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Only #4
Only Love
′There is no finer guarantee of outstanding romance than the name of Elizabeth Lowell′ - Romantic Times.
Cast adrift during the War Between the States, Shannon Conner grew to womanhood in a lonely cabin high in the Colorado Rockies. Though stubborn and courageous, Shannon is ill-prepared to deal with the predatory Culpepper brothers - and the intoxicating ardour of the man who defends her honour, Rafael ′Whip′ Moran.
A loner and a wanderer, a man tied to no place or promise, Whip aids the wary young ′widow′ who has a walk like honey and a determined grip on her shotgun. But neither the Culpeppers nor grizzlies are as dangerous to Whip as the passion Shannon offers him - a passion that could cost Whip the freedom that is as much a part of him as his soul.
Cast adrift during the War Between the States, Shannon Conner grew to womanhood in a lonely cabin high in the Colorado Rockies. Though stubborn and courageous, Shannon is ill-prepared to deal with the predatory Culpepper brothers - and the intoxicating ardour of the man who defends her honour, Rafael ′Whip′ Moran.
A loner and a wanderer, a man tied to no place or promise, Whip aids the wary young ′widow′ who has a walk like honey and a determined grip on her shotgun. But neither the Culpeppers nor grizzlies are as dangerous to Whip as the passion Shannon offers him - a passion that could cost Whip the freedom that is as much a part of him as his soul.
408 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 1995
122 people are currently reading
868 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Lowell
210 books1,930 followersIndividually and with co-author/husband Evan, Ann Maxwell has written over 60 novels and one work of non-fiction. There are 30 million copies of these books in print, as well as reprints in 30 foreign languages. Her novels range from science fiction to historical fiction, from romance to mystery. After working in contemporary and historical romance, she became an innovator in the genre of romantic suspense.
In 1982, Ann began publishing as Elizabeth Lowell. Under that name she has received numerous professional awards in the romance field, including a Lifetime Achievement award from the Romance Writers of America (1994).
Since July of 1992, she has had over 30 novels on the New York Times bestseller list. In 1998 she began writing suspense with a passionate twist, capturing a new audience and generation of readers. Her new romance novel Perfect Touch will be available in July of 2015.
To get a full list of titles as well as read excerpts from her novels, visit www.elizabethlowell.com.
In 1982, Ann began publishing as Elizabeth Lowell. Under that name she has received numerous professional awards in the romance field, including a Lifetime Achievement award from the Romance Writers of America (1994).
Since July of 1992, she has had over 30 novels on the New York Times bestseller list. In 1998 she began writing suspense with a passionate twist, capturing a new audience and generation of readers. Her new romance novel Perfect Touch will be available in July of 2015.
To get a full list of titles as well as read excerpts from her novels, visit www.elizabethlowell.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
June 20, 2018
*3'5*
Rafe es mejor que Matt pero aún así tuvo sus momentos de pichote, madre mía estos hombres son demasiado tercos para mi salud mental XDDD Aunque saben compensarlo, jijij.
Reseñando...
►Reseña completa en Mi Rinconín de Lectura◄
Rafe es mejor que Matt pero aún así tuvo sus momentos de pichote, madre mía estos hombres son demasiado tercos para mi salud mental XDDD Aunque saben compensarlo, jijij.
Reseñando...
►Reseña completa en Mi Rinconín de Lectura◄
July 3, 2016
I really like the pace of this writer and the fact that she writes her stories without a plethora of secondary characters who do noting but fill the pages with meaningless conversations.
Shannon and Rafe are good characters but I got a little bored with their dance around each other in the first half of the story. Rafe waned to sleep with Shannon and Shannon was trying to deny him and herself. Maybe it is because I just read Only You and the intensity of the writer's style wears off on me. I find Only You a much better entry than this book and liked Reno and Eve better than Shannon and Rafe. Not much happened except Rafe was trying to get under Shannon's skirt. I don't know about Shannon. She was understandably reluctant in the beginning then confused. Even when the villains came to harm Shannon, the book read strangely bland to me. Some couples/romances just have it. I can only say that Reno and Eve from Only You had it whereas Rafe and Shannon didn't. But that's just my opinion. Overall it's a well written historical western story.
Shannon and Rafe are good characters but I got a little bored with their dance around each other in the first half of the story. Rafe waned to sleep with Shannon and Shannon was trying to deny him and herself. Maybe it is because I just read Only You and the intensity of the writer's style wears off on me. I find Only You a much better entry than this book and liked Reno and Eve better than Shannon and Rafe. Not much happened except Rafe was trying to get under Shannon's skirt. I don't know about Shannon. She was understandably reluctant in the beginning then confused. Even when the villains came to harm Shannon, the book read strangely bland to me. Some couples/romances just have it. I can only say that Reno and Eve from Only You had it whereas Rafe and Shannon didn't. But that's just my opinion. Overall it's a well written historical western story.
June 14, 2020
3/4 - Questa serie è stata fantastica sinora, e anche questo quarto volume non è male, tuttavia è quello che mi ha convinto di meno per quanto riguarda il personaggio maschile.
Mi spiego: nei romanzi precedenti, Caleb, Reno e pure Wolfe Lonetree sono stati uomini tutti d'un pezzo, cowboy che non temono di affrontare da solo cime, dirupi o canyon, tormente di neve, attacchi di pellerossa o briganti bianchi, e riescono comunque a proteggere chi amano.
Anche Rafael Moran, detto Whip, è in realtà un maschio indomito, pieno di ideali, che ha viaggiato per il mondo, andando a lavorare prima in Australia, poi in Cina, e in ogni angolo della terra, prima di ritrovarsi a passare per le Montagne Rocciose, dove già si sono stabiliti un paio di fratelli Moran e i loro amici.
In un emporio incontra una giovane donna, sola e minacciata, e in lui scatta l'istinto di protezione, a cui si aggiunge un periodo di corteggiamento, di premure e di aiuto.
Solo che Shannon, per quanto in ristrettezze e indubbiamente inesperta rispetto a lui, ha altrettanto coraggio, spirito d'iniziativa, oltre a determinazione e dolcezza. Insomma, dopo varie avventure i due sarebbero perfetti l'uno per l'altra, se non che Whip risulta terrorizzato dalla possibilità di accasarsi.
Avete presente quelli che mordono il freno, che basta un anello al dito per cominciare a provare sensazioni di soffocamento o prurito da catena di ferro al collo?
Ebbene, eccolo qua.
Quando già mi preparavo a un lieto fine all'orizzonte, sono rimasta perplessa di fronte a cento pagine di dubbi, timori, fughe, ripensamenti... roba da tirarlo giù da cavallo e dargli una scrollata per bene...
Il terrore d'essere "incastrato" può starci in un regency, con rampollo conteso da debuttanti arrampicatrici sociali, mentre stona in un western, dove lei sogna semplicemente di avere una fattoria e cercare l'oro insieme...
Dunque: Shannon perfetta, Rafael un po' stucchevole.
Mantengo comunque 4 stelline, perchè la Lowell è comunque veramente brava, tra paesaggi che mozzano il fiato, cura delle descrizioni, avventure con orsi e bulli di frontiera, e riappaiono tutti i personaggi dei volumi precedenti.
Inoltre - bonus - appare qui per la prima volta Hunter Maxwell, prossimo protagonista di Autumn Lover!
Mi spiego: nei romanzi precedenti, Caleb, Reno e pure Wolfe Lonetree sono stati uomini tutti d'un pezzo, cowboy che non temono di affrontare da solo cime, dirupi o canyon, tormente di neve, attacchi di pellerossa o briganti bianchi, e riescono comunque a proteggere chi amano.
Anche Rafael Moran, detto Whip, è in realtà un maschio indomito, pieno di ideali, che ha viaggiato per il mondo, andando a lavorare prima in Australia, poi in Cina, e in ogni angolo della terra, prima di ritrovarsi a passare per le Montagne Rocciose, dove già si sono stabiliti un paio di fratelli Moran e i loro amici.
In un emporio incontra una giovane donna, sola e minacciata, e in lui scatta l'istinto di protezione, a cui si aggiunge un periodo di corteggiamento, di premure e di aiuto.
Solo che Shannon, per quanto in ristrettezze e indubbiamente inesperta rispetto a lui, ha altrettanto coraggio, spirito d'iniziativa, oltre a determinazione e dolcezza. Insomma, dopo varie avventure i due sarebbero perfetti l'uno per l'altra, se non che Whip risulta terrorizzato dalla possibilità di accasarsi.
Avete presente quelli che mordono il freno, che basta un anello al dito per cominciare a provare sensazioni di soffocamento o prurito da catena di ferro al collo?
Ebbene, eccolo qua.
Quando già mi preparavo a un lieto fine all'orizzonte, sono rimasta perplessa di fronte a cento pagine di dubbi, timori, fughe, ripensamenti... roba da tirarlo giù da cavallo e dargli una scrollata per bene...
Il terrore d'essere "incastrato" può starci in un regency, con rampollo conteso da debuttanti arrampicatrici sociali, mentre stona in un western, dove lei sogna semplicemente di avere una fattoria e cercare l'oro insieme...
Dunque: Shannon perfetta, Rafael un po' stucchevole.
Mantengo comunque 4 stelline, perchè la Lowell è comunque veramente brava, tra paesaggi che mozzano il fiato, cura delle descrizioni, avventure con orsi e bulli di frontiera, e riappaiono tutti i personaggi dei volumi precedenti.
Inoltre - bonus - appare qui per la prima volta Hunter Maxwell, prossimo protagonista di Autumn Lover!
August 11, 2009
Concluding my Elizabeth Lowell "Only"-athon, last but not least we have Book Four, wherein Rafe "Whip" Moran, thusly nicknamed for his skill with a bullwhip (cue obligatory Indiana-Jones fangirly snicker), volunteers himself as the protector of the young 'widow' Shannon Conner Smith. She's living all alone in a remote cabin, and she's roused the interest of the predatory Culpepper brothers, who are very, very interested in the location of the gold claims worked by her alleged "husband".
Villains Du Jour: The Culpeppers, who are fairly interchangeable in their general assholitude, and who are mostly notable for being the main villains for a related duology of novels that Lowell does later.
Big Misunderstanding Du Jour: Holy Crap! She's a Virgin! (There's a lot of that in these novels, too.) Only this time around, it's with a side helping of But Wait, I Thought She Was a Widow! ('Cause of course Shannon was lying about the man who was reputed to be her husband, in protective self-defense!)
Hotness Du Jour: The Indiana Jones fangirl in me has to be a sucker for Rafe wielding a whip, I must admit. Also, of the four heroes in this quartet, he's the only one that takes the time to actually do some nice things for the girl he's interested in: working for her, hunting for her, and playing music for her; his only real issue is a pathological fear of being tied into marriage, since he's an inveterate wanderer. Yep, he's made of the most amount of Win.
Villains Du Jour: The Culpeppers, who are fairly interchangeable in their general assholitude, and who are mostly notable for being the main villains for a related duology of novels that Lowell does later.
Big Misunderstanding Du Jour: Holy Crap! She's a Virgin! (There's a lot of that in these novels, too.) Only this time around, it's with a side helping of But Wait, I Thought She Was a Widow! ('Cause of course Shannon was lying about the man who was reputed to be her husband, in protective self-defense!)
Hotness Du Jour: The Indiana Jones fangirl in me has to be a sucker for Rafe wielding a whip, I must admit. Also, of the four heroes in this quartet, he's the only one that takes the time to actually do some nice things for the girl he's interested in: working for her, hunting for her, and playing music for her; his only real issue is a pathological fear of being tied into marriage, since he's an inveterate wanderer. Yep, he's made of the most amount of Win.
February 25, 2014
The book started out interesting, but the longer I read, the less interesting it became. It was constantly repeating things. The male didn't strike me as a hero, he was trying to get exactly what he was keeping the Culpeppers from getting. The girl has to have been the dumbest thing on earth. When in "survival" moude, one learns to use anything and everything in nature. She lacks protein source...can't shoot a deer....but there is a lake with fish...which means also crayfish..etc..all protein. Maybe I have a jaded view here, I am ex-Air Force and did survival training, I was already pretty "Woods" savy, but by the end I knew I could survive with no help. she had a huge dog...why not use it to wound...cripple something till she could shoot it, etc. Also what happened to gardening. I could go on here....but don't want to bore you...like the book bored me.
It was the first book I read by this author, will read one more just to see if the failure of this book was a fluck...but suspect not. Reading an authors work, is getting a peak into their private fantasies...etc. Some are compatiable with your own....some are uncomfortable fit, an horrors in some cases..a shocking jolt. This was just an uncomfortable fit. Didn't really care what happened to the characters, and kept falling asleep while reading it...a sure indication, the storyline wasn't holding my attention.
It was the first book I read by this author, will read one more just to see if the failure of this book was a fluck...but suspect not. Reading an authors work, is getting a peak into their private fantasies...etc. Some are compatiable with your own....some are uncomfortable fit, an horrors in some cases..a shocking jolt. This was just an uncomfortable fit. Didn't really care what happened to the characters, and kept falling asleep while reading it...a sure indication, the storyline wasn't holding my attention.
December 9, 2007
I thought this one had a lot of potential, but failed miserably for me. It's a western-romance.
This turned out to be how can a guy get a girl into bed. Then he finds out she is a virgin and becomes irrationally irate with her. Then, the book becomes mainly about: how to have sex without going all the way. Well, it sounds stupid, but so was the book.
I was confused because it starts off with the guy having visions of where he was "supposed" to be in his life and this girl who he finds alone in the wilderness is the girl of his visions. When he finally meets her," he is very nice and romantic: he brings her flowers, meat, etc, but only wants to get her into bed. And that point gets beat to death throughout the book.
I think I gave this one too many stars!
This turned out to be how can a guy get a girl into bed. Then he finds out she is a virgin and becomes irrationally irate with her. Then, the book becomes mainly about: how to have sex without going all the way. Well, it sounds stupid, but so was the book.
I was confused because it starts off with the guy having visions of where he was "supposed" to be in his life and this girl who he finds alone in the wilderness is the girl of his visions. When he finally meets her," he is very nice and romantic: he brings her flowers, meat, etc, but only wants to get her into bed. And that point gets beat to death throughout the book.
I think I gave this one too many stars!
September 17, 2020
2020
And, finally, we read the conclusion to the four books written by Lowell. This one was probably my favorite of the bunch (although, by a very narrow margin, since I didn't really like any of them all that much). It's also a very similar story to the previous books: Wild Boy meets Virgin Girl and they have sparks of chemistry, but she's so pure and innocent and so they fight because Boy can't help but want Girl. And then the Girl ends up making sure that the Boy can't so no any more. And some such garbage. And then Boy wanders off because he can. And then he realizes he's dumb and comes back to Girl who still loves him. Literally the same plot for each and all of the four stories.
And, finally, we read the conclusion to the four books written by Lowell. This one was probably my favorite of the bunch (although, by a very narrow margin, since I didn't really like any of them all that much). It's also a very similar story to the previous books: Wild Boy meets Virgin Girl and they have sparks of chemistry, but she's so pure and innocent and so they fight because Boy can't help but want Girl. And then the Girl ends up making sure that the Boy can't so no any more. And some such garbage. And then Boy wanders off because he can. And then he realizes he's dumb and comes back to Girl who still loves him. Literally the same plot for each and all of the four stories.
September 21, 2025
⭐ 3.25 stars
The "will they, won’t they" tension was stretched out far too long—it became more exhausting than exciting. On the plus side, I appreciated that there were no unnecessary secondary characters pulling focus away from the main couple. The story stayed firmly centered on them, which I liked. Overall, it was an okay read—solid enough but nothing remarkable. Not a bad book, but not one I’d be rushing to revisit either.
The "will they, won’t they" tension was stretched out far too long—it became more exhausting than exciting. On the plus side, I appreciated that there were no unnecessary secondary characters pulling focus away from the main couple. The story stayed firmly centered on them, which I liked. Overall, it was an okay read—solid enough but nothing remarkable. Not a bad book, but not one I’d be rushing to revisit either.
June 23, 2011
Elizabeth Lowell WRITES the bold words. And I love her for it. She doesn't tell you about it, she SHOWS you. Thank you, Elizabeth Lowell.
Whip is one of those heroes that makes me stop and think, "Is there such a man as this in existence?" If there is, I don't know that I've ever heard of him. But there's always that fantasy that he IS out there, crossing over mountains, fording rivers, sailing across an ocean, learning to fight, learning to love...
A man so well-rounded and well-endowed that he fills every space in his heroine's life so succinctly, so perfectly... I wonder if he CAN exist.
He feels larger than life.
Don't think me silly for giving this 5 stars. It was just a perfect story for me at this time. This is the second read-through of this book for me. And my original feelings are still the same from the first time.
Can't wait to read the others in this series.
Whip is one of those heroes that makes me stop and think, "Is there such a man as this in existence?" If there is, I don't know that I've ever heard of him. But there's always that fantasy that he IS out there, crossing over mountains, fording rivers, sailing across an ocean, learning to fight, learning to love...
A man so well-rounded and well-endowed that he fills every space in his heroine's life so succinctly, so perfectly... I wonder if he CAN exist.
He feels larger than life.
Don't think me silly for giving this 5 stars. It was just a perfect story for me at this time. This is the second read-through of this book for me. And my original feelings are still the same from the first time.
Can't wait to read the others in this series.
May 4, 2018
3/5
Bueno, pues pensaba que Rafe sería el maromo que más me iba a gustar y va a ser que no. Demasiada tontería tiene este hombre, se pasa de cabezón sin sentido. Todos los de la serie son un poco así pero este se lleva la palma. Anda que no hace sufrir a la chica pa na...
Buena boa según parece pero ya está.
Bueno, pues pensaba que Rafe sería el maromo que más me iba a gustar y va a ser que no. Demasiada tontería tiene este hombre, se pasa de cabezón sin sentido. Todos los de la serie son un poco así pero este se lleva la palma. Anda que no hace sufrir a la chica pa na...
Buena boa según parece pero ya está.
December 25, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book although it is my least favorite in the series so far!
But I loved Shannon, Whip and Prettyface. I just felt the book could have been shorter. Oh and I wanted to hit Whip upside the head.
But I loved Shannon, Whip and Prettyface. I just felt the book could have been shorter. Oh and I wanted to hit Whip upside the head.
August 26, 2013
Whip is a "yandering" man who doesn't want to feel tied down. Shannon is an idiot living alone in the wilderness without the skills to provide for herself. At the beginning of the book she pretended to be married so men wouldn't bother her. Wasn't working, since her "husband" (grat-uncle) had died years before. Since then, Shannon had been slowly starving because she can't even hunt.
The book was boring and repetitive.
Whip: I want her, but I don't want to be tied down by her. How can I give up my yandering ways? How can I give up her? I won't touch her. I want her.
Yikes, will you start yandering already and make way for a hero with more than one train of thought?
Shannon wasn't much more interesting. I didn't connect to her at all.
I didn't finish this one. I couldn't stand the thought of the poetic nonsense of an ending I was sure was coming. I don't suppose it ever occurred to anyone that the best wife for a man who likes to travel is a woman who likes to travel? Or the best husband for a woman who wants to stay home and have kids is a man who wants to stay home and have kids? But no.... we have to change the man so that he figures out that what he's really been looking for during all his travels was this one perfect woman to stay home with.
Okay, so it would hardly be the first romance novel to go there, but at least I'm usually more into the characters. :)
Don't recommend.
The book was boring and repetitive.
Whip: I want her, but I don't want to be tied down by her. How can I give up my yandering ways? How can I give up her? I won't touch her. I want her.
Yikes, will you start yandering already and make way for a hero with more than one train of thought?
Shannon wasn't much more interesting. I didn't connect to her at all.
I didn't finish this one. I couldn't stand the thought of the poetic nonsense of an ending I was sure was coming. I don't suppose it ever occurred to anyone that the best wife for a man who likes to travel is a woman who likes to travel? Or the best husband for a woman who wants to stay home and have kids is a man who wants to stay home and have kids? But no.... we have to change the man so that he figures out that what he's really been looking for during all his travels was this one perfect woman to stay home with.
Okay, so it would hardly be the first romance novel to go there, but at least I'm usually more into the characters. :)
Don't recommend.
October 7, 2010
Liked the beginning, but skimmed through the end. The story started out sweet and satisfying but ended with me wanting to gag every time I read about the sunrise never seen and the words "yondering man" (god I think both phrases are repeated a million times in this book). I never really bought into Whips need to "yonder," it quickly turned into an annoying plot device to cause conflict rather than a realistic problem the hero had with settling down. I loved the start of this series so much (Only His), but have found the rest of the "Only" books I've read do be disappointing.
August 18, 2009
Started out great. I loved the intensity of the hero and the vulnerability of the heroine. By the time I was done however, I just wanted to smack them both upside the head.
February 11, 2011
Years ago when I read in print, I thought this was a DIK - the audio was a disaster by comparison.
When it comes to a flat-out failure for male narration of a romance, my vote goes to Richard Ferrone, narrator of Elizabeth Lowell’s Only series. His narration is actually pretty impressive until his heroine utters her first words and you can’t help but think of Diana’s Monty Python reference. Even worse is the occasional injustice done to these manliest of men heroes. In the printed version of Only Love, Whip is a strong, considerate hero but Ferrone’s verbalization of Whip’s repeated claims of being a yondering man always seeking the sunrise he’s never seen, while referring to Shannon as Honey Girl, cast him forever in my mind as a slightly effeminate silly man. What a waste!
This review was written by Lea Hensley for the 6/08/09 Speaking of Audiobooks column. http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?p=1835#m...
When it comes to a flat-out failure for male narration of a romance, my vote goes to Richard Ferrone, narrator of Elizabeth Lowell’s Only series. His narration is actually pretty impressive until his heroine utters her first words and you can’t help but think of Diana’s Monty Python reference. Even worse is the occasional injustice done to these manliest of men heroes. In the printed version of Only Love, Whip is a strong, considerate hero but Ferrone’s verbalization of Whip’s repeated claims of being a yondering man always seeking the sunrise he’s never seen, while referring to Shannon as Honey Girl, cast him forever in my mind as a slightly effeminate silly man. What a waste!
This review was written by Lea Hensley for the 6/08/09 Speaking of Audiobooks column. http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?p=1835#m...
July 5, 2011
This is the best of the "Only" series, in my opinion. Rafe is actually pretty sweet to Shannon (what a change from how the men treated the women in the other three books of the series!)
January 23, 2014
To quote Kathrynn's review: I think I gave this one too many stars! Lol. =__=
May 9, 2021
This was the first Elizabeth Lowell I ever read and for a long time it was the last, as well.
I dislike this book because the author is basically presenting the real-life version of forcible seduction -- which is really more like "rape by coercion," and leaves plenty of modern women with PTSD. I would guess the odds of a Victorian woman coping with that kind of seduction without permanent emotional damage would have been even lower. It's one thing to read a romance where a pirate kidnaps a lady or an Indian hauls her off or where the basic plot, and the "rough seduction" that is part of it, is the sort of thing that would never happen in real life. It's another thing when the hero follows the same game plan as modern-day abusers.
For starts, the hero targets a helpless and bullied woman who has no resources. The text says straight out, "Whip didn’t know which drew him to the girl more immediately, the fear or the honey." Lowell no doubt expects us to think he's drawn by her fear because he wants to protect the helpless, but guys who honestly want to protect the helpless do not proceed to act the way this yahoo does. Guys who honestly want to help a woman try to provide her with resources; Whip proceeds to take advantage of her helplessness.
Another way the book supports the abusive mindset is that the hero spends most of the book trying to seduce the heroine while insisting "you want this as bad as I do." This is a classic tactic, but the problem here is that the reader knows full well the heroine actually does want him, that the heroine is instinctively attracted to Whip the minute she sets eyes on him, and that she has to battle that attraction all through the book. But I've gotten that line from many a male, and it was never, ever true. Not only did I not want them "as bad as" they wanted me -- I didn't want them at all! And I know other women have dealt with that routine as well.
Another method the hero uses that echoes modern abusers is that the hero keeps giving the heroine things she explicitly says she doesn't want, and then implying that because he gifted her, she owes him. Except this so-called hero is even worse than the modern-day guys who pull this sort of thing, because he's not offering dinner and a date sort of thing or some other little modern favor -- he's offering a starving woman food her body desperately needs in order to get her to feel indebted to him!
There is nothing romantic about tempting a desperate person to accept favors in order to put them in your debt and give you leverage in forcing them to do something you know they don't want to do. That's a cruel act in this day and age; this guy is trying to ruin a woman in the mid-nineteenth century. The author tries to soften his crime by having the hero think the women is sexually experienced (although what difference that makes has never been clear to me), and by having the woman use a form of birth control on the theory that what the hero is bullying her into will have no lasting impact.
However, none of the birth control of the era that women could make use of were effective or reliable (except maybe cotton root, which has not been tested), and this is not a hero who is interested in using a condom. For that matter, even modern birth control still fails sometimes. But the main point is that being coerced into using birth control is not very romantic, either. As is true of many Lowell romances, my affection for the heroine drags me through the thing, but in this case it's less affection than just plain feeling sorry for her, with a side of frequent grumbling that she isn't making the best use of her resources.
This hero just plain fails on every front for me. Others have said he at least gives her nice things, but to my mind every gift has a price tag attached and he is just a manipulative jackass.
I dislike this book because the author is basically presenting the real-life version of forcible seduction -- which is really more like "rape by coercion," and leaves plenty of modern women with PTSD. I would guess the odds of a Victorian woman coping with that kind of seduction without permanent emotional damage would have been even lower. It's one thing to read a romance where a pirate kidnaps a lady or an Indian hauls her off or where the basic plot, and the "rough seduction" that is part of it, is the sort of thing that would never happen in real life. It's another thing when the hero follows the same game plan as modern-day abusers.
For starts, the hero targets a helpless and bullied woman who has no resources. The text says straight out, "Whip didn’t know which drew him to the girl more immediately, the fear or the honey." Lowell no doubt expects us to think he's drawn by her fear because he wants to protect the helpless, but guys who honestly want to protect the helpless do not proceed to act the way this yahoo does. Guys who honestly want to help a woman try to provide her with resources; Whip proceeds to take advantage of her helplessness.
Another way the book supports the abusive mindset is that the hero spends most of the book trying to seduce the heroine while insisting "you want this as bad as I do." This is a classic tactic, but the problem here is that the reader knows full well the heroine actually does want him, that the heroine is instinctively attracted to Whip the minute she sets eyes on him, and that she has to battle that attraction all through the book. But I've gotten that line from many a male, and it was never, ever true. Not only did I not want them "as bad as" they wanted me -- I didn't want them at all! And I know other women have dealt with that routine as well.
Another method the hero uses that echoes modern abusers is that the hero keeps giving the heroine things she explicitly says she doesn't want, and then implying that because he gifted her, she owes him. Except this so-called hero is even worse than the modern-day guys who pull this sort of thing, because he's not offering dinner and a date sort of thing or some other little modern favor -- he's offering a starving woman food her body desperately needs in order to get her to feel indebted to him!
There is nothing romantic about tempting a desperate person to accept favors in order to put them in your debt and give you leverage in forcing them to do something you know they don't want to do. That's a cruel act in this day and age; this guy is trying to ruin a woman in the mid-nineteenth century. The author tries to soften his crime by having the hero think the women is sexually experienced (although what difference that makes has never been clear to me), and by having the woman use a form of birth control on the theory that what the hero is bullying her into will have no lasting impact.
However, none of the birth control of the era that women could make use of were effective or reliable (except maybe cotton root, which has not been tested), and this is not a hero who is interested in using a condom. For that matter, even modern birth control still fails sometimes. But the main point is that being coerced into using birth control is not very romantic, either. As is true of many Lowell romances, my affection for the heroine drags me through the thing, but in this case it's less affection than just plain feeling sorry for her, with a side of frequent grumbling that she isn't making the best use of her resources.
This hero just plain fails on every front for me. Others have said he at least gives her nice things, but to my mind every gift has a price tag attached and he is just a manipulative jackass.
August 8, 2018
I simultaneously loved this book and wanted to bash the hero's skull in at times. I enjoyed the ways in which Whip "wooed" Shannon in the beginning. First by defending her honor and then with all the "gifts" he kept leaving for her. He sure wanted to get in her pants pretty badly!! But good lord did he struggle with to understand that Shannon could and would be his greatest adventure. And she took his rejection a little too well and readily. I would have loved for her to kneed him in the balls or shot him (somewhere non-fatal) or something. He rejected her so many times it was embarrassing that she kept allowing him more opportunities. BUT, they had great chemistry and so. much. angst!! Everyone knows I'm a sucker for good angst. So even though this book was super frustrating at times and probably could have been a bit shorter, the writing was good, the epilogue was sweet and I was well entertained while reading Only Love so I'm giving it 4.25 Better Than the Next Sunrise stars.
January 18, 2021
Este es el primer libro de la serie que no había leído antes.
Gustar me ha gustado... pero he sentido que el final ha sido muy agridulce, a pesar de los epílogos de la autora que son románticos, dulces y felices.
El personaje de Rafe me gusta, pero no soporto lo estúpido y cabezota que ha sido todo el libro. Shannon también me ha gustado, de hecho he notado una cierta evolución a lo largo de la historia, en cuanto seguridad en sí misma. Ahora sí, es todo resignación...
Siento que no se han aprovechado más los personajes y no se han "explotado" las posibilidades que tenían. Me sucede un poco como con el segundo libro de Wolfe y Jessi. Una pena porque me gusta mucho la forma de escribir de la autora y de hacer empatizar con los personajes.
Gustar me ha gustado... pero he sentido que el final ha sido muy agridulce, a pesar de los epílogos de la autora que son románticos, dulces y felices.
El personaje de Rafe me gusta, pero no soporto lo estúpido y cabezota que ha sido todo el libro. Shannon también me ha gustado, de hecho he notado una cierta evolución a lo largo de la historia, en cuanto seguridad en sí misma. Ahora sí, es todo resignación...
Siento que no se han aprovechado más los personajes y no se han "explotado" las posibilidades que tenían. Me sucede un poco como con el segundo libro de Wolfe y Jessi. Una pena porque me gusta mucho la forma de escribir de la autora y de hacer empatizar con los personajes.
June 13, 2021
My favorite among the four 'Only' stories!!! I'd give as many stars as the night sky have if possible. I love Whip's character. Gotta find my own Whip in my life. 😁😍
"That’s what I’m trying to tell you,” he said. “The sunrise I was chasing all over the world to find is the one that only love could give me. Nothing on earth calls to me the way you do. It just took me a while to get used to the idea.”
"That’s what I’m trying to tell you,” he said. “The sunrise I was chasing all over the world to find is the one that only love could give me. Nothing on earth calls to me the way you do. It just took me a while to get used to the idea.”
April 25, 2018
Con los dedos cruzados y mirada reticente, me pongo con "Sólo Amor". Rafe cae del cielo como un ángel justiciero (♡3♡)
Rafe es un Chris Hermsworth demasiado terco y algo extremista/dramas (Blanco o Negro, no se ha enterado que existen los grises). Shannon no se queda atrás, cabezota, terca y un poco imprudente, no ha conseguido llegarme tanto como Eve o Jessi (perdónadme, Rafe acapara toda la atención). Aunque me ha gustado, tampoco es una gran historia, es rápida de leer con sus dosis de acción y humor. Y cómo no, un final precipitado.
PD: Esta opinión no es nada objetiva, puede estar "ligeramente" favorecida (^ . ~)
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Rafe es un Chris Hermsworth demasiado terco y algo extremista/dramas (Blanco o Negro, no se ha enterado que existen los grises). Shannon no se queda atrás, cabezota, terca y un poco imprudente, no ha conseguido llegarme tanto como Eve o Jessi (perdónadme, Rafe acapara toda la atención). Aunque me ha gustado, tampoco es una gran historia, es rápida de leer con sus dosis de acción y humor. Y cómo no, un final precipitado.
PD: Esta opinión no es nada objetiva, puede estar "ligeramente" favorecida (^ . ~)
Responder
October 9, 2017
This book only just got 2 stars. It was a mission to finish, was ridiculously repetitive, and squandered its potential.
The series started well and has declined since. I'm definitely giving up on it.
The series started well and has declined since. I'm definitely giving up on it.
October 19, 2018
I had asked a few months back for romance recommendations for our blog. This title was recommended, but never really got to it until recently. It was a quick read, it had funny parts, but it wasn't my cup of tea.
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January 13, 2020"do go and eat some wasps. it will make your tongue seem sweet by comparison."
"when it comes to being a fool, you not only win the race, you also take second, third, and fo-"
"where are your manners?"
"in his watch pocket, along with his brains."
"when it comes to being a fool, you not only win the race, you also take second, third, and fo-"
"where are your manners?"
"in his watch pocket, along with his brains."
March 4, 2020
The book is pretty much a long seduction of oneself and another. Whip recognizes Shannon as the woman he has seen in his dreams the moment he sees her. He pursues her, then fights his attraction because he does not want to settle down.
April 25, 2022
A great read. Whip finally meets the woman of his dreams, literally. She may or may not be married but either way she needs help. Of course Whip is a wandering man and unlikely to settle down but he can't resist helping Shannon out so she won't starve.
June 21, 2023
this was bad...
the first pages really had me laughing at how authors write terrible heroes with the full expectation that we will think they are dreamy
the guy literally says and does the most stupid things and constanly crosses boundaries and we're supposed to think it's romantic?
the first pages really had me laughing at how authors write terrible heroes with the full expectation that we will think they are dreamy
the guy literally says and does the most stupid things and constanly crosses boundaries and we're supposed to think it's romantic?
February 8, 2024
One of the first romance novels I read as a teenager, and one of my all time favorite novels. I come back for a reread at least every other year, and I enjoy it just as much as the first time. What a sweet story. And the smut is 🔥.
April 22, 2025
re-read 4/25
This one kinda dragged for me. I read about half, skipped ahead to the end.
She's the "widow" of a famous gun guy who was actually her great uncle. Running out of supplies when he rolls into town and tries to help her.
This one kinda dragged for me. I read about half, skipped ahead to the end.
She's the "widow" of a famous gun guy who was actually her great uncle. Running out of supplies when he rolls into town and tries to help her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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