, half breeds, cowboys, cows, rustlers, and crabby land owners? Put that all together, and you have a book that you don't want to put down. This book had more surprises and twists, I wasn't sure who was going to end up with who. The Indian world, the white man's world, each have their own way of doing things, and how well do they mix, or can they mix. I was left wanting more of this world, and am very happy to know that I can get more.
What can be better, then the wild west, indians, half breeds, cowboys, cows, rustlers, and crabby land owners? Put that all together, and you have a book that you don't want to put down. This book had more surprises and twists, I wasn't sure who was going to end up with who. The Indian world, the white man's world, each have their own way of doing things, and how well do they mix, or can they mix. I was left wanting more of this world, and am very happy to know that I can get more.
October 14, 2014
Wow that girl sure knows how to write, really liked this beginning of a new series, awesome
People you need to read this book
People you need to read this book
August 12, 2019
I'm hooked. I wasn't sure what to expect from this western romance, whether it would be like others I've read or completely unique. It was unique enough to keep me invested. I think I read it in about three days. I can't exactly remember when I started so my start date is a guess. (I read late at night and dates aren't exactly things I remember easily anyway.)
From the first page, the adventure was non-stop. All the action was period-accurate. The characters stayed in character and grew in believable increments. I could actually root for the MCs. I love how the author introduced new important characters and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical romance and western romance. Be aware there are some sexual scenes and darker overtones in places. But there's a definite, strong plot and that is what I look for in a good romance novel. So it was a win for me.
From the first page, the adventure was non-stop. All the action was period-accurate. The characters stayed in character and grew in believable increments. I could actually root for the MCs. I love how the author introduced new important characters and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical romance and western romance. Be aware there are some sexual scenes and darker overtones in places. But there's a definite, strong plot and that is what I look for in a good romance novel. So it was a win for me.
August 13, 2019
4.5 Stars
I haven’t read a historical romance in...forever. But this one seemed to keep being on my feed n I finally gave in and read it. Set in 1867 or so, this book had everything I really like about this era in romance. Alpha kickass H -check, h needing protection but not a doormat-check, action and great secondary characters-check. This was such a nice change of pace for me. It was good from the first page to the last. I’ll need to read the other books in this series and explore the others from this author.
I haven’t read a historical romance in...forever. But this one seemed to keep being on my feed n I finally gave in and read it. Set in 1867 or so, this book had everything I really like about this era in romance. Alpha kickass H -check, h needing protection but not a doormat-check, action and great secondary characters-check. This was such a nice change of pace for me. It was good from the first page to the last. I’ll need to read the other books in this series and explore the others from this author.
September 1, 2019
Great story
Someone wrote a review and said this was 90% porn. What?! They must have confused this story with another book. This was more of a very sweet story with a wonderful love story. The H and h didn’t get together until almost half way through the story. Loved the H because he was really a kind person who was so hurt by life. The way he interacted and protected the h was so great. The story really flowed and I didn’t get bored one time.
Someone wrote a review and said this was 90% porn. What?! They must have confused this story with another book. This was more of a very sweet story with a wonderful love story. The H and h didn’t get together until almost half way through the story. Loved the H because he was really a kind person who was so hurt by life. The way he interacted and protected the h was so great. The story really flowed and I didn’t get bored one time.
August 21, 2019
Yessss Finally a great western romance
If I could give a 10 I would. Action packed from the first paragraph! All the characters were fun! Rachel’s dad was a hoot. I can’t wait to get more of Men of Defiance.
If I could give a 10 I would. Action packed from the first paragraph! All the characters were fun! Rachel’s dad was a hoot. I can’t wait to get more of Men of Defiance.
August 17, 2019
Couldn't put the book down
Loved the characters, how adversity of up bringing, life experiences make these characters in the book come to life. Would recommend it you Love the great out doors and all that comes with it. The days when cattle rustling was a big thing.
Loved the characters, how adversity of up bringing, life experiences make these characters in the book come to life. Would recommend it you Love the great out doors and all that comes with it. The days when cattle rustling was a big thing.
September 11, 2019
Wow great book
A hard to put down read.but I have to work.I loved every single thing about it.Will have to read again and again.Rachel and safer were great.
A hard to put down read.but I have to work.I loved every single thing about it.Will have to read again and again.Rachel and safer were great.
September 15, 2019
Many thanks to Elaine Levine for a good read.
It's the middle of the night and I'm so sleepy but I could not put this book down till I got to the end.I loved everything about it.Now I want to read the rest in the series.I would recommend it for sure!
It's the middle of the night and I'm so sleepy but I could not put this book down till I got to the end.I loved everything about it.Now I want to read the rest in the series.I would recommend it for sure!
October 22, 2015
This book ticked me off because it started out just fine and gradually got worse until I had no idea why I was still reading it. The first couple of chapters are a fast-paced, breezy read as long as you don't mind the lack of fidelity to historical mores. But over the next few chapters the story starting slowing down. Too many plot points were dropped, things were explained haphazardly and characters failed to behave in a remotely plausible fashion given the situation.
There is an overall disjointed quality to the writing as consecutive paragraphs skip from scene to scene with no transitions. The author randomly jumps between the viewpoints of Rachael and her love interest Sager. Characters behave in off-handed ways to major plot developments. Moderate Spoiler: All of the plot points in the book revolve around misunderstandings that last for years due to lack of a simple conversation. Several plot points are never resolved. Things tend to happen out of the blue with no setup.
The characterization are weak. Rachael does not behave like a woman from her time and her forward physical behavior and lack of concern for consequences were not credible. Sager supposedly was raised by Native American's from birth to age 14, but he never behaves in anyway that would indicate that and apparently speaks fluent unaccented English despite never hearing that language before he was "rescued". There is no explanation as to why he did not attempt to return to his tribe or why he chooses to live among White folk or how he reconnected with his Native American brother who appears at needed by the plot to help him out.
The writing is at the level of a YA, although the graphic sex scenes make this an adult read. Speaking of which this is a startling lack of concern with the likely results of pre-marital sex in the pre-birth control era.
There is an overall disjointed quality to the writing as consecutive paragraphs skip from scene to scene with no transitions. The author randomly jumps between the viewpoints of Rachael and her love interest Sager. Characters behave in off-handed ways to major plot developments. Moderate Spoiler: All of the plot points in the book revolve around misunderstandings that last for years due to lack of a simple conversation. Several plot points are never resolved. Things tend to happen out of the blue with no setup.
The characterization are weak. Rachael does not behave like a woman from her time and her forward physical behavior and lack of concern for consequences were not credible. Sager supposedly was raised by Native American's from birth to age 14, but he never behaves in anyway that would indicate that and apparently speaks fluent unaccented English despite never hearing that language before he was "rescued". There is no explanation as to why he did not attempt to return to his tribe or why he chooses to live among White folk or how he reconnected with his Native American brother who appears at needed by the plot to help him out.
The writing is at the level of a YA, although the graphic sex scenes make this an adult read. Speaking of which this is a startling lack of concern with the likely results of pre-marital sex in the pre-birth control era.
November 7, 2013
Another pleasant surprise this year. That's not to say it's a great read, it didn't inspire me to fangirl like some others I've read, but I'd been ignoring this on Amazon for a while, consigning myself to the belief that it was probably unspeakably terrible. So imagine my surprise when I discovered it wasn't. The writing isn't top-notch - the pacing is manic and there are plot points that are occasionally ignored - but there was enough intrigue to make me want to keep reading, and a minimum of ridiculous behavior by the heroine. The hero even came to his senses much more readily than I'm used to. The declaration scene was terribly cheesy, and I really believe that should be retooled, but all in all, it was an enjoyable way to spend a few hours.
I don't know if I'll read any more from this author. I'm not against it, but neither do I find myself chomping at the bit to finish the series.
I don't know if I'll read any more from this author. I'm not against it, but neither do I find myself chomping at the bit to finish the series.
April 22, 2009
Summoned by her father, Rachel Douglas leaves Virginia on a wagon train going West. She pays a family for traveling protection, but half-way there Rachel elects to travel with the hired gun sent by her father because she has been shunned as a loose woman. But what she didn't realize is that she has been summoned west to be used as a pawn in a ranch war with her father's neighbor - or that her fierce, sudden attraction to Sager, her father's hired gun, would put her heart and her life in jeopardy.
This is as much a historical romance as a western.
Enjoyable read with interesting characters and a gentle romance.
Highly recommend for leisure reading.
This is as much a historical romance as a western.
Enjoyable read with interesting characters and a gentle romance.
Highly recommend for leisure reading.
September 17, 2011
In spite of the excellence of this book's title (how many romance novel titles even mention a woman, much less her name?), I found the prose to be overwrought and the hero insipid. Some hired gun. All he does is stomp around and angst over being raised by Indians (seriously? I thought the old half-breed trope flamed out in the 80s, but this guy (EVEN THOUGH he is white?!) has like raven-black hair and of course he loves being alone and he whispers to the heroine, "You will not survive me." Next!). Anyway ... blech.
April 13, 2019
I like this author's contemporary romantic books, so wanted to check out more of her back list. This one, however didn't work for me. What turned me off was how at times things seemed very racist. I get back in the Wild West days that was normal, but it doesn't mean I want to read about it now. It also didn't help that Rachel came off as too stupid to live. In the end this one wasn't for me.
November 8, 2012
I was disappointed. I reluctantly finished this book. I had to skip several words, and discriptions unpleasingly discriptive. Not clean. It's mostly well written, however more inteligence could have been thought out for better words that I skipped several times. I'm quite embarrased to have to admit I read this book. I will be more careful on recommendations.
August 25, 2013
I generally do not like historical, but I decided to give it a try. I was really happy I did, Elaine Levine is a very talented author. I was so in story from the beginning. It tell a story about how hard life was in the early years. You fall in love,with characters and I can't wait to start book 2.
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